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Crowne Plaza Invitational 2013 scores: Ryan Palmer leads, John Rollins a shot back

2013-05-24T00:02:30Z

Ryan Palmer finished at 8-under at the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational on Thursday, and had to wait while Graham DeLaet, John Rollins and David Hearn attempted to knock him from the top of the leaderboard. Rollins came close, making birdie on 18 to take sole possession of second-place at 7-under, but Palmer will head into Round 2 as the leader at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

More: SB Nation's full coverage of the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational

The difference between Palmer and Rollins was the par-4 No. 12 pin. Both men hit eight birdies on the day, but Palmer made par on No. 12 (playing on the front nine) and Rollins registered a bogey. That the two are atop the leaderboard shouldn't be surprising. Both men are members at Colonial C.C., and have played the course together several times.

Behind them is a packed field. Nineteen players are within four strokes of Palmer. Tied for third-place, the Canadian duo of DeLaet and Hearn are joined by Americans Morgan Hoffmann and John Peterson at 6-under, just on the heels of Rollins.

Invitational favorites Zach Johnson and Charl Schwartzel are surprisingly well out of contention at the moment. Johnson, the defending champion, is tight for 50th at 1-under. Schwartzel is tied for 72nd at even-par.

You can check out a full leaderboard at PGATour.com. Here's the Top 10:

1) Ryan Palmer: 8-under
2) John Rollins: 7-under
t3) Morgan Hoffmann: 6-under
t3) Graham DeLaet: 6-under
t3) David Hearn: 6-under
t3) John Peterson: 6-under
t7) Daniel Sumemrhays: 5-under
t7) Matt Every: 5-under
t7) Matt Kuchar: 5-under
t7) Tommy Gainey: 5-under
t7) Josh Teeter: 5-under
t7) Jordan Spieth: 5-under
t13) Ten golfers at 4-under

NFL OTA news: Trent Richardson hurt, Chris Ivory gets his shot

2013-05-23T23:31:24Z

OTAs are getting underway around the NFL, and along with the practice time comes a merciful onslaught of tangible news. Check out the highlights from Thursday below -- including an injury to Trent Richardson, hope for Chris Ivory, and the return of Johnny Jolly -- as well as reaction from SB Nation's network of blogs.

Trent Richardson held out of Browns' OTAs with muscle pull

Trent Richardson is being held out of OTAs by the Cleveland Browns due to a pulled shin muscle. The move is considered cautionary for the moment. Given Richardson's importance to the offense, the move is also probably a wise one.

Richardson manged to miss just one game last season, despite dealing with a litany injuries late in the year. He played through finger and rib injuries before finally being felled by a hurt ankle in Week 17. Richardson had an impressive rookie campaign, during which he racked up 1,317 total yards and 12 total touchdowns. He'll be asked to play a critical role once again, especially if the Browns can't pass the ball.

More: Browns blog Dawgs By Nature reacts

Chris Ivory working towards becoming Jets' feature back

Ivory was always an effective running back for the New Orleans Saints, averaging 5.1 yard per carry over three seasons, but he never took over as the team's outright starter. You can blame the team's deep stable of ball carriers, the coaching staff or the offensive gameplan. Regardless, Ivory is finally getting his shot to become a featured running back during OTAs with the New York Jets.

Ivory doesn't have much competition in the way. Last year's starter, Shonn Greene, signed with the Tennessee Titans this offseason. The next man up, Mike Goodson, has also never been a full-time starter. The starting role may be Ivory's for the taking, though it remains to be seen whether he, or anyone, can be effective behind the Jets' offensive line.

More: Gang Green Nation responds to anonymous sniping at Mark Sanchez

Johnny Jolly rejoins Packers

Jolly finished a court-ordered drug treatment program Wednesday, and is expected to join the Green Bay Packers for the start of OTAs. Jolly was once a key figure in the Packers' defensive line rotation, but has not played in the NFL since 2009. After several league suspensions, he was eventually sentenced to prison for codeine possession. The NFL reinstated Jolly this past February, and after he received his diploma from rehab, the Packers have a graciously given him another shot at continuing his playing career. Regardless of whether he wins a roster spot, here's to Jolly getting clean and, hopefully, staying that way.

More: Reaction from Packers blog Acme Packing Company

Henry Hynoski to undergo surgery after collision during OTAs

New York Giants fullback Henry Hynoski will undergo surgery to repair a damaged left MCL and a chipped lateral plateau in his knee after colliding with running back Andre Brown during OTAs on Wednesday. Hynoski hopes to be ready for the start of the regular season but, as Big Blue View points out, that might be a tad unrealistic. He will likely miss most of training camp, at the very least. Hynoski graded out as the eighth-best fullback in the league last season, according to Pro Football Focus.

More: Big Blue View breaks down the Giants' fullback options

Ramses Barden to see extra reps during OTAs

While the Giants would no doubt like to see Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz in practice, a side benefit will be extra reps for the team's subordinate wideouts. Ramses Barden re-signed with the Giants on Thursday, and will be a beneficiary of his teammates' absences.

Barden flashed potential last season with a nine-reception, 138-yard performance against the Carolina Panthers in Week 4. He only had four receptions over the rest of the season, however. Barden will have to fight hard for a roster spot this season, considering the Giants' depth at receiver. He'll have plenty of opportunities to prove himself in the coming days, however.

More: Big Blue View on Barden's signing

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Crowne Plaza Invitational 2013 leaderboard: Palmer still leading, but DeLaet is on his heels

2013-05-23T20:41:52Z

Ryan Palmer closed the opening round of the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational in first place Thursday, going into the clubhouse at 8-under. He leads Morgan Hoffmamn and Graham DeLaet by two strokes. While Hoffman is done for the day, DeLaet still has four holes to go. He currently has the best shot of unseating Palmer atop the leaderboard before the day is out.

DeLaet has yet to hit a bogey on the day. He made birdie on five of his first eight holes, and brought himself down to 6-under with a birdie on No. 12. DeLaet is in prime position to take over Palmer. He still has pin Nos. 15-18 to go, a four-hole stretch on which Palmer shot 3-under earlier in the day.

Fellow Canadian David Hearn and American John Rollins are also in position to scoot to the top of the leaderboard. Both are currently at 5-under through 15 and 14 holes, respectively. Hearn hit a bogey on No. 14 and Rollins hit a bogey on No. 12, otherwise both men would be tied with DeLaet.

You can check out full leaderboard at PGATour.com. Here's the top 10:

1) Ryan Palmer: 8-under, F

t2) Morgan Hoffman: 6-under, F

t2) Graham DeLaet: 6-under, thru 14

t4) Daniel Summerhays: 5-under, F

t4) Matt Every: 5-under, F

t4) Matt Kuchar: 5-under, F

t4) Tommy Gainey: 5-under, F

t4) David Hearn: 5-under. thru 15

t4) John Rollins: 5-under, thru 14

t10) Nine players at 4-under

Chargers put themselves in playoff contention with revamped offensive line

2013-05-23T15:00:08Z

The San Diego Chargers' offensive line was a disaster in 2012. What was expected to be a strong running game finished 27th out of 32 teams last season, and Philip Rivers took more sacks than any quarterback other than Aaron Rodgers due largely to injuries and dysfunction up front. Jared Gaither was expected to anchor the offensive line at left tackle, but he appeared in just four games due to a litany of injuries that may or may not have been real. He was released unceremoniously this past March.

More: Bolts From The Blue gives its take on Max Starks

Unsurprisingly, the team has been busy this offseason shoring up the offensive line. On Tuesday, the Chargers signed Max Starks away from Pittsburgh to compete with another offseason acquisition, King Dunlap, for the starting job at left tackle. The Chargers also drafted Alabama right tackle D.J. Fluker with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft this past April.

At one point last season, the Chargers had an undrafted rookie free agent (Michael Harris) and a practice squad signee (Kevin Haslam) starting along the line. There is good reason to expect improvement. Whether it's enough to take the Chargers back to the playoffs is another question.

The projected two-deep

LT1: Max Starks
LT2: King Dunlap

LG1: Chad Rinehart
LG2: Rich Ohrnberger

C1: Nick Hardwick
C2: Colin Baxter

RG1: Jeromey Clary
RG2: Steve Schilling

RT1: D.J. Fluker
RT2: Brandyn Dombrowski

There will be a very real battle throughout training camp between Starks and Dunlap for the starting spot at left tackle. Starks has more experience, but both are capable, if slightly immobile, pass protectors. Dunlap graded out as the 21st best pass blocker in the league with the Philadelphia Eagles last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Starks was just 64th, but he may have a leg up on seeing the field based on longevity. Neither player is much of a run blocker, but when your quarterback just got sacked 49 times, a stop-gap protector is a luxury.

More importantly, there is depth. Unlike when Gaither went down and the Chargers had to resort to Harris at left tackle, both men on the current two-deep have spent several years in the NFL and are considered steady players. Starks may not have the explosion he had before tearing his ACL in 2011, and Dunlap may be too damn big at 6'9, 330 pounds to get out to the second level, but both know how to take a step back and protect.

On the right side of the line, however, is a pure road grader. Fluker wasn't the most popular pick in San Diego at the time, but few scouts had him falling far after the top 10 picks. He is a pure run blocker, with the bulk (6'5, 339 pounds) and strength to quickly improve the Chargers' ground game. The initial backlash against the pick may have had something to do with the team's uncertain future at left tackle, and the fact that Fluker isn't well-regarded for his pass blocking. Now that the left side has been shored up for the short-term, Fluker will hopefully make a seamless transition to the next level.

On the interior of the line is Jeromey Clary, last year's starter at right tackle, who should be able to kick inside to guard where he may be more comfortable. That leaves potential weak spots at left guard and center. Neither Rinehart nor Ohrnberger have ever been regular starters in the NFL, and Nick Hardwick did not grade out particularly well at center last season.

The upshot

Given what the team dealt with last year, the prospects for the offensive line -- and the entire offense, as a result -- look much better next season. That isn't to say that the Chargers will have one of the best lines in the league, but on paper they are at least competent at three out of the five positions, with much-needed stability at left tackle.

Rivers was sacked six times in a 16-13 overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens last season. He lost a fumble and Ryan Mathews managed just 47 yards rushing in a 30-23 loss to the Denver Broncos. That's two close, marquee losses that could have swung the other way with better line play, and potentially changed the complexion of the season in the process. The Chargers still have plenty of other areas to fix, but by fielding a serviceable offensive line they should be that much closer to playing in January.

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Badger Bits: HOT TAKES from Gary Andersen's trip to Culver's

2013-05-23T14:34:09Z

Gary Andersen 's visit to Culver's was by far the most exciting thing that happened yesterday. Living in New York, it made me long for the comforts of tacky booth seats and cheap prints of flowers and sailboats, not to mention $1 cheese curds and scrumptious ButterBurgers.

The visit also allowed us to sneak a glimpse into Andersen's personality, though brief and entirely unrelated to football. Any opportunity to form some HOT TAKES is a good opportunity to form HOT TAKES, however. So without further ado:

via www.uwbadgers.com

GARY ANDERSEN WON'T FUMBLE THE DANG FOOTBALL, YOU CAN BET ON THAT

Look at the grip on that white souvenir football. That's five points of contact, fingers spread wide at 3-inch intervals. That lady will not be taking that ball back until Gary Andersen is done putting his dang Hancock on it, nor will anybody else. I sure hope James White and Melvin Gordon are paying attention!

GARY ANDERSEN SHOULD HAVE GIVEN UP HIS SEAT FOR THAT LADY

I refer you to Core Value No. 2. I don't care if you were up late cutting film then had to get up early for a publicity stunt, that woman should be given a seat, and you should make dang sure to ask if she needs a refill. Is she drinking an Oreo milkshake? Does Culver's have those? Doesn't matter, because you're already pounding out Oreo crumbs in a Ziploc bag just in case. Where is your head, Coach? I sure hope you can keep your head in the game on Saturdays!

#Badgers Coach Andersen delivers some @culvers to a car w/a #Gophers sticker. Guy said it was his sister's car twitter.com/BadgerFootball…
— Badger Football (@BadgerFootball) May 21, 2013

GARY ANDERSEN KOWTOWS TO GOPHERS

It's worse than we feared. How could Coach Andersen let this man enter the drive-thru, much less get his food without a thorough interrogation? The guy said he was driving his "sister's car." Ha! That story has more holes than an order of Culver's delicious onion rings. If he'll let Jerry K. Gofer pull the wool over his eyes at a fast food restaurant, imagine what Minnesota will try to get away with on Nov. 23.

Unless ...

GARY ANDERSEN GIVES FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY TO GOPHERS

That old rascal. Sure, Coach Andersen comes off as having a squeaky clean persona; squeakier than Culver's delicious fried cheese curds before they're dipped in oil, even! But beneath that lovable exterior is the soul of a wily old badger. Methinks our good friends, the Gophers, have no idea what's in store!

#Badgers Coach Andersen has graduated to cooking butter burgers @culvers twitter.com/BadgerFootball…
— Badger Football (@BadgerFootball) May 21, 2013

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE HAMBURGERS, AND BY EXTENSION, THIS SEASON

Is it just Coach Andersen managing that grill? He looks like he needs help in this picture. Is he asking for help? Do we want a ball coach who needs help? There are two rows of patties that clearly aren't being flipped in sync. By the looks of things, the first row will need to be flipped when the second row is finishing. Something is bound to burn! Will we see the same thing on gamedays? Will Andersen panic on the sidelines, just like 'ol Bret "Burn Our Timeouts" Bielema? That's no way to run a team, coach. Get your act together!

THOSE HAMBURGERS, AND BY EXTENSION, THIS SEASON, WILL BE FINE

Relax, Coach Andersen has everything under control. Everyone knows that Culver's griddles are set to just the perfect temperature so that their patties cook thoroughly in minimal time and minimal risk of charring. Even still, you can be sure that Andersen checked everything out before he picked up a spatula. See that look on his face? He's telling the man behind him "back off son, Coach A got this." That confidence reminds me of a young Bret Bielema, who faced down "critics" and "haters" before taking Wisconsin to three straight Rose Bowls. Hopefully Andersen will know how to use his timeouts better!

#Badgers Coach Andersen has taken over the grill Culvers vine.co/v/b9dgw0UOKKl
— Badger Football (@BadgerFootball) May 21, 2013

DOES HE FLIP THE BURGER, OHGODIDON'TKNOW

There is a burger, and whether it is flipped skillfully and in time will determine whether that burger is juicy and delicious, or dry and unbecoming of Culver's name. We have no idea what happened to this patty in particular. It may be that everything already has.

In one universe, that patty landed in the most delicious deluxe ButterBurger ever created, and Andersen was revered by the patrons of Culver's. A few years down the road, Andersen might even be named the greatest chef to have ever manned a griddle. There may be a parade, trophies, and, heck, maybe they will build a statue in his honor! In another universe, that ButterBurger was undercooked, sending a 62-year-old Oconomowoc woman with tired legs to the hospital. Thousands vow to never attend Culver's again. Culver's will struggle to bring in skilled waiters and cooks, and after years of budding momentum, the restaurant will forever be regarded as a third-tier fast food restaurant. Alas, the fate of the burger is unknown, just as the fate of our lives.

The burger is an analogy for Wisconsin football, by the way.

LINKS:

Beau Allen is one of the best defensive tackles in the conference, says OTE.

Oh, and a Gopher potluck.

Michigan believes Ohio should be exempt from the United States, which is probably okay with everybody.

Former Rutgers quarterback Ryan Hart won an appeal to pursue a lawsuit against EA Sports for using his likeness in the NCAA Football series. Given how far the Ed O'Bannon case has come along, Hart could be another stake in the heart of the NCAA down the line.

Beer and Loathing is a very fine title.

Grantland comes up with 20 types of depressed sports fans.

