Miami offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson has told NFL teams that marijuana use led to some suspensions in college.

"I'm just being honest with every team and letting them know exactly what the situations were, and that I'm putting all the negative things behind me moving on to the next level," Henderson told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "I want to be a starter and play in the NFL.

"I'm showing my character. Showing them that I'm responsible, reliable, dependable. I want to keep letting them know all the negative things are behind me."

Henderson measured almost 6-foot-7 and 331 pounds at Monday's weigh-in for the Reese's Senior Bowl. He is gifted physically -- he is mammoth and has a huge wingspan and excellent coordination -- but had a checkered college career, including three suspensions.

He was a consensus top-three player nationally out of high school in the Minneapolis area in 2010, but he started just 24 games in his UM career (nine of those came in his freshman season) and coaches knocked him for his lack of consistency and focus. In addition, while he is considered a prototype left tackle, he played mostly on the right side for Miami.

Henderson started six games this season at right tackle and missed one game because of a suspension; it was the third time in as many seasons that Henderson missed at least a game because of a suspension.

One NFL executive who spoke to the Sun-Sentinel on the condition of anonymity said that "as long as he doesn't fail the combine's drug test, we can get past that. Plenty of teams take chances on players with his talent."

One team that evidently won't consider Henderson is the Philadelphia Eagles; philly.com reported that the Eagles no longer had interest in Henderson.
Henderson is at or near the top of the "buyer-beware" list in this draft. He has the potential to be a dominant lineman; he also could be a wasted draft pick.


(nfl.com)

MIAMI -- The man who prosecutors say fired the shot that killed Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor during a botched 2007 burglary was sentenced Thursday to more than 57 years in state prison.

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy imposed the sentence on Eric Rivera, 23, one of five Fort Myers-area men charged with Taylor's death after they broke into his house looking to steal cash. One has pleaded guilty and three others are still awaiting trial.

Rivera confessed to police on videotape that he shot Taylor after the NFL player confronted them at his bedroom door with a machete. In the confession, Rivera also said the group didn't realize Taylor would be home with a knee injury instead of playing a Redskins game against Tampa Bay.

"He lost his life defending and protecting his family," said Assistant State Attorney Reid Rubin in a closing statement. "They kicked the door in and they shot him and killed him, for no good reason."

Testifying in his own defense last fall, Rivera claimed the confession was false and improperly coerced, and that someone else in the group shot Taylor with a 9mm handgun. A jury convicted him of second-degree murder and armed burglary. He was originally charged with first-degree murder but was ineligible for the death penalty because he was 17 at the time of the killing.

In a brief statement, Rivera told members of Taylor's family he was sorry for the killing and that Taylor was "a good man."

"I live with his death every day. I'm going to have to deal with the consequences," he said.

Several Rivera family members pleaded for leniency, noting that Rivera was still a minor at the time and that he had never been in trouble with the law before. But Rubin said Rivera had committed perjury in his testimony and tried to influence the testimony of others in his case.

"He's a sophisticated, manipulative criminal. There's no good reason to believe he will change," Rubin said.

Rivera could have gotten life behind bars. His lawyers are planning to appeal his conviction.

Taylor, a first-round pick by the Redskins in the 2004 draft, was a hard-hitting Pro Bowl safety who had previously starred at the University of Miami. He was shot during the November 2007 confrontation in the upper thigh, damaging his femoral artery and leading to massive blood loss. Taylor was 24 when he died.

His girlfriend at the time, Jackie Garcia Haley, and their then-18-month old daughter were in the room with Taylor when the confrontation occurred. Garcia Haley, in a statement read by Rubin, said Taylor's death was difficult to bear -- particularly for their daughter, also named Jackie.

"You only get one dad and hers is gone. It breaks my heart to pieces to go through each day and each milestone without him," she said.

The gun was never found. Police said it was stuffed in a sock and thrown into the Everglades.

Several witnesses at Rivera's trial testified that Taylor often kept large sums of cash in the house. One of the other men charged in the slaying, 25-year-old Jason Mitchell, attended a birthday party a few weeks earlier for Taylor's half-sister, who testified Taylor gave her a purse containing $10,000.

The half-sister, Sasha Johnson, lived in Fort Myers and knew Rivera. In his testimony, Rivera said the group thought they could steal between $100,000 and $200,000 in cash by burglarizing Taylor's house.


(espn.com)

MOBILE, Ala. – Seantrel Henderson went to the University of Miami has a much-heralded recruit – the first offensive lineman to win USA Today’s High School Offensive Player of the Year honors.

Henderson, from the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, chose the Hurricanes but he came to the Senior Bowl this week ready to answer just as many questions about his off-field activities as his on-field play.

Henderson was suspended three times for violation of “team rules” by the Hurricanes and never started more than nine games in a season.

“I felt like I had a lot of maturing to do and I feel like I have,” he said. “Now I’m ready to move onto the next level.”

Henderson said honesty is the best policy when talking to teams.

“I’ve been taking interviews since I’ve been here and I’ve let them know exactly what happened and that the past is the past,” he said. “Eighteen years old, ranked super high, expectations from everybody to play the best you can. Some people think you’re supposed to be mistake-free, but you’re still a kid.”

Per the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Henderson has told teams his suspensions were the result of marijuana use.

Henderson certainly looks the part – he checked in at 6 feet, 6 7/8 inches and 331 pounds on Monday.

But one knock should be that he played only right tackle at the U. Henderson started 26 games in four years.

Hurricanes teammate Stephen Morris thinks Henderson has turned the corner.

“Definitely,” Morris said. “Where he was maturity wise his sophomore and junior years to what he showed his senior year, it was a 180-degree turn. That will only keep going.”


(jacksonville.com)

Conference pride will wait a week. The rosters for the new-look Pro Bowl are in.

In the first-ever draft of its kind, NFL greats Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders selected their respective teams for the 2014 Pro Bowl, choosing from the pool of all-stars. And Antrel Rolle, the Giants’ safety who was a late addition as a substitute, was assigned to Team Rice, filling out the position which includes San Francisco’s Eric Reid and Buffalo’s Jairus Byrd.

As Big Blue’s lone representative this year, Rolle will take the field at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu this Sunday, a week before the AFC and NFC champions duke it out in the Super Bowl. The game will be televised on NBC starting at 7 p.m. ET.


(giants.com)

Frank Gore enters the final year of the contract extension he signed in August of 2011.

Really, not much has changed since that time. Gore can still be counted on to gain more than 1,000 yards annually. And the 49ers still rely on him to keep the quarterback upright with his role in pass protection.

Gore’s yearly pay has remained consistent, too. In 2013, the 49ers paid him $6.45 million. Next season, he’s scheduled to make $6.45 million.

One difference is that the 49ers have to account of other players – including, perhaps, Colin Kaepernick – making more money on a salary cap that is not expected to see a significant rise.

Another thing that changes, of course, is Gore’s age. He turns 31 in May.

In real cash, Gore is scheduled to make the sixth-highest total for any running back in the league. In salary cap numbers, his figure ranks eighth because he did not receive a signing bonus with his 2011 deal.

Coach Jim Harbaugh was asked last week what Gore does for the 49ers’ offense.

