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SPORTS SECTION E

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

Predictions

AFC & NFC, Page 2

‘Golden girl’ Shaunae out of Diamond Race

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

contractual breakdown between the management team of Rio Olympic women’s 400 metre champion Shaunae Miller and the meet promoters will keep the Bahamian rising star out of the AG Insurance Memorial Van Damme on Friday. Miller’s manager, Claude Bryan, confirmed to The Tribune on Tuesday that the national 200m record holder will skip the final IAAF Diamond League Meeting. “Kindly note. We were unable to come to terms with the Brussels Diamond League so unfortunately Shaunae Miller will not be competing in the Belgium capital,” Bryan confirmed with The Tribune. “Her season has effectively ended and she hopes for a healthy and successful 2017.” Bryan said it was fiscal in nature when pressed about the decision for Miller not to compete. Miller dropped to second place in the Diamond League standings in the one-lap race by just one point behind Jamaican Stephanie Ann McPherson, was not included on the entry list provided by the IAAF. Miller, 22, was scheduled to be one of two Bahamians competing in the meet. The other is high jumper Donald Thomas, who is confirmed on the list. In addition to McPherson, included on the list for the women’s 400m is Caster Semenya, of the Republic of South Africa, who last week clinched the women’s 800m Diamond League title in Zurich, Switzerland. Others include Jamaican Olympic 400m bronze medallist Shericka Jackson, Americans Natasha Hastings and Courtney Okolo, Italy’s Libania Grenot, France’s Floria Guel, Canada’s Carline Muir and Ukraine’s Olha Zemlyak. While McPherson holds a slim 31-30 point lead over Miller, Hastings is sitting in third place with 28. The next contender is Jamaican Novlene Williams-Mills with 17, but she too is not competing in

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST Shaunae Miller will not be competing in the final IAAF Diamond League Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on Friday. Brussels. So Miller’s absence could bring the race down to a showdown between McPherson and Hastings for the overall title. Miller, winner of three of the races held in the series, was on target to become just the second Bahamian to win both the Olympic and Grand Prix title, following in the footsteps of national record holder Tonique Williams, who did it in 2004. The women’s 400m started in Shanghai, China on May 14, and continued in Eugene, Oregon on May 28, Oslo, Norway on June 9, Stockholm, Sweden on June 16, London, England on July 23 and Paris, France on August 27. The winner of the Diamond Race Trophy will earn USD $40,000. There is also an incentive of $10,000 for winning the race on Friday.

Miller is coming off her stumbling dive across the finish line to clinch the gold over American Allyson Felix in the women’s 400m in Rio. She suffered the bruises as a result. On her return home for a celebration, she indicated that she was disappointed that she didn’t get to go for the double in the 200m where the heat was on the morning of the 400m final. In Rio, Miller was in the pool for the women’s 4 x 400m relay, but didn’t contest the preliminaries as the quartet of Lanece Clarke, Anthonique Strachan, Carmiesha Cox and Christine Amertil went on to lower the Bahamas national record in falling short of qualifying for the final. If she would have gone to Brussels this weekend, the women’s 400m would have been one of the most keenly anticipated show-

downs. Plus, many would have liked to see how Miller would have matched up against Semenya, who could be adding the event to her 800m specialty next year at the IAAF World Championships in London, England. Instead, the men’s high jump, featuring Thomas, is now listed as one of the most thrilling events of all from a Diamond Race perspective. With only six points separating Bohdan Bondarenko in first from Robbie Grabarz in fourth, the competition is incredibly finely balanced. If any of Bondarenko, Grabarz, Mutaz Essa Barshim or Erik Kynard win in Brussels, they will be crowned Diamond Race champion. Barshim and Bondarenko are the Olympic silver and bronze medallists. Gold medallist Derek Drouin from Canada is not en-

tered. Thomas, ninth in Rio, is not in the rankings for the title, but he could earn some extra change for his appearance on Friday, if he does compete. There’s no indication that he won’t be making the trip to Brussels. He too was unavailable for comments. Only Mutaz has jumped higher than Thomas this season at 2.40 metres or 7-feet, 10 1Ž2-inches. Thomas, with his personal best of 2.37m (7-9 1Ž4), has matched the SB of Bondarenko. However, Mutaz (2.43m/7-11 1/2), Bondarenko (2.42m/7-11 1Ž4)) and Ukraine’s Andriy Protsenko (2.40m/7-10 1/2) have PB higher than Thomas. The men’s high jump series included Doha, Qatar on May 6, Rabat, Morocco on May 22, Rome, Italy on June 2, Birmingham, England on June 5, Monte-Carlo, Monaco on July 15 and Lausanne, Switzerland on August 25. Last week, men’s national record holder Steven Gardiner completed the men’s 400m series in Zurich tied for fourth place with Nery Brenes of Croatia with 10 points. Gardiner placed fifth in Zurich in 45.66 as Merritt ran away with the race in 44.64. The other six meetings for their series were at the same as the men’s high jump in Doha, Rabat, Rome, Birmingham, Monte-Carlo and Lausanne. American LaShawn Merritt, the bronze medallist in Rio, won the title with 50 points. His nearest rival was Grenada’s Bralon Taplin with 24. Isaac Makwala of Botswana was third with 20. Republic of South Africa’s Wayde van Nirkerk, who set a world record in picking up the gold in Rio, along with silver medallist Kirani James from Grenada, didn’t compete. Gardiner, 20, didn’t advance out of the semi-final of the men’s 400m in Rio. But he ran the third leg on the men’s 4 x 400m relay team of Alonzo Russell, Michael Mathieu and Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown that picked up the bronze behind the United States and Jamaica respectively. Stephen Newbold ran in the preliminaries instead of Mathieu, while Demetrius Pinder was an alternate.

Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation names 38-member CAC team By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net WITH about three weeks left to complete all of the necessary arrangements, the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation has provisionally named a 38-member team to defend its title at the Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships. Whether or not the full team travels to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, September 29 to October 2 will depend on if the federation can secure the necessary funding from both the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and Ministry of Tourism. Joel Stubbs, completing his first full year as the new president of the BBFF, said after winning the title last year here at home, they are eager to see how well they can go out and defend their title this year. “The team was picked basically from what we saw on the stage the other night,” said Stubbs about the federation’s National Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships at the Melia Hotel. “All of them have top calibre bodies right now, but our national coach Raymond Tucker and the chief judge are heading to Grand Bahama this weekend and they

will make further assessment of the competitors and if their bodies have declined rather than inclined, then they will be slashed off the team.” If they don’t secure all of the funding necessary, Stubbs said the federation will be forced to carry what he termed an “elite 21” team. “Some of them have the potential, but from the bodies that I saw to what they need to be, they still need to get there,” Stubbs pointed out. “So if they can improve over the three weeks remaining, then it would be good in our interest. “But if they don’t, then we will have to cut them from the team. I think that would work even more in our best interest because we are still looking for the funding to carry everybody. We have an elite 21 that we can definitely take care of. But we are looking at trying to get the extra funding to carry the others.” Stubbs, winner of the 2003 CAC heavyweight championship to earn his pro card, said based on the team they are looking at taking to Santo Domingo, if the Bahamas doesn’t win the title, he is looking for no less than the runner-up spot. “I’ve already found out that Barbados, one of our biggest rivals, will not be carrying a full team because of some indifferences in their federation

