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Forget rival boxers, Britains Josh Kelly has been fighting the flab to realise his dream of claiming an Olympic medal in Rio.The welterweight nearly blew his chances of making the Team GB squad when he fell out of love with the sport and packed on an extra two stone as he let his diet go to the wall.Eventually tipping the scales at 81kg -- some 12kg over the welterweight limit -- Kelly realised almost too late that he was sabotaging his own chances of standing on the podium in Rio.I had a couple of injuries and fell out of love with the sport, Kelly told ESPN. I didnt want to do it. People would mention the Olympics to me and I just didnt want to know.Ive got the body type thatll put loads of weight on, but I just started eating like a normal kid. I wasnt eating daft, I was just eating normal meals, chilling out and not training.Over Christmas [last year] I had too much of a layoff. I was having such a good year in 2015, but at Christmas time I just thought Id sit back a little bit and relax. The other lads were in the gym for hours, but I was letting them slap me here and there.There is little doubt about Kellys talent. The 22-year-old notched a bronze at last years European Games in Baku, falling in the semifinals to home fighter Parviz Baghirov via a questionable decision.However, after losing his edge over the winter, Kelly was in no shape to enter the European Olympic qualifying event in Turkey in April. And it was at that moment the fighter realised he was putting his Rio dream in jeopardy.Being the weight I was, I was never going to get to [Turkey], he explained. It came too quick. If I had to drop the weight I wouldnt have been healthy for it. When they selected another lad for that competition, the penny dropped.The coaches said if I didnt have the natural talent, theyd be wasting their time on me. But they said they could see a potential medallist, so I was worth sticking with. I kept thinking, when I make this weight Im qualifying.But the motivation for Kelly to return to the sport did not just come from seeing other boxers given the nod ahead of him. As is often the way with young men, Kelly had to be told by a parent.There was a time I was sat there with my dad and he said, you dont want any regrets when youre older. Now you might think it [quitting] is a good choice, but when youre older youll think about what could have been.After missing the European qualifiers in April, Kelly faced a race against time to turn his life around and reach Rio. Newly motivated, his chance came at the final Olympic qualifier in June, back in Baku.The return to the Azerbaijani capital saved Kellys amateur career. After a ferocious training schedule and a new diet -- based on boring fruit, veg and water -- he qualified for Rio with victory over Trinidad and Tobagos Aaron Prince in the quarterfinals.Proudly taking his place among the biggest British boxing team at an Olympics for 32 years, Kelly faces a tough opener against Egypts Walid Sedik Mohamed on Monday night. But after battling so hard just to book his seat on the plane, theres no way Kelly has flown to Rio just to make up the numbers.If youre going there, youre going to get gold, he said. Youre not going there to mess about. Ive got high expectations of myself. Obviously I need to go there and enjoy the experience. Hopefully thatll let me perform to the best of my abilities.Improbably, when hes not in the ring, Kelly is often to be found in front of the camera. The Sunderland native has found work as a part-time model, but he is prepared to lay his good looks on the line for a shot at gold in Rio.I guess Im not too bad on the eye, Kelly joked. My stylist says I should avoid getting hit, but Im not one of those kids who stands there and slugs it out. Im in and out from different angles. Its done me good over the years.The Olympics changes your life. If I can make it at the Olympics, it would finish my job as an amateur. The next stage is a medal, its just the pinnacle of the sport. Chris Mullin Jersey . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked. DAngelo Russell Warriors Jersey . Rob Manfred, baseballs chief operating officer, testified last week during the grievance filed by the players union to overturn Rodriguezs 211-game suspension. A person familiar with the hearing, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Manfred testified the sport wasnt concerned whether Bosch distributed performance-enhancing drugs to minors because MLBs interest was his relationship with players under investigation. https://www.warriorsrookiesshop.com/Andre-Iguodala-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Hamelin, who triumphed in the 500 on Saturday, edged out Victor An of Russia by 0.021 seconds to maintain his lead in the World Cup standings. Russias Vladimir Grigorev was third. In the relay, Canada took control six laps from the finish line to beat Russia and the Netherlands. Nate Thurmond Jersey . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. Draymond Green Jersey . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos?underwent surgery on the lateral meniscus tear in his right knee and is expected to miss approximately four months, the team announced on Thursday.The Lightning said Wednesday that Stamkos was out indefinitely, but coach Jon Cooper said the center would be back in time for the playoffs in April.?If we put ourselves in a position to make the playoffs, hes going to be back, Cooper said Thursday. And thatll be better than any trade deadline acquisition that anybody else is going to get.Youve got to take your head out of the sand, dig your heels in and march on. And unfortunately, this has happened to us before and the guys have found a way.TSN was first to report that Stamkos needed surgery.He left the ice in the first period against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, favoring his right leg after getting tangled up with Detroits Gustav Nyquist along the boards.According to the Tampa Bay Times, Stamkos clutched the back of his right knee after the collision and stumbled as he made his way toward the Lightning locker room. He did not return and there was little in the way of updates ffrom Cooper after the Lightnings 4-3 victory.ddddddddddddStamkos was off to a tremendous start to the season. His first-period goal Tuesday gave him nine goals on the season, and his 20 points are tied for third among all NHL players.Stamkos missed all but one of Tampa Bays postseason games last spring with a blood clot issue. But after signing an eight-year contract extension that pays him $8.5 million annually to remain with the Lightning, Stamkos returned in full health and played for Canada at the World Cup of Hockey.Stamkos has collected points in seven of the past nine Lightning games, and Tampa Bay is tied for second in the Atlantic Division with Ottawa with a 10-6-1 record.You live in this reality now, and weve just got to have to face it,?defenseman Victor Hedman?said Thursday. Itll be a good test for us. But at the same?time, we know we can handle it, and we know we can win hockey games even though were going to miss him.Information from ESPNs Scott Burnside was used in this report. ' ' '

RUSTON, La. -- Erik McCree tied his career-best with 33 points and pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds to lead Louisiana Tech to a dominating 88-59 win over Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday night.McCree was 4 of 5 from beyond the arc and finished with 10-of-14 shooting from the floor. He also made 9 of 11 free throw attempts.Louisiana Tech (4-3) made 30 of 54 field goal attempts while limiting the Lions to 22-of-65 shooting. The Bulldogs also had 13 blocked shots with Joniah White slapping back five and Jylan Washington rejecting four. McCree also blocked three shots.DaQuan Bracey was 6 of 10 from the floor for a career-best 14 points and Omar Sherman chipped in 12 for the Bulldogs.Louisiana Tech started fast and led 45-27 at the break. The Bulldogs pushed that to 82-50 at the 3:48 mark.Eddy Polanco led Southeastern Louisiana (5-4) with 12 points and George Brock added 11. Fake Hockey Jerseys .Y. -- Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse have another World Cup gold medal after winning the two-women bobsled race on Saturday in Lake Placid, N. Hockey Jerseys China . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. https://www.fakehockeyjerseys.com/ . Didier Drogba gave away the penalty that put Senegal one goal away from a major upset, but the veteran striker will get another chance -- probably his last -- at the World Cup after Salomon Kalous injury-time strike sealed the Ivorians place in Brazil next year. Custom Hockey Jerseys . The 18th player to shoot 60 on the tour, Jamieson settled for par on the final hole when his 15-foot birdie chip grazed the edge of the hole and stayed out. After opening with rounds of 66 and 73 to make the cut by a stroke, he had 11 birdies in the bogey-free round. Cyber Monday Hockey Jerseys .com) - Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer were easy first-round winners Tuesday at the Australian Open. LAS VEGAS -- Matt Hagan topped Funny Car qualifying Friday in the NHRA Toyota Nationals, breaking the track time record with a 3.872-second pass at 329.18 mph in a Dodge Charger.I think today was pretty cool because we had cloud cover, Hagan said. The track was tight, it was good out there. The groove is very narrow so you have to watch what youre doing. All in all, we had a good day, and tomorrow is another day, so we come back out tomorrow and fight hard again and just try to scoop up as much poinnts as we can.ddddddddddddLeah Pritchett led in Top Fuel, Drew Skillman in Pro Stock and Jerry Savoie in Pro Stock Motorcycle in the fifth event in the six-race NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.Pritchett had a 3.705 pass at 326.63 to break the track time mark, Skillman ran a 6.681 at 204.94 in a Chevrolet Camaro and Savoie had a 6.904 at 192.66 on a Suzuki. ' ' '

SAN ANTONIO -- Game 4 of the NBA Finals will tell more about the Miami Heat than a 66-win regular season ever could. Any questions about LeBron James and the Heat were supposed to have been answered by now. He was too good to be taken out of games, his teammates too talented to go through long stretches where they werent contributing. But they didnt resemble the leagues reigning powerhouse in Game 3, when the San Antonio Spurs handed them the third-worst beating in finals history in a 113-77 romp. They looked like the confused club from two years ago, when the finals last came to Texas. Another loss Thursday night and theyre on the verge of something much bigger than another finals failure. Lose this series, and the whole Big Three era might be a failure. "Something has to give tomorrow night," James said Wednesday. "They have a championship pedigree. They have four (titles). We have two. So something has to give. Well see what happens. Weve been able to bounce back throughout adverse times throughout the season throughout the years that weve been together, these three years. Well see." "Well see" is the approach the Spurs are taking with Tony Parker, who has a mild hamstring strain. The team is calling the All-Star point guard day to day after he was hurt during Game 3 and had an MRI exam Wednesday. "I want to wait until tomorrow before I make a decision whether he should play or not," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "And obviously a lot of it will have to do with Tony, and what happens to him during the day, and how I think his play will affect our team, whether good or bad." The Spurs didnt need much from him Tuesday, when Danny Green and Gary Neal combined for 13 of the Spurs NBA Finals-record 16 3-pointers and Kawhi Leonard had 14 points and 12 rebounds, essentially playing James even. James had his practice jersey hanging over his back like a cape Wednesday, and he knows the Heat need him to be Super on Thursday. And he insists that what hes going to be. "As dark as it was last night, cant get no darker than that, especially for me," he said. "So, I guarantee Ill be better tomorrow for sure." He should, given that his 7-for-21 effort with no free throws was about as bad as the four-time MVP can play. But he came to Miami so he didnt have to do it all, where a partnership with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh meant his days of having to carry teams were supposed to be over. But with Wade battling right knee pain for a while and Bosh mired in a slump, there has rarely been the vaunted three-man attack that was expected when they joined up in July 2010. "If us three dont lead the charge, were not going to be NBA champions," Wade said. "Our teammates count on us, so we have to step up." Some of the problem could be fatigue for a team that was forced into some playoff-atmosphere games in the regular season while trying to extend what became a 27-game winning streak, the second-longest in league history. With a huge lead in the standings in March, the Heat could have instead opted to give their veterans some extra rest. Thats what Popovich has always done, essentially sacrificing a couple of lengthy winning streaks in recent years by resting key players when they were still intact. "There are no right and wrong answers to the way people do things, because its pretty hard to assess and evaluate," Popovich said. "Suffice to say, everybody has a different approach to playing time or when to sit or not sit players. And we do it one way, other teams do it differently. Theres no one to say one way is right or the other way is right." But the Heats way will be second-guessed -- just like everything about them is -- if they dont pull out this series. There will be calls to break up the Big Three, criticisms of James, and everything else that Tim Duncan and the Spurs never had to deal with in small-market San Antonio. "I guess if you allow yourself to be affected by it and you allow yourself to look and read everything, then everyone is under a microscope," Duncan said. "As Ive said, I dont envy that kind of scrutiny and pressure in any way." Its what the Heat signed up when James arrived and guaranteed titles three summers ago, and the pressure became even greater after they flopped the first time with their loss to Dallas at the end of their first season together. The Heat looked so vulnerable then, but seeing them as bewildered as they were Wednesday was stunning. James too often seemed to linger around the perimeter, an old habit reappearing when it seemed hed put it aside for good and wouldnt allow himself to settle for jumpers anymore when he could go into the post instead. Part of the reason is the Spurs, with a solid defensive game plan and a versatile defender in Leonard who can apply it. But the Heat also realized another problem was simply their own effort -- or lack thereof -- in going for rebounds and loose balls. "We just collectively played a very bad basketball game last night. And that was everybody, including the staff. It was hard to really judge anything and evaluate anything from that game," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Thats why after the film session, all were focused on is how we prepare the next 24 hours to have our best game of the series tomorrow night." Game 4 is where the Heat started to lose control of the series against Dallas two years ago, but they know its where they have to regain it this time. They havent lost two in a row in five months, and this isnt the time for that to end. "Weve been at our best when I guess our backs are up against the wall, and were at it again," James said. "Well see how we respond tomorrow." Fake Football Jerseys Free Shipping . Meanwhile, there were huge victories for Sunderland and West Ham over fellow relegation rivals, leaving the battle to avoid the drop up for grabs with the bottom 11 teams separated by just six points. Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored second-half goals to seal a fourth straight victory for Chelsea, which climbed above Arsenal and Manchester City in the standings ahead of their games on Monday and Sunday respectively. Fake Football Jerseys . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. https://www.fakefootballjerseys.com/ . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. Football Jerseys China . Tevez, who has had conflicts with coaches in the past, has not been called up since Sabella was named coach in 2011. Argentina boasts Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria. Cheap Football Jerseys Authentic .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Wednesday, Ryen Russillo and Danny Kanell welcome Clippers G JJ Redick (1:30 p.m. ET), ESPN NFL analyst Tedy Bruschi (2:00) and Oregon coach Mark Helfrich (2:30).Todays main topics:? Indians win Game 1 of World Series? Opening night NBA actionText us at 73776 (msg&data ratees may apply) or tweet us at twitter.ddddddddddddcom/RussilloShow -- well be with you from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET on ESPN Radio and ESPNRadio.com. ' ' '

NFL Nation reporters pick the top training camp position battle for every team.AFC East | AFC North| AFC South | AFC West NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC WestAFC EASTBuffalo BillsRunning backBehind LeSean McCoy, this has been a position to watch since the spring. The downward spiral of Karlos Williams -- showing up to minicamp overweight and then getting slapped with a four-game NFL suspension -- as well as the arrest of rookie Jonathan Williams added more intrigue to the battle and likely played a role in the Bills?signing veteran Reggie Bush this week. Bush figures to slide into the No. 2 role, with Mike Gillislee likely to retain the No. 3 role as Karlos Williams sits out the first quarter of the season. -- Mike RodakMiami DolphinsRunning backThe Dolphins have a classic training camp battle involving a longtime veteran,?Arian Foster, against an unproven upstart,?Jay Ajayi. Foster, a former Pro Bowler coming off a torn?Achilles tendon suffered in October, has ground to make up. Ajayi began camp with?the first team but recently suffered a bone bruise on his knee that caused him to miss practice time. That opened the door for Foster to get more reps with the starters. Foster already is showing flashes, especially catching the ball out of the backfield. This competition wont be determined until late in the preseason. -- James WalkerNew England PatriotsInterior offensive lineThe Patriots could have three different starters along the offensive line to open the year, if rookie Joe Thuney (left guard) and trade acquisition Jonathan Cooper (right guard) win jobs and David Andrews successfully challenges incumbent Bryan Stork at center. Cooper, however, was carted off the practice field Saturday and?hasnt practiced since. Four-year veteran Josh Kline and sixth-round pick?Ted Karras are working at right guard for now, while 2015 starters Shaq Mason and Tre Jackson?will be in the mix once they are?cleared to practice. The interior spots are?arguably the positions?on the roster where there is the most wide-open competition. -- Mike ReissNew York JetsCornerbackThe Jets need a replacement for Antonio Cromartie. The leading candidate is nickelback Buster Skrine, who played in the slot last season. Marcus Williams and Dee Milliner will push Skrine, but Skrine will likely prevail and become an every-down player. -- Rich CiminiAFC NORTHBaltimore RavensLeft guardThe search for?Kelechi Osemeles replacement is the most wide-open competition on the team. John Urschel is running with the first team, but the Ravens feel he is better suited at center. Ryan Jensen plays with a mean streak, but he has to become more consistent. Rookie Alex Lewis will figure into the competition, even though he could be the future starting right tackle. This is the second major change to the offensive line this year. Ronnie Stanley, the No. 6 pick, will start at left tackle. -- Jamison HensleyCincinnati BengalsDefensive endNow that the Bengals training camp has begun, we can safely say there is no competition battle quite like the one at backup defensive end, where Will Clarke and Margus Hunt are trying to show their steady improvement. Hunt, in particular, is in the middle of an intense camp, one that could determine whether the former second-round pick is in Cincinnati a month from now. Entering the final year of his rookie deal, the pass-rusher hasnt translated to the NFL as quickly as many had hoped he would. -- Coley HarveyCleveland BrownsRight tackleUsually the easy answer with the Browns is quarterback, but Robert Griffin III has taken every first-team snap since the spring, which indicates how competitive that competition has been. The Browns do need to find a replacement for right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, who left via free agency. Alvin Bailey enters camp as the starter, but there will be competition with Austin Pasztor and Michael Bowie. Rookie third-round pick?Shon Coleman also will get a look; he missed the offseason work to protect the knee he had scoped after his college season at Auburn. -- Pat McManamonPittsburgh SteelersLeft tackleThis is easily the Steelers most fascinating contest, as Alejandro Villanueva,?a behemoth, 6-foot-9 former Army ranger?with a?raw skill set but obvious potential, battles veteran Ryan Harris for the right to start. The Steelers will let this one play out all camp. Villanueva is believed to have the inside track if he keeps progressing. Harris is the more stable option, but Villanueva has bigger upside.?