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The team chose not re-sign fullback Derrick Coleman Sebastian Janikowski Jersey Elite , the only player at his position on the roster, and it needs depth at safety behind starters Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen.
The Falcons have a fourth-round pick, a sixth-round pick and two spots in the seventh round. They chose Alabama receiver Calvin Ridley in the first round, Colorado cornerback Isaiah Oliver in the second and South Florida defensive tackle Deadrin Senat in the third.
Another area of concern is defensive end following the free-agent departure of sacks leader Adrian Clayborn. Vic Beasley, the NFL sacks leader in 2016, will move back to end this season after spending last year at linebacker and having a falloff in production, but Quinn still wants to improve the pass rush.
BOSTON — Despite three losses in their last five games, the Florida Panthers still have a chance to grab the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
And, thanks to a January postponement, much of what happens to the Panthers depends on how they do with three of their last six games against the first-place Boston Bruins.
Florida, 1-1-1 on its current four-game trip Marcedes Lewis Packers Jersey , ends that journey with a matinee in Boston Saturday.
The Panthers host the Bruins April 5 and then return to TD Garden for the April 8 makeup.
They also have a home game against the Nashville Predators, so it’s hard to say the schedule is favorable. The other games, though, are at home against the Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres, both in the draft lottery.
Florida, which has lost two in a row for the first time since mid-February, trails the New Jersey Devils by three points but has a game in hand.
The Panthers lost 3-2 in Ottawa on a penalty shot goal by Jean-Gabriel Pageau with 12.9 seconds left in overtime Thursday night, leaving a vital point on the table.
“At this time of year, you want the two points,” said Florida goaltender James Reimer, who yielded the goal. “Two points are big Adidas Corey Perry Jersey , but any points are good. I’m disappointed we lost that one in OT, but the positives are that we got a point. We’re going to keep rolling, keep winning games and see where it stands at the end of the year.”
The penalty shot was awarded under what could be called controversial circumstances — defenseman Mike Matheson diving at Pageau.
“I watched it a few times,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. It’s an iffy, iffy call. It could have gone either way. I just think this time of year, the fight we’re in, it would have been nice to see it be called just a penalty with 13 seconds to go in the game. It’s a major decision that ended up costing us a point. Hopefully it’s not a costly point at the end of the day.”
Back on March 15, Reimer made 46 saves and the Panthers blanked the Bruins 3-0 after Boston swept the five-games between the teams last season.
The Bruins, meanwhile, continue to march impressively toward the playoffs despite their training room looking like a MASH unit.
They might get rookie Jake DeBrusk back Saturday, while top two defensemen Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy will travel with the team and could play Sunday at Philadelphia. Rick Nash and Sean Kuraly are also hurt.
The Bruins Jose Ramirez Jersey , 11-2-3 in their last 16 games despite all the injuries, won their third straight game this season against the Tampa Bay Lightning, moving into first place in both the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference.
Friday night, however, the Lightning ended a three-game losing streak with a 7-3 win over the Rangers in New York.
The Bruins have two games in hand and visit Tampa Bay on Tuesday.
“For us, I think we haven’t talked about the standings much this year, and we won’t going forward,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said after the 4-2 win over the Lightning. “When the 82 games are over, we’ll see where we are, who we got, and we’ll go from there. And Roquan Smith Jersey , I’m not trying to be disrespectful to that either, because it is an accomplishment, but we still have games to go, so we’ll enjoy it for a day or however long we’re there, and hopefully longer.”
Both teams have debuted Hobey Baker finalists in recent games, the Bruins with Harvard’s Ryan Donato and the Panthers Henrik Borgstrom.
Goalies Tuukka Rask and Anton Khudobin will split the two weekend games. Rask is 20-3-1 with a 1.48 goals against average and .950 save percentage against Florida while Khudobin is 3-2 in five games.
Roberto Luongo is 15-16-5 with a 2.49 goals against and .925 against Boston, but that doesn’t count his painful Game 7 loss to the Bruins for Vancouver in the 2011 Stanley Cup final. Reimer is 8-8-3 with a 2.34 average and .933 percentage against Boston.
The Bruins signed Jordan Szwarz to a one-year contract extension and then sent Szwarz and Tommy Cross back to Providence Friday.
.Fifty women representing five countries (U.S. Cheap Customized Denver Broncos Jerseys , Canada, Panama, Germany and Australia) will participate in the event on Jan. 26-27 in Orlando. The Pro Bowl is Jan. 28.
The forum will feature panel discussions and networking sessions aimed at educating and preparing women for careers in football operations, including coaching Authentic Braden Smith Jersey , officiating, scouting and front-office positions.
Twenty-two women who participated in the inaugural forum last year got jobs in football operations across the professional, collegiate and high school levels, including nine who obtained internships in the NFL.
Featured speakers and presenters include CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-d.j.-fluker-jersey , NFL chief football administration officer Dawn Aponte, Falcons assistant general manager Scott Pioli, NFL director of football development Samantha Rapoport, Panthers coach Ron Rivera and Stanford coach David Shaw.
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The Minnesota Vikings have canceled their training camp practice on Friday so the team can attend the memorial service for offensive line coach Tony Sparano Bills Cheap Jerseys , who died unexpectedly of a heart condition .
The Vikings announced the cancellation on Tuesday, two days after the 56-year-old's death. Sparano died of arteriosclerotic heart disease, or hardening of the arteries, according to the Hennepin County medical examiner's office.
The service will take place in the Twin Cities area Blake Martinez Jersey Elite , where Sparano and his wife moved in 2016 when he was hired by the Vikings. The team had only one workout scheduled for Friday morning for rookies and other selected players. The entire squad will have its first full practice of training camp together on Saturday.
Instead of flowers, the Sparano family has requested donations be made to the American Heart Association.
.Enunwa was a restricted free agent after missing last season with a bulging disk in his neck that required surgery. He had a breakout season in 2016, catching 58 passes for 857 yards and four touchdowns.
The Jets also tendered safety and special teams standout Rontez Miles and offensive lineman Brent Qvale with the right of first refusal. That means New York can match another team's offer within five days and keep them Cheap Dontae Johnson Jersey , but receive no draft compensation if they let them go.
Tight end Neal Sterling was also given an original-round tender (seventh round).
New York also re-signed three exclusive rights free agents: safety Doug Middleton, fullback Lawrence Thomas and tight end Eric Tomlinson.
The Houston Astros have extended the contract of general manager Jeff Luhnow through the 2023 season and added president of baseball operations to his title.Luhnow Dolphins Cheap Jerseys , who was hired by the Astros on Dec. 7, 2011 http://www.coltsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-tyquan-lewis-jersey , led a remarkable turnaround in Houston, helping the Astros move from a 100-loss team to winning its first World Series last season.
Luhnow is focused on helping the Astros remain contenders for years to come and says: ”While we are proud of what we have accomplished in a short time Jets Trenton Cannon Jersey , we are not done yet.”
The president of baseball operations title was created for Luhnow because owner Jim Crane thought ”that was a title that he deserved and earned.”
Financial terms of the deal weren’t released.
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"There has been, definitely, some dark times," Bradford said at his introductory news conference Friday. "You fight through that process and every time you turn that corner and you're able to get yourself back on the field. I feel like I've come back mentally tougher and mentally stronger than I was the time before."
The Cardinals called Bradford's deal a two-year contract, although the second is a club option. He can earn up to $20 million next season, with $15 million guaranteed.
Bradford, the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, is known for his strong and accurate arm but he has struggled with injuries.
After being named NFL offensive rookie of the year in 2010, Bradford tore his left ACL in the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He was traded to Philadelphia in 2015.
Bradford signed with Minnesota in 2016 and started 15 games, completing 71 percent of his passes for 3,877 yards and 20 touchdowns with five interceptions. But he missed most of last season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
"I feel good right now," he said. "Obviously, last year was difficult, but after the procedure I had in November I was able to rehab and get myself back in position to play and was able to suit up the two playoff games in Minnesota."
When asked about Vikings coach Mike Zimmer's statement that Bradford had a "degenerative" knee condition, Bradford said, "I'm not sure what that means, to be honest."
"Look, obviously there's some wear and tear on my knee Youth Connor Williams Jersey ," he said. "I've been through a lot with it, but all I can tell you is how I feel right now and really where it's gone since I had the procedure in November. It's done nothing but get better and I feel good at the moment."
He has appeared in 80 games 鈥?all as a starter 鈥?for the St. Louis Rams, Philadelphia and Minnesota.
Last season's injury was particularly devastating, Bradford said, because he was playing well on a team loaded with talent. In the season opener on a Monday night against New Orleans, Bradford completed 27 of 32 passes for 346 yards, three touchdowns and a career-best 143.0 passer rating, earning him NFC offensive player of the week honors. He was injured the following week.
"I think last year was definitely the hardest because I knew how special a group we had last year," Bradford said. "Going into the year, we all thought that we had an opportunity to do something. I felt like I played really well during training camp. ... In week one, I played great, and I felt really good about where we were as a team. To not be able to do it again, yeah, it was tough."
The 30-year-old quarterback acknowledged the injuries to wear on him.
"It seems like each time, it's a little bit tougher mentally," Bradford said. "As you get older, you just realize how precious each game is and how few of these opportunities you are given. So each time it's taken away from you, it's a little bit harder because you realize what you're missing out on. ... To not be able to compete on Sundays Kemoko Turay Color Rush Jersey , that's the tough part about it."
Before agreeing with Bradford, the Cardinals had no QBs on their roster after the retirement of Carson Palmer and the departure of free agents Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert. The Cardinals now have Bradford's backup lined up after signing Mike Glennon following his release by the Chicago Bears. Glennon gets a two-year deal worth $8 million. The Cardinals probably will add a third quarterback in the draft.
Now, once again, Bradford has to learn a new offense. He said he really doesn't know offensive coordinator Mike McCoy but talked to him this week. McCoy has said he would build an offense around the things his quarterback does best.
Bradford said he had other opportunities but chose Arizona because of the roster. He also likes that the Cardinals play on grass in front of perennial sellout crowds.
He mentioned the return of running back David Johnson, who missed all last season after breaking his wrist in the season opener. And, of course, there's wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
"I've never played with a guy like that before," Bradford said. "Yeah, I've played with some good receivers, but when you talk about Fitz, he's in a class that very few guys are in. To be a part of that and to get to play with him, it's probably one of the best opportunities of my career."
NOTES: In addition, the Cardinals signed ex-Cincinnati offensive tackle Andre Smith to a two-year contract and re-signed inside linebacker Josh Bynes to a three-year deal. Offensive lineman Vinston Painter re-signed for a one-year contract. ... Arizona was awarded its waiver claim on linebacker Jeremy Cash and released defensive lineman Josh Mauro.
Turns out there were enough bodies on offense for the Kansas City Chiefs to practice after all.The Chiefs opened a three-day rookie minicamp on Saturday after selecting six defensive players in last week’s draft, though one of them – defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie – is expected to transition to offensive guard. But with 14 rookie free agents and another 43 players in for tryouts, there were plenty of bodies to make up an offensive, defensive and special teams unit.
Don’t sleep on the unknown guys, either.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid pointed out that just a few years ago, an unheralded wide receiver named Albert Wilson impressed him during the same weekend. Wilson hung around for the next phase of the offseason program http://www.titansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-luke-falk-jersey , survived training camp and ultimately made the Kansas City roster.
This past offseason, Wilson signed a $24 million, three-year deal with the Miami Dolphins.
”Albert just made about $8 million,” Reid said with a smile, ”so there’s been a few. You invite them to the next phase and the next and eventually they make the roster.”
Still, it’s the draft picks that will draw the most attention this weekend.
The Chiefs didn’t have a first-round pick, so they used their initial selection on Ole Miss pass rusher Breeland Speaks in the second round. Speaks is expected to push last year’s second-round pick, Tanoh Kpassgnon, for playing time right out of the gate opposite standout linebacker Justin Houston.
”I did get the playbook,” Speaks said. ”My first reaction was, `I can do this.’ I looked at a few defenses we installed today and went over those and know those by heart already.”
With two third-round picks, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach continued to shore up his defense. He grabbed 315-pound run-stuffer Derrick Nnadi out of Florida State and then Clemson hybrid linebacker Dorian O’Daniel, both of whom could also factor into the starting rotation this fall.
The Chiefs were thin along the defensive front, even after signing Xavier Williams in free agency and retaining Rakeem Hunez-Roches as a restricted free agent. And with the expected departure of erstwhile pass rusher Tamba Hali, and injury woes to Dee Ford, finding another linebacker was paramount.
McKenzie, the son of Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie, was also in attendance Mike Remmers Jersey Vikings , as were fellow sixth-round pick Tremon Smith and Texas A&M safety Armani Watts, who could be the steal of the draft.
Watts dropped to the fourth round after concerns about his workouts at the combine, but the four-year starter said he had bulked up in the hopes that it would help him out. Instead, it only slowed him down and already Watts has reverted to his lean, fast playing weight.
The Chiefs are hopeful that he factors into the defense right away.
Star safety Eric Berry is returning from a season-ending Achilles tendon injury, and reliable safety Ron Parker was released in a cost-saving move. That leaves plenty of questions at the back of the defense.
”It’s a little bit different for those safeties,” Veach said, ”because they are like the quarterbacks of the defense where they have to line up people and make the calls and adjustments. That is no different than any safety, even if you draft them in the first round.
”Breeland is someone who we feel can come in and help us right away. Derrick, Dorian and Armani can certainly do some different things while he grows and understands the system a little bit better.”
UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS
The Chiefs signed 14 rookie free agents on Saturday, including former Kansas State wide receiver Byron Pringle. The local product left school a year early and has intriguing size at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, but he needs to showcase better hands than he did playing just down the road.
The Chiefs also signed RBs Darrell Williams and J.D. Moore from LSU; OL Ryan Hunter (Bowling Green), Jimmy Murray (Holy Cross) and Devondre Seymour (Southern Illinois); TE Blake Mack (Arkansas State); WR Elijah Marks (Northern Arizona); QB Chase Litton (Marshall); DB Arrion Springs (Oregon) and D’Montre Wade (Murray State); LBs Ben Niemann (Iowa) and Raymond Davison (California); and DT Dee Liner (Arkansas State).
BERRY’S BROTHER
The Chiefs also had 43 players on tryouts during the three-day rookie minicamp, including DB Elliott Berry. The undrafted rookie from Tennessee is the younger brother of the Chiefs’ star safety, Eric Berry.
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When the final horn blew, the capacity and white-towel-waving crowd at Target Center stood to soak in Minnesota’s first postseason appearance since 2004. Butler flashed a smile of relief as he hugged his teammates and confetti fluttered above the floor. The fans chanted “MVP! MVP!” as Butler conducted a postgame interview.
Jokic, locked in a classic big-man battle with Towns, finished with 35 points and 10 rebounds, but he missed six of his last eight shots after the third quarter as Denver’s late push fell a few points short.
The Timberwolves are moving on to play the NBA-best Houston Rockets in the first round.
Will Barton, who had 24 points, made a 3-pointer to beat the shot clock for Denver’s first lead, 104-103, since midway through the first quarter. After Taj Gibson hounded Jokic to force an air-balled 3-point try, Jeff Teague swished a floater with 1:19 left in overtime to put the Wolves back in front for good.
Andrew Wiggins sank two foul shots with 15 seconds remaining to finish with 18 points, and the Wolves were finally on their way to a celebration more than a decade in the making.
THUNDER 137, GRIZZLIES 123
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Russell Westbrook clinched a triple-double average for the second straight season, Paul George scored 40 points and Oklahoma beat Memphis.
Westbrook entered the night needing 16 rebounds to clinch the triple-double average. He pulled down his 16th rebound with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter and received a standing ovation. He finished with just six points, but had a career-high 20 rebounds and 19 assists.
Steven Adams scored 24 points and Corey Brewer added 17 for the Thunder, who matched a franchise record with 20 made 3-pointers. Dillon Brooks scored a career-high 36 points for Memphis.
76ERS 130, BUCKS 95
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Joel Embiid and JJ Redick watched from the bench, Ben Simmons had a scoreless first half and Philadelphia still won its 16th consecutive game to take the No. 3 Eastern Conference seed.
Fultz had his first career triple-double with 13 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds. Justin Anderson led the Sixers with 25 points, and Dario Saric had 24.
Embiid wore a black mask during warmups to protect his broken bone around his left eye, then changed into gold sneakers and a peach-colored jacket to watch the Sixers romp to a stunning 80-44 lead at the break. Embiid said he will likely miss at least Game 1 of the playoffs this weekend because of the injury.
KNICKS 110 Authentic Sylvester Williams Jersey , CAVALIERS 98
CLEVELAND (AP) – LeBron James played in his 82nd game, scored 10 points and then got some rest for the playoffs in Cleveland’s loss to New York in coach Jeff Hornacek’s likely last game with the Knicks.
James had never played every game in his 15-year NBA career. But he capped a remarkable season in which he seemed to break a record every night by adding another accomplishment to his long list of achievements. Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said he tried to talk James out of playing, but he gave in and allowed the 33-year-old to extend his record of scoring in double digits to 873 consecutive games before taking him out. James finished with 10 points and five rebounds in 10:33.
Knicks rookie Luke Kornet scored a season-high 23 points.
HEAT 116, RAPTORS 109, OT
MIAMI (AP) – Wayne Ellington scored a career-high 32 points and set Miami’s single-season record for 3-pointers, helping the Heat wrap up the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Ellington finished with eight 3-pointers, giving him 227 for the season. He topped the mark set by Damon Jones, who made 225 in 2004-05. Kelly Olynyk, Dwyane Wade, Justise Winslow, James Johnson and Tyler Johnson each scored 11 points for the Heat.
