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PYONGYANG, North Korea -- Dennis Rodman said Monday that a game he and other former National Basketball Association players are planning in North Korea will be a "birthday present" for one of their most unlikely fans: leader Kim Jong Un. Rodmans squad -- featuring ex-All Stars Kenny Anderson, Cliff Robinson and Vin Baker -- will play against a team of North Koreans on Wednesday, which is believed to be Kims birthday. The former NBA players, who arrived in Pyongyang on Monday, also include Eric (Sleepy) Floyd, guard Doug Christie and Charles D. Smith, who played for the New York Knicks. Four streetballers are also on the squad. Rodman told The Associated Press he was glad to be in North Korea for the game, though he said he has gotten death threats for his repeated visits. He said proceeds from the game would go to a charity for the deaf in North Korea. "The marshal is actually trying to change this country in a great way," Rodman said of Kim, using the leaders official title. "I think that people thought that this was a joke, and Dennis Rodman is just doing this because fame and fortune." Instead, he said, he sees the game as a "birthday present" for Kim and his country. "Just to even have us here, its an awesome feeling. I want these guys here to show the world, and speak about North Korea in a great light," he said. "I hope people will have a different view about North Korea." The game will be another milestone in Rodmans surprising relationship with Kim, who rarely meets with foreigners and about whom very little is known outside of North Korea. Rodman is the highest-profile American to meet Kim since the leader inherited power after his father, Kim Jong Il, died in late 2011. Rodman travelled to North Korea for the first time last February with the Harlem Globetrotters for an HBO series. After spending time together, Rodman called Kim a "friend for life" and came back just before Christmas to hold tryouts for the North Korean basketball team, though he did not meet with Kim then. Rodman has been given the red-carpet treatment on each of his trips, but visiting North Korea for any high-profile American is a political minefield. To keep the game itself friendly, the two sides will only play against each other in the first half, and then mix together in the second. Americans are regarded as enemies in North Korea since the two countries never signed a peace treaty to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War. Thousands of U.S. troops are still based in South Korea, and the Demilitarized Zone between the North and South is one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world. Relations are also tense because of the Norths development of nuclear weapons and its threats to use them if a conflict breaks out with Washington or Seoul. Rodman has also been slammed for not trying to use his influence with Kim to secure the release of Kenneth Bae, an American missionary with health problems who is being held in North Korea on charges of committing "anti-state" crimes. To make the trip more complicated, Kims once-powerful uncle was recently executed for a long litany of alleged crimes, including trying to divide the regime and usurp power from Kim. Although that has generated speculation abroad about the regimes unity, North Korean officials say the execution settled the issue and there is no instability. Rodman, however, says none of that is his concern. "Im not a president, Im not a politician, Im not an ambassador," he said before arriving. "Im just an athlete and the reason for me to go is to bring peace to the world, thats it. Thats all I want, no money. I want no money, no money." Former Knicks player Smith said he hopes the game will lead to better relations between the two countries. "Its new being here, but overall the concept is not new," he said. "The team is made up of a lot of guys who really care, thats the most important, its not about bringing dream-teamers. Its about guys who are coming that want to be a part of this, that care, and really that care about humanity." Wholesale Pacers Jerseys . -- The top-seeded Alberta Pandas set up of an all-Canada West final against arch rival UBC at the CIS womens volleyball championship after a 3-0 win over the No. Cheap Pacers Jerseys Authentic . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. http://www.cheappacersjerseys.com/.Brady threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Julian Edelman midway through the fourth quarter, and New England beat the San Diego Chargers 23-14 for its eighth win in nine games. Cheap Indiana Pacers Jerseys . The Tournament of Champions, which starts Friday, is his first event since a freak accident in Shanghai two months ago. Snedeker was on a Segway scooter during a corporate outing at Sheshan International when he took a tumble and injured his left knee. Cheap Pacers Jerseys China . The 31-year-old Russian dominated the No. 3-ranked Ferrer throughout, breaking the defending champion and local favourite four times on the indoor hard court.TORONTO -- Six games into the 2014 season and the Toronto Blue Jays already have two shutouts under their belt. "Thats been a rarity around here," Toronto manager John Gibbons said dryly. "Maybe were on to something." It took the 2013 Jays 53 games to collect that many