Month: February 2017

Flyers’ Brandon Manning faces suspension for hit to the head on Penguins player

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The highlight of the Stadium Series game at Heinz Field (other than these penguins) was Brandon Manning’s crushing hit on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel.

Now it appears he might miss some time as penance.

The Philadelphia Flyers defenseman will meet with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Monday morning, when he will probably receive a suspension.

The hit in question came in the second period of the outdoor game. As Guentzel tried to lead a breakout of his own zone, Manning stepped up and leveled him:

Upon further review, it appeared that Manning left his feet on the hit:

Manning was not penalized for the play, and Guentzel continued on. Manning has no previous suspension history. The Penguins went on to win the outdoor game, 4-2, over their rivals from Philly.

Manning drew headlines in the hockey world earlier this year by feuding with Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid. This would be mostly for our collective amusement. I know Cutler isn’t the best locker room guy. I know he and Brandon Marshall didn’t end on good terms. But just imagine the weekly tabloid headlines, Cutler gallivanting about town. Watching Cutler throw to Marshall and Eric Decker and hand off to Matt Forte would be highly entertaining, too. This move also screams Jets. Cutler is basically a 2017 Joe Namath, no? Just call him Broadway Jay.

I think the Garoppolo sweepstakes will play out like the race to get to the top of the 2016 draft. The demand for a quarterback is so high that a year ago two teams traded to the top of the draft (the Rams to get Jared Goff, Philadelphia for Carson Wentz). A bunch of quarterback-needy teams are drafting high in this draft, too. The Patriots will play those teams against each other and drive up the price. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe believes the market for Garoppolo will be a second-round pick. I wouldn’t be surprised if a team ends up giving up a first. Garoppolo may be more of a sure thing than any of the quarterbacks in the draft.
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Rob Gronkowski has ¡°no doubt¡± about playing this year, wants to continue

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Even though he¡¯s had more surgeries than Super Bowls and Pro Bowls combined, Rob Gronkowski has no intention to stop playing football.

The Patriots tight end is coming off his eighth surgery, and the third on his problematic back, but told ESPN there was ¡°no doubt¡± he¡¯d be ready for the start of the 2017 season.

And if this one has made him contemplate his future in the game, it¡¯s hard to tell.
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¡°I¡¯m not really sure,¡± he said when asked how long he wants to play. ¡°I still love playing the game, and as of right now, I want to play as long as I can possibly play. My mindset is to keep on going.¡±

Gronkowski only played eight games last year, and he¡¯s only played 16 games twice in his seven NFL seasons. His back problems were a concern for many teams when he was coming out in the 2010 NFL Draft, and he had two previous surgeries to repair herniated disks (in 2009 and 2013).
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At a shade under 6-foot-4 and just shy of 220 pounds, Robinette reminds some scouts of Denver Broncos star receiver Demaryius Thomas, who came out of Georgia Tech¡¯s triple option offense.

Robinette¡¯s hallmarks are similar to Thomas¡¯: he has a propensity for big plays, he has great hands, his concentration on contested balls is splendid and his run blocking is superb.

Despite averaging less than three catches a game, he drew enough notice to become the first Falcons receiver invited to the East-West Shrine Game, Senior Bowl and NFL Combine .

Sources: Jazz express interest in Deron Williams via trade from Mavericks

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The Utah Jazz have expressed interest in reacquiring former All-Star guard Deron Williams via trade from the Dallas Mavericks, according to league sources.

No deal appeared imminent Tuesday night, sources told ESPN.com, but Utah has registered its interest in bringing Williams back to his original team, with Dallas open to making both Williams and center Andrew Bogut available to other teams in advance of Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline.

Williams can’t be traded without his consent, thanks to his one-year, $9 million deal with the Mavericks after he played the previous season in Dallas. The 32-year-old would have to forfeit his free-agent Bird rights if dealt to another team.

Alex Lewis Authentic Jersey Williams, taken No. 3 overall by Utah in the 2005 draft, is averaging 13.1 points and 6.9 assists in his second season with the Mavs. Dan Hamilton/USA TODAY Sports
However, Williams remains fond of Utah and has maintained an offseason home in the Salt Lake City area, despite his trade from the Jazz to the Nets in February 2011.

