MOSCOW - A rocket carrying the Olympic flame successfully blasted off Thursday from earth ahead of the Sochi 2014 Winter Games.

MOSCOW - A rocket carrying the Olympic flame successfully blasted off Thursday from earth ahead of the Sochi 2014 Winter Games. Stitched Custom Nike Baseball Jerseys . NASA Live TV showed the rocket, emblazoned with the pale blue Sochi 2014 logo, launching from the Russian-operated Baikonur cosmodrome on a clear morning in Kazakhstan. The torch will make its way to the International Space Station before being taken into space itself -- making it the Olympic flames first spacewalk in history. Russias Mikhail Tyurin, NASAs Rick Mastracchio and Koichi Wakata of Japan beamed at the crowd as they carried the lit torch aboard the Soyuz rocket. For safety reasons, the torch will not burn when its onboard the space outpost. Lighting it would consume precious oxygen and pose a threat to the crew. The crew will carry the unlit torch around the stations numerous modules before taking it out on a spacewalk. The Olympic torch has flown into space once before -- in 1996 aboard the U.S. space shuttle Atlantis for the Atlanta Summer Olympics -- but will be taken outside the spacecraft for the first time in history. Custom Milwaukee Brewers Nike Jerseys . -- Tony Finau won the Stonebrae Classic on Sunday for his first Web. Custom Pittsburgh Pirates Nike Jerseys . Kalish got his first hit since Sept. 11, 2012, when he rapped an RBI triple in the first inning Sunday in the Chicago Cubs 8-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. https://www.custombaseballnikejerseys.com/ . He just didnt expect them to be this good. Darrun Hilliard scored 19 points to lead No. 6 Villanova to a dominating 77-59 victory over Georgetown on Saturday, preserving the Wildcats hopes of a No.LONDON - Tony Romo practiced Thursday for the first time since arriving in London, and the Dallas Cowboys quarterback says his injured back is getting better.Romo missed last Sundays loss to the Arizona Cardinals because of his third back injury in 18 months. He skipped Wednesdays practice following the teams arrival Tuesday.Well keep taking it day by day and just see what happens, Romo said. Its improving each day and I think we did some things today that were positive. Just keep going in that direction, I think well have a good chance (of playing Sunday).The Cowboys (6-3) play the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-8) at Wembley Stadium in the last of three regular-season games in London this year. They have lost their last two games, however, with backup Brandon Weeden playing last weekend.Romo has fractures in two small bones in his back. The injury is unrelated to a herniated disk last year or to off-season surgery to remove a cyst earlier in 2013.The quarterback said Thursday he was still a little sore, but called it normal stuff and said his back loosened up during practice.If youre always waiting to feel great to play in every game you play in, youre only going to pllay a couple of games a year, he said. Custom Arizona Diamondbacks Nike Jerseys. The best players are the guys who are able to play at the same level with stuff going on.Even though Romo practiced, Dallas coach Jason Garrett is still not sure who will start.We would never put a player in harms way. Obviously its a very physical sport that we play, Garrett said. He (Romo) has to be functional. He has to be able to protect himself.Against the Cardinals, Weeden threw two interceptions and had one late touchdown. So for the Cowboys, who have a bye next week, getting Romo on the field is a priority if they want to end the two-game losing streak.Even if he is in a little pain.No one cares once you actually step on the field on Sunday whether youre banged up or not, Romo said. Its just about what you do when youre out there.Each day you just get incrementally better, you improve. Im feeling better. I think its getting to a point where you can manage it.Cowboys owner Jerry Jones watched practice and said Romo had a comfortable flight to London.Im anticipating him playing, he said. Have no reason to think that he wont.___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '