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President and CEO Mark Murphy said the outlook for the Packers remains strong as the NFL’s only publicly owned team released its 2018 financial statement on Monday. The Packers announced a profit from operations of $34.1 million Denzel Ward Jersey Youth , a steep decline from $65.4 million a year earlier. Expenses soared 11.9 percent, from $376.1 million to $420.9 million, a byproduct of player salaries, coaching changes and travel costs. Revenue increased just 3.1 percent from $441.4 million to $454.9 million.

”The NFL continues to be very popular nationally,” Murphy said. ”There’s been a lot talked about with ratings that have gone down, but, really, relative to ratings overall, the league remains very strong. The fan interest and support remain strong for both the league and us. Our strong, stable financial position has allowed us to invest in the team through contracts for players and coaches, our facility, the stadium, the fan experience and community, and making sure the franchise stays strong for the future.”

Revenue from national sources rose by 4.9 percent, due to built-in increases in the national TV package. Local revenue grew by a scant 0.8 percent. A 7-9 record – the team’s first losing season since 2008 – hurt the bottom line.

”This is the first year since 2008 that we were not in the playoffs, and I think that had an impact on us,” Murphy said. ”We didn’t have a home playoff game and some of our visitation numbers were down a little bit. We don’t see that as a negative trend.”

The Packers made several big changes during the offseason. Murphy picked Brian Gutekunst to replace longtime general manager Ted Thompson, and coach Mike McCarthy replaced defensive coordinator Dom Capers with Mike Pettine and offensive coordinator Edgar Bennett with Joe Philbin.

Plus, quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be back after missing half of last season with a broken collarbone. Murphy said he senses a renewed level of enthusiasm from fans Dak Prescott Jersey Womens , with the team kicking off its 100th season with the start of training camp on July 26.

”Certainly, having Aaron healthy is a part of that, but I think some of the changes we’ve made coaching staff as well as the draft and players we’ve added, I think people are excited for the season,” Murphy said. ”You add on top of that the 100 seasons, it should, knock on wood, be a good year.”

RODGERS WATCH

Rodgers, who is under contract through the 2019 season, told NBC Sports over the weekend there is ”some merit” in working out a ”nontraditional contractual agreement.” Murphy wouldn’t get into specifics but said: ”Obviously, he’s an important player. He wants to be here and want him to be here. When both sides have a common interest, you get deals done.”

PLAYER PROTESTS

In May, league owners agreed to a policy that requires players to stand if they are on the field for the national anthem but allows them to stay in the locker room if they prefer. The NFL Players Association last week filed a grievance against the league for imposing a policy that is ”inconsistent” with the collective bargaining agreement and ”infringes” on player rights. Murphy said he was hopeful of a resolution.

”I’ve had a lot of conversations with our players,” he said. ”We really want to put the focus on the underlying issues and we realize our players are patriotic, they don’t disrespect the flag, they don’t disrespect the country. We’re really looking at the underlying issues of racial discrimination, police brutality. We’ve had discussions with players about putting resources toward some of the causes.”

NEXT CBA

Murphy said he also hopes the CBA, which will expire after the 2020 season, can be extended. He said the NFL doesn’t have the guaranteed money seen in NBA contracts Adidas Derick Brassard Jersey , though ”over the last 10 years or so, a higher percentage of the players’ money is guaranteed.”

”To me, the best thing about our collective bargaining agreement is the rookie pay is under control. We’ve got a system in place that I think is working well. More of the money is going to the veterans, who deserve it and have earned it. There were times under the old agreement that the highest paid players in the league were rookies at their positions, which was crazy.”

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鈥?Fresh off their first Super Bowl title, the Philadelphia Eagles arrived home to a hero’s welcome Monday afternoon, hours after overjoyed fans mobbed the streets in a sometimes unruly victory celebration nearly 60 years in the making.Hundreds of fans greeted the team’s plane at Philadelphia International Airport, cheering wildly and singing “Fly Eagles Fly” as Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie emerged with the Lombardi Trophy.After getting off the plane, Lurie, Coach Doug Pederson and stars like tight end Zach Ertz and running back LeGarrette Blount approached the chain-link fence separating the team from the fans, smiling, pumping their arms and shooting video with their phones. Fans stood on cars and news trucks to catch a glimpse.“It’s been a long journey to redemption,” said John Hall, 49, who works at Philadelphia’s public transit agency. “We don’t have to hear the negative anymore, that we don’t have a ring. It’s official now.”Dan Mazzoli, 53, a disabled construction worker and die-hard fan from New Jersey, shared the moment with his 12-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter.“We’ve been waiting for this all our lives Denzel Ward Browns Jersey ,” he said.Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, the unassuming backup quarterback who took over for injured star Carson Wentz and played brilliantly throughout the playoffs, wasn’t on the team plane. Foles headed 鈥?where else? 鈥?to Disney World, riding a float at the Orlando resort and fist-bumping Mickey Mouse amid a shower of green confetti.“It’s all right to yell,” he told the cheering crowd. “We’re world champs! We did it! We did it!”The underdog Eagles won their first NFL championship since 1960 on Sunday night with a surprise 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots, ending a drought that had long tormented the city’s football-crazed fans. Philly was the only team in the Northeast Corridor to have never won a Super Bowl.The city scheduled a victory parade for Thursday along a 5-mile route that will stretch from the Eagles stadium complex to the steps of the Philadelphia art museum, whose steps Sylvester Stallone ran up during “Rocky.” It’s a fitting ending point for a team that Stallone had cheered on throughout the playoffs.Revelers along the parade route will be able to indulge in free Bud Light at two dozen bars, thanks to a promise the beer maker made to Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson before the season.Philly had some cleaning up to do Monday after pockets of Eagles fans turned unruly overnight, with rowdies smashing department store windows, looting a gas station convenience store and toppling a number of the city’s famously greased light poles. The police commissioner said he and other officers were hit with bottles.The vast majority of revelers celebrated peacefully, and police made only three arrests, said Ajeenah Amir, a spokeswoman for Mayor Jim Kenney.“Tens of thousands came out and celebrated this amazing victory, and but for a handful of bad actors, the celebration was peaceful and jubilant,” Amir said. She lauded police for “their assistance in getting the crowds dispersed and people home safely.”Just as Foles and the Eagles clinched victory in Minneapolis, the scene more than 1,000 miles away in Philly was one of jubilation and pandemonium.Revelers shot off fireworks, drivers beeped their horns and Philadelphians young and old descended on Broad Street Sam Darnold Jersey Youth , the main thoroughfare that last hosted a major championship parade in 2008 for the Phillies’ World Series win.“The city deserved it,” said 66-year-old Lou Potel, who threw a party at his home just off Broad before joining a much bigger party outside. “It’s a great city, and now we have a Super Bowl to go along with it.”Fans clambered atop the awning at the swanky Ritz Carlton Hotel near City Hall, jumping off into the crowd in what one post called “Ritz Carlton Skydiving.” The awning later collapsed with a large group of people on top of it. It wasn’t clear if anyone was injured.Nearby, windows were smashed at a Macy’s department store and at an Old Navy clothing store.And apparently no amount of grease in the world can keep some drunken Eagles fans from climbing poles in celebration. A few managed to shimmy up traffic lights and street sign poles.Amir said there were reports of some injuries from falls near light poles but precise numbers weren’t available.Vandals were seen having an apparent food fight inside a gas station’s convenience store, yelling “Everything is free!” and overturning a car outside a hotel. After 1 a.m., the only people allowed inside the 24-hour Wawa convenience store near City Hall were police officers.Associated Press writers Kristen De Groot in Philadelphia and Michael Rubinkam in northeastern Pennsylvania contributed to this report. Copyright ©2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed. Eagles_Patriots_Super_Bowl_Reax_Football_01184 Philadelphia Eagles fans celebrate the team's victory in NFL Super Bowl 52 between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, in downtown Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke).

”We’re expected to win now Josh Gordon Jersey Youth ,” Rondo said.

Rondo agreed to a one-year deal worth $9 million earlier this week to suit up alongside James, whose signing hasn’t yet been announced by the Lakers.

The veteran point guard is eager to be a mentor to Lonzo Ball, and he sees a chance for immediate success with the thoroughly revamped club. The Lakers haven’t made the playoffs for a franchise-record five consecutive seasons, but Rondo believes they’ll make immediate strides back toward contention for a 17th NBA championship.

”You put any group of players around LeBron James, as he has done (eight) straight times, he went to the finals,” Rondo said. ”So my expectations are the exact same thing. Even with the Warriors adding (DeMarcus Cousins) and the Rockets being who they are, I think we fit right up there in the mix. It is early, obviously, and I’m not promising anything, but at the end of the day, I expect to win. Nothing else.”

Rondo is a familiar figure to Lakers fans, and not necessarily in a good way. He played a major role for the Celtics when they met the Lakers in the NBA Finals, winning a ring with Boston in 2008 and losing to LA in 2010.

Seeing Rondo on the other side of that enduring NBA rivalry won’t be as weird to Rondo as it might be to some Lakers fans.

”Does it feel strange? Um, no,” Rondo said. ”My battles with the Lakers were over a decade ago Devin Hester Jersey Youth , and none of the players I was battling with are on the same roster.”

The 32-year-old Rondo expressed no concerns about playing with Ball, the precocious passer chosen by the Lakers with the second overall pick in last year’s draft. Ball will be sidelined for most of the summer with a torn meniscus in his left knee, but Rondo is eager to work on their chemistry in the fall.

”I’m excited to get a player that age and try to help him as much as I can,” said Rondo, a starter for all but small portions of his first 12 NBA seasons spent with five franchises.

Rondo sees the Lakers’ potential surplus of ball-handlers as an advantage. He isn’t worried about finding roles for everyone in coach Luke Walton’s up-tempo offense, which is designed to create plenty of offensive chances for every player.

”It will be very versatile, and I don’t think you’ll be able to scout and stick to one game plan as far as being able to stop a certain player,” Rondo said. ”I think guys like LeBron or myself, I haven’t played with a lot of guys that make plays for me. So it’s going to be exciting to be able to just get up, get a couple of easy looks, be able to push the pace in the open court.”

The Lakers also announced the re-signing of guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who got a one-year deal worth $12 million to provide a perimeter shooting threat to an offense that could still use more outside shooters.

The Lakers haven’t yet announced the acquisitions of James or veterans Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee during a thorough makeover following the worst half-decade in franchise history.

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Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue was answering a question about Boston’s defense on LeBron James during a teleconference when he tripped the security system at his home.

A piercing alarm sounded.

”Uh-oh,” Lue said Thursday as he punched in a code to silence the screaming siren.

While Lue and his home were clearly safe, and the light-hearted moment passed quickly, it was also symbolic of Cleveland’s urgent situation.

The Cavs are in a dangerous spot.

Beaten for the third time in Boston in these home-sweet-home Eastern Conference finals, Cleveland will face its second elimination game of the postseason on Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

Game 6 is for everything.

Except Adidas Ryan McDonagh Jersey , of course, if there’s a Game 7 on Sunday in Boston.

Fueled by fueled-up Boston fans who must feel some sort of birthright to see their cherished team play in the Finals, the youthful Celtics again showed zero fear or hesitation on their parquet floor on Wednesday night during a 96-83 win in Game 5 that was never in any doubt.

Despite shooting only 36 percent, the Celtics improved to 10-0 at home in the playoffs as coach Brad Stevens changed his starting lineup, shortened his rotation to seven and released waves of defenders at James, who looked worn down as he attempts to advance to the NBA Finals for the eighth consecutive year.

Lue noticed early in Game 5 that James was dragging, but he’s confident the 33-year-old, who was chosen All-NBA first team for a record 12th time, will be ready to save his season and prolong what could be his final games with the Cavs.

”I know he’ll be ready to play Game 6, so fatigue won’t be a problem and an issue,” Lue said. ”I’m pretty sure a lot of guys are tired during this stretch of the year. If I had to pick one guy and choose one guy to prevail, it would be LeBron. I know he’ll be great come tomorrow.”

Stevens started center Aron Baynes for the first time in the series and the move helped slow James, who had been crushing the Celtics when guard Terry Rozier switched on him. Rozier fronted James and got help from Baynes, the 6-foot-10, 254-pound Australian who contributed seven rebounds, six points and attitude.

”We’ve got a lot of tough guys on our team Reuben Foster 49ers Jersey ,” Stevens said. ”But I think they all will tell you Baynes is one of the toughest we’ve all been around.”

Now Stevens needs his team to show that same tenacity on the road, where Boston is just 1-6.

The Cavs, on the other hand, are counting on James to rebound.

He pushed as hard as he could in Game 5, but for one of the only times in what has been a transcendent 13th postseason, he couldn’t summon greatness.

He didn’t have his usual burst. He bent at the waist grabbing his shorts, his breathing labored. During timeouts, he wiped sweat and perhaps some frustration from his forehead.

James is tired – for good reason. His teammates are draining him.

Once again, James, who will play in his 99th game this season Friday, didn’t get nearly enough help from Cleveland’s other starters and Lue didn’t do him any favors, either.

James had 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Solid, but sub-par by his standards and he committed six turnovers and missed some makeable layups. James still managed to outscore the rest of Cleveland’s starters – Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, George Hill and J.R. Smith – 26-24.

Lue inexplicably left Kyle Korver off the floor for long stretches and following the game he curiously explained that Stevens’ rotation ”kind of threw us for a loop.”

Asked Thursday if he wished he had done anything differently Zack Martin Jersey Elite , Lue bluntly said: ”No.”

Thankfully, he’s got James, who has six 40-point games and two buzzer-beaters in these playoffs, to save the season.

He’s done it once already this spring, playing through cramps and scoring 45 points in a Game 7 win over Indiana. But he’s played nine games since, and gotten less and less rest as the playoffs have progressed. His body has been forced to handle more than he imagined.