Adding depth at point guard makes sense for Utah in part due to starter George Hill’s injury issues. The Jazz are 23-9 when Hill plays and 12-13 when he sits.

Hill’s left big toe, which sidelined him for almost all of December, continues to be an issue. He sat out Utah’s Feb. 9 loss to the Mavs because of soreness in the toe but played in the final three games before the All-Star break.

Williams, taken No. 3 overall by Utah in the 2005 draft, is averaging 13.1 points and 6.9 assists in his second season with the Mavs. Injuries have limited him to 40 games.

Williams’ recent toe injury helped open the door for rookie point guard Yogi Ferrell, who averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 assists during a seven-game stint as a fill-in starter. The Mavs went 5-2 in that span.

Super Bowl overtime rules 2016: NFL ready for extra play if needed

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The NFL playoffs used to have their own set of overtime rules that clashed with the regular season, but with the sweeping changes that came to the entire system in 2012, overtime works in much the same way in the postseason as it does in the regular season. Of course, the rules did change significantly just a few short years ago, so you may need a refresher.

Ben Roethlisberger Youth Jersey NFL overtime is sort of a modified sudden death, in that the league made some changes to try and make it so both teams had an opportunity at winning the game, but ultimately only came half way with their concessions. The basic principle is that each team will get a chance to possess the ball, unless the first team manages to score a touchdown.
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Other players who can receive rings include practice squad players, players on injured reserve and players who were on the roster at some point during the season. Teams will often consider everybody who contributed at any point in the season worthy of a ring.

DJ and that final pairing won’t be done with their third round until 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT at the very earliest — it will likely be 30 minutes later than that. The Tour will turn them around instantly, as it did late Saturday night, and send them right back out there on what will be a marathon Sunday. Not re-pairing for the fourth round means that everyone will just play with the same players they were out with in the third round. So there’s no waiting around for all the scores to come in and then putting the players together according to score, as is custom.

The weather will cooperate on Sunday, but things will have to move both in the morning and then once they are sent right back out there for the fourth round. We will update when the fourth round tee sheet comes in this afternoon.

Christian Yelich’s locker at the Marlins’ facility is right next to the locker that Fernandez used to inhabit

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Christian Yelich’s locker at the Marlins’ facility is right next to the locker that Fernandez used to inhabit, and Yelich motioned toward Fernandez’s old home and talked about the pain of his absence. The details in the toxicology study have had no impact on his feelings, he said.

“It doesn’t make it any less sad, any less tragic,” Yelich said. “It doesn’t make you miss him any more or any less. You know, stuff happens, man. It’s unfortunate that [the report] came out, and hopefully it doesn’t sway people’s opinions about the person he was. He was a great person, a great teammate, a great friend.

“We all still miss him to this day. It’s something that’s been tough. … Everyone makes mistakes. … It was tragic that all three lives were lost. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing the other two guys. I had just known Jose for six, seven years. It’s tough, and it’s something we all have to get through together as a group.”

After 15 years, Henry and Werner insist the plan is to stay together, too. Former general manager Theo Epstein and manager Terry Francona are long gone, and longtime team president Larry Lucchino stepped down after the 2015 season. Werner said Friday that he and Henry know their ownership of the team “is not going to be forever.”

Neither claims to have any plans to step away, either. They talked about continuing to make improvements to Fenway Park and finding a future role in the organization for retired franchise icon David Ortiz. As much as ever, Henry and Werner appear to be looking forward.

“I think when I say ‘forever,’ we hope to be healthy and focused for a long, long time,” Werner said. “Hopefully we’ll be having these conversations in 10-15 years.”

After all, the Patriots can’t be the only team in town that keeps piling up the championships.

“We really are focused on that fourth ring as much as we were focused on the first,” Henry said. “Anything short of that I think we would say is a limited success.”

It would be nice if the Browns could acquire Garoppolo for the first pick in the second round.

