Jason Collins: Support after coming out 'incredible'

Jason Collins said he has gotten ''incredible'' support since coming out as the first openly gay player in one of the four major U.S. pro sports leagues, and hopes he may have made the path easier for others to follow. Collins sat down for an interview that was aired by ABC's ''Good Morning America'' on Tuesday, one day after the veteran NBA center revealed his sexuality in a first-person story posted on Sports Illustrated's website. ''I think, I know, in my personal life, I'm ready and I think the country is ready for supporting an openly gay basketball player,'' Collins told ABC's George Stephanopoulos. ABC aired the interview in two segments, with Stephanopoulos asking Collins in the second portion if he hoped that other players will follow his example. ''I hope that every player makes a decision that leads to their own happiness, whatever happiness that is in life,'' Collins responded. ''I know that I, right now, am the happiest that I've ever been in my life.'' Collins said he went through something akin to a 12-step program while deciding to come out, dealing with emotions such as anger and denial. ''But when you finally get to that point of acceptance, there's nothing more beautiful than just allowing yourself to really be happy and be comfortable in your own skin,'' Collins said. Dozens of NBA players sent messages to Collins after the story was posted Monday, many doing so through social media. The support didn't stop there, with President Barack Obama also calling to offer his support. ''It's incredible. Just try to live an honest, genuine life and the next thing you know you have the president calling you,'' Collins said. ''He was incredibly supportive and he was proud of me, said this not only affected my life but others going forward.'' Collins said he does not know of any other gay NBA players. He also told ABC that he was overwhelmed by the reaction of tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who came out in 1981 and called him a pioneer after he went public with his story. ''I look at her as one of my heroes, the dignity and class that she's lived her life and all that she's achieved in her career,'' Collins said. ''She is my role model. Hopefully going forward I can be someone else's role model.'' Collins averaged 1.1 points this season for the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards. He will be a free agent this offseason, and plans to continue his career. ''From my teammates, I'm expecting support because that's what I would do for my teammates,'' Collins told ABC. ''A team is like a family. The NBA is like a brotherhood. And I'm looking at it like we all support each other, on and off the court.'' Asked by Stephanopoulos what his story could mean to youth who play basketball and are worried about their futures because they are gay, Collins offered a simple piece of advice. ''It doesn't matter that you're gay. The key thing is that it's about basketball,'' Collins said. ''It's about working hard, it's about sacrificing for your team. It's all about dedication. That's what you should focus on.'' In the second part of the ABC interview, Collins discussed what it was like to come out to his family and people closest to him. In the SI piece, Collins said that the first relative he came out to was his aunt, Teri Jackson, a San Francisco Superior Court Judge - ''so I guess she's good at reading people,'' Collins told ABC. ''When you keep telling yourself a lie, at some point you buy your own cover story, like a CIA spy or something,'' Collins said. His own twin brother, Jarron Collins, had no idea about his brother's orientation. ''I am really good at playing it straight,'' Jason Collins said, laughing at his own joke. ''Maybe he needs to hang out with my aunt a little more, get a discerning eye like she has.'' Collins told Stephanopoulos that he one day hopes to be married and have children, but currently describes his relationship status as single. ''I tried everything in the book as far as trying to convince myself to lead the life that you should,'' said Collins, who dated women in the past and was once engaged. ''Calling off the wedding was obviously a tough decision, but it was the right one, because I knew I wasn't getting married for the right reasons.''  ABC said the interview was taped Monday night in Los Angeles.

Jaguars WR Blackmon suspended for substance abuse

Justin Blackmon's latest violation of the NFL's substance-abuse policy will cost him money - maybe lots of it. The league suspended Blackmon on Tuesday for the first four games of the 2013 season for his second violation in less than a year. He will not get paid for the four-week hiatus. Maybe more importantly, the suspension triggers language in his contract that voids future guarantees. Now, the Jaguars could cut him without having to pay about $10 million that remains on a four-year, $18.5 million contract. ''It's very disappointing,'' general manager Dave Caldwell said on a conference call with reporters. ''We understand that this isn't all going to be an upward trend and we're going to have setbacks. To be honest with you, things like this are frustrating because it's an avoidable situation. That's what's real concerning and frustrating. At the end of the day, we're going to have 53 players on our team on opening day and we're just moving forward and we're not slowing down.'' It's Blackmon's third substance-related incident in less than three years. He was arrested on a misdemeanor DUI charge in Texas in 2010 after officers caught him speeding on a suburban Dallas highway. The charge was later reduced to an underage alcohol possession charge. A little more than a month after the Jaguars traded up to select the former Oklahoma State star with the fifth overall pick in last year's draft, he was arrested during a traffic stop in Stillwater, Okla., after a breath test allegedly showed his blood alcohol content to be three times the legal limit. That arrest landed him the NFL's substance-abuse program. It's unclear what caused his second violation, but it could have been a failed drug test. ''He realizes he's at a crossroad, not only in his career but in his life,'' Caldwell said. ''We do not anticipate his level of accountability to be any different than anybody else in this franchise, including myself.'' Blackmon vowed last June that getting in trouble is ''not who I'm going to be.'' He found himself apologizing again Tuesday. ''I've made a mistake and I have no excuse,'' he said in a statement. ''I am truly sorry and disappointed in myself for putting the Jaguars in this situation, and I look forward to putting this behind me and maturing and growing as a person. I will have a productive training camp and preseason with my team, and during the suspension, I will work hard to stay in top football shape and be ready to help the Jaguars when I return. ''I have chosen to be accountable for my poor decision, and I sincerely apologize to my teammates, coaches, the front office and Jaguars fans for the impact of my mistake on the team.'' Blackmon, who caught 64 passes for 865 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie, will miss games against Kansas City, Oakland, Seattle and Indianapolis. He will be eligible to return to practice Monday, Sept. 30. He will be allowed to attend meetings and be inside the facility during the suspension, but can't practice or play. ''We are here to help and support him,'' Caldwell said. ''There's only so much we can do under the CBA in terms of helping a player. At some point in time, these players have to help themselves and take care of themselves.'' Caldwell declined to say when the Jaguars learned about Blackmon's suspension or the possibility of it. The Jaguars seemingly had an indication before the draft. They selected former South Carolina receiver/punt returner Ace Sanders in the fourth round and former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson in the fifth. Robinson will be used at running back and slot receiver. Jacksonville also has Mohamed Massaquoi, Jordan Shipley, Taylor Price and others vying for the starting spot opposite Cecil Shorts III. ''We know that we're not going to have 53 angelic players,'' Caldwell said. ''But there's no excuse for not doing the right thing. These guys were young guys in college; now they're professionals, they're a reflection of the Jacksonville Jaguars and our community here and we don't take this thing lightly.''

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - APRIL 30TH

1887 - First game played at Broad & Huntingdon St Park (Baker Bowl) 

in Philadelphia; Phillies beat Giants 19-10.

1910 - Cleveland Indians' Addie Joss wins 2nd no-hitter beating White Sox.
1916 - Chicago Cubs play first game at Weeghman Park (Wrigley Field) beat Reds.

1922 - Chicago White Sox Charles Robertson perfect games Detroit Tigers, 2-0.

1940 - Brooklyn Dodger Tex Carleton no-hits Cincinnati Reds, 3-0.
1946 - Cleveland Indians' Bob Feller's 2nd no-hitter beats NY Yankees, 1-0.

1953 - Little-Bigger League changes its name to Babe Ruth League.
1958 - Ted Williams is 10th major league player to get 1,000 extra-base hits.

