Pirate Galaxy » cross-country from Tampa after a 14-5 d

The day Rashan Garys finger went sideways was a turning point of sorts for Michigans understated, burgeoning star on the defensive line.It was a warm day in August when athletic trainers pulled Gary aside to pop his dislocated finger back into place before he returned to a training camp practice. His matter-of-fact reaction -- Thats football, he said to the trainer -- made an impression on coach Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines. This wasnt the coddled, entitled mentality that can come as a side effect of being named the best high school prospect in the county. And this wasnt the first time that Gary inadvertently let his team know that wasnt his style.More notable, though, is the person who knew nothing about his dislodged digit. Jennifer Coney, Garys mother, learned about her sons injury a few weeks later when Harbaugh mentioned it as a sign of toughness during a postgame press conference. When she heard, she was smacked with the contradictory mix of leaving-the-nest angst and pride to which most mothers can probably relate.You dislocated your what? And I didnt hear about it? Coney chided him later that night. He took it in stride, though. That was a beautiful thing. Not his finger, just the way he handled it.There was a steady stream of phone calls between Gary in Michigan and his mother in New Jersey from the time he arrived on campus several months earlier. She had served as a full-time gatekeeper and advocate for her youngest son, the No. 1 prospect, during a long and exhaustively covered recruiting process.Initially, Gary called to vent about the concerns that hit most college freshmen when they first arrive in a bigger pond. Football wasnt clicking as easily as it used to. Classes were hard. He needed advice at times and reassurance at others. Soon Coney noticed their conversations became more about what he was learning than what he was missing. The change could be measured in how often he mentioned two names in their talks: Taco and Chris.Chris Wormley and Taco Charlton, the Wolverines veteran starters at defensive end, first got to know Gary to some degree in April when he visited campus for Michigans spring game. Garys first impression of Wormley was hes big. Gary wasnt used to being eye-to-eye with peers during conversations, especially not anyone who could match his broad shoulders and thick build. Wormleys initial thoughts were a little more skeptical.This is the No. 1 recruit; he is probably going to think hes hot s--- , Wormley said. Hes going to want to start right away. But as soon as I met him, that was not it at all. He wanted to learn.Gary peppered the fifth-year senior with questions during their first meeting. He wanted to dive into the playbook and figure out how to wrap his head around the overwhelming pile of intricacies he was going to have to digest before he could start living up to his sky-high billing. The questions continued through summer workouts, where Gary quickly won over his new teammates by falling in line and picking the brain of anyone willing to listen.Wormley decided he would do his best to take Gary under his wing. One of the countrys deepest defensive lines could use another big body this fall. The faster Gary learned, the fresher Wormley could stay during games. But, man, the kid was going to have to learn to be patient.Gary credits his mom with instilling that inquisitive mindset in him from the very beginning of his days of dominating a football field in junior high. She made sure her son knew he didnt have all the answers.Dont ever puff your chest, because theres somebody out there who is going to put you on your butt, she warned. You might be good, but youre going to get put on your butt and you dont want to be humiliated when you do. Never act like youve got it, like youre the man.The first couple weeks of training camp at Michigan, as promised, planted the freshman firmly on his backside. Football was difficult for the first time. He missed assignments. He got scooped out of running lanes and stood up on pass rushes. Each time he came up short, he dropped his head.I wasnt getting it as fast as I wanted to. I was starting to get mad, Gary said. Ive got to get it. Ive got to get it.High expectations turn into high pressure for prospects like Gary. In many ways, hes lived up to his considerable hype in the last few months. Hes made 25 tackles, five for loss, and logged five quarterback hurries through his first 10 games while serving as a regular contributor for the countrys top scoring defense. His path there has been slightly unorthodox.Most pass-rushing superstars have a tendency to show flashes of brilliant power and athleticism in the early stages of their development, leaving spectators to drool about the time when the pass-rusher has a full set of defensive tools. Gary has done more to build his foundation than to build his hype this season.Its things that maybe other people dont see, defensive line coach Greg Mattison said. Rashan now has become a lot more accountable to make sure he does what hes supposed to do and knowing what hes supposed to do, instead of relying on somebody to say make sure you do this, make sure you do that.Gary said his most significant growth this season has been learning that the mistakes that at first dragged him down are as much a part of the learning process as his steady stream of questions. The entire Michigan defensive line -- Wormley and Charlton, especially -- drilled those ideas into him on a daily basis during their first couple months in