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INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Pacers bizarre season came to a familiar end Friday night. Another embarrassing loss at Miami. Now Larry Bird must spend the off-season trying to figure out what went wrong and what must be fixed to finally beat the Heat in the playoffs. "You just have to go into the off-season with the mindset that were going to reload. We have a core, a system, a culture thats going to give us a chance every year," coach Frank Vogel said after Fridays 25-point, season-ending loss. "Weve got to make whatever adjustments we have to make to come back and be here again next year." There are plenty of questions heading into what could be a turbulent off-season. Will Vogel be back after leading the Pacers to 42, 49 and 56 wins in his first three full seasons as coach, capturing back-to-back Central Division titles, reaching the last two conference finals and earning the No. 1 seed for only the third time in franchise history? Will the Pacers re-sign free agent Lance Stephenson, their 23-year-old energizer, whose erratic behaviour became a major distraction in the Eastern Conference finals? Could Hibbert be on the trading block after struggling through Indianas confounding second-half swoon and nearly disappearing, at times, during the playoffs? Might Bird make other moves to cope with the NBA trend of spreading the floor, add scorers or rebuild the bench yet again? Or do the Pacers simply need more time to mature? While those answers might not come for months, one thing is clear: They must find a way to get past Miami after three straight playoff series losses, the last two in the Eastern Conference finals. "Obviously, theyre more prepared, theyre more seasoned for this moment," David West said. "Theyve been able to embrace these moments to get to a level that we, for some reason, cant compete." Bird spent last summer revamping the bench, and Indiana responded with a 33-7 start — the best in the NBA. But after signing Andrew Bynum in February and trading Danny Granger for Evan Turner at the trade deadline, the Pacers went into a confounding second-half swoon in which they looked disengaged and disinterested. Two-time All-Star Paul George acknowledged Friday that the Pacers seemed to hit a wall, thinking they could turn it on whenever they needed it. Somehow, they still managed to finish with the best record in the East, rallied to win the final two games against eighth-seeded Atlanta after twice giving away home-court advantage and rallied again against a young Washington team after giving away home-court advantage in Game 1. When they did it again by failing to close out the Heat at home in Game 2, Miami responded by winning all three of its home games decisively to clinch the series. "You know at times it feels like were there, and then theres games where it still feels like were not at that point yet," George said when asked if he thought the Pacers had closed the gap on Miami. "Coach says it, I mean, in order for us to beat this team, weve got to play like champions. More times than not, we didnt do so." Most of the problems were self-inflicted. Indiana struggled with infighting, prolonged slumps, unseemly rumours and constant criticism. Hibbert epitomized much of it. In late March, he complained about "selfish dudes" in the locker room, a barb directed at Stephenson, later apologized and was so bad, at times, in the playoffs that fans and analysts called for his benching. And its unclear what the Pacers will do after a second straight blowout in an elimination game at Miami. Bird acknowledged the Pacers were going "all in" this season when they re-signed David West, gave George a max deal and traded away their first-round pick to get Luis Scola from Phoenix. Stephenson could be the next Pacers player to strike it rich. But after calling out LeBron James publicly before Game 4, blowing in his ear in Game 5 and tapping James on his chin early in Game 6, some wonder if the Pacers even want Stephenson back. It all depends on whether Bird thinks Stephenson can help beat the Heat. "I dont know what the future holds for us," West said. "Obviously, everything starts and ends with the Miami Heat. You have to have a team that can get through a tough regular season but ultimately, you have to be able to beat Miami to get to the finals." LeGarrette Blount Jersey . Paul George and Darren Collison each scored 17 points and Roy Hibbert added 11 points and nine rebounds for the Pacers (9-3), who won their third straight. Matt Prater Jersey . The club says Fridays surgery was successful. Holiday, a former Eastern Conference All-Star acquired from Philadelphia last summer, has not played because of the shin injury since Jan. http://www.officialdetroitlionsfootball....k-jersey-womens. -- Green Bay wide receiver Greg Jennings will be on the sideline as the Packers make their push for a perfect regular season. Teez Tabor Jersey .Y. -- Dallas Stars coach Lindy Ruff had an opportunity to experience an entire range of emotions in his first trip back to Buffalo to face his former team. Theo Riddick Jersey . Thats what he did over the past 2 1/2 years with the Washington Wizards. Wittmans approach helped turn the Wizards from pushover to playoff winners.PHOENIX - Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch knew he had to talk. It didnt mean he had to say anything.So, in essence, he didnt. And now, onto our regularly scheduled Super Bowl Media Day, where the players and coaches are window dressing, and