1961 - Isiah Thomas, NBA forward (Detroit Piston; 1990 NBA playoff MVP) is born.

1967 - NY Met pitcher Tom Seaver wins hist 1st game.
1967 - Orioles' Stu Miller & Steve Barber lose 2-1 despite no-hitting Tigers.

1970 - Cubs Billy Williams is first NLer to play in 1,000 consecutive games.

1975 - Elliott Sadler, American race car driver is born.

1990 - As Met pitcher David Cone argues a call at 1st base, 2 Braves score.

1997 - Atlanta Braves win record 19 games in April.

NBA veteran center Jason Collins comes out as gay

With the simplest of sentences, NBA veteran Jason Collins set aside years of worry and silence to become the first active player in one of four major U.S. professional sports leagues to come out as gay. In a first-person article posted Monday on Sports Illustrated's website, Collins begins: ''I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay.'' Collins has played for six teams in 12 seasons, most recently as a reserve with the Washington Wizards after a midseason trade from the Boston Celtics. He is now a free agent and wants to keep playing in the NBA. ''I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, 'I'm different,''' Collins writes. ''If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand.'' Saying he had ''endured years of misery and gone to enormous lengths to live a lie,'' Collins immediately drew support for his announcement from the White House - President Barack Obama called him - along with former President Bill Clinton, the NBA, current and former teammates, a sponsor, and athletes in other sports. Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant tweeted that he was proud of Collins, writing: ''Don't suffocate who u r because of the ignorance of others,'' followed by the words ''courage'' and ''support.'' ''We've got to get rid of the shame. That's the main thing. And Jason's going to help that. He's going to help give people courage to come out,'' said Billie Jean King, a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame who confirmed she was gay after being outed in the early 1980s. ''I guarantee you he's going to feel much lighter, much freer. The truth does set you free, there's no question. It doesn't mean it's easy. But it sets you free,'' King said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. The Wizards, whose season ended April 17, issued a statement from President Ernie Grunfeld: ''We are extremely proud of Jason and support his decision to live his life proudly and openly. He has been a leader on and off the court and an outstanding teammate throughout his NBA career. Those qualities will continue to serve him both as a player and as a positive role model for others of all sexual orientation.'' Collins' coach with the Celtics, Doc Rivers, drew a comparison between Monday's announcement and Jackie Robinson's role when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball. ''I am extremely happy and proud of Jason Collins. He's a pro's pro. He is the consummate professional and he is one of my favorite 'team' players I have ever coached,'' Rivers said. ''If you have learned anything from Jackie Robinson, it is that teammates are always the first to accept. It will be society who has to learn tolerance.'' Collins says he quietly made a statement for gay rights even while keeping his sexual orientation a secret. He wore No. 98 with the Celtics and Wizards - 1998 was year that Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Wyoming, was killed, and the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization, was founded. According to the General Social Survey, the public has grown increasingly accepting of gay relationships since the late 1980s. That survey found in 1987 that 76 percent of Americans thought sexual relations between adults of the same sex was morally wrong. That fell to 43 percent by 2012. ''I'm glad I'm coming out in 2013 rather than 2003. The climate has shifted; public opinion has shifted,'' Collins writes. ''And yet we still have so much farther to go. Everyone is terrified of the unknown, but most of us don't want to return to a time when minorities were openly discriminated against.'' While some gay athletes have talked in the past about concerns that coming out would hurt their earning potential, 12-time Grand Slam singles champion King said she thinks Collins' openness could have the opposite effect. ''I have a feeling he's got a whole new career,'' King said. ''I have a feeling he's going to make more in endorsements than he's ever made in his life.'' Sports equipment maker Nike released a statement Monday saying: ''We admire Jason's courage and are proud that he is a Nike athlete. Nike believes in a level playing field where an athlete's sexual orientation is not a consideration.'' On Monday evening, hours after his story appeared on the web, Collins wrote on Twitter: ''All the support I have received today is truly inspirational. I knew that I was choosing the road less traveled but I'm not walking it alone.'' Momentum has been building toward this sort of announcement from a pro athlete in a top league in the United States. NFL players Brendan Ayanbadejo and Chris Kluwe were outspoken in support of state gay-marriage amendments during last year's elections. Obama spoke about his support for gay marriage during his re-election campaign. The topic made waves during Super Bowl week when one player, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver, said he wouldn't welcome a gay member of his team. At the time, Ayanbadejo estimated that at least half of the NFL's players would agree with what Culliver said, at least privately. Scott Fujita, who recently retired after an 11-year NFL career, said: ''I'm pleased to see such an overwhelmingly positive reaction to this news, because it just shows that we're becoming more accepting every day. But more than anything else, I'm happy for Jason. I'm not a gay, closeted athlete, so I can't pretend to know what that must have felt like for him. But I imagine this is freeing for him, and hopefully he's encouraged by the millions of people who are voicing their support. ... It's not a reaction to some rumor and it's not some unwanted outing. It's his message, and it was delivered under his control and on his terms.'' On Monday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to teams reiterating the league's anti-discrimination policy about sexuality. It includes a section on questions teams cannot ask prospective draft picks and free agents. After the NFL combine in February, three players said officials posed questions about sexual orientation. Earlier this month, the NHL and its players' union partnered with an advocacy organization fighting homophobia in sports, and Commissioner Gary Bettman said the You Can Play Project underlines that ''the official policy of the NHL is one of inclusion on the ice, in our locker rooms and in the stands.'' ''I would say the NHL has been a force to kind of obviously embrace and encourage. ... What (Collins) did, I think it's definitely (good) for basketball, and the same for hockey, too. It's going to be encouraging for more guys to step up and just be open about themselves,'' Washington Capitals forward Joel Ward said. Living in the nation's capital last month while the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments about same-sex marriage had an effect on Collins, who says ''the strain of hiding my sexuality became almost unbearable'' at that time. ''Less than three miles from my apartment, nine jurists argued about my happiness and my future. Here was my chance to be heard, and I couldn't say a thing,'' he writes. ''I didn't want to answer questions and draw attention to myself.'' After being a first-round draft pick in 2001, Collins has averaged 3.6 points and 3.8 rebounds for the New Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Celtics and Wizards. In his SI piece, he jokes self-effacingly about his journeyman career and a parlor game known as ''Three Degrees of Jason Collins.'' ''If you're in the league, and I haven't been your teammate, I surely have been one of your teammates' teammates. Or one of your teammates' teammates' teammates,'' he writes. Never a star, he acknowledges, ''I take charges and I foul - that's been my forte. ... I set picks with my 7-foot, 255-pound body to get guys like Jason Kidd, John Wall and Paul Pierce open. I sacrifice myself for other players.'' He continues: ''I go against the gay stereotype, which is why I think a