TEAM BAHAMAS

• Here’s a look at the competitors provisionally named to the Bahamas’ CAC team: Masters: - Jimmy Norius and Valdez Campbell Women’s Fitness - Julia Mellor Men’s Fitness - Theo Burrows Women’s Figure - Dekel Nesbitt, Lindsay Curry, Kiesha Miller and Chanice Bain Women’s Physique - Tammy Stubbs and Lorraine Lefleur Men’s Junior Physique - Ryan Lewis Men’s Physique - Endierich Rahming, Kiaf Young, Alberto Ambrister, Gemo Smith and Theo Pyfrom Women’s Wellness - Cara Saunders and Daphne Porter Fox Women’s Bikini Junior - Allysa Fox and Akaela Nesbitt Women’s Master Bikini - Daphne Porter Fox Women’s Bikini - Rosan Knowles, Gil Brown, Shakira Ferguson, Carina Ferguson, Allysa Fox and Akaela Nesbitt Men’s Classic Bodybuilding - Andrew Sweeting, Wellington Wallace, Rashied Edgecombe and Desmond Bain Men’s Bodybuilding - Stephen Robinson, Lynden Fowler, Jimmy Norius, Mario Sweeting, Vincent Paul, Orrick Nesbitt, Jamiel Hamilton, Valdez Campbell and Bernard Davis B TEAM Maria Michopoulou, Linda Pierre and Tina Malcolm

that has led to some of their top bodybuilders sitting out,” Stubbs said. “I think we will have them in the bag. “Venezuela, who is also usually up there, we don’t know who at this time and point they will be bringing, but we know that when the championship is held in a Spanish speaking country, these

teams normally come full force because they feel that their chances are much better.” Looking at the make-up of the team, Stubbs said the strength is in the women’s figure category and the men’s bodybuilding. “Our bikini seemed to be very weak this year,” Stubbs said. “We don’t have the likes of Amy Sands,

Kadesha Culmer and Noami Fatel. They were three powerhouses last year. “We have a new slate of bikini competitors this year. Carina Ferguson didn’t win her division last year, but she was able to pull it off and became the overall champion. But it’s questionable if she and any of the other bikini girls can pull off a gold medal. They all have their work to do to get tighter. They have time to do it. If they take the time, they can look a lot more prosperous at CAC.” The competitors in women’s figure, according to Stubbs, along with the men’s upper class in bodybuilding – light heavy, heavy and super heavy – all seem to be right on par to perform very well. “With the men’s bodybuilding, we won the men’s bantamweight, men’s lightweight and men’s welterweight gold medals back-toback last year, but we don’t have that this year with Charles Reckley and Paul Wilson sitting out.,” Stubbs said. “That’s two medals we have lost already. “But we’re hoping that men’s champion Jamiel Hamilton, who is in tip-top shape, along with Vincent Paul and Bernard Davis, and welterweight champion Jimmy Norius, who all have better physiques than last year, we should be able to get four gold medals from them.”

PAGE 2, Wednesday, September 7, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Rams aim to bring back the glory days in LA IT WAS easy, back then, to fill the seats and seduce cheers in Los Angeles - in a football sense. Whether it was that signature head slap move made famous by the late, great Deacon Jones, or one of those fascinating fourthquarter runs made famous by Eric Dickerson. While a title never came during those years in LA, the status secured by the Rams while out west has stood the test of time. With the return of football for the 2016 regular season comes the return of football to the Los Angeles area for the first time since 1994. The move brings with it an opportunity for the league to establish a wider base in the second largest television market in the United States, and more importantly, a chance for the likes of those two phenomena to once again reignite that LA passion. The old adage still rings true: the lights shine brighter in LA.

The Rams, once a glory team of the NFL, has struggled to regain prominence for most of the last 10 years. So in an effort to bolster publicity surrounding the move back west, the Rams made a surprising move to secure the No.1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft via a trade with the Tennessee Titans, the team formerly coached by current Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher. The Rams exchanged the 15th overall pick, two second-rounders (43rd and 45th overall) and a third-round selection (76th) for the first overall pick. With that, the Rams selected a kid the team hopes could prove to be the missing piece - Jared Goff. Hailing from California, Goff’s collegiate career was outstanding. Over three years he put up 977 completions for a little over 12,000 passing yards, with 96 touchdowns. In 2015 Goff led the Golden Bears to a 7-5 record, clinching the school’s first win-

ning season since 2011. Goff joins the likes of Todd Gurley, Tavon Austin, Robert Quinn, Aaron Donald and Alec Ogletree. Arguably the best young wideout in the game, Austin - heading into his fourth season - has already put enough quality plays on film to be considered a major offensive threat. With the ability to stretch a defence with his speed, or confuse them with his quickness; this fourth year receiver has all the skills needed to carry an offence if need be. In fact, Austin is one of the only players in the league that has the ability to turn a simple play into a big score at any moment. Another player with that ability is Gurley, the Rams’ star running back. In his rookie campaign Gurley proved to be an outstnading back, mesmerising the Sunday faithful with big run after big run, similar to former LA Ram

Ricardo Wells looks at a gamble on the NFL’s new bright lights running back I mentioned earlier. Limited to only 13-games last year due to injuries, Gurley complied roughly 1,100 rushing yards and 10 TDs. That performances scored him the 22nd ranking on the league’s Top 100 list this past summer - as a rookie. This dynamic could certainly be the making of a triple threat for the Rams, a unit that can certainly make waves in the not so distant future. If the promise of an explosive offence isn’t enough to prick your interest, the Rams boast a tough, vibrant and effective defensive unit built on the calming presence of stud line-backer, Ogletree and a “sack happy” defensive line consisting of defensive end Quinn

and defensive tackle Donald. It took some time for the Rams to build this unit, but in that time the team has been relentless in its efforts to secure a good mix of veteran and quality players to service specific schemes when need be. Heading into the start of this season, the Rams defence is ranked in the top half of the league, more than enough to worry opposing offences heading to the Los Angeles Coliseum with hopes of a win. With this youth and renewed vigour, the Rams are looking to make a mark on Los Angeles and its football fans once again. • Comments to rwells@ tribunemedia.net

The three Bs put real steel in Pittsburgh NAUGHTY’S PREDICTIONS FOR THE AFC AFC EAST New England Patriots The defending champs will start slow, really slow, in Brady’s absence. I say the Pats get out of the gate 1-3 or 2-2, but end up 11-5 AFC Champs with ‘Tom the Terrific’ back at the helm. The window however is still closing on New England, just not in the division. Buffalo Bills This could be Rex Ryan’s last hurrah as a head coach if the Bills don’t make the playoffs. He’s brought in his brother, Rob, to head up the defensive side of the football and has given the keys completely to QB Tyrod Taylor to direct the offence. It’s all in for the Bills this season, and it will turn out to be a good bet. Loaded on offence and defence, the Bills will push the Pats for the division, finally settling on 10-6 and potentially an AFC wildcard playoff berth, depending on the playoff mathematics and conference tie breakers. New York Jets The Jets are definitely a contender and Head Coach Todd Bowles will have the defence primed weekly,

11-5. No Super Bowl repeat, but definitely another AFC West division championship.

which will keep the Jets in the hunt. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick must shake off the rust brought on by an off-season contract hold out or the offence will sputter, new RB Matt Forte and all. If Fitzpatrick finds some WD40 the Jets will be in the thick of things right down to the wire, until the the Jets’ infamous ‘bad luck’ strikes and they will end up third just out of the post-season. 10-6, unlucky victim of playoff mathematics and tie breakers, out of the playoffs. Miami Dolphins At the bottom of the pool where pond scum belongs! That is all! AFC NORTH Pittsburgh Steelers If - and a big if at that the big B’s, Ben, Brown and Bell, stay healthy, and a talented younger defence holds firm, 12-4 AFC North Champions. Cincinnati Bengals Despite losing Offensive

