Talk » league players may not be traded

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Trace McSorley isnt offended when he sees defenders packing the line of scrimmage, knowing their primary goal is to stop the electric running back lined up next to or behind him on any given play.The Penn State quarterback is content to build his own reputation as a playmaker, and eventually, a downfield-passer to be reckoned with.Although he and the rest of Penn States new-look offense started slowly in a 33-13 win over Kent State on Saturday, McSorley believes he made positive first steps toward that goal.When youve got Saquon (Barkley) in the backfield, teams are going to try to stop him, McSorley said. The first two drives we kind of got stalled out. The third drive we were able to get some first downs, push the ball down the field a little bit to our receivers to loosen them up a little bit and let Saquon get loose a couple of times.Barkley finished with 105 yards rushing, and Tyler Davis chipped in two field goals for the Nittany Lions. A 29-yard field goal in the second quarter gave Penn State a 16-13 halftime lead that grew as an opportunistic defense settled in and McSorley found receivers down the field.After hitting DaeSean Hamilton for a short touchdown pass in the first, McSorley slung a ball to Mike Gesicki for 30 yards to cap the scoring with less than two minutes to go. It was a satisfying finish for the quarterback whod tried to stretch Kent States underrated front seven early with deep throws to Saeed Blacknall and Gesicki that just missed.In the process, McSorley showed off own grittiness as a runner, chipping in 47 yards on the ground and lowering his head to finish off tacklers.I thought his composure was really good, Penn State coach James Franklin said. Thats just kind of who he is.Amani Oruwariye returned an interception for a score in the third quarter for the Nittany Lions who battered a trio of Kent State quarterbacks, sacking them seven times and forcing two more turnovers.Shane Hynes kicked two field goals for Kent State, and Elcee Refuge returned a McSorley fumble for a touchdown in the second quarter.ALL OR NOTHING FRONTPenn State safety Marcus Allen said earlier this week he and his defensive teammates had something to prove even after being ranked among the best defenses in college football each of the past two years.He understands losing three defensive linemen to the NFL will generate questions of the new guys. After Saturdays sack-filled performance, they have plenty to be proud of. But scrambling quarterbacks are still a problem.Kent States threesome of Justin Agner, Mylik Mitchell and George Bollas combined for 50 first-half yards on in scrambles or designed quarterbacks runs. Many came up the middle where defensive tackles Parker Cothren and Kevin Givens made their first career starts.It was either a sack or it was a scramble for a first down, Franklin said. Weve got to do a better job with our rush lanes on that side of the ball.INTERCHANGEABLE PARTSPerhaps Penn States greatest strength is the versatility it has among its back seven.The Nittany Lions showed a multitude of nickel looks with different linebacker and corner combinations. Penn State deployed a total of eight defensive backs and five linebackers to limit 129 yards on just 14-of-28 passing.Weve always been underrated since weve been here, Oruwariye said.THE TAKEAWAYKENT STATE: The Golden Flashes havent had much going for them offensively in quite a while, but their defense remains stout enough to give them hope.Kent States front seven kept the game within reach by limiting Barkleys running room early. Vaunted pass-rusher Terence Waugh killed a big wave of Penn State momentum midway through the second quarter when he hammered McSorley from his blindside, forcing a fumble that Refuge returned for a touchdown to tie the game 13-13. If Waugh can keep making plays, the Golden Flashes will have chances to turn games around.PENN STATE: A coordinator change doesnt guarantee immediate success. Saturdays sluggish start and uneven performance shows Joe Moorheads offense will need more time for all its parts to get on the same page.And the sooner the better as games loom against No. 7 Michigan, No. 6 Ohio State, and Maryland, teams that hung at least 52 points on its opponents in their openers. A bunch of missed tackles against Kent State is further evidence that Penn States offense will have to pull more weight than it has in the two previous years when elite defenses could bail it out.UP NEXTKent State will try to snap its six-game losing streak when it hosts FCS foe North Carolina A&T next Saturday.Penn State and Pittsburgh will renew a long-dormant rivalry when the Nittany Lions travel to Heinz Field next Saturday for the first game in a home-and-home series. Penn State leads the series 50-42-4 and has won seven of the last eight. Pittsburgh won the last meeting 12-0 in 2000.Caris LeVert Nets Jersey .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. Dzanan Musa Nets Jersey . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. https://www.netsrookiesshop.com/Garrett-Temple-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Uniteds eighth defeat of a wretched campaign means Liverpool, which currently occupies the fourth and final Champions League place, could go nine points clear of its fierce rival by beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Charlie Adam scored both of Stokes goals at Britannia Stadium either side of Robin van Persies equalizer, with a miserable day for seventh-place United capped by first-half injuries to centre halves Jonny Evans and Phil Jones that forced them off. Spencer Dinwiddie Jersey . McCarthy, a player who played some games in the second tier for Wigan at the start of this season, would go on to shine inside Evertons midfield, outplaying the man he was brought in to replace, on one of the grandest stages in English football. On Saturday, it was fitting that Manchester Uniteds most recent dagger into the chest was delivered by Frenchman Yohan Cabaye, a wonderfully gifted central midfielder who put on an outstanding effort for Newcastle at Old Trafford. Theo Pinson Jersey . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg.NEW YORK -- Baseball players and owners had a deal to expand active rosters from 25 to 26 players for most of the season, but the union backed away in the final stages of collective bargaining.As part of the deal, the limit from Sept. 1 on would have been lowered from 40 to 28.We thought we were going to make an agreement, had a tentative agreement, baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred told The Associated Press on Friday, but nothings done until its done.Union head Tony Clark characterized the talks differently and said the parties may revisit the topic during the five-year contract they agreed to Wednesday.I dont know that there was an agreement to do it and that it came apart. There was a lot of dialogue over the course of this round where we were moving in a direction that we inevitably werent able to agree to, he said. It simply got to the point with all of the moving pieces that were part of the conversation during the course of the year that we lived to talk about it another day.Rosters have long expanded for the seasons final full month as minor league affiliates end their campaigns. The roster expansion gives managers the ability to make more frequent pitching changes in an attempt to gain favorable matchups.Some managers and general managers have complained it doesnt make sense to play most of the season under one set of rules and then switch as pennant races heat up. While some teams add many players and a few reach the 40-man limit, others make relatively few call-ups.There were very mixed opinions on the club side, as well, Manfred said. Maybe we were going too far, too fast.Many players make their big league debuts in September, and the union has long been concerned about the loss of service time if the limit were to be lowered from 40.To reduce the roster to 28 people would jeopardize the ability for people to get their feet wet in the big leagues, Oakland catcher Stephen Vogt said in a text. September is a great time for teams to teach the young guys how to act and be in the big leagues and get their feet wet in a comfortable environment.Given the increasing importance of bullpens, some believe a 26th player likely would be an additional relief pitcher.I know there have been a lot of concerns from the other side related to just how it would work and how it might affect the games or the length of games, Clark said. Trying to appreciate that extra player and who it may be is hard to predict based on whatever the organization philosophy is of any one team.Management and the union released details of the deal Friday, an agreement that will extend the sports labor peace to 26 years since the 1994-95 strike -- baseballs eighth work stoppage since 1972.We kept the game on the field, Manfred said. WWe made an agreement within our current structure which I think shows that we have a durable structure.dddddddddddd We moved some things our direction, and we moved some other things their direction.The threshold for the luxury tax, known formally as the competitive balance tax, rises from $189 million this year to $195 million in 2017 to $210 million in the deals final season. There are some rate increases and new surtaxes.The premise of the CBT altogether was a drag at the top to keep teams from running away from the group, Clark said.Manfred added: Theres two dynamics around the threshold: stopping people from running away but also having them low enough that people can aspire to spend a little more to be a little more competitive.Among the new details that emerged:- The penalty for a second stimulant violation goes up from 25 to 50 games and for a third rises from 80 to 100. The penalty for a first violation remains follow-up testing.- Random urine tests will increase from 3,200 to 4,800 in season and from 350 to 1,550 in the offseason, ensuring at least one offseason test for all 40-man roster players. Random blood test rise from 260 to 500 in season and from 140 to 400 in the offseason.- The number of teams disqualified from revenue sharing drops from 15 to 13. A person familiar with the details, speaking on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made, said Atlanta and Houston were the teams that became eligible.- The new All-Star bonus pool for the winning team is $640,000, which calculates to $20,000 per player.- After fan and player voting, the final roster selections in each league (seven in NL and five in AL) will be made by the commissioners office rather than the All-Star managers.- Major league players may not be traded during the final week of the regular season.- While a team with a payroll $40 million or more above the luxury tax threshold would have its highest draft pick dropped 10 places, the top six selections are protected and those teams, if penalized, would have their second pick dropped 10 slots.- The commissioner may schedule regular-season games at ballparks other than the regular sites, and players would receive additional compensation.- Players would receive $15,000 to $100,000 each for special events such as games in Mexico, Asia, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and London.- Signing bonuses of $10,000 or less do not count against a teams international signing bonus pool.- Teams will increase their annual pension and medical benefits contribution to about $200 million.---AP Baseball Writer Janie McCauley contributed to this report. 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