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Trumaine Johnson could be a candidate for yet another franchise tag if the Rams can’t figure out a way to retain him with a long-term extension. The Rams lost their prior No. 1 corner, Janoris Jenkins, through free agency last offseason and can’t afford another major loss at the position. Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defense with the Broncos was highly successful largely because of the talent he had on the outside.

Johnson is by far the Rams’ best corner. Aside from him, there’s E.J. Gaines, who has dealt with an assortment of injuries the past two years; Lamarcus Joyner, who’s better as a slot corner; and Troy Hill and Mike Jordan, both undrafted free agents. But franchising Johnson, which could cost about $16.8 million, may be a little too steep. The Rams have about $40 million in cap space, but they also have a lot of other needs.

But it’s also true that Belichick has never drafted a quarterback as high as he did in 2014 in the second round with Garoppolo, who is now 25.

If the Browns decide Garoppolo’s the guy, he could be the guy for a long time. On the other hand, the draftees Cleveland could take might not be ready to start until they’re 25 as well.

Given all this, there should be no hesitation to deal the 12th pick.

With a trade, the Browns could draft a Myles Garrett or Jonathan Allen first, and their first round would net them a top defensive player and a guy they believe could be their quarterback. The rest of the draft could fortify the roster.

Andre Reed Authentic Jersey It would be nice if the Browns could acquire Garoppolo for the first pick in the second round. That deal would be a no-brainer, but it doesn’t seem realistic given the premium on the quarterback position.

the Celtics’ numbers have been better this season when Olynyk is off the floor

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Game Womens Seattle Seahawks Jersey You surely know by now that John Wall is one of just three players in the whole NBA averaging more than 20 PPG and 10 APG this season, alongside Harden and Westbrook. You’re likely just as aware that Bradley Beal, Otto Porter Jr. and even Markieff Morris are playing as well as we’ve ever seen offensively. But did you know that the much-maligned Washington bench, through Friday’s win over Indy, ranks eighth in the league in net rating over the past 20 games? It’s probably no coincidence that the Wiz are 16-4 in that stretch, which easily could have been 17-3 if they had closed with more conviction in last Monday’s epic showdown with LeBron James and his Cavs.

Sacramento Kings: Veteran 2-guard Arron Afflalo played some minutes at point guard due to injuries to Ty Lawson (hamstring) and Garrett Temple (hamstring) last week. Afflalo tells the Sacramento Bee that he hadn’t manned the point since his junior year of high school, but Kings coach Dave Joerger asked Afflalo to initiate the offense to get Darren Collison some rest. Regardless of where Afflalo plays at this point in his career, he’s off the fantasy radar.

Unlike past seasons, the Celtics’ numbers have been better this season when Olynyk is off the floor. But, especially as Boston navigates long stretches with injuries that deplete its depth, it’s clear that Olynyk is a vital presence for a second unit that often needs a scoring jolt.

Defensively, Olynyk has done what he usually does: put himself in the right spots and make sound decisions. Yes, he struggles at times in one-on-one matchups against stronger big men but Olynyk is an excellent help defender who thrives in large part by positioning. He’s the team-leader in charges drawn and the league’s defensive tracking data suggests he holds opponents to 59.4 percent shooting within 6 feet of the basket (which is 1.9 percent lower than those players’ season average that close to the basket).
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Read on for the rest of our 1-to-30 order. And stay tuned for a special invite to get involved with these rankings like never before.

Expect prospects like A.J. Greer, J.T. Compher, and Duncan Siemens to get long looks in the coming months

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The season is lost, finally proving that the problems in Denver were farther-reaching than just ex-coach Patrick Roy. Whether general manager Joe Sakic survives until the summer is a good question, but in the meantime coach Jared Bednar will try to find some sort of consistency and momentum in the second half.

System assessment. Goalie Semyon Varlamov is shut down for the year, so the Avs will get to see whether Spencer Martin or Calvin Pickard are ready for NHL action yet. Expect prospects like A.J. Greer, J.T. Compher, and Duncan Siemens to get long looks in the coming months, especially once older players are traded.

Trade deadline plans: Sell carefully. Jarome Iginla is all but gone already, but word is Sakic is demanding a high price for parting with either Matt Duchene or Gabriel Landeskog. As he should ¡ª those are impact players with long-term contracts. That makes it difficult, but not impossible, to trade both before the offseason.