Co-ordinator Hue Jackson to the Head Coaching position in Cleveland, the Bengals still boast several weapons on offence. A J Green, Andy Dalton, Jeremy Hill, Gio Bernard and Tyler Eifert will score points in bunches. Add a stout defensive unit which creates ample opportunities for turnovers. 11-5 AFC wildcard. Baltimore Ravens Too many questions at too many key positions on both sides of the football for me to even guess! We’ve all got to watch this hand play itself out. 9-7 maybe? Or 10-6? Or 8-8? The Ravens are that much of a roller coaster! Cleveland Browns New Head Coach Hue Jackson will have the Browns ready to play every Sunday, and they won’t be an easy pushover on the schedule any more. The Browns will be exciting on offence with RG3, Duke Johnson, Josh Gordon, Terell Pryor and Corey

Coleman running around and hauling in passes from RG3, but that’s about it. The defence needs work and it’s the Browns after all. 6-10 but on the upswing. AFC SOUTH Houston Texans A new retooled offence, QB Brock Osweiler, RB Lamar Miller, along with rookie additions WR Wil Fuller and WR Braxton Miller to go along with J J Watt and that ‘lights out’ Texans defence, 11-5 AFC South Champions, holding off a furious charge from the Colts at the wire. Indianapolis Colts It was hard to not pick the Colts to regain division dominance. With a healthy QB Andrew Luck back at the controls, along with ageless RB Frank Gore and WR’s TY Hilton and Donte Moncrief, the Colts offence will be clicking, keeping the Colts in every game. It’s the defence that will betray them in the long run. 11-5 losing out on divi-

sion records to the Texans. AFC wildcard with some conference tie breakers and playoff mathematics. Jacksonville Jaguars Loaded with young talent on both sides of the ball, it’s up to the young Jags to take the leap! One more year of baby steps due to growing pains, maybe a year or two away from being a juggernaut. 9-7 and a very tough opponent to division foes. Tennessee Titans Watching DeMarco Murray and rookie Derrick Henry run the football smash mouth style is going to be fun, but more Mariota growing pains at QB and youthful mistakes keep the Titans grounded. 6-10 and looking toward the Draft. AFC WEST Denver Broncos The daunting Denver defence rises to the challenge, protecting the new starting rookie QB and the rest of the offence.

Oakland Raiders The maturation on offence continues for the Raiders. QB Derek Carr, RB Latavius Murray and WR Amari Cooper take it to the next level. All world LB Kalil Mack leads a young, nasty, talented defence to go with the young talented offence. 10-6 and a strong wildcard contender. Kansas City Chiefs Ghosts of injuries past and ghosts of injuries present, not to mention ghosts of injuries future, on both sides of the ball, has the Chiefs ‘hamstrung’. 9-7, no repeat of last year, out of the playoffs. San Diego Chargers Go, go, go ‘Super Chargers’ ... Not! 7-9 out of the playoffs. QB Philip Rivers continues to be a fantasy football sure bet though. NAUGHTY’S AFC PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS 1 Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC North Winner) 2 New England Patriots (AFC East Winner) 3 Denver Broncos (AFC West Winner) 4 Houston Texans (AFC South Winner) Wildcards: 5 Indianapolis Colts, 6 Oakland Raiders

If not my Cowboys then the Panthers will pounce NAUGHTY’S PREDICTIONS FOR THE NFC NFC EAST Dallas Cowboys Dak to the future in Big D. I know it sounds crazy but I have this funky feeling not one but two rookies lead the Cowboys back to the playoffs. Rookie QB Dak Prescott and super talented rookie RB Ezikiel Elliott give the Cowboys a new dynamic. Add in WR Dez Bryant, a beast in his own right, veteran TE Jason Witten and the best offensive line in the NFL ... and the Cowboys ride through the stormy, mediocre NFC East. 10-6, NFC East Champions. New York Giants $200m spent on defence, $19.95 on the offensive line and RB?! 8-8, out of the playoffs. Washington Redskins First place schedule this season proves last year was a fluke! 8-8, out of the playoffs.

NAUGHTY’S NFC PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS Philadelphia Eagles New coach, a rookie QB with skills in Carson Wentz, but not the complimentary pieces Dak has in Dallas. 6-10, out of the playoffs, eyes on the draft. NFC NORTH Green Bay Packers A healthy Arron Rodgers, an in shape Eddie Lacy and a returning healthy Jordy Nelson. Need I say more? 11-5, NFC North Champions. Minnesota Vikings With the injury to starting QB Teddy Bridgewater, the Vikings strong defence will keep the Vikings in the game, AP will run and the Vikings will win lots of ugly games.

A win is a win though. 10-6, NFC wildcard contender. Chicago Bears Erratic Jay Cutler, often injured star receiver Alshon Jeffery and question marks in the backfield. Not to mention a suspect defence! 7-9, out of the playoffs. Detroit Lions The Lions get better and more competitive on offence post-Calvin Johnson surprisingly. The defence still needs work. 7-9, out of the playoffs. NFC SOUTH Carolina Panthers Cam and the boys go for two straight NFC Championships. Cam will be Cam, the de-

fence will be lights out. No more hidden sleeping giant in Carolina. 12-4, NFC South Champions. Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers One big crap shoot in this one! All 8-8, and out of the playoffs. NFC WEST Arizona Cardinals Balanced offensively and decisively and poised to make a run. Only competition in the division is Seattle and it will be fun watching them match up! 11-5, NFC West Champions. Seattle Seahawks A very close second to

the Cards in the division, a monster outside of it in the NFC. Great offensively and defensively in their own right just a victim of the division records. 11-5, NFC wildcard. Los Angeles Rams Big move to the west coast, new QB, all pro RB, solid defence and same old middle of the pack results! 8-8, out of the playoffs and Head Coach Jeff Fisher out of a job. San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Chip Kelly, Blaine Gabbertt starting at QB, Kaepernick having a seat! Great reality show in the works, a pure comedy of errors waiting to unfold. 6-10, out of the playoffs.

1 Carolina Panthers (NFC South Winner) 2 Arizona Cardinals (NFC West Winner) 3 Green Bay Packers (NFC North Winner) 4 Dallas Cowboys (NFC East Winner) Wildcards: 5 Seattle Seahawks 6 Minnesota Vikings

NAUGHTY’S SUPER BOWL New England Patriots v Dallas Cowboys Winner ... really? Dallas Cowboys (purely with my heart) So then: New England Patriots v Carolina Panthers Winner: Carolina Panthers

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 7, 2016, PAGE 3

Four games for ‘Jimmy G’ to make a name for himself THIS Sunday will see Jimmy Garoppolo under centre for the New England Patriots in the NFL season-opener against the Arizona Cardinals. ‘Jimmy G’ will be just the fourth quarterback to start for the Patriots since 1999 and only the second in the 14 years not named Tom Brady to carry out those first team snaps. ‘Tom Terrific’ is finally serving that four-game suspension for his involvement in ‘Deflategate’ in the 2014 AFC Championship. There’s no secret that Tom Brady casts a big shadow in New England, and that anyone tasked with filling his cleats - whether for four games or after his retirement - will feel some level of angst. With that said, the Patriots have done a great job easing Garoppolo into that starting role, the spotlight, giving the third year quarterback nearly all the first team reps heading into this season. He even received the true-starter treatment, sitting out the entire fourth pre-season game, as sec-

