Sports – Page 453 – North Platte Post Archive

Slow Down! Refs Want to Hit Pause On Up-Tempo Play

Posted on August 26, 2014

PHOENIX (AP) — The quarterback throws toward the sideline, where a receiver hauls the pass in, gets two feet down and flips the ball to the official.

What follows is a chaotic dance between an up-tempo offense and the defense trying to stop it.

Offensive players stream off the field, crossing paths with their replacements. The defense makes substitutions, players scramble to get into position.

Caught in the middle are the officials, who have to find a balance between spotting the ball quickly for the offense and allowing the defense time to set up — something that’s increasingly been a problem since fast-paced offenses have cropped up more frequently in college football.

Now, the officials are taking the pace back.

Formalizing ideas they’ve discussed among themselves over the past few seasons, the officials have added pace-of-play procedures in the football officiating mechanics manual.

Rockies Earn First Four-Game Winning Streak at SF

Posted on August 26, 2014

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Rookie Tyler Matzek struck out seven in seven innings to end a five-start losing streak, and the Colorado Rockies capitalized on San Francisco’s mistakes to beat the Giants 3-2 on Monday night.

The Rockies have won four straight games in San Francisco for the first time in club history, kicking off a stretch of 13 straight games against the NL West with an impressive victory.

In his 14th major league start and first facing the Giants, Matzek (3-9) won for the first time since beating Pittsburgh on July 26 and recorded his first victory versus the division. The left-hander won away from Coors Field for the first time in eight road appearances and seven starts after beginning 0-5.

Matzek outdueled Jake Peavy (2-4), who had won his previous two starts following three straight losses after being acquired in a trade from Boston on July 26.

Yankees Rout Royals 8-1 in Makeup of June Rainout

Posted on August 25, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Derek Jeter drove in two runs in his final scheduled trip to Kauffman Stadium, backing a sharp outing from Michael Pineda and helping the New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 6-1 on Monday night for their fifth straight win.

Jacoby Ellsbury drove in a run in the seventh inning with the 1,000th hit of his career, then added a two-run homer in the ninth. Stephen Drew and Martin Prado also homered for New York.

Pineda (3-2) gave up a solo shot to Mike Moustakas leading off the third inning, but that was about it in his third game back from the disabled list. Pineda struck out five without a walk in 6 1-3 innings to win for the first time since beating the Cubs on April 16.

James Shields (12-7) allowed six runs over 6 2-3 innings for Kansas City.

USC’s Shaw Jumps from Second Floor to Save Nephew

Posted on August 25, 2014

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California senior cornerback Josh Shaw injured both ankles after leaping from a second-story balcony to save his 7-year-old nephew, Carter, from drowning in a pool.

Shaw was named a team captain on Saturday and later that night was attending a family function at a cousin’s apartment in his hometown of Palmdale when he saw his nephew, who can’t swim, struggling in the pool.

With no one around, Shaw told USC’s website that he instinctively jumped from the balcony onto the concrete below and crawled to the pool, where he pulled Carter to safety. Unable to step out of the pool because of the pain in his ankles, Shaw lifted himself up the ladder with his upper body.

Shaw was taken to the hospital where he was diagnosed with two ankle sprains. He said Carter was traumatized, but physically in good shape.

Prater Apologizes for 4-Game Suspension

Posted on August 25, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — A contrite Matt Prater apologized to the Denver Broncos and their fans for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy by drinking beer, resulting in a four-game ban to start the season.

Prater’s lawyer said the NFL initially sought a yearlong suspension after Prater tested positive for alcohol consumption while on vacation in the offseason.

Prater, the league’s top kicker, has been in the NFL’s drug program, which includes alcohol, since a DUI arrest on Aug. 12, 2011. He said he realized one more strike meant he’d face sitting out an entire season when he decided to have some beers “right after the season.”

The suspension will cost Prater $705,882 in base salary and forces the Broncos to go with Plan B until their Oct. 12 game against the Jets.

Royals’ Hosmer Ready to Start Swinging Bat Again

Posted on August 25, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer has been cleared to begin swinging a bat after missing the past month with a stress fracture in his right hand.

Hosmer had another round of X-rays before the Royals’ game against the Yankees on Monday, and they showed enough progress that he can begin taking dry swings. The hope is that Hosmer can ramp it up to hitting off a tee and in the cage in the next week.

Hosmer says he expects to be back for the final couple weeks of the regular season, and that he plans to be in the starting lineup when he returns. Designated hitter Billy Butler has been having his best stretch of the season while filling in at first base.

Chiefs’ Berry, Charles Return to Practice

Posted on August 25, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles and safety Eric Berry have returned to practice after dealing with injuries.

Left tackle Eric Fisher was absent Monday due to an illness.

Berry has missed most of the past couple weeks with a heel injury. Charles has been out the past two preseason games after hurting his foot while moving out of the dorms at the Chiefs’ training camp headquarters at Missouri Western.

Coach Andy Reid was not available to discuss their status for Thursday night’s preseason finale in Green Bay. Normally, Reid does not play his starters in the fourth preseason game, but a lackluster effort against Minnesota on Saturday night might cause him to change his approach. He indicated afterward that some starters could play against the Packers.

NFL, FIFA, Other Officials Meet About Concussions

Posted on August 25, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — Medical officials from the NFL, FIFA and other sports organizations are banding together to look into better ways to identify, manage and treat concussions.

The “think tank,” funded by an educational grant from the NFL, was held Sunday and Monday at league headquarters in New York. Dozens of scientific and medical personnel, representing contact sports such as football and rugby to noncontact competitions such as equestrian, took part.

Dr. Rich Ellenbogen, chairman of the NFL’s head, neck and spine committee, says the various sports organizations “need to look at all variations of what is being done around the world.”

FIFA’s chief medical officer, Dr. Jiri Dvorak, insists that the team doctor has final say over players returning to action after an apparent head injury. FIFA was criticized during the World Cup for not effectively policing concussions.

It’s All About Winning to Huskers’ Ameer Abdullah

Posted on August 25, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Ameer Abdullah is poised to become the first Nebraska player to record three 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Earning that distinction doesn’t seem to rank very high among his goals.

Abdullah said Monday all he wants is to win games and a championship. He said he’s willing to do anything to help the Huskers make it to the Big Ten championship game, even if it means playing on the punt-block unit.

Coach Bo Pelini said Abdullah has added size and explosiveness and that his drive to win has been palpable since the spring.

The 22nd-ranked Huskers open Saturday at home against Florida Atlantic.

Extensive TV Coverage for Nebraska Volleyball in 2014

Posted on August 25, 2014

Lincoln – The Nebraska Athletic Department and the Big Ten Conference announced on Monday afternoon that at least 23 of Nebraska’s 29 volleyball matches during the 2014 season will be televised or streamed online. All 16 home matches during the 2014 season will be carried on TV or online via BTN, ESPN, NET, BTN Plus (subscription required) or HuskersNSide (subscription required).

The Big Ten Network will carry six matches nationally in 2014, while another eight home matches and three road matched will be carried live on BTN’s new online streaming platform, BTN Plus, which will be part of BTN2Go.com.

Fans looking for information on BTN Plus should go here – https://www.btn2go.com/packages?type=0. Fans can get a conference-wide annual pass for $119.95 (monthly pass is $14.95), which allows them access to every sport for every team. If fans only want Nebraska content the annual pass is $79.95 or fans can pay month-by-month at $9.95.

Along with their six stints on BTN, the Huskers will make a pair of appearances on ESPN in 2014. NU’s home match with Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 18 will be carried live on ESPN3 (tape delay on ESPN2 at Noon on Oct. 19) and the Huskers’ road match at Wisconsin on Sunday, Oct. 26 will be shown live on ESPN2 at 4 p.m.

NET Television will continue its coverage of Nebraska volleyball in 2014, as the in-state network will carry five matches, including non-conference matches with Creighton (Sept. 17) and Texas (Sept. 20). NET will also broadcast three Big Ten matches, including Ohio State (Oct. 4), Northwestern (Oct. 15) and Maryland (Nov. 16). Every match carried by NET will also be available nationwide on BTN Plus.

Nebraska’s first TV appearance of the year will be a top-10 match up during the AVCA Showcase, when the No. 7 Huskers host No. 3 Stanford at the Devaney Center on Sunday, Aug. 31, at Noon. The match was originally scheduled for 1 p.m., but was moved up an hour for TV.

Other home matches carried on BTN this season include Penn State (Oct. 3) and Purdue (Nov. 5). Fans will be able to watch the Huskers play on the road this season three times on the conference’s network starting with Nebraska’s visit to Michigan State on Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. BTN will also carry NU’s road match at Minnesota (Oct. 22) and its season-finale at Penn State on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Nebraska’s own HuskersNSide will stream any match that isn’t picked up by TV or BTN Plus.

The Huskers could have four other matches picked up by BTN, as the network reserves wildcard rights for matches on Oct. 31, Nov. 1, Nov. 8 and Nov. 12.

2014 Volleyball TV/Online Stream Schedule (subject to change)
Aug. 29 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Florida State (BTN Plus)
Aug. 31 (Noon) – Nebraska vs. Stanford (BTN) *

Sept. 12 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Denver (BTN Plus)
Sept. 13 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Colgate (HuskersNSide)
Sept. 17 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Creighton (NET/BTN Plus)
Sept. 20 (2 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Texas (NET/BTN Plus)
Sept. 24 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Iowa (BTN Plus)

Oct. 3 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Penn State (BTN)
Oct. 4 (5 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Ohio State (NET/BTN Plus)
Oct. 10 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska at Michigan State (BTN) *
Oct. 15 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Northwestern (NET/BTN Plus)
Oct. 18 (3 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Illinois (ESPN3 Live, Tape Delay ESPN2 on Oct. 19 at Noon)
Oct. 22 (6:30 p.m.) – Nebraska at Minnesota (BTN) *
Oct. 26 (4 p.m.) – Nebraska at Wisconsin (ESPN2) *

Oct. 31 (6 p.m.) – Nebraska at Rutgers (BTN Plus)

Nov. 5 (6:30 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Purdue (BTN) *
Nov. 8 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Indiana (HuskersNSide) ^
Nov. 12 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Michigan State (HuskersNSide) ^
Nov. 16 (2 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Maryland (NET/BTN Plus)

Nov. 19 (6 p.m.) – Nebraska at Indiana (BTN Plus)
Nov. 22 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska vs. Michigan (BTN Plus)

Nov. 26 (7 p.m.) – Nebraska at Illinois (BTN Plus)
Nov. 29 (7:30 p.m.) – Nebraska at Penn State (BTN) *

home games in bold
* – game time changed due to TV
^ – potential BTN wildcard pick