SACRAMENTO, Calif. Arian Foster Youth Jersey . -- Billionaire Chris Hansen, who tried to move the Kings NBA franchise from Sacramento to Seattle, is behind a secretive effort to thwart the citys efforts to build a new downtown arena for the professional basketball team, Californias campaign watchdog disclosed Friday after an investigation. The announcement is an embarrassment for Hansen, who lost his bid after NBA owners voted to keep the team in Californias capital city, and it could undermine support for the local ballot measure Hansen funded that is designed to put to a citywide vote the councils planned $258 million subsidy for a downtown arena. "I made a mistake I regret," Hansen said in a written statement. "While Im sure everyone can appreciate how easy it is to get caught up in the heat of battle, with the benefit of hindsight, this is clearly a decision I regret." Hansen had said he would end his effort to buy the Kings for $625 million after the NBA blocked the sale, and a group of investors led by technology executive Vivek Ranadive bought the team a day later for $535 million. Hansen publicly wished the city well after losing his bid to buy the team. Yet the California Fair Political Practices Commission said that a month later, Hansen gave $80,000 to pay signature gatherers trying to get the measure on next Junes ballot, and the group violated state law by refusing to disclose the donation. The NBA has said that Sacramento must build a modern arena to keep the Kings in town. The teams new owners have set a 2016 target. Hansens money was funneled through the Los Angeles law firm of Loeb & Loeb. Hansen said the firm approached him about making a contribution to the petition effort after he had hired them to gauge citizen opposition during the battle over the sale. Members of Sacramento Taxpayers Opposed to Pork, which filed to put the initiative on the June 2014 ballot, distanced themselves from the money and said they use only volunteers to circulate petitions. Spokesman John Hyde said the money went to a political group that offered to assist STOPs efforts. "No doubt this is a PR nightmare for STOP," Hyde said. "We didnt know where that money came from and we werent the recipient of any of that funding." The signature gatherers are halfway to the 22,000 they need to qualify the measure by December, Hyde said. Gary Winuk, chief of the commissions enforcement division, said Hansen donated $100,000 total. It was not immediately clear what happened to the additional $20,000, though Winuk said it might have been spent on other expenses. He said the investigation is continuing. "These are as sophisticated parties as you can get and they should know better," Winuk said. "Most people just comply when we call them. They just happened to make us take them to court." The donors were intentionally denying the public information that could help them decide whether to sign the petition, he said. The commission filed a lawsuit Thursday to learn the donors identity and revealed during a Friday news conference that it was Hansen. "Unbelievable," said state Senate President pro Tempore Darrel Steinberg, who is from Sacramento and was active in efforts to keep the Kings in town. Kings and NBA officials declined comment, as did Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former NBA all-star who led the fight to keep the team. Suspicion about the origins of the money originally had fallen on the Maloof family that previously owned the team because the same law firm had long represented them. The commission was dropping its lawsuit, but Winuk said Hansen and the law firm could face a civil fine of up to $80,000 plus an administrative fine of up to $5,000 for each of at least three campaign-reporting violations. Tytus Howard Womens Jersey . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. Houston Texans Jerseys . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. http://www.officialhoustontexanspro.com/...-texans-jersey/ . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When Luke Kuechly was carted off the field with a concussion, the tears streaming down his face as he left, it appeared the Carolina Panthers might be ready for another collapse.Their defensive leader was gone and another big fourth-quarter lead was crumbling.Instead, the Panthers did just enough to hold on and beat the New Orleans Saints 23-20 on Thursday night in a game marred by injuries to key players.When Kuechly went down the lead was at 10, and players gathered around him as he was put on a cart near midfield. Carolina would give up another score, but hold on for itsr third win in four games.We rally behind that guy, defensive end Charles Johnson said about Kuechly. Hes our leader. When you see a leader go down like that, we just rally behind him. Im keeping Luke in my prayers.The Panthers, who surrendered a 17-point lead and lost to the Kansas City Chiefs last week, entered the fourth quarter with a 23-3 lead before injuries began to take their toll. Along with Kuechly, the Panthers lost two-time All-Pro center Ryan Kalil (shoulder), top pass rusher Mario Addison (foot) and cornerback Leonard Johnson (chest) to injuries. The Saints lost running back Mark Ingram to a head injury in the third quarter.It was the Grim Reaper walking around out there, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton said.Saints quarterback Drew Brees seemed to seize the momentum.Brees, who had been held to 171 yards and no touchdowns in the first three quarters, rallied the Saints back to 23-20 with touchdown passes to Brandon Coleman and Coby Fleener.But an 18-yard reception by Kelvin Benjamin on a third-and-10 with 2:39 left in the game proved pivotal, taking enough time off the clock where Brees only had 14 seconds to work with on his final drive. He couldnt manage to get his team into field goal range.Newton finished 14 of 33 for 192 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown pass to Ted Ginn Jr. as the Panthers (4-6) pulled even with the Saints for third place in the NFC South.Our mantra is to Keep Pounding and it speaks volumes in situations like this, Newton said. I will take an ugly win over a pretty loss.Jonathan Stewart also ran for a touchdown and Graham Gano had three field goals.Carolinas next two games are on the West Coast -- at Oakland and Seattle.Hopefully, the time off will give us enough time to heal up for thiss long road trip, safety Kurt Coleman said. Custom Houston Texans Jerseys. And also you wonder if it wasnt a Thursday game and it was a Sunday game, would there be these type of injuries? You never know. ... Im just going to pray for everybody. Not only our team but their team.BETTER DEFENSEBrees finished with 285 yards passing.That was a dramatic difference from the last time the two teams met on Oct. 16 when Brees threw for 465 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-38 win over the Panthers.They did exactly what we hoped and that was keep the ball it in front of them, Rivera said of his young secondary. You cant ask for the guys to do a better job.KICKING WOESSaints coach Sean Payton was upset after the game about the teams continuing struggles on special teams, including a blocked field goal that was returned 73 yards by Kuechly before the half to set up Ginns touchdown catch.Last week the Saints lost to Denver when a potential game-tying extra point was blocked and returned for a 2-point defensive conversion.Fundamentally weve got to be able to kick an extra point. ... Weve got to be able to, you know, kick a field goal thats a makeable one, Payton said. Weve just struggled in that area. It cost us at New York, it cost us last weekend (against) Denver and it cost us again tonight. And weve got to be smart enough in the game early to understand that the turnovers arent good.LOSE SOME, WIN SOMEMaybe Ginn is just too fast for officials.In the first quarter Ginn appeared to score on a 14-yard run, but officials reviewed the play and ruled his knee was down at the 1-yard line taking away a touchdown. Then, in the closing seconds of the second quarter, officials ruled Ginn was out of bounds on a pass from Cam Newton. But after instant replay officials overturned the ruling and gave Ginn a 40-yard touchdown catch.UNDER PRESSURENewton was under heavy pressure for most of the first half, taking a sack on third down that took his team out of field goal range -- the second time he has done that in as many weeks.A COOL BREESBrees eclipsed 3,000 yards passing for the 13th consecutive season, tying Peyton Manning for the second-longest streak in NFL history.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '