Blount is in transition
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NBA players grieve in their own way. In memory of recently traded Walter McCarty, friend and former teammate Mark Blount will wear sweatbands on his head and upper left arm for the remainder of the season.
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Nick Harper is going from the Super Bowl champion Colts to a division rival, the Tennessee Titans.
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FOXBOROUGH -- Things can change quickly in the NFL. Monty Beisel's tenure with the Patriots is evidence of that.
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Pro Bowl linebacker Keith Brooking was sitting at his locker, chatting about all the changes the Atlanta Falcons made to improve their run defense, when the most noticeable newcomer of all came strolling by.
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Carroll coach Mike Van Diest is getting used to Southern hospitality.
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He has always done whatever they've wanted. Troy Brown has run back kickoffs, returned punts, caught passes. He has been the primary receiver, a decoy, a spot rusher. He has been asked to be a team leader, then asked to take a step back and be a team player.
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The maturity quarterback Jameel Sewell showed after being benched may prove to be the turning point in Virginia's season.
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Darian Barnes has done some of his best work creating comic-book characters. Now, after signing with the Jets, he will try to bring stability to a revamped backfield.
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Troy Brown has had to make a lot of adjustments while playing both sides of the football. &quot;You always want to score when you get the ball -- offense or defense
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The quarterback is entering his prime years, the running back and tight end positions are stocked with talented players, and the up-and-coming offensive line has been rock-solid throughout the preseason.
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Boston Celtics Mark Blount drives between Chicago Bulls Frank Williams, left, Tommy Smith, center and Jared Reiner right, during a pre-season game at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH Tuesday Oct. 12, 2004.
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FOXBOROUGH -- He forgets sometimes. Happened just last week. Mike Vrabel broke from the huddle and positioned himself at inside linebacker, but when Tom Brady dropped back to pass, Vrabel instinctively reverted to the coverage responsibilities of the outside linebacker position, where he has established his reputation as an agitator and intimidator.
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Willie Roaf says he's going back to school. A.J. Hawk, Vernon Davis and several other first-round draft picks are ready to start their first NFL jobs.
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This isn't quite what Drew Brees signed up for. His new team's top receiver from last year was traded out of New Orleans during preseason, replaced by a seventh-round draft pick out of Division I-AA Hofstra. One of the Saints' most experienced linemen has been placed on injured reserve, and a rookie out of Division II Bloomsburg is starting in that spot.
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Fifteen years in the NFL have taught Emmitt Smith more than just how to slip tackles. He's also become an example of how to fight through injury.
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FOXBOROUGH -- With the injured Deion Branch and Troy Brown on the sidelines, it was time for David Givens and David Patten to step up.
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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Linebacker Mike Vrabel shook his head in amazement when asked about the return of Tedy Bruschi in yesterday's 24-17 win over the Jets.