Month: April 2017

Cardinals trade up for Budda Baker, who could be another Tyrann Mathieu

April 30, 2017

Authentic Youth Josh Robinson Jersey Budda Baker, the ball-hawking safety out of Washington, has been selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the 36th pick in the 2017 NFL draft. The Cardinals gave up a pretty big haul to get Baker, trading their 45th, 119th, 197th, and a 2018 fourth-rounder to the Chicago Bears. Arizona moved up nine spots in the second round as a result.

The former Husky has the range to serve as a centerfielder at the free safety position, as well as the versatility to line up as a nickel cornerback and match up with opposing tight ends.

Authentic Youth Johan Franzen Jersey Why did the Cardinals pick Baker? This is one of the few venues that fans can en masse really let him have it. Many times, if hes at a stadium on a regular Sunday, hes in a luxury box, and you likely wont realize hes there. Pretty much the only time Goodell is out in the open in front of thousands of fans is the draft and the Super Bowl trophy presentation.

To be fair, Patriots fans took that opportunity and ran with it after their team beat the Falcons in February.

As he walks through stadiums across the country, perhaps you can do some jeering, and its always cathartic to yell at him while hes on TV. But this is thousands of people getting together to just shower him with boos as he stands lonely on stage behind a mic. A lovely torch-and-pitchforks moment for us all.

Smith also compared the Browns to Goodwill.

April 28, 2017

Game Youth Teppo Numminen Jersey Steve Smith had some strong words not just for Brock Osweiler, but the Cleveland Browns, as well.

While discussing the quarterbacks of the draft on NFL Network, Charlie Casserly said that he wasnt sure if any of the quarterbacks available in the draft were as good as Brock Osweiler.

Smith then said, Anybody is better than Brock Osweiler.

He added that the Houston Texans gave him to the Goodwill, referring to the Browns. The Goodwill is trying to get rid of him.

So far, the Browns drafted Myles Garrett, Jabrill Peppers, and David Njoku in the first round on Thursday. They have nine more picks as the draft progresses, with DeShone Kizer, Davis Webb, Nathan Peterman, and Brad Kaaya still on the board as the best quarterbacks available, according to Dan Kadar.

The Browns quarterback situation certainly wont get better with Osweiler under center, so we could assume at some point the Browns will roll the dice on somebody. But even first-round picks rarely get the luxury of a year or more on the sideline to adjust to life in the NFL. Many teams hope to slowly bring along a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers or Jimmy Garoppolo, but rosters in need of a quarterback rarely have a Brett Favre or Tom Brady to lean on in the meantime.

About half of the NFLs starting quarterbacks ¡ª including Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott ¡ª were starters on Week 1 of their rookie seasons, and several more took over later in the year like Goff.
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Theres an urgency to win and its understandable that a team would want to see what a young quarterback can do when things are going south. But there are ways to help a passer once he gets to the NFL.

Devonta Freeman won’t skip Falcons offseason program as he awaits new contract

April 21, 2017

Considering his financial aspirations weighed against the risk of injury, it would be understandable if Falcons running back Devonta Freeman skipped the team’s offseason football activities until given a new contract.

That won’t be happening.

Freeman told Sporting News he will partake in all of Atlanta’s upcoming workouts and minicamp while remaining optimistic that a deal can be finalized before the 2017 regular season begins.

Freeman said the decision is based on his passion for football and strong feelings toward his teammates, as well as faith in the Falcons to extend his current rookie deal, which is set to expire at the end of the 2017 season.

“I’m doing everything,” Freeman said Wednesday after participating in the players-only “Camp Brotherhood” workouts organized by Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan at the University of Miami.

“I love these guys. I love football.”

Freeman, 25, is set to earn $1.84 million in the final year of the contract he signed as a 2014 fourth-round draft pick. Freeman, though, has put himself in position for a significant raise after two consecutive seasons of 1,000-plus rushing yards.

Freeman and his agent made their desire for a new deal public before Super Bowl 51 via NFL Network. Last month, general manager Thomas Dimitroff told co-host Vic Carucci and me on SiriusXM NFL Radio that the Falcons were “confident something can get wrapped up” with Freeman later in the offseason.

The reporter complied, but Jones, who reportedly was taking anger management classes in [the] wake of his arrest, continued to berate the reporter, who had walked clear away from his locker, while walking to the restroom after ending the interview, yelling at him for asking “stupid ass (expletive) questions.”
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LeBron James’ death stare means he definitely hasn’t forgotten about Lance Stephenson

April 19, 2017

From the time he was taking his offensive line to Sizzler even though he was broke, Lynch has gone out of his way to give things to people. Even things it doesn’t really make sense to give to people. From a Monday Morning QB profile by Robert Klemko:
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During his college years at Cal, if a teammate, friend or acquaintance complimented Lynch on the shirt he was wearing, he would hand it over. Hes walking around on the street with his shirt off, says Ravens running back Justin Forsett, a former teammate of Lynchs at Cal and in Seattle. Just because somebody said, Thats a nice shirt.

