Monthly Archives: May 2017

Michael Vick will play in the American Flag Football League, and we can’t wait to watch

Cincinnati Bengals,

Plans are in the works for a new American Flag Football League featuring former NFL players, and it’s a fantastic idea. Retired quarterback Michael Vick and running back Justin Forsett will play in a test game in June, according to ESPN’s Darren Rovell.

The game will be played on June 27 at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, Calif. Unfortunately, it won’t air live on television. But it will be available to stream after the game, and we will absolutely watch the hell out of it.

Authentic Kids Markus Golden Jersey Financier Jeff Lewis is the man behind the American Flag Football League, and he got the idea from watching his young son play flag football. The league will field eight different teams and will launch in 2018.

For the Chargers, this means the team will remain at the StubHub Center through the 2019 season. Despite the delay, the team doesn’t sound too discouraged to be playing in a smaller environment like the StubHub Center.

Taijuan Walker Limited Jersey I’m looking forward to it because it takes you back, head coach Anthony Lynn said. It’s a really intimate environment, like college or high school if you’re from Texas! I’ve been there a few times, and every time I go I can’t wait to get there and play. I think it’s going to be fun.

The StubHub Center has a capacity of just 27,000. The Chargers have already sold out their tickets for the 2017 season.

The Rams, on the other hand, will continue to play their games at the Coliseum through 2019. The team’s statement said that despite renovations that are already underway at the Coliseum, the team will make efforts to make the fan experience at games better before they’re finished.

The delay is unfortunate for everybody involved, but it doesn’t sound like there will be much trouble in working around it.

That question was answered on this site long before Thursday’s report

Cincinnati Bengals,

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The next question: How does Manziel, who hasn’t played since the 2015 season and has a career QB rating of 74.4, receive interest over Colin Kaepernick, who has 56 more NFL starts including playoffs and a career QB rating of 88.9?

That question was answered on this site long before Thursday’s report. And, to help answer it, keep in mind how Drew Brees felt about Kaepernick’s national anthem protest during the 2016 season. It’s part of the reason the Saints were not included on SN’s list of teams that might still sign Kaepernick in free agency.

And even through all this, baseball still has a way of policing itself. Slide into second late? Catch a haymaker to the jaw. Flaunting like a Calvin Klein model on the catwalk after blasting a dinger? Be prepared to wear one your next at-bat.

In the 100-plus year history of baseball, the sport itself has changed minimally. Yes, tactics and strategy have evolved, advanced statistics and analytics have a stronger foothold than ever across the sport and players do a better job of exhibiting their personalities on the field.

Not a single one of these things is inherently bad. In fact, if you truly love baseball and want to see people of all ages — especially the younger generation — engage in, and fall in love with it, those are things you should probably support.

Bruce Smith Kids Jersey In the age of social media and networking, baseball doesn’t entirely lend itself to the highlight clips and high-octane, heavy-hitting plays of the day. At least not like basketball or football. So we have to be willing to let baseball change, grow and evolve if we want to continue to see the sport thrive. That means having some malleability.

Why would you take something without knowing what was in it?

Cincinnati Bengals,

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Whether it’s McCown or McNown or Miller or Mathews or Moreno, after McMahon, the Bears have had no Luck, man.

Let’s hope Glennon and Sanchez aren’t the only Chicago ways of solving QB, that the team will also end up with either Watson, Trubisky, Kizer, Mahomes or Webb. We at least know between Deshaun, Mitch/Mitchell or DeShone, Pat or Davis, there will be a new first name added to the list. Maybe it will come with a new outlook, too.

At one point, after trading for Cutler on the heels of his Pro Bowl with the Broncos in 2008, it looked pretty good for the Bears. But Jay never saved the day, and his once great promise to end the dry spell only added to the frustration of the carousel. While Cutler was around for eight seasons, Chicago still needed seven other guys to start for injury or otherwise.

Why would you take something without knowing what was in it?
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Maybe Marte truly didn’t know he was taking a steroid, even though Nandrolone most often enters the body through an injection. But even if he was just ignorant about it, it shouldn’t be hard to learn what’s in the things players take. If the ingredients aren’t listed, that should be a red flag. Even if they are listed, maybe do a little Googling. At the very least, it’s probably best to ask someone who would know. Speaking of that . . .

Do you consult anyone with your team or MLB before taking a new substance?

New supplements and substances are coming to market all the time. Many of them might seem attractive to you. If you decide to try one, it seems wise to consult a team doctor, trainer or someone else with medical training about whether it could get you in trouble.

Ballard knows the Colts will only go as far as quarterback Andrew Luck can take them.

Oakland Raiders

“We wanted to make sure we got some veterans who still had upside in their career,” said Ballard, who comes from a Chiefs squad chock with pass-rushing talent in Justin Houstin, Dee Ford and Tamba Hali. “We’ve revamped the outside linebacker position. And I’ve made this clear — we will always look for rushers in the draft. You can never have enough.”

Ballard also knows the Colts will only go as far as quarterback Andrew Luck can take them. This is one of the reasons Indianapolis is being overly cautious with its quarterback as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery.

