PORTO, Portugal -- Colombia striker Radamel Falcao is in a race against time to get fit for the World Cup in June after undergoing knee surgery Saturday, with his doctor giving him a better than 50-50 chance of making it. Clippers Jerseys 2021 . Falcao, known as El Tigre, is Colombias star player, and the hopes the country places on him merited a bedside visit from Colombias president after Falcao awoke from his anesthetic. Juan Manuel Santoss presidential plane made a detour on his way home from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to check on Falcao at Trindade hospital in downtown Porto, northern Portugal. "Hes in good spirits, hes very optimistic," Santos told reporters outside the hospital. Santos said Colombia, which will face Ivory Coast, Greece and Japan in Group C at the tournament in Brazil, has a strong group of players "but Falcao has become a symbol of the national team." The Portuguese doctor who performed the surgery said it went according to plan. Dr Jose Carlos Noronha said a torn anterior cruciate ligament, which Falcao contracted in his left knee, can often take more than six months to heal. However, he wouldnt rule out the possibility of the player recovering in time for Colombias World Cup opener against Greece on June 14. "It went well," Noronha said of the surgery to graft a tendon onto Falcaos knee. "The light at the end of the tunnel isnt small." Every patient recovers at a different pace, he said. "Theres a possibility of him going to the tournament," Noronha said. "Its not out of the question." The 27-year-old Falcao injured his knee playing for Monaco in the French Cup on Wednesday. Inflammation from the original injury had gone down relatively quickly, Noronha said, allowing surgery to go ahead three days later. However, Noronha warned that Falcao "cant rush his recovery." Falcao is set to be released from the hospital on Monday. Noronha said he expected Falcao to continue his recovery in Monaco. Clippers Jerseys 2020 .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to complete a sweep of the Washington Capitals when the clubs cap a quick home-and-home series Tuesday night in the Steel City. Wholesale Clippers Jerseys . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. https://www.cheapclippersonline.com/ .com) - Sergio Agueros 63rd-minute goal was enough to lift Manchester City to a 1-0 win over 10-man Manchester United on Sunday at the Etihad Stadium.MIAMI - The Associated Press will periodically look at the changing landscape of the NBA during the season from varied perspectives: A players viewpoint, from the bench, and from the business side. In this installment, Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder provides an inside look.___Quin Snyder looks the same now as he did during his Duke playing days in the 1980s, having remained lean and appearing like he could still go 5-on-5 if so inclined.Hes fit as can be.But these days, he just looks exhausted.Such is the reality for an NBA coach, particularly a first-year one in the early phases of rebuilding a franchise. Days are long, days off are nonexistent, and there are constant reminders that no matter how meticulous the practice plan, every issue wont be solved between one game and the next.This has been the biggest realization from the opening portion of Snyders first season as coach of the Utah Jazz.Theres even more teaching than I probably anticipated on the front end, Snyder said. Teaching our entire group what it is, and when I say teaching I mean even our staff, getting them to understand what it is I want. That process and the urgency you feel as a coach to do that ... theres always something more you want to touch, review, get in, address and there literally is not enough time.Snyder is one of four rookie coaches in the NBA right now, and all four have been dealt distinctly different hands. At Golden State, Steve Kerr has a team thats already put together a 16-game winning streak and looks like a title contender. At Cleveland, David Blatt has the worlds best player in LeBron James and still has seen inconsistent results. At New York, Derek Fisher has a team thats plummeted to near the bottom of the dreadful Eastern Conference.When Snyder sat down with the AP in Miami, he was tired — and with good reason.The Jazz played at New Orleans on Tuesday, then came right back to beat the Heat in Miami on Wednesday. And nonetheless, on Thursday morning the Jazz were back on the practice floor at their downtown hotel for a workout and film session before flying to Orlando.Theres always something to work on, said Snyder, whose Jazz have won just seven times in the seasons first 26 games.He haas already matched wits with his fellow rookie coaches, beating the Cavaliers and the Knicks. Los Angeles Clippers Gear. But hes not comparing himself to them.Ive looked for comps of other teams that are at a point and a place where we want to be, Snyder said. Whether that be style of play, execution, demeanour, connectivity, all the traits to me that make up a program and the type of program that we want, the fiber, the values. Thats where most of my attention has gone.For their part, his rookie colleagues agree with Snyder: Finding enough time to get everything done is daunting.I had a lot of thoughts coming in, Kerr said. Things I wanted to practice every day. All of a sudden, the season starts and you have to have a day off physically for the guys to rest, then the next day youve got a game and youve got to go over the game plan for the other team. ... Youve got to find time for everything, and its tricky.Added Fisher: I dont know if theres anything that strikes me as easier than I thought it would be. Its a demanding job.Blatt, a longtime coach overseas before coming to the NBA, said its a harsh learning process.There is a dynamic of what the schedule does to you, and how you go about trying to manage that in the best possible way, he said. The NBA is a different animal.Snyder knows the reality.The Jazz are basically out of the playoff picture already in the absolutely loaded Western Conference, and some of the players in his young group are probably experiencing some of the toughest stretches of their basketball lives.He gets angry, frustrated, disappointed, all the normal emotions that accompany losing.But as coach, he sees himself as the official mood-setter for his team, and thats why he doesnt stay down for long.Its not a great year to be rebuilding, Snyder said. One of the things thats challenging, your wins and losses are one way of evaluating success and thats obvious. Regardless if youre feeling that your team is improving, when you lose X games in a row, that can be a real impediment to growth. The resilience that is necessary to continue to commit and invest when you dont have the juice that comes from a win, it becomes hard.Thats the challenge hes embracing. ' ' '