LeBron James and Lance Stephenson have a history during the NBA Playoffs, most notably that one time Stephenson played mind games and blew into James ear in 2014.

Pacers-Cavs starts off NBA playoff weekend, which also means it’s the return of LeBron vs. Lance.

Limited Dennis Wideman Jersey It seems as though James hasnt forgotten about how pesky Stephenson can be, because during Game 1 of the Cavs-Pacers series, James gave a brief, but serious stare towards him.

Writer Gregg Doyel caught James saying something after this moment, which indicates that, yes, after all these years, James remembers Stephenson.

LeBron to Cavs bench after that layup vs. Lance: Every time. If Brogdon hadnt produced at this level throughout the season, I would have gone with Embiid. That Brogdon did it for a playoff-bound team also helped his cause. There is a difference between putting up numbers in a defined role on good teams and compiling them for poor ones, which is why hes also ahead of Saric and Buddy Hield.

This is one of the weakest rookie classes in memory, both in terms of top-end talent and overall depth. Such as it is, the All-Rookie team is below.

How important is past playoff experience?

April 17, 2017

An afternoon full of mirth and glee turned violent on Easter Sunday when a crazed rabbit leaped from the stands and attacked Teddy Roosevelt during a president’s race.

Authentic Youth Laken Tomlinson Jersey It was truly a case of the hunter becoming the hunted, as the human-sized rabbit crashed into Roosevelt’s trademark giant head, almost knocking off the president’s glasses. Roosevelt was in attendance to celebrate Easter, running around the field in novelty rabbit ears at the time of the vicious attack.

On Sunday, McCann strongly hinted that he believed Verlander was tipping his pitches as opposed to having signs stolen.

“We use multiple signs with nobody on base. We change our signs often. It’s got to be something other than that,” McCann told reporters, according to mlive.com.

“For a day where I thought he had his best stuff all season, they seemed to be on quite a few pitches,” McCann said. “What that is, I don’t know. We’re going to study film and see.”
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Indians manager Terry Francona said his team wasn’t stealing signs.

“I’m just happy when our guys get our signs — and I’m being serious about that.”

Asked if he thought Verlander might be tipping his pitches, Ausmus told reporters: “Could be.”

“Hitters are always trying to find an edge on pitchers. And looking for a pitcher tipping is standard operating procedure. I can’t tell you whether it is or isn’t. Only the Indians could tell you that, and they probably won’t,” he said, according to mlive.com.

Alex Smith isn’t a playmaker inside the pocket

April 9, 2017

Youth Greivis Vasquez Jersey Nobody is confusing the Chiefs offense with the Broncos offense, but they don’t have to. An overwhelming pass rush and conservative quarterback play are the key reasons this team has won nine straight games.
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Alex Smith isn’t a playmaker inside the pocket, but he does the little things it takes to win games. He knows when to check down to an outlet pass and how to utilize his running backs in the passing game. Pair this with Jamaal Charles and you get a varied and dangerous offense that’s often underrated because it doesn’t generate an excess of points.

Where this team really shines is on defense, where the league’s best pass rush can derail quarterbacks before they have a chance to get in rhythm. The Chiefs have an astonishing 36 sacks in 2017, with linebackers Tamba Hali and Justin Houston combining for 20 this year. Another nine players have taken down the quarterback this season, making Kansas City the best defense Peyton Manning has faced.

Torrey Smith leads the Ravens with 753 receiving yards and over 18 yards per reception. If you can name that Marlon Brown is second on the team in receiving, give yourself a cookie, because his 307 yards and 5 touchdowns are second and first, respectively, on the team. That’s not very impressive (well, the yardage at least – 5 touchdowns is still a pretty solid year). The Ravens aren’t completely devoid of weapons, but Smith is heads and shoulders above the rest of the cast. Schematically, take away Smith’s big plays and don’t let him behind.

A matchup of Aaron Rodgers vs. Eli Manning looked very attractive at the start of the season.

April 7, 2017

This is the highlight game in the NFC this week. The 49ers and Saints are widely regarded as two of the top three teams in the NFC. San Francisco dropped to 6-3 with a loss last week, and another this week would do major damage to their attempt of catching Seattle.

