Blackhawks said he has been unwittingly dealing with th

TOKYO -- IOC President Thomas Bach met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday and suggested staging some events for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the northeastern region of Japan hit by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.Bach said the International Olympic Committee is considering holding some of the baseball and softball games in the affected areas as one of the options.Fukushima is reportedly a strong candidate. Baseball and softball were dropped from the Olympics after Beijing 2008 but are among five sports added to the program for the 2020 Games. Both are very popular in Japan and an event in the disaster-affected areas could send a powerful message of reconstruction.Bach said Abe welcomed his proposal.We discussed ... the idea of the IOC to have some events of the Olympic games of Tokyo 2020 in the disaster-affected areas, to contribute to the regeneration of the area, to show the world by 2020 how this regeneration is making progress, Bach said.Baseball and softball are one of the options under discussion given the great popularity of the sport here in Japan, he told reporters. So an inaugural match for baseball with the participation of the Japanese team, I think, could be a very powerful message.The primary venue for baseball and softball is expected to be the Yokohama Stadium.Bach is in Japan amid tension between Olympic organizers and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, who is pushing to cut costs. A Tokyo government panel set up by Koike said the cost of the Olympics could exceed $30 billion -- four times the initial estimate -- unless drastic cuts are made.The city panel also proposed moving three sports from planned new venues to existing ones -- including relocating rowing to a site hundreds of miles outside the capital.The IOC has suggested the possibility of moving rowing to an existing site in South Korea in case there is no resolution over the Japanese venue, the Asahi newspaper reported, quoting unidentified Japanese sources as saying. The South Korean venue in Chungiu City hosted the 2013 world championships and rowing at the 2014 Asian Games.Speaking at Tokyo 2020 headquarters, Bach did not address reports of the rowing and canoe sprint events possibly being moved to South Korea.Earlier, Bach rejected calls to expand four-party talks aimed at reducing the costs of the Tokyo Games.Bach said negotiations between the IOC, Tokyo organizers, the city government and Japans central government should result in cost reductions.Koike had suggested including international and national sports federations in the four-party talks but Bach said the makeup of the group has been agreed on.We have an agreement about this four-partite working group, Bach said. And this was very well perceived by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and by the governor, and we will follow this agreement we had yesterday. Nike Air Max Canada Cheap . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. 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With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. What do you need to know about the weekends big stories? Joe McDonald gives us his take on the biggest and best. This is where we say, Morning, Joe.Cup matchup preview?: The Chicago Blackhawks have won three Stanley Cup titles since 2010. The Montreal Canadiens have won 24 Cups, but none since 1993. Imagine if these two Original Six teams were the last two standing come June? If they keep on track, its quite possible well see that matchup in the finals. On Sunday, the Blackhawks defeated the Canadiens 3-2 to snap Montreals four-game winning streak, showing Cup contenders they must still beat the Blackhawks to be considered legit. The Blackhawks are now 11-3-2 and have earned points in 11 straight with a 9-0-2 record. After suffering a first-round exit to the St. Louis Blues in the playoffs last spring, the Blackhawks appeared to be on their way out. But theyre now leading the Central Division with 24 points. The Canadiens (13-2-1 for 27 points) are for real, too. It would be incredible for hockey if the Blackhawks and Canadiens battled it out in the Stanley Cup finals.Flyers have net deficit: A team is at its best when it can rely on two solid goaltenders, especially this season with the compressed schedule. Up until this weekend, that was the case for the Philadelphia Flyers, who had Michal Neuvirth and Steve Mason, both instrumental in helping the Flyers reach the playoffs last season. But now its all Mason after Neuvirth suffered a lower-body injury that will sideline him for four to six weeks. Mason has the ability to make the most of this opportunity, but he has to take full advantage of it. Meanwhile, the Flyers will recall Anthony Stolarz, 22, from the AHHL to serve as Masons backup.dddddddddddd Stolarz is talented and athletic, has a great glove and is known for his good work ethic. He will keep getting better, and some in the hockey world believe he is better than the Pittsburgh Penguins Matt Murray. But make no mistake, the Flyers hopes for a playoff return clearly ride on Masons shoulders.Bickell determined to return:?Carolina Hurricanes forward Bryan Bickells diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, which was announced Friday, doesnt necessarily mean the end of his career. The 30-year-old left winger and three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks said he has been unwittingly dealing with the disease since the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. He was shocked to learn the news, but hes hopeful hell return to playing. The disease impacts motor skills but affects everyone differently. In November 2012, Minnesota Wild goaltender Josh Harding was diagnosed with MS and played only 34 more games; he is now a high school goalie coach in Edina, Minnesota. Calgary Flames goalie coach Jordan Sigalet was diagnosed with MS during his junior season in 2003 at Bowling Green State University. He finished his college career, turned pro and played four more seasons, including three in the AHL, before finishing his career in Europe. Former Major League Baseball standout Rocco Baldelli had his promising career cut short after being diagnosed with a mitochondrial disease, which has similar effects as MS. He was 28 when his playing career ended; he is now the first-base coach for the Tampa Bay Rays. ' ' '