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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- At least one-third of the Power Five conference schools are not punishing athletes as harshly as they were 10 years ago for testing positive for marijuana and other so-called recreational drugs, according to an investigation by The Associated Press.
NEW YORK (AP) --
Stephen Curry heard about a shooting involving a 3-year-old girl over the summer.
"My daughter Riley is that age," he said.
That begins a public service announcement that debuts on Christmas and features four NBA stars lending their voices to the campaign to end gun violence.
Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Joakim Noah also are featured in the spot in support of Everytown for Gun Safety, the nation's largest violence prevention organization in the country.
"The gun should never be an option," Anthony says in the spot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPcZo-f6Fhc that will air during the league's heavily viewed holiday schedule.
Director and basketball fan Spike Lee is a member of the organization's creative council and worked to get the league and its players involved in what Jason Rzepka, Everytown's director of cultural engagement, calls a "new high-water mark for our work."
"I think (Lee) sensed and saw that our guys were feeling that same passion that he had and he reached out to Adam (Silver) and said I want to do something about this and I think we should do it together, and we thought it was a good idea," said Kathy Behrens, the NBA's president of social responsibility and player programs.
"The guys really wanted to kind of put their voices behind this, and so we like the way it's come together and I think the guys speak very passionately about the issue of trying to end gun violence, trying to make their communities stronger and safer for families."
The players are joined during the 32-second spot by survivors of gun violence and others who are holding pictures of loved ones who were killed.
"We could not be more thrilled about this as a platform to be able to reach new audiences, to continue to focus the country's attention on the fact that 88 Americans die as a result of gun violence each day," Rzepka said.
The project came together within the last month, and Behrens said more players would have wanted to be involved if they had more time. Even so, Rzepka said the organization never had such involvement from professional athletes, calling it "pretty remarkable to have survivors of gun violence standing shoulder to shoulder with some of the biggest stars."
"Oftentimes, the stories of the everyday Americans who deal with this issue in a profound way because they've lost someone they love to gun violence, those stories often go untold," Rzepka said.
The spot ends with the voice of Curry, whose daughter charmed fans during Golden State's playoff run, saying, "We can end gun violence."
The Bulls' Noah, in Chicago, and Anthony, in his hometown of Baltimore, have been particularly vocal about making their cities safer. Behrens said the league's involvement was a natural fit, in line with other community service initiatives such as the White House's My Brother's Keeper program.
"You need to raise awareness and you need to do it in a way that makes people realize there is something that they can do, and that's really how the spot ends," she said. "We can do something about this and that's the point. If we can then we should."
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) —
Joe Anderson's outside-the-box thinking finally paid off.
The wide receiver was signed to the New York Jets' practice squad Tuesday, about six weeks after he stood outside the Houston Texans' stadium for a few days with a sign asking for an NFL job.
Anderson posted a picture of himself holding a piece of cardboard box with the words "Not homeless ... but STARVING for success" on Instagram that quickly went viral. He also wrote on the sign in black marker: "Will Run Routes 4 Food" and added the hashtags: Whateverittakes, UnderDog, Hungry and IBelieve.
He practiced with the Jets on Tuesday, rejoining former Chicago teammate and fellow wide receiver Brandon Marshall.
Anderson was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent out of Texas Southern in 2012 and played in nine games, mostly on special teams, for parts of two seasons. His 2013 season ended with an abdominal and groin injury that landed him on injured reserve and he was later waived.
He was with Philadelphia in the 2014 offseason and spent time in the CFL, but had been out of a job in football this season.
Anderson took a desperate and creative approach for looking for a new employer by hitting the streets. He stood outside the Texans' facility at NRG Stadium in Houston and held up his sign for everyone to see.
"Lord it's all in your hands," he wrote on Instagram last month in his caption to the photo. "All I know is that I believe it by faith and see it all happening even when it looks like a joke before the eyes of man!"
The married father of two added that it was not a publicity stunt, but he was doing it to fulfill a dream and to inspire others to do the same.
"It's bigger than just collecting a check to me, straight up!" Anderson wrote. "The way I do what I do and why I do what I do isn't just to score touchdowns and gain fame. That's far from the case. I don't need all that 'cause I'm already famous in spirit and you can't get no (more) famous than that. When I get my shot, you'll see what the Lord is truly about to do in my life and I pray with all my heart it inspires you to never give up."
Marshall saw the post last month and was moved by Anderson's actions.
"Wow, this is humility right here," Marshall wrote on Instagram.
He added that Anderson was "one of the hardest-working guys I've had the pleasure of playing with" while they were with the Bears.
"Some may call him #crazy," Marshall wrote. "Hell, I had to stop and really see his strength in this. I watched this guy grow so much. JOE you're the kinda of guy I want to play with. You're the guy I want in my FOXHOLE. I don't care if it's covering kicks. #mindovermatter."
Anderson, 27, played at Louisiana Tech before transferring to Texas Southern and playing for three years there while recording 154 catches for 2,010 yards and 13 touchdowns. As a rookie with the Bears in 2012, he had three special teams tackles in the final three games of the season. He had another special teams tackle the next season in six games, and returned five kicks for 82 yards.
HOUSTON (AP) —
Houston quarterback Brian Hoyer will miss Sunday's game against Indianapolis because of a concussion.
Coach Bill O'Brien had listed Hoyer as doubtful, then said on Wednesday that he will be out against the Colts.
It's the second concussion in less than a month for Hoyer, who also missed a game after getting one on Nov. 16 against the Bengals. He suffered this concussion after being sacked five times in a 27-6 loss to New England on Sunday.
With Hoyer out, the Texans will look to T.J. Yates, who started the last time Hoyer was out and led them to a win. Brandon Weeden will back him up.
Houston enters Sunday's game tied with the Colts for first place in the AFC South.
EAGLE PASS BOMBERS proudly brought in a 1st place runner-up silver ring championship victory from National championship tournament at San Antonio,Tx McAllister Park. Head coach Alfred Rodriguez Asst. coaches: Manuel Melchor ,Chris Rodriguez and Greg Romero.
TOURNAMENT PITCHERS
JimmyJoe Lopez
Eddie Sepulveda
Roger Menchaca
Juan Jesus Garza
Fabian Velasquez
HOMERUN HITTERS
Roger Mancha
Manuel Melchor
Omar Salazar
Fabian Velasquez
Juan Jesus Garza
IRVING, Texas (AP) —
Matt Cassel was enjoying his first win as the Dallas starter when the question of getting the ball to Dez Bryant came up after the game in Washington.
The Cowboys quarterback knew the right answer, and didn't hesitate at all to give it: He had to get better at finding the All-Pro receiver.
Cassel may be new to Dallas, and merely filling in for Tony Romo, but the 33-year-old has been here before. He replaced an injured Tom Brady for almost the entire 2008 season in New England. And the Patriots had a vocal receiving star in Randy Moss.
"All those guys have a competitive edge to them, and that's the reason that makes them so good," Cassel said Wednesday. "At the same time, it's my job obviously to, in whatever capacity I can, continue to get him the ball and do those things, but also be open with him and talk to him and try to alleviate some of those issues that might come up."
Bryant was particularly mouthy on the sideline after Cassel didn't see him on what could have been a touchdown against a blitz by the Redskins in the first half Monday night. He went three periods without a catch.
But the pair connected three times for 62 yards in the fourth quarter of a 19-16 victory, starting with a 42-yarder that set up a tying field goal. The other two were the key catches on a drive to the winning field goal in the final seconds.
"I was really pleased with how he worked his way through that frustration and showed up late in the game to make a difference for our team," coach Jason Garrett said of Bryant.
Cassel came to the Cowboys from Buffalo in a trade two weeks into the season after the first of Romo's two broken left collarbones. He was thrust into the starting job when Dallas decided backup Brandon Weeden wasn't the answer after three straight losses.
At that point, Bryant was still out with a broken right foot, and even when he returned, practice time was limited. Bryant had his only 100-yard receiving game of the year (104 yards) in his second game back with Cassel before Romo returned two weeks later.
Now that Romo is out again and Bryant is close to healthy after also battling a knee issue, Cassel is getting his best chance to build a rapport with Bryant while the Cowboys (4-8) are somehow still alive in the NFC East with a visit to Green Bay (8-4) coming Sunday.
"I think it always takes time. There's no doubt about it," said Cassel, who lost four starts before Romo's return and won the first game after the Dallas star was injured again. "I think Dez and I haven't had a lot of time on task, but at the same time, I think we're definitely getting to learn one another."
Bryant, who has had a testy relationship with reporters this season, chatted informally with a few of them Thursday, smiling a lot and even saying he wasn't bothered by getting shut out most of the Washington game.
Last year's NFL leader in receiving touchdowns is also returning to the scene of his catch that wasn't in a playoff loss to Green Bay last season, an outcome he said left him moping on his couch for two weeks.
But Bryant said he'll be trying to put the hotly debated play behind him on game day. And his quarterback for the rematch wasn't even there in January.
"You've got to guard against, 'I've got to get someone the ball early,' because the defense has a game plan," offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. "Dez is certainly a game-changing player for that. It's something we're working on. I don't think since the return we've been able to do it as consistent as we'd like."
Then again, the Cowboys haven't had a consistent practice plan. First, Cassel didn't have Bryant at all. Then after three games together, back came Romo. And then out went Romo again. But Bryant's health might be the key to the issue.
"I think the further we move away from his surgery and everything," Cassel said, "you get more opportunities out there on the practice field to continue to build that relationship."
And Cassel's been around long enough to know how important that is.
HOUSTON (AP) —
Houston star defensive end J.J. Watt isn't worried about people trying to come after him Sunday to take advantage of his broken left hand.
"Let them try," Watt said. "I mean what? The opposing players come after me every week with every type of thing in the book you can think of. So feel free, go ahead come at me. I'll take advantage of whatever you try to do. It's my job to get to the quarterback. That's what I do. You can try and take advantage of whatever you want to take advantage of."
Watt broke his left hand in practice on Wednesday, but said he'll play Sunday.
