© Copyright 不及格社區
Rob Carr/Getty ImagesVirginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander declared for the 2018 NFL supplemental draft on Saturday.In a statement tweeted by his agent Calvin Ridley Jersey , Andy Ross, Alexander said he decided to enter the supplemental draft after being ruled academically ineligible to play at Virginia Tech in 2018:Andy Ross @adross77Statement from Adonis Alexander. https://t.co/walcjbp4DqNFL Network's Tom Pelissero tweeted that while Alexander has a lot of "off-field issues for teams to sort through," he is expected to be picked in the supplemental draft.In 2016 Kerryon Johnson Youth Jersey , Virginia Tech聽suspended聽Alexander after he was arrested for possession of marijuana.That came on the heels of a strong freshman campaign in 2015 that saw the 6'3" defensive back register 55 tackles, six passes defended and four interceptions.Alexander returned from suspension and followed that up with 43 tackles, seven passes defended and two picks in 2016.Last season was Alexander's worst with the Hokies. He appeared in just eight games and finished with 27 tackles Shaquem Griffin Jersey , four passes defended and one interception.Even so, there promises to be interest in Alexander as part of the supplemental draft due to his size and athletic ability.Alexander has a chance to become the first player selected in the NFL supplemental draft since the then-St. Louis Rams used a fifth-round pick to take Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle in 2015. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is apparently a fan of soon-to-be-former Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson despite the severity of allegations against the latter.聽According to Jason La Canfora of BMOShow.com, Jones "spoke glowingly" of Richardson to fellow owners Tuesday and thanked him for what he鈥檚 done for the NFL.Richardson announced he was putting the Panthers up for sale in December amid allegations of workplace misconduct against him.L. Jon聽Wertheim聽and Viv Bernstein聽of聽Sports Illustrated聽reported "at least four former Panthers employees have received 'significant' monetary settlements due to inappropriate workplace comments and conduct by owner Jerry Richardson Josh Jackson Youth Jersey , including sexually suggestive language and behavior, and on at least one occasion directing a racial slur at an African-American Panthers scout."Jones鈥?review of Richardson came during the NFL鈥檚 Spring League Meeting in Atlanta.Herbie Teope聽of NFL.com cited colleague Ian Rapoport and noted Richardson was also expected to address fellow owners Tuesday and offer his farewells before the Panthers are officially transferred to David Tepper.David Newton聽of ESPN.com reported the NFL鈥檚 32 owners unanimously approved of the sale of the Panthers to Tepper on Tuesday, clearing the way for the sale to be officially completed in July.Richardson founded the Panthers in 1993 and appears to still have the support of Jones even聽after the serious allegations against him..
The Baltimore Ravens selected Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson in the first round of the NFL draft this year Connor Williams Jersey , calling into question whether the team would have a quarterback controversy this summer.But thus far, Joe Flacco has appeared to rise to the challenge.聽As Peter King of NBC Sports wrote: "One longtime Ravens observer told me here Thursday that this first week of camp for Flacco has been 'far and away' the best he's looked in camp in his 11 years as a Raven."Obviously, it's early in training camp and Jackson is still learning the offense, while Flacco has been in Baltimore for 10 years. But Flacco's performance has turned more than a few heads."I see Joe Flacco out there," head coach John Harbaugh told King. "Healthy. Obviously very determined.""That's an NFL quarterback," Jackson added. "I'm learning a lot watching him."Flacco, 33, did not turn heads last season. The veteran threw for just聽3,141 yards, 18 touchdowns and 13聽interceptions Andy Dalton Bengals Jersey , completing聽64.1聽percent of his passes. Pro Football Focus gave him a grade of聽76.6, 24th among quarterbacks.In the process, the Ravens threw for just聽189 yards per game, 29th in the NFL. But the team bolstered its weapons in the offseason, adding John Brown,聽Michael Crabtree,聽Willie Snead聽and rookie tight ends Hayden聽Hurst and聽Mark Andrews.But the addition that earned the headlines was Jackson. Was he brought in to light a fire under Flacco? Is he simply short-term insurance and a long-term investment?聽The Ravens have maintained that they'll utilize both players this season, likely finding creative ways to get Jackson involved, given his impressive athleticism and dynamism聽with the ball in his hands."We have ideas. People are seeing it out here," Harbaugh told King. "Sometimes Lamar will be the quarterback. Sometimes we'll have two quarterbacks. Sometimes Joe will be doing something else. Sometimes Lamar will be doing something else. We'll try to be creative. That's really about all I can tell you: We're going to try to be creative with them."As for Flacco DJ Moore Panthers Jersey , he's trying to handle what he can control.聽"There's definitely a certain feeling you have," he told King about Jackson being drafted. "I don't know if it's the worst feeling in the world, but it's definitely means something. There's definitely a little bit of a message in there. But this is the NFL, man. I've been in it for 10 years, seen pretty much everything. Surprised by this [the drafting of Jackson] a little bit. 鈥?Ryan Shazier’s locker sat untouched in a corner of the Pittsburgh Steelers locker room Wednesday save for one little piece: his yellow No. 50 practice jersey, which found its way into the hands and over the shoulders of good friend and fellow inside linebacker Vince Williams.While Williams and the rest of Shazier’s teammates tried to go about the business of preparing for a visit from Baltimore on Sunday night that could clinch Pittsburgh’s third AFC North title in four years, Shazier spent the day being transported from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh to undergo further testing on a spinal injury that left his future murky and his teammates shaken.“I think it’s just weird without 50 here,” rookie outside linebacker T.J. Watt said. “He’s the heart and soul of this defense. He’s the quarterback. It’s just different not having him here in meetings and out there in practices. It’s weird.”Pittsburgh signed Sean Spence, who spent three seasons with the Steelers after being taken in the third round of the 2012 draft, to fill Shazier’s spot on the roster.Tyler Matakevich could start in Shazier’s spot against the Ravens if his aching left shoulder comes around in time.Yet the void left by the relentlessly upbeat and charismatic Shazier both on the field and off will be more difficult to replace. Perhaps impossible. And Shazier’s teammates know it.While they’ve inundated him with texts and phone calls and tried to stay positive Mike McGlinchey Youth Jersey , the sight of one of the league’s best linebackers on a stretcher, his legs motionless after a routine hit served as a jarring reminder of their own football mortality.