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Softer Schedule Should Help Cornhuskers in Big Ten

Nebraska-Cornhuskers-Alternate-Jersey-2013LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — If the schedule is an indication, Nebraska’s initiation to the Big Ten is over and the Cornhuskers are set up to make hay.

Coach Bo Pelini starts his sixth season in Lincoln with one of the nation’s most dynamic offenses and a young defense that will benefit from playing its first five games at home.

UCLA is the only real non-conference test. Big Ten favorite Ohio State and three-time defending champion Wisconsin drop off the regular-season schedule and are replaced by Illinois and Purdue.

It probably will be November before anyone knows how good the Huskers are, after they play Northwestern at home and Michigan and Penn State on the road.

The Huskers open the season Aug. 31 at home against Wyoming.

Broncos Guard Chris Kuper Returns to the Field

Chris-Kuper-Denver-BroncosENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Denver Broncos offensive lineman Chris Kuper made a surprise appearance in pads at practice Tuesday shortly after agreeing to a restructured contract.

He had been on the physically unable to perform list following a second operation on his left ankle, which was dislocated in the 2011 regular-season finale. He played in just seven games last year.

During warmups, Kuper snapped the ball to Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler. If Kuper makes the 53-man roster, he’ll likely serve as a backup to guards Zane Beadles and Louis Vasquez, at least initially.

Kuper was set to make $4.5 million this season, none of it guaranteed, with a $1.05 million injury-protection settlement.

Now, that $1.05 million is the base salary of his new deal, all of it guaranteed.

Hundley, Gyorko Homer; Padres Top Rockies 7-5

colorado-rockiesDENVER (AP) — Nick Hundley homered and drove in two runs, Will Venable had three hits, and the San Diego Padres rallied to beat the Colorado Rockies 7-5 on Tuesday night.

Jedd Gyorko also went deep for the second straight night for the Padres, who rebounded from a 14-2 loss to the Rockies on Monday.

San Diego beat the Rockies for just the fourth time in 15 games this season.

Charlie Culberson had two hits and two RBIs, and Nolan Arenado and DJ LeMahieu also had two hits each for Colorado, which had its four-game winning streak snapped.

The Padres got the win despite an uncharacteristic start from left-hander Eric Stults, who was 3-0 with a 3.35 ERA in six career starts against the Rockies. He had been dominant against them this season, going 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA, but that changed in a hurry.

Pelini Impressed with Husker Secondary

Bo-Pelini-Nebraska-HuskersLincoln, Neb.-  The Nebraska football team continued its 2013 football fall camp Tuesday night, going through a two-hour practice in full pads inside the Hawks Center and outside at the Ed and Joyanne Gass practice facility.

Nebraska Head Coach Bo Pelini addressed the media after practice, noting that he has been extremely impressed with the secondary, especially cornerbacks Josh Mitchell and seniors Stanley Jean-Baptiste and Ciante Evans.

“The top two corners right now when we get into nickel are Stanley and Josh Mitchell, and obviously Ciante is playing nickel.” Pelini said, “We have really good depth in the secondary, our safeties are playing at a high level.”

Pelini had this to add talking about the secondary, “Stanley up to this point, this is the best week he has ever had in our program. Josh is playing at a high level with a lot of confidence and we all know what Ciante can do. It is going to be a fun group to watch.”

A freshman newcomer that you should get accustomed to playing on the Blackshirts is Nathan Gerry. Gerry a Sioux Falls, S.D., native has really impressed Coach Pelini up to this point in fall camp.

“Nate can play a lot of different spots for us, he has played some safety, and he has played some will, some buck (linebacker), some dime. He is going to be a good football player.”

Senior Brodrick Nickens has also impressed Pelini so far in camp, after making the transition from offensive lineman to defensive tackle in his last season as a Husker.

“Brodrick does a good job on what we are asking him to do. He has to work on getting a little lower at times but he is a big load in there that can hold the point. He works hard, he’s a leader and he is doing a good job for us.”

Another defensive tackle that has shown some promise is sophomore Aaron Curry. It will be vital for the Husker defense to find good production out of the defensive line during the 2013 season, and according to Pelini, once Curry finds some consistency he could be a key player.

“Curry is doing a good job, like I said he is one of those guys who has shown flashes. He needs to continue to work on his consistency but that can be said about a lot of the guys up front.”

Nebraska will be back on the practice field on Wednesday for its 11th and 12th practices of fall camp.

Yelich Sends Marlins to 1-0 Win Over Royals in 10

kc-royalsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Christian Yelich singled home the go-ahead run with one out in the 10th inning Tuesday night and the Miami Marlins beat the Kansas City Royals 1-0 after a tidy matchup of contrasting starters.

Hard-throwing Marlins prodigy Jose Fernandez and wily Royals veteran Bruce Chen each lasted seven innings before handing the scoreless game over to their bullpens.

It continued to extra innings before Kansas City reliever Kelvin Herrera (4-6) brushed the jersey of the Marlins’ Jake Marisnick with a pitch in the 10th. Marisnick stole second and then scored on Yelich’s single through the right side of the infield, his third hit of the game.

Chad Qualls (3-1) earned the win for Miami, while Steve Cishek worked around a single in the bottom half of the 10th for his 25h save.

Broncos’ Heckert Can Return to Work Thursday

Tom Heckert
Tom Heckert

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — One of two suspended Denver Broncos executives can return to work this week after serving a monthlong punishment.

Tom Heckert, the team’s director of pro personnel, will be allowed back at team headquarters Thursday. Director of player personnel Matt Russell is serving an indefinite suspension.

John Elway’s top two advisers, Heckert and Russell were arrested and jailed on suspicion of drunken driving in separate incidents within a month of each other this summer, resulting in the biggest black eye for the organization since a videotape scandal cost former coach Josh McDaniels his job in 2010.

Heckert, 46, was arrested June 11 in Parker, just 36 days after Elway hired the former GM of the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns.

NPCC Volleyball Arrives on Campus, Starts Practice

NPCC-Knights-North-PlatteThe North Platte Community College Volleyball Team moved onto campus Sundaynight and started practice on Monday in preparation for the 2013 Season. The Lady Knights open the season on August 23 at home in the Subway Invitational at 5 p.m. against Williston State College. The 2013 Lady Knights received votes in the preseason NJCAA Top 20 National Poll.

“The start of practice has gone really well,” said head coach Sally Thalken. “We are really excited to see how this team comes together over the next several practices and then watch them compete.”

The Lady Knights return five sophomores from a team that finished 2012 with a 20-18 records after falling in the Region IX Division II Tournament Championship to Central Community College in five sets. The sophomores include Laura Beckman of Julesburg, Colo., Sabrina Hallahan of Brush, Colo., Sandrina Hallahan of Brush, Colo., Jacee Kershaw of Culbertson, and Shannon Liewer of Imperial.

“The sophomores have come out and really set the tone for practice with their hard work,” said Coach Thalken. “They have had the pedal to the metal. They have also provided great leadership for the underclassmen.”

The Lady Knights had seven freshman to the team including Samantha Byrn of North Platte, Lisa Dodge of Strasburg, Colo., Joli Hopping of Sutherland, Samantha Kennedy of Sutherland, Taylor King of Fleming, Colo., Abby Kurtzer of Haxton, Colo. and Kylie Wroot of North Platte.

“We were able to bring in a great freshman class,” said Coach Thalken. “They are all practicing well and are adjusting to the college game.”

The sophomores all said that the start of practice has been going well and they are excited to get the season underway. “Our team is really jelling for how short of a time we have been here,” said Kershaw. “It feels like we have been here for several months already,” said Beckman.

The Lady Knights have been working on fundamentals at this early point of the season. “We have focused on passing the most so far,” said Liewer.

Royals’ Moustakas Out of Lineup with Calf Injury

Mike Moustakas Kansas City RoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas was out of Tuesday night’s lineup against the Marlins because of a Grade 1 strain of his left calf that he sustained the previous night.

Moustakas said he was rounding third base when he felt the calf muscle tighten. He still managed to cross home plate and even started the next inning in the field.

But when he couldn’t push off, he went to the dugout and was examined by a trainer.

Moustakas had an MRI that revealed the strain. He hasn’t been placed on the disabled list, but it was unclear how long he’ll be out.

The Royals are banged up in the infield with Miguel Tejada on the DL with his own strained calf. Jamey Carroll started at third base Tuesday night.

In Memo, Union Tells NFL Players HGH Testing Close

nfl_logo2011-medThe NFL Players Association has told its members that the union “tentatively agreed” that 40 players will take blood tests for HGH each week during the season, with a positive result drawing a four-game suspension.

The NFLPA emailed players a memo in question-and-answer format Tuesday. The Associated Press obtained a copy.

According to the email, players participating in NFL training camps this year will provide a blood sample for a “population study” to determine what level of HGH will result in penalties.

While Tuesday’s memo says owners and players “will likely finalize soon” the in-season weekly HGH testing, the union does not indicate what the NFL has agreed to — or give specifics about what stands in the way.

A league spokesman declined to comment on the union’s memo.

Nebraska-Kearney to Announce Athletic Director

UNK-Lopers-Athletics-KearneKEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska at Kearney says it will be introducing its new athletic director on Wednesday.

UNK says the director will be introduced at a 9 a.m. news conference at the UNK Health and Sports Center.

Among the four finalists was Jean Berger, who has been senior associate athletic director/senior woman administrator at the University of Northern Iowa since 2008.

The university has been seeking a replacement for Jon McBride. He announced in May that he was stepping down for health reasons.

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