James has been down 3-2 in the conference finals before. In 2012, he faced a Game 6 elimination in Boston and scored 45 points with 15 rebounds and five rebounds as Miami won.

Now he’s trying to keep this flawed Cavs team alive long enough for another trip to Boston.

On Friday, James will take the floor with his future hanging in the air. His second stint with the Cavs could end this summer if he opts out of his $35.6 million contract for next season and leaves again as a free agent, a decision he can delay again with a win.

But before he picks home or Philadelphia or Los Angeles or anywhere else, he’s got at least one more game in Cleveland.

Game 6.

”No question in my mind that he’ll bounce back,” Lue said.

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The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement cannot be officially announced during the free agent moratorium.

The 33-year-old Ariza brings a reputation for winning and veteran leadership that general manager Ryan McDonough said the team needed around its young core that features Devin Booker, Josh Jackson and No. 1 overall draft pick Deandre Ayton.

It’s a nice raise for the 14-year NBA veteran, who earned $7.4 million last season, his fourth with Houston.

Ariza averaged 11.7 points last season for a Rockets team that compiled the best record in the NBA at 65-17 before losing to Golden State in a seven-game Western Conference finals. Phoenix had the league’s worst record at 21-61 and has missed the playoffs eight years in a row.

Ariza has averaged 10.5 points per game, shooting 42 percent from the field and 35 percent from 3-point range, in a career that included stops with the New York Knicks, Orlando, the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans and Washington http://www.newyorkgiantsteamonline.com/eli-manning-jersey , as well as Houston.

The move gives Phoenix a glut of players at the wing positions and uses up most of the team’s available salary cap space. However, more space could be created with personnel moves.

The team’s biggest remaining need would appear to be point guard, where the top two currently are Brandon Knight, returning from knee surgery that cost him all of last season, and French rookie Elie Okobo, the first player drafted this year in the second round.

The Suns also announced their Las Vegas Summer League roster. Ayton and fellow first-round pick Mikal Bridges are on it, as is Jackson. Dragan Bender is on the list but no Marquese Chriss.

Ayton threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Sunday’s game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants.

Dubois had his first career hat trick and the Blue Jackets beat the Calgary Flames 5-1 on Thursday night.

”We have a lot of experience in this room and I’m lucky enough to play with guys like (Artemi Panarin) and Cam (Atkinson), who are two amazing players,” Dubois said. ”I want to keep winning and keep improving. It’s a great environment to learn in.”

Columbus earned its sixth straight road victory and 12th win in its past 13 games, and moved past the Philadelphia Flyers and into third place in the Metropolitan Division. The Blue Jackets are one point back of the second place Pittsburgh Penguins.

”We can’t control what the other teams do but if we keep winning Tony Romo Jersey Womens , I think we’ll put ourselves in a pretty good spot,” Dubois added.

Markus Hannikainen and Markus Nutivaara also scored for Columbus. Dubois’ linemates Artemi Panerin and Cam Atkinson each had two assists.

Chris Stewart scored for Calgary, ruining Sergei Bobrovky’s shutout bid with 22 seconds left in the game.

The Flames have lost seven straight games, being outscored 33-8 over that span.

”We’re feeling sorry for ourselves a little bit too much,” Flames veteran Matt Stajan said. ”These games are hard to play, but we’re in the NHL, we have to go after it a little bit better. We’re making way too many mistakes – turning pucks over, odd-man rushes – things that you lose hockey games because of.”

Columbus coach John Tortorella won his 128th game, moving him past Todd Richards into first on the club’s all-time list.

Because of an injury to Marcus Foligno (lower body), Dubois was re-united with Panarin and Atkinson on the top line in Edmonton on Tuesday and so far Connor Williams Cowboys Jersey , so good. Dubois’ first multi-goal game came after the trio combined for two goals against the Oilers.

Making it 2-0 at 12:23 of the first period, Dubois’ first of the game came on a one-timer past rookie Jon Gillies after being set up neatly by Panarin.

Dubois’ second, making it 3-0 at 3:55 of the second, came after a sensational end-to-end rush by Atkinson, who wove his way down the ice, eventually sliding a backhand pass into the slot that Dubois snapped just inside the post.

He capped off his memorable night with a power-play goal at 15:23 of the third.

Eighteen goals on the season is a team record for goals by a rookie, surpassing Rick Nash’s 17 in 2002-03. The 2016 fourth overall pick has 44 points on the season, three back of Zach Werenski’s record for points by a rookie, set last season.

Calgary outshot the Blue Jackets 38-28, but as has been the theme lately for the injury-riddled club missing its three top goal scorers Mitchell Trubisky Jersey , the Flames struggled to get one past Bobrovsky.

Among the stops for the NHL’s reigning Vezina Trophy winner was a sprawling stop of Micheal Ferland in the first period. Early in the second, Bobrovsky stabbed his glove to snare a dangerous shot from 15 feet from Nick Shore.

With Sean Monahan (wrist), Matthew Tkachuk (upper) and TJ Brodie (upper body) among the injured Flames, Calgary lost defenseman Travis Hamonic (upper body) after he was shaken up in a collision late in the first period.

NOTES: The Flames have called up Spencer Foo from Stockton (AHL). He will make his NHL debut on Saturday against Edmonton. … Johnny Gaudreau (family matter) missed his second game, but he will rejoin the team on Friday. … Blue Jackets’ Brandon Dubinsky (illness) left the game in the second period.

UP NEXT:

Blue Jackets: Travel to Vancouver on Saturday.

Flames: Host Edmonton on Saturday night.

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The move Thursday comes a week after the Jets drafted USC quarterback Sam Darnold with the No. 3 overall pick.

New York currently has four quarterbacks on its roster, including Darnold, Josh McCown, Teddy Bridgewater and Christian Hackenberg.

Petty played in 10 games with the Jets, including seven starts, and threw for 1,353 yards and four touchdowns with 10 interceptions. The former Baylor star started New York’s final three games last season – all losses – after McCown was lost for the year with a broken left wrist.

Petty’s lone win as a starter came in 2016, when he filled in for an injured Ryan Fitzpatrick at San Francisco and rallied New York from a 14-point deficit to a 23-17 overtime victory.

—

LeBron James sprung to his feet and screamed along with thousands of delirious Cleveland fans.

When Indians outfielder Rajai Davis connected off Chicago Cubs reliever Aroldis Chapman for a tying home run in the eighth inning of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, James came unglued and reacted the way he might after a monstrous dunk or back-breaking 3-pointer in the NBA Finals.

And while his fanatical response said a lot about James and his allegiance to the Indians, so did the tight, black T-shirt he wore on that unseasonably warm November night.

It said: ”Cleveland Or Nowhere.”

As the sports world waits to see where the three-time champion intends to play next season and beyond Jordan Howard Bears Jersey , there remains the real possibility that James could choose to stay in Cleveland, his hoops home for 11 of the past 15 years and where this Northeast Ohio son shares a unique and profound connection with fans who have followed him since his teens.