“It just brings it back to reality of how dangerous the sport truly is,” linebacker Arthur Moats said. “A lot of times, especially with injury stuff like that, people just kind of get … you get kind of ‘Oh, we see it all the time, guys get hit all the time, guys get hurt all the time but it’s nothing crazy.’ When you see a guy go down like that, it kind of puts it into perspective like ‘Oh yeah, it’s real life.'”Safety Mike Mitchell was 20 feet away when Shazier lowered his head to hit Cincinnati wide receiver Josh Malone in the back. Shazier bounced off and rolled over Kerryon Johnson Jersey , pointing to the bottom of his back in obvious pain, his legs splayed awkwardly.“That’s my brother,” Mitchell said. “When we walked out there, that was one of the things that really shook me up a little bit because Shay’s tough as nails. When I look at him, he had tears in his eyes. I could clearly see he was really scared.”The Steelers seemed to spend the rest of the first half in a daze before rallying to win on Chris Boswell’s last-second field goal . They remain guardedly optimistic about Shazier’s prognosis while also a bit powerless. All they can do is sit, and wait, and play.“You understand that the only way to do your job and help him with his recovery is make sure we go out there and execute, him not having to have that burden of ‘Dang, the team’s struggling. The team’s doing bad. I got to hurry up and get back,'” Moats said. “I feel like if we just continue to be successful Sam Darnold Jersey , that’ll make it a little easier on him.”Trying to compartmentalize their jobs with concern for their friend isn’t easy, especially when it remains unclear if Shazier will be able to walk again let alone continue a career that appeared on the verge of stardom up until the moment his helmet struck Malone’s back.Yet to a man the Steelers know this is what they signed up for, Shazier included. If he can’t be alongside them, the next best thing they can do is honor him with their play.“It sucks the injury that happened,” defensive end Cam Heyward said. “I think the air was let out of the building for a while, but we understand we’ve got to keep playing.“We know it’s not easy. He was an integral part of our defense and our team. We keep him in our prayers. Keep in contact with him and then we try to focus on football.”NOTES: TE Vance McDonald (ankle) and Mitchell (ankle) practiced on Wednesday. … CB Joe Haden (fractured leg) and Matakevich (shoulder) did not.This story has been corrected to note Spence was taken in the third round of the 2012 draft, not the fifth round..
SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants will attempt to complete their winningest homestand since their 2012 championship season when they go for a series sweep against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday afternoon.
Right-handers Chris Stratton (8-5, 4.14 ERA) of the Giants and Jon Gray (7-7, 5.52) of the Rockies are scheduled to duel in a rematch of a May 19 meeting in San Francisco won by the Giants 9-4.
With hard-fought 3-2 and 1-0 victories in the first two games of the series Cheap Taven Bryan Jersey , the Giants improved to 7-2 on their homestand, with one game remaining.
They haven’t had an eight-win homestand since September 2012.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy credited his pitchers, who have held the opposition to three or fewer runs in 10 of their last 13 games, including six of nine on the homestand.
“There’s a large sense of confidence here at home,” he said. “What’s impressive is the pitching here. It’s keeping us in the game.”
Stratton has given up three or fewer earned runs in seven straight starts. That streak includes the May 19 game against the Rockies, when one of the four runs he allowed was unearned.
The 27-year-old has faced the Rockies three times in his career, twice as a starter Cheap Josh Rosen Jersey , and has gone 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA.
The guy who has given him the most trouble has been Charlie Blackmon, who has four hits, including a home run, in seven at-bats against Stratton.
Blackmon had one of the Rockies’ two hits in Wednesday’s loss.
Colorado finds itself in an offensive slump entering the series finale. The Rockies have lost four in a row, having totaled nine runs in those games.
This comes on the heels of having exploded for 37 runs in their previous four games, all wins.
Gray has faced the Giants twice this season, and hasn’t seen the fifth inning either time.
After giving up five runs and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings in the May 19 loss Cheap Kolton Miller Jersey , he was roughed up at home for four runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings in a 7-4 defeat. He did not get a decision in the latter.
Gray has started five games in his career against the Giants, going 0-2 with a 5.24 ERA. Both losses came in San Francisco.
Gray has struggled this season with Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford, the hero of Wednesday’s win with the third walk-off home run of his career. Crawford has a double and two singles in four at-bats against Gray this season.
Andrew McCutchen also has scorched the 26-year-old in the past, going 7-for-12 with two doubles.
The Giants reached the midpoint of their season with a 42-39 record Wednesday night. That’s a 12-game improvement over last season, when they were already 22 1/2 games out of first place in the National League West.
The Rockies will play their 81st game Thursday. They had 47 wins at the midpoint of the 2017 season, nine more than they have this year.
.The Portland Trail Blazers fought their way through a pressure-packed playoff race to earn home-court advantage in a series Quenton Nelson Colts Jersey , then lost it in one game.
The Toronto Raptors know that problem all too well, so they want to take advantage of playing from ahead for a change.
They try for their first 2-0 playoff series lead ever Tuesday night against Washington, while the Trail Blazers try to even things up in against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Boston and Milwaukee play the other Game 2 on Tuesday after the Celtics pulled out a 113-107 overtime victory on Sunday.
The No. 3 Trail Blazers were the highest-seeded team to lose so far, falling 97-95 on Saturday. Anthony Davis was dominant, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum were slow-starting, and the Pelicans got a couple big defensive plays down the stretch from Jrue Holiday to hold on after the Blazers nearly came back from a 19-point deficit.
