MONTREAL -- Theyve composed chants just for Canadian tennis player Eugenie Bouchard, roared for her until they went hoarse, and toasted her wins by fudging their way through "O Canada. [url=http://www.outletunderarmourstore.com/cheap-ua-scorpio-online.html] Scorpio Shoes Discount[/url] ." M

MONTREAL -- Theyve composed chants just for Canadian tennis player Eugenie Bouchard, roared for her until they went hoarse, and toasted her wins by fudging their way through "O Canada. Scorpio Shoes Discount ." Meet the "Genie Army" -- a dozen boisterous Aussies who, despite boasting zero connection to Canada, have become Bouchards unofficial cheerleaders at the Australian Open. Members of the weeks-old squad have jumped, danced and serenaded their way into an unmistakable grandstand presence during the Montreal teens impressive run at the event, where she has earned a semifinal spot Thursday. The devotees, mostly men in their 20s, have also fashioned red-and-white T-shirts that spell out Bouchards name, flapped banners for her during matches, and lobbed plush animals -- each of them native to Australia -- to her on the court following each of her victories. Though they have had little face-to-face interaction with Bouchard, they have certainly commanded her attention in Melbourne. "The crowd here has been amazing, especially the Genie Army," Bouchard, 19, said Tuesday during an on-court interview after beating Ana Ivanovic. She then pointed up to her noisy, personal cheering section. "Ive had so much fun. Thank you guys." The inspiration behind a brigade dedicated to Bouchard came after a bunch of Australian buddies watched her upset Ivanovic last year at Wimbledon, said one of the Army members. In December, as the Australian Open approached, Jacob Wright said the crew decided to become her own booster club, so they started making shirts and penning Bouchard chants. The Genie Army was born. "Shes just a great tennis player," Wright, 20, told The Canadian Press in a Skype interview from Melbourne. "Obviously, shes a good-looking girl as well, and were young guys, but she is a really good tennis player. Its really, really good fun to watch." Their movement has had nothing to do with patriotism, either. When asked whether any of them had a connection to Canada, he replied: "None of us." Wright said they caught Bouchards attention during her first-round match, which was held on a more-intimate court that brings fans closer to the players. Six of them showed up for the event and were lucky enough to have their photos taken with Bouchard, get her autograph, and exchange a few words with their favourite player after the victory. The Genie Army nation was thrilled, Wright added, when Bouchard later told an interviewer she hoped they would show up for her next match. They havent missed one since -- and their ranks have doubled to about 12. Wright said it has been a bit of a give-and-take relationship, with Bouchard thanking her believers in interviews and by making gestures, such as posting a couple of photos of them on her Twitter feed. The connection likely hit its only bumpy patch on Tuesday when she was asked in a post-match interview about who she would like to date, if she could choose anyone in the world. An embarrassed Bouchard, who appeared to be taken off guard by the question, blurted out the name of Canadian pop star Justin Bieber. In TV footage, members of the Genie Army were shown waving off her choice. They remain committed, however, to backing Bouchard for the long haul, even if they initially didnt expect it to last. Wright admitted they never predicted Bouchard, the tournaments 30th seed, would advance to the semifinal, but theyve enjoyed the longer-than-expected ride. Bouchard, in fact, became the first Canadian to reach a Grand Slam semifinal in 30 years. "My voice doesnt usually sound like this, Im pretty husky from a week of just full-on yelling as loud as I can," said Wright, who was wearing a white T-shirt with a red Maple Leaf and a Bouchard autograph. "But yeah, weve just been yelling, chanting -- and overall the response from the crowds been really good." He said group members have also been surprised by the notoriety theyve amassed throughout the tournament, growing so big that they have been interviewed by media outlets and have frequently been asked to pose for photos with other fans. "Well be standing there for 20 minutes or something (after matches)," said Wright, whose group has an online presence on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, where .GenieArmy was trending after Tuesdays win. "Its getting really full of fun." But their primary mission has not changed since Day 1: support Bouchard. During her matches, the crew can be heard belting out custom chants from the bleachers, including a fight song usually reserved for when she first steps onto the hardcourt. "We are the Army, the Genie Army, and we are mental, and we are mad," a clapping Wright chanted as he began a demonstration of the mantra. The gang has even sung the Canadian national anthem, though Wright admits only a couple of them know the words. The first time they attempted "O Canada," he said they received some welcome help from Canadian fans in the crowd. "We started it off, but then we had a lot of Canadians around us, so they sort of finished it off for us," Wright said. "It wasnt a very good rendition." Fake Curry 1 . -- Isaiah Pead took a stutter step forward, then raced to the left sideline and travelled 60 yards up the field before finally getting tripped up by a leg tackle. Ua Commit Shoes Outlet . You can watch all the action on TSN and TSN GO beginning at 8:30pm et/5:30pm pt. Minnesota dropped the first two tests of this best-of-seven set at Chicagos United Center and was outscored by a combined 9-3 margin in those setbacks. However, the Wild righted themselves at home by taking Game 3 by a 4-0 count before knotting the series at two games apiece with Fridays 4-2 triumph at Xcel Energy Center. http://www.outletunderarmourstore.com/fake-curry-5-online.html .com) - Colorado may be ahead of the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference standings, but they are a club that the Avalanche may want to avoid in the playoffs.Concord, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - Jeff Gordon isnt retiring from racing after the 2015 season, but the 43-year-old driver is making this his last year competing for a championship in the Sprint Cup Series. Gordon, a four-time champion in NASCARs premier series, announced to his Hendrick Motorsports team and then revealed on Twitter on Thursday that this will be his final year competing for a title. He has driven the No. 24 Chevrolet for team owner Rick Hendrick in the series since November 1992. His Cup championships occurred in 1995, 97, 98 and 2001. As a race car driver, much of what Ive done throughout my life has been based on following my instincts and trying to make good decisions, Gordon said in a team statement. I thought long and hard about my future this past year and during the offseason, and Ive decided 2015 will be the last time I compete for a championship. I wont use the R-word because I plan to stay extremely busy in the years ahead, and theres always the possibility Ill compete in selected events, although I currently have no plans to do that. Since his Cup debut in the 92 season-ending race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Gordon has made 761 consecutive and career starts. His 92 career victories places him third on the series all-time race winners list, behind only Richard Petty (200) and David Pearson (105). Among those race wins include three in the Daytona 500 and a record five in the Brickyard 400. Gordon also holds the record for most victories on road courses with nine. Gordon had one of his best seasons since his most recent championship in 01. He won four races, including the Brickyard 400, and had a series-high 23 top-10 finishes. Gordon came up one point short of advancing into the final four for the Nov. 16 championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He finished sixth in the point standings. Theres simply no way to quantify Jeffs impact, said Hendrick, who first noticed Gordon during a race at Atlanta in March 92. Hes one of the biggest sports stars of a generation, and his contributions to the success and growth of NASCAR are unsurpassed. Theres been no better ambassador for stock car racing and no greater representation of what a champion should be. I will never be able to properlyy express the respect and admiration I have for Jeff and how meaningful our relationship is to me. Ua Hovr Outlet. . Im so grateful for everything hes done for our company and my family, and I look forward to many more years together as friends and business partners. HMS said in a news release that it will announce plans for its 2016 team alignment at a later date. Jimmie Johnson, the six-time Sprint Cup champion, Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCARs most-popular driver, and Kasey Kahne also drive for the organization. Gordon has been dealing with back problems in previous years. Last May, he suffered from back spasms during the weekend of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He completed that race, finishing seventh, but Xfinity Series regular Regan Smith was on standby. Gordon is 27 races away from tying Ricky Rudds record of 788 consecutive starts in the series. I dont foresee a day when Ill ever step away from racing, Gordon said. Im a fan of all forms of motorsports, but particularly NASCAR. We have a tremendous product, and Im passionate about the business and its future success. As an equity owner in Hendrick Motorsports, Im a partner with Rick (Hendrick) and will remain heavily involved with the company for many years to come. It means so much to have the chance to continue working with the owner who took a chance on me and the incredible team that?s stood behind me every step of the way. In learning of Gordons announcement, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France released a statement, saying, Jeff Gordon transcends NASCAR and will be celebrated as one of the greatest drivers to ever race. We have all enjoyed watching his legend grow for more than two decades, and will continue to do so during his final full-time season. His prolonged excellence and unmatched class continue to earn him the admiration of fans across the globe. Todays announcement is a bittersweet one. Ill miss his competitive fire on a weekly basis, but I am also happy for Jeff and his family as they start a new chapter. On behalf of the entire NASCAR family, I thank Jeff for his years of dedication and genuine love for this sport, and wish him the very best in his final season. The 2015 Sprint Cup season begins with the Feb. 22 Daytona 500. ' ' '