Ballard would not give a timetable for Luck’s return to practice but did say his rehabilitation was “going really well.”

“We’re going to make sure we do the right thing by the young man by making sure he’s healthy where he can finish out his career and have a long time left to play,” Ballard said. “Every day I’ve been here, he’s been here and working. When the doctors clear him and Andrew feel like he ready to go we’ll get rolling.”

Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky: As the starting left tackle for the Hilltoppers, Lamp really made a name for himself last September with a solid showing against Alabama. His stock has risen since. Lamp, who is projected as an NFL guard, is strong, bends well, anchors his weight, has good feet and excellent hand placement. In short, Lamp does everything well and can solidify the left side of any team’s offensive line. nike_cardinals_307

MLB Draft 2017: Elite prospect Seth Romero kicked off University of Houston team

Cincinnati Bengals,

Seth Romero is expected to be among the first pitchers selected in next month’s MLB Draft, but his college career has ended early.

The University of Houston kicked the junior left-hander off the team Wednesday, citing an undisclosed event Tuesday and previous conduct detrimental to the team. D1Baseball.com, citing unidentified sources, says Romero was involved in a fight during batting practice before Tuesday’s game against Rice.

A native of West Columbia, Texas, Romero leads the nation with 15.72 strikeouts per nine innings. In 47 appearances for the Cougars during his career, 28 of them starts, he posted a 2.43 ERA with 70 walks and 290 strikeouts in 226 1/3 innings.
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Baseball America had him at No. 18 in its most recent ranking of 2017 draft prospects, down from No. 10 earlier in the spring. In a mock draft published during Romero’s suspension, BA projected him to go to the Marlins at No. 13 overall.

Limited Kids Cody Whitehair Jersey Shortly after the report emerged, Mayock issued a statement via NFL Network that said he has not had official contact with the Redskins, nor any interviews for the job. Mayock continued that he is squarely focused on the upcoming NFL Draft, but ESPN’s report said the Redskins aren’t expected to name a new GM until after the draft.

Mayock, 58, would be an unconventional choice given his resume, though the former New York Giants safety certainly has spent plenty of time around the league since joining NFL Network in 2005. And hiring a GM straight from television has already been done this offseason, with the 49ers plucking John Lynch from Fox Sports to lead their football operations.

Nationals offense goes supernova, explodes for 23 runs against Mets

Cincinnati Bengals,

Just the thought of working with pitchers of this caliber would be exciting for any pitching coach, and today, we’re only going to look the four top pitching prospects McCatty will be working with — Giolito, Lopez, Burdi and Fulmer, the right-handers who are second, third, sixth and seventh, respectively, in Baseball America’s ranking of the White Sox organization.

Adam Larsson Elite Jersey When you have guys that have ability, and maybe there’s some way to get something across to them that helps them, that is, for a guy like me, exciting to do, McCatty said. You can always work on the mental game, but sometimes the stuff will limit what you can do, though of course that doesn’t mean he can’t be good. But these guys, with the stuff they have, to learn how to harness it and use it, that’s really pretty cool.

The Nationals offense, even minus Adam Eaton, is unstoppable right now.

Washington has been raking all week — they had already scored 51 runs Monday through Saturday — but put together its masterpiece on Sunday, tallying an insane 23 runs against the Mets.

Womens Antonio Brown Jersey Yep, you read that right. 23. As in, the number Michael Jordan wore, or the number that Jim Carrey movie is about.

The burst came in part due to an early exit by Mets ace Noah Syndergaard, who left the game due to injury. But it also came due to the insane bat of Anthony Rendon, who went six for six with three home runs and 10 RBI.

Rendon raised his average from .235 to .278 on the afternoon.

If Washington can figure out their bullpen problems, its road to a World Series is going to be tough to block. Because it seems like it’ll be nearly impossible to outhit them.

Jaylon Smith says he will be on field for Dallas Cowboys’ opener

Oakland Raiders

Of all of the players that have been hurt in the final games of their college careers like Jake Butt of Michigan or Willis McGahee of Miami, no injury may have been more disheartening than the one Notre Dame’s Jaylon Smith suffered at the end of the 2015 season.

Smith, a projected top-five NFL Draft pick at the time, suffered a nerve injury that had some thinking he might never be able to play football again. He subsequently fell to the second round where the Dallas Cowboys took a flyer on him knowing that he may never take the field.

But it became clear Wednesday that their gamble may have paid off as Smith said he will be ready to play “Sunday night, prime time,” in the Cowboys’ season opener Sept. 10.

“It’s just an amazing opportunity to be back out there with the Cowboys,” Smith told reporters Wednesday, via ESPN.com. “And honestly it’s just a matter of you guys seeing it.”

Smith had more than 100 tackles in each of his last two seasons with the Fighting Irish and tallied nine sacks each season. He could be the linebacker, and pass-rusher, the Cowboys have desperately needed to add the last few seasons.

But if indeed the nerve damage in his foot is healed Smith will make an impact this season. He is taking part in the Cowboys’ rookie mini-camp starting May 12, but he will only be able to go through walk-throughs. However, considering he didn’t even have sensation in his foot for a good part of the last two years, that is a huge step in the right direction.