its really more about whos asking the questions.There was Barrel Boy. A pair of buck-toothed sock puppets. A guy sporting a purple shirt, a bicycle helmet and seven Go Pro cameras, so I can catch all the angles, precisely.These characters are the sort that have helped turn an event that began as a convenient place to fill up the notebook in advance of the NFL title game into the full-fledged theatre of the absurd it has become.On Tuesday, about 2,000 reporters — make that people with credentials — filed into the U.S. Airways Center, worked their way down the stairs past a marching band playing a version of Blondies 1980 hit, Call Me, and got down to business.The New England Patriots filed in and the clock started ticking down from 60:00.As the reporters, cameramen and Nickelodeon superhero Pick Boy elbowed for position, the questions began.As expected, New England coach Bill Belichick wasnt forthcoming about much. But now, thanks to a question asked by a kid, we know his favourite stuffed animals are those cute little monkeys you put your fingers in to make them talk.Those wishing to someday see Patriots quarterback Tom Bradys etchings were in luck. Sort of. A sketch artist got a credential and spent the morning penning out pictures of the Man himself: Life imitating art imitating Leroy Neiman.Looking for a Joe Namath-like guarantee at Media Day? The game will be on Sunday, promised Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.Oh, there were moments of actual reporting going on — some even done by people other than ESPNs Chris Berman, NFL Networks Deion Sanders and the rest of the reporter-celebrity crowd that fields as many questions as they ask.Patriots owner Bob Kraft, who had his last say on the deflated-footballs matter during a surprise showing at the New England news conference Monday, came out Tuesday and stood in a corner — not to talk about Deflategate, but, among other things, to talk about why he talked about Deflategate.The reason I did what I did yesterday was so that all of our fans and (me) and my family can enjoy this game, he said.Belichick stood by his guns. He wasnt going to mention it anymore: Were just focused on Seattle this week, he said.Speaking of Seattle, about a half-hour before the Seahawks took to the floor at thee jammed, claustrophobic arena that the NBAs Phoenix Suns call home, a crowd started gathering around Podium No.dddddddddddd 6. Lynchs name was up there. Quite a surprise, considering he spent last years Media Day in a corner, surrounded by teammates who wouldnt let any reporters near him.An hour with The Beast? Seemed promising.Then, he climbed the stairs, set his timer, said he was doing this so he wouldnt get fined and pronounced he would answer every question the same way until his time was up. That ended with about 57:30 remaining on the countdown clock, and its not a sure thing he was right about the fine thing. The Pro Football Writers Association is talking to the league about what happened and Lynch has been told theres a potential he could, indeed, have to pay up for leaving early.Once he left, his teammates fielded a number of questions about why Lynch doesnt like to talk, and why fans (read: media) seem so obsessed with hearing him talk.The way the NFL sells everything all the time, fans want to, like, be inside our minds, defensive lineman Michael Bennett said. The fact they dont get to do it all the time with Marshawn, it just makes them mad.OK, back to the important stuff:The white, brimmed hat Bennett was wearing was made of horse tweed and cost $800, for those of you who know about hats, he said.Those who know about figure skating wouldve liked what they saw.Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir were there. One was decked out in black leather pants, black shoes with chunky heels, a bejeweled necklace and a Seinfeld-esque puffy shirt. Lipinski looked good, too.They asked some questions. Answered more.As Seattles 60 minutes were wrapping up, a group of practice squad players were showing off their best dance moves for the camera — Jimmy Staten did the Sprinkler — while being surrounded by scantily clad ladies in cheerleading gear.A few steps away, a man wearing clowns makeup and a rubber-ribbon wig was carrying a microphone and following a reporter with a low-cut neckline that highlighted her painted-on black-and-white dress.In another corner, former Rams MVP quarterback Kurt Warner, now retired and with a TV gig, had a microphone in front of Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.This is football players interviewing football players, observed the legendary sports writer, Art Spander, now covering his 39th Super Bowl.And reporters interviewing reporters.No stone is left unturned at Media Day.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Cheap Bruins Jerseys Wholesale Sabres Jerseys Red Wings Jerseys From China Wholesale Canadiens Jerseys Wholesale Lightning Jerseys Cheap Maple Leafs Jerseys Discount Hurricanes Jerseys Blue Jackets Jerseys Outlet Adidas Devils Jerseys Cheap Islanders Jerseys Rangers Jerseys From China Discount Flyers Jerseys Discount Penguins Jerseys Discount Capitals Jerseys Wholesale Blackhawks Jerseys Cheap Avalanche Jerseys Cheap Team USA Hockey Jerseys Cheap Stars Jerseys Wholesale Wild Jerseys Discount Predators Jerseys Discount Blues Jerseys Discount Ducks Jerseys Adidas Coyotes Jerseys Flames Jerseys Outlet Wholesale Oilers Jerseys Discount Sharks Jerseys Cheap Canucks Jerseys Golden Knights Jerseys Outlet Authentic NHL Winter Classic Jerseys ' ' '