lot of players will be shocked: That guy is gay? But I've always been an aggressive player, even in high school. Am I so physical to prove that being gay doesn't make you soft? Who knows? That's something for a psychologist to unravel.'' As for what response other NBA players will have to his revelation, Collins writes: ''The simple answer is, I have no idea.'' ''Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, but it's a good place to start. It all comes down to education. I'll sit down with any player who's uneasy about my coming out,'' he says in his account, adding: ''Still, if I'm up against an intolerant player, I'll set a pretty hard pick on him. And then move on.'' On Monday, there was an outpouring of positive sentiments. In texts to the AP, Wizards guard Garrett Temple wrote, ''I was surprised. I didn't know and I was right next to him in the locker room. It definitely took a lot of courage for him to come out. He was a great teammate,'' and rookie Bradley Beal said: ''I didn't know about it! I don't think anyone did! I am proud of his decision to come out and express the way he feels and I'm supportive of that!!'' Former teammate Jerry Stackhouse, now with the Brooklyn Nets, wrote in a text: ''I hope Jason is received well by our NBA family. Jason is a friend and a former teammate that I've enjoyed many laughs and conversations with and his sexual orientation won't change that with me. I've already reached out to him personally to show support and will encourage more guys to do the same.'' NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a statement: ''Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue.'' While Collins is the first male athlete in a major North American professional league to come out while intending to keep playing, several have previously spoken after they retired about being gay, including the NBA's John Amaechi, the NFL's Esera Tuaolo and Major League Baseball's Billy Bean. ''I think he is immensely brave. I think it's a shame in this day and age he has to be immensely brave, but he is,'' Amaechi told the AP. ''He's going to be a remarkable and eloquent spokesperson for what it is to be a decent, authentic human being - never mind just for gay people.'' Rick Welts, president and chief operating officer of the NBA's Golden State Warriors, is openly gay. ''He probably knows what he signed up for. There'll be a whole bunch more television reporters and cameras than he's probably had in the past. ... There had been a long of speculation about when, who, how. I think that speculation has been put to rest now,'' Welts said, ''and we'll always remember that Jason Collins was the first man to do this.'' Collins says that if he remains in the NBA, he could face uncomfortable reactions from spectators. ''I don't mind if they heckle me. I've been booed before. There have been times when I've wanted to boo myself. But a lot of ill feelings can be cured by winning,'' he writes. He adds: ''I hope fans will respect me for raising my hand. And I hope teammates will remember that I've never been an in-your-face kind of guy. All you need to know is that I'm single. I see no need to delve into specifics.'' In February, former U.S. soccer national team player Robbie Rogers said he was gay - and retired at the same time. Rogers is just 25, and others have urged him to resume his career. ''I feel a movement coming,'' he tweeted after word of Collins' news broke. Female athletes have found more acceptance in coming out; Brittney Griner, a top college basketball player now headed to the WNBA, caused few ripples when she said this month she is a lesbian. Tennis great Martina Navratilova, who came out decades ago, tweeted Monday that Collins is ''a brave man.'' ''1981 was the year for me - 2013 is the year for you,'' her post added. Sports leagues in Britain and elsewhere in Europe have been trying to combat anti-gay bias. But the taboo remains particularly strong in soccer, where there are no openly gay players in Europe's top leagues. Homophobic chants are still heard at some games. Soccer ''is not going to change,'' said Amaechi, who is English and now lives in Manchester. ''If it wanted to change, it would change. It has the resources to do so. It doesn't want to change.'' Justin Fashanu is the only significant British soccer player to have come out publicly, doing so in 1990. The former Nottingham Forest and Norwich City striker was found hanged in a London garage in 1998 at age 37. According to an inquest, Fashanu left a note saying that, because he was gay, he feared he wouldn't get a fair trial in the United States on sexual assault charges. Maryland police were seeking him on charges that he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old boy. Among other athletes outside the U.S. to come out was Gareth Thomas, a Welsh rugby star who attracted widespread media attention in 2009 when he announced he was gay. He continued playing until retirement in 2011. Orlando Cruz of Puerto Rico came out in October as the first openly gay professional male boxer. Canadian swimmer Mark Tewksbury came out six years after winning a gold medal in the backstroke at the 1992 Barcelona Games. Four-time Olympic diving gold medalist Greg Louganis of the U.S. revealed he was gay in 1994, a year before announcing he was also HIV-positive. Former Olympic skiing gold medalist Anja Paerson of Sweden announced last year, after retiring, that she was in a long-term relationship with a woman. White House spokesman Jay Carney called Collins' decision courageous and said the administration views it as another example of progress and evolution in the U.S. as Americans grow more accepting of gay rights and same-sex marriage. Former President Clinton said: ''Jason's announcement today is an important moment for professional sports and in the history of the LGBT community. It is also the straightforward statement of a good man who wants no more than what so many of us seek: to be able to be who we are; to do our work; to build families and to contribute to our communities. For so many members of the LGBT community, these simple goals remain elusive.'' Collins attended Stanford with Clinton's daughter Chelsea and played in a Final Four while at the school. His twin brother, Jarron, was also a longtime NBA center who last played in the league in the 2010-11 season. Collins says he told his brother he was gay last summer. ''He was downright astounded. He never suspected. So much for twin telepathy,'' Collins writes in SI. ''But by dinner that night, he was full of brotherly love. For the first time in our lives, he wanted to step in and protect me.'' Advocacy organization GLAAD released a statement from Aaron McQuade, the head of its sports program. ''Courage' and 'inspiration' are words that get thrown around a lot in sports, but Jason Collins has given both ideas a brand new context,'' he said. ''We hope that his future team will welcome him, and that fans of the NBA and sports in general will applaud him. We know that the NBA will proudly support him, and that countless young LGBT athletes now have a new hero.'' At Stanford, Collins was a college roommate of Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Mass. In his account, Collins writes that he realized he needed to go public when the congressman walked in Boston's gay pride parade last year - and Collins decided he couldn't join him. ''For as long as I've known Jason Collins he has been defined by three things: his passion for the sport he loves, his unwavering integrity, and the biggest heart you will ever find. Without question or hesitation, he gives everything he's got to those of us lucky enough to be in his life. I'm proud to stand with him today and proud to call him a friend,'' Kennedy said in a statement. In Monday's story, Collins writes that the Boston Marathon bombing on April 15 ''reinforced the notion that I shouldn't wait for the circumstances of my coming out to be perfect. Things can change in an instant, so why not live truthfully?'' And now, Collins says, he will be in Boston on June 8, marching alongside Kennedy at the city's 2013 gay rights parade. ''Some people insist they've never met a gay person. But Three Degrees of Jason Collins dictates that no NBA player can claim that anymore. Pro basketball is a family. And pretty much every family I know has a brother, sister or cousin who's gay,'' Collins concludes. ''In the brotherhood of the NBA, I just happen to be the one who's out.''

