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Liverpool signed Italy striker Mario Balotelli from AC Milan for 16 million pounds ($26.5 million) on Monday, taking a calculated gamble on a headline-grabbing player known as much for his controversies as his goals. Nineteen months after ending a 2 1/2-year spell with Manchester City to play for his boyhood club, Balotelli will return to the English Premier League as a replacement for Luis Suarez -- another of world footballs talented but disruptive stars. "Im happy to be back because I left England and it was a mistake," Balotelli said. "I wanted to go to Italy but I realized it was a mistake." Balotelli, who has signed what Liverpool said is a "long-term deal," spent his first day with his new team watching the Reds lose 3-1 to City in a Premier League game at Etihad Stadium later Monday. He wasnt registered in time to play. Liverpool has been looking to strengthen its strikeforce after selling Suarez to Barcelona for $130 million but left it to the last week of the transfer window to secure one of the summers most high-profile and intriguing signings. During his time at City, in which he won the league title, Balotelli was sent off four times, threw a dart at a youth-team player and was involved in an incident that saw fireworks explode in his bathroom. Days before news of the fireworks incident emerged, Balotelli had revealed a T-shirt under his City jersey with the question, "Why Always Me?" after scoring in the teams 6-1 win over Manchester United. Balotelli, with his physique, technical ability and qualities as a finisher, is one of the worlds best strikers and, at 24, the best times of his career could still lie ahead of him. At Milan, he scored 26 goals in 43 league matches and he is the Italian national teams top striker, scoring 13 goals in 33 games. But with trouble always seeming to follow him, some are questioning whether Balotelli is worth the risk for Liverpool, which has fostered a strong team spirit under manager Brendan Rodgers that helped it finish second in the Premier League last season. Jose Mourinho described Balotelli as "unmanageable" during their time together at Inter Milan, which the striker left in 2010 to join City. "He knows himself this is probably is last chance," Rodgers said. "Mario is someone we can improve both as a footballer and as a person." "He has a reputation but we hope he can curb that behaviour," Rodgers added after the City game. "He knows his flaws and faults and he is looking for someone to help him. There is no better club for him. Of course it is a risk." Rodgers, however, got the best out of Suarez and current first-choice striker Daniel Sturridge, who both had turbulent pasts before arriving at Anfield. Sections of the British media have reported that Balotelli has had to agree to behaviour clauses being included in his contract with Liverpool. "I believe we have the infrastructure, culture and environment to get the best out of him and help him achieve his true potential," Rodgers said. "We are a strong group here, committed to hard work and he will benefit from being around it. "I am looking forward to working with him and helping him learn more, improve and progress as a player." Rodgers attempts to bring in a striker has seen him look at France forward Loic Remy of Queens Park Rangers, whose switch to Anfield broke down at the last minute, and former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea star Samuel Etoo. Last month, during Liverpools tour of the United States, Rodgers was linked with a bid for Balotelli but said "I can categorically tell you that he will not be at Liverpool." The U-turn was completed on Monday. "This transfer represents outstanding value for the club and I think we have done a really smart piece of business here," Rodgers said. "There is no doubting Marios ability; he is a world-class talent and someone who, for such a young age, has vast experience of playing at the very highest level." Asked what his targets at Liverpool were, Balotelli said: "I want to take this team to the Champions League." Jorge Soler Jersey . -- Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo is going to the Pro Bowl as a replacement for San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks. Paulo Orlando Jersey . Former San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds made his longshot request of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit upheld Bonds conviction in September. http://www.cheaproyalsjerseys.com/. Bowditch, the 30-year-old Australian seeking his first PGA Tour title, shot a 4-under 68 to reach 12 under at TPC San Antonio. Matt Kuchar and Andrew Loupe were tied for second. Kuchar shot 65, and Loupe had a 70. Cheap Royals Jerseys Authentic . Cleveland has won the first two of this set and has won six straight games since losing back-to-back tilts to open the year. Seattle, on the other hand, has now lost six in a row following consecutive wins to kick off its campaign. Cheap Kansas City Royals Jerseys . The Boston Celtics hadnt played since the All-Star break. So the Suns 100-94 victory over Boston Wednesday night was an uphill affair, with Phoenix relying on balance rather than its trademark high energy.SEATTLE -- After waiting decades for a major sports championship, thousands of Seattleites took to the streets as fireworks popped, horns blared and flags waved following the Seahawks decisive Super Bowl win. "I was born here, I was raised here! This is my ultimate dream!" shouted John Caro, who, with his wife Corina, both 59, whooped their way down Lake City Way in North Seattle and high-fived passersby. "We have waited so freakin long for this!" The Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos 43-8 Sunday. The last time a major Seattle sports franchise won a championship was in 1979 when the Supersonics took the NBA title. The WNBAs Seattle Storm have won two championships, in 2004 and 2010. Seattle police were out in large numbers in many neighbourhoods after the game. The department was investigating two shootings that came amid widespread celebrations over the Seahawks Super Bowl win, both near the Pioneer Square neighbourhood, where thousands of fans gathered. The separate incidents occurred just before 12 a.m. Monday and left two victims hospitalized with non-life-tfhreatening wounds, police spokesman Mark Jamieson said. The suspect in the first shooting was apprehended when officers in the area heard the shots and saw him running. No one has been arrested in the other shooting. The motives for the shootings remained unclear. For most of Sunday night the crowd was in a celebratory mood, but later on it turned ugly, with people hurling bottles at police and breaking windows, Jamieson said. Officers in riot gear eventually dispersed the crowd. The Fire Department reported about a half-dozen bonfires around the city, mostly involving couches and mattresses burned in streets. The biggest blaze was near the University of Washington, where one person was arrested for investigation of reckless burning. In all, about six people were arrested, including the suspects in the burning and shooting casses, Jamieson said.dddddddddddd In Occidental Park in Pioneer Square, near CenturyLink Field where the Seahawks play, people waving "12th Man" flags took to the streets, and others climbed trees and sculptures. They broke 17 glass panes and caused other damage to a historic pergola that will cost about $25,000 to repair, Joelle Hammerstad, a Parks Department spokeswoman, said Monday. People in some neighbourhoods blocked traffic, and in downtown a line of cars stretched for blocks as people cheered. Seattle police spokesman Mark Jamieson said Sunday night the biggest concentrations of people were downtown and in the University District. He said no major disturbances were reported. By contrast, the mood in Denver was subdued, as expected, with fans downcast and police reporting few problems. Mayor Ed Murray said in a statement that a Seahawks victory parade would occur Wednesday, with a route through downtown and ending at CenturyLink Field. Shrieking and waving her Seahawks flags at passing cars on a North Seattle street, Senayet Woldemarian, a 29-year-old physical therapist from suburban Shoreline, said: "We got our first Super Bowl!" Her friend, wedding photographer Taylor Olcott, 28, said it reminded her a little of being in Boston in 2004, when the Red Sox won baseballs World Series for the first time since 1918. "This is the first time Ive really seen Seattle passionate about anything," she said. "Its, like, East Coast. Its very exciting." About 30 people watched the game at the Outlander Brewery in Seattles Fremont neighbourhood. It was such a blowout that by the fourth quarter, employees had switched one of the three TVs to Animal Planets "Puppy Bowl." "Were all in euphoria right now," said Steve McVay, a 43-year-old Seattle IT worker. "Its a huge deal for the city. Since the Sonics, we havent won anything." ' ' '