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Thomas and his family now want to use the anguish from Ella Thomas’ death on Jan. 23 for a good cause by raising awareness about the dangers of depression and trying to prevent other suicides.
”It’s big to let people know it’s OK to be sad Sam Darnold Jersey Elite , it’s OK not to be perfect because you never are,” Thomas said. ”There are so many things that happen in life, good, bad, stuff that you don’t know about, and it’s going to affect how you feel. That’s huge. It’s about changing the culture of how you’re supposed to feel or act.”
Thomas, a second-year defensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers, will return to his family’s home in the Dallas area this weekend to take part Saturday in The Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk, which benefits the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Thomas has already raised more than $27,000 for the cause.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 44 Aaron Rodgers Jersey Elite ,000 suicides a year in the United States and it is the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 34.
”That’s insane,” Solomon Thomas said. ”That’s a huge deal. That’s a lot of people who couldn’t get help – a lot of people who need help and a lot of people being affected. It’s more than that who are going through depression and going through all the sadness. That needs to be talked about. There needs to be help for everyone out there. I want people to know they can reach out and be loved.”
The 22-year-old Thomas got the news about Ella in a phone call from his father while working out back in Texas. He got plenty of support from the Niners right away with owner Jed York, general manager John Lynch, kicker Robbie Gould and former teammate Elvis Dumervil among the people who came to Texas for the funeral.
Others in the organization have been there with timely texts, cards and other good wishes that have helped Thomas get through this difficult time.
Ella Thomas had been dealing with depression for years and her family had tried to get her help. While Ella was open with her struggles, Thomas knows many others keep those thoughts hidden, sometimes out of fear of a stigma some put on mental illness.
That’s why he thinks it was so important that NBA stars like Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan have been open about their struggles with panic attacks and depression.
It’s also why he is taking part in the walk to let others know they aren’t alone in dealing with these issues.
”Mental health and suicide aren’t things people want to talk about,” Thomas said. ”Mental health, depression, it’s a disease just like anything else. And when you talk about other diseases, people talk about them like Cheap Customized San Francisco 49ers Jerseys , `We’ll get you through this,’ whatever. But, then, when you talk about depression or mental health or suicide, people kind of scare away because it’s such a serious topic. You don’t know how to handle it. You don’t want to say the wrong thing to push someone over the edge. But it’s such an important topic, such a serious topic, that people need to start talking about it.”
Like many siblings just two years apart in age, Ella and Solomon clashed at times as youngsters but started to grow extremely close when Solomon was in middle school and Ella started high school.
That friendship endured for the rest of Ella’s life. Thomas, who played football at Stanford, was drafted by the 49ers with the third overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. She came out to watch about six of Solomon’s games as a rookie last year.
”We finished each other’s sentences, all that kind of stuff. She was my best friend Customized Denver Broncos Jerseys ,” he said. ”We were always open with each other, never had anything bad, very transparent. If you couldn’t go to Mom or Dad, we were always there (for each other). She always lit up the room. You always knew Ella was there, whether she was just being loud or whether she was just in there trying to talk to people. She was so good with people. She worked in the restaurant industry and obviously she had to be good with people and she always was. She could make a crying baby smile. You always knew Ella was there. She just had this heart, and she loved everyone as hard as she could, whether they deserved her love or whether they didn’t deserve her trust or whether she just met them, she always loved them. That’ll always stick with me, Ella’s heart.”
Thomas keeps Ella’s memory close him with a purple wristband that reads Ella Elizabeth Thomas with a heart symbol and the date of her death. He also never forgets a lesson his sister taught him after she went through a difficult time in high school when her best friend’s brother died.
”She came up to me and she was like, `Solly, we never know when our last day is Robbie Ray Jersey , I want us to make sure we take advantage of every day and be best friends and love each other as hard as we can for the rest of our lives,”’ he recalled. ”That always stuck home with me, and that’s a lesson I’ll pass along to other people.”
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鈥?The Houston Texans have hired Brian Gaine as general manager and extended the contract of coach Bill O’Brien through 2022.The team announced the deals Saturday. Gaine signed a five-year contract and O’Brien was extended for four years.Gaine brings 19 years of NFL personnel experience to Houston. He spent the 2017 season as the Buffalo Bills’ vice president of player personnel. He also served as the Texans’ director of player personnel from 2015-16 and director of pro personnel in 2014.Texans owner Bob McNair calls Gaine an “incredibly smart, hardworking individual that understands the importance of good communication.”Houston finished 4-12 this season after consecutive AFC South titles the previous two years. O’Brien’s 31 career victories in four years are tied for the most by a coach in franchise history. Copyright ©2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed..
The Sedgwick County district attorney’s office said in a news release Friday the agreements cover four cases against Randle Cheap Customized Buffalo Bills Jerseys , including ones involving a jail fight and interfering with a law enforcement officer. He has already been in jail more than two years.
Taken together, the pleas call for a controlling sentence of 80 months that allows him to be free on probation for 60 months. If he violates probation, prosecutors can seek to have him put in prison.
Randle was sentenced Friday for aggravated battery Andre Ethier Jersey , aggravated burglary, criminal threat and marijuana possession.
He will be sentenced Aug. 17 on the jail fight and interference cases as well as ones related to his breaking a jail TV and threatening a guard.
LeBron James hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer, a crowning moment for another brilliant performance Jose Cruz Jr. Jersey , to give Cleveland a 98-95 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night in Game 5, putting the Cavaliers within one victory of advancing in the Eastern Conference playoffs.Moments after blocking Victor Oladipo’s possible go-ahead driving layup, James caught the inbounds pass Youth Lorenzo Carter Jersey , took two dribbles and dropped the winner over Thaddeus Young.
As Cleveland’s sellout crowd exploded, James hugged rookie teammate Cedi Osman before jumping on the scorer’s table to celebrate another of those moments that will define his career.
James finished with 44 points, 10 rebounds Calvin Ridley Color Rush Jersey , eight assists and went 15 of 15 from the line.
Kyle Korver added 19 points and Cleveland’s much-maligned defense tightened just in time as the Cavaliers seized their first lead in the first-round series after being down 1-0 and 2-1.
Cleveland can close out Indiana with a win Friday night in Indianapolis.
Domantas Sabonis scored 22 points, and Young had 16 for the Pacers.
.The Super Bowl matchup will be set after conference title games featuring three teams that have never won the big game.
The other participant is a five-time Super Bowl winner Authentic Will Hernandez Jersey , the New England Patriots.
The Patriots and Tom Brady, nursing an injured right hand, start conference championship Sunday playing host to the Jacksonville Jaguars and quarterback Blake Bortles.
The night game with Minnesota playing at Philadelphia features two 29-year-old quarterbacks, Nick Foles and Case Keenum, both of whom started the season as backups.
Keenum played most of the season after Sam Bradford was injured, and Foles came in after star Carson Wentz was hurt in Week 14.
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He paid tribute to people he never met.
The Miami Heat guard was part of an NBA contingent that volunteered to spend time in the Washington area with about 500 children who are part of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors – TAPS, for short – over the solemn holiday weekend, trying to help continue the support for families who lost loved ones serving in the military.
The itinerary included tours of the Pentagon, a Jr. NBA clinic, roundtable discussions, mentoring sessions, grief counseling and a trip to Arlington National Cemetery to meet some of the service members who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier around the clock. Those guards walk 21 steps in one direction, turn and face the tomb for 21 seconds, and then walk 21 steps in the other direction and repeat the process.
”We learned so much about the 21 steps, protecting the Unknown Soldier tomb, so just being there and seeing the detail that they have at their job, much respect to them,” said McGruder, whose Maryland home is only about 20 minutes from Arlington. ”It was breathtaking just seeing all the different stones. It was tough. It was tough.”
New York Knicks guard Jarrett Jack – a military kid growing up – also helped represent the NBA during the weekend events, along with Dallas assistant coach Jamahl Mosley, Sacramento assistant Bryan Gates, Portland assistant David Vanterpool and retired WNBA player Iciss Tillis. Leading the group was Gen. Martin Dempsey, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who now works as an adviser to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
”I’m very proud of the way the NBA has reached out to military servicemen and women and how that has expanded to what we’re doing here this weekend, which is outreach to the survivors of the fallen Phil Rizzuto Jersey ,” Dempsey said. ”It’s fantastic. What happens is we can’t take away the grief and the memory of the loss, but what we can do is layer positive memories on top of it. And so these athletes and coaches being involved, it’s amazing.”
The kids who were part of the weekend played in a basketball clinic, but most of the questions to the NBA players and coaches had nothing to do with the game.
McGruder said many wanted to know how he’s dealt with loss – not on the basketball court – and how he copes.
”You realize right away that these kids are going through some pretty tough things,” McGruder said. ”One of the toughest questions came from a tough female who wanted to know if I’ve gone through something like that. I explained to her that my mother lost her mother very young, so it’s not really the same but you share how you’ve been through similar disadvantages.”
McGruder said he came away with a deeper appreciation of what Memorial Day means, and Dempsey – a lifelong fan of the game and someone who Mike Krzyzewski used during his tenure as coach of the U.S. national team to teach the game’s biggest stars about what it means to represent the country – thinks the NBA players have an important message for kids on weekends like this.
”I think with the country kind of more connected technologically than ever before, but maybe pulling itself apart more than ever before, I think sports have a huge role to play to bring a bit of leadership and maybe conscience,” Dempsey said. ”I’m proud to be part of that.”
The Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights were favored to win their second-round matchups.After losses Saturday, the Lightning and Golden Knights will be happy just to reclaim home-ice advantage.
Hours after Boston beat Tampa Bay 6-2 to take a 1-0 series lead Saturday, the Sharks handed Vegas its first postseason loss in six games with a 4-3 double-overtime victory.
Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper and Vegas coach Gerard Gallant said it was their teams’ worst performances of the postseason.
”I didn’t like the game we played, that was the main thing,” Gallant said Sunday before he and the Golden Knights left for San Jose. ”Not just losing in overtime, but I didn’t like the game that we played the first 40 minutes.”
And while the Lightning enjoyed six days off after eliminating New Jersey in five games, it was Boston that looked sharper after winning an emotional Game 7 at home against Toronto three nights prior.
Cooper put the Lightning through an intense, high-tempo practice Sunday in hopes of setting the tone for a more spirited performance in Game 2, after his team played with less intensity than in any of its first-round games against New Jersey.
”The purpose of our practice was to put us in the best position to be ready to play (Monday night),” Cooper said. ”Often times a lot of things in your game you develop in practice. We had a week off. We did some good things Cheap Bo Scarbrough Jersey , but our game was not at a playoff level like the other team that had just played in a Game 7, and that’s what we have to bring (Monday night) or it’s going to be a long series for us.”
Boston’s top line of Brad Marchand (one goal, three assists) David Pastrnak (four assists) and Patrice Bergeron (two goals, one assist) combined for 11 points, a huge contrast from Tampa Bay’s top line of Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos and J.T. Miller, which went scoreless in Game 1.
”With every round, you have to elevate your game, your intensity, everything, and we didn’t,” Cooper said. ”We took a step back. A really good team showed us what happens when you do that.”
Much of the same can be said for Vegas, which looked nothing like the team that opened its second-round series with a 7-0 shellacking of San Jose. Instead of the team that looked crisp with every pass, and sharp with every shot on goal, the Golden Knights were undisciplined and sloppy through the first 40 minutes.
”We got a little too confident after Game 1, we came out a little slow in Game 2 and we just have to fix that and focus on a good start for Game 3,” Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore said. ”We can’t take those kinds of penalties. When you’re in the box for a good portion of the night it’s not going to go good. It kind of bit us in the ass.”
The Golden Knights, who surpassed its season-high 13 penalties in minutes with 22 PIM, found themselves in the box more than San Jose Mark Walton Jersey Elite , 11-6.
Vegas is used to rolling four lines and three pairs of defensemen. Saturday the schematics changed with them spending more than a period in the penalty box collectively. And while Gallant admitted he didn’t like some of the calls against his team, or some of what he felt were missed calls, he also said his players brought a lot of it on themselves.
”I thought we had a couple of opportunities for power plays, we didn’t get them,” Gallant said. ”I don’t want our guys in the penalty box, I don’t want my top guys in the penalty box wrestling. (David) Perron took six minutes in penalties last night, (Jonathan) Marchessault’s sitting in there for roughing. You play hard, you get penalties – that’s fine. You don’t waste your time with after-the-whistle activities.”
BOUNCE BACK STRONG
Tampa Bay and Vegas have shown resiliency after a setback, as the Lightning are 19-8 following a loss, while the Golden Knights are 20-10-1.
”We know they’re going to come back faster and harder than they did, and they played a really good game (Saturday),” Marchand said of the Lightning. ”They came out fast, they came hard and it was tough to weather that storm early on. So, we can expect more of that.”
San Jose’s Brent Burns, who had two goals on Saturday, said the Sharks fixed what they needed to for Game 2, but the win meant nothing more than tying the series and it’s now just a best-of-five, not seven, against a Vegas team that will be looking for revenge.
”It’s just one game Tre'Davious White Jersey Youth ,” Burns said. ”Obviously we had to win it, but it’s one game, so.”
FLURRY ON FLEURY
After allowing just three goals through the first five games, Vegas netminder Marc-Andre Fleury allowed three in the second period alone on Saturday. His shutout in Game 1 was his third of the postseason, but the Sharks peppered him throughout Game 2, outshooting the Golden Knights, 47-29.
The 14-year veteran said the lack of discipline, and even his own mistakes, are nothing to dwell on if the Golden Knights want to steal back home-ice advantage.
”We have a good bunch of guys, we’ve been through a lot together this year,” Fleury said Sunday. ”You win 7-0 or you lose like last night, you always got to start fresh every night. I think we’ve been doing that, for the first round and the first game of San Jose. Every game is a new start, you got to start from scratch and try to win that one.”
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AP Sports Writer Fred Goodall in Tampa, Florida, contributed to this report.
.With Miami's move Friday http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-robert-griffin-iii-jersey , Petty joins veterans Brock Osweiler and David Fales in the competition for the backup job behind Ryan Tannehill.
Petty spent three seasons with New York after being selected in the fourth round of the 2015 draft. He played in 10 games for the Jets, throwing for 1,353 yards and four touchdowns with 10 interceptions, and went 1-6 as a starter.
Tannehill has suffered two major left knee injuries in the past 18 months and missed all of last season, but he is expected to be ready for offseason drills.
The Dolphins didn't take a quarterback in the draft. The Jets selected USC quarterback Sam Darnold with the No. 3 overall pick.
Kyrie Irving is playing coy about the possibility of reuniting with his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate LeBron James next season in Boston.The Celtics guard on Tuesday deferred when asked about the prospect of the team pursuing James this summer. The 33-year-old James has a player option to remain in Cleveland next season but could opt for free agency.
”In this business Youth Rashaan Gaulden Jersey , I’ve kind of experienced it all and I’ve seen a lot, so we’ll see what management decides,” Irving said when asked if he would be open to playing alongside James again.
Irving was drafted No. 1 overall by the Cavaliers in 2011 and played three seasons with James, from 2014-17. The duo made three straight trips to the NBA Finals, winning a championship in 2016.
”Obviously Custom Chicago Bears Jersey , it’s a business at the end of the day,” Irving said. ”Ownership and management, they’re going to feel what’s best for our future and I’m fully supportive of (them). We’ll see what happens.”
Irving was traded to Boston last August and averaged 24.4 points and 5.1 assists over 60 games in his first season with the Celtics.
The five-time All-Star missed the last 15 games of the regular season and the entirety of the playoffs after undergoing left knee surgery.
”To kind of have something like that unexpected, it was hurtful, because just a lot of what I wanted to accomplish with our guys and individually as one of the leaders of the team Lions Cheap Jerseys ,” Irving said.
Irving also had a separate surgery in May to repair a deviated septum, a procedure that kept him away from the sidelines for Game 7 of the Celtics’ Eastern Conference Finals series against James and the Cavaliers.
”Obviously, it wasn’t going to feel the same (not being there), but I was just so proud of our guys and what they did,” Irving said. ”They passed a lot of expectations Tyquan Lewis Color Rush Jersey , and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Cleveland beat Boston 87-79 in Game 7 to send James to his eighth consecutive Finals series. The Cavaliers were swept by the Golden State Warriors, dropping James’ personal Finals record to 3-6.
The Celtics expect Irving to be completely recovered by the start of training camp in the fall.
”I’m feeling good,” Irving said. ”It was going to be a process coming back, just making sure I’m healthy enough for September. Just trying not to push it too hard.”
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BALTIMORE — The resilient Los Angeles Angels can finish a three-game sweep of the struggling Baltimore Orioles on Sunday at Camden Yards.
Los Angeles won the opener 7-1 on Friday and beat the Orioles 6-2 on a sweltering Saturday afternoon.
The Angels entered the series on a six-game losing streak Cheap Tyquan Lewis Jersey , but will leave Baltimore very much alive in the American League wild-card race.
On Saturday, Mike Scioscia managed his 3,000th regular-season game for the Angels, not that he has kept count.
“You don’t think about it,” said Scioscia, who has been with the club since 2000 and is 1,613-1,387 (.538 winning percentage). “It’s 3,000 Cheap Josh Sitton Jersey , one game at a time.”
The Orioles have lost seven straight and fell to 0-15 against AL West opponents. Manager Buck Showalter vows the team will keep fighting and try to find bright spots.
“It’s been tougher on our fans and our players. I don’t look at it that way,” said Showalter, whose team has lost 17 of 18 at home. “All things considered, it’s an unbelievable way to do something you love and be able to pay the bills with it.”
Deck McGuire (0-0, 6.08 ERA) will start for the Angels in place of John Lamb, who had an MRI on his left elbow that revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament. Lamb will undergo UCL reconstruction surgery in Los Angeles.
The Angels have seven starting pitchers on the disabled list.
As a result, they will be leaning on McGuire to help stabilize the rotation. However, he has made only two previous major league starts among his 12 appearances and has never faced Baltimore.
Los Angeles had a positive development with phenom Shohei Ohtani, who hit in a simulated game Saturday at Angel Stadium. Ohtani has a Grade 2 sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament of his right elbow. The team is hoping he can avoid Tommy John surgery.
“There definitely be a consensus from the medical staff on how he feels http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-russell-bodine-jersey ,” Scioscia said. “We’ll see if he has enough velocity to go out there and play.”
Ohtani underwent stem-cell therapy and received a platelet-rich plasma injection to heal a damaged ligament. He was given the OK to begin batting practice Thursday.
Kevin Gausman (3-6, 4.20 ERA) is looking to help pull the Orioles from their doldrums. However, he lost his last four decisions and has not completed seven innings in any of his last eight starts.
In his last outing, Gausman was solid in earning a no-decision, allowing one run and five hits in six innings of a 3-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners. He was effective managing his pitch count throughout the game.
“That’s huge,” he said. “Kind of seems like that’s what I do every start lately is kind of get in jams the first inning, throw a lot of pitches. It’s always big to kind of bounce back and have a quick inning.”
Gausman is 1-3 with a 5.97 ERA in five starts against the Angels.
Baltimore also received some bad news on the injury front. Reliever Darren O’Day opted to have season-ending surgery on his injured left hamstring. The recovery time is six months, according to Showalter.
O’Day also missed more than a month with a hyperextended elbow. The sidearmer is 0-2 with a 3.60 ERA in 20 games this season. He was placed on the 60-day disabled list Friday.
Showalter said O’Day has not yet finalized the time and place of the procedure.
鈥?Patriots safety Devin McCourty got a closer look at James Harrison when the linebacker strolled through the locker room on Wednesday.It left an impression.“He’s a well put together human being. Scary-looking some would probably say,” McCourty said.The Patriots’ deal with the former Steelers star also raised some eyebrows in Pittsburgh Authentic Jihad Ward Jersey , where some of his former teammates voiced their displeasure with the circumstances surrounding his departure on Saturday.“He erased himself; he erased his own legacy here. Let’s be serious,” Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey said Wednesday. “It’s crazy. He wanted that. It wasn’t like the team said, ‘We want to let go of James Harrison.’ James Harrison wanted that.”The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Harrison was unavailable for comment after his first practice with New England. He is expected to address reporters for the first time on Friday.Regardless of what led to his exit from Pittsburgh, just how much of an impact the 39-year-old Harrison can have with his new team remains to be seen.The two-time Super Bowl champion has competed against Tom Brady and New England during his 15 NFL seasons. Now he is in position to help the Patriots, who have faced the Steelers in the AFC championship game three times since 2001.He is Pittsburgh’s career leader in sacks, piling up 80 1/2 during his 14 seasons with the Steelers and 82 1/2 during his career. He briefly retired in September 2014 following a forgettable season in Cincinnati but returned when the Steelers ran into injury trouble.He joins a New England team that needs a victory over the visiting New York Jets on Sunday to clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.“We’ll see. I don’t know,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said of his expectations for Harrison. “We’ll get out there this week and see how it goes. I’m not really sure how it’s going to go.”No one is quite sure what Harrison has left in his tank. He has appeared in just five games and played a total of 38 snaps this season, posting only one sack.Anything he could provide would be helpful Cheap DaeSean Hamilton Jersey , though.New England’s defense has been racked by injuries this season. Fourteen different players have lined up at either linebacker of defensive end. It entered the week ranked 26nd in rushing defense and 29th in passing defense.Linebacker Trey Flowers, who leads New England with 6 1/2 sacks, said there’s no limit to what he can learn from a veteran like Harrison.“Everything really,” Flowers said. “He’s been doing it a long time. Very physical player. Obviously, in the weight room, just being able to keep his body strong and things like that. So, just a whole lot. … Anytime you get a vet that’s been doing it a long time, you can learn a lot from him.”NOTES: Brady sat out practice Wednesday with left shoulder and Achilles tendon injuries. Defensive lineman Alan Branch and running backs Rex Burkhead and Mike Gillislee all sat out with knee injuries. … Receiver Malcolm Mitchell returned to practice for the first time since he went on injured reserve Sept. 7.AP freelance reporter Chris Adamski in Pittsburgh contributed to this report..Oh, and it just so happens Green also became the first Warriors player to ever average a triple-double in a postseason series.
”He’s just incredibly engaged and locked in. This is the best I’ve seen him play all year,” coach Steve Kerr said. ”Draymond has to play hard to do what he does. I think the playoffs have energized him.”
Green is at his best on the big stage and playing just on the edge – pushing boundaries by being just physical enough without crossing the line, dishing out just enough trash talk, though others may beg to differ.
Just as Barkley did.
Green flaps his mouth with the best of them in what many might consider over-the-top gamesmanship, engaging with Rajon Rondo – Green praised his opponent afterward – in what became a testy matchup during the Warriors’ five-game series win against the Pelicans. He tangled with Anthony Davis, too.
Green’s enormous personality prompted TNT analyst Barkley to go off and declare, ”I want to punch him in the face http://www.patriotsauthorizedshop.com/authentic-adrian-clayborn-jersey , I really do.”
No biggie, Green just fired back.
”He’s seen me a million times. If he feels that strongly about it then punch me in my face when you see me,” Green said. ”If you’re not going to punch me in my face when you see me then shut up. It’s no different than somebody sitting behind a computer screen tweeting, `I’ll knock you out,’ and you never see them in life. Well he’s seen me a bunch of times and he’ll see me again this year. Punch me in the face or if not, no one cares what you would have done. You’re old and it is what it is.”
Barkley later apologized and called his comments inappropriate.
Green is in the middle of everything for the defending champion Warriors, and that’s right where they want him as they try for a repeat title.
Next up is a date with James Harden, Chris Paul and the top-seeded Houston Rockets.
”I live for playoff basketball,” Green said. ”It’s the most fun time of the year for me, but just, you know, locking in and focusing.”
Tensions will certainly be high in these long-anticipated Western Conference Finals. Everybody who plays with Green loves him, and those who have to face him rarely enjoy themselves. He’s a menace on both ends Customized Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys , blocking shots, pounding the boards, flying out of bounds to save loose balls, celebrating with a roar or flex of his biceps.
”Like I’ve said to you guys time and time again, he can basically play all the positions on the floor,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. ”That’s what makes it really difficult to play against them, just the versatility that those guys have.”
Against New Orleans, Green averaged 14.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 10.0 assists. The Warriors are 26-0 overall in games where Green has a triple-double, 4-0 in the playoffs.
In the final two games of the first round against San Antonio, he had 18 rebounds then a playoff career-high 19 boards, then another 15 in Game 1 against the Pelicans with a triple-double. He was one rebound shy of another triple-double in Game 2 and short by one assist in the 113-104 Game 5 clincher Tuesday night.
”I guess that’s great to be the first person in the history of a franchise to do something, but nonetheless Odubel Herrera Jersey , you don’t get triple-doubles by yourself,” Green said. ”You don’t get rebounds by yourself. You need everyone else boxing out on the court. I don’t score points by myself. I’ve got great teammates that find me and give me great shots, and I don’t make the baskets on the pass that I deliver to them.
”So I don’t get fooled into thinking, `Oh, I averaged a triple-double in the series because of me.”’
Green hardly could have expected his fiery style to bring on a death threat, and he brushed it off with little concern. The Warriors increased their security, even if comedian Andrew Polk apologized for his social media post saying Green should be shot.
Green has swiftly moved forward.
After being told that Kerr called veteran Andre Iguodala the ”baby sitter” on the floor, Green had fun with it: ”I need a baby sitter.”
And he hardly considered standing next to the Pelicans’ huddle any kind of infraction. Official Josh Tiven told Green to move.
”I said, `Hey that ain’t no huddle, I’m just standing over here like they standing over here,”’ Green said. ”It was fun. They was watching something of us. It was pretty good.”
Green finished the night with 19 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists Cheap Customized Dallas Cowboys Jerseys , three steals and two blocked shots. About his usual.
The Warriors want him to continue doing his thing, his way.
”Nothing surprises me but always just kind of impressed and you don’t want to take a talent like that for granted, what he brings every single night,” teammate Stephen Curry said. ”It’s fun to watch, the intensity he plays with and timely plays on both ends of the floor, it’s what a gamer does and that’s what he’s been his whole career. Earlier in his career, never, rarely showed up in the stats sheet like his stuff is there right now – right now, it’s the whole package, and it’s amazing.”
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Ryan brought his infant twin boys Jerome Baker Color Rush Jersey , Marshall and John, to Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank’s office on Friday, when the deal was signed.
”Tough negotiators,” a smiling Ryan said Monday.
The twins, born on April 8 following a complicated pregnancy for Ryan’s wife, Sarah, and the new contract are reasons for Ryan to have an optimistic new focus on his future.
The extension announced on Thursday is worth at least $100 million , a league record Aaron Rodgers Jersey Youth , and could be worth as much as $150 million.
Ryan has been the figurehead of the Falcons during their most successful 10-year run in franchise history. He says he sees the contract as an incentive for the future instead of a reward for leading the team to six playoff seasons, including the Super Bowl run in 2016, when he was named NFL MVP.
”We’ve had some really good teams,” Ryan said. ”But I think the best is in front of us and that’s what has me so excited about my future here and our future as an organization, that we have a lot of really good pieces in place.”
Ryan said when he was drafted in 2008 it was his hope ”to be the quarterback that a franchise leans on for a long time, 15, 20 years. That’s kind of still where my head is at.”
Before the extension, Ryan Cheap Billy Price Jersey , who turns 33 on May 17, could have been a free agent after the 2018 season.
The threat of Ryan entering free agency could have been the biggest story of training camp. That was a distraction Ryan and the Falcons were eager to avoid.
Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff described the extension as ”our primary focus this offseason.”
Now Ryan can focus on football instead of finances as he prepares for the 2018 season.
”I’m happy with the timing of it,” Ryan said. ”I think the organization is very happy with the timing of it. Certainly when we get back to training camp it’s 100 percent about football. … I always felt confident it was going to get done in a smooth way and in a timely manner and I feel like it did.”
There was little question the Falcons would keep Ryan, who has helped to reshape the perception of the franchise.
Before the Ryan era, the Falcons had only eight playoff seasons in 42 years, and none in back-to-back years. With Ryan, the Falcons have made the playoffs in six of 10 years, including the 2016 Super Bowl run.
The contract extension brings continued stability for an offense that also returns wide receivers Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu and running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. Dimitroff gave the offense a boost by making wide receiver Calvin Ridley its first-round draft pick last month.
Like Jones Domingo Santana Milwaukee Brewers Jersey , Ridley is from Alabama.
”I guess I’m an honorary Alabama quarterback now,” Ryan said. ”… I’m very excited about Calvin coming here.”
Ryan’s new deal topped the total compensation of the $84 million, three-year guaranteed deal that quarterback Kirk Cousins received from the Minnesota Vikings.
Someday, Ryan will be able to show his twins a photo taken by the Falcons of the day they were in the room when he signed the extension.
”It was a special day for our family,” he said. ”I was excited that they were there. That will always be a great memory for us but also a really cool picture for me to be able to show them when they get older. They won’t remember it, but I’ll tell them I was OK at one point.”
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The former NFL linebacker known as "Lights Out" will try to punch out an opponent's lights in a bare-knuckle boxing match.