The experiment in New York is over; Jets cut QB Tebow

The possibilities appeared endless for Tim Tebow. Here he was, perhaps the most popular player in the NFL, in New York as a member of the Jets and maybe the biggest thing to hit Broadway since Joe Namath himself. There were billboards outside the Lincoln Tunnel in New Jersey welcoming Tebow, and sandwiches named after him at Manhattan delis. He also had a legion of fans who followed him because of his strong Christian beliefs, and in New York, he would be able to take advantage of countless media and marketing opportunities. And then, it all went terribly wrong. Or, more like it, the whole idea was completely flawed from the start. For Tebow. And for the Jets. Tebow was waived Monday morning, the end of an embarrassingly unsuccessful one-season experiment in New York that produced more hype and headlines than production on the field. And it all ended quietly, with a three-paragraph news release. ''Unfortunately,'' coach Rex Ryan said in a statement, ''things did not work out the way we all had hoped.'' It also left Tebow's football future very much in doubt. A year after he threw a TD pass to win a playoff game in overtime for Denver, the Heisman Trophy winner with two college national titles at Florida and a nationwide following may have suited up for the last time. Tebow took to Twitter a few hours after being waived, citing a bible verse: ''Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding,'' Tebow wrote, ''in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.'' No NFL team has made a pitch to get him. The only nibble so far came from the Montreal Alouettes. They hold his rights in the Canadian Football League and said he come compete for a job - as a backup. ''Had this happened back in February, he might have had a chance to at least participate in free agency,'' said 2002 NFL MVP quarterback Rich Gannon, now an analyst for CBS Sports and SiriusXM NFL Radio. ''I don't think there would have been a strong market for him, but at least he would've had that opportunity.'' Gannon added that it's an even tougher situation for Tebow now because more than 20 quarterbacks were either drafted or signed as undrafted free agents in the last few days. ''Look, it's a two-way street, though,'' Gannon said. ''It's a business. The Jets were trying to find somebody, a dance partner. Sometimes that goes into the draft and teams are calling around. I'm sure the Jets were trying to shop Tebow, and I'm sure they kept getting denied.'' This is the same guy who led the Broncos to the postseason in 2011, but became expendable when Denver signed Peyton Manning as a free agent. The popular backup quarterback was acquired by the Jets in March 2012 for a fourth-round draft pick and $1.5 million in salary. He was introduced at the Jets' facility to plenty of fanfare at a lavish news conference, with Tebow repeatedly saying he was ''excited'' to be in New York. It turned out to be one of the few high points in Tebow's stay with the Jets. Along with his shirtless jog from the practice field in the rain during training camp, of course. The Jets never figured out a way to use Tebow effectively, and he never forced the issue by being a good enough player in practice to make Ryan and his coaches put him on the field more in games. ''If he were to happen to call me, I would say, 'Look, you're starting over,''' former NFL GM Ted Sundquist said. ''Tim Tebow needs to redefine who Tim Tebow is, in my opinion. He's no longer a first-round quarterback.'' Even recently retired Jets special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff labeled the way the team used Tebow an ''absolute mess.'' It all cost Tebow his job, along with former general manager Mike Tannenbaum and former offensive coordinator Tony Sparano - both fired in part because of their roles in what was one of the NFL's messiest quarterback situations in recent memory. It also seriously clouds Tebow's NFL future, which might be extended only, in some people's opinion, if he considers a position change. ''I don't see any team giving him a chance because teams don't want to deal with the following that comes with Tebow,'' ESPN analyst and former NFL offensive lineman Damien Woody said. ''Maybe Canada.'' Added Gannon: ''I don't know. He's just in a bad spot.'' Tebow was brought to New York to be a dynamic addition to the offense, a complement to Mark Sanchez and a merchandising touchdown for the Jets. Instead, he attempted just eight passes for 39 yards and rushed 32 times for 102 yards - and stunningly had no touchdowns. Through it all, Tebow tried to hide his frustration, but acknowledged late in the season that things didn't turn out quite how he expected in New York. ''I think it's fair to say,'' Tebow said, ''that I'm a little disappointed.'' It's an amazing fall for a player whose No. 15 Broncos jersey ranked second in national sales to Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers in 2011. ''He seems like a great kid,'' Sundquist said, ''and it seems like he could bring some positives to a club if he can just bury this whole thing about him being in your quarterback mix and just let him be No. 39 on your roster, one of your back-end guys who can go somewhere and help you win.'' The Jets and new general manager John Idzik drafted former West Virginia star Geno Smith in the second round of the NFL draft Friday, giving New York six quarterbacks on its roster - and creating uncertainty about Sanchez's future as well. Tebow, who dropped about 15 pounds in the last few months, arrived at the team's facility in Florham Park, N.J., early Monday and was told he had been cut. ''Tim is an extremely hard worker, evident by the shape he came back in this offseason,'' Ryan said. ''We wish him the best moving forward.'' But, where to next for Tebow? The Jacksonville Jaguars have already ruled themselves out of giving Tebow a happy homecoming. But maybe the Chicago Bears, whose new head coach Marc Trestman tutored Tebow before the NFL draft in 2010, could give him a look as their backup. Perhaps the San Diego Chargers would take a chance on him, adding to the circus-like atmosphere they'll likely have because they drafted Manti Te'o. New coach Mike McCoy was Tebow's offensive coordinator in Denver during the 2011 season, when the quarterback took over the offense and led the Broncos to comeback after comeback. What about Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots? They're no strangers to turning discarded players - Wes Welker, Danny Woodhead, even Randy Moss - into big-time playmakers, and it would give Belichick another chance to tweak the Jets. Then, there's always the Canadian Football League, but whether Tebow would even be open to a move north of the U.S. border is uncertain. ''If you can find a club that's mature enough to handle it as an organization, then you're going to find the right spot for him,'' Sundquist said. ''What I mean by that is all the media mania and that sort of thing. The club says, 'Look, this is the reason we're bringing him on. We feel he can bring X, Y, Z and A, B, C to the table.' Explain it to Tim, explain it to the media, explain it to your fan base and explain it to your organization.''

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - APRIL 29TH

1892 - Charlie Reilly is baseball's 1st pinch hitter.

1922 - First official International Weightlifting Federation Champ (Tallinn, Estonia).

1922 - George Allen, football coach (LA Rams, Washington Redskins) is born.

1934 - Pittsburgh is last major league city to play a home game on a Sunday.

1934 - Luis Aparicio, Venezuelan baseball player, Hall of Fame induction in 1984 is born.
1936 - First pro baseball game in Japan is played Nagoya defeats Daitokyo, 8-5.

1944 - Jim Hart, Evanston, Ill, NFL quarterback (St Louis Cardinals 1966-83) is born.

1951 - Dale Earnhardt, American race car driver (d. 2001) is born.

1961 - ABC's "Wide World of Sports, debuts.

1965 - Reggie Miller, NBA Hall of Fame player (Indiana Pacers) is born.

1970 - Andre Agassi, Las Vegas Nev, tennis star (Oly-gold-96, US Open 1994) is born.

1981 - Phillie Steve Carlton is 1st lefty to strike out 3,000 batters.

1983 - Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears star quarterback is born.

1986 - Boston Red Sox Roger Clemens strikes out 20 Seattle Mariners.
1987 - Chicago Cub Andre Dawson hits for cycle.
1988 - Orioles beat White Sox 9-0 for 1st 1988 win after 21 loses.
1995 - KC Royal John Nonely is 70th to HR on his 1st at bat.
1997 - KC Royal Chili Davis is 75th to hit 300 HRs.

2003 - Barbaro, American thoroughbred racehorse (d. 2007) is born.

2007 - Josh Hancock, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher is killed in a car crash (b. 1978).

NHL's Avalanche and Stars begin to 'clean house' for next season

COLORADO - Colorado Avalanche coach Joe Sacco was fired on Sunday after the team missed the playoffs for the third straight season. The Avs never got on track in the lockout-shortened season and finished last in the Western Conference. Sacco was in his fourth season in charge of Colorado and wound up with a 130-134-30 mark. He had one year left on his contract. ''The organization believes a change of leadership behind the bench is needed going forward,'' general manager Greg Sherman said in a release. ''Joe has worked for this franchise for eight seasons and he is a dedicated and hard-working coach. We appreciate all he has done and wish him the best in the future.'' The Avs will soon begin their search for a replacement. Sacco spent two seasons in charge of the organization's American Hockey League affiliate squad, the Lake Erie Monsters, before taking over the Avs in 2009 after the firing of Tony Granato. A former NHL player, Sacco preached a fast-paced style and it served the youthful Avalanche well in his first season as the team earned a postseason spot. He was even a finalist for the NHL's coach of the year. But Colorado couldn't duplicate that success. Moments after a 3-1 loss to Minnesota on Saturday to close out the regular season, Sacco was asked about his future, saying, ''We're certainly headed in the right direction.'' His team was committed to his up-tempo philosophy. Matt Duchene recently said that Sacco's message was still getting across. ''We've all played the system he's put in place to the best of our ability. We've all worked at it,'' said Duchene, who finished tied with P.A. Parenteau for the team scoring lead with 43 points. ''We're all still buying in and working.'' Sacco will be back on the bench later this week when he leads the U.S. squad at the world championships. He will even take several Avalanche players with him, including Paul Stastny and Erik Johnson.

DALLAS - The Dallas Stars have chosen Jim Nill to replace fired general manager Joe Nieuwendyk, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Sunday night because the move hadn't been announced. Dallas fired Nieuwendyk on Sunday after four seasons with two coaches and no playoff appearances. The Stars finished their season 22-22-4 Saturday without earning a spot in the playoffs for the fifth season in a row. Nill has helped the Detroit Red Wings extend their postseason streak to 22 straight appearances. He was Detroit's assistant general manager for 15 seasons and has worked for the franchise's front office since 1994. The Stars have scheduled a news conference for Monday to announce their new general manager. The team has refused to comment on reports that Nill would be Nieuwendyk's replacement. ''Joe Nieuwendyk has represented the Dallas Stars extremely well as the club's general manager and has helped put pieces in place that will once again turn this team into a contender,'' owner Tom Gaglardi said in a statement. ''However, I believe it is time to take this organization in a different direction with our intentions set on returning to the elite of the National Hockey League. ... I am confident we have found the right general manager to return us to the pathway of success.'' Nill led the Red Wings' amateur scouting department and oversaw decisions made at the NHL draft. While working for the franchise, the Red Wings won four Stanley Cups between 1997 and 2008. The native of Hanna, Alberta, played in 524 NHL games for St. Louis, Vancouver, Boston, Winnipeg and Detroit and had 58 goals and 87 assists in his career. He was an amateur and pro scout for the Ottawa Senators for three seasons before being hired by the Red Wings. The future of coach Glen Gulutzan wasn't addressed by the team. Dallas holds a contract option for a third season for Gulutzan, who is 64-57-9 in his two seasons after ending the lockout-shortened regular season with a 3-0 home loss to Detroit. The Stars dropped their last five games, and won only once in their last seven after a five-game winning streak. When asked about his job security after Saturday night's game, Gulutzan said that wasn't under his control and that he'd continue to work for the Stars until told otherwise. He also praised Nieuwendyk. ''All I can say is that Joe's been tremendous for me. I think he's done a hell of a job,'' Gulutzan said. ''You can see with our farm team and the young guys that we have here.'' As a player in Dallas, Nieuwendyk won the Conn Smythe Award as playoff MVP in 1999 when the Stars won their only Stanley Cup. When hired by Nieuwendyk two years ago to replace the fired Marc Crawford, the 41-year-old Gulutzan had never coached in the NHL. Gulutzan had been a successful minor league coach, including two seasons with the Texas Stars, the team's primary AHL affiliate. The Stars weren't officially eliminated from the playoff chase until Thursday night, while playing their second-to-last game. They managed to stay in postseason contention even after longtime captain Brenden Morrow was traded, a week before 41-year-old points leader Jaromir Jagr and Derek Roy were dealt away at the trading deadline. Dallas got several young players and extra draft picks in those deals. Within days after Jagr and Roy were traded, the young Stars went on a season-best five-game winning streak. Morrow waived his no-trade clause to go to Pittsburgh, which entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Morrow's rookie season in Dallas was 1999-2000, when the Stars were Stanley Cup runners-up a year after their title.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - APRIL 28TH

1901 - Cleveland's Bock Baker gives up a record 23 singles 

as White Sox beat Blues (Cleveland Blues!) 13-1.
1923 - Wembley Stadium opens-Bolton Wanderers vs West Ham United (FA Cup).
1930 - First night organized baseball game (Independence KS).
1931 - Program for woman athletes approved for 1932 Olympics track & field.

1952 - St Louis Browns lend 2 black minor leaguers to Hankyu Braves of Japan.

1961 - Warren Spahn pitches 2nd no hitter at 41 beats SF Giants, 1-0.

1964 - Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, Cincinnati OH, infielder (Cin Reds) is born.

1967 - Muhammad Ali refuses induction into army & stripped of boxing title.

1985 - Billy Martin named NY Yankee manager for 4th time.
1987 - NBA announces expansion to Charlotte NC & Miami Fla

 in 1988 & Minneapolis Minn & Orlando Fla in 1989.

1988 - Baltimore Orioles lose AL record 21 games in a row.

1992 - Brewers beat Blue Jays 22-2 with AL record 31 hits in 9 innings.

1993 - Jim Valvano, basketball coach (NC State), dies of cancer at 47
1993 - Zambian plane crashes at Libreville, Gabon, 30 soccer players die.

1993 - NY Islanders beat Wash Caps 4 to 1 in playoffs, Caps Dale Hunter 

attacks Pierre Turgeon after scoring, in hockey's worst cheap shot.

Bill Belichick: 2013 NFL draft winners/losers

Before anybody cries foul about how the Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets were left out of the winners section of this story, read my column from Thursday night. All of those teams had great opening nights of the draft and deserve plenty of praise. The Jets even deserve a little more for the value of getting quarterback Geno Smith in the second round, but there's a big question about whether Smith is going to be able to handle the fish bowl effect of New York.

For now, here's a look at the overall winners and losers from the 2013 NFL draft:

WINNERS

Rams first-round draft picks Tavon Austin (L) and Alec Ogletree address the media Friday. (AP)St. Louis Rams QB Sam Bradford – The story goes that St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher had to tell Bradford and the other Rams quarterbacks to stop smiling when they went to West Virginia to work out Tavon Austin. Well, Bradford is beaming after the Rams actually got Austin to go with a receiving corps that also includes Brian Quick, Jared Cook, Chris Givens and Lance Kendricks. These are the weapons Bradford has been craving the whole time he has been in the league. Now he has no excuses for not putting up numbers expected of a former No. 1 overall pick.

San Francisco 49ers – Sam Bradford's NFC West rivals in San Francisco and Seattle obviously amped the competition this offseason with their many acquisitions. The 49ers were particularly impressive this weekend as they filled in every major need they had with a safety (Eric Reid) to takeover for departed Dashon Goldson, a defensive lineman (Tank Carradine) to eventually replace Justin Smith, a tight end (Vance McDonald) to replace Delanie Walker and a potential star at running back (Marcus Lattimore) to eventually replace Frank Gore, assuming Lattimore returns to health. The only problem for the 49ers is that they drafted more players (11) than they can possibly keep.

Baltimore Ravens – The Super Bowl champions have taken their lumps this offseason with the loss of several players, including Ed Reed to free agency and Ray Lewis to retirement. Things were so bad that some Ravens fans almost seemed to forget their team just won the title. This draft should assuage some fears as the team found the respective replacements for Reed and Lewis in Florida safety Matt Elam and Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown. Look, no one is saying Elam and Brown are going to be future Hall of Famers, but both look like sound bets to be very good.