Elite Womens Kellen Winslow Jersey When a player is placed on LTIR, their cap hit technically remains on the teams cap payroll and it continues to count as it always did. It also does not provide the club with additional cap-space savings that can be banked for future use while the team operates below the salary cap. Instead, LTIR provides relief if the club’s averaged club salary, or payroll, begins to exceed the upper limit. The amount of relief that the club receives is calculated on the day the player is placed on LTIR.
It¡¯s a good way for NHL teams to use their injured players as an excuse to exceed the salary cap.
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So, for instance, let¡¯s say the Lightning are struggling and need to make a move at the deadline. They already have Steven Stamkos¡¯ LTIR status clearing up more than $8 million in deadline cap space. They could also place Ryan Callahan (out for at least four weeks) on LTIR, clearing about $5.8 million and giving them a whopping $13.8 million to work with in trades.

That¡¯s purely hypothetical, though. But if a NHL team in the playoff hunt places a player on LTIR this month, know they¡¯re probably planning ahead for March 1.

Bill Belichick desperately tried to start a ‘no days off’ chant during the Patriots victory rally

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Starting a chant is difficult. Just ask Bill Belichick.

The Patriots coach took the mic during the team’s victory rally at Boston town hall and wanted to show how personable and non-robotic he is. His chosen motto: No days off, which is a phrase basically nobody likes.

On some level, we get that it’s about how he puts in ludicrously long hours to make the Patriots the best, but you’re asking a city of people who literally took a day off to not take days off.

The whole thing flopped, which the NFLPA is probably happy about:

While the Falcons’ devastating Super Bowl loss to the Patriots raised some questions about the way Shanahan managed the game, it should not overshadow all he accomplished in Atlanta this past season.

Matt Ryan was extraordinary for Atlanta under Shanahan’s leadership in 2016. The offense Shanahan orchestrated was diverse and difficult to defend, and Ryan hit 13 different receivers in the end zone for a total of 38 passing touchdowns, which established an NFL record. Ryan and the offense were so good that Ryan received the AP’s MVP award and was named Offensive Player of the Year.

Shanahan was a hot target for teams with head coach vacancies following the 2016 season, but as other teams made hires and the dust began to settle, the 49ers were the last team standing.

How the Patriots converted both two-point tries

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The New England Patriots’ pair of two-point conversion attempts in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LI proved to be critical in their comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons.
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Let’s go back to the two play calls to draw up how each went down. From the direct snap to James White to the wide receiver screen to beat man coverage, here’s how the Patriots used creativity and smart game-planning to win their fifth Lombardi Trophy on Sunday night in Houston.

New England trailed the Falcons 28-18 after Tom Brady’s touchdown pass to Danny Amendola on a classic Patriots concept (a flat route paired with an outside clear-out). This was when offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels brought three-wide-receiver personnel onto the field and aligned the Patriots in an empty set before shifting White (H) into the backfield.

Womens Cameron Wake Jersey The play? It’s an inside “duo” run scheme. That’s a straight downhill run with the two double- teams against the Falcons’ four-man front. The right tackle, Marcus Cannon, blocks down on the strongside defensive tackle and doubles with the playside guard Shaq Mason. Move the defender off the ball; big boy stuff.

The city was the setting that molded the Bennett brothers into NFL stars. Without Texas, Bennett may not have even found his way to the gridiron. The tight end explained how growing up in a football-crazy state helped shape his future.

¡°When I was a kid, I wasn¡¯t thinking about that with my imagination,¡± Bennett told reporters Saturday. ¡°It was more about dragons and wizards. Football was just what we did. In Texas if you don¡¯t play football you¡¯re a weirdo, you know, so I always laugh because I tell people, Texas is all football and God. Growing up there, just playing football there, we didn¡¯t have to imagine it. It¡¯s what we did, you know?¡±

While Bennett is proud of his roots, he¡¯s also taken strides to show appreciation for his new hometown. He recently paired up with Boston Children¡¯s Hospital to gift recovering patients pillows sculpted in his image.