“He runs the football very effectively,” Harbaugh said. “Nobody does it better. He blocks in protection. And he catches the ball out of the backfield. (He) does everything that you’d want a back to do.

“And then he’s such a great example. Showers us with his attributes every day -- the work ethic, the team attitude. (He’s) just a guy that says the right thing at the right time. That’s a pretty good list.”

Marcus Lattimore, who has a chance to be the eventual heir, is expected to be healthy for the entire offseason program. Kendall Hunter and LaMichael James also return on their first contracts.

Lattimore said the most important thing for him to earn playing time is to perform in pass protection. That's what Gore does better than anyone.

According to Pro Football Focus, Gore was in pass protection 160 times this season – far more than any other running back in the league. He allowed no sacks, one quarterback hit and just three quarterback pressures.

The 49ers must consider everything before determining whether to approach Gore about accepting a pay cut to guarantee he remains with the club next season.

Here's how Gore's contract stacks up against the other top-paid running backs in the NFL:

2014 running backs contracts
Cash value
Adrian Peterson $12 million
Chris Johnson $8 million
LeSean McCoy $8 million
Matt Forte $6.5 million
Jonathan Stewart $8.282 million
Frank Gore $6.45 million
Arian Foster $6.25 million
Marshawn Lynch $5.5 million

Cap figures
Adrian Peterson $14.4 million
Chris Johnson $10 million
LeSean McCoy $9.7 million
Arian Foster $8.5 million
Matt Forte $7.5 million
Marshawn Lynch $7 million
Ray Rice $8.75 million
Frank Gore $6.45 million
Note: The other highest-paid running backs who are at least 30 years old are Darren Sproles ($3.5 million) and Steven Jackson ($3 million).


(csnbayarea.com)

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Miami Hurricanes punter Pat O’Donnell was presented with the 2013 College Football Performance Awards Punter Trophy during Wednesday night’s men’s basketball game at the BankUnited Center.

CFPA Executive Director Brad Smith was on hand to present the trophy to O’Donnell, who earned the award with a school single-season record average of 47.1 yards-per-punt. O’Donnell, an All-ACC selection, punted 53 times, including 23 punts over 50 yards and 19 placed inside the 20-yard line.

O’Donnell was the second University of Miami player to earn CFPA honors, following 2010 Elite Wide Receiver Trophy winner Leonard Hankerson.

The purpose of the College Football Performance Awards is to provide the most scientifically rigorous conferments in college football. Recipients are selected exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams. Twenty-one CFPA recipients have been first-round NFL Draft selections.

A CFPA winner has been the first specialist selected in the NFL Draft in four of the last five seasons. The 2013 CFPA Punter Trophy is a 22-inch optic crystal tower with 8-inch crystal football on top.


(hurricanesports.com)

MOBILE, Ala. -- They look as if they walked straight out of the dreams of NFL scouts and onto the field at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Want an offensive tackle? How about a 6-foot-7, 331-pounder with low body fat, nimble feet and fluid hips? Need a quarterback? How about a 6-6, 250-pounder who can outrun a linebacker with an arm that appears capable of reaching the moon on a rope?

These must be obvious first-rounders. Right? No? Second-rounders? No? In fact, the draft positions of Miami offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson and Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas are quite difficult to project. The first round is probably out of the question at this point. How far will they fall? That will depend how much teams rely on the eyeball test and how much they rely on college tape. For Henderson and Thomas, the former should help them immensely. Each player looks like the ideal for his position. Even among other elite players at the Senior Bowl, these two stand out from the moment they step off the bus to go to practice. Every measurable is close to perfect. The latter will haunt them. Henderson and Thomas represent the inverse of Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray, an undersized, injured prospect who on Monday seemed perfectly comfortable when he said "[NFL teams] have four years of film on me." Teams have four years of film on Henderson and Thomas as well, and it's as big of a problem for them as it is a help to Murray.

Henderson came to Miami -- after originally signing with USC -- ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 1 offensive line recruit and No. 2 overall recruit in the class of 2010. He seemed a can't-miss prospect who might dominate at The U the way left tackle Bryant McKinnie did at the turn of the century. Playing mostly at right tackle, Henderson started only 26 games and never developed into the player he projected to be coming out of high school. Injuries, a 2012 car crash and suspensions -- Henderson told The Miami Herald this week they were for marijuana use -- held back Henderson during his time in Coral Gables.

Judging by their performances at practices for the Senior Bowl, the two have taken different approaches. Henderson hasn't shown much improvement. Thomas, however, has shown a willingness to work on the issues that plagued him throughout his college career. On Wednesday, Henderson offered little punch -- the act of firing one's arms into the chest of a pass-rusher to slow or stop his progress -- while getting blown past by rushers Marcus Smith (Louisville) and Kareem Martin (North Carolina). Yet Henderson's feet still appeared nimble for a man of his size, and it was easy to see how a coach might feel he could turn Henderson into a serviceable (or better) NFL tackle with some instruction. The problem? There are players who lack the physical gifts but make up for them in technique who are more ready to play right away.


(cnnsi.com)

It’s an anniversary that Reggie Wayne doesn’t want to be celebrating but he knows brighter days are ahead. A week from Saturday will mark three months since Wayne had surgery for his torn ACL.

Wayne is looking forward to Jan. 25, as it will be the next phase in his rehab process. “I’m going to do straight ahead running (then),” Wayne said on his weekly radio show on WNDE.

“I’m looking forward to doing that. I’ve been walking quite often lately. I get to run on a treadmill and that’s basically it.” Through the early phases of Wayne’s rehab, the 13-year veteran says that he’s “ahead of schedule”.

Fantasy Impact:
It's hard to get excited about a 35 year-old WR coming off of an ACL tear, but Wayne is a pro and could return to a solid possession role in the Indianapolis offense. He's entering the final year of his contract, which means it will likely be his last year with the Colts.


(4for4.com)

MIAMI — A man prosecutors say fired the fatal shots in the 2007 killing of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor is about to learn the length of his prison sentence.

A judge is scheduled Thursday afternoon to sentence 23-year-old Eric Rivera Jr., who was convicted in November of second-degree murder and armed burglary. Rivera faces a maximum life sentence but could get less.

Rivera told police in a videotaped confession that he and other young men from the Fort Myers area broke into Taylor’s Miami-area house hoping to steal cash the NFL player kept there. Taylor surprised them because he was home instead of with the Redskins and was shot after confronting them with a machete.

Rivera testified someone else fired the fatal shot. Three others are awaiting trial in the case.


(ap.com)

A few thoughts come to mind on the topic of which player NFL players would most like to see in a Super Bowl:

Redskins angle: Quarterback Robert Griffin III was the only Washington player to receive any votes (he got three). If you’re seeing him in a Super Bowl it probably means he returned to the dynamic ways of his rookie season. Who wouldn’t want to see that on the biggest football stage of all?

But if I had to pick one Redskin? Santana Moss. Nobody has been through more garbage in Washington than Moss. Since being acquired in a trade in 2005, Moss has played on three playoff teams. But he’s also been a part of five double-digit loss seasons, not to mention the worst part of it all: the death of his friend and teammate, Sean Taylor. Through it all Moss has acquitted himself well and with class. Reed Doughty and Kedric Golston were around for all those seasons as well, but Moss has them beat by a season and he’s been a key part of the offense. Of course, this also could have been his last season in Washington.


