University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame Banquet 2012 Photos

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University of Miami Sports Hall Of Fame 2012 Inductees: Ed Reed, Robbie Morrison, Richard Mercier, Ray Bellamy, Bryant McKinnie, Patrina Allen, Desma Thomas Bateast, Paige Yaroshuk Tews
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Ed Reed, Robbie Morrison, Richard Mercier, Ray Bellamy, Bryant McKinnie
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Art Kehoe, Bryant McKinnie, Ruben Carter
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Ed Reed, Reggie Wayne, Greg Mark
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Robbie Morrison and “The Beast” on All Canes Radio.
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Randall “Thrill” Hill, Darrin Smith


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Humility on display at UM Sports Hall of Fame inductions

EdReed3
At the University of Miami, athletes are famous for coming back home and supporting the school.

Thursday night, some very special athletes came home, and this time it was the University of Miami that was honoring them as they were inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in a dinner ceremony at Jungle Island.

None of them needed that traditional swagger UM is so noted — and criticized — for. They, in fact, were downright humbled about being honored.
Here’s what those eight athletes had to say Thursday night about being inducted and what UM meant to them.

• Ray Bellamy, 63, a wide receiver who was the first black athlete to be awarded a scholarship to UM: “UM was a combination of people, places and time that worked just perfectly for me,” said Bellamy, who became the student body president at UM. “The UM did the right thing by signing me — the UM was the one that did it. Being inducted means everything. I can’t believe this day has come. This school has shown me love.” Bellamy is now an academic advisor at Florida A&M University.

• Ed Reed, 33, a standout defensive back at UM who went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens and has been named an NFL All-Pro eight times and is a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, ranked being inducted among his top honors: “It’s special, man, it’s special. To be a part of this family is a blessing. This school was the doorway to the NFL. This school was also the doorway to being a collegiate student. This school prepared us.”

Bryant McKinnie, 32, an Outland Trophy winner who didn’t allow a sack in his UM career and went on to play for the Minnesota Vikings before joining Ed Reed in Baltimore last season: “It feels good, really good,” McKinnie said of his induction. “This is a blessing. UM is like a fraternity, and to be a part of that means a lot to me.” The Ravens now have three UM Hall of Fame members on their roster — McKinnie, Reed and linebacker Ray Lewis, who was inducted in 2006.

Rich Mercier, 36, who had a UM record-tying mark of 48 career starts: “When your name is mentioned in this class, you did something right.” Mercier is now a money manager.

• Robbie Morrison, 35, the UM record-holder for strikeouts per nine innings who now runs an indoor baseball facility near Atlanta: “It’s an unbelievable thing to be inducted. I hoped for it, but only thought I had a chance. Now it’s an awesome feeling.”


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(miamiherald.com)
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Texans ask Eric Winston to buy a Reliant Stadium suite

EricWinstonTexansSuiteFlyer
The Texans might want to work on better communication between their front office and their ticket sales staff.

If they do, they’ll probably avoid sending recently cut players marketing come-ons to buy suites for the coming season at Reliant Stadium. That’s exactly what happened to Eric Winston, who got axed by the Texans earlier this month before landing in Kansas City as the Chiefs’ new right tackle. Winston shared a photo of the promotional materials on Twitter, quipping that “somebody didn’t get the memo.” It’s a safe bet that Winston’s going to pass on this offer.

As the Houston Chronicle points out, this was surely a marketing blitz targeting plenty of people in the Houston area as opposed to one with the very strange focus on players recently pink slipped by the team. That doesn’t make it any less humorous, however.

Winston agrees, although he says that his wife wasn’t quite so amused by the team’s inability to check their mailing list twice. Let’s hope they remembered to at least forward DeMeco Ryans‘ copy to Philadelphia.




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(profootballtalk.com)
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NFL Draft 2012: Interview With Miami RB Lamar Miller

LamarMillerCanes
Miami Hurricanes running back Lamar Miller is viewed by many NFL Draft analysts as the second-ranked rusher, behind only Alabama’s Trent Richardson.

Miller’s first season as the full-time starter at Miami was 2011. As a redshirt sophomore, Miller led the Hurricanes with 1,272 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. Miller added 17 receptions for 85 yards and an additional touchdown. He became the first Miami Hurricanes running back to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season, since Willis McGahee accomplished the feat in 20o2.

While we continue our NFL Draft preparation and coverage here at NFL Spin Zone, we got some time to talk with Lamar and discuss how he is preparing for the upcoming draft — you can also check out the rest of our prospect interviews HERE. This is what Lamar had to say:

Josh Sanchez: Where are you currently training?
Lamar Miller: I’m training down here at Pete Bommarito’s.

Sanchez: Could you take us through one of your daily workouts?
Miller: Well, now that I’m just training for the draft, we start at 8:15 and do some warm ups. After that, we’ll do a couple of drills with the ladders. The rest of the day we have certain drills to do. Sometimes we’ll work on my speed or sometimes we’ll just do a little drill for our position like catching some balls and other position drills. Just little things like that. Then we go and lift weights. After lifting weights, I go upstairs and do rehab for my shoulder then that’s pretty much it.

Sanchez: How intense was the training leading up to the combine?
Miller: It was pretty tough. For the combine, we’d have to start up at six o’clock and we don’t leave until five o’clock, so out day was pretty busy. We were just taking the time to get ready and prepare and practice some techniques. We’d do some 40′s, shuttles and the five-ten-five. After that, we’d go upstairs for the rehab and get some treatment. Then back to weights in the afternoon.

We’d set up some interviews, too, where the players would ask some questions just so we could be prepared for the interviews at the combine.

Sanchez: You didn’t participate in on-field drills, but how was the combine for you?
Miller: It was a great experience. You only get that chance once. At the combine, I really didn’t do everything. I just did the forty and the vertical jump, so at my pro day I tried to showcase my ability to the scouts. But the combine, it was a good experience. Got to hear some of the guys talking and talk with some of the teams. It was a long process, but one that I’ll only get to experience once, so it was a good idea.

Sanchez: What teams have you had a chance to talk to?
Miller: I talked to a lot, really. They were at the pro day too, so I got to talk to them all then.

Sanchez: Do you have any visits scheduled yet?
Miller: We’re still in the process of doing that.

Sanchez: What was it like playing for a program like Miami with such a great tradition?
Miller: It was a great experience to play for the University of Miami. Going through grade school and growing up, I got to watch the all-time greats like Edgerrin James, Willis McGahee, Frank Gore and Clinton Portis. Watching guys like that and then getting to go in the same direction and trying to live the legacy that they left at the University of Miami, it was a great. Being in the orange and green and just playing for The U is always a great feeling.

Sanchez: You mentioned Willis McGahee. You were actually the first running back to rush for 1,000 yards at Miami since McGahee accomplished that in 2002. Did that mean anything special to you to reach that milestone?
Miller: That was one of my goals — to get 1,000 yards. It was something that I established, so it was great to be one of those people to get over 1,000 yards and just being one of the all-time rushers, the third all-time rusher, at Miami. Being in that predicament was just amazing. Just to get out there and show off my talents at the University of Miami.

Sanchez: When did you know that you were going to enter the draft early?
Miller: I really was just talking to my parents about the situation. I talked to some of the guys like Frank Gore and Clinton Portis. I just sat and talked and felt that it was just the best decision for me and my family.

