Giants sign WR Travis Toivonen to practice squad

The New York Giants have re-signed wide receiver Travis Toivonen to their practice squad.

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The New York Giants announced on Wednesday that they have re-signed wide receiver Travis Toivonen to their practice squad.

Toivonen, 23, went undrafted out of North Dakota in 2020 and later spent time in the Fan Controlled Football League. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks in June but was later released.

The 6-foot-4, 212-pound Toivonen was then signed by the Giants in late October before having his practice squad contract terminated in November. Now he’s back.

In four seasons at North Dakota, Toivonen hauled in 139 receptions for 1,719 yards and 13 touchdowns, including including 48 receptions for 684 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior.

Despite Toivonen’s addition and injury concerns mounting at the wide receiver position, do not expect him to be elevated for a Week 14 game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

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Bills at Buccaneers: 3 key matchups in Week 14

#Bills at #Buccaneers: 3 key matchups in Week 14″

The Buffalo Bills will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their upcoming Week 14 game.

While the stakes will be very high regarding the playoff picture, it will still be the games, within the game, that will make all the difference.

With that, here are three key matchups to watch between the Bills (7-5) and Bucs (9-3):

Jerry Cross can continue Penn State’s TE tradition in Class of 2022

Penn State’s tight end legacy should continue with Class of 2022 addition Jerry Cross.

Position: Tight End

Height: 6′-6″

Weight: 257 lb

Hometown: Milwaukee, WI

High School: Rufus King High School

Twitter: @thejerrycross

Committed: July 28, 2020

247 Sports: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rivals.com: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overview:

Jerry Cross is a big-bodied tight end that had some experience playing wide receiver in his early year of high school.

Penn State has always done a good job of developing tight ends. Even for next level, there are two currently starting in the NFL with Mike Gesicki (Dolphins) and Pat Freiermuth (Steelers).

Cross stands 6-foot-6 and 257 pounds. As mentioned, he does have experience playing wide receiver.

Throughout the season, we have seen multiple games where Penn State has used tight end packages with Brenton Strange and Theo Johnson. Not only that, but getting multiple involved on their offense.

Milwaukee King’s Jerry Cross catches a pass for a two-point conversaion over Milwaukee Reagan’s Keagan O’Keefe (1) and Christian Oliverria (32) and an official in the Milwaukee City Conference football championship game Friday, October 18, 2019. Photo credit: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

He was recruited as a tight end. However, with his ability to line up as a receiver, it will be interesting to see how much his versatility will become a part of the Penn State offense.

With his limited time playing receiver, Cross has exceptional route-running skills and definitely has the ability to develop into a more versatile piece of the Nittany Lions offense.

Can Cross become a vital part of Penn State’s offense? He certainly has the talent to do so.

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Cristian Driver brings versatility and family ties to Happy Valley in Class of 2022

Penn State Class of 2022 includes the versatile Cristian Driver, son of former NFL wide receiver Donald Driver

Position: Safety

Height: 5′-11″

Weight: 185 Ib

Hometown: Argyle, TX

High School: Liberty Christian High School

Twitter: @CristianDriver_

Committed: July 29, 2021

247 Sports: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rivals.com: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overview:

Cristian Driver, son of Green Bay Packers legendary wide receiver Donald Driver, was coached by James Franklin while he was on the Packers staff in 1995. So you should have the belief that Penn State is adding some good NFL-quality genes to the roster in the Class of 2022.

If there’s one thing Franklin loves, it’s versatility. Driver isn’t the only athlete in this class who can play multiple positions. He was recruited as a safety but has shown his ability to play receiver as well. Where exactly he will find a primary role on the Penn State roster remains to be seen, but will be well worth exploring on both sides of the football as Penn State fills out its roster and depth chart.

One impressive trait that sticks out for Driver is his vision and his ability to get to the ball quickly with his speed. Penn State will have big shoes to fill with both safeties Jaquan Brisker and Ji’Ayir Brown likely headed to the draft.

Driver has had an impressive high school career. His skills should translate well at the collegiate level. There will be plenty of underclassmen ready to step up and prove themselves, with Driver being one of them.

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Lauri Markkanen not expected to miss time for Finland military

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Lauri Markkanen has been included in Finland’s Defense Forces Sports School list, as noted by BasketNews. Markkanen, 24, is expected to fulfill his military requirement for Finland but is not expected to miss any games …

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Lauri Markkanen has been included in Finland’s Defense Forces Sports School list, as noted by BasketNews.

Markkanen, 24, is expected to fulfill his military requirement for Finland but is not expected to miss any games for the Cavaliers, who are currently the No. 7 seed in the East with a 14-12 record.

“Lauri takes great pride in being from and representing Finland in the NBA,” Markkanen’s agent, Michael Lelchitski of SIG Sports, told HoopsHype in a statement. “One of his civic requirements is serving in the Finnish military. He is prepared to fulfill that duty at the appropriate time.”

After missing time due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, Markkanen has returned to the starting lineup and averaged 16.3 points on 44.8 percent shooting from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc with 6.4 rebounds in the past eight games.

MORE: Jarrett Allen: ‘We’re definitely shooting for the playoffs’

MORE: NBA Executives Poll: Cavaliers guard Darius Garland top breakout candidate

You can follow Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) on Twitter. 

Defensive coordinator search could be over as Anthony Poindexter makes a decision

Penn State’s search for a defensive coordinator could be over with Anthony Poindexter’s latest statement

Just when it looked as though momentum was building for the possibility of Penn State losing another defensive coordinator to a head coaching opportunity, it appears as though that will no longer be the case. Anthony Poindexter will reportedly stay at Penn State on the staff under James Franklin instead of moving to his alma mater to become the next head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers. And that could mean Penn State’s search for a defensive coordinator will officially be over soon.