Shawne Merriman has agreed to compete with the World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation on a pay-per-view event in Casper, Wyoming, this fall Youth Josh Jackson Jersey , the promoters announced Wednesday.
The 34-year-old Merriman was a three-time Pro Bowl selection during his eight-year NFL career with the Chargers and the Bills.
Merriman retired from the NFL in 2013, and he flirted with the idea of becoming a professional wrestler the next year. He has trained in mixed martial arts during his retirement, even considering a professional bout in Japan.
Several UFC veterans also have agreed to fight on the bare-knuckle show in Wyoming.
.”We want to be, if not the best Cheap Taron Johnson Jersey , one of the best secondaries in the league this year,” Byard said.
Ryan adds: ”Our expectations are to be the best we can be, whatever that may be. We expect it and want to be tops in the league.”
Bold talk, and yes it’s only June as the Titans prepare to wrap up their offseason program Thursday with the end of a three-day minicamp. Tennessee certainly has invested heavily in its secondary, enough that the players in this unit believe they should be a vital piece of a defense being molded by new coordinator Dean Pees and head coach Mike Vrabel.
The Titans have used draft picks and spent millions of dollars in remaking the secondary under general manager Jon Robinson over the past three offseasons. Tennessee selected Byard with the first pick of the third round in 2016 and cornerback Adoree Jackson with the 18th selection overall in 2017 . Ryan was a top addition as a free agent in March 2017 followed by signing Butler this past March – both signed away from New England.
Add in safety Johnathan Cyprien, another free agent addition, and it’s a group that wants to set the tone for the defense on the field.
”That’s all talk right now,” Byard said. ”At the end of the day, we’re going out here, we have the opportunity to actually be on the field right now and work with each other, and get the communication down James Washington Jersey Steelers , learn the defense, and going against a tough receiver crew in the Titans. That’s what we’re doing every single day. We know what we’re chasing, but this is all talk right now. We have to go to work.”
Tennessee has room for improvement. The Titans ranked 25th against the pass, giving up 239.3 yards per game. They tied for 18th with 12 interceptions thanks to Byard tied for the NFL-high with eight . Four other Titans each had an interception apiece, and only LeShaun Sims and Tye Smith remain on the roster with Byard.
Jackson was one of just two rookies in the NFL to start every game at cornerback, and only Tyrann Mathieu of Arizona played more snaps (1,261) than Jackson (1,260). But the cornerback who had five interceptions as a junior at Southern California before leaving early for the NFL still is looking for his first pick as a pro.
”My dad always tells me about it, so that’s probably my biggest critic that I have,” said Jackson, who noted he returned his first interception for a touchdown as a sophomore.
Ryan intercepted 13 passes over his first four seasons in the NFL with the Patriots. That earned him a three-year deal with the Titans in March 2017 Jeremiah Attaochu Jersey 49ers , but he went all season without picking off a pass for the first time in his career. Butler has eight interceptions over his past three seasons, which helped earn him a five-year contract from Tennessee.
”I’m pretty sure they’ll bump that number up from zero this year,” Butler said of Ryan and Jackson. ”Everyone wants the ball. We’ve just got to play hard and just play as a team and everything will work itself out.”
Vrabel brought in Kerry Coombs from Ohio State to coach the Titans’ secondary, a man with 35 years of experience making his NFL debut with Tennessee. Coombs isn’t ready to compare their secondary to anyone else right now even as he loves their chemistry, athleticism and work ethic.
”I can’t wait to go play against somebody else to see,” Coombs said. ”But I think our goal obviously is to be in that conversation.”
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The two-time MVP on Friday went through his first 5-on-5 scrimmage since the injury but coach Steve Kerr wasn’t ready to proclaim Curry a go for Saturday night – that might not be decided until after the morning shootaround. Kerr listed Curry’s status as questionable for a second straight day ahead of Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the New Orleans Pelicans at Oracle Arena.
”Still to be determined,” Curry said. ”They come up with those snazzy words for a reason – doubtful, questionable, probable. I’ve learned a lot about what those words mean this year. Just trying to work my way up, do what I need to do, do whatever Chelsea (Lane) and the rest of the athletic training staff and coach needs to see to get me back out there. That’s the only thing I can really focus on right now. It is good to be back actually playing basketball and doing basketball things.”
Curry, Kerr and Lane spoke in depth after Friday’s scrimmage, which wasn’t visible to media members with a curtain blocking one court at team headquarters.
On Thursday, Curry resumed full practice with contact but Kerr wanted to see how Curry responded after consecutive intense days of on-court work before he and the training staff decided when to let Curry return.
”A big part of this is how he turns up tomorrow after a night’s rest,” Kerr said. ”It’s the first time he’s scrimmaged in six weeks, five weeks Jimmie Foxx Jersey , whatever it is. It’s not as simple as he feels good, throw him out there. It’s more about give him a few days, see how he responds from there.”
There was still no date for Game 2 of the best-of-seven series, though Curry was hoping if he couldn’t play Saturday that the game would be at least Tuesday – not Monday – to give him a better chance.