Patriots fan Ricardo Wells has faith in Tom Brady’s understudy

PATRIOTS quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) watches his team play during the first half of a preseason game against the New York Giants. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) ond stringer Jacoby Brissett and Brady, now the third string QB, fell to the Giants. A “weird feeling” is how he described that game to the press. “Coach told me I’m not playing,

so I’m not playing.” He noted he thought he was playing until “a little while before the game” but did not have an exact time. The ability to get Garoppolo out of the mindset of a backup

and into the mindset of a starter quarterback is key. This Sunday, against the tough Cardinals defence, Garoppolo has to be used to the idea that there is no Brady running out of that tunnel and that the wins and losses - albeit for four games - is totally on his shoulders. I am a strong believer that Jimmy could lead the Patriots to a 4-0 record during his time as ‘the guy’. Garoppolo has the ability to man this offence. He has the ability to throw the ball deep, deliver a quality pass on the move and, if need be, re-work the play at the line of scrimmage. I believe that his performances and the quality of them are contingent on his ability to put the “I am the back-up who is just holding on until the real guy comes back” idea toward the back of his

mind. There is no need to write more why this guy has the ability to not only be a serviceable quarterback over the next month, but a toptier one in the future. The point is this he has four games to do what he has done most of his life - play football. Against the Cardinals this weekend is not about the SuperBowl hopes for either team, nor is how he became the starter. It’s about him doing his job. This is why I think Jimmy will be successful. There is no pressure on him to be Tom Brady - after all, when Brady started he was certainly no Drew Bledsoe, and look how that turned out. • Comments to rwells@ tribunemedia.net

Naughty’s Fantasy Football studs, duds and sleepers AS MOST OF YOU ‘FANTASY FOOTBALL’ AFICIONADOS PREPARE FOR YOUR FANTASY DRAFT AND UPCOMING SEASON, HERE ARE SOME PLAYERS TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON, BREAK OFF RUNNING FROM OR QUIETLY TRY TO STASH AWAY ON YOUR ROSTER FOR S OME LATE SEASON HEROICS. • Here’s a look at some of Fantasy Football’s Studs, Duds (to avoid like the plague) and Sleepers. If you’ve been playing fantasy for a while, don’t over think it, go with the best proven player available who’s on the board.

STUDS Andrew Luck QB Colts After missing nine games last season, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck appears geared up for a monster 2016. Luck has got the ever-dynamic T Y Hilton as his top pass-catcher. On Thursday, the quarterback called Hilton the “best player” at training camp. Luck also has the rapidly improving Donte Moncrief as well as second-year speedster Phillip Dorsett (Renaldo’s cousin). In the backfield is Frank Gore, who is not the star he once was but is still serviceable. As a fantasy owner, don’t be scared off by concerns that Luck has had an “uneven” camp, which was reported by Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star. Luck takes his chances. He throws picks. He makes what appear to be boneheaded plays more than his coaches would like. However to his credit, many of those chances result in explosive plays and, in turn, fantasy points. Expect a healthy Luck to finish in the same conversation as top fantasy QBs like Cam Newton, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers. David Johnson RB Cardinals Don’t let some analysts try and sell you on the idea that Johnson is a one year

STUD: BECKHAM JR

wonder a la C J Anderson in Denver. The Cardinals seem genuinely all-in on the Northern Iowa product. With just five starts, Johnson racked up 581 yards on the ground (eight touchdowns) and 457 through the air (36 catches, four scores). Head coach Bruce Arians often used the burly running back as a receiver in the red zone, which created all types of mismatches that quarterback Carson Palmer easily exploited. Believe the hype ... after the top three receivers (Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr and Julio Jones) are off the board, David Johnson should be in play as the first back selected.

his vocal supporters - and flashed that potential in NYG’s first pre-season game before leaving with a minor groin injury. Throw in the fact that Victor Cruz returns, and could also play for the first time since 2014. Factor in what should be an improved running game reliant on Rashad Jennings instead of a dysfunctional four-headed attack, and you’ve got the makings of an offensive boost in New York. Benefiting from all of this the most, you guessed it, OBJ. Grab him in the top third of your draft with confidence.

Odell Beckham Jr WR Giants If I’m thinking ‘bathhouse’ antics on viral videos all over social media, then OBJ is a stud. The ‘Freddie Mercury’ of the NFL (Mercury sang and danced better) Beckham is also on the Stud radar in Fantasy Football. Beckham finished his sophomore season with no jinx. Finishing third in receiving yards (1,450), eighth in receptions (96) and tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (13). OBJ did all this even while missing Week 16 due to suspension - a painful memory for many who were fighting for a fantasy championship. Believe the hype ... Beckham is elite; that’s not changing. His connection with Eli Manning is unshakeable, and now the Giants figure to actually have some help opposite Beckham this season. Rookie Sterling Shepard has drawn rave reviews - No.13 is among

Marcus Mariota QB Titans While I think he will end up having a decent career, I don’t see Mariota avoiding the ‘sophomore jinx’. Mariota possesses gamebreaking speed as a runner, but that wasn’t always a factor in the Tennessee Titans’ game plan. Worsening his fantasy production was painful inconsistency. There were four different outings in which Super Mario tossed three-plus touchdowns, but there were five with zero (buyer beware). The 22-year-old is hitor-miss. And given his limited weapons aside from DeMarco Murray and DelanieWalker, it’s tough to give Mariota a roster spot for more than single weeks at a time. Mariota is usable in some matchups, but he’s not someone you’ll want to draft and rely on. Don’t believe the hype ... Murray and Henry, two behemoths in the backfield, indicate the Titans are going to run the ball ad nauseam, clearly establishing a ground and pound smash

DUD: ISAIAH CROWELL

DUDS

STUD: ANDREW LUCK

DUD: MARCUS MARIOTA

SLEEPER: D PARKER

mouth identity. Not too much passing necessary in this equation.

a fantasy stud during his rookie season, totalling 73 grabs, 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns. Benjamin lost his second year in the league to an ACL injury, landing him on IR (Injured Reserve). Cam Newton put forth an MVP effort without his top target from the year prior. Now, it’s been assumed that upon his return, Benjamin will immediately reclaim his role as the undisputed No.1. Wait a second, I don’t think it’s going to be that easy. You know what happens when one assumes? Yes, Benjamin is going to be a featured part of the passing attack. He’s a mammoth target at 6ft 5in, 240 pounds. In the red zone, he’s undeniable. However the Panthers learnt how to survive without their big target last season. Cam Newton spread the wealth last season and didn’t consistently lock in on any one target aside from tight end Greg Olsen, making choosing a Panthers receiver a nightmare for fantasy owners. But it earned the Panthers a dream trip to the Super Bowl. Expect a strong season from Benjamin, but think of him more of an explosive WR2 than a week-to-week WR1.

spite limited carries (104) he showed flashes of a player with game-breaking ability. The Cleveland Browns can - and probably will use him in the slot, split out wide and traditionally out of the backfield. He is very similar to former Bears and current NY Jets RB Matt Forte. Remember running backs who are threats as receivers and on the ground are usually Fantasy beasts. Throw new head coach Hue Jackson into the mix, and Johnson is set to star.