But the 6-2, 235-pound Smith is confident he will be back and his attitude is echoed by the Cowboys’ owner.

“I’m not qualified and do not intend to sound like I’m qualified,” Jerry Jones said, “but someone that I know who is very qualified and very knowledgeable about his situation (Dr. Daniel Cooper, the doctor who performed Smith’s surgery) is absolutely assuring and his opinions are that he’s right on course.”
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Suspended NFL linebacker Rolando McClain arrested on firearm, drug charges

Cincinnati Bengals,

Authentic Kids Davonte Lambert Jersey Linebacker Rolando McClain is in trouble again, after being arrested Friday by police in Alabama on firearm and marijuana possession charges.

The Decatur Daily reports that Hartselle police arrested the 27-year-old McClain after stopping his vehicle for a window-tint violation. After smelling marijuana, officers searched the vehicle and found marijuana and a firearm.

McClain was charged with carrying a firearm without a permit, second-degree possession of marijuana, and a misdemeanor equipment violation. He was being held in the Morgan County (Ala.) jail under a $2,000 bond as of Friday afternoon.

Floyd is currently on home detention after spending time in jail for extreme drunken driving in Arizona.
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Carter was once waived by the Eagles for problems with substance abuse. He joined the Vikings afterward and has thrived in a life of sobriety,

A lot of people don’t realize the state of Minnesota has been at the forefront of recovery,鈥?Carter told Twincities.com. It was for me, and Michael has embraced that he’s got a problem. He’s sought to get help, and Minneapolis is a great place.

I think he can get support. [The Vikings are] going to put the support around him, and me being a former Viking that struggled with things, the team really helped me. Being a fan of Michael Floyd, I’m pulling for him.鈥

Clippers vs. Jazz, 2017 NBA playoffs: Schedule, scores, predictions, and news

Cincinnati Bengals,

Of all eight first-round matchups in the playoff picture, none harder to call than the No. 4 vs. No. 5 showdown between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Utah Jazz.

After years of disappointment underscored by last year’s post-season cut short due to injury, the Clippers look to prove they can hang with the top teams out west. With a healthy Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, Los Angeles feels it’s a contender in their conference’s stacked top half. DeAndre Jordan is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate once again, manning the middle for a Clippers team deeper than it’s ever been.

An emerging Jazz team won’t make their odds any easier. Gordon Hayward earned his first All-Star appearance in a career year in Utah this season. The Jazz added battle-tested veterans in Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw to the roster, and they signed George Hill, who has had the best season of his career, albeit in limited playing time. And as good as Jordan has been defensively, Rudy Gobert has taken the reins as the league’s menacing interior presence, with the DPOY award likely in tow.

Limited Womens Ricky Jean Francois Jersey The sad part is that James has no reason to even give the Raptors his full attention. Toronto is playing like a team that is just happy to be invited to the playoffs. Its defense has been torn to shreds. Kyle Lowry is fighting ankle pain, and DeMar DeRozan is too busy shooting the ball at some mystical basket that only he can see. Hopefully DeRozan’s bad shots gain him favor in the other world where his shots are going in, because in this reality he’s just validating James’ flippancy.

Limited Womens Kyle Rudolph Jersey On top of this disrespect by one of the greatest players of all time is the fact that the best Raptors team ever is on pace to be swept by the Cavaliers. Toronto spent years building a complete team — making trades, developing players, and signing big free agents — and now it’s about to be ushered out of the playoffs by a team led by a man who is more concerned with the flat-world theory than whatever defense is supposed to stop him. Life shouldn’t be that rough.

The Jazz’s Game 7 win on the road validated their 7-year rebuild

Cincinnati Bengals,

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Game Andy Levitre Jersey The Utah Jazz were a team that ended its 2015-16 season on the losing end of Kobe Bryant’s final 60-point game. It wasn’t exactly the way you want to end a season while trying to rebuild, but it’s a reality they faced. But the Jazz kept on fighting, rebuilding the right way, and now they’re headed to the second round of the NBA playoffs after winning a Game 7 against the Clippers on the road.

Lucas tore his meniscus in his left knee in high school, as well as his patella tendon in his right knee at Tulsa. He was still one of the best receivers ever at Tulsa, with 3,250 career yards and 32 touchdown receptions, tied for best in school history.

After being spurned by the Bills, the Rams then did the same thing, picking up the phone and expressing their interest to sign him, before calling his agent to withdraw interest, per FOX 23. The Seahawks offered Lucas to come try out, but only if he’d sign a medical waiver agreeing to pay for surgery or rehab if he got hurt.

Finally, the Jets called on Sunday. The team invited Lucas to try out Thursday through Sunday — rather than outright signing him — and will know whether or not he makes the team at the end of the weekend.

Before the NFL Combine, Lucas told Tulsa World, I feel like I need that one opportunity — one person, one team to take a chance on me. He added, Once I get that one opportunity, I promise I’m not going to go home. I’m going to put in all the work needed and bring a positive attitude every day.

While the draft process wasn’t a pleasant one throughout for Lucas, he’s going to have his chance to showcase his talents at the NFL level.