MADRID, Spain -- Luis Aragones, the former Spain coach who shaped the teams rise from perennial underachiever to global powerhouse with a long-awaited title at the 2008 European Championship, has died. Cheap Adidas Senators Jerseys . He was 75. The Spanish football federation announced the death early Saturday, saying Aragones died at a Madrid hospital. He had been battling leukemia. Federation president Angel Maria Villar said Aragones would be remembered as "very special" -- both for his contributions to Spanish football and as a person. "With him we have lived the beginning of an extraordinary phase in football as well as for Spanish society," Villar said. "This has been a painful dawn for our football." Aragones had a successful playing career as a sharpshooting international forward who earned 11 caps for Spain, and then spent the rest of his life as a much-travelled coach. However, he will mostly be remembered for what happened on June 29, 2008, when his team beat Germany 1-0 in Vienna to claim its first major title in 44 years. "Luis Aragones changed the history of Spanish football," Spain captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas said. "And for that we will always be thankful." The Euro 2008 triumph was the culmination of Aragones four-year reign as Spain coach, having taken over a team that for the last 20 years had earned a reputation for always coming up short in major tournaments. But Aragones instilled a new sense of belief in his players, even after losing to France in the second round of the 2006 World Cup. He also made the team adopt the quick-passing "tiki-taka" style of football made famous by Barcelona, and which his players came close to perfecting at Euro 2008. Led by Barcelona midfielders Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta -- and the goalscoring of David Villa -- Spain went undefeated through the tournament, but needed a penalty shootout against Italy to advance from the quarterfinals. While Aragones stepped down after the tournament, the team went on to win its first World Cup two years later and then added an unprecedented third straight major title at Euro 2012 under his successor Vicente del Bosque. "Without a doubt, our current run of success is a result of his legacy," Del Bosque said on Saturday, after paying his respects to Aragones family. "He had a long history of coaching experience and he had a special appreciation for the game." But Aragones time in charge wasnt without controversy. He made a racist slur about France striker Thierry Henry -- who is black -- during a training session in October, 2004, and followed that remark with an outburst about Englands colonial past. His comments were believed to have prompted ugly racist chants directed at Englands black players during a friendly against Spain in Madrid. The Spanish Football Federation refused to bow to pressure to fire Aragones, although it fined him 3,000 euros, a punishment which many felt was too lenient. Denying he was a racist, Aragones explained that his comment about Henry was an attempt to motivate forward Jose Antonio Reyes, and he received important backing from several black players he had coached previously. In February, 2007, Aragones won a legal appeal against the Spanish Committee for Sporting Disciplines ruling that his behaviour could have fostered "violent, racist or xenophobic acts." Spanish media also often complained about his grouchy demeanour and had regularly called for his dismissal during the two years before the teams triumph. There was another uproar toward the end of 2006 when he dropped the national teams all-time leading scorer and captain, Real Madrids Raul Gonzalez, arguing that he was past his prime. It proved a masterstroke. The team embarked on a 22-game unbeaten run which culminated with the 2008 title, making Aragones the oldest coach to win a European Championship title. Despite the victory, the Spanish federation made no attempt to persuade him to extend his contract and five days later he moved abroad for the first time to take charge of Turkish club Fenerbahce, a couple of weeks before his 70th birthday. "Im leaving because there wasnt more done for me to stay," Aragones said at the time. His playing career began 43 years earlier, when Aragones joined Atletico Madrid. He scored 123 times in 265 games for the team -- the second highest in its history -- and helped the club win three Spanish league titles and two Copa del Reys. It also reached the 1974 European Cup final, where it lost to Bayern Munich in a replay. Aragones, nicknamed "The Sage of Hortaleza" in reference to the Madrid suburb of his birth, was then appointed as Atletico coach and led the team to the 1975 World Club Championship, the 1976 Copa del Rey and the 1977 league title. He coached Atletico on a total of five occasions and he had two spells each at Mallorca and Real Betis. He was also in charge of Barcelona, Espanyol, Sevilla, Valencia and Oviedo in a career total of 757 games, a Spanish league record. Aragones is survived by his wife Pepa, five children and 11 grandchildren. Adidas Mike Hoffman Jersey . Tensions rose in the first period when Penguins defenceman Brooks Orpik hit Bruins forward Loui Eriksson with what appeared to be a clean hit. Adidas Chris Wideman Jersey . -- Former NHL star Jeremy Roenick shot a second-round 69 to take the lead after 36 holes and former LPGA great Annika Sorenstam and Chad Pfeifer, who lost his left leg above the knee serving in Iraq, are among several players in contention in the American Century Championship tournament on Saturday. http://www.cheapsenatorsjerseys.com/ . The incident occurred at 6:28 of the first period in Anaheims 6-3 home win over Dallas on Sunday. Garbutt left the penalty box and skated at Penner before leaving his skates to deliver a check.ALLEN PARK, Mich. - Detroit is within striking distance of its first division title since 1993 and the automatic playoff berth that comes with it.We can taste it, defensive end Jason Jones said after Sundays 16-14 win over Minnesota. Its right there in front of us.Coach Jim Caldwells strict one-game-at-a-time philosophy has served the Lions well thus far, and he doesnt want his players losing sight of that with games at NFC North rivals Chicago and Green Bay to close the regular season.They might not go (to the playoffs) if they dont start focusing up on this next game, either, Caldwell said. That is a point to make. Its like texting and driving. You cant have your focus and attention on two things at one time. ... Its no different. Obviously, Im not talking about the same dire consequences, but Im talking about an example of distorted vision.The Lions have reached this point by toughing out close games all season. Half of their 10 wins have been by seven points or fewer. Just three other teams in the league (Green Bay, Arizona and San Francisco) have won five games by a touchdown or less. Not one has won more close games than Detroit.They have grit, Caldwell said. They are very rarely deterred when a big challenge comes their way. They are able to hang in there and play with poise down the stretch and overcome some difficult circumstances. ... They play as a unit in that way. They just arent shaken by the moment. They have supreme focus when they need it.And the Lions have fought through early holes in many of those games, including a 21-0 deficit against Atlanta and 14-point comeback wins over New Orleans and against the Vikings on Sunday.IIt doesnt matter however you get them, safety James Ihedigbo said. Adidas Jacob Bernard-Docker Jersey. Our mindset is were going to fight. If were up in the game, were going to fight and if we have to come back, I think thats sharpening our character as a team and showing our resilience and the ability to fight through adversity.Although the offence has closed out games with critical drives, the defence has also played a big part in the Lions late-game success.The Vikings racked up 193 yards, nine first downs and two touchdowns in their first four drives on Sunday. After that, the Lions surrendered just 167 yards and 12 first downs the rest of the way.That resiliency will be tested in the next two weeks as the Lions hit the road. Its hard for everyone not to look ahead to the finale at Lambeau Field with the Packers currently sharing a 10-4 record with Detroit.But, as Caldwell has stressed all season, the only game that matters is the next one on the schedule: at Chicago on Sunday.You have to earn your way into the playoffs, Caldwell said. You dont talk your way in. . We havent earned it yet. We still have to go to work.NOTES: Right tackle LaAdrian Waddle sustained a left knee injury in the second half of the win over Minnesota, and his outlook may be in doubt. It doesnt look good for him, Caldwell said. We continue to look at him and do a little evaluation. ... Caldwell acknowledged that rugby star Jarryd Hayne did visit Detroit during his tour of NFL teams after a workout in San Diego. We take a look at a lot of different people all the time, Caldwell said. It is a constant sort of exploration for us, where were always looking for ways to improve. Cheap Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Braves Jerseys Cheap Orioles Jerseys Cheap Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Cubs Jerseys Cheap White Sox Jerseys Cheap Reds Jerseys Cheap Indians Jerseys Cheap Rockies Jerseys Cheap Tigers Jerseys Cheap Astros Jerseys Cheap Royals Jerseys Cheap Angels Jerseys Cheap Dodgers Jerseys Cheap Marlins Jerseys ' ' '