Isaiah Crowell RB Browns Though billed a firstand second-down back, Crowell is in danger of losing carries to second-year teammate Duke Johnson (huge sleeper, don’t forget I told you so). Crowell will still be involved, of course. With Head Coach Hue Jackson now manning the Cleveland Browns sidelines, it would be shocking to see either Crowell or Johnson become a three-down, clear-cut workhorse. Keep in mind that this is the same coach who wielded the league’s best backfield combination in Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard with the Cincinnati Bengals. Look for Crowell to fill Hill’s bruising role while Johnson acts as the passing-down back, like Gio Bernard. After all, Johnson led all rookie running backs with 61 receptions. He was second among firstyear players, trailing only Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, both Crowell and Johnson could be used on the field at the same time. This bodes well for Johnson, not so much for Crowell. In PPR leagues, Johnson is the obvious choice. But even in standard, Duke’s ceiling is immensely higher. He’s a second-year breakout candidate ... like I told you all last week! Kelvin Benjamin WR Panthers Kelvin Benjamin

SLEEPER: ROBERT GRIFFIN III

was

SLEEPERS Kevin White WR Bears Because he missed all of what would have been his rookie season, it’s easy to forget Kevin White was the No.7 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. At 6ft 3in, 205 pounds with blazing speed and excellent leaping ability, White has the talent of a No.1 receiver. Bears QB Jay Cutler isn’t the most accurate passer, but he loves throwing to big, talented receivers. If the injury bug bites running mate Alshon Jeffery again, White is poised to step in and break out. Duke Johnson Jr RB Browns Duke Johnson had 61 receptions in 2015, and de-

Robert Griffin III QB Browns Two Cleveland Browns back-to-back ... yes new Head Coach Hue Jackson is a QB guru. He resurrects RG3’s career.  Look for RG3 to return to his old Pro Bowl form. A great late round steal. DeVante Parker WR Dolphins Finally healthy, the extremely athletic Parker gives budding quarterback Ryan Tannehill a receiver who is legitimately capable of being a star playmaker. A stronger offensive line and head coach Adam Gase’s system that should open up a stuffy passing attack from 2015 only enhance Parker’s overflowing potential. He is a popular sleeper this year and may go way earlier than expected, depending on your league’s structure and interest level. Target him as a third receiver in the first half of the draft. DeAndre Washington RB Raiders Dynamic. That one word aptly describes Washington’s ability. Among running backs with at least 150 touches in 2015, Raiders starter Latavius Murray ranked as the seventh least efficient. Washington can chew up chunks of yards with limited touches and offers a short-area spark in the passing game. I strongly suggest drafting any of these players in the later rounds of your drafts. If they don’t pay off early, they will late.

PAGE 4, Wednesday, September 7, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

FIFA BOSS INFANTINO OPEN TO 40-TEAM WORLD CUP, CO-HOSTS By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer

FRANCE’s Olivier Giroud reacts during the World Cup Group A qualifying match between France and Belarus at the Borisov-Arena stadium, in Borisov, Belarus, yesterday. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Euro 2016 finalists Portugal, France open the World Cup tamely By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — European Championship finalists Portugal and France came down from their summer highs with tame starts to World Cup qualifying yesterday. Without Cristiano Ronaldo again, still recovering from his Euro 2016 final injury, newly crowned Portugal slumped to a 2-0 loss away to Switzerland. France failed to score in 120 minutes against Portugal in Paris, and two months later got only a 0-0 draw at unheralded Belarus. Also in France’s group, the post-Zlatan Ibrahimovic era began for Sweden with a 1-1 draw at home to the Netherlands. Heavily favoured to win Group H, No. 2-ranked Belgium began with a routine 3-0 win at Cyprus as it seeks to repair a recent reputation as tournament underachievers. After Iceland’s popular run to the Euro 2016 quarter-finals, the search for the next Cinderella story could lead to Luxembourg. The tiny principality team lost 4-3 at Bulgaria after leading in the second half and levelling in stoppage time. Bulgaria, the 1994 World Cup semi-finalist, scored the decisive goal in the second minute of time added on. GROUP A While European Champion-

ship runner-up France was held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at Belarus, the Netherlands and Sweden did find the target as they began their rebuilding process with a 1-1 draw. As little-known Belarus goalkeeper Andrei Gorbunov caught the eye with some fine secondhalf saves, the goals flew in elsewhere in a thrilling match that saw Bulgaria squeeze past Luxembourg 4-3. Gorbunov denied Euro 2016 top scorer Antoine Griezmann three times and made another key save from left back Layvin Kurzawa. France forward Olivier Giroud dragged a shot wide when sent through by Griezmann’s backheel and also headed against the crossbar. Sweden’s 62-goal record scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic is no longer around, having retired after a dismal Euro 2016 campaign. Still, Marcus Berg scored a Zlatan-esque goal with a chip from just inside the penalty area shortly before halftime. Veteran Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder levelled midway through the second half for a once-proud team side that is low on confidence after failing to qualify for Euro 2016. Bulgaria led 1-0 early on, trailed 2-1 just after the hour mark and led 3-2 before a dramatic finale saw defender Florian Bohnert level for Luxembourg in the first minute of injury time.

Cruelly for the visitors, midfielder Aleksandar Tonev’s goal a minute later sent Bulgaria top of the group ahead of its trip to Paris next month. GROUP B European champion Portugal had to leave Cristiano Ronaldo out of its squad to face Switzerland and was deservedly beaten 2-0 in Basel. A Swiss team which mostly lacked spark in France fired into life with two goals in the first half hour. Breel Embolo reacted fastest in the 23rd minute to head low past Rui Patricio’s dive after the goalkeeper parried a Ricardo Rodriguez free kick. Admir Mehmedi finished a fast break in the 30th with a curling shot into the topright corner of the Portugal goal. Portugal struck a post in the 82nd from Nani’s slow, bouncing header. Switzerland will have Granit Xhaka suspended for the trip to Hungary next month after the midfielder was sent off in stoppage time. His second yellow card was for a reckless tackle through the back of Joao Mario’s legs. Hungary was lucky to get a 0-0 draw with the Faeroe Islands on a windswept evening in the north Atlantic, and Latvia won 1-0 at Andorra. GROUP H Watched by Thierry Henry,

Belgium’s new strikers’ coach, Romelu Lukaku scored a goal in each half in a 3-0 win at Cyprus. Lukaku headed home the opener in the 13th minute after Cyprus goalkeeper Konstantinos Panagi had parried a low shot from Thomas Meunier, and struck again in the 61st. Yannick Carrasco rounded off the scoring for coach Roberto Martinez’s team in the 81st, before substitute Michy Batshuayi had a penalty kick saved by Panagi. Bosnia-Herzegovina routed Estonia 5-0 as it seeks to qualify for a second consecutive World Cup. Veteran defender Emir Spahic scored with an early close-range header, and captain Edin Dzeko converted from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Estonia captain Ragnar Klavan. Bosnia added late goals from Haris Medunjanin, Vedad Ibisevic and Spahic again. Gibraltar scored on its World Cup debut though lost 4-1 to Greece, the 2004 European champion which has dropped in the rankings. Playing the ‘home’ game in Faro, Portugal, while its own stadium is being built, Gibraltar leveled Greece’s 10th-minute opener with a curling shot by Liam Walker in the 26th. Greece then added three more goals between the 44th minute and the halftime whistle.

GENEVA (AP) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino is open to a 40-team World Cup in 2026, with several countries serving as co-hosts. With key World Cup talks due next month, Infantino’s comments yesterday show that FIFA will consider co-hosting by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The North American neighbours have long been expected bidders for 2026, even competing against each other, because the CONCACAF region is favored to host for the first time since 1994. Then, 24 teams played in the US. In his presidential election campaign, Infantino supported expanding the tournament and hosting across a region. “These two topics will certainly be on the table for discussion,” Infantino said, looking ahead to a meeting of the FIFA Council he will chair October 13-14 in Zurich. Asked about a potential USCanada-Mexico project for 2026, the former UEFA general secretary noted that his previous organisation chose to hold the 2020 European Championship in 13 different host nations. “So, there is, I would say, no limit to whatever is good for football,” Infantino said on the sidelines of a meeting of European clubs. “We will see, but it’s true that CONCACAF did not have the World Cup for a long time.” FIFA rules currently bar backto-back hosting by continents, ruling out Asian bidders for 2026 after Qatar hosts in 2022, and has previously weighed requiring confederations to sit out two bidding contests. Infantino declined to suggest if UEFA could encourage its members to skip the 2026 process with Russia hosting the 2018 World Cup. The 2026 World Cup hosting vote is set for 2020, with FIFA member federations choosing from a shortlist drafted by the ruling council. “For the moment I think everything is open. My opinion on the 40 teams has not changed,” Infantino said after meeting the European Club Association, many of whose members oppose releasing more of their players to an expanded World Cup. While at UEFA, Infantino also helped oversee an expanded Euro 2016 with 24 teams for the first time instead of the 16-team format “We have seen it again at the Euro in France with eight more teams, what kind of enthusiasm this generated in many, many countries,” he said. “We need to realise that these kinds of events are more than just a competition, they are real social events in the whole world.”

