Lions RB Abdullah does some self-reflection, wants to contribute more

Detroit Lions running back Ameer Abdullah set some time aside during his team's Week 9 bye to reflect upon the first half of his rookie season.

Abdullah is the leading rusher on a 1-7 team with 225 yards on 63 carries (3.6 yards per carry). The Lions struggle to run the ball in general (69.6 rushing yards per game, last in NFL), so the young back is naturally frustrated with how his first eight games as a professional have gone.

Abdullah wrote about his role with the Lions and his hopes for the second half of the season in his rookie blog on the team's official website. Here's an excerpt:

That's been my big focus in the bye week, a little self-reflection. I want to be a guy you can trust running the ball, in the pass game, returning the football. I feel like I'm definitely one of the better playmakers on the team, but sometimes you don't get to see that because of the situation of the game. If I'm out of the game for whatever reason, that only hurts the team because we need all the guys who are playmakers on the field all the time. I consider myself one of those people. The more I can do to keep myself on the field, the better.

For the most part, the run game in Jim Bob Cooter's offense is the same. We just need more attention to detail. We can still make a run this season, finish off strong and hang our hat on something. It starts with running the football, in my opinion. We haven't done it much this year. I know as a group some games we only combined for 15 carries.

To be successful as a team, we need to run the ball more. We have to be better in the passing game too because when we get behind in games, we can't run the ball. I think running the ball this second half is going to be critical for the success of this team. I take this as a challenge. I'm looking forward to it because this is all I ever wanted to do: Run the football and prove myself.

Abdullah, a second-round pick in this year's draft, is a dynamic offensive weapon. The Lions just haven't been able to employ him with consistency yet.

If Detroit ever gets its ground game back on track, this young runner will be a fun player to watch. Until then, his potential is wasted on a team that can't seem to get out of its own way.

Source-  http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2015/11/12/lions-rb-abdullah-does-some-self-reflection-wants-to-contribute-more.html

The run-out fiasco

In the 45th over of the Bangladesh innings yesterday, Mahmudullah had pushed the ball to cover and, as per Mashrafe Bin Mortaza's call, attempted to take a single. However, after he had taken quite a few steps forward, Mashrafe decided to send him back.

Sikandar Raza collected the ball and hit stumps. At first glance, it seemed like Mahmudullah was out by a long margin and according to Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura, square-leg umpire Aleem Dar had even raised his finger as the batsman started walking.

However, a replay showed that Zimbabwe keeper Regis Chakabva had taken the bails off the stumps before Raza's throw had hit the stumps.

In order to rectify his mistake, Chakabva asked for the ball and picked up a stump with the ball in hand a while later, to make sure the run-out was completed on the second attempt.

However, the third umpire, after a hard and long look, negated the on-field umpire's decision since the ball was 'legally dead' as soon as the umpire had raised his finger. Chakabva's move to pick up the stumps, as per the laws of the game, did not come into consideration.

Drama unfolded as Zimbabwe players formed a huddle in the middle for a brief period, only to be quieted after a talk with the umpire.

While the entire saga caused a lot of confusion and took off some precious time, the correct law of the game prevailed and the on-field umpire was spared blushes.

Source-  http://www.thedailystar.net/sports/cricket/the-run-out-fiasco-171175

Saeed Ajmal's Contract Suspended by Pakistan Cricket Board For Media Outburst

Pakistan Cricket Board came down heavily on Saeed Ajmal by suspending his contract and have asked him to explain his comments which he made on a television channel.

Pakistan Cricket Board suspended former spinner Saeed Ajmal's contract over television comments he made about the way bowlers with illegal action are dealt with. (Harbhajan Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin Are Chuckers, Fumes Saeed Ajmal)
The 38-year-old had been Pakistan's match-winner in the last five years until he was sidelined over his bowling action before being cleared in February.
Ajmal, who returned to international cricket in April after remodelling his action, claimed that Harbhajan Singh and Ravichandran Ashwin were chuckers, but never punished because "they belong to India."

Ajmal had also blasted the International Cricket Council's (ICC) process on the illegal action issue, claiming it singled out spinners like him. (Saeed Ajmal's Threat To Burn Cricket Gear Helps His Academy)
"Why just target the off-spinners?" Ajmal questioned on two channels last week. "Why not the left-arm spinners, leg-spinners or fast bowlers? (Saeed Ajmal Faces Disciplinary Action For Blasting ICC)
"I can tell you that I have been through this bowling assessment process so many times and have watched and studied this issue so closely that I can vouch that if tests were carried out, there would be many other bowlers whose bowling actions would exceed the 15 degrees extension limit," said Ajmal, singling out Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh as a suspect.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan told reporters Ajmal's contract had been suspended.
"We feel sorry over his comments," Khan said. "We have taken the minimum action on the violation of discipline and have suspended his contract, stopped releasing his salary and have asked him to explain his comments."
Despite not being selected since April this year, Ajmal was retained in the "B" category in PCB central contracts.
Khan said Ajmal had been supported in his efforts to alter his bowling action.
"We supported him a lot, invited Saqlain (Mushtaq) to correct his action so his comments were sad that we did not support him," said Khan.
Ajmal had a formidable record of picking up 178 wickets from 35 Tests and 184 wickets from 113 ODI games, before his action was reported in August last year as suspect.
He was subsequently suspended a month later as his elbow was extending more than the 15 degrees tolerance limit allowed under the ICC rules.
Ajmal remodelled his action under former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq but managed just one wicket in the two one-day internationals and was wicketless in a Twenty20 -- both against Bangladesh in April.

