Digital Sports Desk

The online destination for sports purists

Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Back

by Leave a Comment

FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report – Special to Digital Sports Desk) – Tom Brady is back at work and the All-Pro quarterback of the New England Patriots was not the only one returning from a four-game suspension.

“Obviously it’s exciting getting Tom back,” said Brady’s favorite target, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who missed two games with a hamstring injury and has only one reception this season.

<> at Gillette Stadium on October 13, 2013 in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

Tom Brady (Getty Images)

Brady sat out the first four games of the regular season for his role in what the NFL alleged was intentionally deflating game-used footballs during the 2015 AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts. Commissioner Roger Goodell said during the 21-month off-field battle that Brady’s actions that day and during the investigation of pregame practices by the Patriots’ equipment staff led the league office to act in protection of “the shield.”

The Patriots were 3-1 using backups Jimmy Garoppolo (2-0) and Jacoby Brissett (1-1) at quarterback.

Not all suspensions are created equally, but many other top-paid performers are due back this week.

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus rejoins the team this week at Los Angeles. The Bills’ highest-paid player should bring energy and impact — if he’s in shape — to a defense riding high off of a shutout of the Patriots at Foxborough in Week 4 and another stellar showing the week prior against the Arizona Cardinals.

Dareus was banned four games for a repeat violation of the NFL’s drug policy.

Le’Veon Bell returned to the Steelers on Sunday night and the Pro Bowl running back made his presence felt in Pittsburgh’s landslide victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Bell rang up 178 total yards Sunday night and the Chiefs struggled to bring him down with one defender on repeated occasions in a 43-14 loss.

“He’s ‘The Juice,'” All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown said of Bell’s game Sunday. “He’s the No. 1 back I feel like in the league and, just having his presence out there, any given time you can see him take it to the house.”

Bell, suspended for a second marijuana-related violation, was also making his first regular-season appearance since tearing the MCL and PCL in his right knee last season, an injury caused by a Vontaze Burfict tackle. Burfict also debuted in Week 4 with the Bengals. The linebacker was suspended for repeat violations of the player safety rules.

Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant was banned for the entire 2016 season for a violation of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.

Brady’s teammate, outside linebacker, Rob Ninkovich, is due back Monday from his own four-game suspension. He was suspended for testing positive for a banned substance, and the announcement of his absence came just days before the regular-season opener.

Former Pro Bowl wide receiver Josh Gordon is eligible to return to the Cleveland Browns from his latest suspension but he will not be on the field when the Patriots visit on Sunday. Gordon announced last week he was checking into a rehab facility. Browns outside linebacker Armonty Bryant was eligible to return from suspension Monday, but Cleveland placed him on waivers.

Defensive end Demarcus Lawrence is scheduled to return Monday to the Dallas Cowboys, who began the season without their top two pass rushers — Lawrence and Randy Gregory, who is out 14 games for separate violations.

“I can’t wait,” Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said of Lawrence. “It will be fun to get him working and keep improving each week.”
Lawrence led the Cowboys with 31 quarterback pressures last season.

Among other players returning from four-game suspensions this week are Colts defensive lineman Arthur Jones, Falcons cornerback Jalen Collins, Jaguars defensive back Aaron Colvin and Packers defensive lineman Mike Pennel.

Ravens tight end Nick Boyle is serving a 10-game suspension after a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs.

Free agent quarterback Johnny Manziel, released by the Browns in March, was suspended four games for violating the substance-abuse policy. He might not be back at all.

Paul Pierce to Retire End of ’16-17 NBA Season

by Leave a Comment

LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Former Boston Celtics great Paul Pierce, currently with the Los Angeles Clippers, announced he will retire from the NBA at the end of the 2016-17 season, his 19th in the league. The 38-year-old Pierce made the announcement in a post published by The Players’ Tribune. Pierce said he is eager to win a championship with the Clippers.

“This is it, my final season,” Pierce wrote. “It’s time to move on from the game of basketball. Just like any difficult decision, I think you’ve got to be at peace with yourself. I’m at peace with retiring, but I’ve got one more ride left. One more season. One more opportunity.

“With the Clippers, in the city where I grew up, I feel like I have that opportunity on a great team. We’re hungry. We want to win a championship.

“After 18 NBA years, it’s hard to believe I’ll be playing in each arena for the last time. So I’m going to enjoy every practice, every bus ride, every team dinner, every time running out through the tunnel. I’m going to do my part to give us a shot at the ultimate goal.”

Pierce was selected in the first round of the 1998 NBA draft and spent his first 15 seasons with the Boston Celtics — nine of them for Clippers coach Doc Rivers, including winning the NBA championship in 2007.

Pierce, who has also played for the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, signed a three-year, $10 million deal with the Clippers before last season.

The 6-foot-7, 235-pound Pierce was named an NBA All-Star 10 times and enters this season fourth on the all-time list in 3-point field goals made. He has averaged 20 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game in his career.

KG Retires From NBA

by Leave a Comment

MINNEAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett, the former Boston Celtics champion, announced his retirement after 21 NBA seasons in the league.

“It has been a real joy to watch KG come into the league as a young man and watch him develop his skills to become one of the very best in the NBA,” said Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor. “I have treasured the opportunity to see him grow as a leader. I wish him continued success in the next chapter of his life. His Minnesota fans will always cherish the memories he has provided.”

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Garnett and the Timberwolves reached a contract settlement earlier Friday. Garnett was signed for $8 million this season. Garnett, 40, easily the most productive player in Timberwolves franchise history, spent 13 1/2 of his 21 NBA seasons with Minnesota.

He was drafted out of high school in 1995 and developed into one of the top power forwards in NBA history.

The 15-time All-Star ranks 17th with 26,071 career points, ninth in career rebounds with 14,662 and 17th in blocked shots with 2,037.

“Kevin Garnett is one of the fiercest competitors our league has ever seen,” NBA comissioner Adam Silver said in a statment. “He held himself to the highest standard of preparation and performance for a remarkable 21 seasons. On behalf of the NBA family, I thank Kevin for his sustained excellence and the enormous impact he’s had on the game.”

Garnett played in just 38 games last season due to knee and leg injuries and averaged just 3.2 points and 3.9 rebounds. His value lied more in terms of being a mentor for young stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins than for his production.

The Timberwolves hired Tom Thibodeau as coach and president in the offseason as well as a new general manager in Scott Layden. The duo is charged with completing the rebuilding process and halting a playoff absence that dates back to the 2003-04 campaign.

That meant resolving the Garnett situation in a manner that would eliminate the veteran from the roster prior to Tuesday’s opening of training camp.
Garnett was drafted fifth overall out in 1995 and quickly blossomed into a major star and franchise icon. He averaged over 20 points in nine consecutive seasons and earned MVP honors in 2003-04 when he averaged 24.2 points and 13.9 rebounds.

Kevin Garnett

Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics in 2007 and was part of that franchise’s 2008 championship squad.

“Very few players can affect an organization like Kevin did here in Boston, both on and off the court,” Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said in a statement. “He led our team by example every day with his drive, his passion, and his relentless commitment to winning. While always putting team ahead of individual, Kevin earned his place among the greatest players in Celtic and NBA history.”

Garnett returned to Minnesota prior to the trading deadline in 2015, when he was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets. He played in just five games prior to the end of the season.

Upon returning to Minnesota, Garnett spoke of his desire to become part owner of the team once his playing career again. But last year’s death of Flip Saunders, the coach and president of basketball operations, began a transformation that now has Thibodeau and Layden shaping the team’s future.

Buffalo Bills Shut Down NE Patriots; Brady Suspension Ends

by Leave a Comment

Buffalo 16, New England 0
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, October 2, 2016
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Attendance: 66,829

FOXBORO  – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Buffalo Bills started a fight before the game and then finished it, outplaying the New England Patriots in cruising to a historic 16-0 victory on Sunday. The Bills (2-2) won their second straight since switching offensive coordinators and scored the franchise’s first road shutout since Nov. 4, 1990. Buffalo handed the Patriots, 3-1 during Tom Brady’s four-game Deflategate suspension, their first shutout loss in the 15-year history of Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots’ previous home shutout loss was in 1993 and the last time the team went scoreless was in 2006. Buffalo limited the Patriots, who started rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett for the second game in a row, to 13 first downs and 1 of 12 on third-down conversions.

Bills Defense surrounds Patriots RB LaGarrette Blount

 

Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw for 246 yards and a touchdown and ran for 28 yards. Dan Carpenter kicked three field goals for the Bills, but the story of the game was the Buffalo defense.