European clubs target 2024 UEFA deal to block Super League By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — European clubs are set for fresh talks with UEFA that should block a breakaway Super League until at least 2024. Two weeks after UEFA and the European Club Association agreed on Champions League entry slots and prize money models through 2021, both sides said yesterday that negotiations for the next threeyear cycle will start within months. “This is a kind of guarantee that the clubs stay united under the umbrella of UEFA,” Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, the ECA and Bayern Munich chairman at a news conference. Rummenigge spoke after two days of closed-door meetings that revealed disunity and unhappiness among clubs from lowerranked national leagues which will be squeezed by the Champions League deal agreed last month. A breakaway, Americanstyle closed league for rich,

storied clubs is typically threatened before UEFA begins signing Champions League broadcasters and sponsors to three-year contracts. Total revenue in the 2015-2018 seasons for the Champions League and Europa League tops 2.2 billion euros ($2.47 billion) annually. An ECA-UEFA working cooperation agreement also expires in 2021, opening the chance for a split. Still, Rummenigge assured on Tuesday, “We will cooperate in the future with UEFA, there is no doubt about that.” The latest Champions League deal was agreed on last month in Monaco after months of raised tension fueled by influential clubs including Juventus and Real Madrid. Italian and Spanish clubs were among winners in changes agreed for the 2018-2021 Champions League. Italy is among the topfour ranked national leagues — with Spain, Germany and England — which will each get four guaran-

GERMANY’S KARL-HEINZ RUMMENIGGE, chairman of the European Club Association, ECA, addresses his speech, during the opening plenary general assembly of the European Club Association, ECA, in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP) teed places in the 32-team group stage. Italy has two teams in the current qualifying system. Spanish clubs which go deep into the competition will get more prize money, because broadcast revenues from the richest TV markets will be spread across all successful clubs instead of being targeted at clubs from that country. The current model ensured Manchester City

topped the prize money last season — getting about 75 million euros ($84 million) from UEFA — despite losing in the semifinals to eventual winner Madrid. “I believe that was not fair and serious,” Rummenigge said. Another change to prize money distribution will reward storied clubs for their past titles. Rummenigge said this decision — skewing future

money away from newcomers like Leicester toward traditional clubs like AC Milan — was made by UEFA. UEFA told clubs in Monaco last month to expect “significantly” increased prize money in the 2018-21 seasons. The 153 clubs attending on Tuesday were told to expect a 30 per cent rise in club competition revenues, a projected total of 3.2 bil-

lion euros ($3.6 billion). Delegates from lowerranked clubs declined to speak publicly about the influence of elite clubs who cash in most from the Champions League, and would likely be part of a Super League. Real Madrid’s ECA board delegate, Pedro Lopez Jimenez, noted sharply that marketing analysis suggested the best model for the Champions League would include only 24 clubs. The 32-team group stage this season has room for clubs from Bulgaria, Denmark and Poland. Rummenigge insisted European fans are a priority, despite demand from broadcasters worldwide to provide more matches involving top teams at times to suit non-European audiences. “Our will is to make (supporters) happy first, and not playing, I would say, at crazy kickoff times,” the West Germany great said. “We never talked about to play in the afternoon or at noon to make our Asian friends or whoever else happy.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 7, 2016, PAGE 5

Carolina motivated and Broncos made over for NFL opener (AP) — CAM Newton and Von Miller won’t be watching much film of the Super Bowl as their Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos prepare for the NFL season-opener on Thursday. The Panthers don’t really want to relive the nightmare, and the Broncos don’t want to live in the past. The bulk of Carolina’s squad was back except star cornerback Josh Norman, who was deemed expendable and signed with Washington. After the miserable 24-10 loss to Denver in the Super Bowl, the offence should be even better because star receiver Kelvin Benjamin is back after a knee injury forced him to miss last season. The last eight teams to lose the Super Bowl have won at least 10 games the next season. But no team has reached the title game a year after losing since the 1993 Buffalo Bills. “You can never be satisfied,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. “We didn’t win the Super Bowl. So that right there is enough for us to stay motivated.”

Broncos general manager John Elway blew up his offence, dumping both starting tight ends and three linemen. Quarterback Peyton Manning retired a month after winning his second Super Bowl ring, and his longtime backup Brock Osweiler, who started seven games last season, followed him out of Denver 48 hours later when he accepted a $72 million offer from the Houston Texans. The only diamond-encrusted championship ring you’ll see around team headquarters is the one in the big trophy case in the lobby, substituting for the Lombardi Trophies that are on display elsewhere in the city this week. “We let all of that go,” Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said. “This is a new team, new year, new season.” Indeed. Thursday will mark the first pro start for passer Trevor Siemian, a seventh-round draft pick in 2015. His backup is rookie Paxton Lynch, Denver’s firstrounder this year. New England has known for several weeks who its quarterback will be at the start of the season.

Jimmy Garoppolo steps in for the suspended Tom Brady, who’ll have to sit out four games because of his role in the “Deflategate” scandal. Pittsburgh might have as good a chance to win the AFC crown as anyone, especially if Ben Roethlisberger remains healthy. The Steelers went 10-6 and won a playoff game last season despite a down year for their playmaking quarterback because of injuries. Wide receiver Antonio Brown, among the most dynamic offensive players in the league, broke his own franchise records by catching 136 passes for 1,834 yards. Running back Le’Veon Bell is back from torn knee ligaments and should provide a boost, but will be suspended for the first three games for missing multiple drug tests. The Steelers will also have to contend with AFC North rival Cincinnati, which has made the postseason five straight years. Quarterback Andy Dalton is recovered from a broken thumb that kept him out of the Bengals’ firstround playoff loss to the Steelers.

He was having a breakout season when he got hurt last December. Carolina, the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers, the last four teams to play for the NFC Championship, remain the class of a conference that has far more pretenders than contenders. The Cardinals were 13-3 last year and are 34-14 under Bruce Arians. A blowout loss at Carolina in the NFC title game was a bitter end to a fine season. Carson Palmer is coming off his best season, but threw four interceptions against the Panthers. Palmer turns 37 in December, so there’s urgency to win now. Seattle also was knocked out of the playoffs by the Panthers. The Seahawks might have even more depth than they did when they almost won consecutive Super Bowls in 2013-14. Running back Thomas Rawls — Marshawn Lynch’s replacement — and tight end Jimmy Graham are back from significant injuries that ended their 2015 seasons early. Russell Wilson led the NFL in passer rating and is still

improving. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are looking to rebound after Minnesota ended their four-year reign in the NFC North. Star receiver Jordy Nelson is back after missing the season with a knee injury. Running back Eddie Lacy slimmed down. Even Rodgers altered his diet after minor knee surgery in the offseason. If everyone around him stays healthy, Rodgers should return to MVP form. He had 3,821 yards passing, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions in a “down” year for him in 2015. The Vikings round out the top five in the NFC. But they need much more production from Teddy Bridgewater to have a chance to win the conference. Bridgewater finished in the bottom third of the NFL in most quarterback categories last season. Minnesota’s offence still relies on Adrian Peterson, who led the league with 1,485 yards rushing last season. If the 31-year-old Peterson slows down, the Vikings could be in trouble.