Watt, who leads the NFL with 13 ½ sacks, had a black cast covering his left hand and wrist on Thursday. But both Watt and coach Bill O'Brien said they don't expect the injury to hamper last year's Defensive Player of the Year.
The Texans (6-6) host the New England Patriots (10-2) on Sunday night.
"People are going to try to make a big deal out of this, but I've played with worse than this before, even this season," Watt said. "This I'm not very worried about. My elbow a couple years back was way more painful. This was painful when it happened, but it's football. In a game of football you're going to play with pain. If you don't play with pain you're probably in the wrong sport."
Watt wouldn't say exactly how he suffered the injury other than it was in practice playing football. He said he knew as soon as it happened that it was broken. Watt couldn't remember if he'd ever played a game with a broken bone before at any level of football.
He was asked how long he expects to have to wear the cast.
"I don't know how fast bones heal," Watt said. "I listen to the people who do."
A.D. Ibarra
-Eagle Pass
As both the Laredo United Longhorns, who fell 45-0 to the Judson Rockets and Del Rio Rams recently bowed out in the 2015 State UIl Football Playoffs, the latter giving the Steele Knights all they could handle in a 28-10 game played at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos, Head Coach Tom Gonzalez has officially informed The News Gram that several Eagle Pass Eagles Football Players have been honored by the Coaches Committee of District 29-AAAAAA as they were named 2015 All-District Selections.
Ricky Medina was named 2nd Team All-District QB. Mark Venegas was named 2nd Team All-District Running Back. Jose Riojas received two different all district nominations, the first as 2nd Team All-District Slot Receiver and the second as 2nd Team All-District Punter and former News Gram Player of the Week David Ramos was named 2nd Team All-District Outside Linebacker. Defensive Tackle Jesus Fernandez, Defensive End Angel Miranda, Linebacker Mando Lopez, Cornerback Darwin Lechler, Wide Receiver Ricky Reyes, Tackle Jovan Garza, Guard Iram Gaytan, Tackle Adrian Rodriguez and Defensive Tackle Haran Rodriguez received All-District 29-AAAAAA Honorable Mention honors.
Soon after traveling to Laredo, Texas to capture two more wins versus Mary Help Middle School (46-36) and United Day (43-22), the young and talented Eagles Orange and White teams had a one day break and went back to work at our local Melba Rivera Annual Tournament on Dec. 4-5.
The7th/8th tournament included teams from Del Rio, Uvalde, La Pryor and Eagle Pass Jr. High and Memorial Jr. High as well.
Tournament action for 7th graders commenced with the battle of the undefeated, as the Uvalde Coyotes squared off against the Eagles Orange on Friday. While Uvalde presented a very tough match up early on, the Eagles proved they were well prepared and were not about to allow their first loss of the season, as they handed Uvalde their first loss in a (45-28) victory. The initial game was followed by the undefeated Eagles White squaring off against another undefeated Uvalde B team. Eagles White controlled the action and handed Uvalde B their first loss as well in a (38-24) battle.
The Eagles Orange faced the Del Rio Rams in their second encounter on Friday and proved that they had a different goal in mind as they capped off Friday's action by beating the Del Rio Rams (55-14) and advancing to potentially win it all in a final game on Saturday vs. the Memorial Mavericks.
Tournament action resumed Saturday morning at the SAC where the Eagles White matched up against a very tough and big La Pryor A team responsible for handing Del Rio B and the Memorial Mavericks B their first tournament losses on Friday. Unfortunately for La Pryor, the young Eagles White proved they also had other plans in mind, as they advanced by defeating La Pryor A and handing them their first loss in a (36-17) victory. While the Eagles Orange only had the Memorial Mavericks remaining on their schedule of teams to beat on Saturday, the Eagles White waited to meet the winner of Uvalde and La Pryor in the Championship on that very same Saturday. A strong and resilient Uvalde B team ended up beating the strong La Pryor A team only to square off against the Eagles White once again in the championship game of the second bracket.
Finally, as the Eagles Orange and White teams both managed to remain on their respective Winner's tournament brackets, final championship tournament action was set for 1:00 and 2:00 pm on Saturday at our very own Student Activity Center, with both Eagles Orange and White teams advancing to championship games.
The Eagles Orange secured the first Melba Rivera Championship crown by defeating the Mavericks convincingly in a (56-25) victory and improving their record to (6-0), while the Eagles White team proved they wanted more of the same as they eliminated Uvalde B by a score of (18-15) in a very hard fought defensive battle, which ultimately ended with the Eagles White team capturing a second MR Championship while improving their record to (6-0) as well.
Coach R. Rodriguez has set high expectations for his young Eagles 7th team. They will continue to diversify their offense, while they work hard to strengthen their defense, as they look to add to their success in the future. The young 7th grade Eagles combined efforts improve to an impressive 12-0 overall record, as they not only captured one, but two championship titles.
On behalf of Coach Rodriguez and all his players, a special thanks to all the parents and friends who showed their support throughout the entire weekend tournament, as they proved to be the loudest fans of all in the entire 7th Boys Melba Rivera tournament. Congratulations to all the players and families. Go Eagles!!!
