on camera telling the players: "This does not slip

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emery was so busy in free agency he didnt mind having a few extra weeks to prepare for the draft. Times just about up. The three-day proceeding starts with the first round Thursday and the Bears, owners of the 14th pick, still need help on defence even after some big moves. So a little extra time to study the prospects suited Emery just fine. "I love it, honestly. Ive heard reports of people complaining about it," he said. "I dont know what theyre complaining about." The draft was pushed back about two weeks because of a scheduling conflict at New Yorks Radio City Music Hall. Emery said that allowed the Bears to have "less-rushed conversations" as they try to weigh short-term gains against long-term benefits. The defence ranked among the leagues worst a year ago and was the biggest reason the Bears missed the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years at 8-8. The Bears have been busy addressing that, bringing in Jared Allen and parting with Julius Peppers in an effort to spark a defence that ranked 30th overall, last against the run, and tied Jacksonville with a league-low 31 sacks. They still need help on the line, at linebacker and in the secondary, particularly at safety. Chicago has one pick in each of the first five rounds (Nos. 14, 51, 82, 117 and 156) and two in the sixth round (183 and 191). With that in mind, here are five things to know about the draft. STILL ON THE DEFENSIVE: Emery said he has six candidates for the 14th pick assuming the Bears keep it, and theres a good chance hell go with a defensive player even though he wasnt ruling out offence. Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald, Alabama free safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert could be strong possibilities for Chicago. ROLL THE DICE: Emery showed in his first two drafts hes not afraid to take a chance on a first-round pick. He gambled on Shea McClellin in 2012 and did it again with Kyle Long last year. The results? Hes batting .500 so far. Long was a hit at right guard even though he made just five starts in his lone season at Oregon. McClellin is a swing and miss so far and is moving from defensive end to linebacker. At least Emery hit it big in the second round in 2012 with receiver Alshon Jeffery, who broke out last season with 1,421 yards receiving. PASS ON QB?: Emery insisted hes comfortable with Jordan Palmer backing up Jay Cutler and that hes not in favour of grooming a quarterback drafted in the later rounds as a potential starter down the line. "That developmental theory doesnt hold a whole lot of water," he said. Starting with the 2006 class, Emery examined how quarterbacks drafted after the third round fared. He didnt find a long-term starter, let alone another Tom Brady. Mostly, it was a collection of third-stringers, many of whom did not last long in the league. "Most of the starters in this league come from the first and second round. So thats where you need to take a quarterback," he said. The idea of pairing a late-round QB with coach Marc Trestman doesnt seem to interest him. "Im more intrigued with how Marc matches up with Jay and Jordan and Jerrod (Johnson)," he said. PLAYING IT SAFE-TY: Emery declared the starting safety spots "wide open" with the struggling Chris Conte back and Major Wright gone. Theyve brought in Ryan Mundy and M.D. Jennings and figure to add more help in the draft. The Bears have also scouted college cornerbacks with length with the idea of converting them to safeties, although that carries some risk. MAKING A MOVE: Emery said hes fielded calls from teams looking to move up to No. 14. He also indicated trading up is unlikely, saying such moves are "expensive." ___ Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL Nike SB Retailers Canada . 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Simona Halep of Romania claimed the fifth title of her career by beating Samantha Stosur of Australia 7-6 (1), 6-2 in the womens final. After trading sets, Gasquet trailed 4-3 in the decider but broke back to 4-4 in a game that went to seven deuces with Kukushkin constantly failing on his forehand shots.LIVERPOOL, England -- Jose Mourinho riled his former assistant Brendan Rodgers as Chelsea successfully stifled Liverpool and scored twice against the run of play to win 2-0 on Sunday and dent the Premier League leaders hopes of a first title in 24 years. However unambitious Chelsea appeared at Anfield, goals at the end of each half from Demba Ba, who seized on Steven Gerrards slip-up, and Willian ended Liverpools 11-game winning streak in the league. Mourinhos side is just two points behind Liverpool with two games remaining. "They obviously sat very deep -- I think there were two buses parked today, never mind one," said Rodgers, who was a coach at Chelsea between 2004 and 2008. "It was clear that theyd come certainly not wanting to win the game, with the time wasting." That claim was unsurprisingly challenged by Mourinho -- "Time wasting? Whats that?" -- with the Chelsea manager affronted by criticism of his tactics. "When a team defends well you call it defensive display," he told reporters. "When a team defends badly and concedes two or three goals you dont mention a defensive display." But Mourinho continued his policy of dismissing Chelseas title prospects, stressing: "We have no chance." Its not that unrealistic for Chelsea, but Manchester City has replaced Liverpool as the team which has the destination of the trophy in its own hands. Third-placed City closed the gap on Liverpool to three points by winning 2-0 at Crystal Palace on Sunday, and it has a game in hand to play at Everton on Saturday. So by the time Liverpool plays at Palace next Monday it could have been knocked off the top on goal difference by City. Its a long time to dwell on a defeat that will suppress the fervour that had been growing at Liverpool that the team will win the English title for the first time since 1990, having started the season as 33-1 outsiders with bookmakers. Hours before kickoff, thousands of Liverpool fans lined the streets, preparing for the teams arrival at Anfield. It had the air of a victory parade, but whether the real thing takes place next month is now a lot more uncertain. "The bigger picture is that were still two points ahead of a team (Chelsea) that has spent an absolute fortune," Rodgers said. "If we win our two games well finish above them and then well see what happens with Manchester City. We achieved our objective of Champions League football.dddddddddddd." That competition is Mourinhos priority this season, resting several key players Sunday for Wednesdays semifinal against Atletico Madrid after the first-leg was a 0-0 draw. Mourinhos defensive tactics at Liverpool might have seemed to his critics to be anti-football, but they demonstrated his abilities to successfully set up a team to be well organized and frustrate opponents. While Chelsea defender Ashley Coles curling effort forced the first save of the game from Simon Mignolet, there was little attacking ambition from the visitors. Liverpool controlled the game, but without the speed or fluency of recent weeks as the hosts couldnt find a route to goal. In the opening 15 minutes, Phillippe Coutinho volleyed into the sidenetting and Mamadou Sakhos shot was cleared off the line by Cole before he mis-fired the follow-up from six yards. The last time Liverpool played here Gerrard was caught on camera telling the players: "This does not slip now." But it was Gerrard, usually the reliable heartbeat of the team and inspirational one-club player, who slipped in possession near the halfway line in the third minute of stoppage time, giving away the ball to Ba. With Gerrard unable to chase him down, the Senegal striker charged through on goal and coolly placed the ball past Mignolet and into the net. However much Liverpool tried to batter through toward the Chelsea goal in the second half, the defence held up well. Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge, a second-half substitute, are the leading scorers in the league with 50 goals between them, but they rarely came close to equalizing. Not even when facing 41-year-old goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, deputizing for the injured Petr Cech, who repelled Joe Allens first-time volley with a low diving save just before the hour. A rasping strike from Gerrard was also thwarted and a downward header by the captain lacked power to trouble Schwarzer. As the end neared, Suarez could not connect with Coutinhos cross, and the Uruguay striker saw a shot turned over in stoppage time before Chelsea stunned Anfield again. Former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres launched the breakaway, drawing Mignolet off his goal-line and then passing to Willian to walk the ball into the net. Mourinho jogged down the touchline, pounding the Chelsea crest on his coat in celebration. ' ' '