RAINERS ROOMTwins: RF Max Kepler was out of the lineu

NORMAN, Okla. -- Joe Mixon might be Oklahomas best player.Hes undoubtedly the most controversial Sooner.Mixon landed in Norman back in 2014 as one of the nations top running back recruits. Before he even participated in a fall practice, he got into an altercation and punched a woman in the face at a restaurant, resulting in a one-year suspension. Many fans were outraged, and some wanted him kicked off the team.Two years later, hes a bona fide star and crowd favorite who is beloved by his teammates. He ranks seventh nationally in all-purpose yards per game (181.7) and sixth in kickoff return average (32.7) for the 25th-ranked Sooners .Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said Mixons most significant growth has been off the field.Hes really matured well, Stoops said. Hes been an excellent student. Hes never on the list for anything. He does everything you want him to do and been a great teammate. All of it. In the locker room, hes one of the more popular guys because hes a friend to everybody.Mixons growth has a player has been notable, too. He returned last year and was one of the Big 12s best all-around players. This season, hes been even better. Hes the conference leader in all-purpose yards and ranks fourth in rushing. He combines breakaway speed with shiftiness, the hands of a wide receiver and a powerful 6-foot-1, 226-pound frame.While his teammates have struggled at times during a 1-2 start, Mixon has stood out. He scored Oklahomas first touchdown of the season on a 32-yard run. He ran for 117 yards the next game against Louisiana-Monroe. Against Ohio State, he provided one of the few bright spots when he returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. He also ran for 78 yards on just nine carries.Mixon shares carries with Samaje Perine, an established star who is climbing the schools career record books. Still, the Sooners want to get the ball to Mixon as often as possible. This season, Mixon is averaging 8.1 yards per carry and 13.1 yards per catch. He has 998 career yards rushing on just 142 attempts.I think we have to be cognizant and keep track of the number of opportunities he gets, for sure, Stoops said. Hes exceptional when you do target him and give him the opportunity.The elephant in the room remains, in part, because Mixon has been sheltered. He has only spoken with the media once since the incident, when he answered football questions only in a session before the Orange Bowl at the end of last season.He hasnt been interviewed this year, though Stoops said he would consider making him available later in the season.Its something weve talked about and Ive talked about it with the administration, and were working on that, Stoops said. Theres a possibility.Mixon still has his immature moments -- at least, on the field. On his kickoff return touchdown against Ohio State, he dropped the ball at the 1-yard line as he headed into the end zone . The officials didnt catch it, but Stoops did. Stoops said he plans to discuss the incident with Mixon.Itll be positive, Stoops said. Weve got the clips of the other guys that have done it as well. Thats something that will be watched and talked through.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter (at)CliffBruntAP . Aaron Burbridge Jersey . It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. George Kittle Jersey . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. http://www.cheap49ersjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-solomon-thomas-jersey .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. Datone Jones Jersey . The players spoke Jan. 13 during a Major League Baseball Players Association conference call after Rodriguez sued the union and Major League Baseball to overturn an arbitrators decision suspending him for the 2014 season and post-season. Eli Harold Jersey . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. MINNEAPOLIS -- James Paxton was cruising along for the Seattle Mariners, as hes done often this season. Then Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz and the middle of the Seattle Mariners batting order order broke out.Cano had four hits and two RBI, Cruz added a two-run homer among his four RBI and the Mariners beat the Minnesota Twins 10-1 on Friday night to stay on pace in the AL wild-card race.Nice to see the middle of our lineup come together, Seattle manager Scott Servais said. We havent had a game like that in a while. ... Those guys are huge in the middle. Theyve carried us all year. Nice to see them get going again.Seattle trailed Detroit by two games for the second wild card but passed Houston.Paxton (5-7) struck out nine and allowed one run on five hits. Seattle, which scored six runs in the seventh inning, entered Friday averaging just 2.88 runs per game while Paxton was on the mound.Feels good, Paxton said of pitching well while in the playoff race. This is what we need. We need to win right now. Guys are playing hard and were doing our best to stay right there, and try to climb up in the wild-card standings.Kyle Gibson (6-10) gave up two runs, five hits and four walks for Minnesota, which lost its seventh straight and fell to 99 losses, its most since 2011.Its tough to be too satisfied with a game where you only went five innings, threw a hundred pitches and your team loses 10-1, Gibson said. I think theres some positives but its hard to focus on those at that time.With a biting curveball at his disposal, Paxton allowed just three hits, two on infield singles, before waiting through the long top of the seventh. The only blemish on his night was Miguel Sano leading off the seventh with a triple off the wall in right field and scoring on Kennys Vargas single.He was in total control, Servais said. It was great to see. Fun watching him go like that because he gets on those rolls and the release points very consistent.Seattle supplied Paxton with the most run support hes received in a start this season.Cano and Mike Zunino had RBI bloop singles in the third and fourth before a big inning against three relievers.ddddddddddddCano drove in a run with an infield single. Cruz followed with a two-run double, Kyle Seager had an RBI double and Zuninos single led to two runs when left fielder Robbie Grossman committed two errors. Grossman let the ball bounce off his glove and then kicked the ball as he went to retrieve it.Byron Buxton made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Cruz of at least extra bases in the third, but Cruz hit his 38th homer in the eighth, a drive off the stone facing above the batters eye in center field. MLBs Statcast said the ball would have traveled 454 feet had it landed unimpeded.Seattle had scored two runs or fewer in six of its previous seven games.The start was delayed by 35 minutes due to rain, marking the 14th delay or postponement in Minnesota this season.HOLLANDERSeattle announced Friday that Justin Hollander has been hired as the teams director of baseball operations.Hollander, 37, was the Los Angeles Angels director of player personnel. He was hired by Los Angeles in 2008, serving multiple roles, where he worked under Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto.Hollander steps into the role left behind by Caleb Peiffer, who left the team to attend law school.TRAINERS ROOMTwins: RF Max Kepler was out of the lineup but was cleared to play after leaving Thursdays doubleheader with a mild neck strain from hitting the wall awkwardly. . 1B Joe Mauer was out of the lineup for the third straight game as he deals with sore quadriceps. He hasnt started since Sept. 17.UP NEXTSeattle LHP Ariel Miranda (5-1, 3.88 ERA) hopes to keep his surprising run going on Saturday. Minnesota will send RHP Tyler Duffey (8-11, 6.39) to the mound. Miranda has gone 4-0 with a 2.16 ERA in his last four starts with 20 strikeouts in 25 innings. Duffey has allowed at least five earned runs in three of his last four outings. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '