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SPORTSThursday 22 October 2015
Jaguars taking different approach to annual London trip
MARK LONG Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Julius Thomas (80) makes a The Jaguars clearly want sonville 31-17. Once again,
AP Sports Writer catch in front of Houston Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph to be London’s team. But it was a matchup of an
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — during the first half of an NFL football game in Jacksonville, Fla., they also want to make eventual division winner
The Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015. playing there as much of a and a rebuilding team.
have approached their home-field advantage as This time around, the Jag-
annual trip to London sev- Associated Press possible. uars are treating it much
eral different ways. “We know we’re going to more like a West Coast trip.
They traveled early in the “It’s a great city, but the said last month he expects go there every year, so let’s They’re leaving after prac-
week following a home reason we’re going over to play annually in London take advantage of this,” tice Thursday and will ar-
game. They flew across the there is to play a football at least until 2030. The NFL Posluszny said. “It’s impor- rive Friday morning. They’ll
pond after a road game. game at our highest level,” has an announcement tant for our organization, so check into the hotel and
This week, they will arrive linebacker Paul Posluszny scheduled for Thursday af- let’s do the job on the field then get on the field for
three days before playing said. “We can experience ternoon, and it could be for and make it that way.” some light jogging.
Buffalo (3-3). the city when we get a a long-term deal that will Khan calls playing in Lon- The team has mandated
Although the details have minute, but we need to have Jacksonville playing don the “No. 1 element to that players sleep during
varied from year to year, make sure it doesn’t affect one home game annually stabilizing” the small-mar- the eight-hour flight, even
the Jaguars (1-5) believe anything work related.” in London for the foresee- ket franchise. The annual offering sleeping pills and
they have a much bet- Jaguars owner Shad Khan able future. trip, one of Jacksonville’s suggesting eye shades and
ter grasp on the irregu- 10 home games, including noise-canceling head-
lar routine of being 4,200 exhibitions, accounts for 15 phones. But the Jags won’t
miles from home. And they percent of the team’s local know if the adjusted sched-
would like to finally benefit revenue. So there are rea- ule makes a difference un-
from it. sons for the trip. til Sunday.
Jacksonville lost its first two The Jaguars just need to “I’ve tried it many differ-
games at Wembley Sta- find the best way to make ent ways,” said defensive
dium by a combined score it successful. They arrived tackle Roy Miller, who will
of 73-27. two years back on a Mon- be playing his fifth game
“The last couple times it day, spent an entire week in London. “I’m kind of ex-
was straight massacres getting acclimated and cited we get to stay here
out there,” veteran tight lost 42-10 to San Francisco. and go through our routine
end Marcedes Lewis said Of course, that team had and just go there later in
Wednesday. “So we’re about as much talent as an the week. When you get
trying to change that expansion franchise and there early, you kind of get
around.” probably would have lost caught up in wanting to do
The Jaguars, who have lost to the 49ers on any field on a lot of things. For younger
four in a row, believe mak- the planet. guys, that might take some
ing the overseas trek the Last year, they flew from focus away. Everybody
last two years will eliminate Cincinnati to London hours wants to get around and
any potential for players after losing to the Bengals see different things.
and coaches to be shell- on Sunday. They were in “We feel like we’ve been
shocked or awe-struck by London an extra day be- there before enough times
London. fore the game, but it didn’t that we know what we
matter: Dallas beat Jack- need to do.”q
Cavaliers, Thompson reach
agreement on long-term contract
In this Friday, May 22, 2015 file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers cen- million contract, ending threatened to carry over over the contract threat-
ter Tristan Thompson (13) moves past Atlanta Hawks forward his holdout and giving the into the regular season. ened to sidetrack the Cavs
Paul Millsap (4) during the second half in Game 2 of the Eastern Cavs needed frontcourt However agent Rich Paul, from getting back to the
Conference finals of the NBA basketball playoffs in Atlanta. depth as they enter a new who also represents star Finals.
season. LeBron James, and Cleve- But now Thompson will
Associated Press The team confirmed land’s front office were back up Love and provide
Wednesday night that able to come to terms less his usual energy for Cleve-
BY TOM WITHERS the Cavaliers. it had a verbal agree- than a week before the land’s second unit.
AP SPORTS WRITER The restricted free-agent ment with Thompson, who opener at Chicago. Thompson came through in
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Already forward has agreed in prin- helped the Cavs get to the There’s a chance the deal the playoffs after Love dis-
an elite rebounder, Tristan ciple with the defending NBA Finals last season by will be finalized Thursday located his left shoulder in
Thompson snatched a Eastern Conference cham- filling in for an injured Kevin and Thompson can begin the first round. The affable
long-term contract from pions on a five-year, $82 Love. practicing. 24-year-old averaged 9.6
Thompson had been seek- When Thompson declined points and 10.8 rebounds in
ing a maximum deal, while to sign a one-year, $6.9 mil- the postseason.
the Cavs made it known lion qualifying offer from He averaged 8.5 points
they valued the former No. the team last month, it ap- and 8.0 rebounds in the
4 overall pick, but weren’t peared he might be willing regular season.
going to overpay for a re- to sit out part of the regular Cleveland chose Thomp-
serve season. James had called son three selections after
The sides had been in an Thompson’s holdout a “dis- drafting Kyrie Irving with the
awkward stalemate, which traction” and the impasse first overall pick in 2011.q
