Offtopic/fun » Alex, great for our fans and great

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- At the start of every practice, Maryland runs through an extensive drill involving ball security.Quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers participate alongside some burly linemen who dont often get a chance to clutch the football.Weve had seminars on how to carry the football, guard Maurice Shelton said Tuesday. Everybody on the team has to know how to do it. Its been a huge emphasis.For good reason. A year ago, the Terrapins committed 36 turnovers, forced only 18 and finished with a 3-9 record.First-year coach DJ Durkin was well aware of those numbers before he took the job in December. Soon after putting his name on a contract, Michigans former defensive coordinator began his quest to turn around the turnover ratio.The early results are extremely favorable. In a 52-13 rout of Howard and a 41-14 win at Florida International , the Terrapins did not commit a single turnover. Maryland is one of only seven teams in the entire Football Bowl Subdivision without a giveaway.Its also the first time since 2001 that the Terps didnt throw an interception in the first two games.The turnovers have been a point of emphasis every day in our building, Durkin said. Obviously, in order to win youve got to eliminate those things. You cant beat yourself.Hills threw 13 interceptions last year. This season, hes got three touchdown passes and an impressive 176.01 quarterback rating (compared to 96.94 in 2015).Offensive coordinator Walt Bell has taught Hills to play capably and confidently in the pocket, preaching that theres no harm in taking a loss if thats the best option.Weve not put the ball in harms way, and Perry has done a great job of that, Durkin said. I think Walts done a good job of helping Perry be in good spots and understanding that if a play isnt there, tuck the ball and run or take a sack.During the ball security drill, defensive players are usually engaged in trying to rip the ball away. The Terps have only takeaway thus far this season, and the defense knows Durkin will be expecting that number to increase significantly.If you ever hear him talk about our plan to win, thats No. 1 on the list: Win the turnover battle, tight end Derrick Hayward said.Durkin said: The stat that most directly correlates to wins and losses in college football is the turnover margin. Weve preached a lot about getting the football out on defense and protecting it on offense.The crusade continues Saturday at Central Florida, a game Durkin proclaimed to be our toughest test so far this season.The Knights beat South Carolina State 38-0 before falling at Michigan 51-14 last week.---AP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.orgArt Shell Raiders Jersey . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. Hunter Renfrow Youth Jersey . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . https://www.raiderssportsgoods.com/Womens-George-Blanda-Inverted-Jersey/ .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. Bo Jackson Raiders Jersey . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Josh Jacobs Jersey . The Dane followed up his first European Tour title last weekend with eight birdies and just a single dropped shot on Thursday for a one-stroke advantage over South Africas Allan Versfeld and Portugals Ricardo Santos.A day after Alex Rodriguez played his final game for the New York Yankees, the team called up top prospect Aaron Judge, who made his major-league debut in Saturdays 8-4 win against the Tampa Bay Rays.The Yankees officially released Rodriguez on Saturday afternoon, ending his 12 years in pinstripes and perhaps his big league career after 22 seasons.Its strange, manager Joe Girardi said of Rodriguez no longer being on the team. I have a lineup card, and his name is not on there. And theres not another Rodriguez in our organization who is up in the big leagues who makes me think hes on there. I think about all the great players that have walked, not just through these doors but the doors that were across the street who eventually retired.Judge, who Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said will be the teams every-day right fielder going forward, hit eighth.Prospect Tyler Austin was also called up from Triple-A and made his MLB debut at first base.Austin and Judge launched their Yankees careers with back-to-back home runs in their first major league at-bats Saturday, hitting solo shots off Matt Andriese in the second inning, becoming the first pair of teammates in baseball history to hit consecutive home runs in their first career plate appearances.Judge, 24, was hitting .270 with 19 home runs and 65 RBIs in 93 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 6-foot-7 slugger was ranked 23rd overall in Keith Laws midseason MLB prospect rankings.Austin was hitting .323 with 13 homers and 49 RBIs in 56 games for the RailRiders.In other moves Saturday, the Yankees optioned right-hander Ben Heller to Triple-A and transfeerred right-hander Conor Mullee to the 60-day disabled list.ddddddddddddReleasing Rodriguez leaves the Yankees responsible for the $27,103,825 remaining on his $275 million, 10-year contract. He is owed $7,103,825 of his $20 million salary for the final 65 days of this season and $20 million next year.The 41-year-old designated hitter went 1-for-4 with an RBI double in his finale Friday night, a 6-3 win over Tampa Bay.Last night was a special night, Cashman said. [I] had a chance to talk to him before the game and had a chance to talk after the game. I think it was great for Alex, great for our fans and great for our win column. It was also nice that he helped impact us as well.The roster has been changing a lot, so today is a new day. Its been a new day quite often lately, to be honest. Weve had a lot of changes, some quality people weve said goodbye to and a lot of quality people weve been saying hello to. Its the nature of the beast.Rodriguez hit .200 with nine homers and 31 RBIs for the Yankees this season. He has 696 home runs, fourth on the career list behind Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714).Rodriguezs career batting average is at .295. A 14-time All-Star and three-time AL MVP, Rodriguez has 3,115 hits, and his 2,086 RBIs are second to Aarons 2,297 since RBIs became an official statistic. Rodriguez was suspended for the 2014 season for violations of baseballs drug agreement and labor contract.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. ' ' '