FSN #58 2/1/18 - 2/15/18

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Volume 2 • Issue 58

Jan 30 - Feb 15 2018

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Featuring: ProBowl, Windermere Prep, West Orangey, and MUCH MORE...

Page 2 Florida Sporting News • 2/1/18 - 2/15/18

We Need To Keep The NFL Pro Bowl In ORLANDO! Michael Attardi

This year’s NFL Pro Bowl was a huge success and the City of Orlando wants to make it an annual event. Over 50 Thousand fans came out to support the game even though bad weather kept many away. For the first half of the game, the Orlando sky opened up and poured on all.

Florida Sporting News was at the Disney’s ESPN all week covering the NFL Pro Bowl practices. Publisher, Michael Attardi had the opportunity to interview Drew Brees, Derek Carr, Graham Gano and Antonio Brown. All of the players were happy to learn that a former NFL player started a local sports paper that covers high school sports.

They agreed that local papers help student-athletes stay focused and excited to play sports during the age of iPhone and social media distractions.

FSN had the opportunity to speak Orlando officials about what needs to be done to preserve such a great NFL Pro Bowl week in Orlando for the future.

“We do have a one-year option on another NFL Pro Bowl, that we hope they execute. We’d love to have them back and we’d love to be their permanent home of the Pro Bowl,” said Allen Johnson, chief venue officer of Orlando Venues.

In 2016, the region stole the game from its on-again, off-again home at Aloha Stadium in Hawaii. The games last year and this year were major scores for local theme parks and businesses, raking in an estimated $40 million to $50 million in extra business during the weeks’ worth of family fun.

“It was a great success, a great success for Orlando and Central Florida to have the exposure of the NFL in our market, the best players in the country, in the world, in Orlando that week for all of the activities that occurred throughout Central Florida,” Johnson said.

But with attendance at roughly 50,000, a significant downswing from last year’s sold-out crowd of more than 60,000, league executives could forgive the rain, or decide a domed stadium going forward makes more sense for this all-star contest. Either way, Orlando leaders believe they’ve once again proven this is a pro-caliber city.

“All the things we have as a worldclass city that they can take advantage of when they are here,” Johnson said.

Officials expect to learn by the end of March to early April whether or not the NFL will be returning to Camping World Stadium next year for the Pro Bowl, or moving on to another stadium in another city.

2/1/18 - 2/15/18 • Florida Sporting News

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CHAMPIONS DECIDED AT NFL FLAG CHAMPIONSHIPS POWERED BY USA FOOTBALL IN ORLANDO Sixty-six (66) youth flag football teams, representing all 32 NFL clubs, competed in the 2018 NFL FLAG Championship Powered by USA Football as part of the NFL’s Pro Bowl Week in Orlando, Florida.

Teams competed in four divisions; 9-10 coed, 11-12 coed, 13-14 boys and 13-14 girls. Champions include: 9-10 Coed: T.I. Cardinals, Scottsdale, Arizona Players: Jack Bridgford, LJ Guzman, Gage Higley, Braxton Huynh, Michael Martin, Kyeon Murray, Gavinv Myers, Reiss Rinaldi, Eric Rubin, Nick Utan Coaches: Brian Rubin, Brian Murray 11-12 Coed: YYFFA Browns, Youngstown, Ohio Players: Dontaye Bell, Javon Bell, Nicolas Bengala, Shane Lindstrom, Ashton O’Brien, Nasir O’kane, Nicolas Ryan, Ty Stricko, Tanner Stricko, Michael Wells Coaches: Dan Stricko, Paul Lindstrom 13-14 Boys: P.T. Cardinals, Tucson, Arizona

Players: Elijah Anderson, Chase Birdsong, Bryce Cord, Aydan Guenther, Cailin Knapp, Ezekiel Marshall, Jayshawn Ross, David Scott Coaches: Josh Ahlvin, John Carioscia 13-14 Girls: T.T. Cardinals, Tucson, Arizona Players: Rylan Bourguet, Logan Cole, Gianna Mares, Vivana Martinez, Makayla Roebuck, Tayvn Rogers, Kyana Vieux, Kyra Vieux, Emma Villaescusa, Sophia Warrick Coaches: Sean Roebuck, Trenton Bourguet In 2017, more than 400,000 boys and girls ages 5-17 were part of NFL FLAG Powered by USA Football, a fun and dynamic non-contact football experience for kids that emphasizes safety, teamwork, self-esteem, discipline and goal-setting.

