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The recipient of the award that recognizes a player’s

BeitragVerfasst: Mi 7. Nov 2018, 08:50
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J.J. Watt Evander Kane Sharks Jersey , Greg Olsen and Benjamin Watson are finalists for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

The recipient of the award that recognizes a player’s contribution in his community and to society in general will be revealed on Feb. 3 at NFL Honors, when The Associated Press announces its individual NFL awards.

Houston defensive end Watt, in his seventh NFL season and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, had the goal of raising $200,000 for Hurricane Harvey relief in Houston.

His fundraising did a whole lot more, bringing in an incredible $37 million in 19 days. Watt has dedicated himself to finding organizations that will apply the funds in a way he has promised both donors and victims of the storm.

”For me, this nomination is about so much more than one man,” Watt tells The Associated Press. ”It’s about the hundreds of thousands of people who helped donate to those who went through an extremely difficult time and rose above it all.

”I also know this is about honoring the city and its people.”

Watt says he noticed something special evolving from his involvement in the fundraising efforts.

”I learned how much good there is in the world, how humanity steps up to the plate when they see fellow humans going through difficult times,” he says. ”From my high school and from kids with their lemonade stands … to seeing people putting aside any differences and rivalries and helping out … and how they wanted to donate to be good people and help their fellow humans. It shows how much good light there is in the world.”

Carolina tight end Olsen, who just finished his 11th pro season, has put together two initiatives, one to fight breast cancer, the other to help youngsters with a congenital heart defect.

Olsen’s mother is a breast cancer survivor Adidas Eric Staal Jersey , and in 2009 he founded Receptions for Research: The Greg Olsen Foundation. The Foundation’s ”Receiving Hope” focuses on cancer research and education programming.

In early 2013, Greg and his wife Kara founded the HEARTest Yard Fund after a routine examination of their unborn son, T.J., revealed the infant had Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). It’s a family service program administered in conjunction with Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte.

”We meet with the hospital staff and the nurses and doctors and go into these homes,” Olsen explains. ”Just to see and hear the families and have them relay the stories about this program and … what the lives of these families would be like without our program. To hear how it is helping their family life and family dynamic is something far beyond what we imagined.

”It’s been fun watching it grow and have such an impact.”

Baltimore tight end Watson, a 14-year pro, assists countless people through his charitable arm, the One More Foundation.

Most recently, One More partnered with the International Justice Mission (IJM), the world’s largest international anti-slavery organization working to combat human trafficking, modern day slavery and other forms of violence against the poor. Benjamin and his wife, Kirsten, joined the global fight to end the scourge of sex trafficking.

”There are 2 million children worldwide involved in sex traffic and exploitation,” he says. ”This slavery issue is really a big deal that kind of goes on unnoticed and unheralded.

”People want to help Adidas Shea Weber Jersey , a lot of times people don’t know how. The problems of the world seem so overwhelming that they do not know where to start. We provide people the opportunity to do something for someone.

”Whenever you help somebody, they end up helping you and you learn as much from them as they do from you.”

Olsen broke into the NFL with the Bears. So the Payton legacy is more than a familiar one for him.

”Playing in Chicago for four years, I saw firsthand what the Payton family has meant to the city and the community,” he says. ”I was a teammate with Walter’s son, Jarrett, at the University of Miami for a year, kept in contact with him. It’s interesting how many parallels there are. They have a great foundation that does a lot of great work.”

The three finalists emphasize that hundreds of their peers are doing similar work, selflessly and without fanfare.

”A lot of guys are doing those things, more than what people know,” Watson notes. ”One thing I always wanted to do is take advantage of the opportunities as long as I play and after I play.

”We obviously have some influence. Yes, as NFL players … we have the ability to be more visible. Everybody has a sphere of influence they can affect positively, whether it is 10 people or 10,000 people. I want to use it to help people and advocate for people whenever I can, to be someone who stands for what is just and kind and right.”




Forget the anomaly that was Friday’s low-scoring game.

In May Adidas Carey Price Jersey , the Arizona Diamondbacks averaged 2.9 runs per game, fewest in the major leagues. So far in June, however, they are averaging 6.5 runs, including 37 in five games against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Diamondbacks (42-33) and Pirates (36-39) play the third game of a four-game series Saturday at PNC Park in Pittsburgh after Arizona’s 2-1, 13-inning win Friday.

The Diamondbacks this month have 178 hits, nine triples, 81 walks and 32 homers.

A couple of players — leadoff batter Jon Jay and Paul Goldschmidt — seem to have sparked Arizona’s offense.

Jay has multiple hits in seven of his 14 games since he was acquired by trade June 6 from Kansas City. He has reached base in all but one game and reached base twice in eight games. He has scored 16 runs with eight RBIs.

“He’s come in and he’s been unbelievable for us at the top of the lineup,” Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen told the Arizona Republic. “Almost every day he’s getting on base a couple of times and he’s just sparking us in so many different ways. He’s giving us professional at-bats. That’s something that we weren’t putting together consistently during that rut in May, which we’ve come around to doing now. It’s all sort of adding back up together again.”

Don’t look for Jay to cough up any secrets.

“I’m just trying to go out there and be myself,” he told MLB.com. “I just try to keep it simple. We’ve got a great core group of guys here. I’m just trying to be a complement to the group we have already.”

Goldschmidt is batting .475 with six doubles, a triple, eight home runs and 20 RBIs in his past 16 games.

The Diamondbacks got caught in a pitchers’ duel Friday but won their second straight game and third in their past four. They have won six of seven on the road.

Pittsburgh has lost three straight and four of five.

On Saturday, Pittsburgh right-hander Joe Musgrove (2-2 Adidas Jonathan Drouin Jersey , 3.68 ERA) is scheduled to face Diamondbacks righty Zack Greinke (6-5, 3.90).

Musgrove will be making is sixth start since beginning the season on the disabled list. He was dynamic out of the gate but was flat in his most recent outing, an 8-6 loss Sunday against Cincinnati when he gave up six runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, with six strikeouts and one walk.

“I felt OK. That’s my first day game in a while. Just trying to get my body alert,” Musgrove said. “It was hot out there. I felt drained. But that’s something I’m aware of now, and that’s something I’ll try to prepare for.”

Saturday’s game also is a day game, although with a late-afternoon start.

“I don’t feel like I’m lost right now. I still feel really good,” Musgrove said.”

Musgrove is 0-0 with a 2.45 ERA in two career appearances, including one start, against Arizona. That start was June 11 when the first five of his six-plus innings were scoreless in what became a no-decision. He ended up allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits in six innings.

Greinke has won three of his past four starts. He is 7-4 with a 4.91 ERA in 12 career starts against Pittsburgh. In his one start against the Pirates this season, Greinke gave up five runs on five hits and four walks over 4 2/3 innings. He took the loss in that June 13 game, which ended with a 5-4 Pirates victory.