ORLANDO, Fla.
[b]Cardinals Chris Carpenter Jersey[/b] . -- The NFL will place a heavy emphasis on enforcing its player conduct rules, something Rams coach Jeff Fisher calls "a front-of-the-book issue." As the leagues spring meetings wrapped up Wednesday with Commissioner Roger Goodell saying expansion of the playoffs next season is possible, sportsmanship -- and lack thereof -- was the prime topic. "Were going to clean the game up on the field," said Fisher, co-chairman of the influential competition committee. "The in-your-face taunting, those types of things, the language. Its all in the (rule) book. Its all under unsportsmanlike conduct. Theres no change in our rule. Were going to enforce the current rule." That includes abusive and racist language. "It includes everything, yes," Fisher said with emphasis. He noted that everyone is fed up when a lack of sportsmanship occurs: owners, coaches, fans, players. "The NCAA is hoping for us to do something about it and weve got to take the lead," Fisher said, "and were going to do that." The Miami Dolphins were plagued by a bullying scandal last season after tackle Jonathan Martin left the team. NFL investigators found that guard Richie Incognito and two teammates engaged in persistent harassment directed at Martin, another offensive lineman and an assistant trainer. Incognito was suspended for the final eight games of the season and no longer is with the Dolphins. Taunting penalties also were up last year, Fisher said, from "nine to 12 or 13." "In the past, taunting, sportsmanship was in the back of the book under points of emphasis," he said. "It is now in the front of the book. It falls in our book right after all the statistical things which were good about our game last year. It is now a front-of-the-book issue. And what we want to do is we want to be able to put it back in the back of the book." While the owners voted or tabled a dozen rules or bylaw changes, expanding the playoffs from 12 to 14 teams -- one in each conference -- was discussed. Goodell is optimistic thats coming, and he will discuss it with the players union April 8. A vote could come as early as the owners May meeting in Atlanta. Could two extra wild-card games be implemented for 2014? "Its not out of the question," Goodell said. "We have more work. I wouldnt rule it out, but I wouldnt say thats the direction were heading. "I think theres a tremendous amount of interest in this, possibly even to the point of support. But there also are things we still want to make sure we do right." He believes expanded playoffs would make late-season division and wild-card races more compelling. And two more post-season games would increase TV revenues. Also on Wednesday, the owners: -- Approved experimentation with extra-point kicks from the 20-yard line for two weeks in the preseason, but implementing longer PATs for the regular season has been tabled. -- Adopted proposals to extend the length of the goalposts 5 feet to 35 feet to better determine if kicks are good; to no longer stop the clock on sacks; and to allow video reviews on plays with a recovery of a loose ball on the field even though the play had been whistled dead. -- Rejected proposals to move kickoffs to the 40-yard line; to allow more than one player to be placed on injured reserve, then return to the roster during the season; to subject personal foul penalties to video review; to permit coaches to challenge any officiating decision except on scoring plays or turnovers, which automatically are reviewed; and to eliminate the first preseason cutdown to 75 players. -- Tabled proposals to raise the number of active players for games not played on a Sunday or Monday, except for opening week, from 46 to 49; to raise the practice squad maximum from eight to 10 players; to eliminate overtime in preseason games; to allow trades after the Super Bowl and before the new league year begins in March; to permit teams to test at their facilities 10 players who attended the NFL combine; to place fixed cameras on the goal lines, sidelines and end lines to aid replay reviews; and to call pass interference in the area 1 yard or less from the line of scrimmage, where it does not apply now. On Tuesday, the owners approved allowing referees to consult with the officiating department in New York on replay challenges, and they voted to ban blockers from rolling up on the side of the legs of a defender. The league also barred players from dunking the ball over the crossbar in celebration.
[b]Stitched Cardinals Jerseys[/b] . The Argentine midfielder made the announcement himself on Twitter on Tuesday and posted a picture of his swollen left foot. His message said he would be out "at least three weeks.
