HOUSTON -- Houston defensive end Antonio Smith apologized Monday for using the word "spying" about New England, but didnt exactly back down from the accusations he made after the Texans loss to the Patriots. On Sunday after Houstons 34-31 loss, Smith told reporters that the Texans had some new wrinkles in their defence and it was "miraculous" how the Patriots changed their offence to key on the defence. He said then: "Either teams are spying on us or scouting us. I dont know what it is." On Monday, he said that he thought reporters in Houston knew him well enough to know that he could be joking and still be curious about something like this at the same time. "Im sorry I said the word spying because of a prior engagement of them being caught spying before," he said. The NFL fined New England coach Bill Belichick $500,000 and the team $250,000 and took away a first-round pick in the 2008 draft for videotaping New York Jets signals during a game on Sept. 9, 2007. Belichick said he thought that was allowed and apologized for what he said was a mistake in his interpretation of the rule prohibiting it. Belichick was asked on a conference call Monday morning if he saw Smiths comments. "Yeah, I saw them," he said. "I dont have any comment on them. I think thats a league matter." Houston coach Gary Kubiak also was questioned about what Smith said and refused to address them directly. "I have the utmost respect for their organization, their players, their coaches, their head coach and the standard that theyve been setting for a long, long time in this league," he said. "So ... they did a great job yesterday and have been doing it a long time." The loss extended Houstons franchise-record skid to 10 games. The Texans were up 17-7 at halftime before New England rallied for the win. Smith said Monday that he was surprised his comments caused such a stir and wondered why no one had a sense of humour about what he said. "Though it may be something I was curious about that kind of didnt seem right," he said. "Like how all of a sudden the change here? It wasnt a serious matter to where I was thinking: Aw man, theyre spying on us. Theyre cheating. Things like that to the point where it gets to a big story about me accusing them of cheating. Its me being me, being funny." Houston will try to end its skid Thursday night at Jacksonville. Nike Tanjun Clearance . However, the intensity and physicality that has characterized the postseason so far has caught Gretzky by surprise. "Its a little bit risqué right now," Gretzky told Philadelphia radio station 97. Cheap Nike Tanjun Shoes . -- Phil Mickelson will be watching the final two rounds of the Masters from home for the first time in 17 years. http://www.niketanjunoutlet.com/. Today, well look at five frontcourt players today, here from the Bay Area. 1. AMIR JOHNSON (Raptors): I cant figure out what the issue or problem is, but based upon what Im seeing, hes not right. Cheap Authentic Nike Tanjun . Seth Smith hit a towering drive for a tying homer leading off the eighth and Chris Denorfia singled home two runs to give the Padres a 3-1 victory against the rival Dodgers in baseballs North American opener Sunday night. Cheap Nike Tanjun China . The 18-year-old centre was the Senators first-round pick (17th overall) in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. The six-foot 196-pound native of Salmon Arm, B.TORONTO - Part of DeMar DeRozans summer improvement project involved writing out the ABCs for his daughter Diar a€” with his left hand.It was a chance to both spend some quality time with his 16-month-old, and to strengthen his weaker hand. All summer long, the Toronto Raptors all-star used his left hand to do things like eat, tie his shoes and carry his bags, all in an effort to become a more versatile player.When I was kid, I would be frustrated, I would always ask my dad why I couldnt do certain things with my left hand that I can do with my right. Just a curious kid. Ever since I was young I always tried to get as comfortable doing stuff with my left hand, DeRozan said Tuesday. So just reverting back to that, to when I was a kid, getting more comfortable. In a game, we naturally want to finish with our right hand, because thats our dominant hand, but just being comfortable doing it with our left hand, if you happen to need it.The 25-year-old wrote out the alphabet virtually every day during the summer, he said. It looked like my daughters writing, he said, prompting laughter from the couple dozen journalists at training camp.On whose writing is more legible: Were neck and neck right now.More laughter.DeRozan cracking jokes in front of the cameras says plenty about the once-shy Raptors guard who has evolved into a strong and vocal leader in his five seasons in Toronto. Before the Raptors took the Air Canada Centre for their opening day of camp Tuesday, coach Dwane Casey gave DeRozan the floor.DeRozan told his teammates Hey, lets have a good practice, this is where we start creating defensive habits, it starts now, not next week or after the first game, it starts today, Casey recounted. So that was huge too.I knew it was going to happen, I just didnt know when, because he was such a quiet kid, Casey said of DeRozans evolution. DeMar is a young man, hes a father, a proud father, family man, and a lot of that just goes right into maturity. We all want to rush it, especially in sports, but it something that just takes time.DeRozan took two big steps toward being a more mature player last season, said Casey a€” first, when Rudy Gay was traded to Sacramento last December, and then when he was named an all-star.I just thought last year after the trade, he just took off after that. He made huge strides and said Hey look, Im putting this team on my back, and were going with it.It kind of shifted over. . . Rudy was the guy so-to-speak and it just shifted over back to DeMar and to Kyle (Lowry) and I thought that gave him a voice in the locker-room.DeRozan is ccoming off a breakout season, leading the Raptors to their first post-season appearance in six years and then helping the United States to gold at the FIBA World Cup.ddddddddddddFor all he has accomplished, he still feels disrespected in some circles. Sports Illustrated put DeRozan 61st in the league in their pre-season rankings, lowest out of all the returning all-star players. He took to Twitter and wrote Real disrespectful! #ProveEm Those slights might as well be motivational slogans for DeRozan. Thats fine with me. I like having a chip on my shoulder. It just gives me another reason to work hard whatever it may be, it gives me another reason. I feel like theyre doing me a favour, honestly, he said.I dont let anything go over my head at all, Ill use every negative thing, not just about myself but my team, as motivation. You need to. Im never going to get comfortable with the accomplishments Ive made.DeRozans left-handed project was just latest in his neverending quest to improve.His experience with the American team at the World Cup was another chance to learn. It took him out of his comfort zone, he said, which he relished.Raptors GM Masai Ujiri met with DeRozan upon his return.I asked him what he had learned from his experience there, and to show you how hes matured as a person, he said he respects players that come off of the bench more just because thata€?s what he did there, said Ujiri. He treats them great anyway. But he said he has more respect and hed treat them with more respect because of what they have to do night in, night out when they are called upon. I thought that was great maturity on his part.Casey echoed Ujiris thoughts.I think thats going to be very important for him, to have empathy for his teammates. . . he already does. Hes one of the best teammates that guys could have, as a leader and as a star. Theres not a selfish bone in his body as far as not respecting guys at the end of the bench.The Raptors travelled to Vancouver on Tuesday and will continue camp in Burnaby, B.C., on Wednesday. Theyll host the Sacramento Kings on Sunday in their pre-season opener in Vancouver.NOTES: The Raptors had Brent Gleeson, a Navy Seal, speak to the Raptors on Monday night. He talked about his experience of being a navy seal and how teamwork has to be part of, in his business, living, Casey said. In our situation, its not as dire, not as serious, but a lot of things that he said, we can connect with as a team, togetherness, talking about trust, talking about communication, talking about togetherness. All those points hit home. ' ' '