About NFL FLAG Powered by USA Football: NFL FLAG Powered by USA Football (www.nflflag. com) provides opportunities for children ages 5-17 to enjoy America’s favorite sport. With more than 400,000 participants nationwide, players benefit by

being physically active through non-contact, continuous action while learning the fundamentals of football, lessons in teamwork and sportsmanship. NFL FLAG is a program of PLAY 60, the NFL’s campaign to encourage kids to be active for 60 minutes a day in order to help reverse the trend of childhood obesity.

Page 4 Florida Sporting News • 2/1/18 - 2/15/18

SUPER BOWL LII: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES VS. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

by Michael Attardi a “worst-to-first” turnaround, are the first team since the 2009 New Orleans Saints to win its division the season after finishing in or tied for last place and advance to the Super Bowl.

Two teams. One game. It all comes down to this.

On Sunday, February 4, the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots will meet in Super Bowl LII (6:30 PM ET, NBC) at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota.

Super Bowl LII will feature the No. 1 seed in each conference – the NFC champion Eagles against the AFC champion Patriots. It also marks a rematch of Super Bowl XXXIX when New England defeated Philadelphia 24-21 on February 6, 2005 in Jacksonville.

This is the third Super Bowl in which each team ranked in the top five in both points scored and fewest points allowed (Super Bowls IV and XIII). The Eagles were third in points scored (28.57 points per game) and fourth in points against (18.4) while the Patriots ranked second in points scored (28.63) and fifth in points against (18.5).

The Eagles earned a berth in the Super Bowl with a 38-7 win over Minnesota in the NFC Championship Game.

Philadelphia, which scored the final 38 points in the win over the Vikings, became the third team to head to a Super Bowl on a scoring run of at least 38 points.

Philadelphia advanced to the Super Bowl for the third time in franchise history (1980 and 2004) and the Eagles are looking for the team’s first Super Bowl title.

The Eagles, led by second-year head coach DOUG PEDERSON, tied a franchise record with 13 regular-season wins (2004) and earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the fourth time since 2002. The Eagles, who completed

“It’s a tremendous feeling to be going to the Super Bowl,” says Pederson. “I love coaching this football team. I love coaching these players. The thing about this team is that despite all the adversity that surrounds the team, these guys don’t listen to that. I don’t listen to that. They come to work and practice hard every day. They love being around each other. One of our goals was to be the NFC champions and represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. And now we’ve got our work cut out for us. We’re going to the Super Bowl and we still have some unfinished business ahead of us.”

Philadelphia quarterback NICK FOLES completed 26 of 33 passes (78.8 percent) for 352 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 141.4 passer rating in the NFC Championship Game victory. Foles is the only quarterback in NFL history to record a 100+ passer rating in each of his first three career postseason starts (minimum 20 attempts per game). In this year’s postseason, he has completed 49 of 63 passes (77.8 percent) for 598 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 122.1 passer rating.

Foles, who has taken over for injured Pro Bowl quarterback CARSON WENTZ, is only the fourth quarterback in the Super Bowl era to win two postseason games after making three or fewer starts in the regular season. The other three quarterbacks to accomplish the feat are DOUG WILLIAMS (1987 Redskins), JEFF HOSTETLER (1990 Giants) and FRANK REICH (1992 Bills). Reich currently serves as Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator.

Eagles running back LE GARRETTE BLOUNT, who has rushed for a touchdown in both playoff games this season, has 10 rushing TDs in his postseason career, the most among active players. Running back JAY AJAYI has led the team in rushing in both of the club’s postseason victories. The Eagles ranked third in the NFL this season averaging 132.2 rushing yards per game.

Philadelphia wide receiver ALSHON JEFFERY had two touchdown receptions in the NFC Championship Game and wide receiver TORREY SMITH added one touch-

down catch. Eagles tight end ZACH ERTZ led the team with eight receptions and 93 receiving yards against the Vikings. Foles became the first quarterback in NFL history with completions of at least 40 yards to three different receivers in a single postseason game – Jeffery (53 yards), NELSON AGHOLOR (42) and Smith (41). Additionally, Foles connected with Ertz on a 36-yard pass play.