New York Jets coach Rex Ryan – Yes, Ryan was among the winners from Thursday night when the Jets took cornerback Dee Milliner and defensive tackle Sheldon Brown, but things only got better. Drafting Geno Smith is a boon to Ryan regardless of whether Smith can play. Assuming the Jets do the smart thing and dump Mark Sanchez, Smith automatically becomes the starter and Ryan gets a chance to make this a full-fledged turn toward the future rather than some weird balancing act with Ryan perched on Sanchez's shoulders (or tattooed on Ryan's shoulder, as it truly is). If Ryan can rebuild the defense quickly and get the offense to stay error-free, an 8-8 season might make it hard for the Jets to fire him. Yeah, Ryan still looks like a dead man walking, but there's a hint of a lifeline.

Chicago Bears – General manager Phil Emery continued his pragmatic approach to getting the Bears back to contention by getting a couple of really nice prospects to fill vital spots. Offensive lineman Kyle Long helps a unit that has to be on its game to protect deliberate, must-see-it-first quarterback Jay Cutler. On defense, the Bears picked up linebacker Jon Bostic from Florida to replace Brian Urlacher. Mark this down: In five years, people will be talking about how much better Bostic is than Manti Te'o.

Michael Vick – Like Rex Ryan, Vick was a winner Thursday when the Eagles drafted Lane Johnson to rebuild the offensive line. Like Ryan, things got even better in the second and fourth rounds. First, Philadelphia drafted tight end Zach Ertz, giving Vick another big-time weapon and a guy the Eagles can pair with Brent Celek for some tasty two-tight end formations. In the fourth round, the Eagles traded up to get Matt Barkley. Sure, Barkley may be no better than a backup, but he's going to be competition for current No. 2 Nick Foles. In other words, the perception that the competition for time was between Vick and Foles just got really blurry. That can only help Vick.

New Oakland Raiders CB D.J. Hayden – This is one of the best stories of the draft, as Hayden went from nearly dying after an odd practice injury in November to being cleared for the draft in the past two weeks. Once cleared, teams took a closer look at his tape and he nearly was the No. 1 cornerback taken in the draft (the Raiders would have taken him at No. 3 if they hadn't traded down with Miami to No. 12). Either way, Hayden has gone from one end of the spectrum to the other, the direction being nothing but up.

Tennessee Titans RB Chris Johnson – Johnson might legitimately be able to become CJ2K again as the Titans seriously rebuilt their offensive line and helped the passing game. After getting Andy Levitre in free agency, the Titans picked up stud guard Chance Warmack in the first round and center Brian Schwenke in the fourth. The Titans are now almost imposing in the middle. If that wasn't enough, Tennessee got wide receiver Justin Hunter in the second round in case Kenny Britt can't come back from injury. If Britt does, the Titans can put Britt, Hunter and Kendall Wright outside to create all sorts of problems for the secondary and make life a lot easier for Johnson and quarterback Jake Locker.

LOSERS

The Cowboys were widely criticized for the selection of Travis Frederick. (USA TODAY Sports)Dallas Cowboys – There are times when you look at what a team does in the draft and say, “What the heck was that?” The Cowboys did just that when they first traded out of a spot to get pretty good defensive help (safety Eric Reid went with the pick the Cowboys gave up) and then passed on Matt Elam. In the process, the Cowboys took a guy (center Travis Frederick) who many teams didn't project to go until Saturday. While the next pick (tight end Gavin Escobar) was solid, the Cowboys then took wide receiver Terrance Williams and safety J.J. Wilcox, a pair of guys who are complete projects. Williams is not particularly fast and produced stats largely because he played in Baylor's pinball offense. As for Wilcox, he's a small-school product (Georgia Southern) with one year of experience. In the third round? Yikes.

Kansas Chiefs OT Branden Albert – The long-discussed trade of Albert from Kansas City to Miami never materialized, even though the Dolphins were willing to meet Albert's contract demands. Miami general manager Jeff Ireland indicated that everything was pretty much dead on the deal on Friday, but that doesn't mean the teams won't somehow revisit the idea later. The Dolphins have tried to leverage the fact that Kansas City doesn't need both Albert and draft pick Eric Fisher. The Chiefs are figuring that they eventually will get some interest from teams that didn't fill their left tackle needs in the draft (Detroit, San Diego and Arizona are still in that mix). Look for Albert to eventually move for a second-round pick in 2014.

New England Patriots – Yeah, yeah, Bill Belichick is the smartest coach who has ever lived and I am nothing but a bumbling sports writer who should bow to his greatness. … Got any other good ones, Pats fans? Look, I'm one of Belichick's biggest fans in the media and one of the few who has defended many of his moves. At the same time, I'm perplexed by some of the things he does in the draft. From drafting too many guys to moving out of the draft at key moments, Belichick oftentimes is a guy who is too smart for his own good. The Pats traded out of the No. 29 spot even though safety Matt Elam was there and Elam fits the profile (hence, Baltimore took him three spots later). The Pats, who are entering the winter of Tom Brady's glorious career, need guys who can help NOW, not in three years. Sure, the Pats picked up a couple smart-guy receivers in second-rounder Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce, but they would have gotten Dobson anyway and could have easily gotten Boyce with a lesser trade later. In other words, they bypassed Elam for no great reason.

Quarterbacks – This was also mentioned coming off the Thursday night debacle that saw only E.J. Manuel get drafted in the first round, but the situation got a day later for the half-dozen top passing prospects in this draft. The leader of that pack was Matt Barkley, whose weak arm and mediocre athletic ability underwhelmed NFL folks. This was a case of the luster of Southern Cal's reputation finally starting to fade as Barkley didn't go until the fourth round and only got drafted by a team that already has Michael Vick and Nick Foles ahead of him. That's pretty awful. Worse, Barkley is not well-suited to run the hurrying style that coach Chip Kelly prefers. Aside from Barkley, Ryan Nassib didn't go until the fourth round, Mike Glennon went in the third and Smith went in the second. Those were all a round or two below where each of those guys was expected.

Giovani Bernard, the first RB selected, was drafted by the Bengals. (AP)Eddie Lacy and all running backs – For the first time since 1963 (when the NFL had only 14 teams), a running back didn't go in the first round of the draft. Lacy was expected by many to go in the first round and be the first one taken. He ended up going No. 61 overall and was the fourth back to go despite having a stellar career at Alabama. There are two reasons for that. The first is specific to Lacy; he is beaten up. This is a kid who runs hard and runs with power, but has taken more than his share of hits along the way. He's currently nursing a turf toe injury, but he has had other problems since high school. The second issue is the devaluing of the position. This is a full-on passing league that features so many wide-open sets with three, four and even five receivers that a running back isn't much more than window dressing. The most telling proof of that is Giovani Bernard, who at 5-foot-10 and all of 205 pounds, was the first back off the board.

New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez – Things were already bad enough for Sanchez in New York, where his 52 turnovers the past two years were called out by everybody, including owner Woody Johnson (Johnson's mantra has become, "The quarterback can't fumble"). On Friday, the Jets made no bones about Sanchez's future when they drafted Geno Smith and he was immediately dubbed "Broadway Geno." While Smith has a long way to go, the only hope for Sanchez at this point is that the Jets are willing to swallow the $8.25 million they owe him this year and just let him go. That would be the humane thing. Then again, football is not a humane sport. 

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - APRIL 27TH

1926 - In the Giants' 9-8 win over Phillies, Mel Ott, 17, first appearance.
1944 - Boston Brave Jim Tobin no-hits Brooklyn Dodgers, 2-0.
1947 - Babe Ruth Day celebrated at Yankee Stadium & through out US.
1953 - Wrestler Freddie Blassie coins term "Pencil neck geek".
1956 - Heavyweight champ, Rocky Marciano, retires undefeated from boxing.
1961 - NFL officially recognizes Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

1973 - KC Royal Steve Busby no-hits Detroit Tigers, 3-0.

