ORCHARD PARK, N. Cheap Jordan 1 Off White .Y. -- After a falling out with the New England Patriots, linebacker Brandon Spikes is embracing his fresh start with the Buffalo Bills. Spikes joined the Bills late Friday night on a one-year contract. The Bills have been active in free agency thus far, signing six free agents. The middle linebacker is easily Buffalos most intriguing addition. The 26-year-old Spikes is an aggressive, hard-hitting defender. A second-round pick of the Patriots in 2010, Spikes started 39 of 53 games in New England, with 286 tackles and five forced fumbles. He was third on the Patriots in tackles in 2013 with 86. "I was excited the whole time to get going with a new start in a new beginning in a new place," Spikes said on a conference call Monday. "I feel like its going to be fun and Im down for a challenge. I want to help change the culture there." Spikes is known for the physical nature of his play. "All the old-school, throwback backers, I just moulded my game after them and it just stuck with me this whole time," Spikes said. "I wouldnt call it intimidating, Im just playing and going hard and relentless and play every play like its your last." The addition of Spikes is one of many moves the Bills hope will fix their porous run defence. With Spikes taking over middle linebacker duties, the Bills plan on moving young standout Kiko Alonso to the weak side after spending his rookie season in the middle. The Bills also signed former New York Giants linebacker Keith Rivers to a two-year contract on March 12. The Bills finished 28th against the run in 2013, allowing an average of 128.9 yards per game. "I actually think it was like seven games where they gave up 150 yards on the ground. I just want to come and help them out," Spikes said. "Thats one of my strengths, stopping the run, and I feel like I can help. Whatever they need me to do, Im willing to do and do it at a high level." Spikes joins a defence that has its fourth co-ordinator in four seasons. Former Detroit head coach Jim Schwartz is installing a base 4-3 following the departure of Mike Pettine, who left Buffalo after one year to become head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Spikes is set to reunite with his former linebackers coach, Pepper Johnson, now Buffalos defensive line coach. Johnson made the move from New England in January and Spikes said his presence was one of the reasons he decided to come to Buffalo. "A great coach, a great inspiration to the game," Spikes said. "He loves the game and hes definitely what I want to be down the road; hes a legendary ball player and coach." After playing with a knee injury for several weeks in New England, Spikes was placed on injured reserve on Jan. 6. An ESPN report later said Spikes was placed on IR after being late to a team meeting during a Boston snow storm. On Saturday, after the contract was official, Spikes tweeted: "Free at last, free at last. I thank God Im free at last. Free at last, Free at last !!!!!! #LetsGetIt #PoWwWwW." "I just want to kind of close that chapter," Spikes said. "I just want to put that all behind me. Its great just to have a new beginning. Im excited. The past is the past. Im happy now and Im ready to get to work and Im just ready to help." Spikes is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his cousin, Takeo Spikes. Takeo Spikes was a standout linebacker with the Bills from 2003-06. After wearing number 55 in New England, Spikes is returning to the number 51, which he wore earlier in his career, in honour of his cousin. "He inspired me to be great," Spikes said. "He inspired me to have a dream and chase it. ... Watching him in Buffalo growing up inspired me to wear the number 51 ... hes just somebody I look to be like." Fake Jordan 1 . Edmonton opened the season with 14 straight victories before falling Friday night 10-8 to the host Colorado Mammoth in National Lacrosse League action. Fake Air Jordan 1 Bred . Serves hit by her surgically repaired shoulder often missed the mark, resulting in 12 double-faults.TORONTO - Torontos Kyle Lowry had spent big chunks of Sundays game on the bench, part of the coaching and medical staffs plan to manage the minutes of their battered and bruised team leader. Unleashed in the fourth quarter, Lowry scored seven of his 25 points in the games final minute to lift the Raptors to a 96-86 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. After three horrible quarters, the Raptors outscored the Hawks 36-15 in the final 12 minutes to seal the victory. "Weve got a group of guys who are resilient, we want to win games, weve got a goal in mind," Lowry said. "Its fun to win games and when youve found the recipe to win in the fourth, you have to stick with it." Lowry also had four assists and four steals in just 27 minutes. With the Raptors poised to make their first playoff appearance in six years, the team is being careful with his playing time. "Hes had a lot of minutes," said coach Dwane Casey. "Its hard believe me, as a coach and for him as a competitor, it looks like were going at each other but we both understand the situation. If its close I may close my eyes and forget time, but we have to watch his minutes." DeMar DeRozan added 21 points Sunday, while Jonas Valanciunas finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds, and Greivis Vasquez chipped in with 12 points for the Raptors (39-30). Lowry, who has struggled with a groin injury in the past, wouldnt say if anything specific is sore. "My full body has aches and pains right now," he said. "I dont think any player in the NBA right now feels 100 per cent. Its that time of year where everybody has knicks and knacks and bruises." DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap scored 17 points apiece to top the Hawks (31-37), while Jeff Teague added 16. Coming off a an energetic 119-118 loss in double overtime two nights earlier to Oklahoma City, the Atlantic Division-leading Raptors looked like a different team Sunday through three quarters of sloppy passes, horrible shooting and lackadaisical defence. One highlight on an afternoon that had almost none: the return of The Raptor mascot, who missed over five months after rupturing an Achilles tendon during training camp. Casey passed Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment boss Tim Leiweke in the hallway after the game, and told him it was like "pulling teeth, it was like going to the dentists office that first half." "Weve got to be pros like I told our players, whether its five oclock in the morning, midnight, two oclock, weve got to get ourselves going," Casey said. "With season ticket-holders paying big money to watch us play, we came out and gave them a bad performance in the first half." Casey gave his players an earful at halftime. "Aw man, he came in here yelling," DeRozan said. "Once Casey yells, youve got to do your job or youll hear him yelling after the game. We understood ... wwe were still in the game and we were playing terrible that first half. Jordan 1 Banned Replica. quot; The Hawks, who are clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, led by as many as 14 points in the first half and were up by 71-60 heading into the fourth quarter. Finally showing some life, the Raptors chipped away at the difference and when Johnson tipped in his own miss with 5:18 left to play, it tied the game 79-79. Lowry scored on a hook shot with 44 seconds left to give the Raptors a five-point lead and some precious breathing room, then he stole the ball off an inbounds pass and scored again to help put the game away. There was a scary moment late in the game when workhorse Amir Johnson went down in a heap clutching his left knee after Shelvin Mack had fallen awkwardly on it. "You dont know if its a soccer move (embellishment) or what," Casey said. "He had my heart in my throat there for a little bit." Lowry called Johnson the teams "heart and soul." "So when that happened it kind of scared us a little bit," Lowry said. "Oh yeah, Im still scared when he falls. But hes a great player, he gives it all, and it makes everybody else give it their all too." Added DeRozan: "Ive seen Amir get hit by a Mack truck and get back up. One thing about Amir, hell play through anything and everything, but he kind of scared me tonight. When he grabbed at the knee, I kind of cussed at him a little to make sure he was alright." Johnson, who was limping in the locker-room after the game, said the initial pain was bad, but he was able to walk it off. The Raptors had lost to the Hawks earlier in the week, dropping a 118-113 decision in overtime in Atlanta on Tuesday. "We just lost focus," Millsap said on the Hawks inability to close out Sundays game. "Lost focus and they hit a few shots. We dropped our heads a little bit but we have to be more mentally tough." Toronto got off to a poor start Sunday, turning over the ball seven times in the opening quarter. The Raptors shot just 28 per cent while allowing the Hawks to shoot 56 per cent. Atlanta went up by 11 before leading 25-16 to end the quarter. A three-pointer by Millsap gave the Hawks a 14-point lead midway through the second. But the Raptors closed the quarter with a 16-9 run that included a monstrous dunk by Terrence Ross and went into the locker-room at halftime trailing 49-42. The Raptors carried that momentum into the third, cutting the Hawks lead to two points on a hook shot by Valanciunas, but abruptly went cold again. Atlanta took an 11-point advantage into the final 12 minutes. Notes: The Raptors are in Cleveland to face the Cavaliers on Tuesday, then meet the Celtics in Boston on Wednesday before returning home to host Boston on Friday. ... New Toronto FC goalkeeper Julio Cesar and Hockey Hall of Famer Darryl Sittler were at the game. ' ' '
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cy11234566
6 déc. 2019
linebacker Brandon Spikes
linebacker Brandon Spikes
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