pads together.Coney assumed her son would learn how to pace himself from his coaches or a support staffer. As she and her son went through the recruiting process together, she said she hunted for schools where Gary wouldnt have a ton of pressure to perform right away. As much as she warned him that some humbling moments were inevitable, she didnt want him to face those in an exceedingly public way. What she didnt see coming was that it would be Garys teammates, as much as anyone, who helped to pace him.That was an unexpected pleasure, she said.Gary stood in Michigans football building earlier this week explaining how his teammates have helped him this year, and the attitude that convinced them to help, when Wormley wandered by to check on his mentee. Wormley, whom Gary has called big bro since late August, threw a big, thick arm around and told him he was watching him.Gary is used to being watched, but thanks to Wormley and a deep, experienced defensive line, the freshman has had a little extra room to grow outside the public eye this season.Hes matured a lot in these last 10 weeks, Wormley said. Im excited to see what he can do as the starter next year and in all the years after that. Swell Water Bottle Sale Canada . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. Swell Bottle Canada Sale .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. http://www.discountswellbottles.com/ .C. United of Major League Soccer. United chose the defender in the second round of the 2013 MLS re-entry draft. Swell Bottle Elements Collection . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. Swell Water Bottle Canada Wholesale .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. The Giants vs. the Steelers. Or sometimes referred to as the Maras against the Rooneys for their family business roots.They meet in a huge game Sunday in Pittsburgh that could clear up some of the muddled playoff picture.New York (8-3) is among the hottest teams in football with six straight victories. Not that its helped the Giants move much closer to the Cowboys in the NFC East.But the Giants are in control of the NFC wild-card picture, even if their victories havent looked too pretty.We have everything right in front of us. We dont feel the need ... really inside of this locker room, we dont care about anyones opinion, running back Rashad Jennings says. Someone could put us best, someone could put us worst, it doesnt matter. We have to go out and find a way to win.The Steelers (6-5) are in a tighter spot, tied atop the AFC North with Baltimore, to whom they already have lost. When healthy, the Steelers have looked like a Super Bowl contender. But theyve also had some real duds.They will need to eliminate those stinkers and play solidly the rest of the way, Ben Roethlisberger says.Anytime you get to November, December, January football, you have to be at your best, you have to be hot, and we are playing one of the best football teams in the NFL, he says. They are coming to our place, it has a playoff feel and atmosphere, and it has to. I am sure that they feel the same way.You have to have that mentality at this time of the year because you really cant afford to lose any more games.The action began on a rare week with no division matchups with Dallas 17-15 victory at Minnesota on Thursday night.Dez Bryant caught four passes for 84 yards and the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, helping Dallas improve to 11-1 with its 11th straight victory.Sam Bradford threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jerick McKinnon with 25 seconds to play, but the 2-point conversion failed for the Vikings (6-6). They played without coach Mike Zimmer after he had emergency eye surgery Wednesday night. Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer directed the team.Off this week are Tennessee (6-6) and Cleveland (0-12).Kansas City (8-3) at Atlanta (7-4)Several emerging players are worth watching here as the Falcons try to stay alone atop the NFC South and the Chiefs pursue the Raiders in the AFC West.Chiefs rookie WR Tyreek Hill last week became the first player since Gale Sayers in 1965 to score on a kickoff return, a run and a catch in the same game.The Falcons, known for their powerful offense, are getting strong play from LB Vic Beasley Jr., second in the NFC with 9+ sacks, and safety Keanu Neal, who leads all rookies with 72 tackles and has four forced fumbles.Denver (7-4) at Jacksonville (2-9)Look for a low-scoring affair as the Jaguars try to snap a six-game slide. They have lost all four at home this season, placing coach Gus Bradleys job in serious jeopardy. But his specialty, defense, is coming on and the Jags rank sixth overall.We all know how good Denvers D can be, and heres a stunning stat: The Broncos have scored a league-high 93 points, or 35 percent of their season total, off turnovers. They have 20 takeaways; the Jaguars are a league-worst minus-15 in turnover margin.Denver has won 28 straight games when winning the turnover battle, the longest current streak in the NFL, and it leads the league in sacks (35) and quarterback hits (89).Tampa Bay (6-5) at San Diego (5-6)Not only have the Bucs won three in a row, but they beat Kansas City and Seattle the past two weeks, holding them to a combined 22 points. Rookie DE Noah Spence comes off a superb month in which he had 11 tackles, 2+ sacks and two forced fumbles.San Diegos Antonio Gates was blanked in the win at Houston, not even targeted for the first time in 77 games. Hes three TD catches short of breaking Tony Gonzalezs NFL record of 111 for a tight