[b]Cardinals Mike Mayers Jersey[/b] . Pedroia reached the milestone with a little panache, hitting a grand slam in the sixth inning and propelling the Boston Red Sox to a 7-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night.CHICAGO -- Roy Halladay had trouble gripping the ball in the steamy conditions, Domonic Browns sore right heel started to bother him again and the Philadelphia Phillies just kept plugging away. It turned into the perfect homecoming for Ryne Sandberg. Michael Young had four hits, including a tiebreaking RBI single in the ninth inning, and the Phillies rallied for a 6-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday in Sandbergs return to Wrigley Field. "Its a good one to get. Sure, down 5-0 out of the chute," Sandberg said. "The guys battled back. Good energy after that. Anytime you rally to come back like that it goes well with the guys. But yeah, extra special." Kevin Frandsen had two hits and scored two runs after entering in the sixth, helping Philadelphia bounce back from Thursdays 11-3 loss to the New York Mets. Chase Utley added a key two-run triple. The Phillies improved to 9-6 since Sandberg was promoted to interim manager when Charlie Manuel was fired on Aug. 16. The Hall of Fame second baseman spent most of his playing career with the Cubs and was cheered all day long in his first trip to Chicago since he was elevated to the top spot in Philadelphia. "The four hits from Young and the home run from Frandsen, I had some flashbacks," Sandberg cracked. Anthony Rizzo and Nate Schierholtz homered for the Cubs, who went 3 for 10 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base. Starlin Castro had two doubles and two RBIs in Chicagos fourth loss in five games. "We cant get a big hit to seal the deal," manager Dale Sveum said. "To add on runs is what you preach. We just couldnt add on." Roger Bernadina used his speed to set up Youngs winning hit. He was hit by a pitch from Kevin Gregg (2-4) with one out, swiped second and raced home when Youngs blooper landed in front of Schierholtz in right field. "Fortunately it found a patch of grass out there," Young said. "Ive faced him a lot over the years and hes got good stuff. The only thing I was really trying to do was keep my approach relatively simple." B.J. Rosenberg (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win and Jonathan Papelbon got three outs for his 23rd save. Utley made a great diving stop and throw on Schierholtzs grounder to second to end the game. The victory wiped away some of the sting of Browns nagging foot problem. The All-Star, who just returned to the lineup Thursday, was lifted in the sixth due to a sore right Achilles and is day to day. The Cubs built a 5-0 lead against a struggling Halladay, but Jeff Samardzija was unable to hold on for his third consecutive victory.
[b]Cardinals Derian Gonzalez Jersey[/b]. Philadelphia scored four times in the sixth after Frandsens sinking liner got past diving centre fielder Junior Lake for a pinch-hit triple. Samardzija finally got out of the inning when Darin Ruf grounded into a double play, but Frandsen lined an 0-1 pitch into the bleachers in left with two out in the seventh, tying it at 5. "It got away from me a little bit, a couple of hits," Samardzija said. James Russell came on with two on and two out and got Utley to fly out to left, closing Samardzijas line. He gave up eight hits and walked two in his worst start since he lasted just 3 1-3 innings in a 12-1 loss at Philadelphia on Aug. 8. Chicago had a chance to go back in front in the bottom half, but Dioner Navarro was thrown out when he tried to score from second on Darnell McDonalds pinch-hit single. John Mayberrys throw from right field bounced a couple times and still beat the lumbering catcher to the plate, drawing groans from the crowd of 27,753. "We cant catch a break today," Navarro said. Halladay made his second start since he had right shoulder surgery in May. The two-time Cy Young Award winner pitched six effective innings in a 9-5 victory over Arizona on Sunday, but he struggled right from the beginning against the Cubs. Halladay said he had trouble holding onto the ball due to the muggy day in Chicago. The gametime temperature was 91 degrees. "After about the fourth inning, you would try to dry it off and it would come right back and would just drip right off," he said. "After that point, it was just kind of hard to hold on to it." Rizzo connected for his 21st homer in the first inning, and Halladay hit consecutive batters in the second. He threw a ball behind Lake during Chicagos three-run fourth, drawing a stare from the rookie outfielder. The right-hander allowed five runs and seven hits in five innings while throwing only 77 pitches. "I had more of an issue holding on to the ball late in the game than anything," he said. "My arm felt good, shoulder felt good, nothing different there." NOTES: Philadelphia announced during the game that it had reached a $12 million, three-year contract with Cuban pitcher Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez. It includes an option for 2017, a signing bonus and performance bonuses. Gonzalez will report to Phillys spring training complex in Clearwater, Fla. ... Phillies 3B Cody Asche rested for the second straight day after he left Wednesdays 6-2 victory at the New York Mets with a cramp and a mild right hamstring strain.
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