Sanchez: So everyone knows you for your play on the field, what are some of your hobbies off of the field?
Miller: Well, off the field, I like to go to the mall and shop. Other than that I’m more of a home body that just chills with some of the guys and play some video games like NBA2k and Madden. We just chill and have fun. Maybe go to the movies with my family and friends and guys that are entering the draft with me. I like to have fun, really just laugh and cherish the moment.

Sanchez: Did you model your game after any players growing up?
Miller: I didn’t really model my game after nobody. I used to watch a lot of great running backs growing up. A lot of people compare me to Clinton Portis, but other than that, I don’t model my game after nobody.

Sanchez: Did you have favorite teams?
Miller: My favorite college team was the University of Miami and my favorite NFL team was the Dallas Cowboys, because I used to always like Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin.

Sanchez: Do you have any goals for your rookie season?
Miller: Just do everything to help my team out, really. Whether it’s to win a Super Bowl, I just want to get the team back on top. Play my role and do whatever the coaches tell me to do. I’ll do my best at it. I just want to get on the field and help my team.

Sanchez: How about the draft, do you have any special plans for draft day?
Miller: As of now, I’m not sure what I’ll be doing. I haven’t decided on that yet.

Sanchez: What will it mean to you to finally reach your goal of playing in the NFL?
Miller: You know, it’ll be a great experience. Just to hear your name being called on that stage on draft day, a lot of people don’t get that opportunity, so that’ll be amazing and a blessing to hear my name called on TV. Knowing that you accomplished something that you always wanted to do growing up and watched the greats do.

Sanchez: What do you feel you are going to bring to a NFL team?
Miller: They’ll be bringing in a complete player on and off the field. I’ll be a competitor. I like to compete and help my teammates get better. I’m a playmaker that always keeps the crowd on the edge of their seats. I consider myself a game-changer that’s liable to take it the distance every single play. I can catch the ball out the backfield and make guys miss in tight spaces and I will just showcase my talents.


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(nflspinzone.com)
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Leonard Hankerson: (Hip) Full Health Expected By June

LeonardHankerson
Update: Hankerson (hip) is expected to be 100 percent by June 1, CBS Sports reports.

Recommendation: Hankerson is recovering from hip surgery for a torn labrum. The Redskins currently have 10 receivers on the roster so Hankerson will have to earn playing time in 2012.


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(sports.yahoo.com)
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Ed Reed wants to play

EdReed3
Ed Reed will return for an 11th season with the Baltimore Ravens.

Reed, speaking Thursday at the Miami Hurricanes' Hall of Fame induction ceremony, told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel he wants to play this season and, if health permits, beyond.

"There's a lot of talk out there. I'm not going to say I'm 50-50, because I'm not," Reed told the Sun-Sentinel. "I want to play football. But it's something me and my team have been discussing the last couple of weeks. My partners, they do a great job of making sure I know the pros and cons of what's going on with my body and with the organization and where we're at. I plan on doing it, but depending, it could change. ...

"If it was up to me, I'd be with a walking cane out there. I don't know, man. I think four to five years is a reality for me."

Reed and Ravens teammate Bryant McKinnie were inducted into the school's Hall of Fame on Thursday night.

Reed had 52 tackles and three interceptions last season and helped the Ravens reach the AFC championship game. Reed's 57 career interceptions are tied for 11th all-time and lead all active players.

"Baltimore is home for me unless they say otherwise," Reed told the Sun-Sentinel.


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(espn.com)
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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has had quite a path from UM football player to pro wrestler and film star

TheRock
MIAMI BEACH — Practically speaking, the day Dwayne Johnson became a University of Miami Hurricane was the day Dwayne Johnson became The Rock.

At 16 years old.

Flash back to February 1989, and there was a kid from Bethlehem, Pa., holding a news conference to announce he was signing to play football at UM. If ever there was an I'll-do-as-I-please moment, this was it, for part of the allure was that Miami initially showed zero interest in him.

So what does Johnson do? Not only barge his way onto the Hurricanes' wish list, but, upon signing, he flashes that raised right eyebrow for the cameras as his buddies roar.

You needn't be a fan of professional wrestling to know that "The People's Eyebrow," as he now calls it, has become a Johnson trademark. No, Johnson's dream of a professional football career didn't pan out, but everything else did, first by following his relatives into pro wrestling stardom, then by raising eyebrows by embarking on a movie career that has exceeded even his wrestling stardom.

Sunday night, everything comes full circle when Johnson makes a much-hyped cameo in the ring as John Cena's opponent in the main event of WrestleMania, World Wrestling Entertainment's annual Super Bowl.

The show, before an expected sellout crowd and worldwide pay-per-view audience in the millions, will be a few minutes from Johnson's Davie home, at Sun Life Stadium - the Hurricanes' current home.

"It sealed the deal for me," Johnson said of the venue proposed by WWE chairman Vince McMahon in negotiations more than a year ago. "It's going to be a fun night, an electric night, but also a very emotional night, considering South Florida has been my home for over 20 years."

He has traveled a rocky road here. No one will ever know how good a football talent he was. Johnson, a defensive tackle, saw his career bookended by a separated shoulder and then by two ruptured discs, although he stubbornly played through that as a senior even though teammates had to help him undress after games. In between, he helped UM reach three national-title games, winning one.

Johnson, 39, can only laugh now at how his football dream ended: clearing $175 a week in the Canadian league, where he and a couple of teammates were forced to scrounge wretched, soiled mattresses from a hotel dumpster just to have something to sleep on.

Yes, that's the same Dwayne Johnson who has been on the cover of Newsweek, hosted Saturday Night Live and commanded $5.5 million for The Scorpion King, a record for a first-time leading man, according to Guinness. Four years ago, a certain presidential candidate filmed a spot saying, "Do you smell what Barack is cooking?" - a play on another of Johnson's trademarks.

Cena, an action star to a lesser degree whose credits include The Marine, said, "He is known throughout the world. His movies have grossed over a billion dollars. A success at the University of Miami. A tremendous success in the WWE. I have the world's greatest opponent."

Former UM teammates can't be shocked, having known then of his family's wrestling roots or having seen Johnson impersonate wrestlers in the locker room.

Last week, Johnson's shtick was for a TV audience, virtually ad-libbing for 6 1/2 minutes in front of the Rocky Balboa statue in Philadelphia. He showed an old picture of himself with that statue. ("The Rock knows what you're thinking. Yeah, The Rock looked like a chunky little girl at 12 years old.") He described how The Rock was going to take a Philly cheesesteak and shove it in a place that would make Cena extremely fidgety.
"He just knows how to hold an audience in the palm of his hand," Cena said.

Dave Meltzer, editor of wrestlingobserver.com, said plenty of wrestlers made movies, but no one else made the crossover so smoothly.

"Face it: The greatest thing to happen to him is he didn't play in the NFL," Meltzer said. "A lot of people looked at him first as, 'Oh, he's a wrestler trying to be an actor.' And nobody says that now. Everyone knows he's a wrestler, but when they see him in a movie, it's 'Dwayne Johnson, who used to be a wrestler.' "

His WWE shtick is over-the-top cocky, but his charm is in the smile that follows, as if to say, Isn't that the craziest thing you've ever heard? Until I say the next craziest thing?

The exclamation point: the raised eyebrow.

"The eyebrow was something that came about when I was in high school," Johnson said. "We had this game that we would play, this contest. How could we get the attention of the girls without saying anything and without being vulgar? And I had this very unique talent - and I use the word 'talent' very loosely -- of raising one eyebrow. I never would have dreamed that it would create something that wound up being part of visual lexicon."

