Wilks emphasizes physical play
Arizona Cardinals continue training camp with an old school mentality
CHICAGO — The U.S. will play Colombia in an exhibition at Tampa, Florida, on Oct. 11, one of six friendlies planned for this fall.
Interim coach Dave Sarachan has led the Americans to two wins, one loss and three draws since taking over last fall from Bruce Arena, who quit after the loss at Trinidad and Tobago that cost the U.S. a berth in this year’s World Cup.
Searching for a successor was delayed by the hiring of former American midfielder Earnie Stewart as the general manager of the team. Stewart did not start his new job until Tuesday.
The U.S. does not have a competitive match until the CONCACAF Gold Cup next June. The Americans have exhibitions against Brazil on Sept. 7 at East Rutherford, New Jersey; Mexico on Sept. 11 at Nashville, Tennessee; Colombia on Oct. 11 at Tampa, Florida; England on Nov. 15 at London; and Italy on Nov. 20 at a site to be determined. The U.S. Soccer Federation plans another October game.
Seahawks’ Thomas reiterates desire for new deal or trade
RENTON, Wash. — Holdout safety Earl Thomas reiterated Thursday he wants to be traded if the Seattle Seahawks aren’t willing to offer him a contract extension.
Thomas explained the reasoning behind his ongoing holdout in a long post on The Players’ Tribune. Thomas has skipped Seattle’s entire offseason program and missed the first week of training camp.
Thomas said his holdout is entirely based around securing his long-term future with his current contract set to expire at the conclusion of the 2018 season.
Thomas is a three-time first-team All-Pro and was the anchor for the Seattle defense that appeared in consecutive Super Bowls, winning the first. Aside from a broken leg suffered late in the 2016 season, Thomas has been a durable starter from the time he arrived in the league.
Minjee Lee shoots 7-under 65, leads Women’s British Open
LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England — The big thing missing for Minjee Lee in her impressive season is a strong performance at a major championship.
She might get it at the Women’s British Open.
The No. 8-ranked Australian shot a 7-under 65, including a right-to-left putt for eagle from 25 feet on the par-5 15th hole, to lead by one stroke after the first round at Royal Lytham on Thursday.
Mamiko Higa was a shot behind after a 66, while five players — Georgia Hall, Teresa Lu, Park Sung-hyun, Lee Mi-hyang and Pornanong Phatlum — were a further stroke back on a day that started with showers and a breeze before brightening up.
Top-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn bounced back from a doublebogey 6 at the second hole to shoot 71. Second-ranked Inbee Park dropped four shots in her first five holes in a 76.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — At the start of some practices, Arizona Cardinals coach Steve Wilks calls out the name of one defensive player and one offensive player to go at it one-onone in front of everyone else.
Once it was left tackle D.J. Humphries against defensive end Chandler Jones. Another time defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche took on right guard Justin Pugh.
“I like it a lot,” Humphries said. “It’s like old school, Pop Warner stuff.” A week into Wilks’ first training camp as an NFL head coach, an overriding theme has been tough, physical play, especially on the offensive line.
“Really it comes back to my defensive background,” Wilks said before the team took the field for another practice in pads Thursday. “There’s nothing more demoralizing than having an offense just run the ball. Coming off the ball up front, being physical, it just really takes the air out of you.”
While most of the training camp takes place in the air-conditioned comfort of University of Phoenix Stadium — the Cardinals’ regular- season home — Wilks moved the team outside into the desert heat for practice on Tuesday. They’ll be outdoors again Friday.
“Hopefully it’s a little hot out there so we can make sure we’re locked in and focused,” he said.
Wilks believes battling the heat helps build mental toughness.
“It’s all about mental with me. These guys have the skill set. They’re physical. They work out all the time. They train their bodies. It’s about this here,” he said, pointing to his head, “and being outside creates that element, particularly in the heat.”
Wilks has spent his NFL coaching career on defense, with stints as secondary coach for the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers and Carolina Panthers. Last year, he was promoted to defensive coordinator in Carolina and, after just one season, was hired to replace the retired Bruce Arians in Arizona.
Arians was all about offense, the big-play “no risk it, no biscuit” approach. Wilks, by contrast, wants a team that runs the ball with authority and a defense that just as naturally stops the run up front.
“We get pretty physical out there,” Humphries said. “Our defensive line, both of us know what we’re trying to do, what we’re trying to get done. It’s something that’s being preached to us and it’s something that we’re soaking up and buying into for sure. Most of us it’s second nature. We don’t have no softies on the O-line. Most of us, it ain’t hard to get us going, so it’s good fun.”
Defensive players appreciate a coach with roots on that side of the ball.
“It’s great,” said safety Antoine Bethea, a 13-year NFL veteran. “He gets it. Not saying other coaches don’t, but him being on the defensive side of the ball the majority of his career, he just gets what it means to be a defensive player, coming downhill, attacking.”
But it’s the offensive line that’s been singled out for praise by Wilks for its