end.Los Angeles (4-7) New England (9-2)The spiraling Rams, who have given up 63 points over the past 64:02 of game action, are the perfect victim for Tom Brady to get his 201st victory, which would be an NFL record for quarterbacks. Hes currently tied with Peyton Manning.Its probably the most important stat. ... Theres no surprise, Saints QB Drew Brees says of Brady. Listen, hes earned it. He will go down as certainly one of the best, if not the best, for that reason. The guys a winner. Hes a proven winner. ... Theres been a lot of players come through there while hes been there and its been a very consistent result, all the time. Im sure theres a lot of people in that building that deserve credit, but none more so than him.As the Patriots chase home-field advantage in the AFC for the playoffs -- they lead the AFC East by two games over Miami, who they have beaten -- Brady has been sensational since returning from his four-gamme Deflategate suspension.dddddddddddd Brady has 2,201 passing yards, 18 TDs, one interception and a 116.7 passer rating.Miami (7-4) at Baltimore (6-5)Miami has won six in a row, and hasnt taken seven straight since 1985, Dan Marinos third season. Solidly in the playoff race, the Dolphins are getting solid contributions from Ryan Tannehill throwing the ball and Jay Ajayi running it despite a banged-up offensive line.Baltimores defense has been superb as the Ravens have taken three of their past four games. Ranking second overall and first against the run, the Ravens will be a tough test for Ajayi especially.If it comes down to the kicking game, Baltimore has the leagues only perfect placekicker. Justin Tucker is 27 for 27 on field goals and has made all his extra points.Buffalo (6-5) at Oakland (9-2)The Black Hole is truly that for the Bills. Buffalo is 0-8 in Oakland since 1966.But a victory not only would be the Bills 400th regular-season win, it would boost their playoff chances somewhat. Remember, they havent been in the postseason since the 1999 campaign.Oaklands sensational comeback win against Carolina after blowing a huge lead kept the Raiders atop the highly competitive AFC West. It also solidified QB Derek Carrs credentials -- and guts. He left after badly damaging his right pinkie, then returned with a glove on his throwing hand to lead the rally.Detroit (7-4) at New Orleans (5-6)Matthew Stafford is having his best season, and hell need all of his skills and weapons to keep up with Drew Brees.Stafford has led seven game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime in 2016; the Lions are the first team with seven wins when trailing in the fourth quarter in the teams first 11 games of a season. No QB has had eight such drives in one season.Thats one of the rare achievements Brees hasnt managed. Last week, he passed for 310 yards with four touchdowns, and rushed for a TD. He leads the NFL with 3,587 yards and 30 TDs passing. Its Brees ninth season with at least 30 TDs passing, tied for the record, and he has a TD pass in an NFL-record 60 straight home outings.Houston (6-5) at Green Bay (5-6)The Texans have the better record and lead their division, the weak AFC South. Yet nearly everywhere the perception is Green Bay, third in the NFC North, is the better team.Houstons $72 million, four-year investment in quarterback Brock Osweiler isnt paying off, so much so that after last weekends loss, coach Bill OBrien was asked about benching Osweiler.His slump is encouraging for the Packers suspect secondary.Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers is on a terrific streak even while the running game has been mediocre and the blocking has been so-so.Indianapolis (5-6) at New York Jets (3-8), Monday nightWithout Andrew Luck, the Colts were no match for the Steelers on Thanksgiving night. Luck has gone through the NFLs concussion protocol and should be behind center for another prime-time affair.The Jets make just enough mistakes each week to be among the leagues biggest flops after going 10-6 in 2015. Many of their big-ticket players have let them down, and heres a chance to strut before a nationwide audience.Carolina (4-7) at Seattle (7-3-1)The last thing the Panthers need when facing Seattles stingy defense and strong pass rush is an injury-depleted offensive line. Unfortunately for Cam Newton and Carolina, thats the reality.Carolina stayed on the West Coast after the 35-32 loss at Oakland, while the Seahawks flew back cross-country from Tampa after a 14-5 defeat in which the offense was invisible. Russell Wilson, Doug Baldwin and Jimmy Graham should be more productive against the Panthers.Washington (6-4-1) at Arizona (4-6-1)The Redskins owned the second NFC wild-card spot heading into the weekend. Their offense has been dynamic recently, with Kirk Cousins to Jamison Crowder the main connection.Washington also can get after the quarterback, led by Ryan Kerrigan, and Carson Palmer has been sacked 32 times. Even worse for the Cardinals, inexperienced tackles D.J. Humphries and Ulrick John and guard John Wetzel figure to start.Philadelphia (5-6) at Cincinnati (3-7-1)Both teams can begin thinking about next season after recent slumps.The Eagles have lost four straight on the road, but theyre 9-1 vs. the AFC since 2014. Cincinnati is 1-5-1 in the past seven games, and a true sign of their malaise: Mike Nugent has missed his past three PAT kicks and four of the past eight.San Francisco (1-10) at Chicago (2-9)One of these teams will mess up their April draft standing by winning this. Or maybe these two will tie 0-0.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '