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hielen said the key to safety in kick coverage comes on the from corse178's blog

NAPLES, Fla. Marshawn Lynch Womens Jersey . -- A friend of Cristie Kerr just happened to get a new job, and shes hoping to get a chance to call and congratulate him.Thing is, its a little tough to get the next president of the United States on the phone.Kerr is a supporter of President-elect Donald Trump and considers her occasional golfing buddy a friend. She made an appearance on his reality show The Apprentice and had a relationship of sorts with the Trump Golf brand. She has held honorary membership at his courses for years.And now, shes thrilled that hes about to become First Golfer.I havent talked to him. I havent had a chance to congratulate him, Kerr said as she prepared for Thursdays start of the LPGA season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, which she won last year. I just still cant believe hes president-elect of the United States. I mean, every time I say it, its like, Wow. Really? Its just so shocking, all these protests around the country. Its a fair and square election. Everyone got to vote.Trump has a longstanding relationship with pro golf, some of it good, some not so good.He has hosted mens and womens events in the past, although his course in Doral, Florida, near Miami is off this seasons PGA Tour schedule for the first time in more than 50 years -- mainly because no sponsor could be found to support a tournament there. During a break in his campaign during the spring, Trump said he played a quick nine holes with LPGA player Lexi Thompson.Trump has said his being president would help golf.I love golf. I love playing it. Its a very important game, Trump said at Doral earlier this year. Its a great game. You can learn so much. You make so many great friends by playing it. But I will say this: It wont be good for my game, but itll be great for golf.His Trump National course in New Jersey is scheduled to host next years U.S. Womens Open, although three Democratic U.S. senators asked last month to have it moved elsewhere. The United States Golf Association has not moved the event, but those who run the game have expressed concern over Trumps polarizing comments.The USGA, PGA Tour, LPGA and PGA of America released a joint statement in 2015 to distance themselves from Trumps explosive remarks about Mexican immigrants when he announced his campaign for president. Those comments complicated matters when it came time to try to find a new sponsor for Doral.Trump repelled large swaths of the populace, including women and minorities, with his deeply divisive rhetoric during the campaign, but Kerr believes his corporate savvy will benefit the country.The person that Ive known over the years, he always does what he says hes going to do and he surrounds himself with really smart people, Kerr said. Im really happy for him. I hope people will grow to understand that he is a man of his word and he can get things done. Hopefully hell be the CEO of this country like hes been the CEO of his businesses.Kerrs relationship with Trump goes back more than a decade. She defended him last year and said that some of her LPGA colleagues are big fans of his, as well.I dont think people understand how moderate he is, Kerr said. Hes fiscally conservative. He wants to get the country back on track. But hes a little bit socially liberal from some aspects. Hopefully people can get to know him. Gareon Conley Womens Jersey . The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Nets said they would issue another update next week after consultation with their doctors. David Sharpe Womens Jersey .Y. -- Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored as the Calgary Flames started a five-game road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. http://www.raidersapparelsshop.com/obi-melifonwu-raiders-jersey-c-83/ .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. OXNARD, Calif. -- Chris Maragos cant imagine an NFL without kickoffs.The Philadelphia special teams ace admits to sounding like a lobbyist when he said he never feels safer during a play that the league keeps altering in an effort to reduce high-speed collisions, backed by statistics that show most injuries occur on kickoffs.With competition committee member Stephen Jones of the Dallas Cowboys suggesting that safety is more important than players making a living covering kickoffs and punts, Maragos is quick on the counterpoint.Yeah, things are moving fast and youre running down the field. But I never feel like my safetys compromised, at all, said Maragos, who is going into his seventh year as mostly a special teams player. From what people look on the outside in, it looks like a chaotic play. But the guys who are really mastering it know what theyre doing. Its pretty under control.Five years after moving the kickoff to the 35-yard line from the 30 to reduce the number of returns, the NFL is trying something else to encourage more touchbacks by putting the ball on the 25 instead of the 20 on a one-year trial.There is still plenty of dialogue, too.Senior vice president of officiating Dean Blandino held a conference call with special teams coaches during the offseason.Among other ideas being discussed are eliminating the running start for the coverage team and pulling players on the receiving team closer to the kickoff line so that theyre moving more in the same direction as the kicking team, making it more like blocking for a punt return.Blandino said he doesnt think the kickoff will be eliminated.Its a big part of the game, he said. Its an exciting play.But the league increasingly sees it as a dangerous play, particularly with so much attention on concussions. And thats where Jones isnt swayed by the idea that it might mean fewer opportunities for players who arent good enough to be stars on offense or defense.At the end of the day the players health and safety is the No. 1 priority in this league, said Jones, the executive vice president of personnel for the Cowboys. If that comes at the expense of something else thats not as high a priority, then we certainly have to accept that.One of the most noteworthy plays of 2015 was actually a punt return, when Dallas safety Jeff Heath blocked Ricardo Lockette when the Seattle coverage man was in full stride and didnt see him. It was a legal play, but the resulting neck injury ended Lockettes career.Gareon Conley Youth Jersey. While Heath has twice as many tackles on defense as Maragos in half the number of years, he still fits the special teams profile: part-time defensive player, full-time chaser of opposing kick returners. And he believes there will always be a need for that.Youre covering a lot of ground and youve got to be fast, said Heath, who is going into his fourth season. Theres a lot of skill that comes into it as well. Those type of guys tend to do well wherever they play. Defense, offense or special teams.Maragos would argue that kickoffs and punts are gateways to stardom, too. Among his peers, he points to Tennessee tight end Delanie Walker, his teammate in San Francisco when Maragos was a rookie. He says special teams helped keep Walker on the roster, and now Walker is coming off a Pro Bowl season in Tennessee.Minnesota receiver Adam Thielen was undrafted out of Division II Minnesota State Mankato and spent a year on the practice squad before becoming a key special teams contributor for the Vikings. He blocked a punt for a touchdown in 2014 and last season ran a fake punt 41 yards in the NFC North-clinching season finale at Green Bay.Thielen said the key to safety in kick coverage comes on the practice field.Every day, its technique, technique, technique, he said. I really dont think its more dangerous than an offensive play. You could get hit on a crossing route over the middle a lot harder than on a kickoff.Maragos grew up in Wisconsin rooting for the Green Bay Packers, who beat New England 35-21 in the 1997 Super Bowl. The thing Maragos remembers most is the anticipation of the opening kickoff. And by the way, Desmond Howard had a 99-yard kickoff return and was the games MVP.You talk about speed down the field, athleticism to avoid blocks. You talk about a heart, a grit, a determination, an inner desire, Maragos said. To me, it embodies everything that an NFL football player should be. And really what the game is about.---AP Sports Writers Dave Campbell in Minneapolis and Stephen Hawkins in Dallas contributed to this report.---Online:AP NFL websites: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ChinaCheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '

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