Eagles cornerback PATRICK ROBINSON had a 50-yard interception-return touchdown in the NFC Championship Game, his first career postseason interception. Philadelphia rookie defensive end DEREK BARNETT, the team’s first-round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft (No. 14 overall), had a sack and forced fumble, which was recovered by defensive end CHRIS LONG. Long and Blount were both members of last season’s New England team which won Super Bowl LI. “We have great players and coaches in this locker room and I knew we’d be able to compete for this,” says Long.

“We’ve earned this opportunity but that’s all it is. We still have a lot of work to do.”

Philadelphia had six players selected to the 2018 Pro Bowl: guard BRANDON BROOKS, defensive tackle FLETCHER COX, tight end Ertz, safety MALCOLM JENKINS, tackle LANE JOHNSON and quarterback Wentz.

The Patriots advanced to their NFL-record 10th Super Bowl by defeating Jacksonville 24-20 in the AFC Championship Game. New England, which won Super Bowl LI, is looking to repeat as Super Bowl champions for the second time in franchise history (XXXVIII and XXXIX).

Patriots head coach BILL BELICHICK and quarterback TOM BRADY will be making their eighth Super Bowl appearance together, the most NFL title games for any head coach and starting quarterback duo in league history.

Belichick and Brady have won five Super Bowls together, the most by a head coach and starting quarterback combination.

“You cherish these moments and opportunities,” says Brady. “I know we’ve had quite a few of them, which we’ve been very blessed to do. It’s just been an unbelievable run and I think everyone should be really proud continue on page 8

2/1/18 - 2/15/18 • Florida Sporting News

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FitStation powered by HP to inform personalized footwear for NFL players league-wide Palo Alto, Calif., Jan. 29, 2018 – HP Inc. and the NFL today announced the use of an innovative new footwear solution— FitStation powered by HP—that uses 3D scanning to provide players with personalized cleat recommendations.

This dual hardware and software platform captures 3D scans of the foot, foot pressure measurements and dynamic gait analysis to create uniquely individual digital profiles, and uses proprietary algorithms to match the digital profile of a player with previously scanned 3D images of Nike, Adidas and Under Armour football cleats. All 32 NFL teams have adopted HP’s technology, and it will be fully operational in every team equipment room by the start of next season.

“We are proud to have HP onboard as an official sponsor and have the ability for the League and each of its 32 clubs to tap into their innovative 3D scanning technology,” said Renie Anderson, Senior Vice President of Sponsorship and Partnership Management for the NFL. “The NFL’s number one priority is continuing to enhance player safety and performance and by utilizing HP’s technology to give our players personalized cleat recommendations we’re able to continue that mission.”

As part of the NFL’s ongoing commitment to enhance player health and safety, the league’s Musculoskeletal Committee, which analyzes injury data and trends and studies injury mechanisms and prevention, selected HP’s FitStation platform for its ability to produce uniquely individualized data to inform shoe selection that best matches the anatomy.

kle sprains,” said Dr. Richard Kent, a professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Emergency Medicine at the University of Virginia and a member of the NFL Musculoskeletal Committee.

FitStation captures up to 500 precise measurements per second. The high-quality 3D scanner contains nine cameras to automate length, width and archheight calculation for a custom fit.

“FitStation is a truly disruptive platform that supports the high safety standards of the NFL and can help personalize players’ cleats,” said Louis Kim, global head of Immersive Computing, Personal Systems, HP Inc. “We see tremendous opportunities for FitStation to help athletes in the NFL and other sports perform at their best. It’s the latest example of how HP technology is fueling the future of computing.”

About FitStation Powered by HP

“A shoe is not just about performance, it is an important piece of protective equipment. In the NFL, lower limb injuries are responsible for a significant amount of player time lost. A better-designed shoe can be a protective mechanism against injuries such as turf toe, Lisfranc fractures, and high an-

FitStation is reinventing the in-store retail experience for shoppers with innovative, endto-end footwear technology that provides precise fit and individualized products. The digital foot scanning platform allows customers to create a profile and receive personalized off-the-shelf shoe recommendations3. With FitStation’s 3D scanning capabilities, it collects the customer’s foot length, width, and volumetric data and compares that to the available shoes to determine the most ideal fit.

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West Orange Boys Basketball

by Kaden Bauer

WINTER GARDEN – As the West Orange Warriors Boys Basketball regular season comes to an end, they look as if they will have to fight for a winning season. The Warriors are 11-11 with only three regular season games left. However the Warriors have managed to dominate their district and go 4-1 so a post season does look promising.

