1st and 23rd in yards rushing allowed in the NFL the past two years.AIR BEARSAlshon Jeffery was the only player who topped 500 y

NEW YORK -- LeBron James said he was not trying to make a statement in deciding not to stay at President-elect Donald Trumps SoHo hotel, the Cleveland Cavaliers residence while they are in town.Its just my personal preference, James said as he talked to reporters from a baseline seat at Madison Square Garden with Cleveland preparing to play the New York Knicks later Wednesday night. At the end of the day, I hope hes one of the best presidents ever for all of our sake -- my family, for all of us. But its just my personal preference. It would be the same if I went to a restaurant and decided to eat chicken and not steak.James made his comments just hours after Trump was named Time magazines person of the year for 2016, with the cover of the publication showing the real estate tycoon looking over his shoulder while seated on an armchair with the caption President of the Divided States of America.James said it was the first time in his career that he chose to stay somewhere other than the primary team hotel on a road trip. A team source told ESPN.com that the alternative hotel -- which about half of the Cavs roster was excused to stay at should they choose to -- was located close enough to the Trump SoHo that both factions of Clevelands traveling party were able to meet and take the same bus over to the shootaround.I rode the bus like I do every [shootaround], like what Ive done for 14 straight years, James said. With my teammates, coaching staff and everybody else that travels with us.Cavs coach Tyronn Lue, who did stay at the Trump SoHo, was asked how unique of a situation it was for his team.Is it odd? I mean, its not normal, Lue said. But considering the circumstances, thats what we have. Thats not my main objective. My main thing is just trying to get this team to stay on track and playing the right way and trying to get back to playing Cleveland Cavaliers basketball.The Cavs entered into a contract with the Trump SoHo for their regular season trips prior to the presidential election because the hotel could guarantee the team a block of rooms in the spring should Cleveland end up playing either the Knicks or the Brooklyn Nets in the playoffs. Nike Vapormax Wholesale . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. Cheap Nike Vapormax Womens .1 million pounds ($61.2 million) on Saturday, giving the beleaguered English Premier League champions a major lift. http://www.cheapvapormax.net/ . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. Nike Vapormax Sale .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend. Cheap Nike Vapormax . In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the off-season. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. Minnesota has a gleaming new stadium. The Vikings are division champions for the first time in six years. Now theyre reeling from the loss of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater for the entire season.The headlines around the division sure have a purple shade.Theres still plenty of green, or rather Green Bay, left to repaint the NFC North horizon.Aaron Rodgers and the proud Packers have wide receiver Jordy Nelson back from the right ACL injury that kept him from playing in 2015, aiming for repossession of the title.Rodgers came back leaner after some dietary changes, recharged for another run at a Super Bowl trophy hes touched once -- five-plus years ago.My 12th season, all with the same team, its exciting, said Rodgers, who will turn 33 on Dec. 2. It actually gets a little sweeter I think every single year.Dethroning the Vikings would sure be delicious. Fittingly, the Packers will be Minnesotas opponent on Sept. 18 for their regular-season opener at U.S. Bank Stadium in front of a crowd of 66,000 and a Sunday night national TV audience.Bridgewater, who dislocated his left knee and tore the anterior cruciate ligament in practice last Tuesday, will be relegated to inspirational pregame speaker for that one.Were not looking for excuses. Were going to go out and fight like we always do, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said after Bridgewater was hurt. Everybody can count us out if they want, but I think that would be the wrong thing to do.While it appears Shaun Hill will step in for now, the Vikings also acquired quarterback Sam Bradford from the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday for a pair of draft picks, including a first-rounder in 2017.Keeping up with Minnesota and Green Bay will be a challenge for Detroit and Chicago, with the Lions trying to avoid replicating that 1-7 start in 2015 and the Bears burdened by a five-year absence from the playoffs.Heres a quick glance around the NFC North as this Great Lakes states quartet gets ready for the regular season:UNDER COVERThe Vikings have moved back inside after a two-year stint at the University of Minnesota while their $1.1 billion, ship-shaped, see-through venue was being built. The gawking will go on all season, with the translucent, space-age roof and the ground-to-ceiling glass on the front side giving the enclosed stadium an outdoor feel.The controlled climate ought to help a passing game that has lagged near the bottom of the league, but losing Bridgewater sure wont. Hill, a 15-year veteran, and Bradford will bbe aided by the additions this season of left guard Alex Boone and wide receiver Laquon Treadwell.ddddddddddddDIGGING INTo take back the division title theyve won eight times in 14 years, the Packers need some improvement on defense. Linebacker Clay Matthews has moved back outside to his natural position, after a solid performance playing inside to fill in.That has put the spotlight once again on the men in the middle, a position that has often been in flux during the past decade under coach Mike McCarthy.Jake Ryan and Sam Barrington are the expected starters for now. Ryan cracked the starting lineup down the stretch as a rookie fourth-round draft pick, and Barrington has been working his way back from a foot injury that cost him most of the season. The Packers ranked 21st and 23rd in yards rushing allowed in the NFL the past two years.AIR BEARSAlshon Jeffery was the only player who topped 500 yards receiving for the Bears last season, and calf, hamstring, groin and shoulder problems limited him to nine games. The seventh pick in the 2015 draft, Kevin White, missed his rookie season because of a stress fracture in his left shin. That left Jay Cutler without much to work with in the passing game.With stalwart running back Matt Forte and talented tight end Martellus Bennett gone, therell be even more onus on Jeffery and White to not only stay healthy but produce like a top-flight tandem. Jeremy Langford will be the featured runner, now that Forte has joined the New York Jets.GETTING GROUNDEDDetroits replacement of Calvin Johnson, following the star wide receivers surprise retirement at age 30, will be under scrutiny all fall. Newcomers Marvin Jones, Anquan Boldin and Andre Roberts, who have 25 seasons of experience in the league between them, are getting settled with quarterback Matthew Stafford to supplement Golden Tate.Running back Ameer Abdullah, along with third-down standout Theo Riddick, is really the one to watch, though. The Lions ranked last in the league in rushing yards last season when Abdullah was a rookie. Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, under whom Stafford thrived after a midseason change, has been tasked with establishing better balance.PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISHPackers, Vikings, Lions, Bears.---Online:AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL coverage on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '