Alexandre Bilodeau captured Canadas first gold medal at the 2010 Olympics, while Charles Hamelin was the Canadian teams only multi gold medallist in Vancouver. Erik Guay narrowly missed the Olympic podium four years ago, but hes Canadas most decorated World Cup alpine skier. The next honour one of them could add to an already illustrious career is Canadas flag-bearer for the Sochi Olympics. On Thursday in Ottawa, the Canadian Olympic Committee will announce who will carry the Maple Leaf into the Sochi opening ceremonies, and Bilodeau, Hamelin and Guay, all leaders in their respective sports, are all strong candidates. "Just being among those, its a great honour for me because those are great athletes and there are many more athletes that deserve to carry the flag and deserve to be in the front row when it comes to Canada and to be role models," Bilodeau told The Canadian Press in Montreal on Wednesday. "It would be a tremendous honour to do that for my country and well see (Thursday), but its definitely something very special to be flag-bearer and whomever its going to be, were going to be proud." When asked if hed been tipped to be in Ottawa, Bilodeau laughed and said "I havent been contacted yet, so if its already decided, Im not the one." Bilodeau won moguls gold on the second day of the Games, and the image of the freestyle skier celebrating with his brother Frederic is one of the most enduring of Vancouver. Hamelin claimed two of Canadas record-setting 14 gold medals, but even more remarkable is the fact the short-track speedskater, whos also an eight-time world champion, won them within half an hour of each other, winning the 500 metres before returning to the track as part of the victorious 5,000-metre relay. Guay posted a pair of fifth-place finishes in Vancouver, in the downhill and super-G, missing a medal in super-G by just three hundredths of a second. In December, he won his 21st World Cup medal, breaking the Canadian record for podium performances held by Steve Podborski. Guay will be in Kitzbuehel, Austria, on Thursday, where hes racing in a World Cup. Canadas flag-bearer traditionally generates plenty of conversation, and this time is no different, with Canadian hockey stars Sidney Crosby and Hayley Wickenheiser garnering much support. Crosby, who created one of Vancouvers golden moments when he scored the winner in the final versus the U.S., isnt expected to be in Sochi for the opening ceremonies as his Pittsburgh Penguins have a game that night versus the New York Rangers. While Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara is missing two of Bostons NHL games to carry the flag for Slovakia, when asked about the possibility of carrying Canadas flag, Crosby said last weekend "It hasnt been brought up (by the Canadian Olympic Committee)." Wickenheiser, meanwhile, is Canadas biggest womens star and a pioneer of the game who will make her fifth Olympic appearance. According to Hockey Canada, the womens team will march in the Feb. 7 opening ceremonies, despite playing their opening game the following night versus Switzerland. Wickenheiser, however, was a participant in the 2010 opening ceremonies -- she read the athletes oath. Plus, womens hockey player Danielle Goyette carried the flag into the opening ceremonies in 2006 in Turin, Italy. Long-track speedskater Clara Hughes carried the flag in the 2010 opening ceremonies while figure skater Joannie Rochette, who captured bronze just days after the death of her mom, was chosen to carry it out. Other favourites for Sochi include figure skaters Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, who won Canadas first ice dance gold medal in Vancouver, and three-time world champion Patrick Chan. With the new team event starting the day before the opening ceremonies, however, Virtue and Moir have said they wont march. Two-time world champion Kaillie Humphries, who teamed up with Heather Moyse in Vancouver to win Canadas first ever womens bobsled medal, is another favourite. She and Moyse will be gunning for gold again in Sochi. And long-track speedskater Christine Nesbitt also won gold in Vancouver, and is a seven-time world champion and has won a whopping 39 World Cup titles. Theres a Facebook pace supporting skier Larisa Yurkiw for flag-bearer that has over 3,500 likes. Yurkiw missed the Vancouver Games after suffering a bad knee injury in 2009, and then was forced to go pounding on doors for financial support after she was cut from the national team program. Yurkiw bounced back to qualify for Canadas Sochi-bound team. Each sport nominates an athlete as a candidate for flag-bearer. But some athletes see the responsibility as a distraction. Diver Alexandre Despatie told reporters before the 2012 London Games that he would decline any offer to carry the flag. "Its a great distraction, although it is the greatest honour an athlete can receive," the two-time Olympic silver medallist said. Moguls skier Jean-Luc Brassard finished fourth at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, and blamed his disappointing performance on the fact hed carried the flag a day earlier. Among other recent flag-bearers named recently: Japan selected womens curler Ayumi Ogasawara, Italy chose two-time Olympic mens luge champion Armin Zoeggeler, and Spain will hand its flag to figure skater Javier Fernandez. St.Louis Blues Store . The photograph shows Parker and a French comedian making a gesture known in France as a "quenelle," which critics describe as inverted Nazi salute. Parker said in a statement released through the Spurs that the photograph was taken three years ago. 