Windermere Wolverines (14-6) in a game that ended 71 to 58 that took place earlier this month. The Warriors have had some solid wins over the past month as well. On the 18th the Warriors defeated the Olympia Titans 64-58 in front of an electric home crowd as West Orange High School as well as a tough match against the Evans Trojans 42-40 in a game that went down to the wire.

7th against the Jones Fightin’ Tigers (13-8) followed by the Central Florida Christian Academy Eagles (19-3) on Friday the 10th.

All three of these games are against really tough teams that will surely challenge the Warriors and amp them up for their district playoff games in a couple of weeks.

Coach Jones will be counting on players like The Warriors are just coming off a tough senior KJ Simon and junior Darrell Harding loss to cross town rivals Apopka Blue DartLooking forward, Head Coach Eric Jones to continue playing well and lead the Warers (12-8) who are on an impressive 5 win will be looking to win their last three games riors to a couple of wins. KJ Simon leads the streak and look to be West Orange’s toughest in order to get some momentum heading into team in PPG with 18.4 and Darrell Harding challenge going into the district playoffs in districts. Their next game will be against follows with 8.9 but he leads the team in the next couple of weeks. They lost by 11 the Edgewater Eagles (16-4) on Thursday, RPG with 6.8. points in a 77-66 loss. The Warriors also February 1st at West Orange. After that they had a tough loss against their sister school play another home game on Wednesday the

Number Three Ranked West Orange Bow Out to Olympia

by Greyson Everidge

WINDERMERE – Fourth ranked in their district after a series of games which saw them miss players to a unique conflict, West Orange were matched up against their rivals Olympia in the semi-final match. Coming to

no surprise, fans from both sides packed the stands for the game at 7, and by the opening kickoff both teams were ready to play. In their first regular season matchup, the West Orange Warriors outplayed Olympia but

eventually drew at a score of 1-1 after a hard fought game which left fans thinking about a possible future matchup later on in the season.

This time around, things did not go as well for the Warriors, who would end up losing 4-0 on the night. West Orange started the game with a shot on goal in the first minute by Noah Lewis, after a long ball from the kickoff which saw Marco Riberio lay it off to Lewis whose shot was saved by the keeper.

After putting the pressure on for around 5-10 minutes, the Warriors were scored on against the run of play by Olympia to make the score 1-1. Around five minutes after that, Olympia Captain Juan Garcia would score off of a shot which found the left hand side of the net.

The Warriors went into the half 2-0 down, but having comeback before against teams with better records than Olympia they were all but out of the fight. It would however get worse for the Warriors, who would be scored on two more times right after the half to lose by a score of 4-0.

The second half largely saw the Warriors press down on their offensive side of the field, and took many shots on goal which narrowly missed or were saved, which kept the score at 4-0 rather than an arguably deserved 4-2 or 4-3 score line.

The Titans walked away having pulled off an upset, and will play against Dr. Phillips in the championship match on Friday February 2 at 7 p.m.

2/1/18 - 2/15/18 • Florida Sporting News

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Windermere Prep Soccer Wrap Up

by Kaden Bauer

WINDERMERE – The Windermere Prep Lakers soccer team pulled out yet another winning season with an overall record of 9-8-1 in the regular season. The Lakers lead by head coach Jonathan Griffiths scored a total of 54 goals this season while only giving up 30. The Lakers also managed to impress their home crowd by winning most of their home games.

The Windermere Prep Lakers ended their otherwise successful season with a loss against the Cornerstone Charter Academy Ducks (12-8-1) in a 2-1 loss that saw all three goals of the game being scored in the first half of the game. For the most part the Lakers won, and they won big. Five of their nine

wins came with shutouts and four of those were 8-0 whopping’s that saw the Lakers mercy their opponents and finish the game before regular time was even finished. They also finished off Mount Dora Christian Academy Bulldogs (2-8) earlier in the season in a 9-1 beating that also counts as a “mercy”. The Lakers one tie came against the Umatilla Bulldogs on Windermere Prep’s senior night in a scoreless 0-0 draw.

The Lakers did lose some of their games but they hardly ever lost by much. For the most part the Lakers fought to the very end in every game and managed to keep the score line close and within two goals for the most part. One of their hardest fought

losses was a 3-2 loss in overtime against the St. Edwards Pirates in their conference semi-final. The Lakers did manage to snag 3rd place after beating the Legacy Charter Eagles 1-0. The Lakers biggest loss of the season came against a tough Bishop Moore side that has gone 21-4-2 in their season.

The game ended in an 8-0 loss for the Lakers.

The Lakers had their season ended by Bishop Moore in another 8-0 loss in the FHSAA Class 2A, District 7 tournament in the first round. Coach Griffiths will be looking to move past this loss and will be looking forward to next season and hopefully another winning season.

Windermere Prep Basketball Sitting Strong In Their District

by Greyson Everidge

WINDERMERE – The Windermere Prep Lakers Basketball team are sitting strong in their district as the end of the regular season approaches with a current record of (4-1). The Lakers are also preforming well outside of their district, as their overall record sits at a record of (11-12).

Jules recorded 21 points out of the teams 66 against The Villages Charter, accounting for nearly a third of all points scored in the game. The story is the same for the rest of the season, as Jules leads the team or nearly leads the teams scoring in a majority of their matchups this season.

Despite starting their season with three losses out of their opening five games, the Lakers record two good wins in those opening matchups against opponents such as Seffner Christian and The Villages Charter.

Another key player for the Lakers is Rahsaan Lewis, who is a major scorer for Windermere Prep.

Lewis is a multi-sport athlete, and was a standout on the Lakers football team who went undefeated in the fall of 2017.

The Lakers have been led this season by a few standout players, such as senior Shaquan Jules.

Right after Christmas break, Windermere went on a three game winning streak which helped move

them into the New Year, capturing wins against East Jackson, Windermere High and Oxbridge Academy.

Currently, the Lakers have two more games in the regular season, with Holy Trinity Episcopal on February 2 and Bishop Moore on February 6. Windermere will look to capture two more wins which could see them take their overall record positive, while maintaining a (4-1) district record.

As playoffs near, Windermere stand a very good chance at capturing a district championship and are certain to continue to work hard and preform for the remainder of their season.

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NFL PROVIDES $1 MILLION GRANT TO MINNESOTA SUPER BOWL HOST COMMITTEE LEGACY FUND Minnesota Host Committee Matches Grant for Total of More than $5.5 Million NFL and Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee Executives Presented 52nd and Final Grant of 52 Weeks of Giving Campaign to Anwatin Middle Schoo The Super Bowl leaves an impact long after the final whistle. As it does each year, the NFL seeks to improve the surrounding communities of the Super Bowl host city with a financial donation and community engagement. This year, the NFL Foundation provided a $1 million grant to the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee’s Legacy Fund to support charitable projects and health and wellness programs throughout the greater Minnesota community. The Minnesota Host Committee matched the grant for a total of more than $5.5 million invested in communities across Minnesota.

SUPER BOWL LII: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES VS. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS continue from page 2

of what we’ve accomplished. I’m proud of our team. It’s been a great year and it would be really great if we can take care of business in the next game.”

Belichick has led the Patriots to five Super Bowl titles, the most in NFL history. With a victory in Super Bowl LII, Belichick will pass Pro Football Hall of Famer VINCE LOMBARDI and tie Pro Football Hall of Famers GEORGE HALAS and CURLY LAMBEAU with the most NFL championships (six) in league history. Brady, who is making his NFL-record eighth career Super Bowl start, is the only starting quarterback in league history to win five Super Bowls and the only player ever to be named Super Bowl MVP four times (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XLIX and LI).

Brady, who set a Super Bowl record with 466 passing yards last year, is the all-time leader in Super Bowl passing yards (2,071), completions (207), passing attempts (309) and touchdown passes (15). He is also the NFL postseason leader in wins by a starting quarterback (27), completions (892), passing attempts (1,416), passing yards (9,721) and touchdown passes (68).

NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL, Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee CEO MAUREEN BAUSCH, Minnesota Governor MARK DAYTON, U.S. Senator AMY KLOBUCHAR and Minnesota Vikings owner LENNY WILF gathered to recognize the recipients of this year’s Super Bowl Legacy Program Grants at Anwatin Middle School. As the final grant recipient in the Super Bowl Host Committee’s 52 Weeks of Giving Campaign, Anwatin Middle School received a $220,000 grant encompassing this year’s strategic areas of giving: fun, fuels and fundamentals.

The grant will help Anwatin upgrade its athletic field to support flag football and other sports and recreation activities and establish an indigenous garden at the school. Anwatin Middle School students also participated in a flag football clinic led by Minnesota Vikings

Legend EJ HENDERSON and received Character Playbook, the NFL and United Way’s digital character education program powered by digital learning innovator EverFi, that helps middle school students learn how to cultivate and maintain healthy relationships.

“The Super Bowl represents much more than just the game. Each year, the NFL makes lasting changes in the communities of the Super Bowl host region,” said NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL. “The Super Bowl Legacy Grant Program enables us to help address the specific needs in this area and leave an impact the league and the community can be proud of long after the game is over. We are honored to work with the Host Committee to improve the health and wellness of Minnesota’s children.”

In the AFC Championship Game, the Patriots overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter (20-10) as Brady threw two touchdown passes to wide receiver DANNY AMENDOLA to pull out the victory. Belichick and Brady have won four postseason games in which the Patriots have trailed by at least 10 points in the fourth quarter, the most in NFL history by a head coach and quarterback combination. No other duo has accomplished the feat more than once. The Patriots overcame a 19-point fourth-quarter deficit (28-9) to win Super Bowl LI last season.

New England tight end ROB GRONKOWSKI has 10 touchdown receptions in his postseason career and trails only Pro Football Hall of Famers JERRY RICE (22) and JOHN STALLWORTH (12) for the most in NFL playoff history. Gronkowski’s 856 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions are the most ever by a tight end in NFL postseason history.

“We all believe in each other,” says safety DEVIN MC COURTY. “This team is battle tested. We’ve gone through ups and downs. We’ve gone through adversity. You just have to keep playing. When you have a foundation that you can lean on, you don’t panic. You understand and believe in each other and you just give yourself a chance to win.”

Patriots running back JAMES WHITE, who scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) in Super Bowl LI, has scored six touchdowns (four rushing, two receiving) in his past three postseason games. Over the past two postseasons (2016 and 2017), White leads the NFL with seven total touchdowns and 44 points scored.

The Patriots have recorded 11 sacks in the postseason, the most in the NFL. Eight different players have registered at least one sack in this year’s playoffs, the most by any team. Three Patriots – rookie defensive tackle ADAM BUTLER and defensive ends GENEO GRISSOM and rookie DEATRICH WISE, JR. – have each recorded two sacks in this postseason. New England linebacker JAMES HARRISON has 11 career postseason sacks, tied for the fifth-most in the NFL since the individual sack became an official statistic in 1982.

The Patriots had four players selected to the 2018 Pro Bowl: quarterback Brady, fullback JAMES DEVELIN, tight end Gronkowski and special teamer MATTHEW SLATER. Additionally, safety McCourty and tackle NATE SOLDER were named to the team as alternates.

SERVING ALL OF HURRICANE IRMA RELIEF FAMILIES FOR THE LOCAL ORLANDO AREA

2/1/18 - 2/15/18 • Florida Sporting News

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ATLANTA FALCONS WIDE RECEIVER ANDRE ROBERTS NAMED 2017 SALUTE TO SERVICE AWARD The NFL and USAA awarded Atlanta Falcons wide receiver ANDRE ROBERTS with the 2017 Salute to Service Award presented by USAA. The award was created to acknowledge the exceptional efforts by members of the NFL community to honor and support members of the military community.

Roberts, whose parents served in the U.S. Army and is widely engaged in military appreciation events with the Falcons, will be recognized at NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime awards special to air nationally on Feb. 3, the eve of Super Bowl LII, at 9 PM (ET and PT) on NBC. NFL Honors will be taped earlier that evening at Northrop at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

USAA, a leading provider of insurance and other services to U.S. military members, veterans and their families, will contribute $25,000 in Roberts’ honor to the official aid societies representing all five military branches.

“Andre’s support of the military community is authentic, genuine and greatly appreciated. Having grown up the son of two Army members, he knows the sacrifices military members and their families make,” said Vice Admiral (Ret.) JOHN BIRD, USAA Senior Vice President of Military Affairs.

“Giving back to those who are willing to give all makes Andre a well-deserving recipient of this award.”

