Category Archives: Progress

Free Press sports writers Dave Birkett and Shawn Windsor discuss what they saw from Lions rookies Kenny Golladay, Teez Tabor and Jarrad Davis and their expectations in Year 1 on Friday, Aug. 4, 2017 in training camp. Detroit Free Press

Lions linebacker Tahir Whitehead stretches at Ford Field, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017 in Detroit.(Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)

After the first week of training camp, the Detroit Lions' new-look linebacker corps is taking shape and making its mark literally, if you count the stick marks rookie Jarrad Davis has left on offensive players during padded practices.

I think as a group weve been doing a great job of really pushing each to get better, linebacker Tahir Whitehead said. I think we have depth. That and itself and just challenging each other is going to definitely make the group better.

The linebackers are charged with a lot. They have to simultaneously support the run defense and pass coverage. The Lions ranked 30th in the NFL with 26 sacks last season and, as Whitehead pointed, teams have to take holistic approach to rushing the passer.

More: Lions 1st-round pick Jarrad Davis living up to the hype

It definitely goes hand in hand, he said. Sometimes you need to give the defensive linemen a bit more time to get to the quarterback in order to get those sacks. The pass rush definitely frees up the back seven to get interceptions with rushed throws and everything. If the back seven takes care of everything in the pass, then its probably going to free up the defensive linemen to get to the quarterback.

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One issue Whitehead took umbrage with was the linebackers weakness last season against tight ends, who victimized the Lions early and often. According to Pro-football-reference.com, the Lions gave up nine touchdowns last season to tight ends, fifth worst in the NFL.

They get paid, too, Whitehead said. Guys go out there, they make plays. Weve made a bunch of plays against tight ends. Its not like they went out there and fried us up all year long.

So I wouldnt say thats anything alarming, by any means. You wont necessarily know what were playing, what coverage were playing, so I could care less what people think about our defense.

Contact Carlos Monarrez: cmonarrez@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @cmonarrez.

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Detroit Lions' Tahir Whitehead happy with linebackers' progress - Detroit Free Press

Let me take you back to the previous administration when the so-called Republicans had no problem passing a bill to repeal the health care law.

This ploy, or show if you prefer, made it look like the Republicans were against the Democrats and this law, but thats not true.

If they were against it, why did they not stop it before it came in? If they were serious about repeal, then why not now? They knew their repeal would be vetoed, but the show went on. You see, people, I have known individuals who were involved in DC politics, and they tell me that the two parties are not two. They look like they are against each other in public ,but they get together at parties, each others houses, and all sorts of other venues.

Its all pretense, which is becoming clearly visible if you look past their hype and outright lies. Sen. Chuck Schumer, Rep. Paul Tonko (who once said average people are not smart enough to go to DC), and Sen. Kirsten Gillbrand (these from our area) are just playing the roles with no care for America. All they care about now, and this goes for a lot of the establishment (swamp people) Republicans, is to not let this upstart outsider come in and ruin their good thing they have going.

These three especially need to be voted out or maybe recalled if thats possible in this state for not doing their jobs in a correct manner and just obstructing.

Barry Groat

Schenectady

Link:

Democrats standing in the way of progress - The Daily Gazette

Bears rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky has steadily improved throughout training camp, but the second overall pick in the draft remains a work in progress.

The biggest area has been just understanding the offense, understanding what defenses look like, to start to be able to read coverages, said offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. Its a lot for a guy who has never taken a snap in pads under center.

Bears rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky has been focusing on pre-snap reads in practice.

Trubisky, who worked primarily out of the shotgun at North Carolina, is gaining valuable experience in camp against coordinator Vic Fangios defense.

Coach Fangio does a great job and runs more coverages than anyone in the NFL, Loggains said. So to see [Trubisky] get exposure to all that and be able to get as many reps as hes gotten has been tremendous.

The Bears traded up one spot in the draft to select Trubisky at No. 2, the franchises highest pick since 1951 when Notre Dame quarterback Bob Williams was also chosen second. Last year Trubisky set North Carolina passing records in his only season as a starter with 447 attempts, 304 completions, 3,748 yards and 30 touchdowns.

At North Carolina, Trubisky lined up and called protections based on signals from the sideline. With the Bears, protections are called in the huddle and can be changed at the line of scrimmage. Those pre-snap progressions may be the biggest adjustment the Bears' quarterback of the future faces as a rookie.

Loggains discussed other key topics while speaking to the media Friday for the first time since the Bears reported to training camp July 26.

On starting quarterback Mike Glennons comfort level:

Just being able to go through OTAs and go through the offseason and then having four or five weeks to study on his own. He organized a trip to Florida and that was a great experience for the guys. You feel a difference in the chemistry and those guys being able to communicate with each other. They got to know each others personalities. I think Mike is more comfortable now speaking to those guys.

On that chemistry paying dividends on the field:

I think Mike has an understanding of where a receiver is supposed to be, when hes going to get there, because each guy is different. We talked earlier about developing chemistry. Some of that comes from learning what your guy does well and what his strengths are.

On progress of offense in general:

Weve been pleased to this point with all three quarterbacks. [Receiver] Cam Meredith has become a much better practice player and has a good feel for the offense. Each guy has grown a little bit with the tight ends, the new guys. We do have a lot of new guys. Last year our offensive captains were Jay Cutler and Alshon Jeffery. Theyre gone. So theres an opportunity for a lot of the young guys to step up and were excited about those guys.

On rookie tight end Adam Shaheen:

Im really pleased with him so far with what hes done, especially in the passing game. Coming from a smaller school we knew that the biggest adjustment would be in the run blocking and pass protection. Hes done a nice job to this point.

On the impact of veteran receivers Victor Cruz, Kendall Wright and Markus Wheaton, all of whom were signed as free agents:

The No. 1 thing that has shown up is that this group is starting to hold each other accountable. They get on each other. Victor, Kendall and Wheaton, theyve done it at high levels and had a lot of production. They do help Kevin [White]. They do help Cam and the quarterbacks. They have difference experience they bring to the room which was a really young room.

On Wright, who played for Loggains with the Titans:

He has football savvy. When you look at himand he wont mind me saying thishes not fast. He has unbelievable lean. He just has a great feel to run twist routes and option routes and be able to get open and sit in zones. Thats what always has made him a good slot and a productive player in this league.

On White, who has missed 28 of 32 games due to injuries in his first two NFL seasons:

The biggest challenge for Kev is just being able to get out there and play and be able to play and stack multiple good days together. Its just getting those reps. Hes missed a lot. The growing experience, he might have got it mentally. But he needs to go out there and experience that and feel what its like to go against a press corner. Its been a long time since hes had an opportunity to do that and run the whole route tree. Weve got to figure out, Hey, this is what Kev does well. And maybe its everything. Maybe its seven or eight routes. Maybe its three or four. But we have to figure out what that is.

Originally posted here:

Trubisky making steady progress in camp - Chicago Bears - ChicagoBears.com

Land O Lakes -

The Land O' Lakes sinkhole that first opened weeks ago has grown by another 30 feet. Now two more homes are condemned and even more evacuated.

Another piece fell in like yesterday and you never know if another ones going to come over here, homeowner Lorelis Prieto said.

It's a moment Lorelis will always remember.

I just kept hearing pieces falling and there was water and I saw a palm tree go down and Im like immediately I was getting stuff out of my house because I didnt know how big it was going to grow, if it was going to stop, she said.

The Land O' Lakes sinkhole swallowing two homes, just a few doors down. Now county officials confirm that sinkhole has grown by another 30 feet, making it about 260 feet at the widest point.

"200 feet away there was this huge massive hole that opened up in the ground and like in the middle of the night anything can happen so I dont think I'd be coming back," Lorelis said.

County officials said some of their equipment may have caused the additional collapse but they don't think this is an active sinkhole.

Over the weekend, dozens of dump trucks bring lime stone and boulders to steady the sinkhole. Crews are even planning to create a boat ramp so a small barge can work from the inside. Right now, this site is a spectacle.

Shows you theres not much to do in land o lakes on a Saturday night, one neighbor said. Just hope that they can get it fixed and people can get back home and their homes are safe."

Crews are cleaning debris throughout the weekend.

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Sinkhole draws neighbors checking out progress - ABC Action News

Jamie Collins has felt great in his first training camp with the Browns but somethings been missing.

Hue Jackson has been on the lookout for it, too.

Getting the ball out, Collins said. I cant get the ball out enough.

Collins, who is one of the best in the league at popping the ball out and doing something with it when he gets his hands on it, was speaking for himself, but the Browns defense as a whole is echoing the same mantra.

See ball, get ball has been heard countless times from defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, but the Browns defense isnt close to satisfied with how many times its followed through with the edict. At Fridays Orange and Brown Scrimmage, the defense nabbed one interception, when undrafted free agent J.D. Harmon came away with a jump ball thrown by wide receiver Corey Coleman, but felt like there were more for the taking.

Just trying to get to the ball a little more and creating more turnovers, defensive back Joe Haden said. We didnt have too many strips or interceptions so that is something else that we need to work on. Besides that, the tackling was really good and the communication was really good.

Its one of the main reasons why Clevelands defense feels good about what its accomplished thus far but, as Myles Garrett said Friday, is nowhere near satisfaction.

Simply put, the Browns want to force way more turnovers than they did last season, when they ranked 30th in total takeaways with 10 interceptions and three forced fumbles. The Browns turnover margin of minus-12 was 29th while five of the leagues top six were playoff teams.

All 10 of those interceptions came from cornerbacks, something the team would like to see diversified a bit in the upcoming season. Haden, who had three of them while dealing with multiple injuries, believes hell personally help pad the total after a training camp at which turnovers are emphasized the moment he parks his car at the Berea facility.

Just trying to be locked in and just trying to play my coverage. When I am in good shape, make sure to get my head around and create turnovers that is the biggest thing. Just trying to get the ball back to the offense. I feel like with my playmaking skills, when I know I am in good shape, being able to get my head around.

At the start of camp, as he evaluated the quarterback competition and offense as a whole, Browns coach Hue Jackson was thrilled with the lack of turnovers. Following the first off day of camp, a thorough analysis of the film gave him mixed feelings because, well, hes the coach of the entire team, not just the offense. He wanted to see more turnovers, even if it meant the competing quarterbacks were throwing them.

Later that day, the defense delivered with interceptions to end back-to-back two-minute drills.

We just have to come up with more turnovers, Jackson said. That is what we are stressing. That is what we are after.

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Browns D happy with progress but itching for more turnovers - ClevelandBrowns.com

The Burnout Road Fire on Chuckanut Mountain was 80 percent contained as of Saturday afternoon.

The fire was estimated at 48 acres, though the state Department of Natural Resources said fire does not mean flame, but hot embers, coals, that need to be brought to the surface and extinguished by mixing with water.

The fire is 6 miles southeast of the Lost Lake Trailhead of the Larrabee State Park.

It is on Department of Natural Resources and private land.

There are about 104 people working the fire. They have been helped by higher moisture content in the air, cooler temperatures and calm winds.

Meanwhile, the Suiattle Fire that is 9 miles northeast of Darrington increased in size from Friday.

The fire is now at 216 acres and 25 percent contained. The fire was 200 acres with 15 percent containment on Friday.

There are 356 people fighting that fire.

The causes of both fires are under investigation.

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More progress made on Chuckanut fire - goskagit.com

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. With one Tennessee player announced out for the 2017 season, another one is making progress toward a return.

Coach Butch Jones announced right tackle Chance Hall would miss the season with a knee injury. However, defensive tackle Shy Tuttle took to the practice field Friday in full pads.

Shy is continuing to progress, Jones said. Hes working individual drills. He has not done any team activities, yet. He continues to progress and we are very encouraged so far.

RELATED: Tuttle still a leader despite injuries in eyes of D-line coach Brady Hoke

Although Tuttle may not be ready for the season opener against Georgia Tech on Sept. 4 in Atlanta, Jones said Tuttle has made strides in the right direction.

Hes maybe a little bit ahead of schedule, Jones said. Again, hes doing the individual drills. Hes doing some movement. You can see him getting better and better each day with his movements. Thats been the encouraging thing.

A tear in Tuttles right knee kept him from playing in the final five games of the 2016 season. Tuttle played in six games in the 2015 season before suffering a broken left fibula.

The injuries have not kept Tuttles spirits down according to Jones.

Its really encouraging when you get him out here in full pads today, and hes doing individual drills with teammates, Jones said. Its extremely encouraging. Hes worked very hard. So, you can see the excitement as well in his demeanor.

Tuttle can be a disruptive force on the defensive line when healthy. The junior has 19 tackles, 1 for a loss and two fumble recoveries in his career.

Fellow defensive linemen have taken notice of Tuttles progress in his rehab from injury.

Shy is doing great, Kendal Vickers said. He looks like hes getting back in shape, in football shape. Hes been looking like he can move on his knee and stuff like that. Im looking forward to getting him out there.

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Tennessee football: DT Shy Tuttle 'continuing to progress' from injury - SECcountry.com

BRIDGEPORT, Wash. -

Update, 6:30 p.m.:Fire crews continue to make progress on the Hayes Road Fire in Douglas County. At last report the fire was 3,000 acres and 50 percent contained as of Saturday evening. All evacuations in the area have been reduced to level 1. That means those in the area should be ready for potential evacuation and aware of the fire activity in the area.

Crews continued to strengthen fire lines and reduce fuel burning in the area.

The Red Cross is in the process of closing down the shelter at Bridgeport High School.

Update, 10:15a.m.:A fire burning in Douglas County is now 20 percent contained and 2,000 acres in size as fire crews worked through the night to contain the blaze. State fire mobilization was approved Friday evening for the Hayes Road fire, which allows additional resources from across the state to help fight the fire.

Level 3 evacuations are still in effect within the area from Highway 27 to Road 19 NE and from Hayes Rd. to Rd. K NE. Residents are urged to avoid the area to allow firefighters to work safely. Level 2 evacuation notices are still in effect from Highway 17 to Highway 17. Level 2 evacuation notices mean that residents should be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice.

A total of 123 firefighters have been assigned to the Hayes Road fire including five strike teams consisting of 50 specialized wildland engines.

Highway 17 was fully reopened Saturday morning.

UPDATE: 3:30 p.m. August 4, 2017

Washington State Patrol Troopers are assisting Douglas County Deputies with Level 3 evacuationsnotices on Rd K NE south from SR 17 towards Rd 19 NE.

Troopers are advising you to stay away from the area!

Previous Coverage:

The Washington Patrol has advised Highway 17 11 miles south of Bridgeport is closed as a fast-moving brush fire is burning on both sides of the highway.

Details are limited at this time, but Troopers say the fire is at milepost 125 south of Bridgeport and the road will be closed for an unknown amount of time as winds are fueling the flames.

This is a developing story and we will update it as soon as we have additional information.

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Fire crews continue to make progress on Hayes Road fire in Douglas County - KHQ Right Now

Rwandan President Paul Kagame greets the crowd after addressing supporters at the closing rally of the presidential campaign in the capital, Kigali, this week. Kagame has been in power 23 years and is expected to win a third term. Marco Longari/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

Rwandan President Paul Kagame greets the crowd after addressing supporters at the closing rally of the presidential campaign in the capital, Kigali, this week. Kagame has been in power 23 years and is expected to win a third term.

