016 records:Full recommendations: 2-3 (40 percent) Split recommendations: 5-3 (63 percent)Last seasons records:Full recommendations: 17-6

TOKYO -- How much did Nintendo pay to land that dream marketing opportunity at the Rio Olympics closing ceremony, where Japans prime minister popped out dressed as the red-hatted plumber Super Mario?Zero.The Japanese video game maker behind Pokemon and Zelda got the coveted stage that corporate sponsors pay millions for after they were approached by those creating the festivities for cooperation, not the other way around, says Nintendo Co. spokesman Yasuhiro Minagawa.I want to make that clear. We did not pay, he said in a telephone interview. And we are not going to become Olympic sponsors either.Prime Minister Shinzo Abes emergence in a Super Mario costume was the highlight of the handover section for Tokyo, the host of the 2020 games.The segment was so favorably received in Japan as surprisingly playful and tasteful, given the staidness usually associated with Japan Inc., that Abe earned a new nickname, Abe-Mario.Tokyo city official Masahiro Hayashi said Japans top advertising company Dentsu Inc. was tapped to produce the handover segment, with a total budget for the Rio Olympics and the Paralympics of 1.2 billion yen ($12 million).He refused to say how much Dentsu was paid, or give other details.The city of Tokyo and the organizing committee are under intense pressure to trim costs, which have ballooned over the years, partly because of the weakening yen but also because planning fiascos, such as decisions to redo designs for both the main stadium and the Tokyo 2020 logo.Organizing committee spokesman Motoki Okumura would not give details of the spending for the closing ceremony. Dentsu also declined to comment.Top Olympic sponsors pay millions of dollars to the IOC for permission to promote their brands to a massive global audience. Nintendo just did it for free. With Japans prime minister as their pitchman. Easily the marketing coup of the Rio games, said Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing analyst and creative director at Baker Street Advertising of San Francisco.Purists might feel the commercial branding was a bit overdone, and argue for other ways to promote Japanese culture, according to Dorfman, who has lived in Japan.But gaming and anime are certainly major aspects of modern Japan, and Mario is a universal icon. As someone who doesnt take sports or the Olympics too seriously, I found the whole thing pretty funny and entertaining, he said.---Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyamaHer work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/yuri-kageyama Cheap Sabres Jerseys China . Bradwell was scheduled to become a free agent Tuesday. Born and raised in Toronto, Bradwell is entering his sixth CFL season, with all six played for his hometown Argonauts. Josh Gorges Jersey . The scientists believe the small earthquake during a Marshawn Lynch touchdown was likely greater than Lynchs famous "beast quake" touchdown run three years ago, which also came against New Orleans during a playoff game. http://www.cheapsabresjerseys.com/?tag=adidas-thomas-vanek-jersey . Radwanska, making her debut in the Seoul tournament, hit eight aces in a match that lasted 1 hour, 4 minutes at Olympic Park tennis stadium. "It was definitely a very good match -- I was playing really good tennis," Radwanska said. Kyle Okposo Jersey . The No. 1-ranked Nadal tweaked his back warming up for the Australian Open final, which he lost almost four weeks ago in a major upset against Stanislas Wawrinka. His first stop after the layoff is the clay in Rio as he tests the back and tries to stay healthy for the French Open in three months. Jacob Josefson Jersey . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. Using an advanced metrics-driven computer algorithm as a foundation, Warren Sharp incorporates his in-depth research into game theory, efficiency, play-calling success rates and scheme utilization to uncover inefficiencies in the NFL and college football totals market.Every Friday during the football season for ESPN Chalk, he will share his top totals bets for the upcoming NFL weekend. Sharp will offer leans or plays, with the plays being divided based on strength between full recommendations and split recommendations (with split recommendations suggested at half the weight as a full recommendation).2016 records:Full recommendations: 2-3 (40 percent) Split recommendations: 5-3 (63 percent)Last seasons records:Full recommendations: 17-6 Split recommendations: 3-7-2 2015?final weighted record: 18.5-9.5 (66 percent)Here are his Week 10 NFL totals bets:Dallas Cowboys at Pittsburgh SteelersThe Steelerrs defense has faced the sixth-easiest group of opposing NFL offenses this season.dddddddddddd Since its two early games against the Redskins and Bengals, the Pittsburgh defense has faced one team that ranks in the top half of NFL efficiency. That was the Patriots, who put up 27 points with ease because the Steelers offense started Landry Jones and did not really press the Patriots too much (though he performed better than most expected). The Steelers calling card had been solid run defense, and Dallas could attack through the air due to Pittsburghs secondary play and weak pass rush. That said, the Steelers also have played just one run offense whose efficiency ranks inside the top 10 (the Dolphins), and Miami ran for 6.2 yards per carry and a 56 percent success rate. ' ' '