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Yoenis Cespedes proved he can play through a hurting right heel, giving Scott Kazmir and the As a spark with a pair of RBIs that helped spoil the Minnesota Twins home opener with an 8-3 victory on Monday.CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Quarterback Cam Newton plans to take more ownership of the Carolina Panthers offence without his top four receivers from last season. Steve Smith, the franchises all-time leading receiver, was released and free agents Brandon LaFell, Ted Ginn Jr. and Domenik Hixon signed with other teams, putting more pressure on Newton to take more of a leadership role entering his fourth season. "Im excited to take this challenge to be this teams leader," Newton said. "More has been given to me on my plate (and) be a leader of men." Newton spoke Tuesday at the team stadium during a break from off-season condition workouts, his first extensive interview since the Panthers lost to the San Francisco 49ers 23-10 in the NFC divisional playoffs in January. Newtons left foot remains in a walking boot after having ankle surgery on March 19. He said he was "surprised" when he learned the Panthers had released Smith, one of the teams most popular players. "If you were in the 704 (area code), you were caught by surprise," Newton said. "Everybody in the Carolinas was surprised, including myself." He said he still communicates with Smith, and hopes the 34-year-old receiver finds success with the Baltimore Ravens. But Newton emphasized the need to move forward as a team. He said hes excited about working with a "hungry" group of receivers that includes Jerricho Cotchery, Jason Avant and Tiquan Underwood. Its possible the Panthers will add a wide receiver or two in the NFL draft next month. "We have a lot of guys that are hungry and ready to prove something in this league," Newton said, "and thats what I want to do as well." Newton was selected to the Pro Bowl last season after leading the Panthers to a 12-4 record and the NFC South championship. But concerns linger over how long it will take Newton to develop chemistry with a new group of wide receivers, especially considering hes not expected to practice until training camp. But an upbeat Newton downplayed any concerns. "We will have plenty of time to deveelop chemistry with receivers," Newton said.dddddddddddd "Just because its organized team functions doesnt mean that we cant (also) meet on our own." Newton has spent much of the off-season working on his college degree from Auburn, but returned Monday to Charlotte so hed have a chance to meet his new teammates. "The first time you interact with a person you can tell by two or three minutes if the relationship is going to work," Newton said. "With my talk with those guys it was great. Everybody is excited. Everybody is ready to accept the challenge. Everybody is trying to find and know their role so they can perfect it." Pro Bowl centre Ryan Kalil believes Newton will continue to develop into a great leader. "The guys who I have always looked up to are the guys who do it on a daily basis and lead by example," Kalil said. "Even though Cam is somebody who likes to get in front of the mike and think hes a lot more entertaining than he really is, he does a great job. He works hard day in and day out in the classroom and on the field." Newton said watching his teammates work out made him eager to get back. Hes never missed a game and its rare when hes skipped a practice -- or any type of event -- since joining the Panthers as the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL draft. "I felt like that lost kid that was in detention and cant go to recess," said Newton, with a laugh. Newton isnt certain when hell start running again. He said the ankle had been bothering him for quite a long time, dating back to his national championship season at Auburn. "It wasnt 100 per cent for a long time," said the former Heisman Trophy winner. "I really didnt know what 100 per cent felt like." Newton said the surgery has afforded him a chance to step back and study more tape and reassess his play. "Its been more helpful for me, mentally," Newton said. "I am always the type of guy that always had to do stuff, workout, workout, workout -- no matter the time or the day. This injury has kind of settled me down, like, How can I get better?" ' ' '