He nearly feels like himself again, moving the way he’s used to during a game. Curry isn’t sure what kind of minutes to expect initially when he does return but figures he will discuss that with Kerr ahead of time.
”I’m getting there,” he said. ”My knee feels pretty good. I don’t have any pain with doing things I’ve been doing.”
Curry wore compression leggings Friday to protect his sprained knee, which has sidelined him since the injury March 23. It was bad luck given that’s the same day he returned from a six-game absence because of a hurt right ankle.
He was happy to not need a brace he tried out Thursday. The Warriors eliminated the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the first-round series with a 99-91 win Tuesday night and Curry wants to make sure he doesn’t disrupt any flow or momentum with the team on a roll.
”The priority for us is to be the best team we can be,” he said. ”When I’m 100 percent healthy and doing what I need to do I obviously try to lead that charge but right now the conversations become how can you manage those minutes and still be productive and still have a cohesive lineup and flow to the game and all that type of stuff. That’s what Coach has to think through.”
Curry said he wasn’t trying to persuade Kerr or Lane to let him play Saturday.
”There’s no real politicking at all, it’s not that serious. It’s a matter of how you feel, can you do this, can you do that and check off all the boxes along the way Jarvis Landry Browns Jersey ,” he said. ”Once I get through all those checkpoints and have confidence in myself and my body I’ll be out there, whether that’s tomorrow night or Monday or Tuesday, whenever Game 2 is, that’s the process that I’m all too familiar with.”
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Allen Robinson sees no reason he can’t regain the form that made him a Pro Bowl receiver and help the Chicago Bears snap a string of losing seasons.
He insisted the ACL he tore in his left knee in last year’s opener with Jacksonville is coming along just fine. And he expects to be ”fully cleared” for training camp.
”I understand it’s a question for the media,” Robinson said. ”But I know how I’m going to go about this thing, and I know the kind of player I’m going to be. So for me, there’s no questions.”
He’s looking forward to catching passes from Mitchell Trubisky and playing in new coach Matt Nagy’s offense. Above all, he’s embracing the challenge in Chicago, where the Bears have just one playoff appearance since the 2006 team’s Super Bowl run.
Robinson was one of five free agent acquisitions introduced Thursday along with former Philadelphia tight end Trey Burton, Atlanta receiver Taylor Gabriel, Miami kicker Cody Parkey and New Orleans backup quarterback Chase Daniel.
”We just started the offseason acquisition period now Marcus Davenport Saints Jersey ,” general manager Ryan Pace said. ”We’re only one day into it. Let’s take it step by step, the excitement. The draft is right around the corner and that’s our primary mode for adding talent to our team.”
The Bears have four straight last-place finishes in the NFC North – and four straight seasons with 10 or more losses. Their passing game ranked last in the NFL in 2017.
But the Bears are banking on the moves they made to help get the most out of Trubisky – last year’s No. 2 overall draft pick – even though Pace’s record in free agency is spotty.
Not only did they add one of the top receivers on the market, they brought in a versatile tight end who threw a memorable touchdown pass to quarterback Nick Foles in the Super Bowl as well as a speedy receiver in Gabriel.
They also addressed the kicking game, a sore spot since they released Robbie Gould prior to the 2016 season, and brought in a backup QB familiar with the system to mentor Trubisky. Daniel played for Kansas City from 2013-15 when Nagy was the Chiefs‘ quarterbacks coach.
”I was part of this offense in Philadelphia,” Burton said. ”I saw how successful it was. All you need is a couple weapons and a quarterback who can handle all of it and I think that is exactly what we have here in Chicago.”
In Trubisky, Gabriel sees a ”very confident guy” who can ”sling it.”
”When we signed the other day, the first thing I asked him was `How’s your deep ball,’ so I’m excited to be with him and excited to get in and play with him.”
Robinson was also impressed by Trubisky as well as the ”versatility” of Nagy’s offense.
”You see a lot of big plays, you see some dink-and-dunk plays, you see everybody being involved Authentic Customized Patriots Jerseys ,” he said. ”It’s something that just looked fun to play in.”
Robinson is looking forward to playing, period.
It wasn’t easy watching the Jaguars advance to the AFC championship game after they posted losing records in his first three years. He came into the season thinking he was poised for big things after a dip in production in 2016.
Instead, he injured his knee on the Jaguars’ third play of the season. He has been running sprints and performing ”pretty explosive jumps” as he works his way back.
Pace said the fact that Robinson is only 24 and the injury occurred early in the season bodes well, though he wouldn’t put a timeline on when he expects to see him on the field. Once he’s ready, the Bears envision big things from him.
”He’s just a big target that knows how to get open,” Pace said. ”He’s a savvy route runner that can set guys up and he’s just a proven receiver you know. He’s a physical guy that can body and out-position guys and it’s a guy that obviously we targeted and are excited to get here.”
Notes: The Bears signed LB Aaron Lynch to a one-year contract. A fifth-round draft pick by San Francisco in 2014, he made 19 starts and had 83 tackles and 15 sacks in four seasons with the 49ers.
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