Page 2B
SPORTS
East Oregonian
Thursday, July 28, 2016
NFL
Questions abound for Super Bowl champions
By ARNIE STAPLETON
Associated Press
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The
Super Bowl champs begin training
camp Thursday with major ques-
tions on both sides of the ball,
beginning with who will be the one
throwing it.
General manager John Elway
declared the Denver Broncos’
quarterback competition wide
open.
Coach Gary Kubiak said he’ll
split snaps between Mark Sanchez,
Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch,
beginning — but not set — in that
order.
“Gary is very seasoned at that
position, so I know he’s going to
handle it the right way and we’ll
ind the right guy,” Elway said.
There are also unknowns on
defense such as when star corner-
back Aqib Talib and pass-rusher
DeMarcus Ware will be cleared to
practice.
Both are starting out on the
non-football injury list, Ware after
aggravating a bad back in the
offseason and Talib after suffering
a gunshot wound to his right leg.
While acknowledging it’s hard
to top a Super Bowl triumph, Elway
said he expects his offense to be
better this year no matter who wins
the quarterback job. He insisted his
standards don’t dip just because he
doesn’t have an elite passer for the
irst time in four years.
“Our job is to be competitive
and try to win a championship year
in and year out,” Elway said.
BRIEFLY
Pendleton youth
football camp
The Pendleton Buckaroos
are holding their annual
youth football camp in early
August and registration is
now open.
The camp, which will run
Aug. 8-11 from 5:30-7:30
p.m. at the Pendleton High
School ield, is open to
any kids entering the third
through eighth grades and
costs $50 per camper. The
camp features a free camp
t-shirt, lag football games,
Punt, Pass, Kick, and Run
competitions as well as a
total of six hours of instruc-
tion by Buckaroo players and
coaches.
Registration forms can be
picked up at Dean’s Athletic,
PendletonYouthFootball.
com, or you can arrive at
5 p.m. and register the day
of the camp. Forms and
payment must be returned
to Deans Athletic, Pendleton
High School ofice.
Denver
Broncos
outside
linebacker
Von Miller
responds
to a ques-
tion during
news
conference
before the
team’s
opening
of train-
ing camp
Wednes-
day, July
27, 2016
in Engle-
wood,
Colo.
AP Photo/David
Zalubowski
Kubiak has said “we should
know a lot more in about a week”
about who has the inside track to
the job, but he declined to say how
deep into camp he’s willing to hold
open the audition.
The winner gets to direct an
offense that Elway reconstructed
this offseason following Denver’s
24-10 win over Carolina in Super
Bowl 50 and the departures of
Peyton Manning to retirement and
Brock Osweiler to free agency.
The Broncos have just four
offensive starters from the Super
Bowl returning to their same posi-
tion: center Matt Paradis, running
back C.J. Anderson and wide
receivers Emmanuel Sanders and
Demaryius Thomas.
“I think we can be better
offensively,” Elway said, citing the
return to health of some players
and better familiarity in Year 2
under Kubiak, who no longer
has to operate a hybrid offense to
accommodate Manning.
“As much as we like to say that
we did the right things offensively
(last season), we HUNG ON offen-
sively,” Elway said.
Led by linebackers Von Miller
and Brandon Marshall, both of
whom signed big contracts this
summer, the defense returns all but
two starters. Elway said he trusts
the Broncos have the depth to
seamlessly replace Malik Jackson
and Danny Trevathan, who
followed Osweiler out of Denver
in free agency.
Kubiak said Talib should be
back in action “real soon.” But even
if he is, possible NFL punishment
and legal ramiications hang over
the star cornerback who was shot
in his right leg in Dallas on June
5. Police are investigating whether
Talib accidentally shot himself.
“When I heard the news, I was
just thankful that he was OK,”
Elway said.
The GM met face-to-face with
Miller on Wednesday for the irst
time since protracted contract
negotiations that grew contentious
before Miller signed a deal that
guarantees him $70 million, a
record for a nonquarterback.