His mother, Ata, said his real-life persona is nothing like what he displays on film or between the ropes.

"He's very quiet and very soft-spoken," she said. "Half the things he says in the ring, I have to listen again: Did he really say that?"

Johnson, who for more than a year has had rings set up adjacent to his movie sets to train for Sunday, is vague on how he'll divide his time in the near future. Monday, he'll begin filming Michael Bay's true crime film Pain and Gain, "blowing up a few things" around Miami with Ed Harris and Mark Wahlberg. Sunday night, however, he'll be sweating in the Hurricanes' home once more.

"It was one of the most defining periods of my life," Johnson said of his UM days. "I look back on those memories at University of Miami and recognize that I wouldn't be the man I am today without those years at Miami."


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(palmbeachpost.com)
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Chris Perez breezes through Cactus League debut

ChrisPerezIndians
Indians closer Chris Perez enjoyed a silky smooth Cactus League debut on Thursday, throwing just five pitches in a hitless inning against the Rockies.

MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian has the full report.

Perez missed most of spring training after suffering a left oblique strain during a late-February bullpen session. But he pitched in two minor league games before Thursday’s debut and is scheduled to make two more Cactus League appearances before the Indians head north next week. The bearded 26-year-old should be completely up to speed by Opening Day.

Perez registered a cool 3.32 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 59 2/3 innings last season while tallying 36 saves.


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(hardballtalk.com)
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Yonder Alonso finding his stroke, shakes off slow start

YonderAlonso
PEORIA, Ariz. -- There wasn't a tangible moment this spring when Yonder Alonso's swing came together for him, though the Padres first baseman is quite certain that moment has passed.

He's glad that it has.

After scuffling early, hitting .194 in his first 31 at-bats in Cactus League play, Alonso hit .452 over his next 31 at-bats, with his first home run of the spring in Wednesday's victory over the White Sox.

So what gives?

It's nothing specific that he and hitting coaches Phil Plantier and Alonzo Powell have worked on in those morning hitting sessions in the cage. It has nothing really to do with the mental side of hitting, approach and such.

Instead, Alonso said, it's his body telling him that it's time to hit.

"Your body will let you know when it's time to go," Alonso said. "Your body will let you know when it's time to put good swings on the ball, that it's time to have good at-bats. You can sense it coming ... like your golf swing or your basketball shot. You sense that everything is smoother.

"You hope that at some point it will turn."

It certainly has for Alonso, who is pegged to be the Padres' Opening Day starting first baseman. He went into Thursday's game against the Cubs with a team-leading 20 hits and 62 at-bats, tying him for the 10th most this spring among Major League players.

The Padres have wanted him to play a lot this spring, especially against teams from the National League West -- as San Diego will face its divisional foes 18 times each in 2012. Alonso, who spent parts of last season with the Reds, wanted to see as much divisional pitching as possible.
"I think that it's natural for a guy who comes to a new team in a trade that was pretty high-profile trade in our industry to maybe try too hard to impress," Padres manager Bud Black said. "That might have been part of it. He's smoothed some things out now and as each day goes on, he's more comfortable with our environment."

That he was hitting .194 on March 15 didn't faze Alonzo. That he's hitting .452 since then hasn't either.

"I think you can get too caught up in the first 25 at-bats or first 100 at-bats. The bigger picture is the 500 at-bats you get during the season," he said. "For me, I worry about the three, four at-bats I'm getting that day.

"I have high standards, higher goals. It's a long year, man. If I'm hitting .320, I want to be hitting .360."

Alonso said he spent the first part of games in Arizona trying to track the fastball and recognize pitches. Since then he's moved into attack mode, where he's trying to do damage each at-bat.

In doing so, he has shown the Padres what they expected when they traded for him as part of the five-player deal with the Reds in December -- a player who will use the entire field.

"That's what we have seen," Black said. "I do think there are more hits to left field coming. A lot of his hits have been up the middle, to the right side, the right-field line. I do think in time you'll see the opposite-field hit, the ball down the left-field line."


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(mlb.com)
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Jason Michaels won't make Nationals' roster

JasonMichaelsAstros
Jason Michaels told Bill Ladson of MLB.com that he won't make the Nationals' Opening Day roster.

Michaels, a non-roster invitee, is batting just .220 (9-for-41) with one home run and seven RBI this spring. The 35-year-old outfielder has expressed a willingness to open the season with Triple-A Syracuse.


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(rotoworld.com)
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Ray Lewis gives pep talk to Stanford basketball team




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Josh Morgan and Leonard Hankerson will battle in camp for starting Z receiver spot

LeonardHankerson
The Redskins plan to hold a competition at "Z" receiver, or flanker, between Josh Morgan and Leonard Hankerson.

Morgan is the heavy favorite for the starting job because he's making quite a bit more money and is healthier than Hankerson. The flanker position in Washington's offense was played by Jabar Gaffney last season. We wouldn't expect big-time production from any of the Redskins' flankers. Split end Pierre Garcon will be the best bet in fantasy leagues, along with TE Fred Davis.


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(rotoworld.com)
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Frank Gore’s fantasy value takes a hit

FrankGore2
Niners land Brandon Jacobs: Remember when I said the running back position was going to be a huge question mark for fantasy owners in 2012? Well, the addition of Jacobs in San Francisco is going to do nothing but create more doubt. The bruising veteran, who joins Mario Manningham as former Giants to land with the Niners, will put a dent into the draft value of Frank Gore. With Kendall Hunter also in the mix, the 49ers now have three capable runners on their roster. Gore will continue to start and see a majority of the backfield touches, but he’s certain to lose some short-yardage and goal-line work to Jacobs. What’s more, Gore will be 29 and is coming off one of his heaviest workloads (311 carries through the regular season and postseason), so it’s a bad idea to draft him as more than a No. 2 fantasy runner. Jacobs is worth a late-round look in most leagues, but I still see Hunter as the best handcuff for Gore.


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(nfl.com)
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Saints Interested in Olivier Vernon?

OlivierVernonCanes
New Orleans Saints Mid Round Priority: Olivier Vernon DE, Miami: Had the makings of becoming a draftable prospect as a sophomore. However, wasted a year in 2011 and now despite having some natural talent, he's still raw and looks more like a talented late round/free agent with limited production.


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(nationalfootballpost.com)
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Leonard Hankerson still part of the Redskins' plans

LeonardHankersonSkins
Coach Mike Shanahan confirmed that Leonard Hankerson (hip surgery) remains in the Redskins' 2012 plans despite the acquisitions of Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan.

Morgan, Garcon, and Santana Moss would form Washington's three-receiver set if the season began today. Moss isn't assured of a 2012 roster spot, however, and Shanahan spoke about increasing his usage of four-receiver sets to get Hankerson on the field. Hankerson's top priority for now is recovering from February 21 hip surgery. His status for training camp is unclear.


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(rotoworld.com)
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Bryant McKinnie Headed Into Contract Year

BryantMcKinnieRavens
PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Baltimore Ravens’ offensive line was far from a detriment last season as quarterback Joe Flacco wasn’t regularly bashed into the ground and running back Ray Rice piled up yards.

Four of five starters are slated to return, including Birk, 35, and McKinnie, 32, after the team picked up his $500,000 roster bonus as well as right tackle Michael Oher and right guard Marshal Yanda.