Santonio Holmes injury: Jets WR expected to miss minicamp

2013-05-22T20:37:21Z

Santonio Holmes is expected to miss New York Jets minicamp, head coach Rex Ryan told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Holmes is still recovering from a Lisfranc injury that put him on injured reserve last season. Jets minicamp will run from June 11-13.

More: Gang Green Nation on the Jets' struggling QBs

Until further notice, the plan still appears to be to ease Holmes back into the lineup during training camp in hopes that he can play Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Holmes should be rusty, considering he played in just four games last season. Over that span, he had 20 receptions for 272 yards and a touchdown, putting him on track for his second career season with over 1,000 yards receiving had he not been injured.

Holmes agreed to restructure his contract with the Jets prior to the start of free agency, freeing up $3 million in cap space for the team. He still has three years left on the five-year deal he signed in 2011.

The Jets are counting on Holmes as the team's only proven deep threat. Jeremy Kerley played well last season, but worked mostly out of the slot. Stephen Hill, now in his second-year, is still getting his feet wet, and Clyde Gates has yet to prove he deserves extensive playing time.

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Rob Gronkowski injury: Patriots TE scheduled for forearm surgery on Monday

2013-05-20T16:11:59Z

Rob Gronkowski will undergo surgery this week, in what will be the fourth procedure on his forearm in just over six months. Gronkowski initially fractured his forearm on Nov. 18 in a win over the Indianapolis Colts. After sitting five games, he returned to the New England Patriots only to re-injure his arm in a divisional playoff win over the Houston Texans. Gronkowski could have been finished there, but he developed an infection in the arm from his second surgery, requiring a third procedure to clean up the mess, and now a fourth to replace a plate in his arm. Patriots fans hope the saga is over, but given Gronkowski's injury history it's tough to tell.

More: Coverage of Gronkowski and the Patriots at Pats Pulpit

Gronkowski has been one of the league's best pass catchers -- tight end or wide receiver -- since entering the NFL in 2010. In 2011 he set NFL records for the most touchdowns (17) and receiving yards (1,327) by a tight end in a single season and earned his first career Pro Bowl selection. He earned a second nod last season after becoming the first tight end to ever record 10 touchdown receptions in three consecutive seasons. Gronk ended with 11 touchdowns in 2012 while appearing just 11 regular season games.

He is developing a bad reputation for injuries, however, as he is experiencing back problems that may require offseason surgery in addition to his ongoing forearm issues.

Gronkowski returned from the first break in time for the Patriots Week 17 win over the Miami Dolphins, but broke the same arm in a different spot during New England's next game, the divisional playoff win over the Texans, requiring surgery and forcing the Pats to place him on injured reserve. In late February, Gronkowski had a third surgery on the arm, this one to cure an infection.

Now that the 11-week recovery period from that third surgery has come to an end, he will undergo his fourth and hopefully final surgery to determine if the infection is gone and replace the plate in his arm. If Gronkowski appears free of infection, he can begin a new 10-11 week recovery phase, which would allow him to be ready for the start of the season, unless he also requires back surgery.

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Chad Johnson arrested for probation violation, according to report

2013-05-20T16:01:40Z

Chad Johnson was arrested Monday for violation of his probation. A warrant was issued earlier this month after Johnson reportedly failed to report to his probation officer on two occasions and was unable to provide proof of enrollment in a domestic violation education class.

More: Who are the Bengals with the most to prove?

Johnson was released early into training camp with the Miami Dolphins last year after being arrested on domestic violence charges against his wife, Evelyn Lozada. Ostensibly, he has been trying to make his way back onto an NFL roster, but hasn't garnered much attention since. Johnson's latest arrest certainly won't help matters.

Johnson was once one of the league's elite receivers. He had six consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards receiving for the Cincinnati Bengals, and has 67 touchdown receptions and over 11,000 receiving yards for his career. Over time, Johnson developed an increasingly eccentric persona, evolving from elaborate touchdown dances to his piece de resistance: Changing his name to Chad Ochocinco in 2008.

Johnson (then still Ochocinco) was traded to the New England Patriots in 2011, but failed to earn a significant role in the offense. He caught just 15 passes for 276 yards and one touchdown during the regular season before being released.

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