CALGARY -- A Calgary Flame stepping from the tunnel onto the Saddledome ice Saturday would have required scuba gear. The Scotiabank Saddledome has been hit hard by the floods that ravaged parts of Southern Alberta. The floodwaters reached the eighth row of seats in the lower bowl and submerged the Flames dressing room, team president Ken King said Saturday. "That means if you were a hockey player walking from the tunnel onto the ice, you would be underwater yourself," he said. "Its very difficult to describe millions of gallons of water, sitting in that building." A contract signed by former Flames captain Jim Peplinski was among some portable memorabilia saved. But everything else on the Saddledome event level -- the nerve centre for games and concerts -- was "a total loss," King told reporters at a McMahon Stadium news conference. The event level is the lowest floor in the building. The ice plant, ice resurfacing machines, kitchens and Saddledome staff uniforms are examples of what was under water Saturday. "Everything that happens on the event level is drowned. Everything," King stated. He stressed that the Saddledome was "real estate, a building" and the loss of life and homes Southern Albertans have suffered is more important. But the Saddledome has been a part of the lifeblood of the city since it was built in 1983 for the arrival of the NHLs Flames and the 1988 Winter Olympics. In addition to serving as the home arena of the Flames, Western Hockey Leagues Hitmen, and National Lacrosse Leagues Roughnecks, it is a concert venue as well as exhibition space for the Calgary Stampede, which opens July 5. City officials have not cancelled this years Stampede. "Thats a move-in thats nine days from now," King said. "That may seem ludicrously ambitious, but this is Calgary." King dispelled the rumour that the Jumbotron was on the arena floor when the Elbow River gushed into the building early Friday morning. He confirmed, however, the electronics that operate the massive scoreboard were under about four metres of water "and not salvageable." He couldnt begin to put a dollar figure on the loss. "We believe our insurance is full and intact and will cover us for this eventuality," King said. Next seasons WHL and NHL schedules have yet to be released, but the WHL season starts the third week of September and the NHLs the first week of October. "Were going to be ready for the opening of the season," King vowed. "Thats our goal and our objective. "If something between us and that that were unaware of . . . and appreciate we dont know whats under there at this point. The quicker we can get in there and start pumping water, the quicker were going to be able to answer that question with certainty." But the floodwaters must recede before the restoration of the Saddledome can begin. "We have equipment, the biggest water pumps in North America on standby for us and many of them," King said. "We have people on standby to go to work, but they can only go to work and the equipment can only be put in place once we see the river subside and obviously the flood damage subside from our building." The Flames vice-president of building operations said the water line was starting to drop in the arena, but urged people to stay clear of the Saddledome because it was not safe there. "Theres a lot of heavy equipment moving around," Libby Raines said. Once the water is out, the Saddledome will be inspected, she added. "Well get our consultants in and make sure we get a thorough look at the building," she explained. "At this point, were fairly confident that we should be structurally intact, but, again, well have that all looked at." NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and CFL commissioner Mark Cohon have called to offer assistance, King said. The Flames also own the CFLs Calgary Stampeders and some hockey staff will work out of offices at McMahon Stadium starting Monday. Saucony Shoes Outlet . Nigeria beat surprise package Ethiopia 2-0 in the second leg of their playoff for a comfortable 4-1 aggregate victory. Victor Moses converted a 20th-minute penalty after an Ethiopian handball, and Victor Obinna made certain of Nigerias place in Brazil with his powerful free kick in the 82nd at UJ Esuene Stadium. Cheap Saucony Shoes . Rinne played two periods in his first game since left hip surgery in early May. Gabriel Bourque scored 3:07 into the second period and Austin Watson tallied 5:15 later for Nashville. http://www.cheapsaucony.us/ . Ferrer, trying to win his fourth title on Mexican soil, will next play South Africas Kevin Anderson, who eliminated American Sam Querrey,7-6 (2), 6-4. Also Wednesday, Gilles Simon (6) of France beat Donald Young of the United States 6-4, 6-3, Ukraines Alexandr Dolgopolov downed Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4 and Croatias Ivo Karlovic defeated Dudi Sela of Israel 7-6 (4), 6-2. Discount Saucony Shoes . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No. Saucony Shoes Clearance . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. Somerset 437 (Trescothick 218, Allenby 63, Myburgh 54, Tahir 7-112) and 100 for 0 (Myburgh 58*) beat Nottinghamshire 401 (Mullaney 165, Libby 90) and 135 (Libby 44, Allenby 3-23, Gregory 3-27) by 10 wicketsScorecardSomerset supporters who criticised Chris Rogers in the wake of last weeks agonising last-over defeat against leaders Middlesex might look at the Division One table as it stands and be tempted to reiterate their point.The Somerset captain spoke of breathing space at the bottom of the table after watching his side take advantage of Nottinghamshires dismal last-day performance to run away with a comprehensive victory. Yet in moving ahead of Yorkshire, Somerset are in a position to be considered as rather more than strugglers.The gap between themselves and Middlesex is just 22 points, with six matches to play. Clearly, then, what happened last week at Taunton, when Middlesex chased down a target set by Rogers with two balls to spare, could yet be hugely significant.By contrast, Nottinghamshire are unequivocally in trouble. Without a win since the opening match of the season, they have only five matches remaining, including trips to Scarborough and Chester-le-Street. Their two home fixtures are against Hampshire and Middlesex and they conclude by meeting Somerset again at Taunton.Moreover, they fell apart here in the manner of a team with considerable momentum pulling them in the wrong direction. After resuming on 58 for 2 overnight, they subsided from 74 for 2 to 99 for 7 in the space of 19 overs before lunch before being dismissed for 135, with Brett Hutton unable to bat because of an injured hand.The deliveries that accounted for Brendan Taylor and top-scorer Jake Libby kept a touch low and Chris Read, himself only recently back from a hand injury, was out in bizarre fashion, pulling a ball from Lewis Gregory over the rope at midwicket but knocking off the bails with the toe of his bat as he swivelled round in his follow-through. It did not add up to anything like mitigation, however. When Samit Patel casually flicked a ball from Gregory straight into the hands of James Hildreth on the square-leg boundary, he threw back his head partly in disbelief, partly in the grim realisation that the spectre of relegation is looming uncomfortably large.It left Somerset needing just 100 to win, which they were able to knock off in just 16.5 of the 53 overs at their disposal. Johann Myburgh, who had riotously smashed 22 in one over of Imran Tahirs leg spin, hit the winning runs. At the other end stood his opening partner, 40-year-old Marcus Trescothick, first-innings double centurion, who had been on the field, give or take the odd comfort break, for every baking minute of the match.It meant that Nottinghamshire, having been 196 for 0 on day one and 295 for 2 afterr 24 overs on day two, had ultimately had their faces rubbed in the dirt.dddddddddddd Speaking afterwards, director of cricket Mick Newell was not inclined to pull punches.Weve got ourselves into big trouble now, he said. We have to face the fact. Were seventh, which is where we deserve to be and we have to make sure we dont drop any lower.To get bowled out for 135 on that pitch is poor but the fact is that 401 should have been 501 in the first innings.We are getting out of positions of strength too easily and under pressure we have not shown enough fight. Those are the two things you need to do if you want to be a better team and the fact is that we are not playing very well.Rogers took the opportunity to revisit the debate over the Middlesex defeat, in which he came under fire for making what some perceived as a risky declaration. He was willing to accept the criticisms, but believes the experience of a narrow defeat actually did his young team more good than harm.I read somewhere that I didnt have regrets about declaring, he said. Of course I had regrets - we lost the game.It left us feeling low but this group is going to get better by being in tough positions. You dont learn from playing out boring draws. You learn from being under pressure.We have a fantastic group of young players at Somerset for whom the skys the limit and we have to challenge them.They responded so well to that loss and to see that response here, in one of the most incredible games Ive played in, where losing the toss felt like a hammer blow, is so promising.Of course, we could have been in a tough situation if we had not won so this is a huge result, giving us a bit of breathing space and allowing us maybe to attack the teams ahead of us.Newell said that Hutton has a broken bone in his right hand as a result of an incident in the field on day three and will be missing for four weeks, which is a further blow to Nottinghamshires survival chances.The emergence of Hutton, Jake Ball and Luke Wood as a trio of vibrant young bowlers helped turn Nottinghams season around from a similar low point last year but although Wood will be back from injury by the time they next play a Championship match, there are few other signs of an imminent fillip. The loss of James Taylor and, through Englands demands, of Alex Hales, is being keenly felt.Weve got three and a half weeks now of white-ball cricket, in which we are doing well, and we just have to hope that when we come back against Hampshire on August 13 some of that form transfers to the four-day game, Newell said.We have to find a way to get 60-70 points from the last five matches and at least one win will be essential. ' ' '