(espn.com)

Miami QB Stephen Morris looked "nothing like an elite quarterback prospect at the Senior Bowl," according to NFL.com's Bucky Brooks.
Brooks is backing off the prospect after "confidently" boasting about Morris' "talent and potential after seeing him at the Manning Passing Academy this summer." An up-and-down 2013 season did no favors to Morris' draft stock, and he's since struggled at the Senior Bowl exhibition and measured in at a disappointing 6'1 and 3/4ths of an inch and 208 pounds. "Morris struggled with his accuracy and ball placement throughout the day. He also failed to string together completions in 7-on-7 and team drills outside of an occasional check down. I didn't expect Morris to complete every ball with a handful of new receivers, but he was so off with his accuracy that it is an obvious concern for scouts looking for a legitimate prospect at the position," Brooks wrote.


(rotoworld.com)

MOBILE -- Seantrel Henderson couldn’t hide even if he tried. At 6-7, 331 pounds, he’s one of the biggest guys in town.

So no, there’s no blending in for Henderson, the University of Miami offensive tackle who’s hoping for a shot in the NFL.

It’s not his style, anyway. When it comes to the biggest factor holding back his draft potential — character red flags — Henderson doesn’t shrink.

“I was partying a little bit too much at times,” Henderson said when asked to explain his three (at least) suspensions at UM.

“I had got into trouble a couple of times for marijuana. I just put all that behind me.”

Such candor is refreshing for anyone — let alone someone trying to make the NFL. “Honesty is key,” Henderson said, when asked why he elected to discuss his past trouble with drugs.

It’s not like those issues are a secret. They’re a real concern for scouts and decision-makers as they set their draft boards. Some teams take character red flags off their draft board altogether.

That’s why this week’s all-star showcase is so important. Of course, Henderson needs to prove he has the physical goods to play in the NFL. (Stephen Morris, Henderson’s teammate at both UM and the Senior Bowl, doesn’t think that’s a problem. “He’s one of those amazing athletes that when he gets his hands on you, the play’s over for you.&rdquo

But Henderson also needs to prove to scouts and coaches that he has matured — with his deeds, not his words. This week’s all-star showcase is Step One.
Henderson’s pedigree is well-known. He picked UM out of St. Paul, Minn., where he was the USA Today High School Offensive Player of the Year. But in his four years on campus, Henderson had setback after setback: suspensions, homesickness, back surgery, a car accident and the deaths of a family member and close friend.

In January 2013, after realizing his draft projection had not lived up to the previous hype, Henderson announced he would remain at UM. “I do believe that I’m a potential first-rounder,” he said at the time.

He still believes it — even if draft experts see him as more of a third-day project.

“I want to be a starter and play in the NFL,” he said Tuesday.

Daniel Jeremiah, a former scout who’s now a draft analyst at NFL Network, said Henderson “looked the part” during his weigh-in.
But then came the inevitable caveat. “Talented player with off-field baggage,” Jeremiah said.

Henderson passed the eye test in other ways. He’s in the best shape of his life. He used to sport dreadlocks; now his hair is short.

And he’s saying all the right things.

Granted, he did the same in August, swearing he had turned over a new leaf. Two months later, he was suspended again for violating a team rule.

But Morris believes there truly is a new Henderson.

“From where he was, maturity-wise, his junior and sophomore years to the ability he showed on the field his senior year is a complete 180,” Morris said. “That’s going to keep going.”

Added Morris: “Unbelievable person. He’ll make you laugh all day. He’ll dance like crazy. He’s one of those guys that you want on your team. He’ll fight, really be in the trenches and fight with you.”

During the next four months, Henderson intends to prove that to all 32 NFL teams.

That’s why he plans to be on time to every meeting, work hard on every rep and answer any question that comes his way — either from teams or the media.

“I feel like just being honest with everybody and just let them know exactly what my problems were and that there are no longer any,” he said.


(miamiherald.com)

MOBILE, Ala. – Miami quarterback Stephen Morris played two years (2011-12) for current Jaguars offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, but the two are on opposite sides this week at the Senior Bowl.

Morris is on the North team and Fisch – along with the Jaguars staff – is coaching the South side.

But Morris doesn’t hide his desire for a reunion.

“Having the opportunity to play for the Jaguars, that would be amazing,” he said after today’s practice.

Morris projects as a mid-to-late round draft pick. He started one game as a sophomore and then all 12 games as a junior when Fisch was on Al Golden’s staff.

Junior year with Fisch: Morris threw for 3,345 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Senior year without Fisch: Morris threw for 3,028 yards, 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

“I love Coach Fisch and the offense he’s in,” Morris said. “He helped me grow as a quarterback. It’s a wonderful offense.”

Morris said he hopes to benefit this week by working with Atlanta offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter.

“Coach Fisch knows what I can do and I know his offense pretty well and it’s a great opportunity this week to be with the Falcons and Coach Dirk,” he said.


(jacksonville.com)

The Patriots have now signed their entire practice squad to future contracts.

Defensive lineman Marcus Forston signed his deal today, according to a source, after the other seven practice squad members got their contracts yesterday.

Forston has been with the Patriots on both the active roster and practice squad for two seasons.


(boston.com)

NEWS UPDATE
Gore is slated to undergo "minor" surgery on his finger, the Sacramento Bee reports.

ROTOWIRE FANTASY ANALYSIS
Give that the procedure is being portrayed as minor, there is nothing at this stage to suggest that Gore's status for the 2014 season will be impacted by the issue. The 30-year-old back is entering the final year of his contract with the 49ers.


(rotowire.com)

Reggie Wayne is three months removed from the ACL tear that ended his 2013 season.

Wayne went down in the Colts 39-33 victory over the Denver Broncos on Oct. 20 and was placed on injured reserve.

Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson joined Alex Marvez and Vic Carucci on Sirius XM NFL Radio and discussed Wayne’s recovery on Tuesday night.

“He’s doing great,” Grigson said. “The first thing about Reggie was the guy refused to use crutches. He was at the (Houston) Texans game (two weeks after the injury), flew from Miami, Mr. Irsay took care of him and flew him on the plane and everything and got him there and you know the guy refused to use crutches. That’s the kind of tenacity and mindset he has in terms of getting well and he will not take a day off. He doesn’t stop grinding.”

Wayne is 35 years old and coming off a major knee injury. However, Wayne said he believes he’ll be better than he was before the injury. The player Wayne was before the injury was stellar. Wayne posted eight 1,000-yard seasons in nine years before going down in Week 7.

Grigson says he believes Wayne is using the doubt that he can return to the same level as motivation in his recovery.

“I think he loves, right now, that people might be doubting him and his age and things like that,” Grigson said. “I think he uses that to create a chip on his shoulder, which I think is great because the first thing I thought of when it happened was I looked up how many years Jerry Rice played after he got hurt and I believe it was actually eight more seasons. So I texted him that and he’s got a long way to go before he’s going to hang it up because I feel if anybody is going to be ready for training camp and ready to roll it’s going to be Reggie Wayne.”

(profootballtalk.com)

Saints GM Mickey Loomis confirmed impending free agent Jimmy Graham will be franchise-tagged if the two sides can't agree to a long-term contract.
As expected. Graham isn't going anywhere. In addition to saying Graham will be tagged if need be, Loomis said the Saints will tag him as a tight end because "that's where he was drafted and that's what he is." Graham's camp may beg to differ. He played just one-third of his snaps as a traditional tight end in 2013. The difference between the tight-end tag and the receiver tag was $4.5 million last year. We could have a real contract dispute on our hands.


(rotoworld.com)

Last week ChicagoBears.com invited fans to select the Bears' top five plays of the season. Finishing in fourth place with six percent of the vote was Devin Hester's 81-yard punt return touchdown Oct. 20 in a 45-41 road loss to the Redskins.

Hester caught Sav Rocca's 53-yard punt at his own 19-yard line just inside the left sideline. He then sprinted all the way across the field and picked up a convoy of blockers down the right sideline. Eric Weems, Jerry Franklin and Khaseem Greene were among those who threw key blocks.

"It was designed to go right," Hester said. "We practiced on it every day. We knew their kicker kind of tends to punt it to our left. We just wanted to make sure when we got that opportunity that we sealed the gunner backside and formed that wall, and that's what they did. The guys up front did a great job of setting up that wall and letting me around the corner."

With the 81-yard touchdown, Hester extended his NFL all-time records for punt return TDs to 13 and combined kick return TDs to 18. He also tied Hall of Famer Deion Sanders' all-time NFL mark of 19 return TDs, which includes punts, kickoffs, missed field goals, fumbles and interceptions.

"It means a lot," Hester said at the time. "I'm still pressing forward with my career and trying to better myself before my days are long gone, and to tie a legend like that is an honor."

The Redskins tried to keep the ball out of Hester's hands most of the day, hitting short kickoffs that were returned by Weems, Joe Anderson and Dante Rosario. A week earlier, Washington had allowed the Cowboys' Dwayne Harris to return a punt 86 yards for a touchdown and a kickoff 90 yards to set up another TD.

"We knew that this was going to be a team that was going to keep it away from me just because of the previous weeks that they had," Hester said. "They had been struggling on special teams and we assumed that they were going to shy away from our return game. We knew we had to take advantage of the opportunity I got because we knew we weren't going to get that many."


(chicagobears.com)

NEW YORK, Jan. 21, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amarantus BioScience Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB:AMBS), a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of novel diagnostics and therapeutics related to neurodegeneration and apoptosis, and Brewer Sports International (BSI), a multi-faceted global sports advisory firm, are pleased to provide an update surrounding the Amarantus #C4CT Summit hosted by Brewer Sports International, powered by MDM Worldwide, to be held on Wednesday, January 29(th) in the Trusteeship Council at the United Nations in New York City, NY during Super Bowl Week.

The conference will unite industry experts, leading scientists, neurologists and international business leaders with current and former professional athletes in effort to create consensus on the path forward for scientific research and commercial development.

LIMITED REGISTRATION OPEN AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES STILL AVAILABLE

To register or for additional information, please visit www.c4ctsummit.com. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. For further information surrounding sponsorship opportunities, please contact Danielle Berman at danielle.berman@thebrewergroup.com. Students interested in attending the conference are able to register with limited access to the conference for free and must show a valid student ID upon check in.

Below is a list of prestigious participants from the sports field, including current and retired professional athletes, broadcasters and other key stakeholders for the #C4CT Concussion Awareness Summit. Full agenda including all scheduled presenters is included following the release.

-- Andrea Kremer, Chief Correspondent for Player Health and Safety at the
NFL Network
-- Andre Berto, Professional Boxer, Two-Time Welterweight Champion
-- Antonio Pierce, Super Bowl Champion, NFL Pro Bowl Linebacker, ESPN NFL
Analyst
-- Ben Utecht, Super Bowl Champion, Recording Artist, Motivational Speaker
and TBI Advocate
-- Brian Williams, Former NFL Cornerback
-- Carl Eller, NFL Hall of Famer, President and Chairman of the Board of the
NFL Retired Players Association
-- Chris Nowinski, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sports Legacy
Institute; Co-Director for the Center of the Study of Traumatic
Encephalopathy at Boston University, School of Medicine; Former WWE
Wrestler
-- Clinton Portis, NFL Pro Bowl Running Back
-- Darrell Reid, Super Bowl Champion, NFL Linebacker
-- Drayton Florence, Carolina Panthers Cornerback
-- E.J. Henderson, NFL Pro Bowl Linebacker
-- Jeff Cumberland, New York Jets Tight End
-- Jeremy Shockey, Super Bowl Champion, NFL Pro Bowl Tight End
-- Jermichael Finley, Super Bowl Champion, Green Bay Packers Tight End
-- Leigh Steinberg, CEO, Steinberg Sports and Entertainment
-- Robert Griffith, NFL Pro Bowl Safety
-- Sidney Rice, NFL Pro Bowler, Seattle Seahawks Wide Receiver

"As a former NFL player, I am passionate about making strides to improve the health and safety of my fellow professional athletes, both former and current," said Jack Brewer, CEO of Brewer Sports International. "Instead of pointing fingers, we have put together a world class panel of researchers to discuss TBI-induced Neurodegeneration and CTE with those directly affected by and equally passionate about the cause as we strive to enhance awareness and work to find viable treatments."

The #C4CT Summit is the opening of the five-day Brewer Sports International Super Bowl XLVIII Exclusive Events series, which includes The Jack Brewer Foundation (JBF Worldwide) Global Ambassadors Sport for Development Summit, Super Bowl Blue Carpet Event and the 6th Annual JBF Worldwide Super Bowl Watch Event at the Grand Havana Room.

#C4CT Concussion Awareness Summit Wednesday, January 29, 2014 Emceed by NFL Network's Andrea Kremer


(wsj.com)

PHOENIX—Rookie Shane Larkin, son of baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, scored a career-high 18 points, including two free throws with 11.1 seconds to play, and the Dallas Mavericks held on to beat the Phoenix Suns 110-107 on Friday night.

The Suns had a last chance to tie it when Vince Carter turned it over trying to inbound the ball after a basket by Phoenix with 6.7 seconds left. But P.J. Tucker's try from the corner rimmed out, and replays showed his foot was on the line so it would have been for two points, anyway.

Monta Ellis scored 24 and Dirk Nowitzki 21 for the Mavericks, who never trailed.

Shawn Marion scored eight of his 16 in the third quarter for Dallas.

Goran Dragic scored 28 points, and Markieff Morris added 23, including 14 in the final quarter, and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Morris' twin brother Marcus scored 13 for the Suns, who have lost four of five.

Dallas led 104-94 after Larkin's running 5-footer with 2:53 to go. Markieff Morris' four-point play with 2:30 to go cut it to 103-98, but Nowitzki sank a 20-footer and it was 106-98 with 1:47 to go.

Larkin's two free throws put Dallas ahead 108-101 with 1:19 left, then Dragic led the Suns on a frenzied run.

His driving layup, followed by his 5-footer cut the lead to 108-105 with 14.1 seconds to play. Larkin's two free throws boosted it to 110-105 with 11.1 seconds to go. Dragic scored again inside to trim it to 110-107 with 6.7 seconds remaining, then Carter lost the ball and touched it again while he was trying to inbound it for a turnover giving the Suns one last chance.

