ASHBURN, Va. Adrian Amos Bears Jersey . -- The NFL once again has suspended Washington Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather for his latest blow to the head of an opponent, which the league said is his sixth violation of player safety rules. The league announced Monday that Meriweather will be suspended for the first two regular season games for his helmet-to-helmet hit on receiver Torrey Smith in the second quarter of Saturday nights preseason win over the Baltimore Ravens. Meriweather will miss the opener against the Houston Texans on Sept. 7 and the Sept. 14 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He will not be allowed to attend team meetings or practices or appear at the teams facilities for any reason during the suspension. The sanction was levied by Troy Vincent, a longtime NFL safety and now the leagues executive vice-president of football operations. The league said Vincent determined that Meriweather "delivered a forceful blow to the head and neck area of a defenceless receiver with no attempt to wrap up or make a conventional tackle." The league said Meriweather has previously been disciplined five times for illegal hits to defenceless players. He was suspended two games last season after two helmet-first hits in a win over the Chicago Bears, but the penalty was reduced to one game after an appeal. Meriweathers tendency to lead with his helmet -- and aim for an opponents head -- has been a major point of concern since he joined the Redskins in 2012. On the play against Baltimore, he and Smith lowered their heads at roughly the same time as Smith went for a pass over the middle, but Meriweather lowered the crown of his helmet and clearly wasnt going for a hit instead of attempting a tackle. The pass was incomplete, and Meriweather was given a 15-yard penalty for a personal foul. "Im trying to do what the NFL asks of me," Meriweather said after the game. "After going through this off-season and working on the things that I need to work on, I get the first chance, and it seems like I failed." Meriweather also suggested hes being held to a higher standard because of his past. "I think theyve been keeping a close eye on me for the last couple years," he said. "Im just going to continue to work on my game and try to get lower to do the things they want me to do." Coach Jay Gruden, speaking before the suspension was announced, said Meriweather was trying to avoid hitting Smiths helmet. "He saw the ball and he tried to lower his target," Gruden said. "Unfortunately, as he was lowering his target, the receiver felt him and lowered his head also at the same time. It was a bang-bang play." Meriweather can appeal the suspension. If it is upheld, the Redskins will have few options at an already thin position for the start of the regular season. Safety Phillip Thomas status is in doubt after he reinjured his left foot, and fellow backup Bacarri Rambo has not tackled well in the open field. Ryan Clark is the other starter. Kyle Fuller Jersey . Louis.Bochy said before Sundays regular-season finale against San Diego that he felt comfortable with Bumgarner or Jake Peavy on the mound. But given Bumgarners success the last few years, he said I dont think there was any question who you pitch that game. Ego Ferguson Bears Jersey . The leagues board of governors accepted the five-year deal during a conference call Friday. The CFLPA voted in favour Thursday night.MINNEAPOLIS -- Derek Jeter was a huge hit from the very start in his final All-Star game. Batting leadoff for the American League, the 40-year-old shortstop for the New York Yankees soaked in an ovation that lasted more than a minute at Target Field, then seized the moment Tuesday night by hitting a double. Jeter soon crossed the plate for the games first run. After three innings of action, he was ceremonially removed from his familiar position in the field to one more round of revering cheers as his mom, dad, sister and nephew watched from the stands. "Its been fun family time for us," Jeter said later. The double was one of Jeters classic, opposite-field line drives to right. He singled to right field in his next at-bat, too, raising his All-Star batting average to a robust .481 -- 13 hits in 27 at-bats. Thats the second-best of all time for players with 20 or more at-bats, behind Charlie Gehringer. OK, so maybe NL starter Adam Wainwright admitted he threw something juicy for Jeter to hit. "I was going to give him a couple pipe shots," the right-hander said. "He deserved it." Wainwright later said that he didnt want to take away from Jeters first inning hit. "It was mis-said," the pitcher said in a television interview. "I hope people realize Im not intentionally giving up hits out there." Jeter showed off in the field, too. In the top of the first, he made a slick, diving stop on Andrew McCutchens sharp groundball up the middle. Jeter got to his feet and fired an on-target throw to first base, but the fleet-footed McCutchen was too fast, beating it out for a leadoff single. McCutchen smiled and pointed at Jeter, who grinned back at the reigning NL MVP. The Yankees captain also had a few words for his teammates. AL manager John Farrell of Boston asked Jeter to speak to the players in the clubhouse before the game. "Just said a couple things," Jeter said. This was the 14th time Jeter was picked as an All-Star. Hes set to retire after this season. When Jeter stepped to the plate, the crowd gave him a 63-second ovation, prompting him to wave, nod and tip his helmet several times. Wainwright, who spoke the day before about how proud he would be to pitch to Jeter on this memorable occasion, backed up toward second base and left his glove on the mound so he could clap along with everyone else at the ballpark. "For him to do that meant a lot to me," Jeter said. With a wide smile, Jeter shouted a few words towward the St. Leonard Floyd Jersey. Louis ace, good-naturedly encouraging him to get the inning going. "Just saying, Dude, Im not going anywhere until this ovation is starting to die down," Wainwright said. "So he was telling me to go, and I just thought he deserved it." Fittingly, a recording of late Yankees public address announcer Bob Sheppards famous monotone introduction was played as he walked up for his at-bat with thousands of smartphones snapping away in the seats: "Now batting, for the American League, from the New York Yankees, the shortstop, No. 2, Derek Jeter, No. 2." The tribute came right after a national television audience tuned to Fox saw a Nike commercial that featured the likes of Michael Jordan, Jay-Z and Rudolph Giuliani paying their respects to the captain. Right after that, he connected on the second pitch from Wainwright. "I didnt know he was going to hit a double, or I would have changed my mind on that," Wainwright said. "I thought he was going to hit something hard to the right side for a single or an out. I probably should have pitched him a little bit better." In the third, Jeter took Cincinnati ace Alfredo Simon to a full count before his single. Then, right before the fourth inning began, Jeter was taken out for Alexei Ramirez and the captain jogged off. With Frank Sinatras "New York, New York" playing on the stadium speakers, he waved to the crowd and exchanged hugs and handshakes in the AL dugout and then took a curtain call before the game resumed. Earlier in the day, Jeter was the first player to ride down the red carpet that was rolled out for downtown parade of the games greats, from their hotel to the ballpark about 10 blocks away. The hearty ovations started there, while Jeter rode with his parents and other family members, who came to Minneapolis for the event. "I think everyone WANTS it to sink in that this is my last," Jeter said in the clubhouse before batting practice, "but Im just trying to enjoy it while Im here and stop thinking about this is the last one." Commissioner Bud Selig said Major League Baseball has been discussing ways to formally honour Jeter as he enters the final few months of his career. "If you were sitting two decades ago and you said, Boy, this is a guy I want to be the face of baseball and be what this generation will remember, you couldnt have written a script like this," Selig said. "He is just remarkable." Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '
