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A look ahead to top enterprise and feature stories planned globally by AP Sports. New digests will go out each Thursday and Monday and will be repeated on other weekdays. Please note that story plans may change depending on news and other issues.

For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues Sam Hubbard Color Rush Jersey , contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport(at)ap.org or 877-836-9477. For reruns, call the Service Desk 800-838-4616 or your local AP bureau.

As with all our operations, we welcome and want your feedback. If you have thoughts or questions about the Sports Showcase Digest or the material listed, please reach out to Oskar Garcia, assistant sports editor for the U.S. east region, at 215-446-6632 or at ogarcia(at)ap.org.

All times are Eastern.

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MONDAY, April 9

SOC–JOHN LEICESTER-DESCHAMPS’ DILEMMA

PARIS – If football was a mere financial equation, a simple matter of assembling the game’s most valuable players, France coach Didier Deschamps might already be dreaming of having one hand on the World Cup. The squad he will take to the tournament in Russia will, on paper at least, be worth a fortune, packed as it is with eye-wateringly expensive young stars. But it is short an ingredient that France had in abundance when Deschamps captained Les Bleus to World Cup victory in 1998: the maturity and experience that enables players to cope under football’s brightest spotlight when things get tough. ”To react well,” he tells The Associated Press, ”you have to been through it before.” By Sports Columnist John Leicester. 800 words. UPCOMING http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-isaac-yiadom-jersey , photos, online video.

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TUESDAY, April 10

HKN–PLAYOFF PRIMER-NEED FOR SPEED

NHL executives, coaches and players are quick to say the game is played faster than ever. Technology is available to track how fast players are skating, how hard they’re shooting and how quickly they’re getting the puck from end to end. ”That’s the next wave,” Vegas general manager George McPhee acknowledged. As the expansion team prepares for the playoffs, McPhee was not interested in sharing any secrets. ”I don’t tell people what we do,” McPhee said. By Hockey Writer Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos.

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WEDNESDAY, April 11

GLF–GRAYBEARD COLLEGIAN

BELLEVUE, Neb. – Bellevue University golf coach Rob Brown knew he wanted Don Byers on his team the first time he met him last summer. The long-hitting freshman has game, and the lifelong Nebraskan fits right in on a team made up mostly of Latin Americans. Byers also happens to be a 61-year-old grandfather. By Eric Olson. UPCOMING: 800 words, with photos and video.

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Again, if you have questions about the Sports Showcase Digest or the material listed Christian Kirk Color Rush Jersey , please reach out to Oskar Garcia, assistant sports editor for the U.S. east region, at 215-446-6632 or at ogarcia(at)ap.org.

Thanks,

AP Sports

Whether it’s hiring former Oregon coach Mark Helfrich, coming from an up-tempo college attack, as offensive coordinator, or quarterback Mitchell Trubisky running Nagy’s pet run-pass options, the Bears anticipate becoming less predictable than under former coach John Fox.

Nagy, former Kansas City offensive coordinator, is still completing his coaching staff, and the most surprising hire so far was bringing in Helfrich to help revive the league’s 30th-ranked attack.

”As you could tell from some of the things we did in Kansas City offensively, we were trying to be a little bit out of the box and new wave type of stuff,” Nagy said. ”It was easy when I was approached, and started researching different names http://www.titansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-harold-landry-jersey , that he was the guy.”

Developing Trubisky is the key for the Bears’ offense, and Nagy cited it as a reason for hiring Helfrich.

”It’s such an important position in this league and it’s a delicate position that has to be done the right way,” Nagy said. ”It was a slam dunk.

”The second I knew he was interested and got to talk football with him and people skills, it was a no-brainer.”

Helfrich was head coach at Oregon when his quarterback was current Tennessee Titans QB Marcus Mariota, and he sees Trubisky as someone with similar abilities – and flaws.

”Mitchell has a tight release, he’s an accurate passer,” Helfrich said. ”They also have a couple things similar that makes them inaccurate. Their feet take them out of position.”

Whether due to poor footwork or other reasons, Trubisky completed only 59.4 percent of passes as a rookie. He had seven touchdowns to seven interceptions.

”He had, I think was a 3-to-1 or maybe even a 4-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio in college,” Helfrich said. ”That works. That’s a good thing. We need to continue that.

”We can’t put the defense in a bad situation, our team in a situation, because there’s times in the NFL they’re going to get you, and I think a quarterback kind of has that innate ability to take care of the football versus turning it over when he, for lack of a better word Ronald Jones II Color Rush Jersey , panics.”

Nagy will call plays, and referred to Helfrich’s role as a ”conduit” between himself and the offense.

”The communication process is so big, so Mark’s been there, done that as a head coach,” Nagy said. ”He’s been there as an offensive coordinator, so the process whether you want to compare it from college to the NFL, it’s the same.”

While Helfrich lacks any NFL experience, the same isn’t true for Nagy’s defensive or special teams coordinators. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was retained from Fox’s staff, while former Browns special teams coordinator Chris Tabor returned for his second stint as an assistant in Chicago.

Fangio’s defense finished 10th and he was a candidate for the Bears’ head coaching position. He had interest from other teams as a coordinator, but found returning his best option after Nagy was hired.

”I just had to feel comfortable with everything, you know, with who the head coach was going to be, the continued direction of the team as far as where we were headed roster-wise, things of that nature Daryl Worley Color Rush Jersey ,” Fangio said.

Having personnel back from an effective defense was an enticement, but Fangio sees work ahead. The Bears had eight interceptions in each of his three seasons as coordinator – each a franchise single-season low.

”I think it’s a wrong picture to paint that the defense was great and the rest of the team wasn’t,” he said. ”We were 5-11. If we were a great defense we’d have more than five wins.”

Tabor was a special teams assistant under coordinator Dave Toub from 2008-2010 in Chicago and inherits an immediate problem at kicker. The Bears went through three last season and have no one under contract for 2018. It’s much different than when Tabor left, with Robbie Gould as a mainstay and the Bears coming off an NFC title game.

”When you have a great one, you want to ride that horse all the way, there’s no doubt about that,” Tabor said. ”And then when teams are looking for guys, I think there’s going to be growing pains.”

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She had cancer and her family-owned Sunshine Village ski resort said Thursday night she died at Foothills Hospital in Calgary.

Born Sonia Onishenko in 1928, she married Ralph Scurfield in 1954. They brought the Flames to Calgary from Atlanta in 1980. She took over the club after he died in an avalanche while heli-skiing in 1985.

”Sonia lived a life of devotion to her family and her community,” Flames President and CEO Ken King said. ”The Scurfield family was an important part of bringing the NHL to our city and we will be eternally grateful.”

The Flames won the Stanley Cup in 1989 and Sonia Scurfield’s name was added to hockey’s famed trophy. Scurfield gave up her ownership share in 1994.

The Flames beat the Montreal Canadiens in six games for the 1989 title. On the triumphant plane trip back to Calgary, someone cut the locks off the Stanley Cup’s case and brought the trophy onto the plane.

”That ride home, I’ll never forget,” Scurfield told Sportsnet. ”It was a feeling you’d never expect and you’d never get again.”

PORTLAND Eduardo Escobar Minnesota Twins Jersey , Ore. — The Portland Trail Blazers must try to slow down Anthony Davis. The New Orleans Pelicans must do what they can to control Damian Lillard.

The seemingly impossible task becomes the ultimate challenge as each player leads his team into a first-round playoff series that opens Saturday night at Moda Center.

Portland (49-33) is the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and New Orleans (48-34) the No. 6 seed. Only one game separated the teams through a wild, competitive regular season, with spots going down to the final day.

The 6-foot-11 Davis and the 6-foot, 3-inch Lillard play different positions, but they’re both likely first-team All-NBA selections this season. Davis is in the conversation for the Most Valuable Player Award, too.

Davis finished second in the NBA in scoring at 28.1 points per game, was fifth in rebounds (11.1) and led the league in efficiency rating at 33.0. After fellow “Twin Tower” DeMarcus Cousins was lost for the season in late January with an Achilles tendon injury Jets Sam Darnold Jersey , Davis carried the load for a New Orleans team that went 20-8 since Feb. 10, winning its last five games.

“Losing a player like DeMarcus changes your team, but they still have Anthony Davis out there,” Lillard said. “That’s a good problem to have. He’s one of the very best players in our league. Anybody guarding him is going to have a tough time. He can handle the ball, shoots the 3, hit pull-ups and floaters and go coast to coast.”

Portland coach Terry Stotts is expected to use both 7-foot center Jusuf Nurkic and 6-foot-9 Al-Farouq “Chief” Aminu to defend Davis, who had 36-point games in the two full contests he played against the Blazers this season. Davis and Aminu played two seasons together in New Orleans in 2012-13 and 2013-14.

“Chief has the height and length to do a good job on (Davis) Jason McCourty Color Rush Jersey ,” Lillard said. “Plus he has the understanding how to guard guys, and he played with him, so he’s familiar with his tendencies. But it’s going to take a team effort. We’re going to have to be ready to play physical with him.”

“There are a lot of good players in this league,” Nurkic said. “He’s one of them. I’m not worried about Anthony Davis. He’s going to make his shots. He’s probably going to get his points. We need to worry about the rest of the team. Some of the other guys, like (Nikila) Mirotic, can have an impact. I’m more worried about one of those guys getting hot, because they have a lot of shooters.”

Lillard tied for fourth in the NBA in scoring at 26.9 points a game Natrell Jamerson Color Rush Jersey , was 10th in assists (6.6) and 11th in efficiency rating at 25.0. He combines with CJ McCollum (21.4-point average, 19th in the NBA) to form one of the most potent backcourt combinations in the league.

“You have to work as hard as you can defensively and hope they are not having one of those great nights they’re capable of having,” New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said. “Dame is one of the best clutch players in the league. I feel like he’s been an All-Star the last five, six years. He has a way about him, a confidence about him, that he feels like when his team needs a basket the most, he can go get it.”

Davis said he holds great respect for the Blazers but isn’t just happy to be in the playoffs.

“It starts with their guards Sam Darnold Color Rush Jersey ,” he said. “They are a handful. They can score at will. They’re a good defensive team. We have to make sure we don’t turn the ball over, take care of the defensive boards and play defense.

“Our goal is to not just get in the playoffs, but to make some noise. We want to try to get one, maybe both, of the games (in Portland), then go back home and take care of business.”

”We’re expected to win now http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-taron-johnson-jersey ,” 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 http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-phillip-gaines-jersey ,” 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 http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-orlando-brown-jr.-jersey , 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, 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 http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-sebastian-janikowski-jersey , 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 James Washington Color Rush Jersey , 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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The NBA will return to London next year with a regular-season game between the Washington Wizards and the New York Knicks.

Tickets for the Jan. 17 game at the O2 Arena go on sale in the fall.

It will be the NBA’s ninth regular-season game in London, all sellouts. The Knicks have played there twice, facing the Detroit Pistons in 2013 and the Milwaukee Bucks in 2015. This will be the Wizards’ debut in London.

International players on the rosters include Wizards center Marcin Gortat of Poland Authentic Sam Darnold Jersey , Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis of Latvia and Knicks point guard Frank Ntilikina, who was born in Belgium to Rwandan parents and grew up in France.

The game will be shown by the NBA’s broadcast partners across Europe, the Middle East and Africa and on NBA League Pass International.

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SAN FRANCISCO — The Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants begin a stretch of six meetings in nine days Tuesday night when they hook up in the opener of a three-game series at AT&T Park.

The National League West contenders also will square off three times in Denver next week.

The Rockies (38-40) and Giants (40-39) begin the sequence separated by just one game in the loss column. Each would like to head north in the National League West standings while sending the other south at the same time.

“We obviously need to make a run before the All-Star break Roquan Smith Color Rush Jersey ,” Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez proclaimed after Sunday’s 8-5 home loss to Miami. “We need to finish the first half strong, just the way we started the season. We have a good group, but it just seems like we are going through a rough time.”

That surely can be said of Colorado’s starting pitcher in the series opener, right-hander Chad Bettis (5-1, 5.23 ERA). He has allowed 28 earned runs in 26 innings in his last five starts, yet has somehow managed to go 1-0 during that span.

He had a similar dynamic earlier this season in a matchup with the Giants. He did not pitch particularly well, allowing five runs and 10 hits in six innings, but the Rockies found a way to pull out a 6-5 win.

Bettis has faced the Giants 13 times in his career, nine times as a starter. He has gone 3-4 with a 4.79 ERA in those games.

The 29-year-old right-hander is 1-1 with a 4.71 ERA in five career games, including three starts, in San Francisco.

He has been stung by the long ball this season http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-mark-andrews-jersey , allowing 14 home runs in his 15 starts, and has given up homers in his career to six current Giants, including outfielder Gorkys Hernandez, who had a home run and three doubles in his last three games against the San Diego Padres.

Hernandez had a nice week — eight hits, including four doubles and two home runs — but nothing like the one experienced by Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado, who smacked five homers among 11 hits last week.

Arenado was rewarded with National League Player of the Week honors.

He has a homer in nine career plate appearances against left-hander Derek Holland (5-7, 4.48), who will open the series for the Giants. Arenado also has a double, a single and two walks in those nine head-to-heads, giving him a .556 on-base percentage in the matchup.

Holland has struggled in general in his career against the Rockies, going 1-2 with an 8.40 ERA in three starts.

Two of those three starts came earlier this season Kenny Young Color Rush Jersey , including the lone win in his most recent meeting, when he allowed four runs in five innings in a 7-4 victory last month.

He had earlier given up four runs in six innings in a 6-1 loss.

The 31-year-old has pitched well in June, going 2-1 in four starts, allowing just seven earned runs in 20 innings.

The Giants enter the series having won five of six. The Rockies are coming off a 4-3 homestand during which they suffered consecutive weekend losses to the Marlins.

Kyrie Irving was dealt to Boston in a blockbuster offseason deal for Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder. But following a roster upheaval in February , the Cavs were left with only five players from last year’s team that rolled past the Celtics 4-1 to earn a place in the NBA Finals.

Irving will watch this year’s rematch from the sideline after a pair of knee surgeries late in the regular season denied him an opportunity to play this postseason. It was the capstone of an injury-plagued year in Boston that also saw the seasons of Gordon Hayward and rookie Daniel Theis truncated.

The one constant has been Cleveland’s LeBron James, who at age 33 has again found another gear in the playoffs despite the different pieces surrounding him. His 34.3 scoring average in these playoffs is his highest since the 2009 postseason.

James can become the sixth player in league history to play in at least eight consecutive NBA Finals. The five others who have done so all played with the Celtics, led by Hall of Famer Bill Russell’s run of 10 straight appearances.

James hasn’t yet had a chance to reflect on his own run but says he isn’t taking anything for granted at this point in his career.

”You dream about being able to play in big games in the NBA and even when I got to the NBA that was one of my only goals to be as great as I can be, to play in big games in the NBA and be remembered and I think I’ve done that in my career,” he said. ”Just trying to add onto it while I can.”

The series starts Sunday in Boston. This is the eighth playoff matchup between the teams overall, with the Celtics leading 4-3.

The Celtics are seeking their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2010 http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-patrick-omameh-jersey , when they got past James and the Cavs in the East semifinals.

Since Irving’s injury, Celtics coach Brad Stevens has relied heavily on veteran Al Horford and a youthful corps that includes 24-year-olds Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart, 21-year-old Jaylen Brown and 20-year-old rookie Jayson Tatum.

Horford is averaging career playoff-high 17 points per game, while carrying the leadership torch.

Rozier has flourished in a starting role since Irving was sidelined in mid-March. It’s carried over into the postseason where he is averaging 18.2 points per game. And Tatum is coming of a series against Philadelphia that saw him average 23.6 points per game – the second-highest by a Celtics rookie in franchise history.

”I feel like we more together (than last year),” Rozier said. ”Obviously guys been going down all year and it’s like you never know who’s going to down. But we found a way, we pulled together.”

As for Rozier’s prediction for the series?

”Stay tuned,” he said.

Some other things of note in the Eastern Conference finals:

BUCKEYE ROOTS

Like James, Rozier first bounced a ball in Northeast Ohio.

Rozier is from Shaker Heights, Ohio, a suburb on Cleveland’s east side. He’s been on James’ hoops radar since he was a high school freshman. And while Rozier has been a breakout star in these playoffs to NBA fans, James knew he would eventually shine.

”He was a confident kid then when I watched him at Shaker. And he’s a confident player now Minkah Fitzpatrick Color Rush Jersey , so I’m not surprised,” James said. ”He’s gotten better and better. It was a steal when they drafted him out of Louisville, and he’s just showcasing his abilities. … So, everybody is going crazy over what he’s doing but I’m not. He’s a local guy.”

(TD) GARDEN PARTY

Boston has become a preferred spring destination for James.

After a 2-9 start to his playoff career in New England, James has won his six straight postseason games on the road against the Celtics, a streak that began with his epic 45-point, 15-rebound performance in Game 6 for Miami in the 2012 conference finals. In those six wins, James averaged 34.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists.

James has averaged 30.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 6.1 assists while going 8-9 on Boston parquet’s hardwood.

Since losing two straight series with Cleveland to Boston in 2008 and 2010, James has eliminated the Celtics four times Deadrin Senat Color Rush Jersey , going 8-1 in the past two matchups.

CELTIC PRIDE

Indiana pushed Cleveland to seven games in the opening round. The Pacers were physical, resilient and confident.

The Cavs feel the young Celtics might be a greater challenge.

”Boston is better than Indiana,” Cavs forward Kyle Korver said. ”With as much respect as we have for Indiana, obviously, they took us to seven, I think defensively Boston is elite. They’re really good. They’re always in the right spot. They have a great game plan.

”For sure the Indiana series has prepared us for the playoffs in a lot of ways. Now that we’re through that series, we’re glad.”

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AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Independence, Ohio contributed to this report.

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Still Kentavius Street Color Rush Jersey , it wasn’t enough to preserve a victory.

Sofia Goggia of Italy won a World Cup downhill on home snow Friday after Vonn’s mistake.

Vonn was faster than Goggia midway down the Olympia delle Tofane course but had trouble landing a jump and slammed on the brakes to clear the next gate.

”The hill was really good today but obviously the light was not great,” Vonn said of the overcast conditions. ”I hit a rut funny and almost went into the net. But I recovered and I tried to take as much speed as I could but I unfortunately lost a lot of time and lost the win.

”But I still got second place, which is pretty outstanding all things considered. I have the speed and I know I’m skiing well so tomorrow is another chance, another opportunity. Hopefully I won’t be caught by that rut again.”

Goggia finished 0.47 seconds ahead of Vonn in second.

”After my ski performance I was not happy, but it lasted and Lindsey made that mistake,” Goggia said. ”If that doesn’t happen she probably wins with a big advantage.”

It was the fourth victory of Goggia’s career and second straight after also winning a downhill in Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria, last weekend.

Overall World Cup leader Mikaela Shiffrin finished third, 0.84 behind, in her first attempt at the Cortina downhill.

Shiffrin holds a massive 871-point lead ahead of Goggia in the overall standings, while Goggia leads Shiffrin by 49 points in the downhill rankings.

Julia Mancuso, another American standout Jaleel Scott Color Rush Jersey , announced her retirement and bid the circuit goodbye by wearing a Wonder Woman suit during a casual run.

Slowed by worsening hip problems in recent seasons, Mancuso failed to qualify for next month’s Pyeongchang Olympics.

Mancuso will be remembered for her record at big events, having won four medals at Olympics and five at world championships, despite having a small frame for a ski racer.

”In ski racing, for me it was always about having fun,” Mancuso said. ”And when I had fun success followed. … I hope my career can inspire others to just have fun, especially as an underdog.”

In the finish area, teammates sprayed Mancuso with champagne.

Friday’s race was originally scheduled for Val d’Isere last month but was moved from the French resort because of poor conditions.

Another downhill is scheduled for Saturday, followed by a super-G on Sunday. Both races are big warmups for next month’s Pyeongchang Olympics.

Vonn missed the 2014 Sochi Games because of a right knee injury.

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More AP skiing coverage: Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead has to put together a complicated puzzle this offseason.

And he still isn’t sure whether All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald’s contract extension will be the first or last piece to fall into place for the surprising NFC West champions.

Negotiating with Donald is the highest-profile task awaiting Snead, who will also have to address uncertainty in the secondary, if he will use the franchise tag on wide receiver Sammy Watkins, and whether to cut players such as linebacker Mark Barron and wide receiver Tavon Austin.

”That’s the biggest piece of the puzzle is Jonathan Allen Color Rush Jersey , all right, how do we stay in this window where we expect to compete for a division, expect to win the division. And we do have a young team so it is sustainable, but it’s solving that riddle,” Snead said Wednesday.

The Rams spent much of their efforts last offseason trying to address their struggling offense, hiring Sean McVay as head coach and bringing in established veterans including left tackle Andrew Whitworth, center John Sullivan and wide receivers Robert Woods and Watkins to assist quarterback Jared Goff.

Those efforts were more successful than Snead could have imagined, finishing as the top scoring offense in the league this season after ranking last the previous season.

Los Angeles went 11-5, with the franchise earning its first division title since 2003, before losing to the Atlanta Falcons 26-13 in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday.

Snead said the emphasis in the upcoming months will now be on defense, including trying to finalize a new contract with Donald. Donald held out of training camp in hopes of getting that deal and didn’t report to the team until one day before the regular season started.

Still, he finished with 15 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in 14 games http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-robert-griffin-iii-jersey , solidifying his status as the game’s dominant interior lineman.

Snead and Donald’s representatives both agreed to stop negotiating during the season. There is no timetable for an agreement, but even a basic framework of what will likely be the richest contract for a defender in NFL history would give Snead the ability to respond accordingly in other areas.

”Like I’ve always said with Aaron, hey, we want him to be a Ram a long time,” Snead said. ”So when we ink that deal, or not, I can’t put a timeline on it, but it is a major priority, as it always will be until we get it done. And for Aaron’s sake, and for doing business, with our other players as well because that contract obviously will affect basically your salary cap.”

While Donald will almost certainly remain the anchor up front for a long time, there are fewer guarantees at defensive back. Cornerback Trumaine Johnson has played the past two seasons under the franchise tag Ryan McLeod Oilers Jersey , and starting safety Lamarcus Joyner and slot corner Nickell Robey-Coleman are unrestricted free agents.

Cornerback Kayvon Webster, one of the few significant signings on defense last offseason, is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon.

Snead held off on committing to Johnson on a long-term basis before seeing how he would fit in defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ system.

Snead said making sure a player can thrive in a specific scheme is a must before committing big money. Johnson played well with 57 solo tackles, 14 passes defended and two interceptions.

”They definitely have to be ideal scheme fits, or I always call it you’re putting a rectangle in a square and I think that’s how things get a little off-kilter when you’re building a team,” Snead said.

There could also be turnover at linebacker, where Barron and edge rusher Robert Quinn could be cut to avoid significant salary-cap hits.

The same might be true for Austin, who had 13 receptions for 47 yards and ran for 270 yards and one touchdown. Austin fell behind Woods, Watkins and rookie Cooper Kupp in the rotation after being limited by a hamstring injury in training camp.

If the 2013 first-round pick were to go, it could increase the likelihood Watkins remains with Los Angeles.

Watkins led the Rams with eight touchdown receptions in the final season of his rookie contract after being acquired in a trade from Buffalo in August.

Watkins could be one of the top options in a relatively weak group of free-agent receivers, making him a potential option for the franchise tag.

”The goal is to make sure we can fit everybody into the budget,” Snead said. ”Because sometimes saving money http://www.patriotsauthorizedshop.com/authentic-trent-brown-jersey , that kind of means we’re attacking an individual player just to save money.

”But it’s really looking at the budget, the cap situation for this year, and the cap situation for next year, and the next. Then we go `18, how do we improve and then keep the core together? So, it’s not necessarily looking at just salaries.”

NOTES: Defensive tackle Michael Brockers is not expected to require surgery for the knee injury he sustained against the Falcons, Snead said.

