Monthly Archives: July 2017

Jerry Jones expects NFL’s Ezekiel Ellliott decision ‘imminently’

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Cowboys owner and GM Jerry Jones expects the NFL to announce its ruling “imminently” on star running back Ezekiel Elliott’s status.

Jones, speaking to SiriusXM Radio, again defended Elliott in the alleged domestic dispute last summer, saying, “There’s no domestic violence involved here.”

Still, a week away from his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction, the Cowboys owner is as likely to find himself addressing the Elliott situation as frequently as his pending enshrinement.

However, at this point, the A’s are reportedly not asking for Frazier or Torres. They have another Future’s game participant in mind.

However, it would obviously not be one for one. Other players would have to be included especially if the A’s are set on getting a future center fielder and the Nationals are in the discussion.

The A’s and Nationals have made 11 trades since the 2009 season, and with Stephen Strasburg dealing with some injury problems as of late the Nats may be trying to come up with another pitcher to help their rotation.

If the A’s are set on getting a center fielder for the future, the Nationals have Victor Robles, the No. 5 overall prospect in all of baseball. He’s also played at higher levels than Florial. So, if the Nats do decide they need to come up with a solution to their current Strasburg problem, they have the better center fielder to trade, if they decide to make that move.
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Pelicans must close with ‘significant progress’ to save coach Alvin Gentry

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Alvin Gentry has declared this a crucial week for the Pelicans, and that might be an understatement. New Orleans is five games behind the Nuggets for the final playoff spot in the West, with four teams blocking their near-extinct bid for the playoffs.

We’ve just got to win games, Gentry told reporters. We’re in a situation now where it doesn’t matter, there’s no reason to look at the standings. For us, we have to win games, that’s the bottom line. We have (15) games left, and we can’t afford to lose any of them. Even that doesn’t guarantee you are getting into the playoffs.

Elite Womens Ted Ginn Jr Jersey In the larger sense, though, this might be a crucial week for Gentry’s tenure in New Orleans. A league source told Sporting News that though no definite decision has been made on the future of the tandem of Gentry and general manager Dell Demps with the Pelicans, failure to secure that playoff spot (which has been all but lost) or at least to show significant progress with this roster as it stands likely will move the Pelicans to oust Gentry. Demps is more likely to stay, but that’s not a certainty, either.

Curry, who finished the 139-115 win over the Wizards with 42 points, made nine shots from behind the arc to eclipse 300 3-pointers in a single season for the second time in his career. No other player in NBA history has accomplished that feat once.
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Green recorded a triple-double with 11 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds. It was his 19th career triple-double.

Trail Blazers (38-38) at Timberwolves (30-45), 7 p.m. ET — This is the only NBA game on the docket Monday with MLB opening day and the NCAA championship game dominating the sports world. Portland is still in a fight for a playoff spot. Minnesota is a dangerous team even though its record isn’t fully indicative of its talent.

MLB trade rumors: Yankees’ first base options include a couple of long, long shots

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Kids Kelechi Osemele Jersey The Yankees have tried a revolving door of first basemen this season — the spot is currently manned by two rookies and a catcher with a career OPS of .592 — and that makes staying above the fray in a crowded wild-card race pretty difficult.

Limited Mens Wayne Chrebet Jersey The Yankees have been approaching the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline as cautious buyers, and that’s commendable. They are really in a pretty good situation when it comes to addressing this need; they’re the only contender that has a glaring void at first base, so they don’t have to be rushed as they’re shopping for outside help.

And they also have the luxury of looking at both short-term rentals and guys with a year or two (or three or four) of club control remaining. They still see Greg Bird as the first baseman of the future, but he missed all of 2016 with a torn labrum in his right shoulder and he’s spent most of this year on the DL, too. He hit a meager .100 in 60 PAs this season, and he just had surgery on his ankle and will miss at least six weeks.

More importantly, the Blazers are among the league leaders in shot attempts off cuts and hand-offs this season. By having a 7-footer who can score and pass in those situations, it makes the Blazers much harder to defend because they have to account for his ability to do both.

It basically boils down to Nurkic being able to do everything Plumlee can, only better. He’s a threat to score in the the post and pick-and-roll, he’s a better playmaker than anyone expected and he can knock down a shot from outside the paint if he’s left open. Put that alongside two of the best backcourt scorers in the NBA, and it’s no wonder the Blazers have taken a leap following the trade deadline. The question now becomes whether this is a honeymoon period for Nurkic or if this is the start of something special.

Because if it’s the latter, the Blazers walked away from the trade deadline with an absolute steal.

Knicks’ Joakim Noah suspended 20 games for prohibited supplement

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Knicks big man Joakim Noah will be suspended for the final 10 games of this season and the first 10 games of the 2017-18 season after violating the NBA’s anti-drug program, the NBA announced Saturday.