McKinnie is heading into a contract year and the Ravens brought him in to for a meeting at team headquarters recently to evaluate his conditioning and outlook prior to picking up his bonus.

McKinnie didn’t grade out highly for his run blocking last season, but the 6-foot-7, 360-pounder had to drop weight in a hurry after ballooning up to 387 pounds during the NFL lockout and being cut by the Minnesota Vikings.

“He had done a good job, he’d been working in the offseason, he’s training,” Harbaugh said. “He’s in the same shape he was in when he left. We want to improve that from now until the start of next season. It’s going to be really important what he does between now and when the offseason program starts on through June that he gets in the kind of shape he needs to be in. It’s not like he’s a big, fat guy. He’s a big guy. We still want him to be able to move a little better and get a little quicker.”


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(hometownannapolis.com)
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Bruce Johnson “Fully Healed” After Rupturing Achilles in August

BruceJohnsonGiants
It's been a long road to recovery for New York Giants cornerback Bruce Johnson, but nearly eight months after rupturing his Achilles during training camp practice, the fourth-year player out of Miami has been given a clean bill of health.

"Just left the Doctor and he gave me the green light and said I'm 100% … torn Achilles fully healed! Thank you, Jesus!" Johnson wrote on his Facebook page.

Even prior to this news, the Giants were confident enough with Johnson's rehab to keep him in blue, re-signing him to a one-year, $540,000 deal in early March.

In 22 career regular season games with the Giants, Johnson has collected 51 tackles (41 solo), one sack, two forced fumbles, eight passes defended and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

Johnson will compete with Justin Tryon, Brian Witherspoon, Prince Amukamara, Michael Coe and Brandon Bing for playing time as a reserve in 2012-2013.

In 2009, Johnson led the team in performance-based pay, earning an additional $270,766 on top of his salary of approximately $311,000.


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(giants101.com)
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Rivera: Not in Shockey's makeup to be 'snitch'

ShockeyPanthers
Free agent tight end Jeremy Shockey thinks Warren Sapp's accusation that he was the “snitch” who blew the whistle on the Saints' bounty program could affect his ability to land with a team.

But if Shockey does not re-sign with the Panthers, Ron Rivera indicated the decision would have nothing to do with Sapp's claim, which NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said was inaccurate.

“If you know Jeremy Shockey, you know that's not Jeremy Shockey,” Rivera said today at the NFL owners meetings. “I know there was an insinuation that he had been the guy. But that's not Jeremy's makeup. That's not who Jeremy Shockey is.

“Jeremy Shockey's a guy that if there was something going on, that's their business. I would be surprised, I really would. It wouldn't hurt him in my eyes either way because, first of all, I think Jeremy Shockey's a tremendous person. I think he's also a very good football person – a football personality who understands this game.”

Drew Rosenhaus, Shockey's agent, remains in talks with the Panthers but said this week he does not think Shockey will be back in Charlotte.

The Panthers gave Shockey a 1-year deal worth $4 million last season, but are not inclined to pay him that much in a new contract.


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(charlotte.com)
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Lofton says he, Vilma can coexist

JonVilma
LB Curtis Lofton on possibly replacing LB Jonathan Vilma: “The one thing about me and Jonathan is that we don't have an ego. Talking to coach Spags (Steve Spagnuolo), he said he's going to get his best players on the field. Either I play the middle and Vilma plays the Will (weakside) or I play the Will and he plays the Mike (middle). We're putting the team first. Whatever the team wants us to do, we're all for that.”


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(cbssports.com)
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Yonder Alonso homers as San Diego Padres beat Chicago White Sox

YonderAlonso
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Once Edinson Volquez settled down, he sure looked ready for the regular season.

Volquez pitched seven solid innings to help the San Diego Padres beat a Chicago White Sox split-squad 13-2 on Wednesday.

Yonder Alonso, Chase Headley and Andy Parrino homered for San Diego, which had 18 hits.

Headley hit a two-run drive for his third homer of the spring. He also had a two-run double.

Parrino’s two-run shot was his fourth homer, and Alonso’s solo drive was his first of the spring.


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(washingtonpost.com)
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Ryan Braun drives in two runs to help Brewers beat Indians

RyanBraun
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Ryan Braun drove in two runs, doubling his spring training total, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cleveland Indians 6-5 Monday.

Norichika Aoki broke a 5-all tie in the ninth with an RBI triple for the Brewers.

Braun went 1 for 4. He’s hitting only .120 with four RBIs after an offseason in which shortly after he won the NL MVP he was suspended 50 games for a positive drug test, only to have it overturned last month.


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(washingtonpost.com)
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Chris Perez on track for Opening Day

ChrisPerezIndians
MESA, Ariz. -- Indians closer Chris Perez never doubted that he would be ready in time for Opening Day. With the season's first game a little more than a week away, it appears he will indeed meet that goal.

Following a pair of successful outings in Minor League games, Perez is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut when Cleveland hosts the Rockies on Thursday afternoon at Goodyear Ballpark. The left-oblique injury that sidelined the closer early in camp has not caused any lingering issues over the last five weeks.

"He's right on schedule to be ready for Opening Day, unless he has a setback," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "We're going on him. He's feeling good. Our medical staff is on board. His velocity was fine the other day, so we'll go on him outing by outing. But right now, he's on schedule to be ready for Opening Day."

Perez injured his side while working through his first bullpen session of the spring on Feb. 23. He resumed pitching off a mound on March 16 and has since advanced through live batting practice sessions and Minor League games.

The closer said on Wednesday that he has not felt any discomfort in his side since that first mound session.

That being the case, the Indians are expecting their Opening Day bullpen to include Perez, who saved 36 games in 40 chances last year and earned a spot on the American League All-Star team. If Perez were to suffer a setback, Acta has noted that setup man Vinnie Pestano would act as the temporary closer.


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(mlb.com)
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Padres option C Yasmani Grandal to Triple-A Tucson

YasmaniGrandal
PEORIA, Ariz. – The San Diego Padres today announced they have optioned catcher Yasmani Grandal to Triple-A Tucson. In addition, the club has reassigned left-handed pitcher Alex Hinshaw to minor league camp. Executive Vice President/General Manager Josh Byrnes made the announcements.

With today’s announcements, the Padres currently have 38 players in Major League camp, including eight non-roster invitees.


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(mlb.com)
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Ryan Braun not worried by poor spring average

RyanBraun
Phoenix- Ryan Braun is well aware that his results in exhibition games this spring have left something to be desired.

But, for those in Brewer Nation concerned that Braun won't be ready when the bell rings for the regular season, Milwaukee's all-star leftfielder had a firm message Wednesday.

"I'll be good on April 6," he said. "I'm ready."

Spring training results often mean little. Some players tear it up during exhibitions, then watch their bats go into an ice age when the season begins. Others can't buy a hit in the spring, then blister enemy pitching when the games count.

Braun's history suggests that he'll be in the latter group. He didn't play in the Brewers' exhibition game against Arizona at Maryvale Baseball Park, leaving him with a .143 batting average, .250 slugging percentage and .314 on-base percentage this spring.

The reigning National League most valuable player certainly had every reason to lose focus as spring training began. He had a tumultuous winter in which a positive drug test and successful appeal of a 50-game suspension played out publicly when news leaked to the media, airing the supposedly confidential process.