The Saints are also chasing the Seahawks in the race for the No. 1 seed, but also need a win to hold off the surging Carolina Panthers. Despite being in good position entering the game, a loss for either team could prove to be extremely costly.

A matchup of Aaron Rodgers vs. Eli Manning looked very attractive at the start of the season. Instead it will be Scott Tolzien taking on a struggling Manning. Despite their 3-6 record, the Giants are still alive in the NFC East. New York could potentially be just a half game back in the division if things break right. A loss could also end any chance it has to make the postseason.

This is the most obvious place for Tony Romo on CBS. I honestly can’t believe they didn’t hire him to host these awards. His name is literally Tony. I could see Tony Romo having a real soft spot for musicals. I bet he LOVED Hamilton. He knows all the words to Wicked (“Defying Gravity” is his favorite song, though, because he’s a little basic). Neil Patrick Harris is his celebrity crush. His opening monologue would involve throwing a bedazzled football through a bedazzled hoop. — Charlotte Wilder

Secretary of State Tea Leoni has gone to Bolivia to try to bust up a drug cartel (the writers of the show don’t actually know what a Secretary of State does, hence the muddled plot line here), and she gets kidnapped by the kingpin. Tomy Romo shows up as a DEA agent who played high school football. He saves Tea Leoni by throwing a football packed with explosives into the jail cell next to hers, blowing a hole open in the cinderblock wall. He climbs in, pulls her out of the rubble, and they make out. She doesn’t tell her handsome professor husband. — Charlotte Wilder
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Ric Flair’s accomplishments in professional wrestling are difficult

April 4, 2017

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With the game on the line, freshman big man Zach Collins — the star of Gonzaga’s semifinal win over South Carolina — was nowhere to be found. That’s because Collins, easily the most effective post player for the Bulldogs on Saturday night, had been fouled out of the game with 5:03 play. The fifth foul came after a handful of questionable others had limited his impact on the preceding 35 minutes.

A player who was on the court during the game’s most critical moments was Gonzaga’s leading scorer and All-American Nigel Williams-Goss. Only he was out there on one good ankle. After hitting a free-throw and back-to-back jumpers to give his team a 65-63 lead with 1:55 to play, Williams-Goss rolled the same right ankle that he had turned two nights earlier in the Bulldogs’ win over Oregon.

Game Derek Roy Jersey “Walking her to her first WrestleMania match was unbelievable.” But Flair wants Charlotte to become a Hall of Famer herself. He was more focused on what was to come. Enthusiastically, he noted that WrestleMania 33 was going to be “incredible because it’s the same place I walked in 2008.” The four-time WWE Raw Women’s champion made the walk down the ramp and at what is now known as Camping World Stadium without Ric, but she definitely still had the family style.

Ric Flair’s accomplishments in professional wrestling are difficult, if not outright impossible, to match. He has won 16 world championships, the most of any competitor. Flair was once the only one who could claim this feat, but John Cena recently matched him for the record. Cena is almost destined for No. 17, but Flair won’t make it about himself. “I love John Cena. I wouldn’t be bothered by it at. I’d be happy for John. He’s worked hard for it.” After all, Flair’s legacy is fine the way it is.

Dan Quinn turned to Steve Kerr, Terry Francona for advice after Falcons’ Super Bowl loss

April 2, 2017

Dan Quinn went into the coaches’ breakfast at the NFL owners’ meeting in Phoenix, Ariz., knowing he would field plenty of questions about the Falcons’ blown lead in Super Bowl 51. That experience hasn’t been far from Quinn’s mind, especially a day after 3-28, when people used the date to make endless jokes on the internet about the Falcons’ blown 25-point lead.

Quinn revealed that he got support from two coaches who know something about guiding their teams through excruciating choke jobs: Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and Indians skipper Terry Francona.

The Warriors become a meme after giving away a 3-1 lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers in last year’s NBA Finals.
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“The people who I’ve reached out to, a guy like Steve Kerr, who had called and said ‘Hey man, I recognize, we were up 3-1,’” Quinn said on Wednesday.

The injury gives Josh McCown another opportunity to start under center. His recent play has prompted questions about whether the Bears should return to Cutler when he’s healthy, or stick with the hot hand — but publicly there seems to be no motivation to change. McCown has posted a passer rating of 100.0 over four games, including five touchdowns and no interceptions.

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Erik Walden has been suspended one game for headbutting Delanie Walker of the Tennessee Titans.

The incident happened in the first half of the game on Thursday night when emotions were high. Walden pulled off Walker’s helmet in the tackle, before exchanging words and eventually headbutting the defenseless offensive player.

Walden’s suspension could mean Bjoern Werner will make his first start for the Colts after being selected in the first round of the NFL draft.

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