Linebacker Zach Brown initiated the biggest play of the game when he drilled Brissett in the second quarter to force a fumble and halt New England’s deepest penetration in the game. The home team got into Buffalo territory only three times in the game, frustrating Patriots coach Bill Belichick to the point when he slammed his tablet to the ground in the first half. Things didn’t get much better. The Patriots, coming off of a shutout of the Houston Texans in Week 3, fumbled five times and had nine penalties.

Brissett, playing with his injured right thumb bandaged was jogging down the sideline when the Bills took issue with where he was on the field and safety Robert Blanton shoved him, starring a fracas.

The Bills were equally rude to the rook once the game began.

Brissett, apparently the less-injured of the Brady backups, allowing him to play and Jimmy Garoppolo to be inactive, did some things right but made several mistakes. He finished 17 of 27 for 205 yards, with tight end Martellus Bennett gaining 109 of those yards on five catches – the fourth 100-yard game of his career.

Buffalo also held LeGarrette Blount, the AFC Player of the Month for September, to 54 yards on 13 carries.

Taylor competed 27 of 39 passes, including seven passes for 89 yards to wide receiver Robert Woods. LeSean McCoy ran for 70 yards on 19 carries and caught a 7-yard touchdown pass that opened the scoring on Buffalo’s first drive.

NOTES: Patriots QB Tom Brady’s four-game suspension ends Sunday. He is eligible to practice Monday, his first permitted team activity since Sept. 4. … A pregame melee on the sideline, started by Buffalo S Robert Blanton with a shove of QB Jacoby Brissett, saw Brissett continue his jog as the skirmish continued. Saying “it goes back to Rex,” Patriots president Jonathan Kraft, speaking on the team’s radio pre-game show, added, “That’s why Rex is Rex and that’s why Bill is Bill (Belichick).” … LB Dont’a Hightower returned to the New England lineup after being out since suffering a knee injury in the opener. … TE Rob Gronkowski, who played sparingly in his 2016 debut Sept. 22, has his first reception of the season Sunday. …The Bills placed WR Sammy Watkins (foot) on injured Saturday, got OT Cordy Glenn back after he missed two games with an ankle injury. CB Ronald Darby (hamstring) also returned, while receiver Greg Salas (groin) missed his second straight game. … Bills RB Reggie Bush was inactive for the first time. He dressed Sept. 25 but did not play.

MLB Awards: Close to Call?

by Leave a Comment

(Wire Service Report – Special to Digital Sports Desk) – Close calls: we’ve had plenty of them in this baseball season. The final playoff spots and postseason seedings came down to results of games on the final day of the regular season.

In forecasting who will win the major MLB awards this year, there are plenty of close calls, too. There were a half-dozen players who could have a case for the American League MVP and nearly as many for the National League MVP. The AL Rookie of the Year might be the toughest call of all.
Here, then, are our predictions for how things will shake out when voting by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America is complete. As with the ballots that will be cast we have a top 10 for the MVP awards, top five for the Cy Young awards and top three for both the Manager of the Year and Rookie of the Year. (All statistics are entering play on Oct. 2nd).
AL MVP
1. David Ortiz (Red Sox)
2. Mike Trout (Angels)
3. Jose Altuve (Astros)
4. Mookie Betts (Red Sox)
5. Manny Machado (Orioles)
6. Josh Donaldson (Blue Jays)
7. Adrian Beltre (Rangers)
8. Francisco Lindor (Indians)
9. Zach Britton (Orioles)
10. Robinson Cano (Mariners)

This was among the tougher categories and we could see all of the top six on this list garnering at least one first-place vote. Ortiz caps an historic final season at age 40 by getting our pick because he not only lead the league in OPS (1.027) and RBI (127) and finished in the top five in batting average (.317) and top 10 in home runs (38) but no one was more valuable to a contender. Ortiz made the Red Sox the Red Sox.

It would have been easy to write Mike Trout’s name in at the top because he is consistently great across the board but, though it wasn’t his fault, he didn’t play in games where the stakes and pressure were as high as everyone else on this list. Altuve also was the most-important player on a contender, had a top-five OPS (.930) and won the batting title (.338).

