Young cancer victim had an impact on Beckham, Richburg

There was a sense of loss as Odell Beckham Jr. and Weston Richburg took the field for the start of the New York Giants’ second week of training camp.

It had nothing to do with football for the all-everything wide receiver and the muchless known starting center.

The sadness revolved around the life of 9-yearold Jayro Ponce of Follett, Texas, and his death Monday following a battle with rare form of cancer.

Richburg of Bushland, Texas, met Ponce in a hospital in the offseason. Beckham, who was Ponce’s favorite player, met the young man a couple of days before the Giants reported to training camp.

Ponce made an impression on both.

Richburg remembers walking into the room on April 8 in the Harrington Cancer Center, meeting the child and recalling his big smile.

“I probably could have handled it better,” the 26-year-old Richburg said. “But that situation, having somebody in that situation wanting to have something to do with you is kind of life-changing. You don’t experience that every day. It really had a big impact on me and showed me that people are watching me and I have an impact whether I like it or not.”

Beckham was not available to be interviewed after practice, but it was clear the death of Ponce affected him.

“I don’t even kno where to start,” he wrote on his Instagram account. “It’s hard to even fully understand these situations. Crushed, hurt, upset this one cut deep. I had the pleasure of meeting this young man. Truly an amazing person filled wit beautiful energy. Against alll odds u fought lil bro, everyday,day after day. For yourself and for your family.”

Beckham wrote that meeting Ponce taught him more than he could have imagined.

“To the family I thank u for allowing me to visit wit yu guys and be there to support,” Beckham wrote. “I’ll be here for life for u guys. I kno Jayro is in a better place and that God now has him. Rest in Peace Jayro.”

Mack after 30 sacks

After two straight seasons with All-Pro honors and winning the AP Defensive Player of the Year last season, Khalil Mack has set his goals for 2017 quite high.

He just wasn’t expecting Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to make public his quest for 30 sacks, which would crush Michael Strahan’s NFL record of 22½ set in 2001 and might seem a bit out of reach to most outsiders.

“That’s the number I shoot for, but I didn’t want him to tell everybody else,” Mack said. “But at the same time, D.C., he knows how hard we work, what kind of work we put in, and he knows what I want. Realistically, we just want to get the record at least.”

Tax bill for Rams

The Rams are long gone from St. Louis, but they still may owe more than $350,000 in taxes to the state of Missouri.

The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday reversed a ruling from an administrative hearing that determined the NFL team did not have to pay state sales tax on a special city entertainment fee added to tickets from 2007 to 2013. The state said during oral arguments in March the Rams owe up to $352,000.

Attorneys for the Rams have argued the state owes the team $401,000 in improperly assessed sales taxes.

The Rams relocated to Los Angeles from St. Louis after NFL owners approved the move in January 2016.

A message seeking comment from the Rams was not immediately returned.

Football canceled in Green Bay?

The upcoming football season at a Green Bay middle school named for legendary Packers coach Vince Lombardi has been canceled because the school can’t find any coaches.

WLUK-TV reports that administrators at Lombardi Middle School have been advertising for coaches since last April and have not had a single application. Efforts by the high school coaching staff to help fill the positions have come up empty.

The school district’s website says a middle school coaching job pays $2,149 a season.

Principal Jim Van Abel says in a letter to parents there will be opportunities for students to play with area club football teams.