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Ross’ comments Tuesday in a statement released by the Dolphins came after the New York Daily News reported that he said all of the team’s players will stand for the anthem in 2018. Ross was in New York on Monday to be honored by the Jackie Robinson Foundation and receive its ROBIE Lifetime Achievement Award.

”I have no intention of forcing our players to stand during the anthem, and I regret that my comments have been misconstrued,” Ross said in his statement.

”I’ve shared my opinion with all our players: I’m passionate about the cause of social justice Patrick Omameh Color Rush Jersey , and I feel that kneeling is an ineffective tactic that alienates more people than it enlists.”

Colin Kaepernick started the NFL anthem movement when he was with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016 to protest racial inequality and police brutality. President Donald Trump has criticized the movement, saying it’s disrespectful to service members.

”I know our players care about the military and law enforcement too,” Ross said in his statement http://www.dolphinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-josh-sitton-jersey , ”because I’ve seen the same players who are fighting for social justice engaging positively with law enforcement and the military. I care passionately that the message of social justice resonates far and wide, and I will continue to support and fund efforts for those who fight for equality for all.”

Dolphins players Julius Thomas, Michael Thomas and Kenny Stills knelt during the anthem before games last season. At one point coach Adam Gase established a team rule requiring players either to stand for the anthem or stay in the tunnel.

When protesting players told Gase waiting in the tunnel was interfering with their game preparation http://www.chargersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-justin-jones-jersey , he relaxed the rule and allowed them to resume their sideline kneeling.

Stills was the Dolphins’ nominee for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which honors involvement in the community and performance on the field. He’s expected to be back with Miami with 2018, but Julius Thomas and Michael Thomas are less likely to return.

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A look ahead to top enterprise and feature stories planned globally by AP Sports. New digests will go out each Thursday and Monday and will be repeated on other weekdays. Please note that story plans may change depending on news and other issues.

For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues Miguel Andujar New York Yankees Jersey , contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport(at)ap.org or 877-836-9477. For reruns, call the Service Desk 800-838-4616 or your local AP bureau.

As with all our operations, we welcome and want your feedback. If you have thoughts or questions about the Sports Showcase Digest or the material listed, please reach out to Oskar Garcia, assistant sports editor for the U.S. east region, at 215-446-6632 or at ogarcia(at)ap.org.

All times are Eastern.

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MONDAY Cordy Glenn Color Rush Jersey , April 9

SOC–JOHN LEICESTER-DESCHAMPS’ DILEMMA

PARIS – If football was a mere financial equation, a simple matter of assembling the game’s most valuable players, France coach Didier Deschamps might already be dreaming of having one hand on the World Cup. The squad he will take to the tournament in Russia will, on paper at least, be worth a fortune, packed as it is with eye-wateringly expensive young stars. But it is short an ingredient that France had in abundance when Deschamps captained Les Bleus to World Cup victory in 1998: the maturity and experience that enables players to cope under football’s brightest spotlight when things get tough. ”To react well http://www.brownsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-chad-thomas-jersey ,” he tells The Associated Press, ”you have to been through it before.” By Sports Columnist John Leicester. 800 words. UPCOMING, photos, online video.

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TUESDAY, April 10

HKN–PLAYOFF PRIMER-NEED FOR SPEED

NHL executives, coaches and players are quick to say the game is played faster than ever. Technology is available to track how fast players are skating Tony Conigliaro Boston Red Sox Jersey , how hard they’re shooting and how quickly they’re getting the puck from end to end. ”That’s the next wave,” Vegas general manager George McPhee acknowledged. As the expansion team prepares for the playoffs, McPhee was not interested in sharing any secrets. ”I don’t tell people what we do,” McPhee said. By Hockey Writer Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos.

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WEDNESDAY, April 11

GLF–GRAYBEARD COLLEGIAN

BELLEVUE http://www.titansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-harold-landry-jersey , Neb. – Bellevue University golf coach Rob Brown knew he wanted Don Byers on his team the first time he met him last summer. The long-hitting freshman has game, and the lifelong Nebraskan fits right in on a team made up mostly of Latin Americans. Byers also happens to be a 61-year-old grandfather. By Eric Olson. UPCOMING: 800 words, with photos and video.

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Again, if you have questions about the Sports Showcase Digest or the material listed, please reach out to Oskar Garcia, assistant sports editor for the U.S. east region http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-cordy-glenn-jersey , at 215-446-6632 or at ogarcia(at)ap.org.

Thanks,

AP Sports

LAS VEGAS — The Los Angeles Kings‘ chances of at least earning a split of their first two Western Conference first-round playoff road games with the Vegas Golden Knights got a whole lot more difficult late Thursday afternoon.

That’s when the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced that Kings top defenseman Drew Doughty Sylvester Williams Color Rush Jersey , a Norris Trophy candidate who led the league in total minutes, was suspended for one game for “an illegal hit to the head” on Vegas forward William Carrier midway through the third period of the Golden Knights’ 1-0 series-opening victory on Wednesday night.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Friday night at T-Mobile Arena

Carrier, who had a game-high 10 hits in the contest, including several hard ones on Doughty http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-mark-andrews-jersey , left the ice woozy with what was called an upper-body injury after the hit while carrying the puck into the right corner of the Kings’ zone. He didn’t practice Thursday and was listed as day-to-day by Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant.

Replays showed that Doughty initially hit Carrier on the top of the left shoulder but the hit then continued and caught the Vegas forward in the head.

“Doughty delivers a high, forceful hit that makes Carrier’s head the main point of contact on a hit where such head contact was avoidable,” the NHL said in its narrative on the video review of the play. “The illegal check to the head rule does not take into account what the first point of contact is.”

Doughty set career highs for assists (50) and points (60) this season and ran his consecutive games played streak to 328 in Wednesday’s series opener, just two shy of the team record held by Anze Kopitar. The timing couldn’t be worse for a Los Angeles squad that is already without injured defensemen Jake Muzzin and Derek Forbort.

Doughty had a phone hearing with the Department of Player Safety after practice on Thursday afternoon. Kings head coach John Stevens refused to discuss the situation with the media afterward other than to say “if it is (an issue) Durham Smythe Color Rush Jersey , it’s next man up, obviously.”

The opener featured 127 hits, including 68 by the Kings, but both coaches pooh-poohed it as being an overly physical game.

“When I see 68 to 59 hits Logan Cooke Color Rush Jersey , I don’t buy it,” Gallant said. “If they’re counting every bump, fine. Jonathan Marchessault, he got eight hits. I mean http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-russell-bodine-jersey , he finished some checks. But I don’t buy it.”

“I think the teams played hard (but) I’m not sure where that number comes from,” Stevens said. “I don’t think anybody would be playing tomorrow if those numbers were accurate. I don’t want to sound disrespectful when I say this, but sometimes I don’t even know where they’re situated when they are marking those stats. There’s such a variety in the way those are gauged building to building that we usually go and look at our own stats.”

The Golden Knights believe it is crucial that they keep home-ice advantage with another win Friday night.

“It’s big,” said defenseman Shea Theodore http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-brandon-parker-jersey , who scored the only goal of the game on Wednesday. “Obviously when you get that first win you want to keep that momentum rolling. We’ve been playing pretty strong at home all year. We’re just going to try and keep the same game plan.”

The unprecedented success enjoyed by the Vegas Golden Knights in their inaugural season carried over into the second round of their first playoff run.

Now that the San Jose Sharks have home-ice advantage after a dramatic win Cecil Cooper Milwaukee Brewers Jersey , the question is how will Vegas bounce back from its first taste of postseason adversity?

The best-of-seven series between the Golden Knights and the Sharks shifts to Silicon Valley, starting with Game 3 on Monday night.

Vegas blanked the Los Angeles Kings twice and limited them to three goals in a first-round sweep. The winning ways continued as three-time Stanley Cup winner Marc-Andre Fleury posted his third shutout during this postseason, 7-0 over the Sharks in Game 1 on Thursday.

San Jose evened the series with a 4-3 victory in double overtime on Saturday. Fleury posted 43 saves, but Logan Couture notched the game-winner — his second goal of the night — eight seconds after Vegas defenseman Jon Merrill was sent off for hooking.

Less than 24 hours later, Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland refuses to dwell on the defeat.

“It’s a new day today http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-nick-nelson-jersey ,” he said Sunday. “We lost. You didn’t expect to go through playoffs not losing a game. We’ve just got to take what we can from last game and get back at it tomorrow night.”

While San Jose rallied from a two-goal deficit with three straight goals in the second period and overcame a tying goal from Nate Schmidt late in regulation, Sharks defenseman Brent Burns reminded everyone that there’s still a lot of hockey to be played.

“It’s just one game,” Burns said. “Obviously we had to win it, but it’s one game.”

Vegas coach Gerard Gallant didn’t rip his team for the effort but said they need to be better prepared.

“We didn’t show up for 45 minutes tonight,” he said Saturday. “We didn’t play a good game tonight. We played a great game the other night Josey Jewell Color Rush Jersey , and competed and battled, and tonight we didn’t show up to play our game tonight, and it cost us big time.”

Vegas went 1-0-1 at the Shark Tank during the regular season.

On Feb. 8, the Golden Knights exploded with three straight goals in the final 10:24 en route to 5-3 win. On March 22, Tomas Tatar scored early Trent Murphy Color Rush Jersey , but the Sharks answered with a goal from Burns before Couture scored 39 seconds into overtime to lift San Jose to a 2-1 win.

Sharks coach Peter DeBoer noted that Saturday’s win was a result of keeping true to the same message that has been communicated throughout the season.

“I think we’ve always taken the approach all year that we play our game and at the end of the day, good things happen,” he said.

A key to San Jose knotting the series was Martin Jones having a short memory. After yielding five goals on 13 shots in Game 1, he didn’t face more than eight shots in any period in Game 2 and finished with 26 saves.

“My confidence isn’t going to get shaken from one bad game. It’s not the first time I’ve had a bad game. You put that behind you. It’s why you have a routine,” said Jones Nyheim Hines Color Rush Jersey , who stopped 75 of 77 shots at home in Games 3 and 4 of the Sharks’ first-round sweep of the Anaheim Ducks.

One player who has been hard to stop in the postseason is Vegas center William Karlsson. He scored twice in Game 2, giving him seven points (three goals, four assists) in a four-game points streak.

Karlsson enjoyed a breakout season with career highs of 43 goals and 35 assists.

San Jose is expected to have winger Evander Kane back in the lineup after he served a one-game suspension for cross-checking Golden Knights center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare in Game 1.

Acquired at the Feb. 26 trade deadline from the Buffalo Sabres, Kane had eight of his 14 points with the Sharks at SAP Center.

That’s also where Game 4 is scheduled Wednesday night.

Smith-Pelly had offers from other teams and took less money to sign a $1 million Roquan Smith Color Rush Jersey , one-year deal Thursday. A person with knowledge of the move later in the day said the Capitals agreed to terms on a multiyear contract with Kempny. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.

”We all want to come back and play and try it again with the same group,” Smith-Pelly said. ”Obviously it might not work that way, but I think that’s what’s everyone intention to all come back and all be the same group.”

Smith-Pelly and Kempny were key acquisitions for the Capitals who played dividends in the playoffs. Smith-Pelly scored seven goals in the postseason, while Kempny filled the need for a top-four defenseman.

Each player said after the season he’d like to return. For Kempny, it’s the chance to keep an ”amazing” time going after fitting in perfectly alongside John Carlson and found his game under associate coach Todd Reirden.

”I’m very happy here,” Kempny said recently. ”We had plan with Todd Andrei Svechnikov Hurricanes Jersey , with defenseman coach, and the plan work out very well.”

The Capitals acquired Kempny from Chicago at the trade deadline for a third-round pick. He did not seem to be a favorite of Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville, was largely a third-pairing defenseman in Chicago and doubted his own ability to play difficult minutes against top NHL players.

”Todd, defenseman coach, he get my belief in myself back and I really appreciate (him) for it because when I came here I didn’t believe in myself,” Kempny said. ”I didn’t have confidence enough. Now Justin Reid Color Rush Jersey , I’m back and my confidence is getting better and better.”

The 27 year-old Czech had two goals and three assists while playing 17:42 a game in the playoffs. Even better news for him is Reirden is the strong front-runner to replace departed coach Barry Trotz.

Smith-Pelly likewise got his career back on track in Washington after he was bought out by New Jersey last summer. When signing Smith-Pelly to a two-way, league-minimum $650,000 contract, general manager Brian MacLellan called him a ”project” and made no assurances he’d crack the opening night roster.

The Toronto native put up seven goals and nine assists in 75 regular-season games and then had two game-winners during his scoring tear in the playoffs. Being comfortable in Washington and embraced by teammates and fans led Smith-Pelly to take the Capitals’ offer rather than a one- or two-year deal elsewhere with a higher salary.

”It wasn’t worth it to leave somewhere where I’m happy and somewhere where I really want to be,” the 26-year-old third-liner said. ”The money to me personally is not that important if I’m not going to be happy somewhere else.”

Smith-Pelly has 40 goals and 53 assists for 93 points in 341 regular-season games with the Anaheim Ducks, Montreal Canadiens http://www.panthersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-dj-moore-jersey , Devils and Capitals. Smith-Pelly was ready to stop the career carousel.

”It’d be nice to just stick in for one place for a couple years, and hopefully if it works out, longer than just this one next year,” Smith-Pelly said. ”It definitely played a role in the decision. I’m kind of tired of playing on new teams and all that stuff. It’s good to come back and be in the same place consecutive years.”

A 2010 second-round pick who had yet to find a foothold anywhere, Smith-Pelly was more than happy to take a chance on putting up bigger numbers going into unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019.

”I have confidence in myself that I can carry over from the playoffs and do something and then set myself up for something bigger and more stable later,” Smith-Pelly said. ”It’s definitely betting yourself. That’s what I’m doing Authentic Kody Clark Jersey , and I’m confident in myself.”

The Capitals wanted him back even after not giving him a qualifying offer Monday as a restricted free agent. Doing so at a cost of $715,000 would have opened them up to an arbitration case and, at the very least, kept Smith-Pelly’s salary-cap hit an unknown until the hearing in July or August.

It didn’t get to that point. The team continued to negotiate with agent Eustace King, and Smith-Pelly was more than happy to take a chance on putting up bigger numbers going into unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019.

”I have confidence in myself that I can carry over from the playoffs and do something and then set myself up for something bigger and more stable later,” Smith-Pelly said. ”It’s definitely betting yourself. That’s what I’m doing John Tavares Maple Leafs Jersey , and I’m confident in myself.”

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