Monthly Archives: April 2018

Former LSU star Derrius Guice plays hero after car accident

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Derrius Guice played the hero many times in his career at LSU, but the star running back pulled some real-life heroics Friday.

In a series of tweets on Twitter, Guice revealed that he witnessed an accident happen as he pulled up at a Baton Rouge intersection. He then helped free a woman who had been trapped in her car.

“Pulled up to a light in south Baton Rouge where a wreck occurred right as I pulled up,” Guice continued in his tweets. “It was a big truck and a smaller car. … I get out my car to check the scene and the lady was knocked on the back door window trapped by the airbags. … I opened the door, popped all the airbags and pulled her out.

“God is truly amazing and she’s in complete shock … She’s OK and she’s not hurt.”

Suns: This was the 34th different starting lineup Phoenix has used this season. … Booker has missed the last 11 games but has not been declared out of the Tuesday night season finale. … Jackson was hurt in the team’s loss to New Orleans on Friday night.

Warriors: At Utah on Tuesday night in regular-season finale.

Suns: At Dallas on Tuesday night in last game of season.

Check out the team sites for the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns for more game coverage.

On Friday, Sharp was honored in Chicago. He was given the A to wear on his sweater again and after the game did a lap in front of a cheering crowd.

“It’s never easy, but I’m just ready to take that next step in my life, and I’m looking forward to it,” Sharp said.

The Blackhawks honored Sharp with a highlight video in the third period, and he waved his stick and tapped his heart to acknowledge the sustained roar from what was left of the announced crowd of 22,218.

“It was a tough game out there, tough to concentrate with what was going on inside my head,” Sharp said. “But thankful that I was able to do that. The Hawks put that video on for me in the third, which was really special. The guys staying on the ice and making me do a lap was something I’ll always remember. So, special night.”

Rams’ male cheerleaders set to make NFL history

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The Rams’ cheerleading squad this season will be unlike any other in NFL history as two men will take the field to perform dance routines each week.

Quinton Peron and Napoleon Jinnies, both classically trained dancers, were named to the team this week and spoke with Good Morning America on Wednesday.

My main message is we’ve got to defend, Kerr told reporters before Sunday’s win over the Suns. We’ve got to get back to being a top-five defensive team. I probably chose my words poorly in Indianapolis. When I said they didn’t care, that didn’t mean that they didn’t ‘care.’ What that meant to me was they didn’t box out. They didn’t get in the passing lanes. They didn’t compete at a high level.

Defense has been questionable in Golden State’s last two losses against Utah.

In January’s loss to the Jazz, for example, Utah shot 50 percent from 3-point range and 58 percent from the field overall. All five Jazz starters have averaged double figures in their last two games against the Warriors — with Mitchell leading the way at 20.5 points to go with 5.0 assists and 3.0 steals.

The parents of Smith’s alleged victim persuaded him to enter an unidentified rehabilitation facility the following day, and Smith then turned himself in to San Francisco police March 6 and was held on $30,000 bond..

He hasn’t played in an NFL game since November 2015 and is suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He was released by the Raiders in the wake of his most recent off-field incident in a career filled with them.

Cavaliers: Cleveland nearly had its whole roster available, but Rodney Hood was ruled out with a sore left Achilles tendon. Guards George Hill (sprained left ankle) and Jose Calderon (sore left hamstring) both returned. … James can play in 82 games for the first time in his career if he plays Wednesday instead of resting for the playoffs, and that’s the way he’s leaning. I’m healthy, so I’m playing, he said.

Knicks: Hornacek said Hardaway and Kanter most likely wouldn’t play Wednesday, but didn’t rule it out. … Hardaway was called for a technical foul at the end of the first half.

Flyers and Panthers could play tiebreaker for final playoff spot

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If the Philadelphia Flyers and Florida Panthers are even in points, regulation and overtime wins, and goal differential at the end of the season, they will play a one-game tiebreaker to determine who goes to the playoffs.

The NHL announced the unlikely but possible tiebreaker Friday as Philadelphia had one game and Florida two remaining. For the tiebreaker to happen on Tuesday, the Flyers would need to lose their regular-season finale Saturday against the New York Rangers by exactly two goals and the Panthers would need to beat the Buffalo Sabres and the Boston Bruins in a shootout Saturday and Sunday.

The league contacted the teams and the NHL Players’ Association before announcing the plan. Although a coin flip was the mechanism used in 2000, a lottery machine like the one that determines the top three draft picks would be used this time to decide which team gets home-ice advantage.