James has other options: Los Angeles (salary-cap space for another star, Magic Johnson in charge), Houston (a chance to play on a super team with MVP James Harden), Philadelphia (young stars Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid), and maybe more.

But, as has always been the case for James, home will pull at his heart.

For the longest time, the perception was that once James ended Cleveland’s 52-year title drought in 2016, he would leave again as soon as he could. That doesn’t seem to be a slam dunk any longer.

By Friday, James is expected to make his first move and likely decline a $35.6 million contract option for next season with the Cavs Joe Montana Jersey , who are hoping their past loyalties to the 33-year-old and his own sentimental attachments – family, legacy – will keep him in Cleveland.

Unlike his free-agency forays in 2010 and 2014, James will not meet with prospective teams. He’s letting agent Rich Paul and his other representatives handle the business side of things as he vacations with family and makes up his mind.

Months ago, James’ connection with the Cavs seemed broken, hopeless. Last summer’s shocking trade of All-Star Kyrie Irving, the team’s failed attempt to integrate guard Isaiah Thomas, a lack of playmakers, assorted injuries and coach Tyronn Lue’s medical issues contributed to James appearing ready to pull up stakes again and pursue championships elsewhere.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the NBA Finals.

James was boosted by general manager Koby Altman’s drastic-and-dramatic roster overhaul at the trading deadline, and despite a lack of cohesion and Vegas odds makers labeling the Cavs as underdogs, Cleveland advanced to a fourth straight summer showdown with Golden State, surviving two Game 7s and sweeping the top-seeded Toronto Raptors along the way.

Of course Joe Namath Jets Jersey , James did all the heavy lifting. He played in all 82 regular-season games and had perhaps his best postseason, averaging 34 points, 9.1 rebounds and 9.0 assists while making a pair of buzzer-beating shots and doing all he could in a Finals sweep that could have been much different if Cleveland had not lost Game 1 in overtime.

”He gave his heart and soul, die-hard energy, commitment to this team, to this franchise, to the city, to Northeast Ohio,” Altman said last week after the Cavs drafted Alabama guard Collin Sexton, who quickly raised some eyebrows by choosing to wear No. 2, Irving’s number for six seasons with Cleveland. ”It was an historical year and probably one of the best postseason runs of all time. We’re very Authentic Brian Urlacher Jersey , very fortunate to have him here and what he gave to this franchise this year was nothing short of remarkable.

”We don’t take that for granted at all.”

And it’s why the Cavs haven’t surrendered from the fight to keep him.

Owner Dan Gilbert, whose relationship with James remains tricky if not rocky, has displayed a willingness to spend whatever’s necessary to keep his team championship competitive. That’s unlikely to change whether James extends his second stint with Cleveland.

In a recent Business Insider podcast, Gilbert referred to James as a ”partner,” an acknowledgment by the billionaire to what the superstar he once criticized means to his franchise.

The appeal for James to stay home is different now than it was eight years ago when he bolted for Miami. He’s more mature, with three children and a burgeoning business empire. His priorities, responsibilities and goals are different.

After the Warriors finished their Finals sweep of the Cavs, James revealed an injured right hand but an unchanged view of the next phase of his career.

”I will still continue to be in championship mode,” he said. ”When I decide what I’m going to do with my future, my family and the folks that have been with me for the last 20 years will have a say-so. Then it ultimately will come down to me.”

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So McMillan rested three starters and watched the Charlotte Hornets knock down 18 3-pointers and eventually pull away for a 119-93 victory Tuesday night.

”My message to them Myles Garrett Browns Jersey , it really shouldn’t look any different as far as how we play even though we have a number of guys out of uniform,” he said. ”We wanted to give some guys an opportunity to get minutes. We were able to do that.”

It wasn’t the same – not even close.

Frank Kaminsky matched his career high with 24 points, Dwight Howard finished with 14 points and 17 rebounds and the struggling Hornets came up one 3 short of tying their season high.

Charlotte won for only the second time in its last seven games and ended a three-game losing streak in Indy.

But it was little solace for a team that has now missed the playoffs three times in four seasons and could be headed for a major offseason overhaul with new general manager and president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak already in place.

”When you’re eliminated from the playoffs, you want to finish the season on a positive note,” Marvin Williams said after scoring 15 points and tying his career high with five 3s. ”Coach (Steve Clifford) getting sick was a huge blow for us. Losing Cody (Zeller) was a big loss. When you lose guys who are significant, it is tough to bounce back.”

Indiana faced a similar dilemma last summer after being forced to trade four-time All-Star Paul George.

Somehow, McMillan took a young team that most expected to be in this year’s lottery, led it to 48 wins and the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

With nothing significant at stake Tuesday, McMillan put Bojan Bogdanovic, Victor Oladipo and Thaddeus Young on the bench and carefully monitored the minutes of other key players.

The result: Darren Collison, T.J. Leaf and Glenn Robinson III each scored 13 points in a game that was never really close.

”You grow up watching the NBA in the postseason. That’s where you want to play your best basketball,” Collison said. ”There’s no greater feeling going with a team you enjoy playing with.”

Williams made four 3s in the first quarter to help Charlotte take a 37-25 lead and it was 63-55 at halftime.

Charlotte then used an 11-4 run to make it 79-63 midway through the third quarter and the Pacers never got closer than 12 the rest of the game.

TIP-INS

Hornets: Howard finished the season with a franchise-record 53 double-doubles and joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to hold single-season records with two teams. … Howard also is one of six players to average a double-double in each of his first 13 seasons in the league. … Malik Monk had 17 points and Nicolas Batum had 14 points http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/tre_davious-white-jersey , four rebounds and six assists.

Pacers: Domantas Sabonis had 10 points and 10 rebounds while Lance Stephenson wound up with nine points, 13 rebounds and four assists. … The Pacers played on Fan Appreciation Night in their ”Hickory” uniforms and Stephenson signed his No. 1 jersey and tossed it into the crowd afterward. … Play was stopped briefly during the fourth quarter when a T-shirt landed on the court during play.

THE WATCH

Oladipo and Collison must wait one more day to find out if they can win league titles for steals and 3-point percentage.

Collison was 3 of 5 from beyond the arc, improving his percentage to 46.8 percent. That gives him Indiana’s NBA single-season record, breaking Chris Mullin’s previous mark of 46.5 percent set in 1998-99.

Oladipo, who sat out with a sore right foot, started the night with the highest steals total (177) and the highest average (2.36) since Ricky Rubio (2.32) in 2013-14.

RESTING PACERS

Just how did McMillan decide who to play?

”I talked with the trainers, I talked with (president of basketball operations) Kevin (Pritchard) and I talked to our guys,” McMillan said. ”Vic has a little tweak. Bogie has been playing for almost a year now, going back to last summer and Thaddeus has probably played more minutes than any forward in the league. So we needed to get those guys some rest.”

UP NEXT

Hornets: The offseason.

Pacers: A trip to Philadelphia or Cleveland for a best-of-seven, first-round series.

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>The Latest on the 13th Sunday of the NFL regular season (all times Eastern):11:45 p.m.Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes, the last a 15-yard strike to J.D. McKissic with 7:29 left, and the Seattle Seahawks stayed in the NFC playoff hunt with a 24-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.Seattle (8-4) snapped Philadelphia’s nine-game winning streak thanks largely to another masterful performance by its quarterback. Wilson was 20 of 31 for 227 and threw touchdowns of 11 yards to Jimmy Graham Authentic Jordan Howard Jersey , 1-yard to Tyler Lockett and the TD to McKissic after the Eagles had trimmed the lead to seven.Philadelphia (10-2) was the highest-scoring team in the NFL averaging 31.9 points per game. But the Eagles got just 10 points out of seven drives that at some point reached Seattle territory.Carson Wentz was 29 of 45 for 348 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Wentz had a costly fumble at the Seattle 1 on the opening drive of the second half that could have pulled the Eagles even at 10-all.8:40 p.m.Seven Seattle Seahawks players sat or knelt for the national anthem before Sunday’s game against Philadelphia.Their actions raised the total to 18 players around the NFL making some sort of statement during “The Star-Spangled Banner.”In Seattle, it was primarily a group of defensive linemen that has sat in most of the games this season. The group included defensive linemen Michael Bennett, Sheldon Richardson, Frank Clark, Quinton Jefferson, Marcus Smith and Branden Jackson, and offensive lineman Duane Brown. The defensive players sat on the bench while Brown knelt.Most of the players who protested Sunday had done so before and continued the same gestures. Among those who sat or knelt during the national anthem were Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch, Giants defensive lineman Olivier Vernon and 49ers safety Eric Reid.7:30 p.m.All of a sudden, there’s a three-way tie atop the AFC West: The Los Angeles Chargers, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs are each 6-6.The Chargers picked up a 19-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns 鈥?who moved a step closer to 0-16 鈥?on Sunday, at the same time that the Raiders were beating the Giants 24-17 as Geno Smith started in place of Eli Manning for New York.Earlier in the day, the Chiefs lost for the sixth time in seven games http://www.newyorkgiantsteamonline.com/odell-beckham-jr-jersey , 38-31 against the New York Jets.In the NFC South, meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints moved into sole possession of first place with a 9-3 record by defeating the Carolina Panthers 31-21.In the other late-afternoon Week 13 game, the NFC West-leading Los Angeles Rams also improved to 9-3 with a 32-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals.Sunday night’s game is NFC East leader Philadelphia against Seattle.5:50 p.m.Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor injured his knee on the first play of the game.He didn’t leave until the fourth quarter of Buffalo’s 23-3 loss to the New England Patriots, when he was carted away from the sideline.Bills coach Sean McDermott confirmed afterward that Taylor was hurt while getting sacked on Buffalo’s opening play.As for why Taylor stayed in as long as he did, McDermott said: “We talked about it. He said he could continue at the time, up until he couldn’t, and that’s what he did.”Taylor finished 9 of 18 for 65 yards passing and an interception before giving way to rookie Nathan Peterman.This was Peterman’s first appearance in a game since throwing five interceptions in the first half of a 54-24 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Nov. 19.McDermott would not weigh on who might start at QB for the Bills against the Indianapolis Colts next week.鈥?John Wawrow reporting from Orchard Park, New York.4:55 p.m.That Week 17 matchup between the Titans and Jaguars keeps looking bigger and bigger.Both teams won to remain tied atop the AFC South with matching 8-4 records: The Titans beat the Houston Texans 24-13 on a victory sealed by LeShaun Sims’ end-zone interception with about a minute left, while the Jaguars rolled past the Indianapolis Colts 30-10.Tennessee hosts Jacksonville on New Year’s Eve.In another result with playoff implications, the NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings improved to 10-2 by defeating the Atlanta Falcons 14-9.The Vikings still have a shot at catching the Philadelphia Eagles for the conference’s best record, while Atlanta tumbled to 7-5 and could soon be losing touch with the teams ahead of it in the NFC South Cole Beasley Jersey Elite , Carolina and New Orleans, who played later Sunday.And the Chiefs have lost six of their past seven games to fall to .500 after letting the New York Jets to come back and win 38-31.In other early games in Week 13:鈥?The Patriots beat the Bills 23-3;鈥?The Packers edged the Bucs 26-20 in OT;鈥?The Ravens routed the Lions 44-20;鈥?The Dolphins handed the Broncos an eighth consecutive loss 35-9;鈥?The 49ers got past the Bears 15-14.4:30Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch sat and Giants defensive lineman Olivier Vernon knelt for the national anthem before their teams’ game, raising the total to 11 players around the NFL making some sort of statement during “The Star-Spangled Banner.”Both Lynch and Vernon have consistently made those gestures this season.Earlier, safety Eric Reid was among three San Francisco 49ers players who knelt during the national anthem before facing the Chicago Bears on Sunday.Reid recently left a group of players negotiating with the NFL about the protests, saying that Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins excluded Colin Kaepernick from meetings and asked about the possibility of ending demonstrations if the league made charitable donations.On Sunday, Reid, receiver Marquise Goodwin and nose tackle Earl Mitchell each took a knee during the national anthem in Chicago, while everyone on the Bears’ sideline stood.At the Browns-Chargers game, Los Angeles left tackle Russell Okung raised his right fist during the national anthem, as usual.In Miami, a trio of Do.

OAKLAND Josh Gordon Jersey , Calif. — Two teams that began heading in opposite directions at just about the time they saw each other last month hook up again when the San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics open a two-game interleague series Tuesday night.

The Padres were within arm’s length of .500 at 34-40, having won nine of 15, when the A’s ventured into San Diego and used a ninth-inning, two-out, two-strike, game-tying home run from Stephen Piscotty off relief ace Brad Hand to trigger a two-game sweep, winning 4-2 and 12-4.

The Padres now head north well out of contention in the National League West Davante Adams Jersey Elite , having lost 11 of 14.

The A’s, meanwhile, have won 12 of 15 to surge well above .500 at 46-39 and into contention in the American League wild-card race.

Oakland has made much of its recent run without standout third baseman Matt Chapman, who has taken time off to allow pain in his right hand to subside.

Two cortisone shots later, Chapman had a pain-free hitting session Sunday and was sent to Class A for an injury-rehab game Monday.

It’s possible he could be reinstated from the disabled list during this series.

“He hit a few off the back wall in center field, so that tells me enough,” A’s manager Bob Melvin observed Sunday. “Getting him back in the lineup will be a nice little kick for us.”

The A’s need no such boost in their pitching. They have allowed two or fewer runs in four of their last five games.

Right-hander Chris Bassitt (1-3 Davante Adams Jersey Youth , 2.82 ERA) will look to extend that impressive run while at the same time taste his first career success in interleague play.

