COSTA DO SAUIPE, Brazil - France was perhaps the biggest beneficiary when FIFA decided on its procedure for the World Cup draw Tuesday, as the team now has better odds of avoiding Brazil and Argentina. Wholesale Buffalo Sabres Jerseys . As the lowest-ranked of nine unseeded European qualifiers, France was expected to go in the Africa-dominated draw pot — meaning it could not be placed in the same group as a top-seeded European team. But instead of following its format from the 2006 World Cup, FIFA decided that all nine European teams enter an open ballot which starts the draw ceremony on Friday. That team selected will effectively enter Pot 2 alongside the five African teams, plus Chile and Ecuador. France could yet face the top South Americans but now also has the unexpected chance of drawing seeded Switzerland or Belgium. FIFA President Sepp Blatter said the decision followed talks with confederation presidents, including UEFAs French president Michel Platini. However, he sidestepped a question asking him to explain a procedure that seemingly ignored FIFAs own precedent and favoured France. "Let us (hold the) draw and not let us speak of teams," Blatter said. FIFA traditionally tries to create pots based on geography, so that groups will include teams from up to four different continents and avoiding scenarios where three European teams get grouped together. For the 2006 tournament — the last time there were nine unseeded European teams — Serbia and Montenegro was the lowest-ranked team from the continent. That time, FIFA put it in a separate pot, and Serbia and Montenegro found itself in the toughest group: with Argentina, Netherlands and Ivory Coast. The eight top-ranked teams in Pot 1 also include Colombia, Uruguay, Germany and Spain. The five African teams in Pot 2 are Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria, while Pot 3 includes the teams from the Asian and CONCACAF regions — Australia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico and the United States. In other decisions Tuesday, FIFAs World Cup organizing committee declined to switch early kickoff times in tropical cities despite concerns by the international players union over the heat and humidity. Blatter had suggested in Rome last month that seven 1 p.m. kickoff times in Fortaleza, Natal, Recife and Salvador could be re-evaluated. FIFPro, the international players union, had formally asked FIFA to consider moving the matches to later in the day. "We were perfectly aware of the weather conditions when this match schedule was organized," FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said of the October 2011 agreement. "It was done in a professional way." Valcke confirmed FIFAs budgeted commitment to increase World Cup prize money by around one-third, but the exact breakdown will be decided later this week. FIFA shared $348 million among the 32 national federations in 2010, including $30 million to Spain for winning and a minimum of $8 million to each team. FIFA has previously said the prize fund will be $454 million next year. Authentic Dominik Hasek Jersey . The top-ranked Williams carried her winning momentum from 2013 into the new season, beating No. 2-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 7-5 on Saturday to defend her title at the Brisbane International and set the tone for the Australian Open. Authentic Zach Bogosian Jersey . The (14-15-5) Jets are seventh in the Central Division with 33 points. They trail sixth place Nashville and fifth place Dallas by two points. http://www.cheapnhlsabresjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-tage-thompson-jersey . Woods said Friday that his charity event, which attracts a world-class field even without being part of any tour, will move in December 2014 to Isleworth, the course where he honed his professional game from 1996 until moving away to south Florida two years ago. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Retired Yankees closer Mariano Rivera says he would take Bostons Dustin Pedroia over former teammate Robinson Cano as his top second baseman. Thats fine by Cano, who insists he respects Rivera as the best ever, no matter what. "There is no doubt that he is a Hall of Fame-caliber talent," Rivera said about Cano in his new book published Tuesday. "Its just a question of whether he finds the drive that you need to get there." "I dont think Robby burns to be the best. I think hes content to enjoy the game and help his team and go home. You dont see the red-hot passion in him that you see in most elite players," Rivera said. Cano has moved on out West with Seattle, determined not to let Riveras words in "The Closer: My Story" affect him or his new team. "Everybody has a different opinion. Thats his opinion and I have to respect his opinion," Cano said before Tuesday nights game at Oakland. "Im not going to go too far into this. Thats the only thing that I can say. My focus right now is this team. Im here, were winning. I was over there already and now Im here and now Im focused on the team. Im going to be excited for my teammates." Baseballs career saves leader played nine seasons with Cano. Rivera retired after last year, and Cano left the Yankees in the off-season and joined the Mariners on a $240 million, 10-year contract as the new centerpiece of the franchise. Rivera played against Pedroia for eight years in New Yorks rivalry with the Red Sox. "Nobody plays harder, gives more, wants to win more. He comes at you hard for 27 outs, every time. Its a special thing to see, a little guy like that who is willing to do whatever it takes," Rivera said. "If I have to win one game, Id have a hard time taking anybody over Dustin Pedroia as my second baseman." Rivera cites Roberto Alomar and former teammate Chuck Knoblauch as second baseman hed consider alongside Cano in the debate over the best at the position. Authentic Scott Wilson Jersey. In the end, Rivera decides on Pedroia. Cano has played at least 159 games in each of the past seven years -- and Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon insists that durability shows plenty about his love for the game and desire to be great and stay in the lineup every day. Cano will let those numbers provide all the necessary information. "Everybody knows I play 160 games," he said. "How does Mariano feel? I respect that and Im always going to have respect for him, a guy that I spent nine years with and for me is always going to be the best closer. Thats how I feel." McClendon said he was "surprised" to learn of Riveras remarks regarding Cano. "Im extremely proud, Im humbled and I feel blessed to be able to manage a guy of Robinson Canos character and his ability to play the game of baseball. Hes a Seattle Mariner and Im proud to have him," McClendon said. "One thing I know about human nature, I dont know what Robinson Cano is feeling inside, just like you dont know what Im feeling inside. Its impossible for me to justify that or answer that. All I can tell you is check the book, he plays 160, 162 games a year. I think thats pretty good passion. "The last nine years, hes been the best second baseman in baseball, offensively and defensively, and the awards and the numbers back it up." In the book, written with New York Daily News reporter Wayne Coffey, Rivera says there has been a decrease in atmosphere at New York home games following the move to new Yankee Stadium for the 2009 season. "It doesnt hold noise, or home-team fervour, anywhere near the way the old place did," he said. "The old Stadium was our 10th man -- a loud and frenzied cauldron of pinstriped passion, with a lot of lifers in the stands. Maybe Im wrong, but its hard to see that the new place can ever quite duplicate that." Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap Adidas Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Nike Baseball Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys China Wholesale NFL Jerseys China Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys Authentic Cheap NHL Jerseys Canada Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys Cheap Soccer Jerseys China NCAA Jerseys Cheap Nike NHL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys Store Cheap Football Jerseys Store Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Jerseys NCAA China Jerseys NFL Cheap Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys ' ' '