Kyle Lowry scored 28 points for Toronto, which already had the top seed in the East wrapped up.
PELICANS 122, SPURS 98
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Anthony Davis had 22 points, 15 rebounds, four blocks and three steals, and New Orleans assured itself no worse than the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
Rajon Rondo had 19 points and 14 assists, Nikola Mirotic had 21 points and 15 rebounds, and Jrue Holiday added 19 points for the Pelicans
LaMarcus Aldridge, Tony Parker and Dejounte Murray each scored 11 points for San Antonio.
MAGIC 101, WIZARDS 92
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Rodney Purvis scored 16 points for Orlando and Mario Hezonja finished with 15 points Cheap Ed Dickson Jersey , eight rebounds and six assists.
Jodie Meeks came off the bench to score 18 points for Washington. They lost five of their last six games to take the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
CELTICS 110, NETS 97
BOSTON (AP) – Aron Baynes led a short-handed Boston lineup with a career-best 26 points and 14 rebounds, carrying the Celtics past Brooklyn.
Jonathan Gibson scored 18 points, Guerschon Yabusele had 16 and Shane Larkin added 12 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for the Celtics. Nik Stauskas scored 18 points for the Nets.
PISTONS 119, BULLS 87
CHICAGO (AP) – Rookie Luke Kennard scored a career-high 23 points and Eric Moreland set career bests with 16 points and 17 rebounds for Detroit.
Anthony Tolliver had 18 points and Henry Ellenson added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Rookie Lauri Markkanen had 20 points for Chicago.
KINGS 96, ROCKETS 83
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Willie Cauley-Stein had 22 points an
As major leaguers Trea Turner, Sean Newcomb and Josh Hader face up to racist and homophobic tweets they sent as teenagers, publicist Lauren Walsh recalls how she dealt with a football player who had offensive Facebook posts years before he prepared for the NFL draft.
She went through his whole social media history, taking down any posts that even raised an eyebrow.
Scrubbing tweets, Instagram posts and other comments, captions and status updates has grown into a top priority for LW Branding, Walsh's company that has helped 40 NFL athletes with image control in the past 3 1/2 years.
"Any client that we take on, that's generally the first step we do in the process," Walsh said. "This can take someone down in an instant. All it takes is one tweet. Now, he's going to be known for this. This is what people are talking about."
Turner and Newcomb are the latest high-profile athlete s burned by reckless posts from years past. The 25-year-old Newcomb nearly threw a no-hitter for the Braves against the Dodgers on Sunday 鈥?a career defining moment that took a turn when he called reporters back into the clubhouse to apologize for offensive tweets sent in 2011 and 2012, when he was 18.
Homophobic and racially insensitive tweets by Turner from 2011 and 2012 surfaced Sunday night. The 25-year-old Turner, a shortstop for the Washington Nationals, apologized in a statement released by the team.
"I believe people who know me understand those regrettable actions do not reflect my values or who I am," Turner said. "But I understand the hurtful nature of such language and am sorry to have brought any negative light to the Nationals organization Texans Authentic Jerseys , myself or the game I love."
Hader, who pitches for the Milwaukee Brewers, is still in apology mode after tweets from his past surfaced during the All-Star Game this month. He was given a standing ovation in his first game back in Milwaukee, and then booed when the Brewers made their first road trip of the second half of the season in San Francisco.
The trend touches many young athletes, with millions of posts from thousands of players who have been online since they were kids.
Former Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen apologized for a series of offensive tweets he sent while in high school that were revealed right before the NFL draft, when the Buffalo Bills selected him seventh overall. As Villanova's Donte DiVincenzo was celebrating being named most outstanding player of the Final Four, some of his old tweets that included racially insensitive and homophobic comments made headlines.
"This stuff happens all the time and it happens when they get their shining moment," Walsh said. "When all of us were 17, we weren't thinking about where we were going to be in our lives seven years down the road."
But athletes should start thinking about the bigger picture, as damage from slip-ups can be critical to coaches and executives, Walsh said.
The mistakes by Turner, Hader and Newcomb will be discussed by athletic departments, professional teams, agents and handlers looking to protect themselves and their players. As higher-ups grow more aware of the damage social media mishaps can cause, vetting could become more rigid as a key part of evaluating a multimillion-dollar investment.
"In light of recent events, that's definitely something our staff will discuss to potentially eliminate the chance of a negative situation that puts a student-athlete in a bad light," said Creighton spokesman Rob Anderson, who said he doesn't know of any staffer going through a player's entire social media history.
Varsity Monitor keeps up with social media and offers education programs for 15 Division I schools, including North Carolina, Texas and Florida. Chief executive Joe Purvis said business is at an all-time high since 2010, with sales doubling in the past year.
It's not just athletes who should be wary of their past mistakes Authentic Kendall Wright Jersey , Purvis said.
"Sports recruiters and normal employment recruiters are now looking at social media profiles as well as resumes as a standard of that person's character," he said. "If your social profiles have negative posts, they will assume you are negative."
In the sports world, college might actually be too late to make changes. Social media can factor into whether an athlete is even offered a scholarship.
"We've stopped recruiting someone based on what kind of person he is after coaches had chances to assess everything in their life, including social media," said Georgia Southern spokesman Bryan Johnston.
Most schools designate a member of each team's coaching staff to monitor the social media channels of athletes. But the sheer volume of several hundred athletes per school makes it nearly impossible to keep up with everything.
Many schools have presentations early in the school year to educate students about the importance of being smart about social media. North Carolina brings in Derrick Mayes, a former NFL player and co-founder of 5.0 Communications, for "scared straight" seminars to athletes.
"When the reputation of your university, of your program is judged by what a teenager is doing on social media, the more that you can do to try to minimize those surprises, the better for everybody," North Carolina spokesman Steve Kirschner said.
Walsh suggests athletes and average Joes alike scrub their accounts once a year like a spring cleaning, leaving nothing to chance. And to use social media in a positive way.
"Be authentic," she said. "Define your brand and values. And then, you put out your content."
Even better to make smart decisions to begin with so there's no situation to fix, said Purdue spokesman Tom Schott.
"Once you put it out there, regardless of what you think you've deleted, it's probably going to be out there in some form or fashion," he said.
Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: CliffBruntAP .Not true.
”It’s important to have good at-bats. I feel like I have done that regardless of the outcome,” he said.
Lester hit a three-run homer that highlighted an eight-run burst in the second inning and wound up with his NL-leading 11th win as the Chicago Cubs held off the Minnesota Twins 11-10 on Sunday.
”I’ve had good at-bats and I haven’t been just a one-pitch out guy. So I have worked some counts and I’ve been able to at least make the pitcher work,” he said. ”That’s all I’m trying to do.”
”If I get hits, I get hits,” he said. ”The home run is awesome, it’s cool Austin Corbett Browns Jersey , especially at home. It’s always fun to play here with the crowd and to be able to hit the ball into the bleachers. But at the end of the day I know I’m a pitcher and I’m not a hitter.”
Ian Happ also homered for the Cubs, who have scored at least 10 runs in four straight games for the first time since 1930. Chicago swept the three-game series and has won four in a row overall.
Brian Dozier hit a two-run homer and Jake Cave also homered for the Twins.
Minnesota concluded a 1-5 Chicago road trip that began with two losses in three tries to the White Sox, and fell 10 games below .500 for the first time this season.
Lester hit his second career home run, prompting a curtain call from the cheering fans.
Lester went 10 seasons, mostly in Boston with sporadic at-bats, before getting his first major league hit. Now, in his fourth season with the Cubs, Lester has put more of an emphasis into hitting.
”I really didn’t care about hitting there” in Boston, he said. ”I’m worried about David (Ortiz) and (Dustin) Pedroia and all of the other guys driving in runs as opposed to me.”
”Coming over here, it can change the outcome of a game, so it becomes a little more important and you work on it all year. In spring training you’re doing it from part of the second week on,” he said.
Lester (11-2) allowed four runs Harrison Phillips Jersey Bills , two of them earned, and nine hits in five-plus innings.
Mitch Garver hit a two-run homer off Dillon Maples as the Twins scored five times in the eighth. Maples, called up from Triple-A before the game when pitcher Brian Duensing went on the disabled list with a sore left shoulder, also allowed an RBI single to Logan Morrison and a two-run triple to Willians Astudillo.
”Their offense, we just had trouble with it. Lot of big innings, lot of crooked numbers. I think our guys stayed with it. We got some opportunities there and got some big hits to get back in the game. When you get as close as we did late, it makes you think about some of the runs we gave up along the way, so that’s frustrating,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said.
Javier Baez, who doubled twice, Happ and Willson Contreras each had three hits for the Cubs.
Cubs closer Brandon Morrow got one out in the eighth and pitched a scoreless ninth for his 18th save in 19 chances.
”They got out on us pretty early, but I love the fight of the guys in the dugout. I kind of had glimpses of last year’s team and our fight Authentic Josey Jewell Jersey ,” Dozier said.
In the third consecutive sweltering day at Wrigley Field with a gametime temperature at 93 degrees and a heat index at 101, the Cubs jumped all over Lance Lynn (5-7) in the second inning.
Baez doubled home two runs and Anthony Rizzo had an RBI double. Kyle Schwarber met reliever Matt Magill with the Cubs’ third straight double.
Cubs shortstop Addison Russell added an RBI single in the fourth inning and made a highlight grab in the sixth inning before leaving the game with an apparent injury resulting in the catch.
Russell bumped into Baez while making the running catch on Eduardo Escobar’s ball down the left-field line in foul territory. He walked off the field and into the dugout after talking to a team trainer and manager Joe Maddon. Maddon said Russell injured his left middle finger and he doesn’t believe it to be serious.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: LF Eddie Rosario, one of three Twins to leave Saturday’s game due to heat was in the lineup on Sunday. Teammates Bobby Wilson and Max Kepler were available, as was infielder Ehire Adrianza, who received intravenous fluids after finishing the game.
”We just encouraged everyone last night to rest and hydrate the best they could again this morning to get themselves in positions to get through the game,” Molitor said. ”You just try to be aware of it. There’s not much you can do: You’ve got to play people and you’ve got to get through the game.” … SS Jorge Polanco’s 80-game performance-enhancing drug suspension ends Monday and Molitor said he expects him to rejoin the club in Milwaukee after a stint with Triple-A Rochester.
Cubs: OF Albert Almora didn’t start, but he came in the game in the eighth as a defensive replacement after leaving Saturday’s game due to dehydration. Almora suffered cramps in his legs and was removed in the fifth inning. Almora had a nice sliding catch in center to rob Kepler in the ninth.
UP NEXT
Twins: Visit Milwaukee on Monday as they continue their interleague schedule. Kyle Gibson (2-6) is the scheduled starter. He had another rough outing against the White Sox in his last start on June 27. He allowed five runs on a season-high 11 hits.
Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (5-8) will try to bounce back from his shortest outing of season on Tuesday against the Tigers. Hendricks allowed six runs.
The Grammy-winning rock band headlined the EA Sports Bowl on Thursday in Minneapolis, running through their hits like ”Thunder,” ”Believer” and ”Radioactive.”
Lead singer Dan Reynolds said singing outdoors in the cold is ”really brutal `cause it gets tight on your vocal cords, but indoor it’s not so bad.”
”The New Year’s thing we did in New Orleans, that was insanely cold Mike McGlinchey 49ers Jersey ,” said guitarist Daniel Wayne Sermon, referring to their performance on ”Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2018.”
”We were dying. That’s the coldest I’ve ever been. We heard this one was indoors and we were pretty jazzed. I’m not going to lie,” he added.
Imagine Dragons performed for feverish fans at Nomadic Live at the Armory, where rapper Machine Gun Kelly and electronic music producer Mura Masa also performed.
