The WWEs decision to place its vacant Universal championship belt around the waist of Kevin Owens on Monday sent shock waves across the pro wrestling world due to the last-minute swerve on Raw.Owens, a beloved and respected heel by hardcore fans who have followed his journey from independent star to the top of WWEs main card, continues to gain new fans with his classic style and strong microphone work. Among his most prominent admirers is Hulk Hogan, who not only tweeted congratulations to Owens after his victory on Monday, but backed up his belief in Owens on Wednesday as a guest of former WCW president Eric Bischoff on his new podcast Bischoff on Wrestling.Yo yo Kevin Owens congrats my brother HH- Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) August 30, 2016Hogan has kept a relatively low profile since the firestorm of his 2015 firing by WWE, but he praised Owens as being the one person he believes could become the face of the business, even if he possesses many nontraditional qualities.One of the guys who was in WWE before they let me go -- and I dont know if he was on anybodys radar or anybody was watching him -- who you would never expect Hulk Hogan to point out was Kevin Owens, Hogan said. I told Triple H, This kid Kevin Owens, no matter how he looks physically and no matter what you think about him, when he walks out, hes over in such a weird way.The one major intangible Hogan points to when talking about Owens is the natural heat he creates with the crowd.I watched him work on an NXT match and he was just grinding old school like a heel, Hogan said. He was getting the heat, staying on a guy, letting a guy sell, walking away, going back to the dance, keeping his heat. Then I watched the baby face try to come up several times at the wrong time and Kevin had enough instincts to cut him off. And when he did let him come up, he was backpedaling like a Pat Patterson or a Hollywood Hogan or a real big chicken s--- heel and he was over so well as a heel.I told Triple H, If you get this guy up and running, he can turn into one of your greatest baby faces, Hogan claimed.Hogan believes todays superstars are like interchangeable parts but says Owens, despite not having the look or build of a Brock Lesnar or Ultimate Warrior, could be a dark horse because of the hope he creates.I look to see a guy with a lot of hope who could break through this cookie-cutter menu that people have now to choose from and break through and change the game again, Hogan said. A guy like Kevin Owens shows me that hope spot that no matter how much TV you have to shoot, no matter how many towns you have to make -- here is one guy that will put it back on track and make it easier for everybody to figure it out.The key to Owens ultimate success, Hogan believes, is how he navigates the politics behind the scenes. He referenced Hall of Famer Booker Ts catchphrase of Dont hate the player, hate the game, as it pertains to getting your big break and protecting it despite the objections of others.At the end of the day, the truth is this wrestling business -- as much as you do or dont want to admit it or understand it, with all these smart marks saying Hogan and John Cena are politicians -- is about relationships on every level, Hogan said. If you want to be a main event guy for 20 or 25 years or for however you want to do it, you have to be a great politician. You have to be a politician in the ring and in the dressing room.You have to be a great, smart politician when youre working with Vince [McMahon] and Triple H. You have to be a politician when youre out in public, especially, he continued. Its all about having that finesse to really make sure in every different situation that you understand the game. I dont know how much Kevin understands the overall game, but that has a direct influence on how long he will stay a dominant force in this business. He has to understand the game. Swell Canada .Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season. Swell Bottle Black Canada . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. http://www.swellbottlesaleclearance.com/swell-water-bottle-marble-wholesale.html . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. Swell Bottle Ombre Canada . The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Nets said they would issue another update next week after consultation with their doctors. Swell Canada Sale . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. AUSTIN, Texas -- Stuck with a three-game losing streak and a 12-point halftime deficit, the Texas Longhorns finally emerged from their inertia Friday night.Texas defended with more intensity, shot with increased accuracy and scored 51 points in the second half to beat Alabama 77-68.The first five minutes of the second half, they came out with a different type of energy and focus, Alabama coach Avery Johnson said. It seemed like they were a step quicker. Give them credit. This is a team that lost three games in a row. They were desperate.Kerwin Roach scored 16 points for Texas (4-3). Tevin Mack, Shaq Cleare, Jacob Young and Jarrett Allen scored 11 points each for the Longhorns.Dazon Ingram led Alabama (4-3) with 12 points and had Avery Johnson Jr. had 10.The Longhorns, bolstered by full-court pressure defense in the second half, persisted until they took their first lead of the game, on a 3-point play by Roach with 12:47 remaining.Neither team led by more than four until Roach made a free throw with 1:02 left for a 68-63 lead.Corban Collins, an Alabama graduate transfer from Morehead State, made three 3-point baskets in the first half, helping the Tide to a 38-26 lead at the break. Before Friday, Collins had seven 3-pointers in six games.Mack, making his first start of the season, scored all 11 of his points in the second half, one more than Roach.This is a little glimpse of what we can really be like if we continue to work hard, Cleare said. When we lost those games these guys were really crushed. The last two days of practice weree really intense.dddddddddddd. We knew we were gonna win this game, even if we were down by 15, 16 points.BIG PICTUREAlabama: The Crimson Tide regard defense as their strength. They rank in the top 25 nationally in points allowed and turnover margin. They maintained form in the first half, limiting Texas to 26 points, but the Longhorns scored 51 in the second. Alabama shot 48 percent in the first half. Texas, meanwhile, hit 35 percent. The Longhorns outshot Alabama 57-41 percent in the second half.Our defense wasnt good enough in the second half, Johnson said. Roach broke us down. We werent moving our feet. We were out of position.Texas: Coach Shaka Smart made two starting lineup changes, replacing guards Eric Davis and Kendal Yancy with Mack and Andrew Jones. Davis is in a season-long shooting slump, while Mack is the Longhorns leading scorer and best 3-point shooter this season. Mack missed all five shots in the first half before rallying for 11 points. Davis made one basket after missing his first three shots, increasing his streak of misses to 11 in the last two games. Mack played a season-high 37 minutes.Ive never played that much or that hard, Mack said.UP NEXTAlabama is at No. 23 Oregon on Dec. 11. If Oregon remains in the top 25 next week, this will be Alabamas first game against a ranked team.Texas is at Michigan on Tuesday. Michigan beat Texas 78-72 last season at a tournament in the Bahamas. ' ' '