Panthers general manager Dale Tallon declined comment and a Flyers spokesman said GM Ron Hextall was not speaking about the tiebreaker.

Given the tightness of the standings in the East and West, it’s likely this situation spawns a longer list of tiebreakers beginning next season. Records against common opponents and within the conference could be used, as they are in the NFL.

Pereira wasn’t surprised there was a change made given the number of injuries this past season, but he compared the new rule to how players and officials reacted when the crown of the helmet rule was introduced in 2013.

Two were called the very first year and they were both wrong, and there were none called in the two years after that, Pereira said of the crown of the helmet rule. I see these things happen, I see these rule changes, and I don’t want to call it hysteria, but there is to me a bit of overreaction.

The new rule, which replaces the crown of the helmet rule, was approved unanimously by league owners in Orlando earlier this week in hopes of improving player safety.

For us this is a pretty significant change, NFL Competition Committee Chairman Rich McKay said in Orlando. This is not situational protection. … In this, we’re basically getting to a technique that is just too dangerous for both the player doing it and the player that’s getting hit.

Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton chalks poor start up to ‘a bad week’

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Giancarlo Stanton’s first homestand as a member of the New York Yankees went far differently than he or anyone who visited Yankee Stadium this past week envisioned when he was traded to the club in the offseason.

Most pictured a lot of cheering. Instead, Stanton got his share of jeering.

En route to claiming last year’s National League MVP award, Stanton smacked a major league-leading 59 home runs. Judge led the American League with 52.

Stanton’s work with the Miami Marlins (he batted .268 with 267 home runs in eight seasons) made him a coveted player this past winter. But after his first 10 games with the Yankees, Stanton has some questioning whether they are witnessing the same player.

Along with his 0-for-7, five-strikeout performance in Sunday’s loss, Stanton went hitless and posted five strikeouts in his Yankees home debut on Tuesday.

That marks the first time in the live-ball era that a player has gone hitless with five strikeouts in two games in the same season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Stanton also became the third player in the past 100 seasons to post multiple five-strikeout games in a season.

He signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent after three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons at Richmond. As a senior, he made 81 catches for 1,485 yards and 11 touchdowns in 14 games.

Damian Lillard led Portland with 25 points.

Jokic secured his 16th career triple-double when he fed Devin Harris for a 3-pointer that put the Nuggets ahead 73-71 with eight minutes left, their first lead of the second half.

They didn’t trail again.

The Nuggets’ big win came exactly one year after Russell Westbrook’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer gave Oklahoma City a 106-105 win at Denver that eliminated the Nuggets from last year’s playoff party.

This time, it was Denver that came up big in the end.

Lions waive quarterback Alek Torgersen after signing Matt Cassel

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The Detroit Lions waived quarterback Alek Torgersen on Wednesday following their decision to sign Matt Cassel as a backup to Matthew Stafford.

Torgersen went undrafted last year out of the University of Pennsylvania and spent time with the Atlanta Falcons, Washington Redskins and Lions. He appeared in three preseason games with the Falcons last year, completing 8-of-20 passes for 95 yards with two interceptions.

With Stafford, Cassel and Jake Rudock on the roster, the Lions felt confident in their depth at the position.

Shortly after a first-round playoff loss to Tennessee, Kansas City began weighing trade offers from other Smith suitors, chomping at the bit to get started on finding a quarterback solution. Veach also understood the Chiefs would be in need of a top-flight cornerback like Fuller because of his plans to trade Marcus Peters.

“We knew what we wanted,” Veach told co-host Mark Dominik and me Tuesday on SiriusXM NFL Radio at the league’s owners meeting. “We did a good job of looking at the free agency market and having all that college data logged already. Maybe (prospects) didn’t run the 40 (-yard dash) yet at the Combine, but you knew where the pockets were in both free agency and the college draft.

On the second night of a back-to-back — with first place in the Eastern Conference already wrapped up — the Toronto Raptors easily could have packed it in after falling behind by 17 points.

That’s not what coach Dwane Casey wanted.

“We are taking these last games seriously, because now isn’t the time to let any bad habits into our game,” Casey said. “This week is about sharpening your habits to be ready for next week.”

Toronto led 100-81 in the fourth, then Detroit went on a 14-2 run. Pistons rookie Luke Kennard took a 3-pointer that would have cut the deficit to four, but it rattled out.

Valanciunas didn’t play at all in the fourth, but he’d done plenty already. He finished 11 of 13 from the field and made his only attempt from beyond the arc.

In addition to Drummond (sore Achilles tendon) and Griffin (right ankle contusion), the Pistons were also without Reggie Bullock (left knee swelling).

Thomas Davis announces he tested positive for banned substance

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Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis‘ 2018 season is going to start with a suspension.

The NFL has not announced a ban yet, but Davis has announced that he has tested positive for a banned substance in a video posted to Twitter on Friday afternoon. Davis said in the video that he will serve a four-game suspension after being “completely caught off guard” by the league telling him that he tested positive.

In the big picture, maybe it’s best Dallas doesn’t have the means to dip into free agency sans cap concerns. That’s because the Cowboys have a poor track record of signings in recent seasons. The list includes defensive end Greg Hardy, defensive tackle Cedric Thornton and cornerback Nolan Carroll, who counts $2 million against the 2018 cap after being released less than one season into a three-year, $10 million deal signed during the 2017 offseason.

The best way for the Cowboys to remain a viable Super Bowl contender — and Dallas is just that despite its cap situation — is through the same formula that keeps Bryant, Frederick, Martin, left tackle Tyron Smith and linebacker Sean Lee as the team’s cornerstones. That’s drafting wisely and ultimately signing those picks to contract extensions.

Avoiding the mistakes that put the Cowboys in this pickle would help, too.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Rosen’s week will begin with a trip to Buffalo to visit with the Bills. The Bills currently hold the 12th, 22nd, 53rd, 56th and 65th picks in this year’s draft, leaving them with capital to spend on the kind of trade up the board they’ll likely need to make if they want to draft Rosen.

The Giants, Jets and Cardinals will follow the Bills on Rosen’s itinerary this week.

Still, it’s obvious the Vikings felt they could do better by pursuing Cousins. That means Elway better be seeing something in the 30-year-old Keenum that Minnesota didn’t.

Elway’s failure to adequately address the position put the Broncos in position where this sort of risk was necessary. The two high draft choices Elway used at quarterback during his previous seven years running the team, Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch, failed to pan out and forced Denver into going the free agent route this offseason. The Broncos still have to evaluate whether to use the No. 5 pick in April on a quarterback.

Cubs postpone home opener a day because of snow

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The Chicago Cubs tried to play their home opener on Monday. It was just a snow-go.

The Cubs’ game against the Pittsburgh Pirates was postponed a day because of snow that covered much of Wrigley Field, creating a scene more reminiscent of January than April.

On the way out I had no idea if I was going to Cubs Convention or opening day, Chicago manager Joe Maddon cracked.

We’ve got a lot of guys with a lot of good stuff, Morrow said. When we’re going to continue to be in the strike zone like we have been, I mean you see the results. Guys are getting quick outs and strikeouts when they need to. Been limiting the free passes for the most part, and just really going in with a lot of confidence.

Pittsburgh is off to a surprising 7-2 start. It took three of four against Cincinnati in its previous series.

Pirates right-hander Ivan Nova is expected to move back one day to start the series opener, and Maddon said Tyler Chatwood would go for the Cubs.

Chicago first baseman Anthony Rizzo was out of the starting lineup when it was announced Monday. He has been sidelined by back tightness, but he might be able to play in the rescheduled home opener.

About 10 miles to the south, the White Sox were hosting the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday in a game delayed briefly by the wintry weather. This is Tampa’s only trip to Chicago this season.

Roger Bossard, the head groundskeeper for the White Sox, said the Cubs had to deal with more than 3 inches of snow.

They had more snow, so I get it, Bossard said. When you are at the 3, 3 1/2 level … they made the right call.

The Cubs tried pushing back first pitch by an hour, and workers used hand-held blowers to melt the snow on the tarp. But the accumulation and cold temperatures were just too much.

The game was rescheduled for Tuesday afternoon, which was previously an off day for the first series between the NL Central rivals.

It’s rough out there, reliever Steve Cishek said. We’re disappointed. We wanted to get this home opener underway. But at the same time, I know some guys in the bullpen probably, like myself, could use an extra day off just to heal up a little bit and be ready for tomorrow.

Bills working out Sam Darnold Friday

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The Bills need to draft a quarterback. The Bills have already made one trade to move up in the draft order, and haven’t been shy about their willingness to do it again.

So if they’re thinking about the possibility of getting to the top few picks, they better be ready.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL, the Bills will travel to Los Angeles to put Southern Cal quarterback Sam Darnold through a private workout Friday.

Manu goes on 8-0 run in fourthManu Ginobili knocks in buckets on three straight possessions to go on a personal 8-0 run.
The hot streak for Ginobili started when he launched a 26-footer off an assist from Gay, as Damian Lillard sagged on defense. That made the score 96-89 at the 6:52 mark of the fourth quarter. Next trip down the court, Ginobili pulled up from 25-feet out to put San Antonio up by 10. Nineteen seconds later, Ginobili stole the ball from a driving Lillard, before completing his 49-second masterpiece with the right-handed finger roll.

“Ginobili did what Ginobili does,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “He made clutch shots.”

Via Jim Wyatt of the team’s official website, the Titans have agreed to terms with former Chiefs defensive tackle Bennie Logan.

Logan visited the Titans last week, and was one of the few remaining non-safeties in the PFT Free Agent Top 100.

The 28-year-old Logan had some interest from the Seahawks early, but lends some run-down help to a Titans line, which parted ways with Sylvester Williams and Karl Klug, and lost out on the Ndamukong Suh derby to the Rams.

“The big double plays, making pitches when his back was against the wall and not giving in and making quality pitches all night long, that was what he did.”

The Giants scored their only run in the eighth when Crawford doubled leading off the inning and scored on Blanco’s infield grounder.

Archie Bradley pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save.

Rams GM Les Snead: Eagles showed you don’t win by playing scared

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Why did Rams General Manager Les Snead decide to make so many aggressive moves this offseason? In part because he watched how the Eagles won the Super Bowl.

Snead doesn’t just mean that he knew his team needed to get better to unseat the Eagles atop the NFC. He also means he admired the way the Eagles took chances last season, and he thinks that’s the way to get to the top in the NFL.

Roseman’s decision-making in the draft has produced terrific results. Over the past several years, besides Wentz, he selected key offensive players such as Pro Bowlers Zach Ertz at tight end and Lane Johnson at right tackle, along with emerging wide receiver Nelson Agholor. Defensive draftees include the Eagles’ top defensive lineman, Pro Bowl tackle Fletcher Cox, plus leading sack artist Brandon Graham.

All the above draftees were first- or second-rounders, but GMs also earn their stripes with good late-round drafting and a few undrafted nuggets that help create depth, which is essential for a sport in which injuries are a major factor.

The Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts have had male members serve in supporting roles for stunts by their female counterparts, but Peron and Jinnies will be the first to perform as dancers with the rest of the group. Both Peron and Jinnies are classically-trained dancers.

“Still can’t believe I’m one of the first males in history to be a pro NFL cheerleader! Everyone’s support and love has been insane! thank you and GO RAMS! @RamsNFL @LARamsCheer #LARams” Jinnies wrote in a tweet.

They aren’t the first to try, however. Sacha Heppell tried to make the Denver Broncos cheerleaders in 2012 but did not make the cut.

“I’d say arm strength is definitely important. You want to be able to make all the throws in the book,” he said. “But it’s funny, I was talking to a coach yesterday — I had a private workout yesterday morning — and he asked me, he said, ‘What is the biggest attribute a quarterback has to have to be successful in the NFL?’ And I said, ‘Arm strength or durability.’ He said, ‘No. Not arm strength. It’s being available.’

Texans completely changing offense in 2018

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There is plenty of news coming out of Texans camp about Deshaun Watson’s health and how Houston plans to use the quarterback coming off of a season-ending ACL injury.

According to NFL Network, Watson is ahead of schedule in his rehab and head coach Bill O’Brien said he expects the QB to be throwing at OTA’s in July.

Cleveland is trading Cody Kessler to Jacksonville in exchange for a 2019 conditional seventh-round draft pick, both teams announced Wednesday.

A mere one year after coach Hue Jackson asked reporters to trust his evaluation of the 2016 third-round pick, Kessler fell out of favor, beginning the 2017 season third on the depth chart behind rookie DeShone Kizer and former scout-team quarterback Kevin Hogan.

While Mike Tannenbaum, the Dolphins’ vice president of football operations, is the most active NFL executive when it comes to executing trades, allow me to explain why pulling the trigger on one of those possible deals makes sense for the Dolphins more than the other.

Let’s start with Beckham, one of the few faces of the NFL not belonging to a quarterback. His relationship has turned sour in New York, and not because of his consistent off-the-field drama, which hasn’t helped.

Beckham’s beef with the Giants is about his salary demands, and his threat of not playing on his fifth-year option.

Beckham reportedly doesn’t just want to become the highest-paid receiver in NFL history, which would mean jumping over the five-year, $82.5 million deal Tampa Bay just gave Mike Evans.

He is seeking quarterback money, which equates to roughly $20 million a season. Pair that with the two first-round picks the Giants are reportedly asking for, and it becomes pretty clear a marriage between Beckham and Miami doesn’t make sense.