The band members said they’re not routing for a particular team when the New England Patriots take on the Philadelphia Eagles at the U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday. Reynolds also said ”none of us are particularly athletic people” (guitarist Ben McKee and drummer Daniel Platzman round out the group).
”I went to college in Boston so I guess I should be a Pats fan. Sorry about that,” said Sermon Broncos Game Jerseys , who played hockey in high school.
”You got probably the two least competitive guys in the band here,” added Reynolds, who said he played soccer growing up.
Though he couldn’t pick a team, Reynolds said he recently watched a documentary about Tom Brady that helped him appreciate the athlete.
”It was intriguing. You kind of see the dynamic of being a father and also having a family and juggling that with his competitive drive, and the age http://www.eaglesauthorizedshops.com/authentic-paul-worrilow-jersey , and the taxing on the body. I thought that was very incredible. Just seeing that was inspiring,” he said.
The band, which formed in Las Vegas, said returning to Minneapolis is great because the city ”has been a big part of our band’s story.”
”I feel like there’s certain cities in the U.S. that really feel we like a sense of home and this is one of those cities,” Reynolds said.
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The NHL suspended Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson three games on Wednesday for an illegal hit on Pittsburgh’s Zach Aston-Reese.
The league announced the suspension less than 24 hours after Wilson broke Aston-Reese’s jaw with a violent collision near the Washington bench in the second period of Washington’s 4-3 Game 3 victory over the Penguins.
Aston-Reese was stickhandling near the Capitals bench when Wilson drilled the rookie with his left shoulder. The force propelled Wilson up into the Washington bench while Aston-Reese lay on the ice for several moments before skating off. He was later diagnosed with a concussion and a broken jaw.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety ruled Wilson made Aston-Reese’s head the initial point of contact during the collision Cowboys Cheap Jerseys , pointing out that Wilson did not have to pivot to his left side to hit Aston-Reese.
The league said Aston-Reese made no sudden movement at the last second that made contact unavoidable. The league pointed out several ways Wilson could have finished the play legally only to instead launch himself at Aston-Reese.
”He extends up and into the hit unnecessarily,” the league said in a video.
While Wilson was not penalized during the game, the league’s Department of Player Safety called for a hearing on Wednesday.
This isn’t the first time this season Wilson has been disciplined by the league. He was forced to sit out two preseason games following a late hit on St. Louis Blues rookie Robert Thomas and was suspended for the first four games of the regular season for boarding Blues forward Sammy Blais shortly after his return.
The league pointed out Wilson’s status as a repeat offender as a factor in the length of the suspension it handed out.
Game 4 is scheduled for Thursday night in Pittsburgh.
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The NFL's active rushing leader agreed to terms with the Miami Dolphins, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person confirmed the agreement to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal won't be final until Gore passes a physical.
Gore, who turns 35 next month, grew up in South Florida and played for the Miami Hurricanes. He rushed for 961 yards for Indianapolis last year, and when the Colts decided against trying to re-sign him, there was speculation the 2017 season might have been his last.
But the Dolphins want to give the durable Gore a chance to provide depth at running back behind Kenyan Drake, who became Miami's starter last year and averaged 4.8 yards per carry.
Miami also kept defensive end William Hayes, signing him to a one-year contract. Hayes Jeff Locke Jersey 49ers , acquired by Miami in a trade a year ago, played in 10 games as a backup in 2017 before being placed on injured reserve because of a back injury.
Gore has rushed for 14,026 yards in his NFL career to rank fifth on the all-time list. He spent three seasons with the Colts, and in 2016 became the league's oldest 1,000-yard rusher since John Riggins in 1982.
Gore also played for the San Francisco 49ers and has started every game since 2011.
P.K. Subban didn’t get heckled as long and as loud as he normally does from Winnipeg fans on Thursday.He and the rest of Nashville’s defenseman did enough to finally quiet the Jets on the ice, too.
Pekka Rinne made 32 saves, Subban and Ryan Hartman scored and the Predators stifled Winnipeg’s high-powered offense to win 2-1 and even their second-round series through four games.
Patrik Laine scored off a faceoff in the final minute, but Nashville’s Nick Bonino won two key faceoffs after that to end it.
”That was an amazing team effort Cheap Saquon Barkley Jersey ,” Rinne said. ”We played a really solid game throughout.”
Game 5 will be Saturday in Nashville, with Game 6 set for Winnipeg on Monday. Game 7, if necessary, would be in Nashville next Thursday.
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 27 shots, but Nashville snapped Winnipeg’s 13-game home winning streak, which dated to March 2.
Rinne allowed five goals amid a series of defensive miscues in a 7-4 Game 3 defeat after Winnipeg totaled eight goals over the first two games. Rinne rebounded impressively behind a Nashville team that was much sharper in its own end.
”I think last game, the details are kind of what cost us,” Subban said. ”This game Rick Leonard Jersey Saints , we paid attention to all of them for a full 60 (minutes).”
The Predators led 1-0 after the first period and stretched their lead with 5:24 left in the second when Subban blasted a one-timer on Nashville’s first power play.
Booed by the thunderous white-clad crowd every time he’s touched the puck the last two games, Subban seemed to feed off the noise. It was Subban’s third goal of the series after being held without one in the first round.
”The biggest thing is we had full commitment through our lineup to play defense,” Subban said. ”In our zone when bounces didn’t go our way, we worked the puck out.”
The Jets found far less space in the neutral zone, but also saw a couple of golden opportunities bounce over their sticks.
Winnipeg had a couple of great chances to tie it earlier in the period. Kyle Connor missed on a pass from Bryan Little in the slot on a power play, and Mark Scheifele let the puck skip over his stick on a 2-on-1 with Blake Wheeler moments before Subban silenced the crowd with his goal.
Laine scored on a 6-on-4 with 50.2 seconds left in the third – his third of the playoffs and first of the series – but the Predators held on from there to wrestle back home-ice advantage.