”I think it puts some pressure on us,” Lillard said. ”You know, you come in with home court, the first two games on your floor and you lose the first one, and now they’re saying in their locker room we got one, why not go get another one. And our job is to defend the home court.
”We’ve got to tighten up, come back sharper John Ross Jersey , and take care of home floor.”
Toronto had lost Game 1 at home all six times it had home-court advantage in a series, part of an overall 10-game losing streak in series openers, before beating Washington 114-106 dropped on Saturday. Finally, the Raptors could enjoy the start of postseason play.
”And for me, this year is finally a year I can be happy watching other games and not be like `Damn, I lost Game 1,”’ point guard Kyle Lowry said.
—
Some things to know about Tuesday’s matchups:
WIZARDS AT RAPTORS
Toronto leads 1-0. Game 2, 7 P.M., NBA TV.
NEED TO KNOW: Toronto’s only other 1-0 series lead was in the 2001 Eastern Conference semifinals against Philadelphia, which won Game 2 and ultimately the series in seven games.
KEEP AN EYE ON: The 3-point line. The Raptors made a franchise-record 16 in the opener, twice as many as Washington for a 24-point advantage behind the arc.
INJURY UPDATE: Raptors reserve Fred VanVleet (right shoulder) went through most of practice Monday after missing the opener but remains day to day. Lowry was fighting a cold but joked he was ”out tanning” Sunday during an ice storm.
PRESSURE IS ON: Washington’s bench. The Wizards‘ reserves probably aren’t going to win the battle against Toronto’s highly productive second unit, but need to produce something more after getting next to nothing beyond Mike Scott’s 14 points in the opener.
BUCKS AT CELTICS
Boston leads 1-0. Game 2 DJ Moore Youth Jersey , 8 P.M., TNT.
NEED TO KNOW: Giannis Antetokounmpo has scored 20 or more points in eight straight games against the Celtics after scoring 35 before fouling out in overtime of the opener.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Boston’s balance. With Al Horford (24 points), Terry Rozier (23), Marcus Morris (21) and Jaylen Brown (20), the Celtics had four 20-point scorers in a playoff game for the first time since Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Reggie Lewis and Brian Shaw did it in a 1991 game. Throw in Jayson Tatum’s 19 points, and the Bucks let too many players get hot in Game 1.
INJURY UPDATE: Celtics coach Brad Stevens said Marcus Smart is getting some shots up and working on lower body and conditioning as much as he can, but has been told by the training staff that April 27 is the earliest the guard could begin basketball activity.
”We’re still a ways away from that and a lot of games away from that,” Stevens said.
PRESSURE IS ON: Eric Bledsoe. Milwaukee needs more from its starting guard who had more combined fouls (6) and turnovers (5) than points (9) in a bit of a Game 1 dud.
PELICANS AT TRAIL BLAZERS
New Orleans leads 1-0. Game 2, 10:30 P.M., TNT.
NEED TO KNOW: Anthony Davis had 35 points in the opener and has scored 25 or more in his first five postseason games. He can tie LeBron James for the second-longest streak to begin a career Jessie Bates III Jersey , behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 14 straight, according to Elias.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Rajon Rondo. A 17-assist, eight-rebound opener was another reminder of how much the Pelicans’ point guard can elevate his game in the postseason.
INJURY UPDATE: Portland’s Maurice Harkless is nearing a return from late-season left knee surgery, but may not be available until later in the series.
PRESSURE IS ON: The Blazers’ backcourt. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combined to shoot just 13 for 41, and their three combined points on 1-for-15 shooting in the first half doomed Portland to a big hole from which it could not recover.
—
AP Sports Writer Kyle Hightower in Boston and freelance writer Ian Harrison in Toronto contributed to this report.
—
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians, who are in first place in the American League Central Division, are in the midst of a portion of their schedule in which they have an opportunity to lengthen their division lead, or see it evaporate — quickly.
Saturday at Progressive Field the Indians will host the division-rival Minnesota Twins in the second game of a three-game series. Saturday’s game will be the Indians’ ninth game in a 16-game stretch in which they will play only AL Central teams. In the first eight games in that span the Indians are 4-4, including a 6-3 loss to the Twins Friday night.
Overall this season the Indians are 18-12 against AL Central teams, including 11-3 at Progressive Field. The Twins are 15-10 against AL Central teams, and 5-2 against Cleveland.
Both teams made roster moves prior to Friday’s game. The Indians activated outfielder Tyler Naquin off the disabled list and placed first baseman Yonder Alonso on the family medical emergency list. Naquin was in the lineup Friday and played center field. He went 1-for-3 in his first game since being placed on the DL on May 11 with a strained left hamstring.
The Twins on Friday activated first baseman Joe Mauer off the disabled list and recalled infielder Taylor Motter from Triple-A Rochester. Mauer and Motter replace infielder Miguel Sano, who was optioned to Class-A Fort Myers Ronald Jones II Jersey , and outfielder Jake Cave, who was optioned to Rochester.
“It’s really been bothering him that he hasn’t been contributing while we’ve been losing. His biggest goal is to win,” Twins manager Paul Molitor told the Minneapolis Star Tribune regarding Sano. “Some things have knocked him off course from time to time, and it’s time to address them.”
Mauer missed 25 games with a cervical strain/concussion-like symptoms. Motter was claimed off waivers from Seattle on May 28 and hit .167 (7-for-42) at Rochester.
Although the Indians are just 6-7 in June, they are encouraged by the improved work by their bullpen, which was the American League’s worst over the first two months of the season. However, in the month of June, the Indians’ 2.30 bullpen ERA ranks fifth. Two new additions, left-hander Oliver Perez and right-hander Neil Ramirez, have been key contributors in the bullpen’s resurgence.
“We were hoping that with an opportunity to pitch for those guys, good things would happen, and that’s what happened Authentic A.J. Green Jersey ,” said Indians manager Terry Francona. “Perez has helped a lot, and Ramirez has some swing and miss stuff. Things are definitely settling down (in the bullpen).”
The pitching matchup Saturday will be a pair of right-handers: Cleveland’s Carlos Carrasco vs. Minnesota’s Fernando Romero.
Carrasco (8-4, 3.90 ERA) is coming off his best start of the season, a 4-0 win over the White Sox on June 11. In that game, Carrasco pitched seven scoreless innings. He gave up two hits and recorded 11 strikeouts with one walk.
Carrasco has started two games against the Twins this season and is 0-1 with a 5.06 ERA. In 19 career appearances (16 starts) against Minnesota, Carrasco is 5-7 with a 3.97 ERA.
The 23-year-old Romero (3-2, 3.92) will be making his ninth major league start and his first against Cleveland. Romero’s last start was a 7-5 win over the Angels on June 10. Romero pitched five innings in that game, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits, with five strikeouts and two walks.
Romero’s rookie season started well but has been bumpy in recent starts. In his first three starts he was 2-0 with a 0.54 ERA. But in his last five starts he is 1-2 with a 6.20 ERA.
.Markieff Morris has been fined $25 P.J. Hall Jersey ,000 by the NBA on Saturday for attempting to escalate an altercation and pushing an official during a game against Toronto on Friday night. Morris shoved official Ken Mauer aside when Morris and Toronto’s OG Anunoby had to be separated after a near-fight that drew other players less than three minutes into the Wizards’ 122-103 victory.
Meanwhile, Marcus Morris was also docked $15,000 for criticizing officials after the Celtics’ 116-92 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. He was called for a technical foul in the third and was critical of the officiating after the game.
In October, the brothers were acquitted by a Phoenix jury in an aggravated assault trial. They were on trial on charges that they helped three other people beat a man in January 2015 outside a high school basketball game. The twins played for the Phoenix Suns at the time.
The NBA draft featured several big men on Thursday night, and the biggest was Mohamed Bamba.The Orlando Magic drafted the 20-year-old center with the sixth overall pick. The young man from New York City who played one year at Texas joins a team that went 25-57 last season and has averaged only 26 wins over six straight losing seasons.
”I’m not going to sit here and say things are going to change overnight,” Bamba said. ”It’s going to take more than one person and I actually believe that with the players around me Isaiah Wynn Patriots Jersey , we have the right pieces to make the organization successful.”
After a run of drafts that have helped to turn the NBA into a perimeter-oriented league, four of the top six picks selected Thursday nights were players who stand 6-foot-11 or taller. Bamba, who measured 7-foot, 3/4-inch and 226 pounds at the NBA draft combine, is a half-inch taller than DeAndre Ayton, who was drafted first overall by the Phoenix Suns.
Bamba’s 7-foot-10 wingspan is reportedly the largest ever measured at the combine.
”He will be the longest player in the NBA Hayden Hurst Jersey ,” said Jeff Weltman, Orlando’s president of basketball operations, ”and he has already, in his short time in college, proved to be an elite-level shot blocker.”
Weltman was ”surprised and elated that Mo fell to us at 6,” and added that it would not have possible without the swap of the third and fifth picks.
The Atlanta Hawks drafted European guard Luka Doncic with the third pick and traded him to the Dallas Mavericks for guard Trae Young Brian O'Neill Jersey , who was taken fifth.
Bamba averaged 12.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.7 blocks as a freshman for the Longhorns. He was second in the nation in blocked shots among Division 1 teams, and his 15 double-doubles led the Big 12 conference.
Bamba’s offensive game is considered undeveloped, but Bamba expects to make an immediate impact.
”I see myself fitting in right away as far as the trend of bigs trying to do it all,” he said. ”But it really comes down to defense. You are who you can guard in the NBA, and as long as you can guard multiple positions you can stay on the floor. And as long as you can shoot the ball you can stay on the floor.”
It is the second year in a row the Magic had the sixth overall pick in the draft.
Last year Orlando drafted 6-10 Jonathan Isaac Leighton Vander Esch Cowboys Jersey , who is also known as a shot blocker. But Isaac was limited to 27 games due to injuries and averaged 5.4 points and 3.7 rebounds. Isaac was the tallest of the six players at the top of last year’s draft.
”There are so many things that you need to be successful, but length is a huge element of floor coverage,” Weltman said. ”If you can have it and maintain skill level and all the other things that you could list, you would always rather have it. And when you start adding it up with a lot of players, it becomes kind of a force multiplier.”
Bamba has met Isaac, and said ”he was like a role model in a sense because he was in the class ahead of me.”
Orlando’s management team Vita Vea Jersey , headed by Weltman and general manager John Hammond, is directing the team’s draft for only the second year.
The Magic will also have a new leader on the bench in Steve Clifford.
The former Charlotte Hornets coach was hired on May 30 to replace Frank Vogel. Clifford is Orlando’s fifth head coach since Stan Van Gundy was fired in 2012 after coaching the team’s last winning season.
—
.
LOS ANGELES — The Colorado Rockies will look to close out June by heading in the opposite direction from when the month started and build off the momentum from a wild victory Thursday.
The first weekend of June was one to forget when the Rockies were swept in a three-game series by the Los Angeles Dodgers. In full revival after a slow start to the season Kolton Miller Raiders Jersey , the Dodgers scored 33 runs in their three victories.
Now the Rockies head to L.A. with a full head of steam. They lost a heartbreaker Wednesday on a Giants game-ending home run and coughed up a late lead Thursday before DJ LeMahieu’s ninth-inning home run was the difference in a victory.
With the month set to close this weekend, the Rockies have some confidence on their side as they open a three-game series against the Dodgers. The Rockies will send left-hander Tyler Anderson (4-3, 4.62 ERA) to the mound Friday night against Dodgers lefty Rich Hill (1-2, 5.30).
Even after the Rockies were swept by the Dodgers to open the month they still sat in second place in the National League West, 31/2 games behind the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks. The Dodgers were in third place, 4 1/2 games behind the Diamondbacks.
Heading into this weekend series, though, the Rockies are in fourth place eight games back, while the Dodgers are in second, 31/2 back. The Rockies have gone 9-16 in June.
