NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Saints made their first major moves of what is expected to be a challenging off-season on Wednesday, releasing strong safety Roman Harper, outside linebacker and defensive end Will Smith, and cornerback Jabari Greer.
Wholesale Jerseys US . General manager Mickey Loomis also says the club does not intend to re-sign free-agent linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who has been hampered by recurring knee injuries the past few seasons. "These were not easy decisions to make," Loomis said in written comments released by the club. "Since we acquired them, Jabari, Roman, Will and Jonathan have all been excellent players on the field for us. Each of them were integral parts in turning this program around and winning a Super Bowl. They were a great example to our players as team leaders in the locker room as well. "However, a new NFL year is about to begin and, with the start of free agency in March, these difficult moves allow us to position our team under the salary cap to move forward for 2014," Loomis added. The Saints have said they intend to retain free-agent Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham, either through a franchise tag or long-term extension, and both options will require financial flexibility. Wednesdays moves will save nearly $17 million in 2014. Saints coach Sean Payton said Smith, Harper, Vilma and Greer were "right there at the top" of all the great players he has coached or been around in his coaching career. "These are disciplined, smart, tough and team-oriented individuals," Payton said. "They all played an important role in helping this team and this city win its first Super Bowl and they have all enjoyed multiple playoff appearances and wins." Smith is a former first-round pick of the Saints in 2004 and had a team-leading 13 sacks during New Orleans Super Bowl season. However, he was widely expected to be released after this season, which he missed after tearing knee ligaments late in the preseason. He was scheduled to be paid $10.4 million in base salary alone this season. He has played in 139 games for the Saints, accumulating 67 1/2 career sacks. Harper was New Orleanss second round draft choice in 2006 and has since started 104 games. He went to Pro Bowls after the 2009 and 2010 season and his 17 career sacks are the most ever by a Saints defensive back. His base salary for 2014 was set at $2.35 million. As the moves became public, Harper posted a note on the social media website Twitter, thanking New Orleans fans for "the 8 years of .GreatMemories .WHODAT .SBXLIVCHAMPS." Greer, scheduled to earn $4 million in base salary next season, joined New Orleans as a free agent in 2009, immediately sliding into a starting role he held until a serious knee injury against San Francisco in mid-November, which ended his season. He intercepted nine passes in his five seasons in New Orleans, returning two for TDs. Vilma was acquired in a trade with the New York Jets in 2008. He led New Orleans in tackles during his first three season with the club and selected to Pro Bowls in 2009 and 2010. In 70 games with New Orleans, he was credited with 530 tackles, eight sacks, six interceptions, five forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries. Last season, however, Vilma began the season on the physically unable to perform list because of his recurring knee problems. He returned for only one game before sitting out the rest of the season, and on Wednesday he seemed to be comfortable with the Saints decision not to engage him in further contract talks. On Twitter, he wrote: "Couple pro bowls and a superbowl ring later, I couldnt have written that chapter any better. .WhoDat" Like Smith, he was a defensive captain, but also like Smith, was implicated by the NFL as a ring-leader in a cash-for-hits bounty program that the league said the Saints ran from 2009-2011. Both players have always denied they ran a bounty pool as described by the NFL and successfully overturned suspensions. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, meanwhile, has maintained the leagues findings were accurate.
Wholesale Jerseys USA . -- Michael Phelps has competed in the second event of his comeback and failed to advance to the 50-meter freestyle final.
Wholesale Jerseys China . During the morning loop on TSN, SportsCentre presents Purple Hearts, a TSN Original feature on Daron Richardson, daughter of former NHL defenceman Luke Richardson, who took her own life at the age of 14. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Syracuse was teetering on the brink, trailing nemesis Pittsburgh by a point with less than two minutes to play and the home crowd doing its best to rattle the Panthers. Amid all that late-game drama on Saturday stood Orange freshman point guard Tyler Ennis, an island of serenity inside the raucous Carrier Dome, and he simply did what he does best -- he took control. Ennis, from Brampton, Ont., converted two layups -- one with each hand through the middle of the Pitt defence -- and swished two free throws to complete a 16-point afternoon for the No. 2 Orange, who won 59-54 and improved to 18-0 and 5-0 atop the Atlantic Coast Conference. "He made some of the best plays that Ive seen in a long time," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said, comparing Ennis with Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara, who as freshmen led the Orange to the 2003 national championship. "You dont get to the basket against Pittsburgh." Ennis shrugged, happy that his team had won again. "Its really just the perfect situation," said Ennis, another of those rising stars from Canada. "I have a lot of teammates who have a lot of confidence and can make plays, and they make me look really good." The low-key Ennis hasnt attracted the attention usually associated with such a key player -- heck, he doesnt even have a tattoo -- but hes easily one of the best freshmen in the country. Entering this week, his assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.13 (99 assists with 24 turnovers) ranked fourth nationally, and only two other freshmen were in the top 50. Virginias London Perrantes was 33rd at 2.77 (61 assists, 22 turnovers), while UCLAs Bryce Alford was 48th at 2.57 (54 assists, 21 turnovers). "Ive used the word comical a lot this year. His assist-to-turnover ratio is almost comical," said McNamara, who coaches the Orange guards. "His feel is as good as Ive ever watched. I said that about Michael (Carter-Williams) last year. Tylers in that same realm. Its difficult to speed him up. He plays at the pace that he wants to play at." Even Enniss dad, Tony McIntyre, cant explain his sons emotional maturity. ";He has always been that way.
Wholesale Jerseys Supply. He doesnt show much emotion," said McIntyre, co-founder of the AAU basketball program CIA Bounce in the Toronto suburb of Brampton, Ontario. "Early on, I had to ask him, Do you even like basketball? It seems like youre bored. He said, I get excited when my players do well. "Hes just a smart kid. He thinks like a coach. If hes panicky, everybody else will panic. A point guard is supposed to be out there to make the four guys with him the best. Guys play harder with a guy they know theyll get the ball from, and hes never not won." Despite the departure of last seasons backcourt -- Brandon Triche graduated after four years and Carter-Williams was an NBA lottery pick after his stellar sophomore season -- the Orange are riding high with the 6-foot-2 Ennis running the offence. He also ranks third on the team in scoring (11.9), second in minutes (33.6), and tops in steals (48), a threat to eclipse the school record of 111 set last season by Carter-Williams. "Hes making everybody else score," said Orange guard Trevor Cooney, whos rediscovered his shooting touch with Ennis at his side, averaging nearly 14 points. "Hes always going to make the right play, and that makes us so much better." His dad said it all started 19 years ago. "Within four days after he was born, we brought the stroller into the gym with him in it," McIntyre said. "From that day, he never spent a day without basketball. He didnt have a choice." However, he played lacrosse and spent time on Canadas national game as a youngster. That helped hone Enniss basketball skills because he learned the nuances of the screen and roll. "He really excelled at it," McIntyre said. "At that time, he was way better in lacrosse." Not anymore. "We knew he was going to be great. We knew the potential and the maturity on the floor," said Mark Taylor, Enniss high school coach at St. Benedicts Prep in New Jersey. "He never gets out of control and hes the same off the court. Thats a rare thing -- to have a player that calm and humble."
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