Dein erstes Forum » in California.Well take it stepp by step

NORMAN, Okla. -- Baker Mayfields quarterbacking style could be encapsulated in two consecutive plays last season against TCU.On the first, Mayfield escaped a collapsing pocket, tucked the ball and took off. Near midfield, TCU safety Derrick Kindred came barreling down upon him. Yet instead of sliding, Mayfield cut in front of Kindred for another 15 yards before eventually being dragged down from behind.The next snap, Mayfield tried to convert another broken play into a big one. Scrambling around in the backfield, he broke one tackle. Then a second. Then a third. But as Mayfield stumbled to the turf, TCU linebacker Ty Summers speared him in the back of the helmet. Summers got ejected. But after a halftime concussion diagnosis, Mayfield was lost for the game as well. With Mayfield on the sideline, the Horned Frogs rallied from a 17-point, fourth-quarter deficit and were a two-point conversion away from ending Oklahomas College Football Playoff dreams.As a player so valuable to their national championship aspirations, the Sooners have obviously asked Mayfield to rein it in this season, right?Think again.You can only make him play a certain way, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops countered. You can only govern that to a degree. Otherwise all of a sudden hes not Baker, and hes not effective.Baker being Baker is what ultimately transformed the Sooners from a middling squad in 2014 to a national title contender last season.That included Mayfield willing Oklahoma to an improbable fourth-quarter comeback at Tennessee, in which he evaded tackler after tackler to engineer a pair of late touchdown drives that sent the game to overtime, where the Sooners ultimately prevailed.That also included him delivering the game-clinching touchdown pass at Baylor, in which he danced around in the backfield for a full nine seconds before finding fullback Dimitri Flowers in the end zone.But that too included him being lost for the game against TCU. And again for the final minutes against Clemson in the Capital One Orange Bowl, in which he dove at the thighs of Tigers linebacker Ben Boulware after Boulware intercepted him near the goal line. Mayfield made the tackle, but also was knocked out of the game with a head injury that wasnt determined to be a concussion, but caused a ringing in his ear that temporarily offset his equilibrium.Thats the competitive nature I have, said Mayfield, when asked why he rarely slides when more yards are to be had. Always been that way.The Sooners arent looking to change that about their Heisman hopeful, either.Of course we want to keep him healthy. We dont want to do anything thats reckless there, offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley said. But if he doesnt play aggressive, then were not going to score points anyways, and its not going to matter whos at quarterback. Hes got to play aggressive. Weve got to be smart about it, hes going to be smart about it. But thats why we have more than one quarterback here.Riley and Stoops have been raving about the development of true freshman backup Austin Kendall, the only other eligible scholarship quarterback on the roster. But Mayfield is the reason Oklahoma is again the favorite in the Big 12 and looking for a return trip to the playoff.He creates excitement for everyone, Stoops said. Even if were in a two-minute drill, or a third-down sequence [in practice] when were seeing whos the winner and loser, hes agitating the defense so it gets them fired up. He creates energy all the time, which helps everyone. Its natural for him, and thats what I think makes it so special. Those guys want to block for a guy they know is going to scramble until hes out of breath to find a way to make plays. Everyone is going to play harder for a guy like that.They know with him, youve always got a chance.Indeed, the Sooners have fed off Mayfields brashness off the field and relentlessness on it. But theyre also one wrong hit away from becoming the same team that nearly collapsed against TCU.I just want him to be more careful, Oklahoma safety Ahmad Thomas?said. I know as a defensive player, if I see a quarterback running the way he does, Im going to try and hit him, too. So I just want him to be more careful and just know that sometimes its OK to just get down.Stoops is quick to rightly point out that both of Mayfields head injuries last season came off freak plays.If you think about it, he really didnt get hurt being Baker, he said. He got hurt by a cheap shot when he was on the ground. Thatll happen to anybody if youre allowed to dive on the back of a guys head. The other one, trying to tackle [Boulware] -- I told him, next time just grab him around the shirt and try to throw him down or hang on until someone else can hit him.Overall, though, running around being Baker, he handled that really well. Hopefully that will continue. Obviously weve talked that any hits that he can avoid, we need to try and avoid, to get out of bounds or to slide. Lets minimize the opportunities, anyway.Mayfield said that has been a focus of his offseason. To find the balance of being aggressive, while also avoiding unnecessary hits, whether thats throwing the ball away or sliding in front of a defender.But Mayfield added that when the game is on the line, hes going to play the way he always has.Its knowing the situation, the game were in, the score, he said. If were up a couple touchdowns, throw the ball away and live to play the next down.But if its a big game, and we need a first down on third-and-short, Im going to lower my shoulder. Im never going to shy away from that.Thats Baker being Baker. And to the Sooners, worth all the risk. Michael Strahan Womens Jersey . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. 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That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. DEL MAR, Calif. -- After a game second to Melatonin in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 25, Win the Space will be an outsider in Saturdays $200,000 San Diego Handicap at 1-1/16 miles at Del Mar. Typically, a second-place finish in the Gold Cup would make Win the Space a leading contender in the Grade 2 San Diego. But the race came up unusually tough this year and is led by California Chrome, the 2014 Horse of the Year, and Dortmund, a millionaire multiple stakes winner.This is a different area code against California Chrome and Dortmund, Win the Spaces trainer, George Papaprodromou, said on Wednesday.Win the Space, by Pulpit, is performing at his highest level this year. He won his first start of the year in an optional claimer at Santa Anita on May 15 and was beaten 1-1/2 lengths by Melatonin in the Gold Cup at 1-1/4 miles, his best result in a stakes.Owned by Rustin Kretz, Win the Space will have his 12th start in the San Diego. Papaprodromou is hopeful that Win the Space can run well enough to justify a start in the $1 million Pacific Classic here on Aug. 20, the richest race of the summer in California.Well take it stepp by step, Papaprodromou said.dddddddddddd Hopefully, hell run a huge race. My horse is going great.Win the Space is part of a projected field of six, although the race may not have that many starters. Others entered include Crittenden, Follow Me Crev, and Hard Aces.On Wednesday, trainer John Sadler said that Hard Aces, who was third in the Gold Cup, will be entered for the $100,000 Cougar II Handicap at 1-1/2 miles on Sunday. A decision on which race will be chosen for Hard Aces will be made closer to the weekend, he said.Win the Space was ridden by Gary Stevens in the Gold Cup. Mike Smith has the mount Saturday. Stevens has the mount on Dortmund, who has not raced since winning the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes here last November. Dortmund was sidelined with a foot issue earlier this year.California Chrome will be favored in his first start since a win in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 26. On Wednesday, California Chrome galloped and was schooled in the gate and paddock, trainer Art Sherman said. ' ' '