by ldh2013 » Fri Jun 17, 2016 9:18 am
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- In a severe blow to the Netherlands World Cup hopes, midfielder Kevin Strootman looks certain to miss the tournament in Brazil because of a serious knee injury. . AS Roma said Monday that the 24-year-old Strootman will undergo surgery after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament and possibly damaging the meniscus in his left knee during Sundays 1-0 loss at Napoli. Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal said in a statement he talked to the injured midfielder by phone. "I can imagine his world is falling apart at the moment," Van Gaal said, adding that Strootmans loss "is also a blood-letting for the Netherlands team." The left-footed midfielder has captained the national side in the past and is widely considered a future full-time leader for his country. A strong tackler, he is also comfortable bringing the ball forward in attack. Strootman has played 25 times for the Dutch national side as a midfield enforcer, scoring three times. He was one of only a handful of players virtually guaranteed a place in Van Gaals World Cup squad. "Kevin played a major role in our qualification for the World Cup in Brazil," Van Gaal said. The 2010 runners-up have been drawn to play defending champion Spain, Chile and Australia at the World Cup. .com) - The Memphis Grizzlies will try to close out a four-game homestand on a high note when they entertain the Charlotte Hornets Friday night at FedExForum. . "I never got into detail about hitting the walk-off home run. Just incredible," Spangenberg said after getting another big league milestone out of the way. . Off-Season Game Plan looks at a changing of the guard in the Motor City. Nicklas Lidstrom didnt miss the playoffs in 20 seasons with the Red Wings and, even without their number one option on the blueline, there is a solid enough core on this team to think that the Red Wings are going to remain competitive.INDIANAPOLIS -- Teddy Bridgewater will spend the next 2 1/2 months trying to convince NFL scouts hes the No. 1 quarterback -- No. 1 player -- in this years draft. Tajh Boyd is just itching to show scouts hes still the quarterback they once thought he could be. Yes, the two college stars were on opposite ends of the spectrum at the combine. While Boyds draft stock has plummeted over the past four months, Bridgewaters confidence is booming as he appears to be locking himself into the top 10. "I feel that Im the best quarterback in this draft," he said at his weekends NFL scouting combine. "Im not just going to sit up here and say it, theres obviously actions that have to back up these words. Im just going to go out there and prove that Im the best guy." Scouts will have to wait to see if Bridgewater can live up to the boasts. He never planned to throw during Sundays workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium and also pulled out of the 40-yard dash one day after telling reporters he would run. But that hasnt hurt Bridgewater yet. He measured in at 6-foot-2, 214 pounds, good size for an NFL quarterback with room to even add a few more pounds. And despite questions about hand size, Bridgewaters completion percentage and touchdown passes continued to steadily increase each of the past three seasons at the same time his interception totals declined. Teams searching for a new franchise quarterback, such as Houston, which has the top pick in May, will spend these next 10 weeks trying to determine who to take in this three-man race -- Bridgewater, Blake Bortles or 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. "I havent studied him (Bridgewater) enough, and coming from defence, I dont consider myself a quarterback expert," said Browns coach Mike Pettine, whose team also is looking at a quarterback at No. 4. "I know what good onnes look like, but as far as graduate level details, I will lean on the offensive staff. . " Boyd, however, has the tougher job -- reintroducing himself to scouts. Last fall, Boyd was a potential first-round draft choice. But after going 17 of 37 for 156 yards with only one touchdown and two interceptions against eventual national champion Florida State on national television, the perceptions changed. NFL teams started picking apart Boyds flaws, flaws that Boyd is still struggling to understand. "Coming into the season I was a top 15 pick supposedly," he said. "Now youre hearing this and that and nobody really knows. So Im just trying to come out here and do what I can. Honestly, I dont feel like theres a quarterback here better than me, so thats what I want to come out here and do." Sundays workout didnt help. Boyd was timed at 4.84 seconds in the 40-yard dash, finishing ahead of eight of the 16 quarterbacks who ran Sunday, and looked inaccurate during the throwing part of the workouts. Hell need a much better showing at Clemsons pro day to restore some of the lustre that was lost after he returned to school for his final college season. "I feel like Im maturing in every aspect of my game," Boyd said. "I feel like I went and did what I wanted to do. The big thing for me was making sure that I was ready for this transition." But for Bridgewater, theres more at stake -- a big contract, a chance to live out his lifelong dream of playing in the NFL and, of course, the opportunity to prove hes the No. 1 quarterback in the draft. "Theyve watched the film. Theyve studied who I am as a player," Bridgewater said. "But its all about getting in those (team interview) rooms and establishing a relationship as a person, and I feel that Ive been doing well doing that." ' ' '