Source-  http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/251654-pakistan-cricket-board-suspends-saeed-ajmal-s-contract-for-criticising-icc

Marton Fulop: Former Sunderland keeper dies, aged 32

Ex-Sunderland and Ipswich goalkeeper Marton Fulop has died at the age of 32.

The former Hungary international had a tumour removed from his arm in 2013 but was cleared to continue his career.
He played 47 times for the Black Cats between 2006 and 2010 and last appeared for Town in 2011, making 38 appearances for the Suffolk club in all.

"It's desperately sad when we lose a Sunderland family member but to lose one so young in such circumstances is heart-breaking," the Black Cats said.

Fulop also played for Tottenham and West Brom and had loan spells at Chesterfield, Coventry, Leicester, Stoke and Manchester City.

Several other teams have paid tribute, including his former club Ipswich Town, who tweeted: "Our thoughts are with Marton's friends and family at this immensely difficult time. He was aged just 32."
Paul Jewell, his former manager at Portman Road, told the Town club website:   "I worked with him for a short time at Ipswich and he was a great pro.

"He was a gentle giant and a very respectful person. He was just a good bloke and he was liked by all his team-mates. It's tragic news and my condolences go out to his family and friends."

West Brom keeper Ben Foster, who trained alongside Fulop when the Hungarian was at the club between 2011 and 2012, tweeted:  "Rest in Peace Marton Fulop, one of the good guys and taken way too early. Thoughts and love go to the Fulop family."

Former Sunderland defender Danny Higginbotham tweeted:  "So sad to hear the news of Marton Fulop. Spent a lot of time with him at Sunderland - one of the good guys. Thoughts with his family."
Fulop spent three year at Spurs between 2004 and 2007, although he never played a first-team game. Former Spurs team-mate Ledley King fondly remembered his friend, tweeting that he was "shocked and saddened by the news".

Source-  http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34798929

Rams sign WR Wes Welker after losing Stedman Bailey to suspension

The St. Louis Rams signed veteran receiver Wes Welker on Monday, hours after the NFL suspended wideout Stedman Bailey for violating its policy on substance abuse.

Welker worked out for the Rams early Monday morning along with veteran receivers Hakeem Nicks and Vincent Brown. After evaluating Welker's health, including his history of concussions, the Rams came to an agreement with him on a one-year deal with incentives early Monday evening.

"He's in outstanding shape," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. "We saw that early this morning. He's anxious and eager to play. He's moved the chains for two potential Hall of Fame quarterbacks, and he's good at what he does. Whether he's active this week, I can't predict. I think he'll be able to move some chains for us."

That would be a welcome sight for the Rams, who rank last in the NFL in third-down conversions at 23.8 percent. Welker, 34, comes to St. Louis with 890 receptions for 9,822 yards and 50 touchdowns in 11 seasons with San Diego, Miami, New England and Denver.

Welker has not played since the end of last season. His contract with the Broncos expired after the season, and he was not signed despite multiple workouts in various places.

"He had a great workout," Fisher said. "He's really excited about where this team is going, and he can potentially help us in a lot of different areas."

Welker takes Bailey's place on the roster after he received a four-game suspension. Bailey joins running back Trey Watts on the team's reserve/suspended list. Watts received an indefinite suspension last week for violating the same policy.

Fisher said he was disappointed to be talking about another suspended player in the same week and said the Rams would be ramping up efforts to educate players on the dangers of drug use.

"The message has been sent to the players," Fisher said. "We're going to take an aggressive approach to make sure these things don't happen in the future."

This is Bailey's second suspension in as many seasons. The league suspended him four games for violating the policy on performance-enhancing substances before the 2014 season. That suspension was later reduced to two games after a change in the league's policy.

Bailey has been the Rams' third receiver for most of this season but rarely was involved in the offense. He has 12 catches for 182 yards and a touchdown in the first eight games.

Bailey's suspension is effective immediately and comes without pay. He will be eligible to return to the active roster Dec. 7 after the team's game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Fisher said the Rams are hoping to have Bailey stay around the building, at least for workouts, while he serves the suspension. Fisher indicated he's still waiting for word from the league on whether that will happen.

Fisher also made it clear that another strike against Bailey could mean the end of his time with the team.

"We're very, very disappointed in his choices," Fisher said. "He understands that this is his last go-around. If he wants to flourish in this league, have a career in this league, he's going to have to change his lifestyle.

"You have to carry over your workplace attitude into your off-the-field life, and he failed us on that."

Source-  http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14093058/st-louis-rams-wes-welker-reach-deal