AL CY YOUNG
1. Zach Britton (Orioles)
2. Rick Porcello (Red Sox)
3. Justin Verlander (Tigers)
4. Corey Kluber (Indians)
5. Chris Sale (White Sox)
Surely this will be a controversial pick because Britton threw about 150 fewer innings than the other top contenders. However there is an argument that he was the most valuable player on contender that has a deeply flawed starting rotation. The bullpen compensated for that lack of pitching and Britton was a perfect 47-for-47 in save opportunities. In 68 appearances he allowed four earned runs for a 0.55 ERA — which would be the lowest ever from a pitcher with at least 65 innings pitched — and has a 0.827 WHIP. One could also say that he contributed in more wins than any one else on this ballot.
Porcello’s comeback story from a 9-15 season is a beauty and a 22-4 record with a 3.15 ERA would make him the pick for people who do not believe relievers should be considered for this award.
AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1. Michael Fulmer (Tigers)
2. Gary Sanchez (Yankees)
3. Tyler Naquin (Indians)
This one looked like a runaway for Fulmer until the last two months of the season when Sanchez came up on Aug. 3 and began doing his Babe Ruth impression, reaching the 20 home runs mark faster than anyone in history while Fulmer had a tough September.
But there is no denying what Fulmer has done. He went into Detroit’s rotation before the end of April and contributed for a contender for essentially the entire season, finishing 11-7 with a 3.06 ERA. Fulmer is a main reason why the Tigers season went as it did.
AL MANAGER OF THE YEAR
1. Terry Francona (Indians)
2. Buck Showalter (Orioles)
3. Jeff Banister (Rangers)
Francona will win this award for the second time since heading up the Indians and, boy, does he deserve it. Cleveland lost top player Michael Brantley for the season in the early going and the injuries kept coming. Still, he guided the Tribe to their first AL Central crown in nine years with relative ease. He gets special kudos for the decision to deploy reliever Andrew Miller in untraditional spots where games seemed on the line.
NL MVP
1. Kris Bryant (Cubs)
2. Daniel Murphy (Nationals)
3. Nolan Arenado (Rockies)
4. Anthony Rizzo (Cubs)
5. Corey Seager (Dodgers)
6. Yoenis Cespedes (Mets)
7. Joey Votto (Reds)
8. Max Scherzer (Nationals)
9. Jon Lester (Cubs)
10. Justin Turner (Dodgers)
Bryant has to be the pick here, though Arenado had a fabulous season and Seager and Murphy were the best offensive players on division champions. Bryant had 39 home runs, 102 RBI and 121 runs scored for the best regular-season team in the game. He also started at four different positions and played a total of six positions during the season, which speaks to his value. At the same time he was being one of the NL’s great power hitters, he was giving manager Joe Maddon’s lineup flexibility so that he could tailor lineups to attack an opponents’ specific weaknesses.
NL CY YOUNG
1. Max Scherzer (Nationals)
2. Jon Lester (Cubs)
3. Kyle Hendricks (Cubs)
4. Jose Fernandez (Marlins)
5. Jeurys Familia (Mets)
Scherzer should become the sixth pitcher to win a Cy Young award in each league after going 19-7 with a 2.82 ERA and helping the Nats cruise to the NL East title. His win total was tied for the league lead, his 223.1 innings pitched was second, his 0.94 WHIP led the league and so did his 277 strikeouts. On 18 occasions he went seven innings or more while allowing two runs or less.
A good debate is whether Lester or Hendricks was the better candidate from the Cubs. We went with Lester (19-5, 2.44 ERA) over Hendricks (16-8, 1.99 ERA) because of his 21 games where he allowed one run or less.
NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1. Corey Seager (Dodgers)
2. Seung Hwan Oh (Cardinals)
3. Kenta Maeda (Dodgers)
The only thing hard about this one was which player to pick second. Seager was at a .309 batting average with 26 home runs, 72 RBI and 105 runs scored and has a chance to be the unanimous pick for the prize. Oh places second for bailing St. Louis out as the closer after Trevor Rosenthal’s shoulder injury and coming through with 19 saves in 23 chances. Maeda takes third after going 16-10 with a 3.28 RA over 173 innings.
NL MANAGER OF THE YEAR
1. Dave Roberts (Dodgers)
2. Terry Collins (Mets)
3. Joe Maddon (Cubs)
Roberts kept winning despite a decimating spate of injuries that included losing ace Clayton Kershaw for nearly two months. The Dodgers had a record 28 players go to the disabled list and he had to call on 15 different starting pitchers. As a result of the health issues in the starting rotation, the Los Angeles bullpen was of enormous import; Roberts maneuvered it brilliantly as it threw more innings than any other team.

Copyright 2019

www.digitalsportsdesk.com