Elway said he wanted to make
sure there were no hard feelings,
and Miller said there weren’t any.
Elway said he also told Miller
that standards soar commensurate
with his weightier wallet.
“I’m aware of the expectations,”
Miller said. “But we have high
expectations on all of us.”
The sides signed off on the
$114.5 million, six-year contract
about two hours before the July 15
deadline.
“I was expecting it to be a day
or like a couple of hours,” Miller
said before dodging a question
about reports he and his agent
sought permission to seek a trade
at one point.
“Ultimately, I wanted to be a
Denver Bronco for life and I feel
like we got that done,” Miller said.
“The business is the business, but
ultimately I wanted to be a Denver
Bronco at the end of the day.”
Notes: The Broncos waived
RB Cyrus Gray and signed former
Ravens WR Marlon Brown, a
fourth-year pro who has seven
TD catches among his 87 career
receptions. ... Team president Joe
Ellis said the Broncos’ stadium
will continue to be called Sports
Authority Field until a new
naming rights partner is found. The
sporting goods retailer is going
through bankruptcy.
NFL
Jets, Ryan Fitzpatrick inally agree to 1-year deal
By DENNIS WASZAK JR.
Associated Press
NEW YORK — The New York
Jets and quarterback Ryan Fitzpat-
rick agreed to terms on a one-year
deal Wednesday night. The deal,
worth $12 million guaranteed and
could increase to $15 million in
incentives, ends months of specu-
lation and uncertainty at the team’s
most vital position.
Fitzpatrick set the franchise
record with a career-high 31
touchdown passes last season while
helping lead the Jets on a playoff
push in Todd Bowles’ irst season
as coach.
The well-traveled 33-year-old
veteran appeared to be a certainty to
re-sign in the weeks leading to the
start of free agency, but Fitzpatrick
and the Jets became locked in a
contract stalemate over inancial
terms.
A deal appeared to be a better
possibility two weeks ago, when
New York signed defensive end
Muhammad Wilkerson
including $12 million
to a ive-year contract
guaranteed in the irst
extension. That deal
year, but there were some
created about $5.7 million
questions about the guar-
in salary cap space, giving
anteed money in the last
the Jets some more room
two years.
to work out a contract
While waiting for
with Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick, the Jets also
With the Jets reporting
explored other options,
to camp on Wednesday
including bringing in
and their irst practice Fitzpatrick
Robert Grifin III, who
scheduled for Thursday,
later signed with Cleve-
both sides worked to hash out the land, and Brian Hoyer, who signed
long-expected deal.
with Chicago.
Bowles and general manager
Maccagnan also told reporters
Mike Maccagnan repeatedly said the Jets had contingency plans in
all offseason that they’d like to case Fitzpatrick didn’t come back,
have Fitzpatrick back, with the and former starter Geno Smith
coach saying the veteran would and
second-year
quarterback
enter camp as the team’s starter if Bryce Petty were believed to be
he re-signed.
among those options. New York
Several players, including wide also drafted former Penn State star
receivers Brandon Marshall and Christian Hackenberg in the second
Eric Decker, also expressed their round, but he is viewed more as a
desire to be reunited with Fitzpat- project for this season.
rick.
In the end, though, New York
In March, the Jets made an offer has the quarterback who nearly
of three years for $24 million, led them to the playoffs last season
back under center.
A strong market for Fitzpatrick
never developed as age, previous
performance and the fact he has
never reached the playoffs in 11
NFL seasons all likely played roles.
With the irst postseason spot of
his career on the line in the regu-
lar-season inale at Buffalo, Fitz-
patrick struggled while throwing
interceptions on each of New
York’s inal three drives in a 22-17
loss. The Jets inished 10-6 and
missed the playoffs, but Fitzpatrick
established himself as a leader on
and off the ield in New York.
Barring injury or an unforeseen
situation, it appears Fitzpatrick will
be under center against Cincinnati
in Week 1 on Sept. 11.
Fitzpatrick has thrown for 23,178
yards with 154 touchdowns and 116
interceptions in 11 NFL seasons.
A seventh-round draft pick by St.
Louis out of Harvard in 2005, he has
also played for Cincinnati (2007-
08), Buffalo (2009-12), Tennessee
(2013) and Houston (2014).
MARINERS: Off day Thursday before 3-game series with Cubs on Friday
Continued from 1B
on the Pirates’ all-time list.
McCutchen, who also
doubled, had gone 4 for 29
with eight strikeouts in his
previous seven games, drop-
ping the 2013 NL MVP’s
batting average to .241.
“I felt something (good),
that’s for sure,” McCutchen
said. “I’m just going to stick
with this and keep going. It
was a good day for me as far
as the feel goes, and had the
results with it. Hopefully,
it can propel me into these
last couple of months of the
season.”
McCutchen and Jung Ho
Kang, who hit a three-run
double to inish a four-run
seventh inning, each had
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
Seattle Mariners’ Robinson Cano is hit by a pitch from
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Gerrit Cole during
the irst inning of Wednesday’s game in Pittsburgh.
four RBIs to help the Pirates
win for the sixth time in
nine games. Jordy Mercer
also had three of the Pirates’
14 hits and David Freese
and Starling Marte added
Baseball
8-8), 7:05 p.m.
MLB
AMERICAN LEAGUE
East Division
W
L Pct GB
Baltimore
58 42 .580 —
Toronto
57 45 .559
2
Boston
55 44 .556 2½
New York
52 49 .515 6½
Tampa Bay
39 61 .390 19
Central Division
W
L Pct GB
Cleveland
57 42 .576 —
Detroit
54 48 .529 4½
Chicago
50 51 .495
8
Kansas City
49 51 .490 8½
Minnesota
37 63 .370 20½
West Division
W
L Pct GB
Texas
58 44 .569 —
Houston
55 46 .545 2½
Seattle
51 49 .510
6
Oakland
47 55 .461 11
Los Angeles
45 56 .446 12½
———
Wednesday’s Games
Washington 4, Cleveland 1
San Diego 8, Toronto 4
Detroit 4, Boston 3
Tampa Bay 3, L.A. Dodgers 1
Colorado 3, Baltimore 1
Pittsburgh 10, Seattle 1
Chicago Cubs 8, Chicago White Sox 1
Oakland 6, Texas 4
Houston 4, N.Y. Yankees 1
Kansas City 7, L.A. Angels 5
Thursday’s Games
Baltimore (Jimenez 5-9) at Minnesota
(Gibson 3-6), 4:10 p.m.
Chicago White Sox (Sale 14-3) at Chicago
Cubs (Lackey 7-7), 5:05 p.m.
Kansas City (Ventura 6-8) at Texas
(Hamels 11-2), 5:05 p.m.
Boston (Price 9-7) at L.A. Angels (Weaver
NATIONAL LEAGUE
East Division
W
L Pct GB
Washington
59 42 .584 —
Miami
55 46 .545
4
New York
53 47 .530 5½
Philadelphia
46 57 .447 14
Atlanta
35 66 .347 24
Central Division
W
L Pct GB
Chicago
60 40 .600 —
St. Louis
54 47 .535 6½
Pittsburgh
52 48 .520
8
Milwaukee
43 56 .434 16½
Cincinnati
40 61 .396 20½
West Division
W
L Pct GB
San Francisco
59 42 .584 —
Los Angeles
57 45 .559 2½
Colorado
49 52 .485 10
San Diego
44 58 .431 15½
Arizona
42 59 .416 17
———
Wednesday’s Games
Miami 11, Philadelphia 1
Washington 4, Cleveland 1
San Diego 8, Toronto 4
Tampa Bay 3, L.A. Dodgers 1
Cincinnati 2, San Francisco 1
Colorado 3, Baltimore 1
Pittsburgh 10, Seattle 1
St. Louis 5, N.Y. Mets 4
Chicago Cubs 8, Chicago White Sox 1
Arizona 8, Milwaukee 1
Atlanta 9, Minnesota 7
Thursday’s Games
Colorado (Anderson 3-3) at N.Y. Mets
(deGrom 6-5), 10:10 a.m.
Arizona (Ray 5-9) at Milwaukee (Davies
7-4), 11:10 a.m.
Philadelphia (Nola 5-9) at Atlanta (Wisler
4-10), 4:10 p.m.
St. Louis (Wacha 5-7) at Miami (Fernandez
12-4), 4:10 p.m.
Chicago White Sox (Sale 14-3) at Chicago
Cubs (Lackey 7-7), 5:05 p.m.
Washington (Roark 9-6) at San Francisco
(Cueto 13-2), 7:15 p.m.
two each as the top four in
the order went a combined
10 for 17.
Kang greeted reliever
Nathan Karns with his
double that pushed the
Pirates’ lead to 7-1.
Kang also earlier hit
a sacriice ly off James
Paxton (3-5) to inish a
three-run third inning that
broke a scoreless tie.
Paxton gave up three
runs and six hits in ive
innings, striking out six and
walking one.
Drew Storen made his
Mariners debut and was
charged with four runs in a
1 1/3 innings a night after
being acquired from the
Toronto Blue Jays in a trade
for fellow reliever Joaquin
Benoit.
Norichika Aoki hit a pair
of doubles and scored the
Mariners’ lone run in the
sixth inning on Robinson
Cano’s sacriice ly. Seattle
had won ive of its previous
seven games.
“Cole threw the ball
really well,” Mariners
manager Scott Servais said.
“Tip your hat to him.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners:
DH/OF
Nelson Cruz was not in the
lineup after fouling a ball
off his left foot Tuesday
night, though manager
Scott Servais said he held
the slugger out primarily
because the designated hitter
rule was not in effect in an
NL park. ... RHP Taijuan
Walker (right foot tendi-
nitis) pitched a three-inning
simulated game Wednesday,
the irst time he had faced
hitters since going on the
disabled list July 6, and will
likely make a minor league
rehab start this weekend.
... RHP Nick Vincent
(mid-back strain), on the DL
since June 27, will throw off
a mound for the irst time
Friday since being injured
and is likely to go on a rehab
assignment next week.
UP NEXT
Mariners: Open a three-
game series against the
Cubs at Chicago on Friday
with RHP Hisashi Iwakuma
(11-6, 3.96 ERA) facingvet-
eran LHP Jon Lester (10-4,
3.09).
SCOREBOARD
MiLB
NORTHWEST LEAGUE
North Division
W
L Pct. GB
Spokane (Rangers) 21 19 .525 —
Everett (Mariners) 20 20 .500
1
Tri-City (Padres) 19 21 .475
2
Vancouver (Blue Jays) 16 24 .400
South Division
W
L Pct. GB
Eugene (Cubs)
29 11 .725 —
Hillsboro (Diamondbacks) 21 19 .525
Salem-Keizer (Giants) 18 22 .450
Boise (Rockies)
16 24 .400 13
———
Wednesday’s Games
Everett 6, Vancouver 5
Spokane 7, Tri-City 5
Hillsboro 4, Boise 0
Eugene 4, Salem-Keizer 1
Thursday’s Games
Tri-City at Spokane, 6:30 p.m.
Boise at Hillsboro, 7:05 p.m.
Salem-Keizer at Eugene, 7:05 p.m.
Vancouver at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Soccer
MLS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
W L
T Pts
NYC FC
9 7
6 33
New York
9 9
4 31
Philadelphia 8 7
6 30
Montreal
7 5
8 29
Toronto FC 7 7
6 27
New England 6 7
8 26
Orlando City 4 5 11 23
D.C. United 5 8
7 22
GF
35
36
35
35
25
27
32
19
GA
39
28
33
30
23
33
35
25
5
8
11
Columbus
3 7 10 19 26 32
Chicago
4 10
5 17 17 25
WESTERN CONFERENCE
W L
T Pts GF GA
FC Dallas
12 6
5 41 35 31
Colorado
10 2
8 38 23 14
Los Angeles 9 3
8 35 34 19
Sporting KC 9 10
4 31 27 25
Real Salt Lake 8 6
7 31 30 31
Vancouver
8 8
6 30 33 35
Portland
7 7
8 29 33 33
San Jose
6 6
8 26 22 23
Seattle
6 12
2 20 20 27
Houston
4 9
7 19 23 26
NOTE: Three points for victory, one point
for tie.
———
Saturday’s Game
Colorado at New York City FC, Noon
Sunday’s Games
Portland at Sporting Kansas City, 11 a.m.
Los Angeles at Seattle, 1 p.m.
Vancouver at FC Dallas, 3 p.m.
Montreal at D.C. United, 3:30 p.m.
New York at Chicago, 4 p.m.
Real Salt Lake at Philadelphia, 4 p.m.
Columbus at Toronto FC, 4:30 p.m.
New England at Orlando City, 4:30 p.m.
593
573
552
545
542
525
520
507
496
472
462
461
458
450
449
421
397
397
373
363
359
317
310
305
278
Golf
PGA Tour Schedule
July 28-31 — PGA Championship, Baltus-
rol GC, Springield, N.J.
Motorsports
NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series Schedule
Sunday, July 31 — Pennsylvania 400,
Long Pond, Pa. (TV: NBCSN)
Aug. 7 — Cheez-It 355 at The Glen,
Watkins Glen, N.Y. (TV: NBCSN)
Points Leaders
Through July 24
1. Kevin Harvick
2. Brad Keselowski
3. Kurt Busch
4. Joey Logano
5. Kyle Busch
6. Carl Edwards
7. Martin Truex Jr
8. Jimmie Johnson
9. Matt Kenseth
10. Denny Hamlin
11. Chase Elliott
12. Austin Dillon
13. Ryan Newman
14. Jamie McMurray
15. Kyle Larson
16. Kasey Kahne
17. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
18. Trevor Bayne
19. Ryan Blaney
20. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
21. AJ Allmendinger
22. Greg Bifle
23. Paul Menard
24. Danica Patrick
25. Aric Almirola
26. Clint Bowyer
27. Tony Stewart
28. Casey Mears
29. Landon Cassill
30. David Ragan
671
647
627
606
601
Rodeo
PRCA Standings
All-around
1. Ryan Jarrett, Comanche, Okla. $71,956
2. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo. $71,521
3. Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore.
$66,831
Bareback Riding
1. Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa $97,519
2. Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn.
$86,070
3. Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah
$83,630
Steer Wrestling
1. Jason Thomas, Benton, Ark. $61,199
2. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont. $60,179
3. Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas
$53,927
Team Roping (header)
1. Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas
$71,142
2. Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla. $64,477
3. Kolton Schmidt, Barrhead, Alberta
$63,115
Team Roping (heeler)
1. Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan. $67,797
2. Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo. $65,766
3. Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore.
$57,764
Saddle Bronc Riding
1. Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas
$100,974
2. Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah $98,359
3. CoBurn Bradshaw, Beaver, Utah
$82,069
4. Jake Wright, Milford, Utah $61,533
5. Allen Boore, Axtell, Utah $61,225
Tie-down Roping
1. Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla. $74,451
2. Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas $69,075
3. Marcos Costa, Childress, Texas
$68,271
Steer Roping
1. J. Tom Fisher, Andrews, Texas $49,757
2. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan. $48,320
3. Chet Herren, Pawhuska, Okla. $36,880
Bull Riding
1. Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Okla.
$95,225
2. Scottie Knapp, Albuquerque, N.M.
$76,690
3. Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah $68,508
Barrel Racing
1. Mary Burger, Paul’s Valley, Okla.
$175,416
2. Mary Walker, Ennis, Texas 91,003
3. Ivy Conrado, Hudson, Colo. $89,921