”They had five guys behind the red line and we were a little stubborn – didn’t want to make them turn around and bring the puck out,” Wheeler said. ”They pounced on a loose puck and we chased the game.”
Nikolaj Ehlers was back on the Jets’ top line alongside Scheifele and Wheeler after switching spots with Connor following Tuesday’s disastrous opening 20 minutes when Winnipeg fell behind 3-0. Connor once again skated with Laine and Paul Stastny.
Nashville opened the scoring with 2:40 left in the first when Hartman scored his second of the playoffs off a scramble in front. An attempted clear by Winnipeg’s Ben Chiarot in front instead went off defense partner Tyler Myers and directly to Hartman, who beat Hellebuyck up high.
The teams traded chances earlier in the period Arizona Cardinals Jerseys Womens , with Hellebuyck stopping Roman Josi and Scott Hartnell on 2-on-1 breaks, while the butt end of Rinne’s stick stopped Josh Morrisey’s backhand chance along the ice at the other end.
”So lucky,” Rinne said. ”I mean, I’ll take that any day. But it was so lucky. I wish I could say I did that on purpose.”
Notes: The Jets inserted winger Joel Armia into the lineup after he missed the first three games of the series with an upper-body injury. Rookie forward Jack Roslovic was a healthy scratch. … Hartnell stepped in for Kevin Fiala, who scored in double overtime for Nashville in Game 2. The Predators also dressed defenseman Yannick Weber in place of Alexei Emelin.
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Foegele had a goal and an assist in his first game, and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Ottawa Senators 4-1 on Monday night.
”It took me (until) about the third shift to realize it was just another hockey game,” Foegele said, repeatedly calling it ”a surreal moment.”
Brock McGinn and Valentin Zykov scored 98 seconds apart in the second period, Sebastian Aho had an empty-netter with 1:59 remaining and Derek Ryan had two assists to help the Hurricanes win their third straight.
Carolina – still a serious longshot to make the playoffs for the first time since 2009 – moved within seven points of idle New Jersey for the eighth postseason spot in the East with six games left.
The most inexperienced of the Hurricanes played key roles in this one, and not just Foegele. It was the sixth career game for both Zykov and defenseman Roland McKeown – who was on the ice for each of Carolina’s first three goals.
”They can come in here and instill that youth and energy and vigor, and I think they’ve shown that Cheap Joseph Noteboom Jersey ,” Ryan said. ”They’ve done that so far, and it’s fun to have that kind of the smiles on their faces, to see Warren score his first goal in his first game and smile on the bench, he’s excited and it kind of makes me relive those memories for myself.”
Bobby Ryan scored and Craig Anderson stopped 26 shots for the Senators, who lost their fifth straight and have been outscored 22-7 in their last four. The Hurricanes beat them twice in three nights by a combined 9-3 score.
”You can look down the lineup, we’re plugging in guys to see where they fit, and trying different players here and there Jaire Alexander Youth Jersey ,” Anderson said. ”As long as the compete level’s there, you can’t fault anybody, and that’s how it was tonight. We came out, we competed and just weren’t able to get the win.”
Cam Ward made 19 saves for Carolina, which recalled Foegele from its AHL affiliate in Charlotte during a day off Sunday.
Both of his shots resulted in goals.
His first career goal came with 1:08 left in the first when he skated up the end line and slipped the puck between Anderson’s glove and the post.
”The best advice I got was to just shoot it on net,” Foegele said. ”So I shot it, and it just went in.”
He assisted on Zykov’s go-ahead goal with 5:22 left in the second Cheap Josh Jackson Jersey , with the physical Russian forward poking in the rebound of Foegele’s shot to make it 2-1.
McGinn then cashed in on an Ottawa turnover, taking a pass from Jordan Staal and whipping in a shot from between the circles to make it a two-goal game with 3:44 left.
NOTES: Aho has a point in nine straight games. … Ward improved to 10-1-2 in his last 13 against the Senators. … Zykov has six points in six career games. … Ottawa C Matt Duchene, who assisted on Bobby Ryan’s goal, has 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in his last 21 games. … Ottawa D Erik Karlsson didn’t make the trip. Karlsson and his wife announced last week that their son Axel had been born stillborn.
UP NEXT
Senators: Return home to face the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.
Hurricanes: Visit New Jersey on Tuesday night.
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More NHL hockey: Trying to address an offseason need, the Arizona Cardinals have signed cornerback Bene Benwikere to a one-year contract.
The 6-foot, 190-pound Benwikere played the first three of his four NFL seasons with Carolina after the Panthers drafted him in the fifth round out of San Jose State. So he is very familiar with new Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks Marquez Valdes-Scantling Jersey Elite , who was the Panthers’ secondary coach all three of those years.
Benwikere has played in 39 NFL games, 13 as a starter, with two interceptions, 22 passes defensed, a sack, four fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. He played in 14 games for Dallas last season after the Cowboys acquired him in a preseason trade with Cincinnati.
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The Arizona Cardinals running back, an All-Pro in 2016, missed last season after dislocating his left wrist in the season opener. The wrist is healed and he is a full participant in the team's weight and conditioning program that began this week.
"I'm very motivated," he said Thursday. "It's not really about (showing) the people out there, it's really about myself and coming back for the team, for my teammates, for the coaches. Everything being so new, it's really about coming back and bouncing back and being able to play the sport."
By new, Johnson means the coaching staff. Bruce Arians, who utilized Johnson almost as much as a receiver as a ball carrier, has retired. New coach Steve Wilks brought in Mike McCoy as offensive coordinator. McCoy has talked about designing an offense around the ability of the players.
And that would mean a lot of David Johnson.
Drafted in the third round out of Northern Iowa in 2015, Johnson's multiple abilities as a runner and a receiver were on full display his second season under Arians' wide-open system.
Johnson led the league in yards from scrimmage and touchdowns in 2016, setting an NFL record by topping 100 yards from scrimmage in each of his first 15 games. He probably would have made it 16 had he not injured a knee in the season finale against the Los Angeles Rams.