The Rockies victory Thursday appears to be motivated by a talk-is-cheap statement from Nolan Arenado Cheap Brian O'Neill Jersey , who then went out and hit a first-inning home run in a win that ended a four-game losing streak.
“We can talk about it all we want; we’ve been talking about this since April,” Arenado said, according to The Athletic. “How are we going to turn it around? Blah blah. We haven’t yet.”
The Dodgers have turned around their season by going 17-7 in June. But their turnaround goes back even further. They are 27-11 since May 17 and have the long ball to thank for it.
With two home runs Thursday, the Dodgers now have 53 in the month to tie a franchise record. They will spend the next two games chasing the major league record of 58 for a single month.
But the Dodgers are coming off an 11-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday and went 3-4 against the Cubs over the past 10 days. The Dodgers have called the Cubs a measuring stick and they ended up losing the season series to the team they have faced in each of the last two National League Championship Series.
Now the Dodgers return to division play, after just six games against NL West opponents this month. The Dodgers are 5-1 against the Rockies this season.
If there is anything the Cubs might have exposed when it comes to the Dodgers it is a bullpen that appears to be in something of a lull. Dodgers’ relievers gave up eight runs in a defeat Tuesday and 10 in Thursday’s loss.
“I’m not concerned about it,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters after Thursday’s game. “We match up very well with (the Cubs) and they match up well with us. I think we are very comparable clubs. You give away outs, walks, we both can slug. You have to play good baseball. You look at a couple of games where they broke it open against our (bullpen) but by and large, our bullpen has been pretty good for some time.”
Anderson is 2-3 with a 4.85 ERA in eight starts versus the Dodgers. Hill is 0-3, 7.52 in four starts against the Rockies.
鈥?The Jacksonville Jaguars heard the chatter Sam Hubbard Jersey , read the tweets and Instagram posts. And they got a little confused.Why were the Pittsburgh Steelers talking about the New England Patriots? Didn’t they have to face the Jaguars first before reaching a rematch with the Super Bowl champions?“I don’t know if they misread the schedule or didn’t play us this week, but they didn’t acknowledge us at all,” Jacksonville linebacker Myles Jack said. “And we didn’t take that too kindly.”Not at all. That shouldn’t be a problem going forward.The Jaguars, yes the Jaguars, have the NFL’s full attention now. A trip to Foxborough on the horizon, too.Dominant at the start and resilient at the finish, Jacksonville stunned the Steelers 45-42 on Sunday to advance to the AFC title game for the third time in franchise history and maybe, finally, earn a bit of respect.Leonard Fournette ran for 109 yards and three scores . Embattled quarterback Blake Bortles added 214 yards passing and a pivotal fourth-quarter touchdown as the third-seeded Jaguars (12-6) beat the second-seeded Steelers (13-4) at Heinz Field for the second time in three months.The victory in October served notice Jacksonville was ready to put a decade of losing firmly behind. This one sent an even bigger message: overlook the Jaguars at your own peril, something Pittsburgh appeared to do in the run-up. Coach Mike Tomlin hinted at facing the Patriots twice back in December. Running back Le’Veon Bell posted on about the pair of “round 2s” the Steelers will face in coming weeks.Turns out Breeland Speaks Jersey , one rematch is all the Steelers will get.“We knew we had this team’s number,” Jacksonville safety Barry Church said. “All we did was feed on the fuel that everybody was providing, the media, everybody was talking about how they’re going to run through us, it’s not going to be like last (time). Blake Bortles this. Blake Bortles that. all he did was dominate their defense.”A week removed from an ugly performance in a wild-card round win over Buffalo in which he passed for 87 yards and struggled with the easiest of throws, Bortles went 14 of 26 for a touchdown without an interception. He ran for 35 more and wasn’t sacked by a defense that led the NFL and set a franchise record with 55 during the season. Jacksonville’s 45 points tied the most ever allowed by the Steelers in the playoffs.Not bad for an offense that at times simply appeared along for the ride as the NFL’s top defense carried the load.“Blake Bortles has always been criticized,” Fournette said. “It is different now. He has guys that have his back, especially me.”Certainly looked it as Fournette scored two first-quarter touchdowns. The Jaguars built a 21-point lead and responded whenever the Steelers rallied to get within one score.“The guys played with confidence all day long,” Bortles said. “Obviously, what they have on their side of the ball Quenton Nelson Youth Jersey , it’s a good team. We know they got a good offense. We knew we were going to have to be efficient, hold on to the ball for a little bit, so we did it.”Ben Roethlisberger threw for 469 yards and set a franchise record with five touchdown passes, but was also intercepted once and had a fumble returned for a score. All-Pro Antonio Brown caught seven passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns in his return from a left calf injury. Bell had 155 yards of total offense and two scores.But Pittsburgh’s vaunted “Killer Bs” couldn’t keep pace with Jacksonville, one of four NFL franchises to never make the Super Bowl.“It’s disheartening,” Brown said. “I thought we had the right group of guys.”The Jaguars dominated the Steelers on Oct. 8, winning by three touchdowns in a performance so overwhelming Roethlisberger only half-jokingly wondered aloud whether he still had “it’ after throwing a career-high five picks.Roethlisberger and his teammates left little doubt they hoped for a rematch, though Jacksonville cornerback A.J. Bouye cautioned Pittsburgh to be careful what it wished for. The Jaguars hardly appeared intimidated by the 18-degree chill or trying to earn their first road playoff win in a decade.“I’m sure there will still be tons of people that are going to disapprove and talk negative or hate or do whatever they want,” Bortles said. “But we get to keep playing and we get an opportunity to play in Foxborough next week for another week. Just honored to be able to do this especially with this group of guys.”“It’s been an awesome year. Just want to keep it going.”FOURTH AND WOEPittsburgh rolled up 545 yards of offense, but it’s 2 yards the Steelers didn’t get that helped send them into an offseason filled with questions.Twice Pittsburgh had fourth-and-1 in Jacksonville territory. Twice the Steelers did something other than have the 6-foot-5 Roethlisberger sneak. Pittsburgh ran wide in the first quarter and Bell was stuffed for a 4-yard loss. The Jaguars responded immediately by going 75 yards in 11 plays Donte Jackson Youth Jersey , the final one a 4-yard sprint by T.J. Yeldon that put them up 21-0.The Steelers were down a touchdown early in the fourth quarter and had fourth-and-inches at the Jacksonville 39. Roethlisberger checked at the line of scrimmage, faked a handoff to Bell and instead threw incomplete to diving rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster .“It’s been a while since I’ve run a quarterback sneak, I’m for it,” said Roethlisberger, who added he will return in 2018. “That’s kind of over my head when it comes to why we don’t do it. I’m not going to sit here and second guess why we didn’t quarterback sneak. I don’t know how many years it’s been since we quarterback sneaked.”UP NEXTThe Jaguars travel to New England,.”Playing football,” the New York Jets rookie quarterback said with a huge grin.