Andre Roberts’ passion for the military stems from his childhood, growing up with parents serving in the U.S. Army. Throughout his time in the NFL, Andre has participated in numerous military appreciation activities with his respective teams. In his short time with the Atlanta Falcons, Andre has expressed ex-

ROBERTS. “The men and women of the U.S. Armed Services are the greatest collection of heroes in our world today. I’m honored to salute their service and I’m forever grateful for the military heritage of my mother and father, both Army veterans, as well as the values of service to country and fellow man I received at the Citadel.

May God bless the brave men, women, and families of the U.S. military who have sacrificed so much for our great country.”

Andre’s reach goes beyond team-based military community service and well into a deeply diversified off-season travel schedule to military bases across the nation. He volunteers his time to camps offered to youth in grades 1-8 that take place in two three-hour sessions on consecutive days. The camp consists of different stations that include instructional learning and competitive-based games.

treme gratitude to the military with multiple visits to local VA hospitals, spending a day fishing with veterans at ‘Fishing with the Falcons’ and selecting the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) as his organization for My Cause, My Cleats. His coach, Dan Quinn, was the 2016 recipient of the Salute to Service Award.

“True heroism is measured by a person’s willingness to sacrifice themselves for the safety and freedom of others,” said Atlanta Falcons wide receiver and 2017 Salute to Service award recipient ANDRE

In October 2017, all 32 NFL clubs nominated coaches, active and retired players, and team executives and personnel, who best demonstrated support for the military community. The nominees were publicly announced in November and the submissions were evaluated by a panel of judges, including last year’s award recipient, Atlanta Falcons head coach DAN QUINN. Nominees’ credentials are evaluated based on the positive effect of the individual’s efforts on the military community, the type of service conducted, the thoroughness of the program and level of commitment.

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FOX SPORTS REACHES FIVE YEAR RIGHTS AGREEMENT WITH NFL TO BROADCAST THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL New York – The National Football League, America’s most popular sports league and home to the most popular programming on television, today reached an agreement with FOX Sports, the leader in live sports events, to broadcast the next five seasons of Thursday Night Football beginning with the 2018 season. The announcement was made together today by Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner and Peter Rice, President of 21st Century Fox. “This agreement is the culmination of over 10 years of strategic growth around Thursday Night Football, a period during which this property has grown from a handful of late season games on NFL Network to a full season of games and one of the most popular shows on broadcast television with additional distribution via cable and digital chan-

nels,” said Goodell. “As one of the leaders in sports television and a recognized innovator of NFL game broadcasts for many years, we’re excited to be extending our partnership with FOX Sports, one of our most trusted and valued partners, to include Thursday Night Football.”

The agreement awards FOX Sports with a five year deal that includes 11 games between Weeks 4-15 (excluding Thanksgiving night) to be broadcast on FOX, simulcast via NFL Network, and distributed in Spanish on FOX Deportes. In addition, NFL Network will exclusively televise seven games next season, with FOX producing the full slate of 18 games. As home to the No. 1 NFL package for the past 24 seasons, FOX Sports complements its current Sunday NFC package agreement with the addition of Thursday Night Football.

This landmark announcement allows FOX Sports and the NFL to each expand its digital rights, enabling the network to distribute both Thursday Night Football and its Sunday games to FOX subscribers over a wide array of digital platforms including mobile phones for the first time. The agreement also allows the NFL to further develop digital distribution models for Thursday Night Football as well as FOX’s Sunday games.

“Football is in our blood at FOX and we understand that nothing beats the NFL when it comes to television that captures people’s attention,” said Rice. “Our historic relationship with the NFL dates back to the earliest days of FOX, and we couldn’t be more excited to expand our deep and enduring partnership to include primetime games on Thursday night.”

The NFL is the most valuable content in all of sports with nine of television’s 10 most-watched programs of the calendar year in 2017. The 201718 FOX NFL regular season came to a close with AMERICA’S GAME OF THE WEEK averaging 22,745,000 viewers which ranks as televisions No. 1 show for the ninth straight year. Additionally, FOX NFL KICKOFF (11:00 AM ET) and FOX NFL SUNDAY (12:00 PM ET) enter the 2018 season as the No. 1 NFL pregame shows in their respective time slots. The OT, FOX’s postgame show ranks 8th among prime time’s top-20 programs.

This marks the fifth media rights deal between FOX Sports and the NFL dating back to the landmark agreement struck in December 1993 that essentially solidified FOX as a major broadcast network.

2/1/18 - 2/15/18 • Florida Sporting News

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