Peyton Manning’s successor is a cool cat from Florida By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Peyton Manning’s successor isn’t Brock Osweiler or Colin Kaepernick or Mark Sanchez, all of whom had better offseason odds than NFL novice Trevor Siemian. When Broncos GM John Elway declined to overpay Osweiler, Manning’s longtime backup bolted to Houston 48 hours after his mentor called it a career. Elway quickly acquired Sanchez from the Eagles but he really had his eyes fixed on Kaepernick, who rejected a pay cut to facilitate a trade from the 49ers to Denver. So, Elway moved on — and he moved up in the first round of the draft, selecting Paxton Lynch of Memphis, who very well might be the franchise’s future. The present, though, belongs to Siemian, a QB who won the starting job with a mix of brains and brawn, precision and poise, steadiness and spunk. The Carolina Panthers will certainly try to unnerve Siemian in his first NFL start Thursday night in the 2016 season opener. Thing is, nobody at Broncos headquarters has ever seen the 2015 seventh-round pick get rattled. Not when he was Osweiler’s backup for two months last season when Manning was hurt. Not when he ran the scout team against Denver’s destructive defence that brought home the Lombardi Trophy. Not even when coach Gary Kubiak named him the starter. “He’s the same guy: cool, calm and collected,” said wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. “He’s not going to change. He’s not going

BRONCOS quarterback Trevor Siemian smiles as he fields a question from a reporter after football practice at the Broncos’ headquarters in Englewood, Colorado. It’s Siemian and backup Paxton Lynch under centre for Denver and neither has ever thrown a pass in the NFL that counted. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) to waver. I know that he wants to show the world, ‘Hey, look at this guy out here, No. 13.’ I think he can make plays and make all the throws.” So, just who is Trevor Siemian? (Let’s start with a pronouncer: It’s Sim-EE-in). He was a high school star in central Florida who could have gone to any number of schools that would have loved that strong right arm that also made him an outstanding third baseman. He chose Northwestern, though, as

much for its academics as its athletics. He played in 44 games for the Wildcats but started just 14 — yet still finished as the school’s fourth-leading passer. He tore an ACL in his final college game and that scared away plenty of teams but not the Broncos, who chose him with the 250th overall pick, after which Siemian declared, “I can’t think of a better scenario” than to learn from Manning and Osweiler. By training camp last year he was healthy enough to practice

and he quickly showed Elway that he wouldn’t be able to slip him through waivers to get him on the practice squad. He made the 53man roster and spent the season soaking in all he could from his coaches and colleagues. “It was a great opportunity for me last year to learn a lot from Brock and Peyton,” Siemian said as the Broncos began their offseason programme last spring. “At this point, I’m kind of getting antsy to apply some of those things I picked up from those guys.”

That, he did. Siemian had a year’s head start in Kubiak’s West Coast offence, and he used that advantage to show Elway that his answer at quarterback had been under his nose all along. Siemian mixed that knowledge with accurate, strong throws and poise under pressure to win his teammates’ trust. Siemian may come off as humdrum in interviews, but he’s actually a cutup whose locker room leadership is apparent even on a roster full of seasoned stars with new diamond-encrusted rings. “He’s a guy that’s very smart, he likes to laugh, he likes to have fun, but he also likes to work,” tight end Virgil Green said. “He goes out there every day ready to fight.” “Who is Trevor Siemian?” kicker Brandon McManus pondered. “I guess a lot of people don’t see it, they kind of see him as pretty straightforward, kind of his media interviews and whatnot. He’s a pretty big goofball, just hearing him laugh a lot and loves to tell jokes. He and I play golf a decent amount, just shooting the breeze around the golf course. He’s a super funny person. But as everyone says, he’s super intelligent, he knows a lot of stuff and there’s a reason that they named him the starter.” His demeanor didn’t change when Kubiak named him the starter and said he won’t have to dial down the playbook. “Trevor has always been himself,” left guard Max Garcia said. “He’s kind of lighthearted and it’s good to have a guy like that. Even when he got here as a rookie he was very poised. I can’t say that I’ve ever seen him rattled.”

DOLPHINS COUNTING ON COMEBACKS BY WAKE, WILLIAMS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL STANDINGS

By STEVEN WINE AP Sports Writer

DAVIE, Florida (AP) — During an arduous recovery from Achilles tendon surgery, Cameron Wake dealt with the frustrations of being bedridden, the demands of gruelling therapy and persistent questions about whether he could come back. After 10 months of rehab, he’s ready with an answer. Teammate Mario Williams’ rehabilitation will take longer; he’s trying to repair a reputation for inconsistent effort. The two Miami Dolphins defensive ends, both fourtime Pro Bowlers, will play pivotal roles in Sunday’s opener at Seattle. But the real opponent is Father Time, and the pair of thirtysomethings are racing the clock, anxious to show they can still reach the quarterback before he gets rid of the ball. They’ve noticed the onus on them. “What about everybody else?” Wake said. “’Hey, Mario! I guess we’re the only guys playing this week.’ It’s not just us two. It’s everybody.” But with the Dolphins trying to end a seven-year playoff drought, they’re

counting heavily on production from their veteran ends, part of a front four regarded as the deepest and most talented unit on the team. The line is anchored by tackle Ndamukong Suh, another four-time Pro Bowler. But it is Wake, 34, and Williams, 31, who are expected to pressure the passer and compensate for deficiencies in the secondary, including a rookie starter at cornerback. That’s a lot to put on two aging players in comeback mode. Williams has 96 career sacks but totaled only five last year in Buffalo under new coach Rex Ryan. At times Williams complained about his role and seemed disinterested. When the Bills deemed him expendable, he signed a $17 million, two-year deal with their AFC East rivals. He’s not keen to talk about his departure from Buffalo. “That was last year,” Williams said. “At this point it’s all about this year, and all about us moving forward. None of us is going to talk about anything that is irrelevant.” Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph coached defensive backs

with the Houston Texans when Williams played there. He believes the move to Miami has been good for Williams. “I’ve seen Mario from day one being fully engaged in what we’re doing,” Joseph said. “Sometimes players just need a new change; they need a change of environment. Mario wants to rush the passer, like most defensive ends. He’s rushing the passer here so, so far, so good.” When it comes to effort, no one has ever questioned Wake. He continued pursuing Tom Brady on one good leg on the play when his Achilles tendon ruptured against New England in Week 8 last year. Then began an offseason he described as the longest of his career. “I try to put it in the back of my head, but it’s the reality — it has been a long time since I’ve played an actual game,” Wake said. “I’ve run through that last play a billion times in my mind, and I feel like I’ve gotten over it. I’ve got to move forward.” Wake said the most difficult part of the injury was accepting restrictions — the inability to play, or walk, or worse.

“For a doctor to say, ‘Hey, you can’t work out. You can’t get out of bed. You can’t walk around, you can’t, can’t, can’t’ — that’s like a four letter word to me,” Wake said. Now that he’s healthy again, the Dolphins want to keep him that way. He played in only one preseason game and will be used as a pass-rush specialist, at least initially. Williams’ snaps will also be limited, and both players say they’re fine with being part of a rotation that will also include Jason Jones, Andre Branch and Terrence Fede. “As long as we are out there and we’re fresh and we are humming, keep us out there, take us out, rotate, whatever,” Williams said. “As long as we are causing havoc and creating chaos, that’s fine with me.” At 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds, as he begins his 11th season, Williams can probably use a break now and then. Even to the 6-3, 263-pound Wake, Williams seems large. “That’s a lot of individual to deal with,” Wake said. “I’m glad he’s on our side.” Said Williams of Wake: “His leadership is something that I need.”