Noah tested positive for a league-prohibited over-the-counter supplement but didn’t knowingly or willingly violate the policy. Noah, who has been out since a February knee surgery, cooperated fully with the league’s investigation.
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Kent Bazemore Authentic Jersey Joakim was completely forthcoming and cooperative throughout the investigation and we believe that this isolated occurrence was a regrettable mistake, the NBA players’ union said in a statement. Joakim has offered his deepest apologies for this infraction, and neither he nor the NBPA will pursue an appeal.

In his first season of a four-year, $72 million deal , Noah averaged only five points and 8.7 rebounds in 46 games for the struggling Knicks.

It was the second week in a row resting stars ruined ABC’s prime-time NBA showcase. The Warriors sat three of their five starters — Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green — against the Spurs the previous Saturday night.

Together, ESPN and Turner pay the NBA $2.6 billion annually to air league games. It’s highly unusual for on-air talent to criticize TV deals with a league partner. But that’s what ESPNers like Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy and Ryen Russillo have been doing. You know what? They’re 100% right in my book.

During Saturday’s telecast, ABC showed signs from Clippers fans at Staples Center complaining they’d paid hundreds of dollars for tickets, only to watch the Cavs’ Big Three kick it on the bench in their warmup clothes. ESPN’s Jackson and Van Gundy went off.

Steph Curry makes no-look reverse layup against Wizards

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Stephen Curry has been back to his freakish self as of late, and that trend continued for Sunday night against the Wizards.

The Warriors’ MVP guard went behind the back to push past the first line of defense and then ran directly into a trio of Wizards around the rim. Instead of kicking out, he flipped in a reverse layup without looking at the hoop in vintage 2016 Steph style.

The problem for Trimble continues to be a lack of forward momentum in the development of his game. Trimble is a similar player to the one he was as a freshman and sophomore: a good pick-and-roll guard that looks for his shot first, then plays off it to distribute, with physical limitations that may hinder him against more elite athletes.

His game against Xavier showcased all of these factors. On some level, he’s not going to shoot 1 of 9 from 3 in every game, which made this an outlier unlucky performance. But he’s also not the high-level shooter he showed as a freshman when he hit nearly 42 percent of his 3s.

Trimble is a tremendous kid that basically everyone who has met him roots for. He is an offensive leader who likes the ball in his hands at the end of the game. But right now, he’s just not quite ready for the NBA. That’s fine. There are recent examples, such as Yogi Ferrell, of a player reaching that level by returning for his senior year as a point guard surrounded by a ton of returning talent, and I’d hope Trimble does the same while making a run toward Maryland’s all-time scoring record next season.steelers_119

Nationals bolster bullpen with A’s relievers Ryan Madson, Sean Doolittle

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The Nationals, looking to bolster baseball’s leakiest bullpen, on Sunday acquired A’s relievers Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson for right-hander Blake Treinen and two prospects, the teams announced.

The first-place Nats are 54-36 entering Sunday’s play despite a bullpen that has blown 14 save opportunities and ranks dead-last in the majors with a 5.34 ERA.
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He got it with a line drive to right-center that split Marlins outfielders Christian Yelich and Giancarlo Stanton.

Bellinger is just the fifth Dodgers player since World War II to hit for the cycle, joining Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges, Wes Parker and Orlando Hudson. The 22-year-old is also the sixth-youngest player to ever accomplish the feat, adding to an exclusive club that had previously included Mel Ott, Arky Vaughan, C茅sar Cede?o, Mike Trout and Alex Rodriguez.

He’s the first Dodgers rookie to hit for the cycle and helped the Dodgers to a 7-1 victory over the Marlins.

Bellinger’s two-run homer in the third inning was his 26th of the season to move into a tie with Stanton and Reds first baseman Joey Votto for the NL lead. Bellinger needs only 10 home runs over the remainder of the season to break Mike Piazza’s rookie franchise record.

Travis Benjamin Kids Jersey The Quintana deal helps the Cubs for 2017 and for the longer term. Dealing Arrieta would allow them to address the longer term, too, and it would be far from the most stunning deal team president Theo Epstein has ever pulled off. Remember, he traded superstars Nomar Garciaparra and Manny Ramirez in separate deals when he was calling the shots in Boston.

And Thursday’s bold move means he has options to possibly make at least one more bold move in 2017.

The pros and cons of Madison Bumgarner returning ahead of schedule

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Madison Bumgarner looked like his old self Monday night.
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He wasn’t in Miami wearing a National League batting practice jersey like he was a year earlier. Instead, he was clear on the other side of the country, pitching for the Single-A San Jose Giants in front of a ballpark so packed with fans that the team had to turn people away at the front gate. Bumgarner didn’t disappoint, carving up an overmatched Modesto Nuts lineup with an array of breaking balls and cutters. It was his third and final rehab outing since injuring his shoulder in a dirtbike accident in April, and the Giants (the San Francisco version) are penciling him in to start Saturday in San Diego.

That was an absolutely cool event to just show up and be a part of, said Angels broadcaster Mark Langston, the former Mariners pitcher who tossed two innings in the ’87 All-Star Game. That’s back in the day when you knew nothing about the National League. The only time we saw them was in the All-Star Game or World Series. There was no interleague play.

But more respect from veterans and looking the part, as Osweiler does with his 6-7 frame, can take him only so far.

The Browns’ scheme and supporting cast is built better for a mobile passer than it is for a big statue. Osweiler also has struggled with standing too long in the pocket and not getting the ball out quickly, which doesn’t mesh with Jackson’s QB requirements.

Youth NaVorro Bowman Jersey Why he’s here: A chronically underrated superstar, Goldschmidt has a pair of MVP runner-up finishes to his credit, but he’s on pace for what might be his best season AND his team is in playoff contention. This should be the year he finally wins his first MVP, right? If you want numbers, Goldschmidt is hitting .314 with a 1.009 OPS, 19 homers, 13 stolen bases, 66 RBIs, 72 runs scored, a .419 wOBA, .265 ISO and 4.2 rWAR.

Rashad Jennings expects to find team in ‘next two months’

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Rashad Jennings hasn’t secured a roster spot yet, but he’s making the most of his time while he waits for the opportunity.
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While attending his 180 Weekend camp in his hometown of Lynchburg, Va., the former Giants running back opened up about the free agency game and how he’s managed to stay fit as he patiently anticipates a new contract.

Michael Brockers Limited Jersey Kolpan and William Kennedy, who represents Furtado’s family, spoke to reporters after a hearing in the civil wrongful-death suit in Suffolk (Mass.) Superior Court.

Kennedy said the Patriots compensating the families would help make amends for the deaths.

I think they’re in a position to do that, Kennedy said. That would be welcome.

Attorneys in multiple suits against the late tight end’s estate are hoping the $6 million the Patriots owed Hernandez before his murder conviction would be paid into his estate since he died while the conviction was under appeal. The money then would be subject to the civil suits.

However, at Tuesday’s hearing, an attorney for Hernandez’s estate argued that Massachusetts law prohibits the plaintiffs from collecting punitive damages because Hernandez is dead, the Globe reported.

The Patriots did not immediately respond to the Globe’s request for comment.

NBA community says goodbye to Paul Pierce after his final game

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With the Clippers’ Game 7 loss to the Jazz on Sunday, Paul Pierce’s career came to an end.

After one NBA title, 10 All-Star appearances and many memorable moments with three teams, the 39-year-old will be walking away from the game. He played 19 seasons with 170 playoff games under his belt while scoring 26,397 career points.

After the game, the NBA community reminisced on Pierce’s time in the NBA.

Schroder and Millsap combined for 56 points to lead the Hawks to an 116-98 win against the Wizards on Saturday in Game 3, cutting Washington’s lead in the first-round series to 2-1.

Wall scored 29 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the field, but none of his teammates, including the loquacious Morris, matched his effort. Morris scored nine points on 4 of 14 from the field. He was mostly quiet until after the game when he dropped some more words in the verbal warfare between the two squads.

“He’s a crybaby,” Morris said of Millsap. “Get all the calls, and you a crybaby.”

Millsap had 29 points to go along with 14 rebounds and five assists. Before he was apprised of Morris’ comments, Millsap told the media that he enjoyed the matchup.

A ring is hard to come by in this age of basketball, though. The Warriors have built a super team in the West, and LeBron James in the East has been to six straight NBA Finals, showing no signs of slowing down. Even Lowry admitted it’s practically impossible to get by James.

Via The Vertical from last Friday, after Game 3:

“They’ve got LeBron James. Nobody’s closing the gap on him. I mean, that’s it right there: They’ve got LeBron James and nobody’s closing the gap on him.
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Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard sits out Game 2 blowout loss to Warriors

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Kawhi Leonard missed Tuesday’s 136-100 loss in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals against the Warriors, and the Spurs are uncertain whether his ankle will be healed enough to play in Game 3.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters pre-game that Leonard is questionable in advance of Saturday’s Game 3.

Despite a 0-2 series hole, the Spurs training staff will have until Saturday to attempt to heal Leonard’s sprained ankle. Popovich told reporters pre-game that Leonard is questionable in advance of Game 3 in San Antonio.

As he did in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Rockets, Jonathon Simmons filled in admirably for Leonard Tuesday. The 6-6 guard was the lone bright spot for the Spurs, scoring 22 points but his supporting cast was nonexistent.

Via the San Jose Mercury News, before the MRI results came back negative:
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Elite Kids Sammy Watkins Jersey The team is officially calling it a sore left knee. But there is a concern Iguodala may have something more serious going on. … The MRI will determine if he needs to miss any time. But even if it comes back clean, there is a strong chance Iguodala will be held out for rest and treatment just as a precaution.
Coach Mike Brown pulled Iguodala from Game 1, saying he looked a little hobbled. The Warriors ended up not needing him, as the Spurs suffered their own setback with MVP-candidate Kawhi Leonard reinjuring his ankle. If Leonard is out for an extended length, then Golden State could easily let Iguodala get added rest for his knee to prep him for the Cavs.

As of now though, the team is just listing him as questionable for Game 2, which will be played Tuesday night at Oracle Arena.