shutouts. They were 2-4 at this stage. Of course, Toronto (3-3) has also had three games this season in which the pitching staff has surrendered 11-plus hits. The Jays lost all three of those. What does it all mean? That, as Gibbons predicted repeatedly during spring training, Toronto will go as far as its pitching takes it this season. On Saturday, knuckleballer R.A. Dickey outduelled Michael Pineda with late home-run help from Melky Cabrera and Jose Bautista as Toronto blanked the New York Yankees 4-0. Dickey (1-1) pitched a gem of the game but Torontos early lack of offence meant the contest was balanced on a knifes edge as he worked to protect a slim 1-0 lead. He was aided by some nifty defence, some of which was his own handiwork. Centre-fielder Colby Rasmus also made two sparkling defensive plays to help blunt New York attacks. "Our defence has been superb to start the year ... Weve played great defence, weve had timely hitting," said Dickey. "Hopefully we can keep pushing forward." The former New York Met has now allowed just one earned run in his last 20 innings against the Yankees. Gibbons, who got the other shutout in Tampa from Mark Buehrle, savoured what he called a bounce back game after 7-2 and 7-3 losses to the Rays and Yankees, respectively. "It was a big game this early in the year," said Gibbons. "(Dickey) stepped up and the bullpen did their thing. "It was good to see the offence open it up late and give us a little breathing room. Thats huge in this game, especially in this ball park." An Adam Lind double and Josh Thole RBI single gave the Jays a 1-0 lead in the second inning. It could have been more but Thole was thrown out trying to take second with Ryan Goins at the plate. Goins subsequent double was wasted. A solo homer by Cabrera and two-run shot by Bautista, both off reliever David Phelps in the eighth, added some insurance for the Jays. It was Cabreras second home run in as many days and Bautistas third of the season. Toronto outhit New York 8-7. Dickey exited with two out and one man on in the seventh, having held the Yankees (2-3) scoreless on five hits. The veteran right-hander struck out six and walked one in a 108-pitch performance that included 69 strikes. "You never know what youre going to get there, you have no idea," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of the knuckleballer. "You have no idea whos going to hit him or not hit him. Its probably the most unpredictable day that youre going to have as a manager." The top of the Yankees order threatened in the eigghth with men on first and second with none out against Brett Cecil.ddddddddddddThe left-hander got two out and then gave way to right-hander Sergio Santos with men on second and third. Santos struck out Alfonso Soriano to preserve the lead for Toronto. Rasmus made a dazzling over-the-shoulder catch of a Francisco Cervelli blast to deep centre in the ninth to deny the Yankees. Santos survived putting two men on in the ninth to record his second save, striking out the red-hot Jacoby Ellsbury to end the game. The afternoon contest drew an announced crowd of 45,446 to Rogers Centre, the second straight sellout under the dome. Pineda (0-1), in his first Yankees start after a lengthy injury absence, gave up one earned run on five hits in six innings. He threw 83 pitches, 58 for strikes, and struck out five with no walks. The 25-year-old Pinedas last big league start was Sept. 21, 2011 as a Seattle Mariner. He was traded to the Yankees after the 2011 season in a deal that sent catcher Jesus Montero to the Mariners. But the 2011 all-star was shelved by a shoulder injury during 2012 spring training. The six-foot-seven 265-pound pitcher from the Dominican Republic returned to action last July, going 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in 10 starts in the minors. Dickey lost the season opener 9-2 to Tampa Bay, giving up a career-high six walks in five innings work. He also struck out four. He credited higher velocity for part of the turnaround from the Tampa to Toronto games. "Part of its the pitch, I mean really," he said of the mercurial knuckleball. "And some of its the fact that I was able to climb to those higher velocities today. "But look, youve got to live and die with the pitch. Thats part of what makes it very difficult to do at the big league level and its part of the thing that makes it very special." Cervelli doubled off Dickey to open the third after the first six Yankees went down in order. Dickey struck out the next two Yanks and Rasmus gunned down Cervelli at the plate on a single by Ellsbury. The play survived a review, initiated by the umpiring crew to see whether Thole was blocking the plate. The perfectly placed throw was in front of Thole down the third-base line, meaning the catcher had to step over the plate to get to it. The two collided at the plate but Thole held on to the ball. The Yankees had something going in the sixth with a single and walk and none out. But Dickey, who received his Gold Glove award Friday, hauled in a Carlos Beltran hard liner to trigger a double play. A lineout completed the escape. Yankees veteran Derek Jeter, who was rested Friday, was denied in his bid for a 3,319th career hit which would tie Paul Molitor for eighth on MLBs all-time list and fourth on the AL career list. 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