Dragic found Tucker for the open jumper, but it rolled around the rim and came out. Television replays showed Tucker's foot was on 3-point line so it would not have tied the game anyway.

Dallas shot out to 23-12 lead on Nowitzki's 3-pointer and was up 44-34 after Larkin's 3-pointer with 8:22 left in the half.

Phoenix scored the next eight, cutting it to 44-42 on Markieff Morris' length-of-the-court pass to Tucker for a layup. The Suns cut the lead to one three times in quarter, the last at 51-50 on Gerald Green's 3-pointer with 4:03 left in the half. Dallas led 58-56 at the break.

The Suns briefly tied it on Dragic's jumper to start the second half, then Dallas took off again. Marion and Carter each sank a 3 in a 9-2 run that gave the Mavericks their biggest lead, 84-72 with 2:28 left in the third quarter.

(denverpost.com)

On Dec. 2, the Orioles traded Jim Johnson to Oakland. In return they received Jemile Weeks. Later on, they also got minor league catcher David Freitas.

Because he was traded for Johnson, Weeks will receive lots of attention during spring training. It’s generally assumed that Ryan Flaherty will be the starting second baseman this season, and that he’ll be backed up by Alexi Casilla.

Both Flaherty and Casilla have an advantage. They play multiple positions.

Weeks is a second baseman. He did make two cameo appearances in center field last year for Oakland. In the minor leagues, Weeks played some shortstop last year as well as center field. He made five errors in 23 games at short for Triple-A Sacramento.

Shortstop and center field are not positions of need for the Orioles. Second base is, and that’s where Weeks will be tested.

Weeks has made 24 errors in 213 games at second, but played better there in 2012, his second year than his first.

As for his hitting, Weeks hit .303 in 97 games in 2011. He stole 22 bases, but was thrown out 11 times. In 2012, Weeks batted .221. His basestealing improved. He swiped 16 bases in 21 attempts.

He has 41 doubles in 223 games, but just four home runs. His on-base percentage improved from 2011 to 2012, but last year, Weeks played in just eight games.

Weeks will have to clearly outplay Flaherty and Casilla, two players manager Buck Showalter likes, to make the club.

The odds are that Weeks will start the season at Norfolk and make some appearances in Baltimore during the year.


(csnbaltimore.com)

All three North team quarterbacks in the Reese's Senior Bowl are from the ACC, and NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock said Monday that each has something to prove this week.

The three are Clemson's Tajh Boyd, Miami's Stephen Morris and Virginia Tech's Logan Thomas. Boyd and Thomas were three-year starters, while Morris was a two-season starter.

Mayock said all three have "legitimate" NFL arms, but he said he has concerns about each.

On Boyd: Mayock likes how Boyd can make plays with his arm and with his feet and noted that he was 32-8 as the Tigers' starter. The knock, though, is that Boyd is "highly inconsistent from an accuracy standpoint."

On Morris: Mayock raved about Morris' arm strength. "Stephen Morris might have the best arm in this entire draft," he said. But overall, Mayock said, Morris had a "wildly inconsistent year." Mayock noted that Morris played with ankle and foot injuries this season and said the inconsistency could have been attributable to the injuries.

On Thomas: In terms of size, Mayock said the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Thomas reminded him of Cam Newton and Ben Roethlisberger. He also called Thomas "the biggest enigma in the draft." Mayock said if you only watched tape of Thomas' performance against Michigan in the Sugar Bowl at the end of his sophomore season, "he's the first pick in that entire draft. However, since then it's been mostly bad tape. He lacks the anticipation, pocket awareness. He had a really good game against Miami this year and then a bunch of bad games." Fellow NFL Media draft analyst Charles Davis noted that some college teams recruited Thomas as a tight end out of high school and that "tight end talk is back in play for him."


(nfl.com)

MOBILE, Alabama -- He was the top offensive line prospect in the nation coming out of Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, Minn., in 2010, a mountain of a blocker who had college offers from Miami to Southern Cal.

His college career never quite lived up to the hype, marred with three separate suspensions and nearly sidetracked by a car accident in 2012 that left him concussed and cited for running a red light, while two children in the other car were injured.

But Miami offensive tackle Sentrel Henderson says he's learned and matured through it all - and he's ready to prove it this week to NFL scouts at the Senior Bowl.

"I feel like I've matured a lot over the years," Henderson said. "I'm just ready to move on to the next level.  ... I've been taking interviews since I've been here and I'm just being honest with every team and letting them know exactly what happened and the past is the past."

How can he prove that in a week? "Just by how I carry myself every day and my character," he said. "That's all they can really see while I'm here for this week. I've just got to keep showing everybody exactly who I am."

Henderson, who is playing for the North squad this week, surely got people's attention on Monday morning at the weigh-in, as he was measured at nearly 6-foot-7 and 331 pounds. His measurables have always been there, but Henderson said he wants to prove this week that he's a high-effort player as well.



"I just want to prove I'm explosive off the ball and there will be effort violations, if that's what you want to call it," he said. "Always play to the whistle, pass block really good, make sure I'm protecting the quarterback and anybody that's touching the ball, running downfield and helping whoever's got the ball, helping them get up. That's me."

While many high school players go to college with something to prove, Henderson was the kid who couldn't miss - the five-star blue-chipper that college recruiters compared to Orlando Pace. Four years later, Henderson looks back and sees all that as a lot of pressure for an incoming freshman.

"You're just an 18-year-old kid ranked super-high, there's a lot of expectations, everybody wants you to play good, wants you to play the best you can," he said. "I think some people feel like you're supposed to be mistake-free, but you're still a kid at the time."

Henderson made headlines before he ever played a down of college football, as his extended recruitment was national news. He signed with USC but the Trojans were hit with severe NCAA sanctions, including a two-year bowl ban, a couple months later and he was released from his scholarship by Lane Kiffin, who was entering his first year as the Trojans' head coach. Henderson, who then went to Miami, says now that his lack of chemistry with Kiffin was much a reason for his departure from USC as the sanctions.

"It wasn't all about the violations," he said. "I didn't really have a good relationship with those guys. ... We just didn't click."

Miami, meanwhile, had its own NCAA issues arise in the form of the Nevin Shapiro case, and the Hurricanes voluntarily sat out the postseason in 2011 and 2012 as part of their self-imposed penalties. The NCAA did not add an additional bowl ban when it handed down its sanctions last year, however, and Henderson wrapped up his senior year by playing in the Florida Citrus Bowl, where Miami fell to Louisville.

Henderson, who was recruited to Miami while Randy Shannon was head coach, said he was impressed with how Shannon's successor, Al Golden, handled the situation.

"That meant a lot to us as a team," he said. "I can only imagine what coach Golden was really going through that we didn't really get to see, coming into a whole different team and then he's already got penalties that he really didn't have anything to do with."


(al.com)

Another day, another new player added to the Pro Bowl.

Or maybe it’s another hour.

The Cowboys have announced that running back DeMarco Murray will join the NFL’s all-star game, based on a knee injury to 49ers running back Frank Gore.

Murray is the first Cowboys running back to make it to the Pro Bowl since Marion Barber in 2007, who was the first since Emmitt Smith in 1999.

Five Cowboys have made it to the game.  Along with Murray, receiver Dez Bryant, tackle Tyron Smith, defensive lineman Jason Hatcher, and tight end Jason Witten will play.

For the first time, the Pro Bowl will be played without regard to conference.  Later this week, two teams will be picked from the total pool of players.

It’s unclear how the new format will make the players play harder, especially when they have plenty of reasons (in some cases, millions of them) to not get injured in late January.


(profootballtalk.com)

The Patriots signed seven of their eight practice squadders to future contracts: offensive linemen Braxston Cave and R.J. Mattes, tackle Jordan Devey, wide receivers Reggie Dunn and Greg Orton, running back Sam McGuffie and linebacker Taylor Reed. Defensive lineman Marcus Forston was the only practice squadder who didn’t get a deal.

McGuffie, who played running back at Michigan before transferring to Rice to become a slot receiver, signed with the Pats practice squad Dec. 27.

“It’s incredible going from off the street to the New England Patriots,” he said today. “It’s kind of been a dream. I’ve wanted to be here all along.”

McGuffie said the Pats have used him at both running back and receiver.

“Wherever they need a guy, I’ll go there,” he said. “I don’t really know as far as the future. Whatever they need at practice, I’ll do that.”


(bostonherald.com)

New York Giants safety Antrel Rolle was annoyed when he wasn't selected to the Pro Bowl in the first place. He ranted on Twitter that night and spoke to reporters a short time later to explain that he believed his season was as good as that of any other safety in the league and that he'd wanted to go to represent a Giants defense that was proud of the way it had performed during a disappointing season for the team.

Well, Rolle ends up getting his wish. Since Seattle Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas is in the Super Bowl, and players whose teams are in the Super Bowl don't play in the Pro Bowl, Rolle has been named as Thomas' replacement and will go to Hawaii to play in the Pro Bowl this Sunday.

"It's never been about going to Hawaii," Rolle said in a statement released by the team Monday. "I've been to Hawaii before. I've enjoyed the festivities. I've enjoyed the honor of being a Pro Bowl safety, a Pro Bowl player. That was never what it was about. It was always about getting what I very well deserved and what I accomplished throughout the year and going out there and representing my team, the New York Giants."

It also probably doesn't hurt that Rolle's contract awards him a $100,000 bonus for being named to the Pro Bowl, which I assume he gets even though he's a late addition.

It's Rolle's third Pro Bowl. He went in 2009 as a member of the Arizona Cardinals and in 2010 as a member of the Giants. He'll be the only Giant at the Pro Bowl this year. The last time they didn't have more than one Pro Bowler was 2007.


(espn.com)

MOBILE, Ala. – Long gone are the days when the University of Miami was nicknamed “Quarterback U,” but Stephen Morris is hoping to bring them back.

Back when the likes of Bernie Kosar, Jim Kelly, Vinny Testaverde, Gino Toretta, Steve Walsh and Ken Dorsey were slinging the ball around, the Hurricanes were on the radar of every NFL team in need of a quarterback. The program has gone through some serious ups and downs since then, but this week in Mobile is Morris’ chance to turn some heads as a member of the North team.

“As soon as I was coming out here I saw Steve Walsh and me and him were talking on the phone before and he’s always been a big supporter of me and always helped me and encouraged me,” said Morris, who starred at Miami-Monsignor Pace in high school. “Just coming from Miami and especially playing quarterback you’ve got to hold yourself to a high standard and do well there. My biggest focus this week is to just do all of the right things, get the ball to where it’s supposed to be, make the right reads and make the right throws, show a lot of accuracy, show mobility in the as well as getting out of the pocket and making plays with my feet.”

The Miami native is coming off of back-to-back seasons where he threw 21 touchdown passes and for more than 3,000 yards. He completed 198-of-344 passes for 3,028 yards, 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions for a 144.7 passer rating. In 2012, he went 245-of-421 for 3,345 yards, 21 touchdowns and just seven interceptions for a 138.1 passer rating, with his best game coming in a 44-37 win over North Carolina State. He completed 26-of-49 passes for 566 yards, five touchdowns and one interception.

Two of Morris’ offensive linemen – guard Brandon Linder and tackle Seantrel Henderson – will be protecting him during drills and of course in Saturday’s game at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. They know better than just about anyone else what he is made of and are looking forward to helping him show everyone else.

“He’s going to show that he’s an NFL quarterback and he’s got a great arm, he’s got great decision making and I really like the way he plays so he’s got a lot to show,” Linder said. “He’s very confident in the huddle, comes up to the line, calls the plays and looks everyone in the eyes.”

Morris sat behind Jacory Harris his first two seasons in Coral Gables and got some valuable playing time as a freshman in 2010, completing 82-of-153 passes for 1,240 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions. His sophomore year was less eventful, going 26-of-37 for 283 yards and two interceptions in limited action.

Linder and Morris were roommates in college and did a lot of studying together, so that’s another comfort the quarterback has this week that not every quarterback has. Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith and is coaching the North team with his entire staff and in just one day he already has noticed Morris.

“Stephen has impressed me in the 24 hours that we’ve been here,” he said. “I had an opportunity to sit down and talk with him and he’s a very impressive young man.”

All Morris needs to do is look back at the Senior Bowl’s recent history to see how quarterbacks not previously ranked high on draft boards parlayed their week of practice and the game into a better return on draft day.

Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Pat White, a Mobile native, was the MVP of the 2009 game, outperforming USC’s Mark Sanchez and earning praise from scouts. FSU’s E.J. Manuel was the MVP of last year’s game and went in the first round to the Buffalo Bills in last year’s NFL Draft so Morris has a clear and defined goal that he wants to accomplish while in Mobile.

“I want them to know that I’m a true quarterback,” Morris said. “I’m one of those guys that’s in there all day, all night with the coaches game planning, studying film and always being there for my teammates. On the field, you want to show them that you can get everything done. You can throw the ball with velocity, put touch on it across the field and between the hashes and throw on the run. I’m just trying to show them that I’m a complete quarterback on and off the field, especially with leadership.”


(miamidolphins.com)

He could play the ball in the air with the best, but Sean Taylor made a career out of dropping the boom.

In the NFC Championship Sunday night in Seattle, Seahawks safety and Norfolk, Va., native Kam Chancellor did his best Taylor impression. The safety made 11 tackles, put a hurting on Vernon Davis and intercepted Colin Kaepernick to help send Seattle to Super Bowl XLVIII.

Earlier in the week, Chancellor told the Seattle Times he watches Taylor highlights before every game.

“I watch Sean Taylor. That’s a guy that I always watch. Before every game I always watch his highlights, just the way that he approaches the game. the physicality that he brings to the game. He’s a big safety, he can run, cover, unfortunately we don’t have him now may he rest in peace, but that’s a guy that I always try to simulate my game after.”

Former Redskins and Seahawks defensive back Shawn Springs told Elizabeth Merrill of ESPN.com that Seattle’s super secondary reminds him of a position group in Washington that included LaRon Landry, Carlos Rogers and Taylor.

“We used to have a competition amongst ourselves because we all felt like we were the best,” Springs said. “And I have to feel like those guys feel the same way. Nobody wants to be the weak link. You feed off that energy.”

Taylor made his own mark on the postseason, tallying six tackles and returning a fumble 51 yards for a touchdown in a 17-10 win over Tampa Bay on Jan. 7, 2006.


(redskins.com)

Miami QB Stephen Morris measured in at 6'1 and 3/4ths of an inch and 208 pounds for Senior Bowl week.

Morris lacks consistency, and we doubt he will show anything differently this week. He is only a vertical passer at this point, but Morris' 20 best throws can match almost anyone else's in this class. Morris also measured in with 10 and 1/8 inch hands.


(rotoworld.com)

The ever-popular Cowboys & Cowboys Sky Ranch Gala is rounding up new supporters with Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer Michael Irvin saddled up to lead the way.  Irvin has graciously come on board as the 2014 Honorary Celebrity Chair of the Cowboys & Cowboys Sky Ranch Gala, Dallas’ much-anticipated chic western soiree. The event is set for Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Omni Dallas Hotel, 555 S. Lamar St.  Highlights will include fabulous silent and live auctions, amazing raffle prizes, fine dining and entertainment. Visit www.CowboysAndCowboys.com.

This fashionable boots and bling event draws legendary cowboys from both the gridiron and the rodeo arena.  Joining Irvin at this elegant western affair will be a host of other cowboy celebrity icons from the NFL and the championship rodeo circuit, along with approximately 600 other friends and supporters of Sky Ranch.

Sky Ranch Camps have served youth and families for more than 55 years by offering safe, fun and character-building Summer Camps, Retreats and Conferences and Outdoor Education programs. With properties in Texas, Colorado and Oklahoma, Sky Ranch serves well over 50,000 guests annually.

Proceeds from the gala benefit Sky Ranch to support these invaluable outreach initiatives and help fund its expanding scholarship program.  Scholarships raised during the gala are instrumental in helping send deserving kids to summer camp at Sky Ranch, who might not otherwise have an opportunity to take advantage of this life-enriching experience.

“I am humbled and honored for the opportunity to help children who face challenges beyond their control,” said Michael Irvin, Honorary Celebrity Chair.  “My prayer is that through the 2014 Cowboys and Cowboys Sky Ranch Gala, together, we can deliver the gift of Sky Ranch’s camp – a camp that focuses not just on summer fun, but drawing out each child’s potential to lead with godly character. This opportunity to make an eternal investment in the lives of these kids is a blessing.”

This year, the star-studded Cowboys and Cowboys Sky Ranch Gala may exceed fundraising expectations.

To help fund scholarships, guests may bid on luxury items such as  jewelry, restaurant gift cards, travel packages, celeb-signed guitars, golf outings, local sports tickets and more treasures in the silent and live auctions. “The gala is an exciting evening of entertainment and fun,” said Irvin.  “However, we never lose sight that the focus is on supporting the mission of Sky Ranch and helping change lives one kid at a time.”

Major supporters of the 7th Annual Cowboys & Cowboys Sky Ranch Gala are Grand Homes, Sport City Toyota, Staubach Family Foundation, Amy Simmons, Denise and Alen Hinckley, The Skyland Foundation and Fort Worth Custom Pools and Muir Ranch and a herd of friends of Sky Ranch supporters!

Individual tickets for the Cowboys & Cowboys Sky Ranch Gala are $150.  Sponsorships are available at various levels. For more information visit www.CowboysAndCowboys.com or call 469-484-4840.  


(dallasnews.com)

INDIANAPOLIS -- Lost in Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne's road to recovery from his torn ACL stands the 5-foot-10 running back with his locker right next to Wayne's. And just like the future Hall of Fame receiver, Vick Ballard is trying to regain his form from a torn ACL.

Ballard didn't need any extra motivation once his recovery started, but watching the 35-year-old Wayne grinding it out on a daily basis in his rehabilitation pushes him even harder.

"Reggie, he comes here and stays all day, gets two or three rounds of rehab in," said Ballard, who is 12 years younger than Wayne. "Once I saw him do it, I was like, 'Hell, why can't I do it, too?' When I leave here, I go home and sit on the couch, so it definitely changed my perspective on it."

Ballard, who rushed for 814 yards during his rookie season in 2012, tore his ACL while taking part in a running back's drill in practice just days before their game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2.

"It was very tough, especially in the big games and the big victories and stuff like that," Ballard said about missing the season. "I know I'm still part of the team, but I wanted to be sore on Monday mornings and stay late on Wednesdays, stuff like that. God had a different plan for me, so I'm just playing the cards I was dealt."

Ballard said he expects to be ready for the start of training camp in late July. He'll have an opportunity to push Trent Richardson -- and Donald Brown if he re-signs -- for snaps because nobody pulled away from the pack this season to be the clear starter next season.

"I think we had like four running backs on IR," Ballard said. "It'll be interesting to see how they handle it. But I really don't try to think about things like that. I was telling my mom the other day, she asked me what I thought, and I was like the only thing I can do is worry about my knee and let everything else handle itself."


(espn.com)

Texans receiver Andre Johnson isn’t going to the Pro Bowl, and pro personnel director Brian Gardner is looking for a job.

One day after defensive end J.J. Watt was named as a captain in the Pro Bowl, Johnson withdrew, leaving the Texans with two representatives in Hawaii.

Johnson’s agent, Kennard McGuire, said his client withdrew because of “wear and tear” from the season. The wear and tear included a wrist injury that didn’t require surgery. Johnson was replaced by Philadelphia receiver DeSean Jackson.

Left tackle Duane Brown, who replaced Eagles offensive tackle Jason Peters last week, will join Watt at the Pro Bowl. It’s a second consecutive appearance for Brown and Watt.

Johnson, 32, was voted to the Pro Bowl for the seventh time in his 12-year career after catching 109 passes for 1,407 yards and five touchdowns. He started every game for the last two seasons.


(nfl.com)

Frank Gore was bottled up for 14 yards on 11 carries in San Francisco's NFC Championship Game loss to Seattle.
He added one catch for 17 yards. Gore was simply erased by Seattle's hot-and-cold run defense, getting stopped for two yards or fewer on nine of his 11 carries. He was dropped for a loss three times. It was a disappointing end to a season where Gore appeared to wear down in the second half. Although Gore surpassed 1,000 yards on the ground for the seventh time in eight years, his 4.1 yards per carry was a career low. Going on 31, Gore is headed into the final year of his contract. Whether it's by Kendall Hunter or Marcus Lattimore, expect Gore to be spelled more often in 2014.


(rotoworld.com)

DENVER - As the city of Denver celebrated the sixth berth of its Broncos in the Super Bowl by painting the town orange on Sunday evening, Orlando Franklin’s thoughts were on another metropolis, a place he still calls home.

“This is 100% for Toronto,” the behemoth right tackle of the Broncos said after their 26-16 win over the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game. “This is great. But we have one more step to take.”

A step he hopes will come at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Feb. 2 when Franklin and his teammates play in the Super Bowl.

“I can think of nothing better than to bring back a Super Bowl title up to Toronto,” he said.

From developing his football skills as a kid with the Scarborough Thunder to spending a couple of stints at an East Toronto juvenile detention centre, Franklin’s meandering path from southern Ontario to the Super Bowl is now just one win shy of being complete.