That saga led to an emotional press conference at the outset of camp in which Braun vigorously defended his innocence and verbally fought for his reputation and status in the game. Under those circumstances, it would be understandable for any player to get off to a poor start on the field.

Braun insisted that his head is in the right place, however, results be damned.

"For me, I'm always confident," he said. "It's not so much about my head."

Another thing to remember is that manager Ron Roenicke has brought Braun along slowly in camp. He has only 28 at-bats (four hits, one homer), while most of the other regulars have batted 40 to 50 times.

Roenicke followed a similar plan with Braun last spring, which worked to perfection when Braun locked in his swing almost immediately.

"Last year, he had a real good spring, but he didn't have many at-bats," said Roenicke. "He didn't need them. He'll play more this last week.

"I still think he's going to have enough at-bats here that he should be comfortable going into the season. I hope these last few days here are good and he carries it over.

"I think this next week you're going to see him hopefully get locked in a little better so he doesn't feel like he does have to flip the switch on opening day. If he can get going here a little bit, he'll be OK."

Despite his relaxed schedule to date and struggles at the plate, Braun let it be known that he's ready to break camp and get after it.

"I feel like spring training is way too long every year," he said. "It feels like we're here forever. The last two weeks, I think for all of us, when we get bored it becomes monotonous. The focus is solely on the season now.

"The starting pitchers need that additional time. But for us, three weeks would be plenty. Four weeks is pushing it. Anything beyond that is too long."
Though Braun has yet to start driving the ball consistently in games, Roenicke has noted for some time that his No. 3 hitter has looked sensational in batting practice.

The thinking is that at some point that work will carry over into games and Braun will look like the slugger who has terrorized NL pitching for five seasons.

"For me, my focus is on my bat path and my body, feeling my legs underneath my swing to have proper balance, that I'm on time and can hit the ball where it's pitched," said Braun. "I feel good."

Beyond the never-failing confidence in his ability, Braun believes another big year is in the offing for the Brewers. The preseason magazines are starting to hit the shelves, with Milwaukee being picked by many to finish third in the NL Central behind St. Louis and Cincinnati.

Braun said those prognostications mean absolutely zilch.

"I don't pay attention to any of that stuff," he said. "None of it is relevant in any way. It means nothing.

"That stuff doesn't factor into the way that we feel about ourselves or our preparation or anything else. It's not like we're going to go out there and say, 'We're supposed to finish third. Let's not try as hard.'

"We know we're going to be good. We know that we'll be in a position where we have a chance to be successful. It's a matter of staying healthy. There are a million things that factor into it.

"There's no doubt in my mind we're going to be good. What good means remains to be seen but we'll be good."


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(jsonline.com)
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Jeremy Shockey 'hell bent' on going after Sapp

ShockeyPanthers
Profootballtalk.com reports free agent TE Jeremy Shockey is "hell bent" on taking action against NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp for saying he was the "snitch" in the Saints' bounty case.

He's mulling legal action. Shockey hasn't received any public interest since the beginning of free agency, and can now point to Sapp's alleged defamation as one of the reasons he can't get work. Both PFT and CBS' Mike Freeman have reported Shockey was not the Saints' whistleblower. Being the "snitch" certainly wouldn't help Shockey's chances of finding employment, but the reality is he'd already be signed if teams were enthused about his 2012 prospects.


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(rotoworld.com)
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Brandon Meriweather Happy To Follow Sean Taylor

SeanTaylor copy
When Brandon Meriweather was added to the secondary mix in Washington, he was following in the familiar footsteps of friend and former teammate Sean Taylor.

A year behind Sean at the University of Miami, Meriweather shared the field with him for two seasons before Taylor was drafted by the Redskins.  Meriweather counted Sean amoung his close personal friends, and talked about how Taylor helped to shape his game even after he left for Washington.

“He was a great…person,” he said in reflection.  ”Y’know, whenever I needed him, I could call him and he would answer, and he always gave me the advice that I needed.  He was the person that I looked up to, and I’m sure that anyone who played with him looked up to him too.”

While Meriweather leaned on Taylor for advice, he didn’t concern himself with trying to be No. 21.  As far as he was concerned, there was only one Sean Taylor.

“Sean is just one of those players that is God-gifted in every way possible–he’s like the prototypical safety,” he said, glowingly.  ”If you was playing Madden, you would make yourself as Sean Taylor, y’know?  You would make yourself as 6-4, 225 pounds, running a 4.3-4.2, hard-hitting, great catching.  That’s how you would make yourself.

“I can’t model my game after his because I’m 5-11, 200,” he said with a chuckle.

But even if Meriweather admittedly isn’t the physical specimen Taylor was, he still manages to play the game with the same infectious passion that No. 21 brought to the gridiron.  Whether you’re looking for the highlight hits or the ball-hawking vaccuum, Meriweather is ready to be that guy.

“I don’t like to classify myself as neither, because I think once you classify yourself as one, that’s when the other one falls,” he explained.  ”I like to classify myself as a playmaking safety.  Whatever I have to do to make a play, that’s what I’m gonna do.”

Which is exactly the attitude that Taylor brought to the Redskins.  And just like his best friend, Meriweather has been a catalyst for change on defense.  In 53 career games, Taylor had 12 interceptions, eight forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.  In 44 career games, Meriweather already has 12 interceptions, five forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

He may never be Sean Taylor, but he’s pretty good at being Brandon Meriweather.


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(redskins.com)
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NFL Network won't fire Warren Sapp over Jeremy Shockey comments

WarrenSapp
Former NFL defensive lineman Warren Sapp now makes his living as an NFL analyst for NFL Network. On Wednesday, he went on air to out the whistleblower in the Saints bounty scandal.

“My source that was close to the situation informed me that [name omitted] is the one that was the snitch initially,” Sapp said (via PFT.com). ”I trust my source unequivocally. … ”I did not call anybody at the league and I did not receive any information from the league. …"

The "snitch," as Sapp put it, was former Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey, who promptly denied the accusations. New Orleans head coach Sean Payton confirmed as much to Shockey in a text message, and CBSSports.com's Mike Freeman "asked people familiar with the NFL's investigation and was told Shockey had nothing to do with the case. Nothing. At all."

Understandably, Shockey wants the NFL Network to punish Sapp.

"Is the league going to come down on their own people when someone does something so wrong and outrageous?” Shockey asked Yahoo's Jason Cole. “There should be a standard for punishment, like getting suspended or fined or losing your job. If I say something about officials, the league fines me."

In a statement released Friday, NFL Network Senior Vice President of Programming and Production Mark Quenzel said that Sapp had been remind that "he is an analyst and not a reporter for NFL Network. In the future, if he comes across something he thinks is news he will let his producers know and before it is reported or Tweeted, that content will be subject to the same verification procedure that our reporters follow.”

As for punishments … well, Jeremy, we have some bad news for you: Quenzel told USA Today that Sapp wouldn't lose his job over the incident.

"We're not going to fire Warren....The way we look at it, Warren clearly crossed the line in terms of what his responsibility is. He's an analyst for us. We use him to talk about what happens on the field and in the locker room and use that expertise. He's not a reporter."

Quenzel declined to tell USA Today whether Sapp would be suspended without pay, pulled off the air or punished at all. Good news, though: the network will remind all employees of the "implications" of going rogue in the news gathering process.

Meanwhile, Shockey, who has a history of rubbing people the wrong way but still doesn't deserve to be wrongly accused, now has to deal with the ramifications of being called a snitch on the NFL's own network. But could he take legal action? According to Michael McCann, a sports law professor and Sports Law Institute director at Vermont Law School, the short answer is … maybe.

