miaowang123: ... Rockies OF Carlos Gonzalez (left index finger) hit in the cage Friday. .

... Rockies OF Carlos Gonzalez (left index finger) hit in the cage Friday. .

20 Mar 2018 at 00:25

A running back is like a city bus. Jacob Josefson Jersey . If you miss one, just wait five more minutes and another will come along. This rather harsh maxim is something thats been said on many a draft day of the position. It reflects the mindset of a pro football team that there are so many talented players at that spot, it should be relatively easy to find a replacement should one go down with an injury or retire. The Toronto Argonauts are hoping thats the case because Chad Kackert has been forced to step away from his starting job after breaking his lower leg in a non-contact practice just before last years Eastern Final. Replacing a back of his talent will not, despite the adage, be easy. Sporting a lengthy vertical scar on the outside of his left leg, starting just above the top of his shoe, Kackert said he found out a couple of days ago that camp would be a no go. "I expected to come back and be on IR (injured reserve)," said Kackert, "but I understand the circumstance of the league. I dont want a handout, I dont want to come onto a team and just take a paycheque while Im sitting around not helping anybody."Kackert has been named the teams strength and conditioning coach and was in attendance as the Argos opened their full camp at York University on Sunday. "Im going to rehab. I mean I want my leg to get better...who wants to walk around on a gimp leg for the rest of their life?" continued the 27-year-old. "If its sooner rather than later then Ill reevaluate, but as of right now Im going to get my leg better and I going to coach this team as far as strength and conditioning goes." If Kackerts career is over it was certainly an eventful one. He was named the starting running back in 2012 amid a firestorm of controversy when Cory Boyd, the leagues leading rusher at the time, was unceremoniously cut by the club during the bye week. Kackert took over and led the team to the 100th Grey Cup, where he was named the games Most Outstanding Player. Scott Milanovich benefited from Kackerts play, but now the head coach must carry on without him, something that he was prepared for. "I wasnt expecting him to be here (at camp) as a player," said Milanovich. "It was a very serious injury, particularly with his style of play, using his quickness and his speed so we were planning all along, to unfortunately have to replace him." The coach underscored the importance of Kackerts role on the team, not only on the field, but in the locker room, where his intangibles will still be present in his new coaching role. On the field, life goes on. The Argos currently have six other tailbacks in camp. Canadians Anthony Woodson and Brendan Gillanders would be long shots to start. Another Canadian, this years first-round draft pick Anthony Coombs, is "absolutely" a possibility to be the starter, according to the coach. The other three are Americans. Steve Slaton is a former starter with the Houston Texans who was a Heisman Trophy finalist with West Virginia, Jeremiah Johnson is a one-time star at Oregon, while Curtis Steele is back for another year. Steele saw some game action last season when Kackert was injured. His best game was against B.C., when he rushed for 74 yards on 12 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns. Milanovich says that experience will help him in his quest to become the starter, although the competition is wide open. "Curtis has an advantage because hes been here and hes been in the offence," said the coach. "It could be any of those guys at this point." Steele took reps with the first team on Sunday, something he may not have envisioned because he didnt find out about the severity of his teammates injury until the night before camp opened. Like Kackert said about his paycheque, Steele doesnt want anything handed to him. "It just means that you have to come here and work even harder," Steele told TSN.ca. "I thought Kack was going to be back this year, now (the starting spot) is up for grabs. Every day counts, every rep counts, so you just have to come out and give it your all." Its been an interesting calendar year for the University of Memphis product, who got his first taste of the Canadian game, before getting married in April. How much did last years experience help him prepare for this opportunity? "It was huge," said Steele. "I learned so much last year. The plays (this year) are coming to me faster, Im doing less thinking, and thats what I was aiming for for this year. I dont want to think as much so I can just feel comfortable and just make plays and just play." Coombs is the wild card here. A decade ago a Canadian would be a long shot to start at running back, but with two of the leagues best backs, Jon Cornish and Andrew Harris, being Canadian, the adage that a home-grown product wasnt talented enough to play that position has been proven to be a myth. Can the University of Manitoba product continue the trend? He knows he has a lot of work to do. "Things go a lot quicker in the backfield and you have to stay patient. You have to stay calm and focus on your steps and your aiming point and make your read and go. Once I get comfortable with that I think the skys the limit." He quickly added something about the passing game that will make his coaching staff and quarterback smile ear to ear. "We (the backs) are more concerned with the protection because if you cant protect Ricky Ray, you wont be running no routes (laughs) so thats the first thing." With the "Kack Attack" gone, the battle to replace him becomes one of the more interesting subplots to an already fascinating training camp.Gilbert Perreault Jersey . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. Justin Bailey Jersey . Huntington doesnt want to help run the club unless Hurdle is in the dugout. The combination thats returned the franchise to respectability will remain intact for years to come.DENVER -- Don Mattingly made a rather bold prediction after Clayton Kershaws latest masterful performance: His ace will give up another run at some point this season. "I know Im going out on a limb," the Los Angeles Dodgers manager joked. Lately, Kershaw has looked that untouchable. The hard-throwing lefty nearly had no-hit stuff against Colorado again, allowing only two singles over eight innings as the Dodgers beat the Rockies 9-0 on Friday night. Whats more, Kershaw (10-2) extended his scoreless streak to 36 innings before being replaced by a pinch hitter in the ninth. Kershaw bottled up the top-hitting team in the majors in nearly matching the no-hitter he threw against the Rockies on June 18 at Dodger Stadium. Kershaw struck out eight and walked one. "You dont ever want to give up a run," Kershaw casually said. "I guess thats the goal." The nastiness of Kershaws slider -- the best pitch in baseball, Drew Stubbs labeled it -- is fueling his roll. "Anytime he takes the mound, hes capable of the run hes been on," catcher A.J. Ellis said. Yasiel Puig hit a two-run shot -- his first homer since May 28 -- and Scott Van Slyke added a three-run homer as the Dodgers had a season-high 19 hits. Jair Jurrjens (0-1) struggled in his first big-league start in a year, lasting 4 2-3 innings and giving up eight runs. After the game, Jurrjens was taken to a nearby hospital for tests after developing breathing issues. Though the problems dissipated, the Rockies had him taken to the hospital. Kershaw was coming off quite a June in which he went 6-0 with a 0.82 ERA. He carried it over to July as he allowed only DJ LeMahieus single in the third and Nolan Arenados base hit in the seventh. The 26-year-old Kershaw hasnt allowed a run since the third inning against Arizona on June 13. His scoreless innings streak is the third-longest in Los Angeles history, according to information from the Elias Sports Bureau provided by the Dodgers. The team -- and major league -- record is 59 straight by Orel Hershiser in 1988. Of those 36 scoreless innings Kershaw has turned in, 17 have now been at Colorados expense. The Rockies didnt have Troy Tulowitzkki (tight groin) in the lineup Friday night. Alexander Mogilny Jersey. "Hes on a pretty good roll, approaching historic measures," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "Hes locked in right now and we saw it today." Kershaw also did some damage with his bat as he laced an RBI single to left as part of a five-run fifth to break the game open. It was Kershaws first RBI of the season. Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez was hit on the left arm by Jurrjens in the fifth and was replaced when the team took the field. Mattingly indicated Ramirez could possibly be in the lineup Saturday. Colorado finally solved Kershaw in the third when LeMahieu lined a base hit to right. Jurrjens followed with a bunt that Kershaw wildly threw to first for an error, putting runners on first and third with one out. But Kershaw picked off Jurrjens and then struck out Charlie Blackmon to keep his scoreless innings streak intact. ";During this run, hes had an A curveball and an A slider this entire time," Ellis said. "Theyre both electric strikeout pitches." The Dodgers hit for the cycle in the first to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Dee Gordon began with a bunt single and Puig followed with a two-run homer. Ramirez added a double and scored on Andre Ethiers two-out triple. A rocky start to Jurrjens Rockies career. The Rockies acquired Jurrjens in a trade with Cincinnati two days ago to bolster a rotation ravaged by injuries. He became the 13th different starter Colorado has used this season. Jurrjens last pitched in the big leagues on June 29, 2013, when he was with Baltimore. He was replacing Jhoulys Chacin, whos on the 60-day disabled list with an inflamed right shoulder. NOTES: Every Dodgers starter had a hit Friday night. Gordon, Ellis and Ethier each had three. ... Rockies OF Carlos Gonzalez (left index finger) hit in the cage Friday. ... Decorated Olympic swimmer Amy Van Dyken-Rouen posted on her Twitter account a picture from the Rockies game and a message saying: "Thank you to the rockies for my first outing! You guys have been amazing to us!" Van Dyken-Rouen is rehabbing at nearby Craig Hospital after an accident on an all-terrain vehicle left her paralyzed. Cheap Authentic JerseysWholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Online Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '



Share

Add comment

Guests are not allowed to Add blog comments. Please sign in.

Rate

Your rate: 0
Total: 0 (0 votes)

Tags

No Tags