The birthday boy is now officially of the legal drinking age, but Darnold wasn’t expecting to toast the milestone Tuesday night.
”Probably not,” he said, smiling. ”I’ll probably just stay in and go to sleep early, like I have been every single night.”
Partying is not high on the list for Darnold, who’s the youngest player on the Jets’ roster – and the fresh-faced future of the franchise.
The No. 3 overall draft pick out of USC has taken a businesslike approach to his introduction to life in the NFL. Eat, sleep and dream football.
Those are Darnold’s days. Every day.
”I’m making a ton of strides, but at the same time, I’m not exactly where I want to be,” Darnold said. ”But I know it’s going to take time and it’s a process. I’m aware of that and it’s exciting, though Josh Rosen Cardinals Jersey , to understand the playbook the way I am and the strides I’m making. I’m really excited about where I’m going right now.”
Darnold will compete with veterans Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater this summer for the starting job, and he’s giving Todd Bowles and his coaching staff plenty to consider early in this offseason.
The youngster looked predictably shaky in his first practice of organized team activities two weeks ago, but has appeared increasingly more poised in the sessions open to the media since.
”He’s just more comfortable with the playbook and obviously seeing things a couple of times will make you more comfortable,” Bowles said. ”He’s just hard-working. Everything we thought coming in. He’s going to work every day, wants to be good, understands the mistakes he makes, works at them night and day, and watches film and asks questions.
”At this time of year, that’s what you’re supposed to be doing.”
During Tuesday’s practice, Darnold tossed a badly underthrown pass that safety Jamal Adams, last year’s first-rounder, easily intercepted.
For a guy who was celebrating his birthday Cheap Taven Bryan Jersey , it was certainly a gift – but for the defense.
”Yeah, I just made a bad read on it,” Darnold said. ”I should’ve just dumped it down to the back, but I tried to force one in there.”
Rookie mistake.
”He retains things when you tell him,” Bowles said. ”He makes mistakes, but doesn’t make the same one twice, so he’s very good from that standpoint as far as retaining information.”
Late in practice, though, Darnold had perhaps his prettiest play as a pro. He zipped a deep pass down the sideline that dropped over the reach of safety Kacy Rodgers II and right into Chad Hansen’s hands. It was a terrific throw and a reminder of why so many labeled Darnold as ”special” in the months leading up to the draft.
But such is the up-and-down life of a rookie quarterback that Darnold overthrew his final pass of practice on a deep toss to a wide-open Jordan Leggett. There’s no doubt Darnold would be spending part of his birthday night breaking that down in the film room.
Darnold’s development has included lots of rewinding and fast-forwarding through plays, and dissecting every move. He’s got that type of time now, because football is the only thing that matters these days.
”I don’t have class, so I’m spending every single day in the film room or on the practice field Cole Beasley Jersey ,” he said. ”So in regards to that, just being able to spend time watching football and playing football is awesome. To be able to come in here every single day and do it for a living, that’s pretty sweet.”
Darnold also recognizes the value of working with McCown and Bridgewater on and off the field.
”What makes it really cool is that they’re really good players,” Darnold said. ”They’ve experienced ball and they understand what’s going on on the field all the time, at all times. It’s amazing to be able to learn from them. After that play with Jamal, to be able to talk about it with them is something that is really cool, to be able to do that right after the play and get that feedback.”
Darnold has had to make several adjustments since coming to the Jets, including calling plays in the huddle – something he hadn’t done much of at USC. He also says the increased pace of the game is evident, even in practice.
”It’s faster, which is what I thought it would be, so it’s been awesome,” he said. ”It’s just been a learning experience Uchenna Nwosu Youth Jersey , just learning every single day and getting used to it has been awesome.”
Darnold says ”awesome” a lot and sounds like a kid who’s happy to be doing what he loves.
”You know, no, I don’t feel any different,” a smiling Darnold said of his milestone birthday. ”It’s cool to be 21, but at the same time, I’m just coming here every single day ready for practice. Nothing’s changing for me.”
—
Sean Couturier had a goal and two assists, Brian Elliott stopped 34 shots and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 on Friday night to even the first-round Eastern Conference series at a game apiece.
Shane Gostisbehere, Travis Konecny, Andrew McDonald and Nolan Patrick also scored for the Flyers. They bounced back from an embarrassing 7-0 loss in the opener to beat the Penguins for the first time this season. Game 3 is Sunday in Philadelphia.
Patric Hornqvist scored Pittsburgh’s lone goal with just over 5 minutes left to avoid the shutout, but the Penguins looked ordinary for long stretches after looking unstoppable in Game 1.
Matt Murray’s shutout streak dating to the 2017 Stanley Cup finals ended at 226:49 when Gostisbehere scored on the power play late in the first period. Murray finished with 16 saves to lose for just the third time in 17 home playoff starts in his career.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 2, KINGS 1, 2 OT
LAS VEGAS (AP) – Erik Haula’s goal in double overtime gave Vegas a 2-0 lead against Los Angeles in their first-round playoff series.
With 4:37 left on the clock in the second overtime Nick Chubb Browns Jersey , Haula skated in on his own to beat goalie Jonathan Quick and send a towel-waving crowd of 18,588 into a frenzy.
Game 3 in the best-of-seven Western Conference series is Sunday night in Los Angeles.
Alex Tuch scored for expansion Vegas in regulation, and Paul LaDue had the Kings‘ goal.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 29 saves for the Golden Knights. Quick stopped 54 shots for the Kings.
Los Angeles played without star defenseman Drew Doughty, who served a one-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head on Vegas forward William Carrier during the Golden Knights’ 1-0 series-opening victory Wednesday.
JETS 4, WILD 1
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) – Paul Stastny, Andrew Copp and Patrik Laine scored in the third period and Winnipeg beat Minnesota to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference series.
Defenseman Tyler Myers had a goal in the second period and also had an assist. Rookie Jack Roslovic, replacing injured Mathieu Perreault, had two assists in the game that ended with a series of fights.
Zach Parise had his second goal of the series when he deflected Mikko Koivu’s shot past Connor Hellebuyck to end the goalie’s shutout bid with 45 seconds left. The goal came on the power play after Jets forward Brandon Tanev was called for hooking with 59 seconds left.
Hellebuyck made 16 saves. Devan Dubnyk stopped 39 shots for Minnesota.
Winnipeg won 3-2 on Wednesday night. Game 3 is Sunday at Minnesota.
—
.
RALEIGH Cheap Marcus Davenport Jersey , N.C. — Two teams that are not in line to make the playoffs will see if they can gain some good vibes nonetheless with the end of the regular season just about a week away.
The New York Rangers visit the Carolina Hurricanes for Saturday night’s game at PNC Arena.
These teams were contending for a playoff spot, but they have mostly fallen by the wayside.
Now it’s a matter of trying to put on strong performances the rest of the way.
“We want to play the right way,” Carolina coach Bill Peters said.
The teams are in similar spots in the Eastern Conference standings below the wild-card playoff line.
The Hurricanes avoided official elimination with Friday night’s 4-1 victory at Washington, but their situation had become dire during the past couple of weeks.
The Hurricanes must win their remaining games along with the New Jersey Devils losing in regulation for the rest of the regular season to make the postseason.
Carolina has four games remaining, though Saturday night’s game marks the second-to-last home game.
“We’re not going to go out there and just throw our sticks on the ice DJ Moore Jersey ,” Hurricanes goaltender Scott Darling said. “We want to finish strong.?
Rangers coach Alain Vigneault also said it’s an important time to conclude the schedule the right way.
“We’ve talked to our group about being professionals,” Vigneault said. “Having them to understand to come in every day whether it’s a practice or a game and give your best. (I’ve) given them very precise instructions on what we want them to do and how they can get better.”
The Rangers are 1-4-2 in their last seven games after allowing five goals in the third period of a 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay in its final home game.
Vigneault said he’s impressed with the positive reinforcements that have been provided from veterans such as defenseman Marc Staal and right winger Mats Zuccarello
“I’m very proud of how those two have conducted themselves,” Vigneault, noting the positive examples that have been on display.”
For Staal, this will be another chance to play against his brother Terrell Edmunds Jersey , Carolina center Jordan Staal.
The Hurricanes have called upon several younger players during the past couple of weeks.
Still, since the last home game they reassigned forward Warren Foegele and defenseman Roland McKeown to Charlotte of the American Hockey League.
Foegele, 21, scored his first NHL goal and earned his first assist in his NHL debut against Ottawa on Monday and then added another goal the next night in New Jersey.
Carolina has had some recent shortcomings with special teams.
“Let’s not go to the box unnecessarily,” Peters said. “Let’s not take the penalties that are because of a lack of moving your feet.”
Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk returned to action Friday night after missing about a week with an upper-body injury. Peters said it was undetermined if Faulk would be used in both games on back-to-back nights.
The Rangers are 3-0-0 against Carolina this season Jaire Alexander Jersey , outscoring the Hurricanes by a combined 17-5 score. That includes a 6-3 win on March 12 when Jimmy Vesey recorded a hat trick and the Rangers blocked a season-high 30 shots.
New York is 14-3 in the last 17 meetings since April 8, 2014.