McCann told SI.com's Richard Deitsch that Shockey could have a claim against the league for retribution.

"But there are factors that may limit the likelihood of his complaint succeeding," McCann said via email. "Namely, Sapp is not an employee of the NFL. If he's an employee (and he might be an independent contractor) his employer is the NFL Network, which is league owned but is a separate entity, and with some editorial autonomy, from the NFL. I think it's a crucial point that the network did not conduct the bounty investigation, and therefore Shockey, if he is the whistleblower, never whistle-blowed to the network. Shockey could argue the NFL Network is a mouthpiece for the NFL and thus the distinction I'm raising is one without real meaning, but I'm sure the NFL and NFL Network could show they are not only legally separate entities but also distinguishable through their business practices."

But if Shockey isn't the whistleblower, McCann writes that "he could sue Sapp and possibly the NFL Network to the extent it controls its hosts' tweets, for defamation. I think he would have a good argument, unless he in fact is the whistleblower in which case truth is an absolute defense to defamation."

So, to recap: Shockey tells the truth and he's identified as a snitch. Sapp doesn't tell the truth on an NFL-owned network and he could avoid punishment altogether.


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(cbssports.com)
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Rashad Butler is still recovering from September surgery

RashadButler
Texans RT Rashad Butler is still recovering from September surgery to repair his left elbow and triceps.

"I've been rehabbing hard, but I can't tell you it's 100 percent yet," he said. "It's a lot like an Achilles (tear)." Butler should be ready by training camp, where he is expected to be installed as Eric Winston's replacement at right tackle.


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(rotoworld.com)
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Roger Goodell: Warren Sapp claim on Jeremy Shockey as snitch 'inaccurate'

WarrenSappHurricanes
Much ado was made last week of comments from Warren Sapp that Jeremy Shockey was the "snitch" in the Saints bounty scandal. Sure, our own Mike Freeman shot down Shockey as the snitch as soon as Sapp came out strong, and, sure, Shockey had a text from Sean Payton to prove it wasn't him.

Sapp skated from any major punishment, as the NFL Network decided not to fire him. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about Sapp's naming of names on Monday at the owners meetings and said that Sapp was "inaccurate" in his belief that Shockey was the snitch.

"I didn't see his comment," Goodell said. "He's inaccurate, so we'll start with that."

Goodell didn't just classify Sapp's naming of Shockey as "inaccurate," though he did do just that. He also said it was inaccurate to name a single "snitch" and that it was several sources who provided the information to the league office.

And finally, Goodell believes that Sapp's characterization of the word "snitch" is wrong. And Goodell is spot-on here -- portraying whoever informed the league office of the Saints violations doesn't deserve a negative connotation attached to his/her name.

Instead, that person/those persons helped contribute towards stopping some incredibly unsportsmanlike behavior from a team that was clearly out of control.


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(cbssports.com)
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Eric Winston gives fans inside look at his release from Texans

EricWinston
What it feels like to have your world turned upside down.

I asked new Kansas City tackle Eric Winston, who was unexpectedly cut by Houston and signed a four-year deal with the Chiefs, to write a short piece about what happens when a veteran player gets whacked and has to find a new home. His thoughts:

"The general manager needs to see you" is about the worst thing any professional athlete can hear. Very seldom does any good, at least in the short term, come of it. Around this time of year, as well as the end of August, pro football players hear it too much. When it happened to me the day before free agency began, a few things ran through my mind. They can't be calling to cut me, I thought. But I also doubt that they would call me to the stadium to ask me how my trip overseas to see the troops went.

So I became a statistic. One day before my wife and I were set to leave on an anniversary vacation -- and three days after my return from Afghanistan visiting the troops -- I was called into coach Gary Kubiak's office so he could tell me that they were experiencing problems with the salary cap, had to make some tough decisions, and were therefore releasing me. After that meeting, I got to go see Texans general manager Rick Smith. In all fairness, I appreciate the way the Texans' organization handled it. They didn't tell me over the phone, let me find out through a media release, or hand me off to one of their subordinates to deliver the bad news.

So I was off to free agency for the first time in my career, to Miami and Kansas City. Fortunately for me, I have put together quality tape, and my agent started receiving calls as soon as I was officially available. We immediately started whittling down the list to teams that wanted to bring me in for visits.

These visits for teams are used primarily to give the player a physical and for you to sign off on the team so they can get your medical records and also for you to meet the coaches and see the facility. For obvious financial reasons these teams want to know about every injury and take new X-rays of nearly your entire body just to make sure there isn't anything new to find. After the half-day worth of doc visits, an intern drives you to the facility to follow up with the coaches and to see the facility. It doesn't quite compare to college recruiting; there's not nearly as much hand-holding and kissing up. While all of this is going on, your agent and the GM or team negotiator are talking numbers and seeing about a deal.

Kansas City was aggressive from the start. When a team schedules a visit, you usually receive a call from the general manager, head coach or position coach telling you how excited they are that you are coming in and how interested they are in you. With the Chiefs, I received calls from all three of them. They made it clear that I was a priority and that I needed to make sure that I got on the plane from Miami and make it to Kansas City.
When I met with Chiefs GM Scott Pioli, I got a little surprise. I had mentioned at dinner the previous night that when I came out in the draft in 2006, I didn't think the Patriots (where he was working at the time) liked me when I was entering the draft. Scott started laughing out loud and said, "No way, we liked you a lot.'' So the next day he showed me my Patriots psychological evaluation from 2006. To my surprise, it was very complimentary of me and was actually pretty spot on. I thought it was kind of crazy that someone could talk to me for 30 minutes and in that short time sum up what kind of player, worker and overall teammate I would be. Scott said that this is just one of the reasons why he wanted me. He went on to say that winning wasn't just about getting guys that could play, it was about getting high-character guys who come to work every day and were willing to grind.

Obviously that is always nice to hear, but more importantly for me, it let me know that the Chiefs were going to follow a formula that I believe is the only way to be successful for a long time in the NFL. Draft guys who can do it on the field, but also guys who are fun to be around, work hard and care about things like practice and trying to get better every day. Needless to say, I was sold on the fact that the Chiefs not only had a good chance to be a strong team next year, but for years to come.

But I needed to know where I'd fit in the offense. When I spoke with the coaches I was pleasantly surprised. The head coach, Romeo Crennel, has a great reputation around the league. Knowing that a new offense was being installed had me wondering what kind of offense would be coming in. The offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll, has traditionally run more of a "power or gap" blocking scheme and the line coach, Jack Bicknell Jr., who just came over from the Giants, has done the same. Now, I feel like I could be successful in any scheme, but I really have grown to love running the zone scheme and understand it well. So going in I wasn't expecting to hear that the Chiefs would run a zone-blocking scheme, but that's exactly what I heard. That was like icing on the cake to what had been an already positive visit. I spent one more night in Kansas City and we worked out a contract to make me a Chief for the next four years.

Single guys can make a move like this easily. But having a family, and moving a wife, a 10-year-old daughter with plenty of friends and a 6-month-old son is another matter. To make it easy to understand for my daughter, I told her I had gotten traded to the Chiefs. She said, "Really?" (Which, of course, if you have kids, you know that's not a rhetorical question.)

"Who did you get traded for?'' my daughter asked.