The 29-year-old began the A’s recent pitching showcase with six innings of two-hit, scoreless ball in a 3-0 win at Detroit last Wednesday.

He has never faced the Padres in his career, and has lost both interleague starts despite a 2.45 ERA.

One intriguing potential matchup in the series is A’s closer Blake Treinen against Padres slugger Eric Hosmer, a pairing that carried a bit of history into a game-ending showdown in the A’s earlier 4-2 win in San Diego.

Then a member of the Kansas City Royals, Hosmer bombed a two-run, go-ahead homer off Treinen in the eighth inning of their first career head-to-head last August.

Treinen then extracted a measure of revenge in the June 19 rematch in San Diego, closing out the 10-inning game by striking out Hosmer as he represented the potential tying run.

Bassitt will be opposed by left-hander Clayton Richard (7-7 Josh Jackson Jersey Youth , 4.29), who had a four-game winning streak stopped in a 5-2 loss at Texas last Wednesday.

He retains a good interleague record (9-5, 3.50) despite not having beaten an American League opponent since 2015.

You have to go back three years before that to find his last appearance against the A’s in Oakland, but it was a memorable one. He shut out a playoff-bound A’s team for 7 2/3 innings in 2012, allowing five hits in a 2-1 win.

He has faced the A’s three times in his career, twice as a starter, and gone 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA.

One A’s hitter that Richard will have to deal with is the aforementioned Piscotty Deion Sanders Jersey , who played last season for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Piscotty has dominated the head-to-heads, going 3-for-4 with a home run and a flyout to deep center field in the only non-hit of the matchup.

A’s catcher Jonathan Lucroy, another former National Leaguer, also has a successful history against Richard, going 7-for-18 (.389) with two doubles and a homer.

Jeff Hornacek got caught in the middle.

The Knicks fired their coach early Thursday LeSean McCoy Jersey Youth , shortly after finishing a 29-53 season. They lost more than 50 games and missed the playoffs both seasons under Hornacek.

”We looked out and we have a plan for what this team should look like over the next three years or so,” Knicks President Steve Mills said. ”We just thought this was an opportunity where we thought it was the right time to make a change.”

Mills and general manager Scott Perry said they didn’t see enough improvement on the court and enough communication and accountability off it. They informed Hornacek of their decision at the airport after flying home from a season-ending victory in Cleveland.

”We know the roster is not complete, we understand our roster as well as anybody,” Perry said at a news conference at the team’s training facility. ”But again, just in terms of consistency and then a trend I would say toward consistency, Steve and I thought we fell a little bit short in that area.”

Associate head coach Kurt Rambis also was fired.

Hornacek went 60-104 and had a year left on his contract. He became the first coaching change after the NBA regular season finished, with Frank Vogel in Orlando following soon afterward.

The ouster sends the Knicks in search of their 11th coach since Jeff Van Gundy resigned in the 2001-02 season.

Mills said he and Perry were evaluating Hornacek and the Knicks this season on 10-game intervals and saw progress in some areas but not in others. They met with Hornacek a couple of weeks ago to discuss where things stood, so Mills said he didn’t think the decision was a complete shock to the coach.

”Jeff is a positive person and I think he was hopeful that there would be another opportunity, but he’s a pro Roquan Smith Jersey Youth ,” Mills said. ”He’s a good man and he took it well.”

Mills continued to say the Knicks are rebuilding, with Perry saying there would be no quick fixes. Still, they apparently expected more this season, which started well but quickly fell apart after injuries to Tim Hardaway Jr. and later the season-ending loss of All-Star Kristaps Porzingis.

”I can’t wrap my thoughts about what management thinks,” Hardaway said. ”All I know is that Jeff was great to the guys, and he was a player’s coach.”

Perry said the Knicks were looking for a skilled communicator and effective leader who connects well with today’s players and has a strong defensive mindset. He said there is no timetable to find that person.

Hornacek was hired in 2016 by Phil Jackson and lasted just one more season after Jackson and the team parted ways last summer.

”Jeff is a good guy,” forward Michael Beasley said after Wednesday’s victory. ”He played the hand he was dealt. It’s difficult to do anything because all you’re thinking about is not to mess up.”

The Knicks have won only one postseason series since 2002 and didn’t get close to competing in one under Hornacek, running their streak to five straight 50-loss debacles.

Hornacek, previously a head coach for three years in Phoenix http://www.newyorkgiantsteamonline.com/saquon-barkley-jersey , was surprised when he became Jackson’s choice, since they had little relationship other than facing off in the NBA Finals when Hornacek played for Utah and Jackson coached the Chicago Bulls.

Jackson said Hornacek would be allowed to run whatever offense he wanted and not be required to implement the triangle Jackson used as a coach. But he shifted gears during Hornacek’s first season, and the team returned to the triangle with poor results.

Hornacek opened up the offense after Jackson’s departure, and the Knicks started 16-13. But they tailed off toward the middle of the season and then collapsed after Porzingis tore a knee ligament on Feb. 6.

Hornacek tried to preach patience late in the season as the losses piled up with a young roster that defended dismally.

He said he was prepared for the chaos that comes with the Knicks job and he experienced plenty – from Jackson’s feud with Carmelo Anthony, who was eventually traded in September, to his own clash during this season with Joakim Noah, who then remained on the roster but never returned to the team.

With Anthony, Noah and Derrick Rose all gone, the Knicks lacked the veteran roster this season they had when Hornacek was hired with playoff expectations.

Hornacek is 161-216 and has never reached the postseason as an NBA coach.

Rambis Davante Adams Jersey Elite , a former assistant under Jackson, originally came to New York to work under Derek Fisher and served as interim head coach for half a season after Fisher was fired.

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>The NFL accused some lawyers representing players in the $1 billion concussion settlement of fraud and wants a special investigator appointed.Plaintiffs’ lawyers contend the league is not awarding settlement funds fast enough. So far, $227 million in claims have been awarded.The league made its request Friday in U.S. District Court for Eastern Pennsylvania, saying that attorneys, doctors and former players are attempting to cheat the program.The NFL cited an independent study that recommended denying more than 400 claims because of fraud, including schemes by lawyers and medical personnel working with former players.“We want to ensure that players and their families receive the benefits they deserve,” league lawyer Brad Karp said. “Fraud threatens the integrity of the settlement and the prompt payment of legitimate claims.”Karp added that the appointment of a special investigator was “specifically contemplated” in the agreement, and would help identify “fraudulent claims and related misconduct.” The motion seeks subpoena powers for the investigator.The NFL alleges that the attempts to scheme the system are causing any delays in handing out funds. The league insists that each case be properly documented as worthy of payment.An independent outfit handles approval of claims as part of the settlement, though the NFL can appeal claims it deems unworthy or deceitful. The motion cites a law firm advising former players as “willing to pay doctors directly out of their pocket” to get a qualifying diagnosis.Christopher Seeger Byron Jones Jersey Elite , co-lead class counsel for the retired NFL players, agrees that the appointment of a special investigator is appropriate.“However, we will not allow this small number of claims to be used as an excuse by the NFL to deny payment to legitimately injured former players,” Seeger said. “Unlike other NFL benefits programs, this settlement is overseen by the court, and the league cannot escape its responsibility. We will make sure that former NFL players and their families receive every benefit they are entitled to under this agreement.”.

”Scary Denzel Ward Jersey Elite ,” he said.

The rest of the league likely agrees.

Cousins signed his contract Friday to join the two-time defending NBA champion Warriors for this coming season, one in which he’ll make $5.3 million. He isn’t sure when his surgically repaired Achilles will allow him to start playing with his new team – being ready for the start of training camp seems quite doubtful – but he can already envision what might happen when he returns to form.

”Of course it’s going to take a lot of hard work, a lot of hard work and dedication, and also a lot of sacrifice from not only myself but other guys on the team as well,” Cousins told reporters Friday night at the NBA Summer League. ”That’s something that we all are aware of and that’s something we accepted already.”

When he returns, something he says he won’t do until he’s back to 100 percent LeSean McCoy Bills Jersey , the Warriors could have a starting five composed entirely of 2018 All-Stars – Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson at guard, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green at forward, Cousins at center.

It’s mindboggling even for Warriors coach Steve Kerr to think about.

”We just felt like we didn’t have enough All-Stars,” Kerr deadpanned in an in-game interview with ESPN’s Mark Jones and Doris Burke during the Warriors’ summer league game Friday.

Kerr told the story of his meeting with Cousins and how he asked him the following first question: When seven consecutive possessions go by and Curry and Thompson take all the shots, how will you feel?

If it was a test, Cousins passed easily. He assured Kerr that wouldn’t be a problem.

”We wanted to make sure it made sense for both sides Odell Beckham Jr Giants Jersey ,” Kerr said.

Cousins has been an All-Star in each of the last six seasons, averaging at least 24 points per game in each of those. With the Warriors, he knows the scoring numbers will likely dip.

Again, he apparently has no problem with that. He said he can see some nights where he takes only four shots, even though that’s happened only four times in his 535-game career.

”It may be some games where I’m the leading scorer,” Cousins said. ”I look at that as a positive. I don’t have to be the guy every night. I’ve always wanted a team where everything doesn’t rely on me and now I’m in that position.”

He’s going to be in playoff position as well. Cousins has never lost an NBA playoff game Authentic Tarik Cohen Jersey , because he’s never appeared in an NBA playoff game. His last postseason playing experience was with Kentucky and its run to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in 2010.

”I’m coming in just playing my part,” Cousins said. ”I’ll do whatever it takes to help this team win. Of course, I’m in a position where I’m able to play for a championship and every NBA player’s goal is to win a championship. So I’m coming in and I’ll do whatever it takes.”

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Former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. says he battled depression during his 16-year career with the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens.

Smith, who retired after the 2016 season and now works as an analyst for the NFL Network, told NFL.com that despite making five Pro Bowls and being selected All-Pro twice he “routinely felt trapped, inferior and alone” and often asked himself “what’s wrong with me?”

The 39-year-old Smith said by his final season with Carolina in 2013 he was so overwhelmed he didn’t know how to handle his emotions and “was a cynic of everything and everyone.”

Smith says he’s been receiving treatment for depression and advised others to do the same Deion Sanders Jersey Youth , saying “stop trying to deal with these serious matters alone.”

Panthers coach Ron Rivera praised Smith for speaking out on the topic.

Sidney Crosby saw Jakub Voracek’s glove on the ice and wasn’t going to let his opponent pick it up easily.

Crosby pushed the glove away with his stick and reignited a melee in a good Jim Kelly Jersey , old-fashioned Pittsburgh-Philadelphia playoff game that featured three fights, way more scrums and 158 penalty minutes. When Crosby was asked afterward why he did it, the Penguins captain responded: ”I don’t like them. I don’t like any guy on their team.”

Those were the days.

”It was awesome,” then-Penguins general manager Ray Shero said. ”If you look at it, it was wild. It really was. You had villains on both sides and people that hated each other.”

That was six years ago. Is a rivalry still a rivalry in a league that has made a concerted effort against over-the-top hits and where fighting is truly a rare sight?

NHL executive Colin Campbell once famously said the league sells hate, and at no time is hate more widely bought, sold, distributed and celebrated than during the Stanley Cup playoffs. The NHL’s divisional playoff format was brought back specifically to ignite old rivalries and create new ones, which has been a successful venture even if hate looks different than it did in the days of the ”Broad Street Bullies.” Playoff rivalries are no longer about dropping the gloves or laying out bone-crushing hits.

Teams now play fewer regular-season games against each other and are made up of more skilled players and fewer enforcers. Still, thanks to how tight the league is and the volcanic snowball effect of what a playoff series does to hockey players and coaches, rivalries might have a different look but they have plenty of smoldering intensity.

”Playing against teams with high stakes when there’s a lot on the line – win or go home – that’s how you have rivalries,” veteran New Jersey Devils center Brian Boyle said. ”When it’s us or it’s them, that’s how you find those rivalries. The same guys for two weeks Joe Thomas Jersey , I think that’s how you build them.”

The first round in the Eastern Conference this year already has two old-school rivalries with the Penguins and Flyers meeting in the playoffs for the first time since their epic 2012 showdown, and Boston facing Toronto for the first time since 2013. In the West, Minnesota faces Winnipeg in the first playoff series between the two division rivals, which could heat up fast.

”The best thing about most of them are is the proximity to where they live, the close ones, but I think it needs a good playoff (series) against that individual team to create the rivalry full hand,” Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. ”Until you play seven games in 14 nights where you learn to hate the opposition.”

Playoff series in back-to-back years made the Penguins and Washington dislike each other plenty, and they’d meet again in the second round if they advance this year. Nashville and Anaheim developed a nontraditional rivalry with intense series the past two playoffs, making that a potentially combustible Western Conference final.

When Predators players think about those Ducks series and other tense ones over the past several years, they know there haven’t been a lot of fights – and they’re not alone. The past four playoffs have included a total of 39 fights. There were 46 fights in the 1978 postseason alone and an incredible 85 in the 1988 playoffs.

”You get the odd scrum that turns into a fight and stuff like that, but there’s not too much fighting left,” Nashville defenseman Ryan Ellis said. ”You probably see the amount of blocked shots go up in the playoffs, the amount of hits – the little things that may not be on the stat sheet is kind of what I guess gets your team through the playoffs. It’s just little things like that that really is the playoff intensity.”

Boyle http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/jim-kelly-jersey , who has blocked 113 shots in 106 career playoff games, has seen more fights in blowout games deep into a series than at other times because there’s too much at stake to take a retaliatory penalty.

”A lot of times you see a lot of other guys turn the other cheek in a playoff series,” Boyle said. ”You don’t want something like that to make a difference in a series.”

Making a difference is more about scoring a big goal than leveling a big hit or punching someone in the face. Look at the Penguins’ and Flyers’ rosters now and the likes of Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Voracek and Claude Giroux are far more likely to beat someone with a slick shot than their fists.