.Member of the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff disagreed with the approach of team owner Jerry Jones to have a show of unity and take a knee prior to the national anthem in the wake of comments made by President Donald Trump.聽The Amazon Prime series All or Nothing followed the Cowboys throughout the 2017 season and included footage detailing behind the scenes the events leading up to Jones kneeling with Cowboys players prior to the team's 28-17 win over the Arizona Cardinals.In a clip posted to YouTube Dallas Goedert Jersey , Jones tells Cowboys players he wants to "walk out there together all of us and kneel down in the name of unity":However, Frank Pollack, who was the Cowboys offensive line coach, didn't hold back his criticism of how the team handled things Mike McGlinchey Jersey , per the Star-Telegram's Drew Davison:"What happened to blocking out the [expletive] noise?聽Who gives a [expletive] what the President says? Let's get our focus on what we're trying to do. All this is doing is distracting us from what we're trying to [expletive] accomplish. And we're just prolonging it and making it worse by making a mountain out of a molehill."Many NFL players had been angered by Trump when he indicated his wish for teams to discipline players who knelt during the national anthem."Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He's fired. He's fired!'" Trump聽told supporters聽at a rally last September.All or Nothing聽shows Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett talking to his staff about how the comments motivated players to continue kneeling and that it might be better for the team to try and get ahead of things.Garrett echoed some of the frustrations of his staff but ultimately agreed with Jones' decision."What do you think I want to do?" he said Courtland Sutton Jersey , per Davison. "You think I want to spend one ounce of breath on this? I don't. ...聽There's no easy solution. I wish there was one.聽That was the only objective of this conversation as we go forward because we do have to come up with a solution that works for everybody."The show of unity ultimately may not have had the result Jones had hoped to see. He said in October the Cowboys would bench any player who was "disrespecting the flag," per the聽Dallas Morning News'聽Brandon George.聽ESPN's聽Chris Mortensen聽also reported Jones was surprised Cowboys players still wanted to protest after the team's demonstration earlier in the year. A SWAT team raided the house of former University of聽Tennessee at Chattanooga defensive end Keyon Reed聽in Melbourne, Florida, after he allegedly made threats against the Dallas Cowboys DJ Chark Youth Jersey , per TMZ Sports.According to police, Reed "had called members of the Dallas Cowboys and was telling them they needed to sign him. They stated he was making threats to harm people if the Cowboys did not sign him."Reed reportedly admitted to making the threats to police, saying he was "frustrated they wouldn't 'show him the real money' and sign him to a contract."After assessing the situation, the authorities determined he wasn't a threat and did not arrest him.Reed's Twitter account has聽since been suspended. Per TMZ Cheap DJ Moore Jersey , in one of his tweets, he wrote "GEttin impatient with u mfs @dallascowboys if Terrell not drafted n Im not the 1st Pick of the Dallas Cowboys. IMMA BLOW THaT B--CH UP n Ask y I am Mad Ask Coach HUESMAN n SHEILds B--CH ASS.. CALL the POLice."Reed, 26, played two seasons for Chattanooga M.J. Stewart Buccaneers Jersey , playing in 13 games (three starts) and registering 24 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. He was arrested in 2013 and聽charged聽with assaulting a police officer. He was also arrested and聽charged聽with domestic violence in 2011..
Six were arraigned Tuesday and one was arraigned Monday.
The university says about 2 Tyron Smith Jersey ,000 students gathered outdoors in a residential area after the New England Patriots lost Sunday’s game to the Philadelphia Eagles and they destroyed property, started fights and set off firecrackers.
One of the students arrested allegedly threw a chunk of ice at an officer trying to quell the crowd, while another allegedly threw a road flare at officers.
They face charges including assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct James Washington Steelers Jersey , and resisting arrest.
All were released on personal recognizance and face punishment up to expulsion if they are found to have violated the university’s student conduct code.
The Nashville Predators embraced every bit of their chase for the franchise’s first Presidents’ Trophy right down to captain Roman Josi grabbing hold with his left hand during their pregame ceremony.Now it’s time to chase the hardware the Predators really want: The Stanley Cup.
”It’s definitely a good regular season for us, definitely something we can be proud of,” Josi said. ”But now the real work and the real fun starts.”
Filip Forsberg scored three goals for Nashville’s first hat trick of the season, and the Predators finished off the best regular season in franchise history by beating the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 Saturday night.
The Predators accepted the Presidents’ Trophy before the game from NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly and took a moment to remember the moment with a team photo on the ice. Fans then chanted ”We want the Cup” for the defending Western Conference champs who lost the Stanley Cup in six games to Pittsburgh last June.
The Predators will begin their run for the Cup against the Colorado Avalanche.
Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said he’d never coached a team that won the Presidents’ Trophy before. This night was to remember all the personal milestones DJ Chark Jaguars Jersey , including David Poile notching the most NHL games by a general manager.
”It was nice to take a minute just to acknowledge that,” Laviolette said. ”Our guys are proud of it. They worked really hard this year. They stayed focused for the entire year. It’s all been part of a vision of something bigger than what happened tonight.”
Nashville followed up the trophy presentation by winning its franchise-record 53rd game this season to finish with 117 points.
Goalie Pekka Rinne made 22 saves through two periods before being replaced by Juuse Saros. Rinne finished 42-13-4 this season.
Austin Watson also scored for Nashville, which goes into the postseason having won two straight.
Josh Anderson and Brandon Dubinsky scored for Columbus.
Losing helped Columbus avoid opening the playoffs against Pittsburgh for a second straight year and instead put the Blue Jackets into a first-round series with Washington.
Coach John Tortorella scratched nine Blue Jackets including captain Nick Foligno and defenseman Seth Jones, and also rested goalie Sergei Bobrovsky with Joonas Korpisalo in net. Tortorella is giving the Blue Jackets the day off Sunday.
”I’ve got some decisions to make DJ Moore Jersey ,” Tortorella said of playing Washington. ”I have a pretty good idea of what I think the starting lineup will be in our first playoff game, but I’ve got decision to make in case we’ve got injuries.”
The Predators scored three goals in the first period with Watson starting the scoring at 7:52 of the first and Forsberg adding a pair on the power play.
Forsberg scored on a snap shot at 11:04. Then he got his 26th goal of the season just before the buzzer for a 3-0 lead with a shot from the right circle that went off the post and then Korpisalo into the net. Officials reviewed the play, which crossed at 0.4 seconds before the end of the period.
With Korpisalo pulled, Forsberg got the hat trick with an empty-net goal with 39.4 seconds left as fans celebrated by tossing the giveaway visors onto the ice.
Forsberg tied his career high with 64 points and also became Nashville’s scoring leader for the regular season with Viktor Arvidsson (61 points) scratched.
Anderson got his 19th goal at 7:55 of the second Brian O'Neill Jersey , and Dubinsky pulled Columbus within 3-2 with a short-handed goal at 7:20 of the third.
”We played a pretty good game,” Dubinsky said. ”Obviously, we gave a couple power-play goals to them there in the first, got down 3-0 to a really good team.”
NOTES: Defenseman P.K. Subban played his 82nd game Cheap Rashaad Penny Jersey , the only player on the Nashville roster to play every game this season. … The Predators improved to 41-4-6 when scoring first and 23-4-4 when leading after one period. … The Predators sold out their 102nd straight game with a franchise record 17,594.
UP NEXT
Blue Jackets: Face Washington in the first round of the playoffs.
Predators: Hosting Colorado in Game 1 likely Thursday.
—
.