Su'a Cravens has found happiness http://www.officialhurricanes.com/authentic-adidas-andrei-svechnikov-jersey , harmony and himself just in time for his do-over in Denver.
Elated over John Elway's call and Von Miller's text, the former standout safety from Southern Cal celebrated his trade from the Redskins to the Broncos by posting "A Whole New World" from the Disney movie "Aladdin" on his Twitter account.
"I felt like it was perfect," said Cravens, who missed all of last season and even mulled retirement while dealing with the lingering effects of a head injury.
Selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft, Cravens played in 11 games his rookie season but he sustained a concussion in Week 4 and later suffered an elbow injury. He said he felt off-kilter heading into training camp last year, and things only got worse after he underwent knee surgery in August to repair a torn meniscus.
Cravens had to be talked out of retiring in early September during a meeting with team President Bruce Allen, and the Redskins placed him on their exempt list, forcing him to miss the entire season. They sent him to see sports concussion expert Micky Collins in Pittsburgh, who had an answer for all of his mood swings, personality changes and feelings that something just wasn't quite right: post-concussion syndrome.
"I didn't really know what was going on until I went to see Dr. Collins and he made me fully aware of the situation," Cravens said. "At first I just thought that something was wrong with me, something's not right and I didn't feel the same. Once he explained, 'This is why you feel this way Juuse Saros Jersey ,' he'd ask me questions, I'd tell him, 'Yes,' and he'd say, 'Well that's a correlation to this.' Everything started making sense and once we started working on it progressively I got better and better."
Cravens said he never lost his love for the game but did succumb to feelings his football career was finished.
"Certainly. I was going through something that I wasn't even aware I was going through," Cravens said. "The mindset that I had last year was just completely different from how I am now. Once I got cleared, I took a step back and looked at the way I was acting and the way I was treating my loved ones. The way my whole thought process was, it was a stranger.
"It was just crazy that I didn't realize that I was in a predicament I was completely unaware of. So yeah, there was a point that I thought I was done with football, but that love for it and that need to compete, that need to be on the field and be with your brothers, that never went away."
Cravens even had to deal with accusations that he'd quit on his teammates.
He was finally cleared in December and the Redskins began shopping him during the NFL combine last month.
The Broncos essentially sent a fifth-round selection in this year's draft for the safety-linebacker hybrid whose instincts and athleticism wowed scouts two years ago.
Cravens is eager to put his past behind him and start anew in Denver.
"I think there's a false narrative on what exactly happened," Cravens said. "Right now my focus is just on being a Denver Bronco. One day I'll be able to speak a little further on that Ryan Miller Jersey , but I'm not a quitter. I'm not a guy who lacks love for the game. I definitely don't know where the 'quitting in college' came from, but like I said, I'm here to play for the Broncos and do whatever I can to help this team win games."
He sees himself as a strong safety but is willing to play wherever the Broncos feel he fits best in a revamped secondary that lost standout safety T.J. Ward last fall and elite cornerback Aqib Talib this spring.
"I'm just grateful to be on the field," Cravens said, adding that last season made him appreciate his chance to play pro football and he has no qualms about getting right back into the fray.
"We're all grown men and I know what I'm signing myself up for. I'm aware of the situation that I was in and I'm aware of the dangers of the game," he said. "I've experienced it firsthand and I'm still willing to go out there and put everything I have on the line. I wanted a fresh start just because I don't like the way things happened. It wasn't a part of my plan. I never thought at 22 years old that I'd be at the house watching football instead of playing football."
Zach Eflin and the Phillies are on a roll.
Eflin pitched seven strong innings for his sixth straight victory, Andrew Knapp had the winning hit for the second straight game and Philadelphia beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 on Tuesday night for its 11th win in 16 games.
Rhys Hoskins had a two-run double, rookie Seranthony Dominguez pitched four outs for his eighth save and Maikel Franco made a game-saving defensive play for the Phillies, who pulled within 2 1/2 games of the Braves for first place in the NL East.
”It was a great team win,” Eflin said.
Eflin (7-2) allowed two runs and five hits with six strikeouts and no walks to become the first Phillies pitcher since Cliff Lee in 2011 to record six consecutive wins. The right-hander has a 1.91 ERA while striking out 34 and walking six in 37 2/3 innings over that stretch.
”More aggressive and trusting my pitches,” Eflin said.
The Phillies bullpen preserved the win, but it got interesting.
Tommy Hunter got the first two outs of the eighth before manager Gabe Kapler went to Dominguez with Orioles star Manny Machado up.
”One of the best hitters in the game, you try to neutralize him with your best bullet Justin Williams Jersey ,” Kapler said.
Dominguez walked Machado and Mark Trumbo to load the bases for Chris Davis. Franco made a stellar diving play to his right at third base to snare Davis’ ground ball before throwing him out at first to keep the Phillies ahead 3-2. The out was upheld after an Orioles challenge.
”Play of the game,” Kapler said. ”Got us the win.”
Franco, who has been in and out of the lineup this season, cherished the out.
”I just tried to make a good play and make a good throw,” he said. ”I wanted that play so bad.”
Trumbo homered for Baltimore, which has dropped eight of nine.
”The effort was there,” Trumbo said. ”The frustration, it’s as much as you make of it.”
The game was delayed 1 hour, 25 minutes due to rain and played mostly under a persistent drizzle.
Philadelphia took a one-run lead in the fourth on Knapp’s two-out triple to right off Alex Cobb (2-10) that scored Nick Williams. Knapp, Philadelphia’s backup catcher, started two days after his game-ending homer in the 13th lifted the Phillies over the Nationals 4-3.
Cobb gave up three runs on four hits with five strikeouts and three walks in 6 2/3 innings.
Trumbo staked Baltimore to a 1-0 lead by crushing Eflin’s 94 mph fastball into the seats in left in the second.
Philadelphia went in front 2-1 in the third on Hoskins’ two-out double off the wall in left that scored Franco and Cesar Hernandez.
CHEERS FOR MANNY
Machado, speculated to be a target of the Phillies either via trade or free agency, was loudly cheered when he was introduced by PA announcer Dan Baker prior to the contest.
EFLIN’S BLISTER
Eflin was pulled after just 82 pitches Carey Price Jersey , and Kapler said that was partly because of a blister on Eflin’s right middle finger. Eflin said he was ready and able to continue if asked. Eflin was hampered consistently by blisters last season, but Tuesday was his first time dealing with one this year.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: OF Colby Rasmus has been placed on the restricted list after informing the club that he was leaving the team. Rasmus has struggled with a left hip injury for two seasons. He was hitting .133 with one homer in 18 games this season after signing a one-year, $3 million deal in the offseason. … INF Steve Wilkerson (left oblique) was placed on the 10-day DL. Wilkerson, who is 4 for 17 since making his debut June 20, was injured in Sunday’s 8-2 win over the Angels.
Phillies: RHP Jerad Eickhoff (right lat strain) will throw live batting practice Wednesday. He has been out all season. … Reliever Edubray Ramos (right shoulder impingement), who has been on the DL since June 25, threw a bullpen Tuesday and could be activated on Friday.
UP NEXT
Baltimore rookie RHP Yefry Ramirez (0-1, 2.89) will make his second start and third appearance with the Orioles against Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (10-2, 2.48) on Wednesday afternoon.
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