PAGE 6, Wednesday, September 7, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 7, 2016, PAGE 7

Monfils tops Pouille to reach Open semis, Kerber wins By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Beating Rafael Nadal at the US Open took a lot out of Lucas Pouille, and Gael Monfils took full advantage, reaching his first Grand Slam semi-final since 2008. The 10th-seeded Monfils beat an error-prone Pouille 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in an all-French quarter-final that concluded under Arthur Ashe Stadium’s retractable roof. Monfils, who turned 30 last week, had lost six consecutive major quarter-finals since reaching his only previous semi-final, 8½ years ago in front of a partisan crowd at the French Open. But the entertaining Monfils has been playing the best tennis of his career lately, winning all 15 sets he’s played during this tournament. “It’s a court I love,” he told the crowd during an on-court interview. “I always say that the French is my home, but this one is my second.” The 24th-seeded Pouille quite simply ran out of steam, winding up with just about three times as many unforced errors as Monfils, 44-15. He never had won a US Open match or any match that lasted five sets until last week; his

GAEL MONFILS (AP) 4-hour-plus win against Nadal on Sunday was his third five-setter in a row. Monfils repeatedly used lobs to try to take points from Pouille. “I know he was maybe a bit flat today, so he wanted to close at the net,” Monfils said. “And the lob obviously is the best shot.” He already was ahead 6-4, 4-3 when a brief shower led organisers to shut Ashe’s $150 million cover that is making its debut this year. Up next for Monfils will be a matchup against No. 1 Novak

Djokovic, the defending champion, who advanced last night after defeating No. 9 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who stopped because of a hurt left knee after the first point of their third set. Monfils, Pouille and Tsonga gave France a trio of quarterfinalists at the American Grand Slam tournament for the first time in 89 years. Monfils said he “might watch a little bit” of Djokovic vs. Tsonga, pulling for what he called “a full French semi-final.” In the day’s first women’s quarter-final, Roberta Vinci fell apart after losing the opening set on a foot fault, allowing No. 2 seed Angelique Kerber to take the last nine games and win 7-5, 6-0. Vinci was the runner-up at Flushing Meadows a year ago, reaching her first major final by stunning Serena Williams to end the American’s bid for the first calendar-year Grand Slam in tennis in more than a quarter-century. But after being two points from taking the first set against Kerber while serving for it at 5-4, 30-all, the No. 7-seeded Vinci faltered badly. She missed a forehand long, then netted a backhand to get broken there — and that was just the beginning of her collapse. Trailing 6-5, and serving at love-

ANGELIQUE KERBER (AP) 40, Vinci missed her first serve, then was called for a foot fault on a second serve. That resulted in a double-fault, ceding the set. As she walked to the sideline, Vinci looked at the line judge who made the call and smiled sarcastically, giving him a thumb’s up and applauding with her racket. It’s a rare ruling in Grand Slam tennis, especially at a critical juncture, although there was, of course, the most famous foot fault of all on the very same court. In the 2009 US Open semi-

finals, Williams was angered by the same type of call: a foot fault that resulted in a double-fault; in that instance, it set up match point for her opponent, Kim Clijsters. Williams brandished her racket and yelled at the line judge, and the point she was docked for that ended the match. This time, the call ended the competitive portion of Vinci’s quarter-final: She managed to take only 10 of 38 points the rest of the way. Vinci has been dealing with an injured left Achilles tendon — she wore black tape in the shape of a “V’’ that framed her left calf — and a bad back. Still, her varied game, filled with slices and drop shots and net rushes, gave Kerber fits for most of the first set. Kerber, who has a chance to overtake Williams at No. 1 in the WTA rankings after the tournament, moved into her third Grand Slam semi-final of the year. She beat Williams to win the Australian Open for her first major championship, then lost to Williams in the Wimbledon final in July. Kerber’s first US Open semifinal since 2011 will come against an unseeded player, either twotime runner-up Caroline Wozniacki or Anastasija Sevastova.

THe WeaTHer repOrT

5-Day Forecast

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High: 89° F/32° C low: 72° F/22° C

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Partly sunny, a t‑storm in spots

Clouds and sun, a t‑storm in spots

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AccuWeather RealFeel

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105°-89° F

106°-89° F

108°-88° F

109°-88° F

High: 92° F/33° C low: 74° F/23° C

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

almanac

aBaCO

High: 85° F/29° C low: 80° F/27° C

7‑14 knots

High: 88° F/31° C low: 78° F/26° C

6‑12 knots

FT. lauderdale

FreepOrT

High: 86° F/30° C low: 77° F/25° C

W S

WesT palm BeaCH

High: 87° F/31° C low: 76° F/24° C

mIamI

High: 88° F/31° C low: 77° F/25° C

7‑14 knots

Key WesT

High: 88° F/31° C low: 79° F/26° C

High: 90° F/32° C low: 77° F/25° C

High: 87° F/31° C low: 82° F/28° C

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

tiDes For nassau High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

12:11 a.m. 12:41 p.m.

2.8 3.0

6:19 a.m. 6:57 p.m.

0.6 0.8

Thursday

12:56 a.m. 1:30 p.m.

2.6 2.9

7:03 a.m. 7:49 p.m.

0.7 0.9

Friday

1:46 a.m. 2:24 p.m.

2.5 2.9

7:52 a.m. 8:46 p.m.

0.8 0.9

Saturday

2:42 a.m. 3:21 p.m.

2.5 2.9

8:47 a.m. 9:45 p.m.

0.8 0.9

Sunday

3:41 a.m. 4:18 p.m.

2.5 3.0

9:46 a.m. 0.8 10:42 p.m. 0.8

Monday

4:39 a.m. 5:12 p.m.

2.6 3.2

10:44 a.m. 0.7 11:34 p.m. 0.7

Tuesday

5:34 a.m. 6:03 p.m.

2.8 3.4

11:39 a.m. 0.5 ‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:53 a.m. 7:22 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

12:05 p.m. 11:29 p.m.

First

Full

last

new

sep. 9

sep. 16

sep. 23

sep. 30

CaT Island

High: 87° F/31° C low: 81° F/27° C

W S

8‑16 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 90° F/32° C Low .................................................... 76° F/24° C Normal high ....................................... 88° F/31° C Normal low ........................................ 75° F/24° C Last year’s high ................................. 91° F/33° C Last year’s low ................................... 76° F/25° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.04” Year to date ............................................... 29.94” Normal year to date ................................... 25.97”

eleuTHera

nassau

6‑12 knots

andrOs

san salVadOr

GreaT eXuma

High: 86° F/30° C low: 81° F/27° C

High: 85° F/29° C low: 81° F/27° C

High: 88° F/31° C low: 81° F/27° C

W S

lOnG Island

insurance management tracking map

uV inDex toDay

TOnIGHT

High: 86° F/30° C low: 81° F/27° C

8‑16 knots

mayaGuana High: 86° F/30° C low: 80° F/27° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

CrOOKed Island / aCKlIns raGGed Island High: 86° F/30° C low: 81° F/27° C

High: 85° F/29° C low: 82° F/28° C

GreaT InaGua High: 88° F/31° C low: 81° F/27° C

10‑20 knots

marine Forecast aBaCO andrOs CaT Island CrOOKed Island eleuTHera FreepOrT GreaT eXuma GreaT InaGua lOnG Island mayaGuana nassau raGGed Island san salVadOr

Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday:

WINDS NE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots NE at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots ENE at 7‑14 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 10‑20 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 4‑8 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots NE at 10‑20 Knots ESE at 10‑20 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots

WAVES 4‑7 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 3‑6 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 4‑8 Feet 3‑6 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet

VISIBILITY 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 8 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 8 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 8 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles 5 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 84° F 84° F 85° F 85° F

PAGE 8, Wednesday, September 7, 2016

THE TRIBUNE