how he’s pl

Zach Strief’s eyes watered up and the normally loquacious Saints right tackle struggled to speak at times as he discussed his decision to end of a 12-year NFL career that exceeded his ”wildest imagination.”
He did not Braden Smith Colts Jersey , however, lose his sense of humor.
Strief, who announced his retirement Monday, said he considered walking away after the 2016 season, but was driven by a sense of obligation to his team – particularly quarterback Drew Brees – to play at least one more year.
”There was no clear replacement on the roster and I knew if I was at home watching TV and Drew was getting hit and I felt like I could have helped, I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself,” Strief said. ”It’s much easier knowing that there’s someone there that’s going to play at a high level for him. So this is all Ryan Ramczyk’s fault.”
Ramczyk, a late first round draft choice last year, blossomed his rookie season, much of which he spent at right tackle after Strief’s Week 4 knee injury, which wound up ending the veteran lineman’s season.
Strief’s health wouldn’t have stopped him from coming back, but the 34-year-old’s priorities are changing. He became a father about two months ago and is part owner of a New Orleans microbrewery, where he said with a grin that he hopes to meet every last member of the Saints’ fan base.
”I am not above shameless self-promotion Andy Dalton Bengals Jersey ,” the often self-effacing Strief added, drawing laughs from a crowd of family and well-wishers that included coach Sean Payton and long-time teammates including Brees, running back Mark Ingram, All-Pro defensive end Cameron Jordan and punter Thomas Morstead.
Some retired Saints that Strief played with early in his career – including Steve Gleason and Deuce McAllister – also attended.
To Payton, Strief said, ”You took a chance on me when no one else would. Your faith in me has changed my life.”
To general manager Mickey Loomis: ”You kept me around for a long time, admittedly to your own surprise. If I was honest, I’d say it surprised me as well.”
He told Brees: ”My greatest drive as a player was not to let you down. You’re the greatest leader I’ve ever been around and I admire you so much.”
The 6-foot-7, 340-pound Strief, a Cincinnati native, was a seventh-round draft choice out of Northwestern in 2006. That was Payton’s first season and the Saints’ first year back in New Orleans after being displaced to San Antonio by Hurricane Katrina.
Strief recalled struggling in his first training camp and all but making up his mind to quit, but his father urged him to stick it out and some timely encouragement from then-assistant coach Terry Malone persuaded him to persevere.
Strief wound up being part of the most successful era in franchise history, which included a Super Bowl triumph in the 2009 season.
He was a regular reserve during much of his first five seasons Brian Urlacher Bears Jersey , routinely rotating onto the field for tackle-eligible formations. He became a starter in 2011 on an offense that set an NFL single-season record with 7,474 yards.
While quickness and agility weren’t necessarily Strief’s greatest assets, Payton said Strief’s size, strength, intelligence and character made him an elite lineman.
Payton called Strief ”an expert at his craft,” adding, ”We never insert someone just because they’re a good guy and they’re smart.”
Strief counted among his career highlights a game in which was on the field, but not in uniform. He was a healthy scratch for the Saints’ emotional and triumphant first home game in the rebuilt Superdome in September 2006.
”I got to see this city at its worst and for 12 years it’s gotten better,” Strief said. ”I’ve gotten to be a part of not only this organization kind of growing to where it is today, but also this city. So it’s very hard not to become attached to that.”
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One bad inning seems to spoil every Michael Fulmer start.
The Detroit Tigers right-hander can look overpowering most of the time, but the opposition catches up to him at some point.
In Cincinnati three starts ago, he dominated for five innings before giving up two home runs in the sixth.
Against Oakland in his next outing, he lasted eight innings but gave up three runs in the third. Facing the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday Will Hernandez Jersey , Fulmer tossed four scoreless innings but allowed three runs in the fifth.
He wound up with two losses and a no-decision in those starts. He’ll try to break the habit in the finale of a four-game series against the Texas Rangers on Sunday afternoon.
“Overall, it’s just kind of eliminating that one big inning,” Fulmer said of his struggles. “I feel like that’s what it is every start. If I can just keep the crooked numbers off the scoreboard every inning and just try to put up zeroes the best I can, the results will come eventually. I know I’ve been saying that for a while, but I feel like we’re close and I’m still happy with my stuff right now.”
Fulmer (3-7, 4.22 ERA) has posted one victory in his last seven outings. Run support has been spotty at best for him this season — he has given up two or fewer runs in eight starts — but he’d rather make things easier on his team.
“I feel like any given start, it just needs one complete game and we’re going to turn the corner,” he said. “Everything else feels good. I feel healthy, I feel strong and you can see that by the way I’m executing my pitches.”
Fulmer is 1-1 with a 4.58 ERA in three career starts against the Rangers. He can take inspiration from Jordan Zimmermann’s performance Friday after the veteran right-hander limited Texas to one run in eight innings and struck out 11.
“His command (Friday) was impeccable,” Fulmer said. “The biggest key for myself is trying to command the ball a little better.”
Detroit got another strong start Saturday from Mike Fiers, who gave up one run in six innings of the Tigers’ 7-1 win.
Right-hander Austin Bibens-Dirkx (1-2, 4.40) will oppose Fulmer. He has made three starts since being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock.
Bibens-Dirkx gave up five runs in six innings against Houston in his last start, but it could have been worse. All the runs came in the first three innings James Daniels Jersey , but he settled down and retired nine of the last 12 batters he faced.
This will be Bibens-Dirkx’s first career start against the Tigers, but he tossed 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief last season. He’s 4-1 with a 3.81 ERA in 14 road appearances (five starts) since making his major league debut as a 32-year-old last season.
Texas designated hitter Shin-Shoo Choo can establish a franchise on-base record Sunday. He tied Julio Franco’s 1993 mark by reaching base for the 46th consecutive game Saturday.
He had two doubles after homering Friday despite dealing with a quad injury.
“Very impressive what Choo’s doing,” manager Jeff Banister said. “Any time a player is battling through some nagging things and continuing to go out and perform is highly impressive. He’s a tremendous player. For me, it’s not just the on-base (streak), it’s how he’s playing, how he’s swinging the bat, the power, the extra-base hits and the walks.”
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