1981 - First female soccer official is hired by NASL.

1983 - Nolan Ryan becomes strikeout king (3,509), passing Walter Johnson.

1994 - Twins righty Scott Erickson no-hits Brewers 6-0.

Te'o time in San Diego; Geno Smith goes to Jets

Manti Te'o and Geno Smith provided the sizzle previously missing from the NFL draft. Te'o is headed to San Diego, Smith is a Jet, and Radio City Music Hall shook with the kind of noise usually heard in stadiums when they were selected. The theater rocked with two picks within minutes of each other Friday night. Te'o, the Notre Dame All-America linebacker, was chosen sixth in the second round by the Chargers, drawing a loud roar from the fans. One spot later, the Jets took the West Virginia quarterback, drawing a raucous reaction of cheers and boos. The big names had taken over from the bulk and beef of opening night, when 18 linemen went in the first round. Te'o, who led the Fighting Irish to the national championship game, was projected as a first-rounder last year. But his poor performance in a rout at the hands of Alabama, some slow 40-yard dash times, and a tabloid-ready hoax involving a fake girlfriend that became a national soap opera dropped his stock. ''I did expect to go in the first round,'' Te'o said. ''But things happened and all it did was give me more motivation.'' When former Chargers defensive back Jim Hill was handed the card to make the announcement by Commissioner Roger Goodell, he was told, ''You're going to get a big cheer when you announce this pick.'' It was more a mix of surprise and recognition of the most talked-about player in the draft finally finding a landing spot at No. 38 overall. The Chargers traded up with Arizona to grab Te'o, the Heisman Trophy runner-up. Te'o ran a 4.82-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, slow for a linebacker. He did better at Notre Dame's pro day, but NFL teams already had plenty of football reasons to doubt his worthiness as a first-round pick. San Diego was willing to gamble on him. ''We did a lot of work on Te'o and I've seen him for a number of years,'' first-year general manager Tom Telesco said. ''He loves football. He's passionate about it. He loves to practice. He loves to play.'' Two officials, each with a different team, said their clubs passed on Te'o in the first round partly because of his off-field issues. The men, speaking on condition of anonymity because team draft strategy is confidential, said the decision was not just because of a disappointing combine performance or the linebacker's poor performance in the national title game. Te'o was the third linebacker chosen in this draft. ''It's a perfect scenario. My parents can come and watch, I can go home, it's San Diego,'' said Te'o, a native of Hawaii. ''We're all excited. I can't be any happier.'' With the very next pick, the Jets sent their QB situation spiraling into further chaos. They already have Mark Sanchez, who struggled last season but was brought back in great part because of a prohibitive contract. They still have Tim Tebow, who almost certainly soon will be cut. They signed David Garrard, who hasn't played in the NFL since 2010. And now there is Smith, who waited futilely throughout the first round, returned to the theater Friday and was rewarded. ''It's extremely relieving. I withstood the test of time,'' he said. ''It felt like forever in there.'' If Smith thought that was tough, wait until he enters the cauldron overseen by Jets coach Rex Ryan, where every move by every QB on the roster is tabloid-Internet fodder for days. ''I'm a competitor and I'm going to accept my role on the team, whatever is handed to me,'' Smith said, ''but my job is to compete day in and day out.'' Safety Johnathan Cyprien of Florida International was the first selection of the second round. Cyprien was a standout in the Sun Belt Conference and really solidified his stock with an excellent performance in the Senior Bowl. ''He's got a passion for the game,'' coach Gus Bradley said. ''He is very animated. He just enjoys it. He loves to play the game. I think he's going to add to what we have here and the attitude that we're looking for.'' Arizona added some spice to the third round by selecting former LSU cornerback-kick returner Tyrann Mathieu. The Honey Badger was a 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist that LSU dismissed from the team last August for failing a drug test. He was arrested in late October after police said they found marijuana at Mathieu's apartment. ''He impressed me so much in my office one on one, knowing at this point in time what he needs to do in his life,'' Cardinals first-year coach Bruce Arians said. ''I was really taken aback a little bit. He knows what his problems are, he knows what he has done to himself, but he also knows that someone will give him a chance, that he knows what he needs to make sure he succeeds.'' Other notable second-round picks Friday were Tennessee wide receiver Justin Hunter by the Titans, who traded up with San Francisco; Stanford All-America tight end Zach Ertz by Philadelphia; and North Carolina's Gio Bernard, the first running back chosen, by Cincinnati. After no running backs were selected in the first round, five were taken in the second. The number of linemen dropped to five. The presumed top-rated running back, Eddie Lacy of Alabama, went with the next-to-last selection of the round, to Green Bay. NCAA record-setting RB Montee Ball of Wisconsin was chosen by Denver. Tampa Bay's first pick this year was defensive back Johnthan Banks of Mississippi State at No. 43 overall. Washington, which traded it first-rounder last year to draft Robert Griffin III, went for defensive back David Amerson of North Carolina State at No. 51. New England, known for trading early picks for a bunch of later selections, chose linebacker Jamie Collins of Southern Mississippi at No. 52. Seattle, after trading down six spots with Baltimore, closed out the second round by taking running back Christine Michael of Texas A&M. Cleveland used its second-rounder, which would have been 39th overall, in last year's supplemental draft to take wide receiver Josh Gordon of Baylor, who made 50 catches for the Browns in 2012. New Orleans was stripped of its second-round pick in the bounty scandal. The final pick of Day 2 was the Titans' selection of Missouri linebacker Zaviar Gooden. Among those who didn't go were quarterbacks Matt Barkley of Southern California, Landry Jones of Oklahoma and Ryan Nassib of Syracuse; South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore, who is recovering from a severe knee injury; and two starters from national champion Alabama, OL Barrett Jones and DT Jesse Williams.