-- Jeremy FowlerAFC SOUTHHouston TexansCenterThe Texans let last years center, Ben Jones, leave for?the Titans in free agency. They added veteran Tony Bergstrom, who has mostly been a backup in his career, in free agency and drafted Nick Martin in the second round. It could take the rookie some time to get up to speed. Although ultimately Martin should be the teams starting center, Bergstrom could open?the season as the starter. -- Tania GanguliIndianapolis ColtsRight guardHugh Thornton has started 32 of 37 games in his career, but second-year player Denzelle Good, who played right tackle as a rookie, is pushing Thornton?so much that Good is starting to get more reps with the first team. Another player in the mix for the job is Jonotthan Harrison, who mainly played center his first two seasons. Offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski described the competition for the job as being wide-open. -- Mike WellsJacksonville JaguarsLeft tackleIncumbent Luke Joeckel is fighting with Kelvin Beachum to keep his starting job. Joeckel hasnt been the kind of dominant player the Jaguars hoped he would become when they took him second overall in the 2013 draft, and they declined to pick up his fifth-year option. There are those in the building who?believe former Steeler Beachum is a top-10 tackle in the NFL, so he is probably the favorite. The loser of the competition will likely be the starting left guard. -- Mike DiRoccoTennessee TitansLeft guardQuinton Spain finished last season as the starter, but that was sort of by default. He will have to hold off rookie Sebastian Tretola, former starting center Brian Schwenke and 2015 third-rounder Jeremiah Poutasi. The Titans are desperate for better line play to protect quarterback?Marcus Mariota and make room for running backs?DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry. -- Paul KuharskyAFC WESTDenver BroncosQuarterbackThe Broncos have the marquee battle at quarterback with Mark Sanchez, Trevor Siemian?and?rookie first-round pick?Paxton Lynch splitting the practice reps evenly overall. Sanchez, however, currently has taken the most reps with the starting offense. Siemian and Lynch have each had their practice moments in camps early going, but day-to-day and play-to-play, Sanchez has looked the most consistent and most comfortable. Also, he has shown a little more willingness to step forward as a leader than the?younger signal-callers, so much so that former Broncos running back Terrell Davis said after watching practice this week that its clear Sanchez will be the guy in the regular season. -- Jeff LegwoldKansas City ChiefsLeft guardRookie Parker Ehinger has been working as the starter, but the Chiefs are also giving some snaps to Zach Fulton. The choice is between the potential of Ehinger, a fourth-round draft pick, and the experience of Fulton, who has started 22 games the past two seasons. -- Adam TeicherOakland RaidersRight tackleMenelik Watson and Austin Howard have both been seeing time with the first unit in the early days of camp. Watson, a former second-round draft pick coming back from a torn Achilles tendon suffered last preseason, is getting?the majority of reps?after Howard, who is returning from a knee injury suffered late last season, saw the brunt of them?in the first practice. Menelik? Yeah, were happy hes healthy, coach Jack Del Rio said. [Menelik] is doing a good job, and yeah, I would agree with you. I think hes done a nice job to start camp. -- Paul GutierrezSan Diego ChargersBackup quarterbackPhilip Rivers has not missed a game in a decade, but theres a battle between incumbent Kellen Clemens and waiver-wire pickup Zach Mettenberger?for San Diegos No. 2 QB job. Clemens, 33, is a?veteran?who can come in and win a game in the clutch, and he has a good relationship with Rivers. Mettenberger, 25, possesses a strong arm and was drafted by Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt while he served as head coach of the Titans. -- Eric D. WilliamsNFC EASTDallas CowboysCornerbackAlthough the Cowboys have questions to answer at defensive end, the most compelling case would be between Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne at right cornerback. Carr accepted a pay cut in the offseason, and Claiborne returned on a one-year deal. Both need to find their form if they want bigger paydays in 2017. Carr has started every game he has played in his eight years in the NFL. Claiborne has yet to play a full season, but theres optimism in the organization that he has found his stride. -- Todd ArcherNew York GiantsMiddle linebackerIts a vital position that dictates the leader of the defense. The Giants have Jasper Brinkley, Keenan Robinson, Kelvin Sheppard and rookie B.J. Goodson in the mix. Brinkley is the favorite early in training camp, in part because he knows the defense best and finished last season?as the Giants starter at the position. But this one is completely up for grabs. -- Jordan RaananPhiladelphia EaglesCornerbackThe Eagles unloaded last years marquee addition, Byron Maxwell, and added lower-level free agents Leodis McKelvin and Ron Brooks,?who played for coordinator Jim Schwartz in Buffalo. They appear to be in the lead for both cornerback spots for now, but Nolan Carroll, Eric Rowe and rookie Jalen Mills?will?all be in the mix during the preseason. -- Phil SheridanWashington RedskinsInside linebackerThe Redskins have a battle at left guard as well as defensive end, but the interesting one to watch is at linebacker, where Perry Riley Jr. and Mason Foster are fighting for a spot next to Will Compton. Riley just returned from a broken foot, but if he doesnt win the job, it could get more intriguing, as he?is not a big special-teams guy and would be an expensive backup at $5 million. -- John KeimNFC NORTHChicago BearsStrong safetyThe Bears used a fourth-round pick on hard-hitting Miami safety Deon Bush, who on paper complements the style of rangy free safety Adrian Amos. Bush will have to earn the starting job, though. Standing in Bushs way is Harold Jones-Quartey,?a physical, second-year safety whose aggressive style of play jumps out at practice. Jones-Quartey has the edge in experience; as an undrafted rookie out of Findlay last year, Jones-Quartey started four games, intercepted one pass and forced a?fumble. -- Jeff DickersonDetroit LionsStrong safetySome will look at receiver and others the offensive line, but strong safety is the most wide-open position in camp, with potentially five players vying for roles. The Lions signed Rafael Bush (the leader entering camp) and Tavon Wilson in free agency, drafted Miles Killebrew in the fourth round and have Isaiah Johnson and Don Carey on the roster. An early pick:?Bush wins the job but is pushed hard by Killebrew, who shows he can be the teams strong safety of the future. Johnson ends up flashing talent?in the competition. -- Michael RothsteinGreen Bay PackersWide receiverNot only is it nearly impossible to tell how many receivers the Packers are going to keep, but also, at this point it isnt clear who the No. 3 will be behind Jordy Nelson (when he returns) and Randall Cobb. Davante Adams, Jeff Janis, Jared Abbrederis and even rookie fifth-round pick Trevor Davis have made their cases while at the same time showing their limitations. Ty Montgomery?could get involved when he comes off the PUP list. Even undrafted rookie Geronimo Allison and practice-squad member Ed Williams have made plays. We have a lot of guys who are going to be competing for, really, three through however many spots they keep, quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. -- Rob DemovskyMinnesota VikingsCenterJohn Sullivan is trying to regain his starting job after he missed all of 2015 because of two back surgeries. The 31-year-old has?been one of the better centers in the league, but Joe Berger had a strong year in Sullivans absence. They are?trading first-team snaps early in training camp. Given how well Berger played last season, it could be tougher than many mightve thought for Sullivan to get the job back. -- Ben GoesslingNFC SOUTHAtlanta FalconsInside linebackerThree-time leading tackler?Paul Worrilow?is trying to hold off rookie Deion Jones. Worrilow has the knowledge of the defense at his advantage, but Jones blazing speed makes him the ideal coverage linebacker. Linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich has even tinkered with playing Worrilow at weakside linebacker while leaving Jones in the middle during training camp. It wouldnt be a surprise to see Worrilow on the field in the base defense and Jones on the field in the nickel. -- Vaughn McClureCarolina PanthersCornerbackWho will replace cornerback Josh Norman? The Panthers drafted James Bradberry in the second round, Daryl Worley in the third and Zack Sanchez in the fifth, with the hope that at least one could replace Norman. With the other starting corner, Bene Benwikere, on PUP rehabbing a fractured ankle injury from last season, a rookie could fill both corner spots, and there?could be?three if Sanchez wins the nickel spot. But replacing Norman is the top priority because Benwikere is expected back. Bradberry seems to have the upper hand. Hes even wearing Normans No. 24. However, coach Ron Rivera says none of the three has separated himself from the others yet. -- David NewtonNew Orleans SaintsDefensive endThe Saints have three young pass-rushers competing for their open defensive end position across from Pro Bowler Cameron Jordan. Chances are?Obum Gwacham, Kasim Edebali and Davis Tull will wind up rotating in that spot. The Saints desperately need at least one of them to emerge as a QB disruptor at a position that could be considered their biggest question after Hauoli Kikaha went down with a summer knee injury. Gwacham got the most reps with the 1s early in camp, but Edebali has also gotten turns -- and all three have flashed a couple times in team drills. The ability to hold up against the run will be key for all of them and could give Edebali an edge. -- Mike TriplettTampa Bay BuccaneersCornerbackBucs coach Dirk Koetter announced Monday that first-round pick Vernon Hargreaves would start rotating in with the first-team defense. Hargreaves has spent a great deal of time working in at nickelback while lining up with the second-team defense on the outside. Will he stay at nickel and take reps from Jude Adjei-Barimah? Or will he unseat Alterraun Verner or Brent Grimes on the outside? Its highly unlikely that Hargreaves?takes away Grimes spot. Verner has had a stellar?training camp so far and could very well rebound from two disappointing seasons under the previous regime. -- Jenna LaineNFC WESTArizona CardinalsCenterIts a veteran-rookie battle. A.Q. Shipley has held on to the first-team center job all offseason, ever since the Cardinals decided not to re-sign long-time starter Lyle Sendlein. But Arizona drafted Evan Boehm out of Missouri in the fourth round, and Boehm is in line to be?the center of the future. Unless coach Bruce Arians put up an epic smokescreen this week by saying Evans just got to learn and A.Q. has proven he can play, the battle for center will be the best in Arizonas camp this year. -- Josh WeinfussLos Angeles RamsQuarterbackThe Rams would like nothing more than to see rookie Jared Goff take the job and run with it sooner than later. But organized team activities showed that Goff is going to need some time to get up to speed. Case Keenum is there to offer a steady hand until Goff is ready. Depending on how Goff fares in camp, this might be less of a competition and more of a delayed coronation for Goff. -- Nick WagonerSan Francisco 49ersQuarterbackCoach Chip Kelly will promote competition across the board in his first season in San Francisco, but none of those battles will get more scrutiny than the one for quarterback. Blaine Gabbert is the incumbent after he stepped in for an injured Colin Kaepernick last season. Gabbert showed signs of improvement as the season went on, while Kaepernick is looking to rediscover the magic that made him a breakout star just a few years ago. The Niners are splitting the reps evenly, and neither player has stood above the other so far. Expect this one to go well into the preseason. -- Nick WagonerSeattle SeahawksRunning backIf Thomas Rawls were healthy, hed be the heavy favorite to start. But Rawls is still recovering from the ankle injury he suffered in December and is on the PUP list. That has given rookies Alex Collins and Zac Brooks a chance to run with the first team, along with veteran Christine Michael. Third-round pick C.J. Prosise has been sidelined with a hamstring injury. Pete Carroll said he expects Rawls to be ready for the opener, but theres plenty of uncertainty at this spot. -- Sheil Kapadia Nike Air Max Tavas Baratas . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. Air Max 2 Uptempo Baratas . Brandon Morrow allowed five runs on six hits over three innings. He struck out two, walked one and hit a batter. Edwin Encarnacion had a two-out, bases loaded two-RBI double in the third inning. http://www.tiendasairmaxbaratas.com/zapatillas-air-max-1/max-1-hombre.html . Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi scored, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic setting up both despite having a poor game by his high standards. Forward Eduardo gave Ajaccio the lead in the sixth minute after being set up by right winger Benjamin Andre, and the Corsican side looked comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causing problems with his probing runs from midfield. Nike Air Max 93 Baratas . Jeff Green scored 13 points and Kris Humphries 12 for the Celtics, who nearly blew an 18-point, second-half lead. Sullingers 20-20 was the first by a Celtics player since Kevin Garnetts first game in Boston in 2007. Garnett was dealt -- along with Paul Pierce -- to Brooklyn during the off-season. Air Max 2020 Baratas . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat. TROON, Scotland -- The Latest on the British Open (all times local):---7 p.m.Phil Mickelson is heartbroken, even after one of the greatest rounds in major championship history.Lefty shot an 8-under 63 in the opening round of the British Open on Thursday, but hell long remember the lipped-out putt at the 18th hole that cost him a chance at history.Mickelson couldve become the first player to shoot 62 at a major championship. Instead, he joins 25 other players whove managed a 63.Mickelson puts it this way: All those highlights and I feel like crying. Indeed, his 16-foot putt looked like it was right in the cup with a foot to do, only to veer off to the right, catch the edge of the cup, and stay out.The 46-year-old American knows these sorts of chances dont come along very often. At his age, especially, the odds are against Mickelson ever coming that close again. Thats why he describes it as heartbreaking.---6:45 p.m.Chris Wood of England has withdrawn from the British Open because of a recurrence of a neck injury.Wood withdrew after the 12th hole of his first round. He was 3 over par.---6:20 p.m.Phil Mickelson has become the 26th player in major championship history to shoot a 63.And he had reason to be disappointed.His 16-foot birdie putt on the final hole at Royal Troon caught the right lip and rode the edge of the cup without dropping. Mickelson stooped over and grabbed his knees in disbelief.It was the 28th round of 63 in the majors -- Greg Norman and Vijay Singh have done it twice -- and the ninth at the British Open. As a small consolation, Mickelson has the course record at Royal Troon. And he likely will have the lead.---5 p.m.Americans occupy seven of the top eight spots on the leaderboard at Royal Troon, not surprising because they have won the British Open the last six times on this links.One name stands out, however.Phil Mickelson joined Patrick Reed at 5-under par with a long birdie putt on the 10th hole, and he remains bogey-free through 12 holes. Mickelson hasnt won since he captured the claret jug at Muirfield three years ago.Some of the other Americans: Billy Horschel and Tony Finau both finished at 67 and were one shot behind, along with Justin Thomas and Steve Stricker. And not to be overlooked is Zach Johnson, the defending champion, who was 4 under through 10 holes.---3:30 p.m.Steve Stricker was nervous when he teed off at Royal Troon, and it showed. He had to scramble for par on the first hole and took bogey on the next hole. But the 49-year-old American settled down and shot 67, one shot off the lead.So why the nerves? Stricker said maybe it was because its been a while since he played in a major. This is his first major since the PGA Championship last year, and his first British Open since 2012.And it might be his last major. He currently is not eligible for the PGA Championship. Stricker says his agent, brother-in-law Mario Tiziani, has been asking him if Stricker wants to request an exemption. Stricker says he wont do it. He wants to earn it.This is the final event to qualify, and a top 10 might be enough to get in.---2:30 p.m.Three-quarters of golfs Big Four are back in the clubhouse on the first day at Royal Troon -- and Rory McIlroy has fared better than Jordan Spieth and Jason Day.McIlroy, who won the British Open in 2014 and missed the defense of the claret jug last year because of injury, shot a 2-under 69 and was three strokes off early leader Patrick Reed.Spieth bogeyed the last hole after an errant tee shot and had an even-par 71, while top-ranked Day shot 73.The other member of the Big Four is U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson, who had an afternoon start. He bogeyed the first hole after hitting his driver a long way right.---1 p.m.Americans are impressing once again at a British Open at Royal Troon.The last six Open champions at Troon have come from the United States, and Patrick Reed and Justin Thomas are extending the countrys dominance after shooting the best two early rounds Thursday.Reed eagled the par-4 third, had three birdies in the following four holes, and picked up another shot at the last for a 5-under 66 and the early clubhouse lead.Thomas birdied his first four holes and recovered from a double-bogey 6 at No. 15 by also making a birdie at No. 18 for a 67.Another American, Bubba Watson, was alongside Reed and Thomas atop the leaderboard until he triple-bogeyed No. 8 -- the testing par-3 nicknamed the Postage Stamp -- and then made bogey at Nos. 10 and 11. He is level par through 13 holes.Rory McIlroy is 4 under through 12 holes on his first round at the British Open since lifting the claret jug in 2014. He missed last years tournament because of injury.---12:30 p.m.Louis Oosthuizen has made the first hole-in-one at the British Open.The 2010 champion from South Africa aced thee par-3 No.dddddddddddd 14 from 167 yards, his ball pitching in front of the hole and curling into the cup. He threw his arms up in celebration for what was his second hole-in-one at a major this year, after acing the 16th in the final round of the Masters.---11:45 a.m.With his ball buried and up against the face of a pot bunker, Colin Montgomerie feared the worst after just two shots of his first round at the British Open.Montgomerie was given the honor of hitting the first tee shot at Royal Troon, his home club, in what likely will be his last Open. It was a proud moment for the 53-year-old Scotsman but things quickly turned sour.His second shot landed in him in such trouble that it took two shots to get out of the bunker. An up-and-down later, Monty was walking off with a double-bogey 6 from one of the easiest holes at Troon.No wonder Montgomerie was happy to finish with an even-par 71. He says Im very proud of myself for hanging on in there. It would have been easy to score 78 there, simple.Montgomerie was 3 under for the front nine and 3 over for the back nine.---10:45 a.m.Colin Montgomerie has started what could be his final British Open with an even-par 71 at Royal Troon.The 53-year-old Scotsman was given the honor of hitting the opening tee shot at his home club Thursday, and he was greeted with a packed grandstand on a sunny morning.Montgomerie took a double-bogey at the first hole, but birdied five of the next eight to make the turn with a 3-under 33. He couldnt keep it going, settling for three bogeys on the tougher inward nine to fall off the leaderboard.Bubba Watson, Justin Thomas and Patrick Reed are tied for the lead at 4 under.---10:15 a.m.Its a morning for going low at Royal Troon. Justin Thomas and Patrick Reed are leading the way.The Americans took advantage of the sunny weather Thursday to shoot 5-under 31 on the front nine at the British Open.That puts them a couple of strokes ahead of Kevin Chappell and Jimmy Walker.Given the conditions, its not surprising there are so many red numbers on the board. But the scores figure to rise during the day as the wind picks up. Also, the front nine at Troon is much easier that than the return leg, so its imperative to put up a low score early in the round.Colin Montgomerie found that out. Given the honor of hitting the first stroke of the tournament at his home club, he made the turn with a 3-under 33 even after opening with a double-bogey. Alas, Monty couldnt keep it going. Hes back to even par with two holes to play after three bogeys.---8:30 a.m.Colin Montgomerie has recovered brilliantly from his double bogey to start the British Open.The 53-year-old Scot, playing in perhaps his last Open, caught a buried lie in pot bunker and began with a double bogey. But the scowl soon turned into a smile when Montgomerie ran off five birdies in seven holes to make the turn at 3-under par.Justin Thomas made his British Open debut with birdies on his opening three holes and also was at 3 under.Luke Donald, playing alongside Montgomerie in the first group, was at 2 under.Most encouraging of all: The lead threesome took just under two hours to complete the front nine.---7:25 a.m.The Irish Sea was blue from abundant sunshine. The British Open leaderboard already was filled with red scores.With virtually no wind to start the 145th Open, the gentle outward nine at Royal Troon was living up to its reputation as the time to get birdies. There already were eight birdies in the first 21 holes completed, with Sanghee Lee of South Korea making birdie on the opening two holes.Colin Montgomerie started with a buried lie in a pot bunker on No. 1 and made double bogey. He might want to heed his own advice. Speaking of how easy the front nine is at Royal Troon, the Scot once famously said if a player is not under par at the turn, he might as well keep walking to Prestwick and have lunch in the clubhouse.Prestwick, site of the first 12 British Opens, is adjacent to Royal Troon.---6:45 a.m.The British Open began Thursday with Colin Montgomerie hitting the opening tee shot on the Royal Troon links where his father once was club secretary.Montgomerie, widely considered the best player to have never won a major, qualified at age 53 for what likely will be his last Open. The R&A chose him to be the first player to hit a shot on a gorgeous morning along the Irish Sea.There wasnt an empty seat in the grandstand next to the first tee, where the silver claret jug was on a podium. Five dogs were on the beach.There was no wind, allowing the early starters to take aim at one of the shorter courses on the Open rotation. Montgomerie teed off with Marc Leishman and Luke Donald. ' ' '

Theyre just about running on empty but Justin Leppitsch says Brisbane have to find something to satisfy their long-suffering supporters before their miserable AFL season is over.The Lions face fellow strugglers Carlton on Saturday at the Gabba, a rare chance to claim what would be a third win of the year.The Blues have lost their past eight games and have not tasted victory since the last time they took on Brisbane, when they won by 38 points in round 11 at Etihad Stadium.Leppitschs side broke through three weeks ago to end their own 12-game losing streak but, after they were pumped in successive weeks by Port Adelaide and Adelaide by a combined 232 points, its clear the end of the season cant come soon enough.So battered and bruised are the Lions that some of their younger players can no longer cope with the punishment.Key forward Josh Schache wont play again this year for fear of burnout, and several in his age bracket look like they have nothing more to give.But for Leppitsch, who needs something bordering on a miracle in the last three rounds to save his job, that just wont do.We want to finish the year off well. Weve got two more games at home; we want to win both the games for our fans, really, he said.Weve got to give them something to cheer about. Its important they go away seeing some results, that they can say these boys are having a crack.The man in the stands wants to see the guys have a dip for a longer period of time. Thats really it - thats what this weeks about.Offsetting the loss of Schache is the inclusion of ruckman Stef Martin and forward Michael Close for Brisbane.Carlton, who bookies have as warm favourites, have lost Andrew Walker to retirement but regain Liam Jones and David Cuningham. Nmds Norge . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. Nmd_r2 Sko Norge . John Lucas, signed as a mentor for rookie Trey Burke, showed he can score if required, scoring 12 points of his 16 points in the second quarter as Utah built an 18-point lead. http://www.nmdnorgesalg.com/ . Marincin has played in two NHL games so far this season with two penalty minutes. The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season. Adidas Neo Lite Racer Norge . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. Adidas Tubular Shadow Norge . Barcelonas entertaining victory ensured the defending Spanish champions retained their share of the league lead with Atletico Madrid two rounds ahead of their meeting in the capital. Real Madrid needed a late goal by substitute Jese Rodriguez to earn a 3-2 victory at Valencia to stay in third place and three points behind its title rivals. METAIRIE, La. -- Brandin Cooks insisted that his frustration over having zero passes thrown his way last week didnt come from a selfish standpoint -- that he wants to be great and he wants to contribute to the teams success.But the New Orleans Saints receiver also said he felt the need to express himself because closed mouths dont get fed.This is a very emotional game. And every once in a while youve got to express that. And youve gotta express what you want, said Cooks, who had zero targets in 45 snaps during Sundays 49-21 rout of the Los Angeles Rams.Its one of those things, as a competitor, I was frustrated. But at the same time, our offense was moving the ball and we won the game, so that was the bright side of it, Cooks said. Im just thinking from a competition standpoint, I always want to help, I feel like, and I necessarily didnt that game.I feel like from my mindset, when I touch the ball, things happen, and I just want to help my team in that way.Cooks hinted at his frustration Monday with an Instagram post about needing to become a businessman. And sources told ESPN that he has had a growing frustration with his role this season -- mostly the idea that he is used too often as a clear-out receiver instead of as a primary option.Cooks, a first-round draft pick in 2014 and a former Biletnikoff Award winner at Oregon State, has never shied away from his desire to become an elite player and to be considered more than just a deep threat -- which he reiterated on Thursday.I can appreciate [the idea that he drew heavy defensive coverage away to open things up for other players], Cooks said. But the great ones, they find a way. So for me, I want that opportunity to find a way even though Im being double-covered.The guys who are remembered in this game are remembered for doing more than one thing. And thats why I wake up every morning andd I come in here and work the way I work, because I want to be remembered as one of those guys that is great down the road.dddddddddddd. Dont get me wrong, thats my strength [catching deep balls], but at the same time I want to continue to develop my game all around. You know, I feel like Im young. Most guys come into the league at my age, and I still have a lot of growing to do, and I want to continue to do that.Cooks, who just turned 23 in September, has two of the four longest receptions in the NFL this season -- a 98-yard touchdown in Week 1 and an 87-yard touchdown in Week 6. He has 51 catches for 736 yards and six touchdowns this season. However, he ranks third on the Saints in targets per game and receptions per game behind rookie Michael Thomas and third-year pro Willie Snead.Coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees both said Wednesday that they are not concerned about Cooks, stressing what a hard worker he is, and they both explained how much attention he receives from opposing defenses. Cooks said Brees message to him was, Your opportunities will come. They always will. So dont let it get to you. Its just the name of the game, sometimes that happens.So thats great when you have your quarterback [encouraging you like that]. Its not like he was mad or upset about it. Its just one of those things, just get back to work, Cooks said.Guys have been good about it. And they know me, and its not coming from a selfish standpoint. So thats the beautiful part about it. I feel like my teammates got to know me over the three years and they know thats coming more from the want to be great, the want to be remembered. So theres no selfish part about it, and I really feel from the guys that they know that as well. ' ' '

(STATS) -- Illinois State senior offensive lineman Mark Spelman was named Wednesday as the winner of the 2016 FCS Rimington Award, which recognizes the nations outstanding center.Spelman, from Brookfield, Wisconsin, was an All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first-team selection for the second consecutive season. He also was named to the conferences academic squad.The award is named for former Nebraska All-America center Dave Rimington. Spelman will be honored alongside winning centers from each level of college football Jan. 14 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Stitched Rangers Jerseys . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. Rangers Jerseys China .Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season. https://www.cheaprangersbaseball.com/ . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Rangers Jerseys 2020 . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. Wholesale Rangers Jerseys . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State Buckeyes couldnt have positioned themselves much better to begin the grueling nine-game Big Ten schedule: Three no-doubt wins, including a rout of Oklahoma in a marquee Saturday night game. Stars emerging on both sides of the ball. Now a week off to nurse the bumps and bruises.The Buckeyes moved up to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 Poll following their 45-24 win in Norman and Louisvilles blowout of previous No. 2 Florida State.Their Big Ten schedule opens with home games against Rutgers and Indiana before they travel to Madison to face Wisconsin on Oct. 15. The Badgers, 3-0 and No. 11 in the AP poll this week, upset LSU in their opening game.The rugged part of the schedule hits in November when Ohio State plays Nebraska at home, Michigan State at East Lansing, and then returns to Columbus to finish the regular season against Michigan two days after Thanksgiving. All are currently ranked in the top 20.I think there are going to be more (Big Ten teams) surface in the top 25, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said Tuesday. I think our conference is very strong right now, and our division has to be one of the strongest -- if not the strongest -- in college football.Meyer had fretted about how his young team -- 30 freshmen or redshirt freshmen were on the traveling squad -- would perform Saturday night against a top-tier non-conference opponent in an unfriendly venue. The typically tightly wrapped Meyer is feeling better this week -- but only a little.Hed called Oklahoma the coming of age game for the 2016 team, but said watching a replay made it clear that it needs to get better to endure the stretch run.Im very pleased with their growth, their development and they play hard, he said. Those are all kind of things that are demanded around here, but theres still far too many mistakes. Im not by myself on this, everyones attitude is the same.And thats exactly what you want, because its so early in the year, theres so many young players, this is their first time playing, and theres so much room for growth.Reedshirt freshman running back Mike Weber and H-back Curtis Samuel rushed for a combined 221 yards against the Sooners.dddddddddddd Wide receiver Noah Brown -- who had one catch prior to this season -- caught four touchdown passes from quarterback J.T. Barrett. Just before halftime, Brown hugged the ball against the back of defensive back Michah Quick as he fell out of bounds for a spectacular TD catch that will live in the lore of Ohio State football.The Buckeyes defense picked up their eighth and nine interceptions of the season. Linebacker Jerome Baker recorded the teams nation-leading fourth pick-six when he grabbed a tipped pass and returned it 68 yards.Brown, who finished with five catches for 72 yards, was named Big Ten offensive player of the week, and Baker shared defensive player of the week honors. Ohio States Cameron Johnston was named the Ray Guy national punter of the week for his mastery at controlling Oklahomas field position.After the game, players said they hoped people would now stop talking about how young they are and start talking about how good they are.It was our first real test, and were glad to have it under our belts, defensive end Sam Hubbard said. Were tired of hearing about how young we are.Said Weber: We are young. We just go out there and show people football is football, no matter how young we are.INJURY REPORT:Cornerback Gareon Conley, one of only three returning starters on defense this season, is expected to be OK after injuring his shoulder and leaving the game in the second quarter Saturday. Hes fine, Meyer said. Hes going to practice (Tuesday).... Linebacker Dante Booker did not dress for the Oklahoma game after a knee sprain suffered in the opening game. No word yet on whether he will be ready for the Rutgers game Oct. 1.---Follow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacyFor some of his other recent stories: http://bigstory.ap.org/content/mitch-stacy ' ' '

CINCINNATI -- The Steelers took control of the AFC North by doing a little bit of everything during a month-long winning streak: throwing it, running it, playing some steely defense.Their fifth straight victory came a whole new way. Call it the kick-6.Chris Boswell tied the club record with six field goals, and Ben Roethlisberger threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter Sunday, rallying Pittsburgh to a 24-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals that kept the Steelers in control of the division.Weve said well win the game how we have to win it, Roethlisberger said.In Cincinnati, they win every which way.The Steelers (9-5) won their fourth in a row at Paul Brown Stadium, taking advantage of more meltdown moments by the defending division champions. And now they can clinch the North by beating the Ravens (8-6) at Heinz Field next Sunday.A lot of guys are treating this like its the playoffs already, linebacker Ryan Shazier said.The Bengals (5-8-1) had some playoff flashbacks.Last January, Cincinnati melted down in the final minute for an 18-16 loss to the Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium in the opening round of the playoffs. Penalties on Vontaze Burfict and Adam Pacman Jones set up Boswells 35-yard field goal in the closing seconds.Burfict and Jones got personal fouls again on Sunday as the animosity carried over. Burfict tackled Roethlisberger after he got rid of the ball, and Jones was flagged for taunting.They let Pittsburgh do whatever they wanted to, Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick fumed. They shouldve been calling stuff on them, too.Running back Jeremy Hill had an early take-that moment as the Bengals scored on each of their first four possessions for a 20-6 lead. As part of his touchdown celebration, he grabbed a Terrible Towel a fan threw on the field, tried to tear it, and then threw it to the ground.Boswell brought them back kick by kick, accounting for Pittsburghs first 15 points with field goals of 45, 49, 49, 40, 49 and 30 yards into a gusting wind.They didnt look pretty, they didnt go over by much, but they went in, said Boswell, who got a game ball.In the end, there was yet another Bengals meltdown . They had penalties on four consecutive plays -- including Pat Sims personal foul -- that set up Roethlisbergers 24-yard touchdown pass to Eli Rogers for a 24-20 lead. The Steelers appreciated the help.You just kind of smirk and move on, guard Ramon Foster said.OTHER KICK-6SGary Anderson (1988 vs. Denver) and Jeff Reed (2002 vs. Jacksonville) also kicked six field goals for the Steelers, who beat the Broncos 39-21 and the Jaguars 25-23 in those contests.FINISH `EM OFFThe Steelers got the ball back at their 16-yard line with 5:53 left and ran out the clock with a 13-play drive to the Cincinnati 8.STATSPittsburghs Antonio Brown set an NFL record for most catches by a player in their first 200 regular-season games with 622. His 471 catches since 2013 surpass Marvin Harrison for the most by a player in any four-year span. ... Roethlisberger is 22-4 in games in his native Ohio, including 12-2 in Cincinnati and 10-2 in Cleveland. ... After picking up 184 yards in the first half, the Bengals managed only 38 while getting shut out in the second half.INJURIESSteelers: DE Stephon Tuitt had a facemask penalty against Andy Dalton that extended Cincinnatis opening field goal drive. He also injured his right knee on the drive and didnt return. Last December at Paul Brown Stadium, Tuitt intercepted one of Daltons passes and the quarterback broke his right thumb tackling him. ... TE Ladarius Green caught a 28-yard pass on the final drive and then went to the locker room to be tested for a concussion.Bengals: WR A.J. Green was inactive for the fourth straight game with a strained right hamstring. He returned to practice on a limited basis last week and hopes to play in one of the two final games.UP NEXTThe Steelers lost to the Ravens 21-14 on Nov. 6 in Baltimore. The Steelers close the regular season by hosting Cleveland.The Bengals play at Houston on Saturday, then finish the season at home against the Ravens.---For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Wayne Ellington Jersey . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. Shaquille ONeal Heat Jersey . The 25-year-old Japanese star has officially been posted by his club team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. https://www.heatlockerroom.com/Jimmy-Butler-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. Kyle Alexander Heat Jersey .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Dwyane Wade Heat Jersey . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. NEW YORK -- Marianne Stanley knew college success as a player and a coach and then earned coaching honors in the WNBA.Stanley joined Herb Magee, who has won more than 1,000 games at Philadelphia University, and the late Fordham coach John Bach as winners of the Joe Lapchick Character Award on Friday.Stanley won three AIAW titles as a player at Immaculata from 1972-74, playing for Lapchick winner Cathy Rush. She went on to win two AIAW titles in 1979-80 as the coach at Old Dominion and an NCAA title in 1985. Stanley also coached at Penn, USC, Stanford and California.She was the 2002 WNBA coach of the year with the Washington Mystics and currently is an assistant for them.The awards were presented at a luncheon in New York that celebrated the life of Joe Lapchhick, a Hall of Fame coach with St.dddddddddddd Johns and the New York Knicks, who was known for his compassion and integrity off the court.Magee has been involved with the Philadelphia program for 57 years as a player and coach. He enters his 50th season as the Rams head coach with 1,032 wins. The Rams have made 29 NCAA Tournament appearances, winning the NCAA College Division title in 1970.Bach, who died in January at 91, played and coached at Fordham before coaching at Penn State. He was considered one of the top NBA assistants and an integral part of the Chicago Bulls dynasty in the 1990s.The award was first presented in 2008. ' ' '

MANCHESTER, England -- His team had just completed the league-and-cup double in English soccer but there was no time for the coach of Manchester City Women to really celebrate.He had to get to the hospital.Nick Cushings wife, Claire, went into labor on Sunday morning ahead of the birth of their third child and he was with her at first before leaving for another important date -- his sides cup final against Birmingham.The match even went to extra time before the Manchester team clinched a 1-0 victory through England international Lucy Bronzes goal.Soon after the final whistle, Cushing said hed be rushing to be at his wifes side.I think Ill be in the hospital all night, he said. I havent spoken to my wife but theres no message on my phone. So Ill get the medal and then its straight off to the hospital.City won the Womens Super League last weekend. Custom Detroit Tigers Jerseys . -- If Henry Burris has his way, he will be the starting quarterback to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats back to the Grey Cup next year. Detroit Tigers Store .Y. -- Jayna Hefford scored the winning goal Friday as Canada survived a scare with a 4-3 win over Sweden at the Four Nations womens hockey tournament. https://www.cheaptigers.com/ . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. Stitched Tigers Jerseys . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap. Detroit Tigers Shirts . Sulaiman, 44, was chosen unanimously Tuesday in a vote by the leadership, the World Boxing Council said. Sulaiman becomes the sixth president of the organization. PORTLAND, Ore. -- Zach Randolph is back with the Memphis Grizzlies, just as his late mother would have wanted.The veteran power forward returned to the team Tuesday after a seven-game absence following the death of Mae Randolph on Thanksgiving Day. He came off the bench for 12 points and 14 rebounds in a 96-91 victory over Philadelphia, drawing a standing ovation when he entered the game in the second quarter.I heard it, Randolph told reporters afterward. I appreciate the city and the love and support of the organization. Its meant a lot for the city to be behind me.Randolph and his mother were very close. He grew up in a single-parent household in Marion, Ind.My mom was my father, too, Randolph said. My mom was all I had. She was the rock of the family. Its tough, but Im going to continue to go hard for her, and leave it all out there, and do it for her.Its important to get back to working. This is what my mother would want me to do. Dont sit around and be sad. So Im doing it for her.Memphis coach David Fizdale was glad to regain the services of Randolph. The Grizzlies, 15-8 heading into Thursday nights matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers at FedEx Forum, have been shorthanded for some time. Veteran point guard Mike Conley is out for at least another month with a lower back injury. Small forward Chandler Parsons has been out since Nov. 18 with a knee injury that will keep him sidelined for at least another week. Also missing are small forward James Ennis (calf), shooting guard Vince Carter (hip) and forward Brandan Wright (ankkle).dddddddddddd.Even with all the wounded, the Grizzlies have won four in a row and 10 of 13. In the win over Philadelphia, rookie guard Wade Baldwin stepped up with a season-high 11 points and forward JaMychal Green had his third double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds.The Grizzlies will be looking to avenge a 100-94 loss to Portland on Nov. 6 in Memphis in a game in which the Blazers CJ McCollum matched his career high with 37 points. McCollum has averaged 24.0 points in his past five games against Memphis and has scored at least 20 in each of those contests.The Blazers saw the end of a three-game win streak -- and some improved defensive play -- in a 115-107 loss at Milwaukee Wednesday night at BMO Harris Bradley Center.The Bucks shot .519 from the field, including .417 (10 for 24) from 3-point range, and took advantage of nine fourth-quarter turnovers by the Blazers (12-11). Milwaukee scored 34 points in the third quarter and 30 in the fourth.Were not a really good team right now, Portland coach Terry Stotts told the media afterward. Were finding our way.Point guard Damian Lillard continued his offensive tear with 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but scored just two points in the fourth quarter.We werent as sharp as we needed to be on some possessions, Lillard said. When youre against a team like that, with that kind of size and length, its going to lead to turnovers. ' ' '

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Plaxico Burress will have surgery on Monday to repair an injury in his right shoulder and is out indefinitely. Coach Mike Tomlin called the damage to Burress shoulder "significant" but declined to specify the exact nature of the injury. ESPN and NFL.com reported Burress has a torn rotator cuff. Burress landed awkwardly while trying to haul in a pass over cornerback DaMon Cromartie-Smith near the end of Thursdays practice at Saint Vincent College. The 35-year-old Burress remained bent over on the ground for several moments before getting up and walking to the sideline. He was carted off the field and sported a sling over his right shoulder late Thursday evening. The Steelers, who open the preseason on Saturday night against the New York Giants, had hoped Burress would become the big red zone target they need while tight end Heath Miller recovers from knee surgery. Burress signed with Pittsburgh last November and caught three passes in limited action. He was battling Jerricho Cotchery, David Gilreath and rookies Markus Wheaton and Justin Brown for a spot behind starters Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders. Cheap College Jerseys . The Croatian served 21 aces and hit 42 winners against Sijsling, who double-faulted to give Cilic a 4-3 lead in the deciding set. "All the players, they know me and they were really happy to see me and they were really happy that this is over for me," Cilic said. Cheap Jerseys From China . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. http://www.cheapcollegejerseys.net/ . 8 Kansas to a 64-63 win over Texas Tech on Tuesday night. The freshman from Vaughan, Ont. Clearance College Basketball Jerseys . Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek defeated Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (4) on the indoor hard-court at Belgrade Arena. The victory improved the Czech pairs impressive cup doubles record to 14-1. College Jerseys Outlet . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". Cloud9 coach Bok Reapered Han-gyus Twitter account was taken over on Tuesday by a hacker who published private information, including Cloud9s competitive scrimmages, the teams South Korean account logins, personal chat logs, and contact information for several members of North American League of Legends teams.The tweets from the account have since been deleted, and Cloud9 tells ESPN.com that the team is in contact with Twitter, Riot Games and Team SoloMid, whose private information was also leaked, to attempt to resolve the issue.Our Cloud9 accounts platform is already two-stepped, Cloud9 general manager Danan Flander said. We are unsure how they have accessed our scrims or Reapereds Twitter. Most, if not all of our accounts, are on two-step. It is mandatory on the Cloud9 accounts platform, but we are not able to enforce it across our social platforms outside of notifying players, staff and personalities about its importance.ddddddddddddFormer professional League of Legends player Marcel Dexter Feldkamp noted that Riot Games has urged its professional players to take advanced security measures:That feel when Riot does a pro player summit and tells everyone how and why they should get 2 factor auth but noone does it- Marcel Feldkamp (@MarcelFeldkamp) September 20, 2016Flander confirmed that Riot communicates these warnings to players, including his team, but said neither Riot nor the Cloud9 organization can force players or staff to take these precautions. ' ' '

PITTSBURGH -- Ivan Nova has developed a pre-game ritual since coming to the Pittsburgh Pirates from the New York Yankees in a trade on Aug. 1.The right-hander walks up to right fielder Gregory Polanco in the dugout just before the first pitch and asks him to hit a home run.He hit two for me today, Nova said with a smile.Nova took a shutout into the ninth inning and finished with a six-hitter while Polanco hit two home runs to lead the Pirates to a 7-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.Nova (10-6) struck out six, walked one and threw 69 of his 98 pitches for strikes while improving to 3-0 in four starts with the Pirates.It was the fourth complete game of the right-handers seven-year career with the others coming in 2013.He was very efficient with his pitches, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. He threw a lot of really good sinkers against a very good-hitting team with a lot of right-handed hitters and he locked them up with the ball away.His bid for his third career shutout ended when Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve led off the ninth with consecutive doubles.Pittsburgh snapped its four-game losing streak and stopped Houstons four-game winning streak. Both teams entered 3 1/2 games out of the second wild card in their respective leagues.Nova is doing his best to keep the Pirates hopes of a fourth consecutive postseason appearance alive after being traded for the first time in his career.You dont want to get traded, Nova said. This is not what I was looking for. Stuff like that happens, though. Im happy to be here. Its a good group of guys who want to win and Im trying to do the best I can to help them win.After the Pirates scored four runs in the first inning, Polanco hit solo shots in the third and fifth off Joe Musgrove and Tony Sipp to extend the lead to 6-0 and raise his season total to a team-high 19 homers.It was Polancos second two-home run game of his three-year career. The other was July 4 at St. Louis.The right fielder hit a combined 19 homers in his first two seasons.I guess Im getting stronger, Polanco said. My swing is getting better, shorter and quicker. Experience, too. The more swings you take, the better you get every day.The Pirates opened the first inning with six straight hits off Musgrove (1-2). Matt Joyce and Andrew McCutchen hit consecutive RBI doubles then Polanco and rookie Josh Bell drove in runs with singles.Polanco had three of the Pirates 11 hits while driving in three runs and scoring three times. Joyce and Bell added two hits each.The Astros Marwin Gonzalez had three hits.Musgrove, a rookie making his fourth career start, was rocked for five runs and eight hits in four innings with two strikeouts and no walks. He has allowed a combined 13 runs in 9 1/3 innings while losing his last two starts.Hes learning, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. Thats part of the nature of having young starters. Hes got to learn to battle himself through his first back-to-back games of adversity. He has pitches to do it. He has a ton of competitiveness in him.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: 3B Luis Valbuena will undergo surgery in the next few days to repair a torn tendon in his right hamstring. Out since July 27, Valbuena finishes the season hitting .260 with 13 home runs in 90 games. ... OF Preston Tucker (strained right shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment Wednesday at Double-A Corpus Christi. ... 3B/OF Yulieski Gurriel (right hamstring tightness) did not start for a second straight game after making his major league debut Sunday but is expected to be in the lineup Wednesday.UP NEXTAstros: RHP Collin McHugh (7-10, 4.99 ERA) starts the finale of the three-game series Wednesday. He is 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA in his last five starts.Pirates: RHP Gerrit Cole (7-8, 3.30) is 0-2 with a 6.48 ERA in his last three starts. Stitched Angels Jerseys .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. Angels Jerseys 2019 . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. https://www.cheapangels.com/ . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap. Cheap Angels Jerseys . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. Angels Jerseys China .