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ENGLEWOOD Youth Ben Roethlisberger Jersey , Colo. (AP) Rookie receivers Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton are the Denver Broncos‘ new safety valves, applying the pressure but also relieving the burden on veterans Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders .
”Those two guys, they came in like pros, they’re taking care of their business, they’re on time to everything, they’re making plays,” Thomas said Friday. ”So, they’re pushing us. And that’s good for us. We need it. We want to push each other and make each other better.”
While Sutton has made a splash at training camp so far with daily highlight-reel catches and Hamilton has drawn his share of applause, Thomas and Sanders are quietly having very good camps themselves.
Thomas’ stats have steadily declined every season since his peak in 2014, and his streak of five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons ended last year when he finished 51 yards shy.
Sanders dealt with injuries and his two TD catches were his fewest since 2012.
Part of the problem in 2017 was that the Broncos had nobody around them – a third receiver, a tight end, a running back – who could really force teams to quit bracketing Thomas and Sanders.
That’s no longer the case .
In addition to Sutton and Hamilton, the Broncos added rookie running backs Royce Freeman, David Williams and Philip Lindsay (undrafted) along with another Big Ten tight end in Troy Fumagalli to go with Jake Butt, who missed his rookie season last year while recovering from knee surgery.
Sutton Authentic Randall Cobb Jersey , Hamilton and Fumagalli are members of general manager John Elway’s already-celebrated draft class of 2018 that featured experience – all 10 players spent four years in school – and leadership – most were captains in college.
Safety Justin Simmons said he’s just like all the fans whooping and hollering at practice – he’s energized by and excited about the Broncos’ rookies.
”Oh, for sure. Especially Chubb,” Simmons said of first-round pick Bradley Chubb, whose ability to chase down quarterbacks ”makes my job 50 times easier.”
Sutton’s making his job harder.
”Oh yeah, Sutton’s been great. He’s been out here making plays,” Simmons said. ”He’s just another guy that’s just humble and hungry, coming in here ready to work.”
That’s been the theme of this year’s draft class, which also includes cornerback Isaac Yiadom, inside linebackers Keishan Bierria, Josey Jewell (who practiced Friday for the first time after pulling a hamstring in June) and guard Sam Jones.
Last season, several veterans took the 2017 draft class, which was filled with raw athleticism and projects, to task for their work ethic, complaining that too many of them came off as entitled.
This year’s class drew quick praise from the veterans.
”There’s no complaining,” defensive end Derek Wolfe said. ”That’s the one thing that you notice from an immature draft class, is that they complain a lot Authentic Travis Kelce Jersey , whine and cry a lot. There’s none of that coming from this group.”
Humble. Hungry.
”It’s a mature class,” coach Vance Joseph said. ”It’s been seven or eight guys that have shown they can help us win.”
Sutton’s doing it with spectacular plays every day, and Hamilton’s sprinkling in his share, too.
”I’ll tell you what, we’ve got some good rookies,” Sanders said. ”I was just over there with my family and Courtland just runs over to say, `Hey, I’m going to take your helmet.’ And that’s what we need.”
Players willing to pay their dues but eager to make their mark.
Also turning heads is Chubb, the fifth overall pick in the draft who reminds defensive tackle Domata Peko Sr. of superstar Von Miller .
”He’s quick, he’s strong and he can get to the passer. He’s disruptive and he’s willing to learn,” Peko said after getting his first glimpse of the 2018 class. ”He’s always talking to Von and asking, `Hey, what can I do?’ That’s good to see out of a rookie.”
Peko also singled out Sutton and Jewell as players he’s thrilled to play alongside.
”These guys are going to make a difference for us,” Peko said. ”They’re only going to help our team. I love our new guys.”
Notes: Simmons said the league’s new helmet rule was going to be the main topic when players meet with NFL officials visiting the Broncos to go over the new rule changes. … On the sixth day of training camp, QB Case Keenum was finally intercepted, by S Will Parks. ”He’s human Authentic Jordan Reed Jersey ,” Joseph said. … The Broncos signed WR Bryce Bobo, a rookie from Colorado, and designated WR Kenny Bell as waived/injured.
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It’s been two years since the University of North Dakota unveiled its new Fighting Hawks logo that put it in good standing with the NCAA, but a familiar cheer at its hockey games shows what many students and alumni still think of the switch: ”Let’s go Sioux!”
Administrators knew it would be a tough sell getting fans to let go of the Fighting Sioux nickname deemed offensive by the NCAA and a local American Indian tribe. But emails between the university’s president and one of its biggest benefactors show just how difficult it continues to be.
The emails between school president Mark Kennedy and Engelstad Family Foundation trustee Kris Engelstad McGarry, whose late father donated money for a $110 million hockey arena, reveal Kennedy’s frustration over the foundation’s resistance to a plan to feature the green and white Fighting Hawks logo at center court in the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, where UND’s basketball and volleyball teams play. The foundation would prefer just the words ”North Dakota” instead.
McGarry told The Associated Press that the foundation only opposes featuring the Fighting Hawks emblem at center court because it believes there are longtime fans and supporters who ”do not identify with Fighting Hawks as the Hawks’ presence has been” since the logo was unveiled.
”So as to not alienate that side, we elected to put Fighting Hawks on the side of the court and to put the University of North Dakota logo on the center court,” McGarry said. ”We believe that the community should make their own decisions and that the change should happen more organically, over time, rather than have it pushed.”
The issue burst into public view earlier this month when McGarry told the Grand Forks Herald editorial board that Kennedy had been ”very passive aggressive” and ”quite hostile at times” in discussions about the university’s operating agreement with the foundation and said it could lead to fewer donations. McGarry recently backed out of a $14 million pledge to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas medical school over a leadership change.
Kennedy declined an interview request. University spokesman Peter Johnson said in a statement that the school hopes to reach a ”mutually beneficial” agreement.
Ralph Engelstad, a Minnesota native who played goaltender for UND before building a fortune as a real estate mogul and Las Vegas casino and hotel owner, was vehemently opposed to dropping the Fighting Sioux nickname, which the Standing Rock Sioux tribe refused to endorse. At one point, Engelstad threatened to stop construction of the hockey arena if it was discontinued.
McGarry said her spat with Kennedy isn’t tied to the Fighting Sioux logo and that her family doesn’t share her father’s passionate views about the nickname.
The Ralph Engelstad Arena is currently owned and operated independently from the school and won’t be turned over to UND control until 2030. Under that 2000 agreement, the arena manager is tasked with running the facility ”in a manner that best serves UND’s needs” and cooperating with school representatives in ”furthering the interests” of the college. School officials say placing the Fighting Hawks logo at center court would do just that Womens Josh Norman Jersey , by promoting the name and helping the sale of merchandise.
The Engelstad Family Foundation was created in 2002, the year Ralph Engelstad died. The nonprofit has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to various causes in several states, focusing on education, health care and childhood issues. Besides donating money for the sports facilities, the Engelstad family has given a $20 million endowment and numerous other donations to UND, including papers of Gen. George S. Patton and portraits of U.S. Supreme Court Justices valued at nearly $127.5 million.
Kennedy also wants to update the operating agreement for the arenas, including revenue sharing. University figures show the school received less than half of the roughly $8 million profit generated by hockey, basketball, football and volleyball between 2010 and 2017.
Erik Hanson, who is set to take over as student body president, said he grew up in Grand Forks as a Fighting Sioux fan. But he said brand identity is important and the Fighting Hawks should be displayed now.
”At this point, I have to look out for the next generation of students and the students of today,” he said. ”All of the student-athletes who are going to play in that arena have been Fighting Hawks from the day they stepped on campus.”
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