Packers sign Rodgers to $110M contract extension

The Green Bay Packers gave Aaron Rodgers his opportunity when 23 other teams passed. On another late April weekend with the NFL draft unfolding anew, there was Rodgers again, expressing his appreciation of the Packers for their latest sign of faith. The Packers signed their franchise quarterback Friday to a five-year contract extension through the 2019 season, eight years after they stopped his slide down the draft board and took him with the 24th pick in the first round. The deal, according to a person with knowledge of the contract who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has not released the details, is worth as much as $110 million, with $40 million guaranteed. Rodgers had two seasons remaining on his current deal for a total of roughly $20 million. So this is essentially a seven-year contract, right there with the $120.6 million that the Baltimore Ravens gave quarterback Joe Flacco last month over six years. Judged by the new part of the deal, Rodgers will be the highest-paid player in NFL history, with an average annual salary of $22 million over those five seasons. ''I'm excited to know my future is here and I'll be here for a lot longer,'' Rodgers said inside the locker room at Lambeau Field. Locking up Rodgers was a priority for the Packers, who also reached a long-term extension with linebacker Clay Matthews this month worth as much as $66 million over five years. The Packers are 53-27 in five years with Rodgers as the starter, and he led them to the Super Bowl title following the 2010 season. President Mark Murphy said leaving enough space under the salary cap to consistently field a competitive team around Rodgers for the life of his deal was ''crucial.'' He also acknowledged that the Packers not only gave Rodgers a market-rate contract but set a new market in the process. ''But he's a pretty good quarterback, too,'' Murphy said, laughing. Rodgers, the longest-tenured Packers player, the only one still on the roster from that 4-12 team in 2005, said he's confident the front office will continue to be able to build a winner around him. ''I like where we're at. Obviously, there were some discussions about not doing a lot in free agency,'' Rodgers said. ''Like I said, this seems to be the Packer way where you draft a guy in your system and you pay them.'' Rodgers has thrown for 21,661 yards and 171 touchdowns in his career, and he has had a quarterback rating of 101.2 or better in all but one season as a starter. His quarterback rating of 122.5 in 2011 is an NFL record. The former standout at Cal was expected to be taken early in the first round in 2005, but he soon found himself alone in the green room. Rodgers acknowledged that prove-the-doubters-wrong attitude he's used to his benefit throughout his career since that day he was ignored by so many in the draft. ''I have a good memory, and I'm driven to be the best,'' Rodgers said. ''Obviously, there's a couple less critics out there now, but I still put a lot of pressure on myself to achieve the goals I set for myself here and enjoy trying to meet the challenge that those goals bring and also opposing teams bring.'' Draft day wasn't the only rough spot for Rodgers in his career. He arrived in Green Bay as the backup to Brett Favre, who wasn't thrilled the team had found his heir apparent. Favre kept fans and the franchise on their toes every offseason from then on, flirting with the idea of retiring but always coming back. When the tension finally snapped in 2008 - Favre retired, changed his mind and asked for his job back - Rodgers found himself in the middle of the most-bitter divorce in Wisconsin history. Favre was traded to the New York Jets during training camp, but many fans remained loyal to him. They took their anger at the organization out on Rodgers, even booing him at the team's ''Family Night'' scrimmage. Rodgers kept his composure, never firing back at fans or even publicly criticizing Favre. Despite a 6-10 record in his first year as a starter, he showed flashes of why general manager Ted Thompson had such faith in him, and fans began to come around. Any lingering animosity disappeared after Favre joined the rival Minnesota Vikings and Rodgers led the Packers to the playoffs following the 2009 season. Now? He's of the most beloved figures in the state's rich sports history. The Wisconsin Legislature designated Dec. 12, 2012, as ''Aaron Rodgers Day,'' and students and workers throughout the state were encouraged to celebrate by wearing his jersey. When he was shown on the scoreboard at the Milwaukee Bucks' playoff game against the Miami Heat on Thursday, he got one of the biggest cheers of the night. Rodgers will be 36 when the deal ends. He said he thinks he has at least eight years left in his legs and his body, when asked if wondered if this would be his last contract. ''A lot of times you don't see a deal all the way through if you're playing well. It's just the nature of some of these contracts. That's a long way off. In order to even get to that conversation, it's going to take many years in a row at a consistently high level of play for me, which I expect to do,'' Rodgers said. ''And I'm going to get myself in the best shape mentally and physically to do that, and hopefully we can have that conversation in seven years where I can still play and maybe we can keep this thing going.''

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - APRIL 26TH

1900 - Hack Wilson, Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer is born (d. 1948).

1905 - Cubs Jack McCarthy becomes only major league player to throw out 

3 runners at plate in 1 game, all were ends of a double play.
1912 - 1st homerun hit at Fenway Park (Hugh Bradley, Red Sox).
1931 - Lou Gehrig hits a HR but is called out for passing a runner, 

mistake costs him AL home run crown; he & Babe Ruth tie for season.
1935 - Frank Boucher is given NHL's Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship 

permanently for winning it 7 of 11 years.
1941 - A tradition begins, first organ at a baseball stadium (Chicago Cubs).
1950 - Last horse race at Havre de Grace Track in Md, is run.
1950 - U of Miami ends William & Mary straight tennis match victories at 82.

1961 - Roger Maris hits 1st of 61 homers in 1961.
1962 - Red Sox Bill Monbouquette no-hits White Sox 1-0.

1966 - Arnold "Red" Auerbach retires as Boston Celtic's coach.
1975 - Phillies Mike Schmidt's 2 HRs ties NL record of 11 HRs in April.

1980 - Phillies' Steve Carlton pitches his 6th 1-hitter (beats Cards).

1988 - NY Met Davey Johnson becomes 2nd manager to record 400 victory 

in 1st 4 years (Al Lopez did it 1st).

1990 - Nolan Ryan ties Bob Feller's record of pitching 12 1-hitters.

1991 - Soccer star Diego Maradona, suspended for using cocaine, 

arrested in Argentina for possession & distribution of illegal narcotics.

1995 - Baseball season begins after lengthy strike.

Chicago Bears select Oregon OT Kyle Long with the 20th overall pick

The Chicago Bears have selected Oregon OT Kyle Long with the 20th overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Pros: Looks like a prototype of the athletic offensive lineman -- outstanding musculature, big legs, wide butt. As a guard or tackle, shows impressive pulling speed -- gets out of his stance quickly and he's on the move. Shows good lateral agility in slide protection. Truly impressive upper-body strength, especially for a guy as tall as he is who doesn't always pop up out of his stance as low as you'd like -- will occasionally take linemen and just bury them anyway. That attribute (plus his huge wingspan) allows him to take on one blocker with one hand while he moves upfield to deal with another. Good and rapidly improving pass-blocker -- Long drops back smoothly and obstructs anybody in front of him once he's set his base.

Cons: As you'd expect from a relative novice at his position, Long has some spatial awareness issues. Especially when he's asked to plant a defender off a pull or move to the second level, he doesn't always get all the moving parts in line in time to make the block. Will whiff in space at times, especially when he's circling back to block from the guard position. Needs work on leverage to be truly dominant as a run-blocker -- will come up too high out of his stance. Needs to drive more and strike less.

What he brings to the team: First-round upside, once he irons out a few things. Most of Long's dings seem to be related to two issues -- his inexperience on the offensive line in general, and the obvious (at least to me) fact that he looks far more comfortable as a tackle than as a guard. He has the functional strength to be an NFL guard over time, but he's got all the base attributes you'd want in a franchise left tackle, and once he has the finishing touches, what shows up on tape occasionally will be the norm: an athletic, aggressive, nasty blocker with an extreme will to succeed.

Was it the right pick? Definitely. Long fills the Bears' desperate need for a franchise left tackle over time. Just wait and see. He's special.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - APRIL 25TH

1876 - Chicago Cubs first NL game, beats Louisville 4-0 (1st NL shutout).
1901 - Erve Beck hits American League's first home run.
1901 - In last of 9th, Detroit Tigers, trailing by 13-4, score 10 runs to win 

one of greatest comebacks in baseball (1st game in Detroit).

1904 - NY Yankee Jack Chesbro's 1st of 41 wins this year.

1932 - Meadowlark Lemmon, basketball star (Harlem Globetrotter) is born.

1933 - NY Yankee Russ Van Atta shuts out Washington Senators 16-0.
1950 - Chuck Cooper becomes first black to play in NBA.

1969 - Joe Buck, American sports broadcaster is born.

1974 - NFL moves goal posts & adopts sudden-death playoff.

1976 - Tim Duncan, NBA forward (San Antonio Spurs) is born.

1977 - Cincinnati Reds tie record of 12 runs in 5th inning beating Braves 23-9.

1978 - Phillie Phanatic makes first appearance.

1985 - For 2nd time, Wayne Gretzky, scores 7 goals in a Cup game.

1989 - Penguin Mario Lemuix ties NHL playoff record of 4 goals in 1st period.

1991 - Lisa Olson brings suit against NFL NE Patriots for sexual harassment.

1997 - Seattle Mariner Ken Griffey Jr hits his 250th HR.