Dein erstes Forum » The Rockets became the first NBA team t

NEW YORK -- Together, Baker Mayfield and Dede Westbrook were practically unstoppable for Oklahoma.Mayfield is one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football and something of a magician in the pocket, escaping trouble to make something out of nothing. Westbrook is a big play waiting to happen, a receiver who can turn just about any play into long touchdown.A case could be made that neither would have been a Heisman Trophy finalist without the other, and Westbrook, for one , is happy to have a friend around during a hectic week on the awards circuit.I would be so much more nervous than I am if he wasnt here. Its just good to always look over and see him smiling and me just smiling back at him, Westbrook said.The two Sooners, along with Michigans Jabrill Peppers and Louisvilles Lamar Jackson , met with reporters at a hotel in midtown Manhattan on Friday, not long after arriving in New York City. They were all in Atlanta on Thursday night at the College Football Hall of Fame for an awards show that was on ESPN .Jackson took home the Maxwell Player of the Year and Westbrook won the Biletnikoff Award as the nations top receiver.The other finalist, Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson , won the Davey OBrien, beating out Jackson for the award that goes to the most outstanding quarterback. Watson was not scheduled to get to New York until Saturday. He had to stop in Baltimore to pick up the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award, which goes to the best upperclassman quarterback.The biggest prize gets handed out Saturday, and Jackson is the favorite.Westbrook and Mayfield are the first teammates to be finalists since 2005, when Southern Californias Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart finished one and three in the voting, respectively. The last time teammates finished in the top five of the Heisman voting was 2008, when another Big 12 pass-catch combo did it. Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell and wide receiver Michael Crabtree finished a distant fourth and fifth, respectively, behind Oklahomas Sam Bradford, Texas Colt McCoy and Floridas Tim Tebow.Mayfield leads the nation in passer efficiency rating and is on pace to break the FBS record at 197.75. He has thrown for 3,669 yards and 38 touchdowns for the Big 12 champions. Mayfield also leads the nation in yards per completion at 11.1, a number helped mightily by Westbrook. The senior is averaging 19.8 yards per catch. His 16 touchdowns have covered an average of 48.8 yards.You put in so much work during the offseason, Mayfield said. The extra work that Dede and I put in together, with routes, just working on perfecting our craft. Its kind of like its a reward for all the work we put in.Westbrook is just happy to be here. He said he does not expect to win and is looking forward to hearing Mayfields speech instead of making one himself as he did in Atlanta. Having Mayfield around is not always so calming for Westbook. Especially when the quarterback was telling him about the millions of TV viewers that were going to be watching him Thursday night.He wasnt trying to make me nervous. He did make me nervous. And thats why I told him Im not nervous now because I know tomorrow Im not going to be walking up there accepting the Heisman Trophy, that he will, Westbrook said. Trust me. Im going to be in his ear.Less than a minute later, Mayfield was in Westbrooks ear. As the quarterback walked behind his teammate, he gave Westbrook a wet willy the receiver never saw coming.Mayfield finished fourth in last seasons Heisman voting, but did not receive an invitation to New York. Those are determined by the margin between vote-getters. Never shy to voice his opinions, Mayfield said even though he did not think he was going to win, he was disappointed about not getting to be at the ceremony.No complaints from Mayfield this year, though. He is enjoying the opportunity and Westbrook is glad to be along for the ride -- even if it is just to poke fun at his friend.Hes very cool and he can also dance, Westbrook said. What I think is when he showers, in the mirror, like I think he practices his dance moves. I dont have the time to do that.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP---More college football coverage http://collegefootball.ap.org/ Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. Nike NFL Jerseys China . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. https://www.chinajerseysnfl.us/ . -- The Missouri Tigers might not have a roster full of superstars. Wholesale NFL Jerseys China .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. NFL Jerseys China . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed.PHILADELPHIA -- Sam Hinkie wants the 76ers to use the Moneyball-type of thinking popularized in baseball to build a championship team in Philadelphia. Hinkie can crunch the numbers using any formula hed like -- hed find the Sixers were pretty awful this season. But thats why Hinkie was hired away from Houston, to build the 34-win Sixers into title contenders, not just by using traditional player statistics like rebounds and points, but through alternative -- and complex -- ways of calculating a players value that often clash with old-school, front-office thinking. Considered an innovator in the Rockets cutting edge analytic efforts, the Sixers named Hinkie team president and general manager on Tuesday. "Im just trying to use information to make decisions," Hinkie said. "I think some people move along quickly and others dont. Thats OK." Hinkie replaced president Rod Thorn, who moved into a consulting role, and GM Tony DiLeo, fired after one year on the job and 23 years total in the front office. Hinkie spent the last eight years in Houston and was the executive vice-president of basketball operations for the Rockets. A year after he was passed over for the GM job, Hinkie was the top choice this time by owner Joshua Harris to oversee the rebuilding of this beleaguered franchise. Hinkie must now hire a coach after Doug Collins resigned following three seasons. Collins and Thorn are officially consultants for the team, but are now in the background of a major reconstruction project that Harris, Hinkie and a new coach will tackle. The Sixers have a short list of coaching candidates but have not interviewed anyone. In looking for a coach, Hinkie said all philosophies would be blended into a successful organization, not just analytics. "I think its all too-often overstated about how analytically minded a head coach needs to be," Hinkie said. "I think every head coach in the NBA is analytically minded. I think they all want to win. I think more and more, as they meet organizations that have really invested in this, they say this is helpful." Hinkie replaces DiLeo, who was widely credited -- and now blamed -- for orchestrating the botched deal for injury-prone centre Andrew Bynum. Harris said some of the roster decisions made, like the Bynum deal and giving multi-year deals to Spencer Hawes and Kwame Brown, were not made with "good process. They werent good decisions." Philadelphia went to the playoffs in Collins first two seasons, and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals last season. But with Bynum injured all season, the 76ers stumbled to a 34-48 record this season, finishing 20 games behind division-champion New York. Theyll have a first-round pick in the NBA draft lottery and about $11--$12 million in salary cap room.dddddddddddd Hes off this week to Chicago for the pre-draft camp. Jrue Holiday was an All-Star in his third full season and joined Wilt Chamberlain as the two players in the franchises 50-year history to average more than 17 points and eight assists for an entire season. Thaddeus Young and Evan Turner are solid assets. But those two standouts -- along with Holiday -- werent enough to help lead the Sixers back to the post-season. Along the way, Bynum never played for the Sixers because of bone bruises in both knees. He insisted from training camp he would play this season, only to shut it down for good on March 18. He then underwent season-ending arthroscopic surgery on both knees. Bynum earned $16.5 million this season and is set to become an unrestricted free agent. Bynum is one of six free agents for the Sixers, who are devoid of any real assets outside of Holiday. Without playing a game for the Sixers, Bynum said at his introductory press conference he wanted to make Philadelphia his home -- and the team was ready to commit. "Where do I sign?" Harris said last August. "Show me the contract." There were no enthusiastic endorsements at the Sixers practice facility on Tuesday. "I think of Andrew like the thousands of other young men walking around the world that are unrestricted free agents that have potential to play NBA basketball," Hinkie said. "He is one of those. Im duty bound to consider them and look at them. All of them." And from Harris? "Were going to look into it." The Rockets became the first NBA team to manage the basketball operations of its D-League team. Likely as a sign of whats ahead, the 76ers last month acquired a team to compete in the NBAs developmental league in Delaware. It was that kind of thinking that impressed the Rockets -- and the Sixers. "His valuable insight regarding players and the NBA, whether building around Yao Ming or taking the multiple strategic steps necessary to acquire James Harden, has provided the Rockets with an unmatched advantage over the years," Houston GM Daryl Morey said. "Philadelphia will realize over time what an important acquisition they have made." The Sixers hope they realize it if they can celebrate their first championship since 1983. ------ NOTES: Harris is Managing Partner of Apollo Management, which he co-founded in 1990. Apollos investments include the fast-food chains Hardees and Carls Jr. In March, Hostess Brands Inc. sold Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Ho Hos and other brands to Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co. for $410 million. "We try to buy good franchises at low prices and we were able to do that with Hostess," Harris said. ' ' '