Herausforderungen » .ddddddddddddNakamura

LOS ANGELES -- Following up consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearances with the programs fourth losing season since John Wooden was hired in 1948 doesnt cut it at UCLA.Coach Steve Alford found that out real quick.With fans irate after a 15-17 finish and no postseason invite, Alford returned a one-year contract extension he signed after his first season. He also wrote an apology letter to the fans.Coach Wooden raised the bar at UCLA; theres expectations, he said. When you dont meet or come close to those expectations, there are going to be consequences. I want the fans to know there is frustration on our part just as much if not even more so. Just letting them know we care.Then Alford went out and recruited the best class hes brought to Westwood since arriving in 2013.Lonzo Ball is the headliner, a 6-foot-6 guard from nearby Chino Hills who led his high school to a California state title and undefeated season. Balls arrival should allow Bryce Alford, the coachs son playing his final season, to shift to the 2 spot and allow Ball to focus on ball-handling duties.T.J. Leaf is the other prized recruit. Like Ball, the 6-9 forward was also a McDonalds All-American who scored 3,022 points in his prep career in El Cajon in San Diego County.Bring what you brought out of high school to Westwood, the elder Alford has told his newcomers. Thats why youre here, and thats what we need out of you as a team.The Bruins were picked to finish third in the Pac-12 by the media. They were 6-12 last season and had the 10th-worst defense in the league, allowing 76.7 points a game. Blending newcomers Ball and Leaf with the veterans and improving the defensive play will be Alfords top priorities as he seeks to engineer a quick fix that gets the Bruins back to the NCAA Tournament.UCLA opens the season at home against Pacific on Nov. 11. The Bruins play five games at home in the first month of the season and make the short trip to Orange County for the Wooden Legacy tournament over Thanksgiving.Their non-conference schedule is highlighted by a trip to Kentucky on Dec. 3 and a week later Michigan visits Pauley Pavilion.Here are some things to watch this season with the Bruins:RETURNING STARTERS: Besides the younger Alford, the Bruins return three other starters from last season: senior guard Isaac Hamilton (16.8 points per game), 7-foot junior Thomas Welsh (11.2 and 8.5 rebounds) and sophomore guard Aaron Holiday (10.3), who could slide into a sixth-man role with Balls arrival. That gives UCLA the second-most returning scoring in the Pac-12 behind Stanford.3-POINT LAND: UCLAs returning players shot a combined 37 percent from 3-point range last season and took 93 percent of the teams total 3-point attempts. Their top long-range shooter was Holiday, who hit 42 percent from beyond the arc. Hamilton was also efficient, shooting 38 percent from 3-point range.BIG IKE: Ike (say EE-kay) Anigbogu, a 6-10, 250-pounder from nearby Corona could play his way into a prominent role as a freshman. He rounds out the touted trio that Alford landed, all of whom are from Southern California.BETTER START: The Bruins will look to set a winning tone in their first game after being upset in overtime by Monmouth in last seasons opener, one of a handful of embarrassing losses to start a season. They also lost openers in 2009 and 2011 under Ben Howland and 2002 under Steve Lavin. Jack Tatum Womens Jersey . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014. Fred Biletnikoff Womens Jersey .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. https://www.raiderssportsgoods.com/Womens-Howie-Long-Inverted-Jersey/ . Batiste, who briefly signed with the Eskimos in 2006, has spent time with several NFL teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. Hunter Renfrow Raiders Jersey . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Ronnie Lott Youth Jersey . White came in fourth place in the event. He was the two-time defending gold medallist. The gold medal went to Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov. A former NFL player who suffered what the league deemed a career-ending concussion has sued insurer Lloyds of London for denying a $1 million insurance policy for professional athletes.The lawsuit, filed this week in North Carolina, could become a test case for insurers dealing with the emerging fallout from sports concussions and head trauma claims.The NFL declared former Carolina Panthers defensive back Haruki Nakamura fully and permanently disabled after the August 2013 concussion he received in a preseason game, awarding him monthly benefits.Lloyds medical expert ruled in 2015 that Nakamura could return to play. Its doctor thought that he was exaggerating his symptoms and that earlier concussions in college contributed to his condition. Still, the doctor cautioned him to consider the probable long-term effects of repetitive concussions before returning to the NFL, according to the lawsuit, filed Monday in Mecklenburg County.Nakamura, 30, said he already suffers from headaches, vision problems, fatigue, depression and suicidal thoughts.A U.S. Lloyds spokeswoman, Lizzie Lowe, said the insurance consortium doesnt comment on pending litigation. A woman who worked on the case for Lloyds underwriter, Empirical Loss Management, declined to comment.Nakamura took a hit to the head making a tackle in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he was diagnosed with a concussion at a hospital. Citing a concussion, the Panthers released him five days later, the lawsuit said. He was later diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome by a sports concussion expert at the University of Pittsburgh.ddddddddddddNakamura had paid $17,000 a year for the Lloyds policy in 2012 and 2013, according to his lawyers, John W. Schryber and Julie L. Hammerman, who specialize in insurance policies for athletes. The lawyers said they have never had an insurer reject a policy after a doctor or the NFL judged a client to have a career-ending injury. But this is the first concussion claim they have filed under coverage for bodily injuries.And now theyre denying coverage altogether, Schryber said Wednesday. The point of going out and buying private insurance is to have a hedge against all of these other things that are outside of your control.Nakamura could seek an award under the NFLs planned $1 billion court settlement of concussion claims, though its unclear how he might fare. The settlement, which could roll out within the next year, is designed to cover more than 20,000 NFL retirees for the next 65 years.The league estimates that 6,000 former players, or nearly 3 in 10, could develop Alzheimers disease or moderate dementia that some experts link to concussions.Nakamura, an Ohio native, played for the Baltimore Ravens from 2008 to 2011 before joining the Panthers. He lives with his wife and two children in Mooresville, North Carolina. ' ' '