Making this particular Sunday even more special was that Franklin’s mother Sylvia was in the stands to see her son and the rest of the Denver offensive line dominate the Patriots in the trenches, leaving franchise QB Peyton Manning virtually untouched all afternoon.

“All the guys ... Orlando ... I can’t say enough about the job they did out there,” Manning said. “They are a very close knit group.”

Sylvia will also be in New Jersey in two weeks. As the woman whom Franklin credits with keeping him from remaining in the “dark place” of crime and confusion he found himself in as a young teenager, she may have been the most thrilled person in the stadium on Sunday.


(torontosun.com)

The Baltimore Sun mentions ex-Browns coach Rob Chudzinski as a candidate for the Ravens offensive coordinator vacancy.
Chudzinski's fit with the Ravens would be an awfully intriguing one. He likes his offenses to get vertical, which would seem to mesh perfectly with Joe Flacco's big arm and Torrey Smith's deep speed. As we know, Chudzinski also loves his tight ends. If the Ravens can re-sign Dennis Pitta -- he'll likely be franchise-tagged if not -- he becomes an even hotter name as a fantasy tight end. Other candidates mentioned for the Baltimore opening are ex-Redskins OC Kyle Shanahan, ex-Texans coach Gary Kubiak, in-house WRs coach Jim Hostler, Saints QBs coach Joe Lombardi, and Chiefs "spread game analyst" Brad Childress.


(rotoworld.com)

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne is on the verge of taking the next step in his rehabilitation.

Wayne, out for the final 10 games of the season with a torn ACL, will start doing straight ahead running the week of January 25. He gave the update on his weekly radio show on WNDE 1260-AM in Indianapolis.

“Feel very good,” Wayne said on his show. “Ahead of schedule and that’s all I can ask for ... I’ve been walking quite often. That’s basically the next phase, I get to run on the treadmill.”

Wayne knows people doubt his ability to recover from ACL surgery. The 35-year-old Wayne used to let those comments fuel him, but not anymore. He doesn’t need the extra motivation.

“At one point in time in my career it would have really upset me but I’ve been hearing stuff like that so much whether I’m able to do it, can I come back from it,” Wayne said on WNDE. “I’m to the point I don’t really need that stuff to fuel me. I’m already self-motivated.”


(espn.com)

Lauryn Williams and Lolo Jones were selected for the U.S. bobsled team that will compete in next month’s Sochi Olympics.

They are now positioned to join a group of eight other Americans who have competed in both the Summer and Winter Games. Williams is a three-time summer Olympian who helped the U.S. win a gold medal in the 400-meter relay at the London Games. Jones is a two-time veteran of the summer games in the 100-meter hurdles, missing out on gold in Beijing after a late stumble.

Jones is in her second season of bobsledding, then recruited Williams to the sport last year. They will join Aja Evans, another Winter Olympic first-timer, as the push athletes in Sochi, along with drivers Jamie Greubel, Elana Meyers and Jazmine Fenlator.


(ap.com)

PHOENIX -- The son of a baseball Hall of Famer had the biggest game of his young pro basketball career, and the Dallas Mavericks probably wouldn't have won without him.

Rookie Shane Larkin, son of Cincinnati Reds great Barry Larkin, scored a career-high 18 points, half of them in the final quarter, and the Mavericks held on to beat the Phoenix Suns 110-107 on Friday night.

Larkin, the 18th overall draft pick out of Miami, scored six in the last 2:42, capped by a pair of free throws with 11.1 seconds left.

"Sometimes you think as a rookie that you don't want to mess up," he said. "You want to play smart, you don't want to do anything that the coach is uncomfortable (with). Tonight it was, 'Just go play. We need you to play and we need you to play well and do the things that you can do.'"

Larkin was forced into extra duty when starting guard Jose Calderon hurt his knee in the first half.

"It's the most minutes I've played since college," he said.

Larkin made 6 of 8 shots, including two of three 3-pointers and had five assists in 26 1/2 minutes.

"That's why we drafted him," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "We felt like he could have this kind of impact."

The Suns had a last chance to tie it when Vince Carter turned it over trying to inbound the ball after a basket by Phoenix with 6.7 seconds left. But P.J. Tucker's try from the corner rimmed out, and replays showed his foot was on the line so it would have been for two points, anyway.

Monta Ellis scored 24 and Dirk Nowitzki 21 for the Mavericks, who never trailed. Shawn Marion scored eight of his 16 in the third quarter for Dallas.
Goran Dragic scored 28 points, and Markieff Morris added 23, including 14 in the final quarter, and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Dallas led 104-94 after Larkin's running 5-footer with 2:53 to go. Markieff Morris' four-point play with 2:30 to go cut it to 103-98, but Nowitzki sank a 20-footer and it was 106-98 with 1:47 to go.

Larkin's two free throws put Dallas ahead 108-101 with 1:19 left, then Dragic led the Suns on a frenzied run.

His driving layup, followed by his 5-footer cut the lead to 108-105 with 14.1 seconds to play. Larkin's two free throws boosted it to 110-105 with 11.1 seconds to go. Dragic scored again inside to trim it to 110-107 with 6.7 seconds remaining, then Carter lost the ball and touched it again while he was trying to inbound it for a turnover giving the Suns one last chance.


(espn.com)

Toronto Raptors’ F John Salmons didn’t take the court Sunday versus the Lakers.

Salmons was removed from Friday's contest with back spasms, bringing to a close a seven-game stretch earning 20-plus minutes. Coach Dwane Casey relayed that Terrence Ross will be handed more playing time than usual, with Steve Novak or Landry Fields picking up minutes off the bench. Meanwhile, consider Salmons questionable for Monday's outing in Charlotte.


(rotowire.com)

Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports that Jon Jay is looking forward to competing with Peter Bourjos for the team's starting role in center field.
While he faces an uphill battle, the 28-year-old outfielder is approaching this offseason the same way that he's approached any other, under the impression that he'll be playing on a regular basis. As a likely fourth outfielder though, his fantasy value is extremely limited.


(rotoworld.com)

Ryan Braun will have his first big intermingling with Brewers fans since his suspension at the annual "Brewers On Deck" fan event on Sunday, Jan. 26, at the Wisconsin Center.

Braun will be among 28 players the club lists to attend along with manager Ron Roenicke, coaches, front office personnel, broadcasters -- including Bob Uecker -- and alumni, including Robin Yount, Rollie Fingers and Gorman Thomas.

Since his 65-game suspension at the end of last season for violations of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, Braun's only public appearance was in the team's Thanksgiving food drive.

This year there is free admission to the event, set to run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, and no tickets are required.

Food donations will be accepted through the Hunger Task Force at two main entrances to the Wisconsin Center, located at 4th Street and Wisconsin Avenue and 4th Street and Wells Street.


(mlb.com)

The St. Louis Cardinals avoided arbitration with multiple players by agreeing to contract numbers on Friday.

The Cardinals agreed to one-year deals with outfielders Jon Jay and Peter Bourjos.

Jay will make $3.25 million in 2014 while Bourjos will earn $1.2 million with a $150,000 bonus available through incentives.


(kmaland.com)