”I think the game has changed in how it’s being played out there,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. ”I think personnel has changed. But I think rivalries are rivalries. There’s always a heightened emotion associated with the games.”

So much so that retired player and former Penguins coach Ed Olczyk said of Penguins-Flyers, ”It only takes one player, one comment from somebody, where all bets are off and that gasoline tank will be ignited fairly quickly.” Crosby recalls more fights between the teams in the past – he was involved in two six years ago in the game he swatted Voracek’s glove away – but doesn’t want to downplay the intensity of this rivalry.

”You never know what can happen,” Crosby said. ”I feel like both teams are always kind of at their best, and there’s always a little bit extra in those games.”

Capitals defenseman John Carlson said he thinks playoff rivalries have gotten worse more because of what players can get away with, the physical toll ga Monday was a great night for New England sports fans.While the Boston Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Tremaine Edmunds Bills Jersey , New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady may have stolen some of the headlines when he confirmed he will play during the 2018 season in an interview with Fox's Jim Gray.Raul Martinez of NBC10 Boston shared Brady's comments, including one where the 40-year-old pointed out "I've said for a long time I want to play to my mid-40s."Raul Martinez @RaulNBCBoston"Yes I'm going to be playing.""I've said for a long time I want to play in my mid 40's."#Patriots QB Tom Brady at the Milken Institute confirms he'll play this season. https://t.co/ZP2RCobe4jBrady was clear he plans on playing in 2018, but he did acknowledge he has taken more time with his family this offseason before he once again diverts his attention to the football field, via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com:"Football is year-round for me. It's a lot of thought, a lot of energy and emotion put into it, but I need to invest in them, too. My kids are 10, eight and five. They're not getting younger, so I need to take time so I can be available to them, too."... I've really spent the last two or three months doing those things, and I think I'm really trying to fill my tank up so that when I do go back, I can go back and I think I'll actually be, in my mind http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/josh-allen-jersey , a better player, a better teammate, because I'll be really rejuvenated."Brady turned some heads when he said "I plead the fifth!" when Gray asked him if he feels appreciated by owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick, but the response drew laughter from the audience. Brady went on to praise his relationship with Belichick and call him the best coach in NFL history.Still, the comments were notable since Seth Wickersham of ESPN reported in January there had been power struggles between Brady, Belichick and Kraft regarding a number of issues. That included the head coach's preference to keep the quarterback's body coach and business partner, Alex Guerrero, at a distance.There were also questions during the offseason about whether Brady and teammate Rob Gronkowski would even play in 2018, especially after Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Brady hadn't fully committed.Schefter also reported Gronkowski was weighing his options, but the tight end has since announced on his Instagram page he would return in 2018.With the two dominant playmakers officially part of the Patriots for the upcoming campaign, they can turn their attention toward avenging their Super Bowl loss to the Eagles with another run at the Lombardi Trophy.New England has nine straight AFC East titles and reached three of the last four Super Bowls, winning two..

The Giants announced the move Wednesday as veterans reported to training camp at the team’s headquarters adjacent to MetLife Stadium.

While terms were not disclosed, the deal was believed to be worth $5 million over two years.

Barwin has played in 127 regular-season games with 109 starts for Houston, Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Rams. The 2014 Pro Bowler has also started six playoff games.

His career totals include 449 tackles, 55 1/2 sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, 42 passes defensed, and one interception. His career sacks total is the highest among current Giants Denzel Ward Jersey Elite , surpassing Olivier Vernon’s 44. Barwin had five sacks in 14 games last season.

Barwin is the second linebacker to join the Giants after playing last season for the Rams; inside backer Alec Ogletree was acquired in a trade on March 14.

To create room on the roster, the Giants waived tight end Kyle Carter.

”Connor and I were together in Philadelphia,” said coach Pat Shurmur, who has taken over a team that won three games last season. ”Veteran player, edge player, so he could play the outside linebacker position, he could be involved in the pass rush when we get to our four-man rush. Very veteran guy and I think if you don’t know him, you’ll quickly get to see that he’s a true pro and we were fortunate he was available.”

The Giants also signed defensive tackle Izaah Lunsford Joe Montana 49ers Jersey , who spent last season on the Green Bay Packers‘ practice squad, and waived punter Taylor Symmank.

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— Saquon Barkley got an incredulous look on his face when asked if he was hoping to play in the New York Giants‘ preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday.

Hoping was not an option as far as the second overall pick in the NFL draft was concerned. The halfback from Penn State wants to play, even though the Giants cut back his workload last week, leaving many to wonder if he was a little dinged after 10 days of training camp.

Coach Pat Shurmur put the injury speculation to rest when talking to the media on Monday. He said Barkley is physically fine and the team is just managing his workload.

It seemed odd, though, on Saturday when the Giants didn’t give Barkley a snap after limiting his carries a day earlier.

Shurmur downplayed it, saying the rookie has been getting plenty of work in drills not open to the media.

Barkley believes he is ready. He has worked hard, picked the brains of quarterback Eli Manning and veteran running back Jonathan Stewart Cole Beasley Jersey Womens , gotten to know his linemen and seems to have grasped the offense as well as can be expected for a newcomer.

Shurmur said the 21-year-old is making mistakes but learning from every one.

“Hoping? I plan to play,” Barkley said Monday. “That’s like I don’t know; I haven’t experienced an NFL preseason game yet, but I think that hoping would be like, I am hoping I am good to go for that game. I am more than capable to playing now. I am just happy inside to play in my first NFL game. Hopefully I can maximize every rep.”

Barkley said he never had this much time to take care of his body in college. He noted that in his final season at Penn State he had to juggle training camp with taking finals from summer school classes.

Being hit for the first time in the NFL is something Barkley wants to happen.

“The first hit is something that knocks everything out, whereever your nerve is, you are overthinking stuff. It definitely helps.”

Barkley isn’t looking to gain a specific amount of yards or touchdowns. He wants to maximize every chance he gets and to have no missed assignments.

Manning said the best advice he has given Barkley is to take what the defense is giving on each play and realize you are not going to score on every play.

“Understand that expectations are going to be high, and don’t worry about that,” Manning said. “That’s what you have a team for and you have a job to do. Take what they give you and when the opportunity comes and there is a hole and you get to the safety Tre'Davious White Jersey , that’s your opportunity to make a guy miss and make something special happen.”

Defensive coordinator James Bettcher said Barkley has been a good test for his defense.

“There’s no question,” he said. “I dealt with a guy of that nature and we’ve talked about it here at this stand before is (David Johnson), an Arizona guy that can split out and try to create mismatches, a guy that can run the ball extremely well between the tackles, and coordinators are going to have a fun time figuring out how they’re going to get their matchups right.”

Shurmur said he was still working on how much everyone will play Thursday at MetLife Stadium. He said he wants to see his whole roster since performance in games carries more weight than training camp in determining the 53-man roster.