Poindexter appeared to be a leading candidate for the Virginia head coaching job over the last week, with Franklin appearing to be bracing for the possibility of coaching the Outback Bowl against Arkansas with a reduced staff as a result. Penn State is already without Brent Pry, who has moved on to become the head coach at Virginia Tech. But on Wednesday, multiple reports suggested Poindexter will stay at Penn State. Among those reporting such was Adam Rittenberg of ESPN, via Twitter.

“Timing is everything for both sides,” Poindexter reportedly told Rittenberg. “There will be a day, but I’m going to stay at Penn State.”

What led to this statement from Poindexter confirming his decision to stay at Penn State is up for interpretation, of course. Poindexter had plenty to offer Virginia, but the Cavaliers could also be moving in a different direction for their head coach search. According to Brett McMurphy of The Action Network, Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott is the leading candidate for the job in Charlottesville now.

Did Poindexter turn Virginia down, or did Virginia decide to move in a different direction away from the former Virginia All-American? Again, who knows for sure?

What this means, however, is Penn State may have its defensive coordinator figured out. Poindexter had the title of co-defensive coordinator at Penn State along with Pry, although Pry was largely credited for being the main coordinator. With Pry gone, Franklin could simply put more of the defensive responsibilities on Poindexter as the sole defensive coordinator or move him up in rank while adding another co-defensive coordinator.

There could be options to explore in adding a defensive coordinator. Ohio State will have to adjust its staff to make room for new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles on their staff, leaving some Penn State fans dreaming of a return of Larry Johnson in a more prominent role, but don’t count on that option playing out. The sudden availability of former Miami head coach Manny Diaz, who enjoyed success as a defensive coordinator, is fun to think about as well, but there is no indication Franklin is looking that way at this time.

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Rookies Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody combine for 62 points in G League assignment

In an assignment with G League Santa Cruz, Warriors rookies Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody caught fire to combine for 62 points.

While Steph Curry was gunning for history from beyond the arc against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night at Chase Center, rookies Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody went to work in the G League.

Prior to Golden State’s contest against Portland, both Kuminga and Moody were assigned with the Warriors’ G League affiliate in Santa Cruz.

The No. 7 and No. 14 overall pick from the 2021 NBA draft joined the Santa Cruz Warriors for a contest against the Agua Caliente Clippers.

During their cameo in the G League, both of Golden State’s rookies popped off, combining for a sizzling 62 points in Santa Cruz’s win over Agua Caliente, 122-121.

Moody led the way with a game-high 37 points on 12-of-28 shooting from the field with 10 boards, four steals and an assist in 37 minutes. The former Arkansas Razorbacks guard got hot from long distance, drilling five triples on 11 attempts from downtown.

Via @nbagleague on Twitter:

Kuminga added 25 points on 11-of-22 shooting from the floor with four assists and two rebounds in 34 minutes.

Via @nbagleague on Twitter:

The Santa Cruz Warriors has provided a solid resource for Kuminga and Moody’s development, while Golden State’s rotation is currently filled with a bevy of proven veterans. Both rookies can continue to get valuable playing time while staying ready for their opportunity with Golden State.

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Halo Infinite wins Player’s Voice at The Game Awards

The gamers have spoken!

The gamers have voted and Halo Infinite has officially been crowned as the victor of the Player’s Voice category at The Game Awards 2021, winning out over Forza Horizon 5, Resident Evil Village, Metroid Dread and It Takes Two.

While Resident Evil Village, Metroid Dread and It Takes Two were also nominated for the official Game of the Year award, Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite both missed the cut. The primary reason for this is likely that the majority of critics who participated in the initial round of voting for GOTY had to submit their ballots prior to having played these games. On that note, it’s pertinent to point out that Halo Infinite won the award just one day after its campaign launch, which is a pretty impressive feat.

Still, Infinite isn’t nominated for the main Game of the Year category, which is rounded out by Deathloop, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and Psychonauts 2. All three of these games were knocked out in round two of Player’s Voice voting alongside Fortnite and Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.

Halo Infinite follows in the footsteps of last year’s Player’s Voice winner, Ghost of Tsushima, which prevailed over Doom Eternal, Hades, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and The Last of Us Part II. 

If you still haven’t set aside time to play Halo Infinite and want to change that, both its campaign and multiplayer components are currently available free of charge for all Game Pass subscribers on PC and Xbox Series X/S. 

Ahead of tonight’s Game Awards, we spoke to presenter Geoff Keighley about what people should expect to see. Check it out at that link. 

Written by Kirk McKeand on behalf of GLHF.

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WATCH: Celtics champion Danny Ainge scores career-high 45 points vs. Philadelphia 76ers

On December 9, 1988, Danny Ainge scored a career-high 45 points against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Exactly seven years to the day of his professional debut as a basketball player in the NBA (he had previously played professionally for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball) on December 9, 1981, champion Boston Celtics shooting guard Danny Ainge played the best game of that NBA career.

The Oregon native led all scorers, putting up 45 points — 18 of them in the game’s fourth quarter alone — in a 121 – 107 home win over the Philadelphia 76ers at the old Boston Garden. Ainge shot a sizzling 20-of-29 from the floor overall, 2-of-4 from 3-point range, and hit 3-of-4 shots from the free-throw line in 37 minutes of game time.

To honor the best game of the career of a beloved Boston Celtic, watch the video embedded below put together for our viewing pleasure by CLNS Media — and be sure to check out their “NBA History & Legends on CLNS” YouTube channel for similar gems from the Celtics’ rich history.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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