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. During the college football offseason, we have ranked everything from the weakest position groups to Hail Mary grabbers.This week, using the ESPN College Football Power Rankings as our guide, we answer this question: Whos the player on each top 25 team that is single-handedly worth the price of admission?1.?Alabama Crimson Tide Tim Williams When Williams puts his hand in the dirt and pins his ears back on third down, watch out. Alabamas senior outside linebacker is a ferocious pass-rusher. Just ask Michigan right tackle Kodi Kieler, who was spun out of shoes and knocked down by Williams in the Cotton Bowl. -- Alex Scarborough2.?Clemson Tigers Deshaun WatsonThere are plenty of big-time playmakers on Clemsons roster, but the star of the show is clearly Watson. The junior is arguably the best player in the country, and hes a whiz as both a passer and a runner. Few QBs execute the deep ball as well as Watson, but hes just as likely to create a big gain with his legs as he is with his arm. Last season, he became the first quarterback in college football history to throw for 4,000 yards and run for 1,000. --?David M. Hale3.?Oklahoma SoonersBaker MayfieldDont overthink it. Sure, the Sooners backfield includes Samaje Perine, who ran for an NCAA-record 427 yards two years ago against Kansas. Undoubtedly, though, he plays second fiddle to the guy who leads OU on offense. Mayfield is a Heisman candidate because of his uncanny ability to create havoc at any moment, with his right arm or his legs. Mayfield is a highlight machine, as evidenced by his 4,105 yards of total offense last year to go with 43 touchdowns. Hes efficient and exciting -- and you never know what you might see him do. Even better, youve got two seasons left to watch Mayfield at this level. -- Mitch Sherman4. Florida State SeminolesDalvin CookNo Power 5 running back had more carries of more than 20, 30, 50, 60 or 70 yards than Cook. Once he makes it through the defenses first wave, there is no player better at breaking off long runs. --?Jared Shanker5. LSU TigersLeonard FournetteTheres only one proper answer here, and its Fournette. The Tigers might have a roster full of blue-chippers, but Fournette is a rare talent. One of the most intriguing SEC storylines this season will be whether the junior running back can duplicate his 2015 production, as he led the FBS with an average of 162.8 rushing YPG. --?David Ching6. Ohio State BuckeyesJ.T. Barrett Barrett put together an incredible freshman season in 2014, breaking 19 school and Big Ten records and finishing fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting. This team belongs to him again, now that Cardale Jones is off to the NFL, so expect him to fluster defenses while contending for several national awards. -- Jesse Temple7. Stanford Cardinal Christian McCaffreyWhat hasnt been said about McCaffrey? The good news is were about to stop talking -- and reading -- about McCaffrey and watch the 2015 Heisman Trophy runner-up do his thing. And that is make spectacular plays as a runner, receiver and return man. We havent seen anyone like him since Reggie Bush. --?Ted Miller8. Michigan WolverinesJabrill Peppers The buzz surrounding Peppers is warranted, and we could finally see him demonstrate his full potential as a three-way player this season. Hes a hybrid linebacker and safety, a wide receiver, a potential Wildcat quarterback and a return man on special teams. Lets hope Jim Harbaugh allows him to roam free. -- Temple9. Tennessee Volunteers Derek BarnettWhen Barnett is on, hes one of the best defenders in the SEC. In two seasons, he has racked up 20 sacks (only player in school history to do that) and 33 tackles for loss. Hes an absolute monster to monitor off the edge, with his rare combination of strength and speed. Eyes are usually focused on Joshua Dobbs and Jalen Hurd on offense, but one of the most electrifying players in the SEC resides at defensive end for the Vols. --?Edward Aschoff10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Go to Notre Dame, enjoy all of the sights and sounds ... and keep an eye on the offensive line. Specifically, the left side. Tackle Mike McGlinchey and guard Quenton Nelson are monsters. Their position coach, Harry Hiestand, is as good as it gets. The group deserves more appreciation, and itll get it on this roster. --?Matt Fortuna11. Ole Miss Rebels Chad KellyKelly was one of the SECs most exciting players to watch in 2015. He set the single-season school record for total offensive yards (4,542) and touchdowns (41) last season. The nimble runner with the huge arm is so much fun to watch because he can make so many plays on the move. Kelly led all Power 5 quarterbacks by completing 65 percent of his passes on throws outside the numbers. He completed 64 passes for 20-plus yards (second nationally) and completed 55 percent of his passes thrown at least 10 yards, which was nearly 10 percent higher than the national average. --?Aschoff12. Houston Cougars Greg Ward Jr.No doubt, its Ward. In 2015, he was one of only two quarterbacks in the nation to throw for at least 2,500 yards and rush for at least 1,000 yards (Clemsons Deshaun Watson?was the other). Wards ability to befuddle defenses with both his passing ability and his running prowess makes every offensive play intriguing. --?Sam Khan Jr.13. Michigan State SpartansMalik McDowell Defensive tackles rarely garner praise as a worth thee price of admission player, but McDowell is that good.ddddddddddddHe recorded 13 tackles for loss last season and is expected to be an All-American by seasons end. If you like a good offense stuffer in the trenches, McDowell is your man. -- Temple14. Washington Huskies Myles GaskinIn a conference loaded with great running backs, Gaskin ends up on the periphery of the radar. That might not last, seeing that the Huskies look like a rising Pac-12 power, in large part because Gaskin rolled up 1,300 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns last year as a true freshman. With just about everyone back on offense, including what should be a much improved offensive line, Gaskin might end up the most productive runner in the conference. --?Miller15.?TCU Horned Frogs KaVontae Turpin Gary Patterson has said you cant have too many guys like Turpin on your team because games are still won by bigger, more physical players. But who wouldnt want more matchup-wrecking speedsters just like him? Whenever Turpin gets the ball as a receiver, rusher or returner, get your popcorn ready. He produced 1,675 all-purpose yards and nine TDs as a true freshman last year because, at 5-foot-9 and 153 pounds, hes a hard dude to catch and an even harder one to chase. -- Max Olson16. USC TrojansJuJu Smith-SchusterThis much is certain: If USC is going to upset Alabama in the season opener, Smith-Schuster needs to come up big against a talented Crimson Tide secondary. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound receiver is a powerhouse with hands and speed and perhaps the best all-around receiver in the nation. --?Miller17. UCLA BruinsJosh RosenRosen exceeded his substantial recruiting hype as a true freshman last year, and more than a few NFL folks have already pegged him as the top pick in the 2018 draft. Rosen has it all, including an arm that matches strength and accuracy like no one else in college football. Now, can he deliver the ball in the season opener before Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett gets his hands on him? That is the question. --?Miller18. Georgia Bulldogs Nick ChubbBulldogs fans certainly want to know how much (or if) future superstar Jacob Eason will play in the opener against North Carolina, but Georgias meal ticket is still Chubb. If the junior running back is operating at full strength following a 2015 knee injury, he will rank among the nations top running backs. --?Ching19.?Louisville CardinalsLamar JacksonThe only acceptable answer is Jackson, who made a name for himself with only one performance: a monster game against Texas A&M in the Music City Bowl. He became only the third quarterback in bowl history to rush and pass for more than 200 yards. Unfortunately for future opponents, that was only the beginning. --?Andrea Adelson20. Oregon Ducks Royce FreemanAlthough the Ducks are known for up-tempo flash on offense, Freeman is a 230-pound semi who barrels over defenders and grinds out tough yards. He piled up 1,836 yards and 17 touchdowns last season and averaged 6.5 yards per carry as a sophomore. Although the shadow cast by Stanfords Christian McCaffrey is large, Freeman is big enough to escape it. --?Miller21.?Oklahoma State Cowboys James WashingtonThere might not be a wideout in college football who delivers more thrilling acrobatic catches than Washington. The Big 12s lone returning 1,000-yard receiver, Washington is a legitimate candidate for the Biletnikoff Award. As a threat to haul in a dazzling touchdown grab at any moment, he is definitely worth the price of admission. -- Jake Trotter22.? Baylor Bears Seth RussellOnly one player in college football was responsible for five touchdowns a game last season, and his name is Seth Russell. He was playing at a ridiculous level before his season-ending neck injury -- dont forget his 540 total yards (380 passing, 160 rushing) and six TDs against a veteran West Virginia defense. Russells ability to hit the deep throws and bust big runs with ease makes him a constant home run threat and a fan favorite. -- Max Olson23. Iowa HawkeyesDesmond King Any time King is in the secondary, the potential for a game-changing interception exists. He picked off eight passes last season and won the Thorpe Award for the nations best defensive back. Teams might be afraid to throw his way, but you can be sure hell be ready when they do. -- Temple24. North Carolina Tar HeelsRyan Switzer Larry Fedoras up-tempo, big-play offense is usually worth the ticket price, regardless of whos making the highlight-reel plays, but the one player who stands out is Switzer. Its one thing that Switzer is among the best slot receivers in the country, but his lightning-quick speed also makes him among the most dangerous return men in ACC history. He tied a college football record with five punt-return TDs in his freshman season. He added two more last season and now stands just one shy of tying the NCAA record for career punt-return touchdowns. --?Hale25.? San Diego State AztecsDonnel PumphreyThe defending Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, Pumphrey has rushed for 4,272 yards in his career -- second only to Marshall Faulk. Last year, he rushed for 1,653 yards and 17 touchdowns. San Diego State is 21-7 all time when he scores at least one rushing touchdown. -- Kevin Gemmell ' ' '