strength, mass and power.Having become a fitness freak, Kohli hoped his younger colleagues would follow suit. If you look at some of the statistics [rising health problems in India], it causes fea

IRVINE, Calif. -- Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Dhaquille Williams is ready for his first preseason game Saturday, an opportunity he wasnt sure would be available after a tumultuous final year in college.Its been a long time since I have been on the field, like in a game, so I am ready to really explode, Williams said.Williams was regarded by draft analysts as one of the top prospects at the position entering his senior season at Auburn but he was dismissed in early October for what Tigers coach Gus Malzahn described as a failure to meet the teams expectations.Williams had previously been suspended for the Outback Bowl at the end of the 2014 season and again during fall camp last August. His production before getting kicked off the team disappointed, with 12 receptions for 147 yards and one touchdown in five games.Williams went undrafted, signing with the Rams in May only after participating in their rookie minicamp.Coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead warned Williams that any incidents on or off the field would result in him being cut immediately.Duke came in and knew he had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity based on some of the things that happened in his history, and we gave him that opportunity, Fisher said. He took advantage of it.Williams attitude and work ethic have not been issues in training camp. He has lost seven pounds this summer and aims to slim down to a playing weight of 220 by the start of the regular season.Now, it looks as if Williams future will come down to football considerations. Williams has the athletic attributes comparable to top receivers around the NFL, using his build and leaping ability to position himself against defenders.Cornerback Trumaine Johnson was ready to go head-to-head with Williams and test that physicality as he watched the Rams first special teams practice in pads last week.I like Duke, I like Duke a lot, Johnson said. I was about to go out there one time and (special teams coordinator John Fassel) got me back.However, Williams is still raw running routes after playing in Auburns spread-option offense that created favorable matchups. More troubling is Williams inconsistency catching the ball.Williams has showed steady improvement after struggling with drops during the first week of camp. But Williams dropped a pass at the goal line during a two-minute drill at the Coliseum on Saturday, nearly resulting in an interception.Quarterback Jared Goff went right back to Williams on the next play for a touchdown.I feel like Im progressing, Williams said. I can do better, you know, learn from the mistakes I made and make sure they dont happen twice.Whether that development will be enough for Williams to secure a roster spot isnt clear. The Rams drafted Pharoh Cooper from South Carolina in the fourth round and Southern Mississippi product Michael Thomas in the sixth, while fellow undrafted free agent Nelson Spruce has been steady.Williams is simply glad for another chance to play.Its a blessing to be right here, Williams said. I wasnt supposed to be here from the issues I went through last year. Worked my way up, stayed humble, continue to stay humble and Ill take none of that for granted anymore.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Cheap Blues Jerseys .Y. -- Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has a bone to pick with the NFL schedule maker. Stitched Blues Jerseys . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. https://www.cheapblues.com/ . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. St.Louis Blues Pro Shop . -- In one brief spurt, Brazil turned a close game into a rout and proved again it will be a strong World Cup favourite. St.Louis Blues Gear . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. Indias Test captain Virat Kohli has said that his outlook towards fitness changed after IPL 2012, and a healthier body has not only made him a better batsman but also an improved fielder.Till IPL 2012, I did not focus much on the physical aspect, he said at a promotional event in Delhi. I never got into the minute details of fitness, things like what I need to eat from morning to night, how much I need to work out and how much I need to train. After that IPL, I started listening to my body. I made a lifestyle choice. I wanted to explore a new side of my body to take me to the next level because I never wanted to be average. I wanted to best in the world. So I always had that mindset but never had the physical ability.Kohli cited an example of how improved fitness helped allay fielding apprehensions. When you become fit, you feel you can do anything, he said. I will give you one example. I was never a quick fielder. I was never willing to field in every position. But after becoming fitter, lighter and stronger, I overcame all those doubts I had [about fielding]. Now it [staying fit, eating right] has become second nature to me.One aspect of his fitness that Kohli has particularly focused on is strength training, which Shankar Basu, the trainer of the Indian team, felt added a new dimension to his batting. Kohli once said that he has to tweak his game as he cannot hit sixes llike others.dddddddddddd This IPL, he hit 38 sixes which is the most this season and 15 more than his last seasons tally. There is a definite surge in his power, Basu, who has also worked with Kohli at Royal Challengers Bangalore, had said in an interview to BCCI.tv.In September we got an assessment of his muscle mass. At the end of the season, we wanted to see if there was a change and what we noticed was his muscle mass had increased dramatically. In the last six months, he has put a lot of time in developing his strength, mass and power.Having become a fitness freak, Kohli hoped his younger colleagues would follow suit. If you look at some of the statistics [rising health problems in India], it causes fear in your mind, he said. So I want to create awareness on fitness, the importance of staying fit and healthy. You would be able to do what you want to do only when you feel fit from inside.I have never been as fit as I am today. It has worked beautifully for me. It has become a lifestyle choice for me. Even in my off time, I watch what I eat. In fact, I get more excited about fitness, feeling good, being healthy than anything else. That is probably because my body realises that fitness is what I would need after my professional career is done. ' ' '