I laughed, then came clean about getting released. She had a better understanding about the NFL than I thought, and certainly better than when I was her age.

In many ways, football's the easy part when it comes to switching teams. The life stuff is more difficult. Do we sell our house in Houston that we spent so much time making our own? Rent or buy in KC? How long will we really be there for? Will my kids adjust to the new part of the country? Will my wife have good friends on the new team? The questions linger.

I'm definitely not asking you to feel sorry for me. We get paid a lot of money to play a great game, but I am just trying to bring you into what is presently going on in my uncertain world right now. Plenty of guys around the league didn't get a four-year contract. Many of them got a one-year deal and will be facing the same visits and the same questions again -- if they're lucky. Each player's career is so fragile. Just look at Peyton Manning, maybe the best ever, is now on a different team after not playing last year when he injured his neck. The roller coaster ride that is the NFL doesn't stop at the end of the season. For most players, it's just begun.


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(cnnsi.com)
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Saints not releasing Jonathan Vilma

JonVilma
GM Mickey Loomis says the Saints have no plans to release MLB Jonathan Vilma following the signing of MLB Curtis Lofton.

"(Vilma) is still a big part of our team," Loomis said Saturday evening. "A top player and leader for us." The Saints could be waiting to decide Vilma's fate until learning his punishment for his role in the team's bounty scandal. It's possible either Lofton or Vilma could be shifted outside, but it's doubtful the Saints signed Lofton with a position switch in mind. Vilma is still very much in danger of being handed his walking papers.


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(rotoworld.com)
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Rosenhaus doubtful Shockey will return to Panthers

ShockeyPanthers
Drew Rosenhaus said he is still in talks with the Panthers about veteran tight end Jeremy Shockey, although Rosenhaus believes Shockey likely will land elsewhere.

Rosenhaus, the well-known agent who represents Shockey, said he plans to talk with several teams this week at the NFL annual meeting about Shockey, who is an unrestricted free agent after spending last season with the Panthers.

“The door's still open (with the Panthers). We're still talking,” Rosenhaus said today. “But I think it's more likely that he would be on another team this year.”

Shockey, who will turn 32 before the season begins, caught a career-low 37 passes last year. But he stayed healthy and was praised for giving the Panthers a good locker room presence.

“He's a proven winner. He's got a great personality and leadership,” Rosenhaus said. “We're looking forward to him finding a team, maybe even while I'm here.”

Rosenhaus, who represents Carolina linebacker Jon Beason and several other Panthers, said he plans to meet with Panthers general manager Marty Hurney this week about Shockey and some of his other clients who are free agents.

“The Panthers are one of my favorite teams to deal with. I really like working with Marty. I'll go through it with him,” Rosenhaus said. “I don't know how aggressive they're going to be going forward in free agency. But I've got a few guys I want to talk to him about.”


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(blogs.charlotte.com)
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Brian Asbury Leads His Team To Victory With 25 Points

BrianAsbury
Ashkelon was thrashed 92- 73 at Barak Netanya, suffering its fourth defeat in the last five games.

Netanya led throughout the first half, but Ashkelon closed to within two points (49-47) midway through the third quarter.

However, the hosts pulled ahead once more with an 18-4 run and clinched a win that takes them to eighth place and puts them in pole position to claim the final playoff berth.

Brian Asbury had 25 points and seven rebounds for Netanya, with Adrian Banks adding 22.

Marco Killingsworth scored 17 for Ashkelon, which remained in the top six courtesy of Gilboa/Galil’s 76-74 win at Ashdod.


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(jpost.com)
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Yasmani Grandal making most of time in camp

YasmaniGrandal
PEORIA, Ariz. — Catcher Yasmani Grandal is still in camp and he’s enjoying every minute of it.

Grandal was an early cut during his first big league camp last season with the Cincinnati Reds. While the San Diego Padres have experienced catchers like Nick Hundley and John Baker to work with, the 53rd-ranked prospect in Baseball America’s Top 100 discussed how those guys have helped him improve during his first camp with the Padres.

MT: How’d you feel this spring went compared to last year?
YG: I loved it. It was much better than last year. To that point it was good. I got a lot of playing time, a lot of at-bats. Last year I only had 11 so that wasn’t too fun. Being able to stay until the end, that’s one of the things that I liked the most. I’m looking forward to starting the season now.

Last year I got sent down in the first cut. I wasn’t surprised by that because it was my first spring training. It was fine but I just wanted to get rolling and get my at-bats in. This year it was more of a learning process to where I saw these older guys playing and the different things they did just to get ready for the game.

MT: How much have Hundley and Baker helped along the way?
YG: They’ve been there for me every step. Whatever questions I got, they answer. They’re outspoken. They’re always looking at you when you’re doing something and if you’re doing something wrong they’ll let you know. I can’t have any complains about them two. That’s why they made it in the big leagues, because they’re guys that look at the little things. It’s one of the things you’ve got to learn as a young guy, to look at the little things.

MT: What were you ultimately trying to accomplish here?
YG: I came in trying to learn about what the organization was doing, how they go about things and I think I got a pretty good feeling about that. I worked on every aspect of my game, like my catching and my hitting. Mostly on my catching more than my hitting because I knew my hitting would come along at some point. I think I made a lot of progress in my catching. I want to be known as a defensive guy not a hitter. I want hitting to be another plus.

I want to be like (Red Sox catcher) Jason Varitek, where he caught a couple of no-hitters and guys wanted to throw to him a lot. That’s why he stayed in there for so long. If you’re able to call a good game, guys are going to want to pitch to you. That’s what I want and that’s my main goal.
Everything I learned here is just going to be the little things that get me through the year. Especially not only me, but little things that I can get my pitchers through when we’re having a bad outing. If I can get them out of an inning by doing something, I made a point. That’s one of the things that I’ve wanted to learn here, is to see what I could do to help my pitcher out. That’s my main focus behind the plate.

MT: Players typically say the minor leagues helped them mature, do you feel the same way?
YG: I wasn’t able to play outside of Miami since I went there, and it was the only school I wanted to go to. Minor leagues is a new experience for me. Last year I had a lot of fun being by myself and living by myself. You definitely grow as a man and experience how to take care of yourself. You learn how to be a little more time consuming.

My main goal is to make it to the big leagues and not only that, my main goal is to have a career as a big leaguer. I don’t want to have a career as a minor leaguer. My main goal is to get to wherever I’m going, having a good season and let everything else take care of itself. You can’t really think about whether they’re going to move you up or not.


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(utsandiego.com)
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Cubs cut ties with southpaw Miller, Scott Maine Should Make Roster

ScottMaine
MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs on Monday released left-hander Trever Miller, who had a 5.40 ERA in eight Cactus League games.

Miller, 38, had signed as a free agent in January. He has pitched for eight different teams, including the Cardinals, Blue Jays and Red Sox last year. This spring, he gave up five earned runs on seven hits over 8 1/3 innings, and all of those runs came in one outing, March 17, against the Rangers.

With the move, Scott Maine and James Russell are the only left-handed relievers still in camp. The Cubs' spring roster is at 40.


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(mlb.com)
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Travis Benjamin Combine 2012




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Tommy Streeter Draft Profile




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Travis Benjamin Draft Profile




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ESPN passes on televising Shockey/Sapp lie detector

ShockeyPanthers
During his counterattack against Warren Sapp's accusation he's the "snitch" behind Bountygate, former New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey came up with an interesting idea.

To settle the matter of who's telling the truth, Shockey tweeted he and NFL Network analyst Sapp should take a lie detector test on ESPN.

Imagine the TV possibilities. Rather than LeBron James and The Decision we could have The Test. Maybe Jim Gray from The Decision would be the interrogator. Boffo ratings.

Unfortunately, ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz poured cold water on the idea. "We haven't thought about it and aren't really interested in exploring it," he said.

Too bad. The NFL Network says it's not firing Sapp. But network brass have strongly reminded him to stick to his analyst job and stay away from reporting, or trying to make, the news.


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(usatoday.com)
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Rashad Butler Workout Video




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Jeremy Shockey still in play for Panthers

ShockeyPanthers
PALM BEACH, Fla. -- There still is a chance free-agent tight end Jeremy Shockey could return to the Carolina Panthers.

A team official said the Panthers remain in contact with Shockey's agent and the tight end has told the team he wants to play another season. No deal is imminent but the two sides are keeping an open dialogue.

For the record, “the snitch’’ on this was not Warren Sapp.

Shockey, 31, joined the Panthers last season. Although Shockey produced a career-low 37 catches, the Panthers believe he's a perfect complement to Greg Olsen, the team’s top pass-catching tight end. There were previous reports that Shockey had told the New York Giants he was interested in playing for them. That’s where Shockey began his career before being traded to the New Orleans Saints in 2008. There have no indications the Giants have any interest in bringing Shockey back.

Update: Shockey's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, just arrived at the NFL owners meetings and confirmed that he and the Panthers continue to talk, but said no deal is imminent.


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(espn.com)
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Santana Moss Still To Be Released To Clear Cap Room?

SantanaMoss
The Redskins desperately wanted more competition at receiver, which led to multiple signings at the position. But they could still release Santana Moss after June 1, which would give an additional salary-cap easement. If Moss can restructure his deal, he still could be back in the mix. But in no way is his place on the team assured.


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(profootballweekly.com)
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Suns Celebrity Shootout: Calais Campbell

<a href='http://video.app.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&vid=61d94abe-642d-44c8-b368-0935087468b3&from=&src=v5:embed::' target='_new' title='Suns Celebrity Shootout: Calais Campbell'>Video: Suns Celebrity Shootout: Calais Campbell</a>


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John Salmons solid in bench role on Sat.

JohnSalmons
John Salmons hit 7-of-12 FGs in 33 minutes off the bench on Saturday, finishing a tough loss to the Warriors with 17 points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal.

Salmons scored double-digit points once in the past six games and the Kings' rotation was off-kilter due to Jason Thompson's ankle injury, so this doesn't have much long-term meaning.


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(rotoworld.com)
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Guillermo Diaz' 16 points carried Armia

GuillermoDiaz
GEORGIA - Former Miami Huracanes guard Guillermo Diaz scored 16 points, to help Armia crush STU Tbilisi 95 - 50 on Saturday in the Georgian Basketball League.

Guillermo played a good game, contributing to his teams win by hitting 5 of 8 shot attempts (2/5 from three-point range) and finished with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists and 6 steals in 31 minutes.

The victory enabled Armia to remain undefeated and in first place with a 16 -  0 record.


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(boricuasballers.com)
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Yonder Alonso triples, scores twice in win over Reds

YonderAlonso
Yonder Alonso went 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored Friday against the Reds.

Playing against his former team, Alonso reached on a single in the bottom of the first inning and hit a leadoff triple in the third. The 24-year-old is hitting .260 (13-for-50) with eight RBI this spring and will get the chance to sink-or-swim as the Padres' starting first baseman this season. PETCO Park is death for left-handed hitters, so the odds are against him being useful in mixed leagues initially.


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(rotoworld.com)
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Alex Cora released by St Louis Cardinals

AlexCoraMets
JUPITER, Fla. (AP) - Alex Cora's briefcareer with St. Louis ended Sunday when the Cardinals released the utility infielder.

Cora hit .208 in 24 at-bats with one run, one RBI and no extra base hits. He had agreed Feb. 6 to a minor league contract that would have paid $800,000 if he had been added to the 40-man roster.

A 36-year-old who began his big league career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1998, Cora hit .224 with seven extra-base hits in 172 plate appearances for Washington last year. He also has played for Cleveland, Boston, the New York Mets and Texas.

St. Louis released Cora despite injuries in the middle infield. Skip Schumaker, last year's starting second baseman will likely start the season on the disabled list with an oblique injury and could be headed to the outfield when he returns.

St. Louis also released catcher Koyie Hill.


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(ksdk.com)
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Chris Perez throws hitless inning in minor league game

ChrisPerezIndians
Good news out of Goodyear, Arizona.

According to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Indians closer Chris Perez tossed a perfect seven-pitch frame Saturday in a minor league exhibition game. It was his first live action of the spring, and it couldn’t have gone smoother.

Perez strained an oblique muscle during his first bullpen session of the year and has yet to make an appearance in a Cactus League game. But that should change sometime early next week. The 26-year-old right-hander retired the first batter he faced Saturday on a grounder to short, the second on a line drive to center and the third on a dribbler to first base.

As long as there are no further setbacks, Perez should be sufficiently geared up by Opening Day. He registered a cool 3.32 ERA and 1.21 WHIP across 59 2/3 innings last year while saving 36 games.


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(hardballtalk.com)
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Yasmani Grandal impresses, but likely to start in Triple-A

YasmaniGrandal
PEORIA, Ariz. -- There's certainly a lot to like about Yasmani Grandal's bat, as the switch-hitting catcher came to the Padres from the Reds in December with what was considered a plus-bat tool.

The defense, many figured, would follow and possibly slowly.

But so far, Grandal has impressed with his bat -- he's hitting .346 with one home run and nine RBIs -- and his glove, particularly his ability to block pitches in the dirt.

"Grandal has been better than expected in camp, thanks to his hard work and the tutelage of Terry Kennedy, Brad Ausmus, John Gibbons and Justin Hatcher," manager Bud Black said Friday.

"It's going to be a process," Black said. "There's some things he needs to continue to work on. But in a short time, he's done some good work. He's done a good job."

Grandal moved fast through the Reds system, advancing to Triple-A last season. Still, he has only 402 Minor League at-bats and figures to benefit -- offensively and defensively -- from a season in the Minor Leagues, likely with Triple-A Tucson.


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(mlb.com)
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Pat Burrell signs on as a scout

PatBurellGiants
Pat the Bat is now Bat the Bird Dog.

Burrell, who is retiring after 12 big-league seasons because of a chronic foot condition, just told me has formally agreed to scout for the Giants this season. The Northern California native has been working with scouts this spring to see if he would be interested in tackling the job. Apparently he is.

I asked him why scouting rather than a position on the field. After all, Burrell was a very smart hitter throughout his career with the Phillies, Rays and Giants. He had good power and knew how to work a count, a talent he could impart to younger hitters in the system.

Burrell said it was general manager Brian Sabean’s idea.

“They felt that since I’m so close to playing I should step away from it for a while,” he said. “Brian’s been around for a long time. He knows what’s best.”

Burrell said he would revisit the a coaching or instructional position later.

He does not know what his assignment will be in 2012. For now, Burrell is scouting the Giants’ system, watching the exhibitions from behind home plate. Every team has scouts watch their own players in the majors and minors to help general managers decide which players to keep, trade and promote.


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(sfgate.com)
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