Some people walked hours to get to Shyira. They trekked down the steep hills that surround the small town in northern Rwanda last month not only to celebrate Liberation Day, but to get a close view of the country's president, Paul Kagame.

As music rose from the speakers, Kagame emerged from the behind the stage, a small man wearing his trademark black rim glasses.

The crowd went wild they waved; they sang; they screamed. At least there, you would be hard-pressed to find any detractors.

Angelique Nakure said Kagame has built schools and hospitals and he would do even more if wins a third term.

"Kagame is the best president," Nakure said.

In Rwanda, many consider 59-year-old Kagame a national hero. He's the man who, 23 years ago, rallied a beleaguered group of rebels and marched into the capital Kigali to oust the government. While the international community just watched, his troops ended a genocide that killed some 800,000 people.

As Rwandans go to the polls to elect a president Friday, there is little doubt that Kagame will be re-elected.

But as he nears two decades in power, Kagame is in the midst of a mixed legacy: that of a leader who has ushered in peace, stability and progress and that of a brute with little patience for dissent.

'People Have A Reason To Fear'

Frank Habineza, a 40-year-old politician, has tried for years to run for president as the candidate for the Democratic Green Party. But he says the government citing security concerns had blocked him from registering his party. This is the first election in which the Green Party is recognized, and Habineza made it on the ballot.

Sitting in his small office in Kigali, he says one should be very skeptical of what one hears on the streets of Rwanda.

"Rwandans are afraid of their government," he says.

When he tried to run for president in 2010, his deputy ended up dead and two of his colleagues ended up in jail. Fearing for his life, Habineza went into exile.

"We are beaten, our people imprisoned, others exiled," he says. "So basically, when people see all that, people have a reason to fear."

It's also not just political repression. Recently, Human Rights Watch issued a report that found Rwandan security services deal with petty crimes ruthlessly. The group found that one man was shot three times for allegedly stealing a cow; another was executed by the military for stealing bananas.

That version of Rwanda is definitely not what you see on the surface. Under Kagame's tenure, Rwanda has made significant strides toward becoming a middle income society.

Roads are paved; streets are lit. The GDP has grown more than 1,000 percent since the genocide; life expectancy has shot up, from 28 years during the genocide to 64 years in 2015, and Rwanda has become one of the least corrupt countries on the continent. It's a place where all state employees post their supervisor's cellphone outside their office, and public officials are fired if they don't meet the stated goals in their performance contracts.

"Kagame has put Rwanda on another map today," says Albert Rudatsimburwa, a political analyst and an unapologetic fan of Kagame. "When he took over, he transformed a whole defeat into a success story."

Rudatsimburwa thinks Kagame is misunderstood. To him, Kagame is the last liberation leader on the continent, following in the footsteps of Yoweri Museveni in Uganda and Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe.

"Except Kagame has learned from their mistakes," Rudatsimburwa says.

The political analyst is certain that Kagame doesn't plan to stay in power as long as Museveni or Mugabe, who has been in power for 37 years. But he says that Kagame also understands that Rwanda is fragile, still recovering from the kinds of tribal divisions that led to the 1994 genocide. Demanding the same kinds of freedoms that mature democracies enjoy, he says, is naive.

"Those democracies are based on an accumulated wealth that makes things run anyway so that people can play political games," he says. "This is not where Africa is and certainly not Rwanda."

'We Deserve Freedom'

Diane Rwigara, a 35-year-old accountant turned politician, lives in nearly the same neighborhood as the presidential palace.

A tall concrete wall surrounds her house, and when this reporter arrives, she asks if she can borrow his phone. She says she can't call friends from her phone line anymore because they're afraid they'll be linked to her.

"In Rwanda, you are guilty by association," she says.

Rwigara tried to run for president, but she says the government first shamed her by leaking naked photos of her and then put up insurmountable procedural hurdles.

For example, she had to collect signatures from supporters across the country to get on the ballot. But she says state security agents would show up beforehand and intimidate people. She says they told supporters it was treason to support her campaign.

