Archiv » of the Jazz offence since the days of John Stockton and Karl

MILWAUKEE -- Suspended Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun is personally calling fans and offering an apology for using performance-enhancing drugs. Wes Aldridge, 58, of Muskego got a call at his office, a phone number he had provided to the Brewers as a season ticket holder. Aldridge was skeptical when the caller said he was Ryan Braun. "I looked around at the other phones in the office to see who was messing with me," he said Friday. Aldridge said he didnt waste any time getting to the question on the mind of many Brewers fans. Why would he take a banned substance? "The only thing he said was he had a friend that gave him the item and he didnt think it would do any harm at that time," Aldridge said. On July 22, Braun agreed to a 65-game suspension resulting from Major League Baseballs investigation of the now-closed Biogenesis of America anti-aging clinic, which was accused of providing banned substances to players. Braun admitted he took a cream and a lozenge containing banned substances while rehabilitating an injury during his 2011 National League MVP season. The calls started Thursday. "It was his idea," said Rick Schlesinger, the Brewers chief operating officer. "He came to us and said he wanted to call fans," including season ticket holders, partial season ticket holders and individual buyers. The Brewers turned over a list of several dozen random names, Schlesinger said. "He said he wanted to call everybody on the list," Schlesinger added. After Braun started making calls, the Brewers began to hear from some of the fans he called, according to Tyler Barnes, the Brewers vice-president of communications. "They were appreciative of the outreach. The vast majority were appreciative of it. We think its a nice gesture on Ryans part. We realize some are going to be grateful and others are going to be a little more hesitant," Barnes said. Aldridge said he got the impression Braun felt bad about what had happened. He said Braun apologized and said he made a mistake. But, Aldridge said he will keep his Ryan Braun memorabilia packed up and out of the sight of his grandsons. "I didnt want them to think I was going to back someone who cheated the game," he said. Schlesinger said he has talked to Braun about the calls, which he said were ongoing. "He expects some fans will still be angry with him and tell him so on the phone. He wanted to hear the good, the bad and the ugly," Schlesinger said. Michael Cooper Lakers Jersey . Coetzees finish, with six birdies and no bogeys, took him to 19-under 268 overall and past South African compatriots Thomas Aiken and Justin Walters, the overnight co-leaders. Coetzee was flawless on the East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club to clinch his maiden title after 24 top 10 finishes. 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Burke was told hed go as high as second in the draft and he started getting nervous. "My mind was pretty much everywhere. I was just ready to figure out where I was going to finally end up. Now that Im at Utah, Im definitely thrilled for the opportunity," Burke said. Burke is a pure pick-and-roll player who was the consensus national player of the year as a sophomore after leading the Wolverines to the national championship game. As part of the deal, the Jazz took UCLA swingman Shabazz Muhammad at No. 14 and Louisville centre and Senegal native Gorgui Dieng at No. 21 for the Timberwolves. Also, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that the Nuggets traded Frenchman Rudy Gobert, whom they selected with the 27th pick, to the Jazz for cash and the 46th pick. The Jazz missed out on the playoffs for the second time in three years last season and have a young core of players that includes Alec Burks, Gordon Hayward, Enes Kanter and Derrick Favours that should benefit from the arrival of Burke. The Jazz have just six players on the roster with guaranteed contracts for 2013-14, none of them point guards. Burke won the Bob Cousy Award given annually to the nations best point guard. He averaged 18.6 points and 6.7 assists last season when he led the Wolverines to their first Final Four since 1993. Burke, who is small for an NBA guard at 6-foot-1, is known as a playmaker and often played his best in big gammes.dddddddddddd He took care of the ball with a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio while crafting a reputation as one of college basketballs finest passers but his size may have led to his slide on the draft board. "I think the type of player that I am, I definitely get motivated by things like that," Burke said. "Teams passing up on me. Not knowing what to expect at the end of the day. So I definitely think it will motivate me." Scouts say Burke is most proficient running an offence featuring the pick-and-roll, a staple of the Jazz offence since the days of John Stockton and Karl Malone. "I know I have some really good shooters around me," Burke said. "I think with the guys that the Jazz already have, we can get up and down the floor as well. But I think Im going to be a guy thats going to bring the winning mentality to the team, that can make plays." The crowd watching the draft at Energy Solutions Arena stood and cheered when the trade was announced. In the first draft with general manager Dennis Lindsey at the helm, the Jazz made a bold move to fill a need. Lindsey, who was the assistant general manager for the San Antonio Spurs for five seasons before moving to the Jazz last season, brought nearly 70 players into Salt Lake City for workouts in the weeks before the draft in an unprecedented commitment to pre-draft, customized evaluations. Burke, however, was not one of those who made a visit to Utah. Once he arrives, the Jazz hope he makes an immediate impact. Gobert, on the other hand, may need a period of development before he brings his 7-foot-9 wingspan (the longest ever recorded at the NBA draft combine) and rebounding skills to Utah. ' ' '