The 6-foot-1 Derwin James Color Rush Jersey , 225-pound back rushed for 1,239 yards that season and caught 80 passes for 879 yards. The performance earned him All-Pro honors at the flex position.
Because it was his wrist that was hurt in the opener at Detroit, Johnson could still run and do other workouts designed for him by strength and conditioning coach Buddy Morris, who was retained by the new staff. Johnson said he probably is in the best shape of his life.
"We seen David all of last year, seeing him work out, running the field. We thought he could play every Sunday," teammate Patrick Peterson said. "He's always looking good. That guy's a freak of nature. I know he can't wait to get back on the field."
Getting Johnson in the weight room is no problem. Getting him not to overdo it is a challenge.
"He's a freak," Morris said. "I will never, ever take credit for anything David Johnson (does). I have to protect David from David to be honest with you, because he always wants to load the bar with more and more and more weight."
Johnson said he does that sometimes just to see Morris' reaction.
"I've always been a hard lifter in the weight room, ever since high school," Johnson said. "Buddy yesterday was telling me not to put so much on the squat rack, but sometimes I'm hard at listening to what he is saying. I know he has my best interest, but sometimes I feel like I need to put more weight on Authentic Thomas Rawls Jersey , and I like to get under his skin a little bit because it rattles him and he starts using these huge words that no one understands."
Being hurt, Johnson said, was "a blessing in disguise" because he's been able to spend so much time with his young son. There was no father in the picture when Johnson was growing up.
"That I didn't have a father figure in my life, it really pushed me to do everything I can for him," he said, "be at every milestone, be there for anything that's going on in his life. I've seen the little things, like his teeth growing, him walking, crawling, his laughing, just being there for every little thing that happens in his life. "
The Latest on the Supreme Court ruling striking down a federal law that bars gambling on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states (all times local):10:45 p.m.
The Supreme Court has cleared the way for states to legalize betting on sports http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jeremy-kerley-jersey , breaking a longtime ban and creating a potential financial boon for states and the gambling industry. The first bets could be placed within weeks.
The high court has struck down a federal law that had barred betting on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states. States that want to take advantage of the ruling now will generally have to pass legislation to allow sports books to open.
Sports leagues had expressed concerns about any expansion of sports gambling. But the ruling also could be seen as bringing a popular activity out of the shadows. Americans wager about $150 billion on sports each year illegally, according to the American Gaming Association.
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6:15 p.m.
An oddsmaker at one Las Vegas resort sees little chance that betting in other states will siphon business away from Las Vegas.
Westgate race and sports book chief Jay Kornegay calls Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing sports betting in states an opportunity for which sports books have been preparing for a long time.
Kornegay says tourists don’t just come to Las Vegas to wager at the sports book. They also visit restaurants, casino tables, stores, pool venues, theaters and nightclubs.
Kornegay predicts crowd will still come for big events like the NCAA basketball March Madness tournament, the NFL Super Bowl, boxing and mixed martial arts fights, and the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup horse races.
He says people who are introduced to legal gambling in their home states might then want to visit Las Vegas.
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5:50 p.m.
Casino operator MGM Resorts International does not expect the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on sports betting to have a negative impact on the Las Vegas market.
CEO Jim Murren tells The Associated Press the company has polled customers in focus groups around the U.S. and found that widespread sports betting opportunities will not keep fans from traveling to the nation’s gambling mecca.
Murren says people will want to visit the market leader, which will take them to Las Vegas’ sports books.
The Las Vegas-based company operates more than 10 properties there and several more in the U.S. and abroad.
Murren says the ruling will increase consumer interest in sports.
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5:45 p.m.
An executive with a company that owns casinos in 18 states and Ontario, Canada, says the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on sports gambling could begin a ”land rush” for states to enact sports wagering laws.
Penn National Gaming senior vice president Eric Schippers says West Virginia is already at work on regulations to enable sports betting in that state by the start of the NFL season in September.
Penn National operates the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races Dorance Armstrong Jr. Color Rush Jersey , about 60 miles west of Washington, D.C.
The company also operates the Tropicana resort on the Las Vegas Strip and the M Resort in suburban Henderson, Nevada.
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4:15 p.m.
Longtime sportscaster Brent Musburger says prohibition didn’t work with liquor and prohibition didn’t work for sports betting.
The former ESPN announcer now heads a sports betting broadcast called Vegas Stats and Information Network.
He’s calling Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling on sports betting in states a healthy thing for sports and the public.
Musburger says sports betting and influence scandals are rare, and all that bookmakers in Las Vegas want is integrity and honesty.
He says the ruling takes sports betting ”out of the underground and makes it mainstream.”
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3:50 p.m.
Casino giant Caesars Entertainment says you can bet it will expand its sports wagering business to states where it says secure and responsible gambling is legalized.
It’s not talking yet about details.
Company president and chief executive Mark Frissora says Monday’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court could end illegal sports wagering by replacing it with a well-regulated alternative that sports fans can trust.
Las Vegas-based Caesars operates 47 casinos in 13 U.S. states and five countries.
Frissora says the company will announce its specific approach to adding sports books after regulations evolve from the court ruling.
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3:45 p.m.
New Jersey lawmakers have introduced new legislation that would regulate and tax sports betting, hours after the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for states to legalize it.
A bill sponsored Monday by Democratic state Senate president Steve Sweeney and others would set an 8 percent tax rate for bets made in person at casinos and racetracks, and 12.5 percent on online bets.
The state Division of Gaming Enforcement, Casino Control Commission, and state Racing Commission would all be involved in regulating sports bets that would be placed through casinos and racetracks.
The bill would presumably supplant one introduced last week that would have paid an ”integrity fee” to the sports leagues, in effect giving them a cut of the proceeds from sports betting.
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2:40 p.m.
The National Council on Problem Gambling says the high court ruling offers the largest potential expansion of gambling in U.S. history, and predicts many more people will develop gambling problems or worsen existing ones unless steps are taken to minimize risks.
Marlene Warner, the group’s .