"It's very dangerous," she says. "But the truth of the matter is people are tired. People are ready for change."

President Kagame declined NPR's request for an interview, but during a recent press conference he was asked directly about Rwigara's allegations.

He chuckled and then issued a couched condemnation.

"Let me assume what you are saying is correct," he said. "If anybody was denied their rights, it's absolutely wrong."

Rwigara says she is sure, if an election were free and fair, she could be president. She wants Rwandans to be able to question government policies. She says she wants Rwandans to be able to express views on simple things like whether farmers should be able to choose what crops they plant or whether the government should have spent millions building a state-of-the-art convention center.

"We deserve freedom," she says. "We're no different than any other human being. Like I said, that's just insulting to me to think that we need to be told what to say and what to do."

What's clear is that Kagame will go on to win a third term. In 2015, 95 percent of Rwandans voted in favor of a constitutional amendment that extended the president's term limits. Under that new constitution, Kagame can serve until 2034.

Continued here:

Rwanda's Kagame Has Ushered In Peace And Progress, And Crushed Dissent - NPR

CHICAGO Max Scherzer arrived at Wrigley Field on Friday morning with the intention of throwing his first bullpen session since cutting his start Tuesdayto one inning. He didnt, but not because hes still dealing with major discomfort in his neck. Instead, Scherzer and the Nationals postponed the session until Saturday and the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner is preparing to start Monday in Washington against the Marlins.

We were like, we can just throw a bullpen tomorrow when Im truly 100 percent because Ive made progress every single day, and in 24 to 48 hours its going to be completely gone, Scherzer said. So no ones even concerned, really. Its just doing what we think is best to make the start on Monday.

Scherzer said he visited a chiropractor for an adjustment. Some residual stiffness remains, but he insisted it should be alleviated with medication and treatment in time for Monday. The Nationals wrestled with the idea of starting Scherzer on Sunday, which is his regular turn, butdecided not to.

An ace not missing a start is always uplifting news for a club, but its particularly vital for the Nationals given their rotation disorder. In addition to Scherzers early departure, Joe Ross was lost for the season, Stephen Strasburg is on the disabled list, and Gio Gonzalez isprepared to leave the club for the birth of his second child.

The muddle meant the Nationals werent ready to announce who would start Saturday and Sunday against the Cubs after Tanner Roark started Friday. Manager Dusty Baker provided clarity Friday morning, announcing that Edwin Jackson will start Saturday and Erick Fedde will get the ball Sunday.

Fedde was optioned Wednesday, but he will be recalled to replace Gonzalez on the roster when he goes on the paternity leave list. It will be his second career start; he allowed seven runs over four innings against the Rockies on Sunday.

Strasburgs return, however, remains unclear. The right-hander, who was placed on the disabled list on July 27 with a right elbow nerve impingement, said he was scheduled to throw a bullpen before Fridays game, but he didnt know when he would throw the simulated game Baker has said is planned for him. Strasburg revealed that he had an increasingly tough time recovering between starts before exiting after two innings against the Diamondbacks on July 23.

It was adding up, Strasburg said.

Strasburg, however, did say he has made significant progress in recent days, but with a 12-game division lead, the Nationals arent in any rush.

I feel better about it now than I did a few days ago, he said. But we want to make sure Im 100 percent. If this was the last game of the season, Id be out there. But we want to make sure Im right.

NATIONALS (63-43) Brian Goodwin CF Howie Kendrick LF Bryce Harper RF Daniel Murphy 2B Anthony Rendon 3B Adam Lind 1B Matt Wieters C Wilmer Difo SS Tanner Roark RHP

CUBS (57-50) Jon Jay CF Kris Bryant 3B Anthony Rizzo 1B Willson Contreras C Ben Zobrist 2B Kyle Schwarber LF Jason Heyward RF Javier Baez SS Kyle Hendricks RHP

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Max Scherzer preparing to start Monday, Stephen Strasburg making progress - Washington Post