e New Orleans Pelicans say Anthony Davis is expected to return to basketball

NASHVILLE -- Shaun Hill will probably take the first snap Sunday when the Minnesota Vikings open their season against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.But if two NFL games 21 years apart mean anything, Hill might not finish.Either way, the Vikings arent planning to publicly stack the quarterback depth chart before Sunday, coach Mike Zimmer said Wednesday.Titans coach Mike Mularkey was blunt when asked if he expected Sam Bradford to start Sunday.The number of starts (Bradford) has, hes a very intelligent quarterback, hes faced this defense before, Mularkey said as he listed the reasons he believes that Bradford will be the starter. They wouldnt give up a 1 (first-round pick) and a 4 (fourth-round pick) to have him sit very long.Hes had a very good preseason -- really, both the quarterbacks had good preseasons. I would anticipate (Bradford) starts, and if he doesnt, its not going to change how we prepare.In 1993, when current Minnesota offensive coordinator Norv Turner owned the same position with the Dallas Cowboys, starting quarterback Troy Aikman sat out a game against the Cardinals because of a hamstring injury.Jason Garrett started, but Bernie Kosar, signed five days before the game after being canned by Bill Belichick in Cleveland, was the backup.Before the first quarter was finished, Kosar was in the game and played its remainder, completing 13-of-21 passes with a touchdown in Dallas 20-15 win.Two years ago, Hill started the opener for St. Louis after Bradford went down with a season-ending ACL tear in the third exhibition game. Hill lasted a half, going 8-for-13 for 81 yards and an interception before a thigh injury knocked him out.The Rams were 34-6 losers that day to ... the Vikings, whose Turner-run offense extracted an efficient day from quarterback Matt Cassel while getting help from a defense that contributed an interception return score.Two years later, the 36-year old Hill again plays the role of veteran backup filling in for young franchise quarterback, in this case Teddy Bridgewater, who will have surgery on his torn ACL Thursday.To complete the circle, Minnesota opted to fortify the quarterback position last weekend by acquiring Bradford from Philadelphia for a first-round pick in next years NFL Draft and a fourth-round pick in 2018.Turner will have had eight days to acclimate Bradford and perhaps make him functional if Hill struggles or is injured.Speaking after practice Wednesday, Bradford is happy with the progress hes making picking up the offense.Obviously, Im much more comfortable today than I was on Sunday, he said. It just helps getting reps at practice. Ive been studying more of our playbook this week, making sure Im comfortable with what were doing.Tennessees quarterback has no such issues. Marcus Mariota enjoyed a good rookie year despite missing time with injuries, and has looked sharp during training camp and exhibition games.Mariota completed 23 of 31 passes in exhibition games for 319 yards, playing to a QB rating of 104.1.The Titans preseason, unlike Minnesotas, has been mostly positive. Coach Mike Mularkeys run-first approach appears to be taking shape as the line has shown signs of being physical, while backs DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry could be a dangerous 1-2 punch.Murray has looked more like the guy who led the NFL in rushing and won Offensive Player of the Year honors two years ago as Dallas won the NFC East, while Henry appears to be a second-round steal, based on averaging more than six yards per carry in exhibition play.Its time to do what we came here to do, Henry said of making his NFL debut.While Tennessee plans to run first and then take its chances in the air off play-action, the Vikings also have a capable weapon at running back.Adrian Peterson is their go-to guy in most circumstances, and even more so now with the loss of Bridgewater.Peterson recorded his seventh 1,000-yard season in 2015, with 1,485 yards and 11 touchdowns, and although hes ancient by running back standards at 31, he shows no signs of slippage.The former MVP enters the season with 11,675 yards in nine years, one of which was shortened by injury and another that was ended after Week 1 in 2014 due to legal trouble.Teddys a phenomenal player, but even when he was in there, it all starts with Adrian, Titans defensive end Brian Orakpo said. Weve got to be sound against the run. Weve got to hit our run fits and do a good job against 28 (Peterson). Hes been doing it for years.This will be the first time the teams have met since 2012, when Minnesota whacked Tennessee 30-7 in Week 5.This will be the Vikings first visit to Nashville since 2008 and the first time these teams have opened against each other since 1989, when the Titans were doing business as the Houston Oilers. Nike Air Force 1 07 Suomi . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. Air Force 1 Suomi . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. http://www.airforce1suomi.com/ . The Brazilian goalkeeper signed a loan deal with the Major League Soccer club on Friday as he looks to get playing time ahead of this summers World Cup in his home country. Nike Air Force 1 Mid Kengät . Their experience showed Tuesday as the No. 10 Badgers blunted a Saint Louis surge to win 63-57 and advance to face West Virginia in Wednesdays finals of the Cancun Challenge. Nike Huarache Naiset . They reached the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in five games, bested the visiting Trail Blazers by 34 in the paint and scored 19 of the final 25 points in regulation. SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott says hell miss having All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman roaming the secondary this season.But McDermott also has growing faith that the NFC champions will be just fine with three rookie cornerbacks that teammates have dubbed the Three Amigos.The Panthers wrapped up training camp on Tuesday at Wofford College with James Bradberry and Daryl Worley still working with the first-team defense and Zack Sanchez seeing plenty of action at nickel back.They have done a nice job out there so far, McDermott said. I like their poise. They played with the (starters) the other night against Baltimore and they looked they played with a clear mind, which is hard to do in your first NFL preseason game. To this point, the arrow is pointing up.McDermott says theres still work to be done.He knows it wont be easy to replace Norman, among the leagues top cornerbacks in 2015. Norman held opposing quarterbacks to the lowest passer rating in the league and had a breakout season that included four interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns.The Panthers initially put the franchise tag on Norman while contemplating a long-term contract extension, but later pulled the offer and allowed him to become a free agent. Norman signed with the Washington Redskins less than 48 hours later, leaving another hole in Carolinas secondary.A knee injury last season forced the teams other starting cornerback, 35-year-old Charles Tillman, into retirement and the team opted not to re-sign veteran safety Roman Harper.Carolina responded by drafting Bradberry, Worley and Sanchez with three consecutive picks last April.Bradberry and Worley have performed so well as starters the Panthers have kept them there even though it was expected one of those spots would go to Bene Benwikere once he fully recovered from a broken leg he suffered last season.But at lleast for now, Benwikere is behind the rookies on the depth chart.ddddddddddddPanthers coach Ron Rivera said he has no fear of putting all three rookie cornerbacks on the field at the same time if needed, pointing out that the that 1981 San Francisco 49ers won a Super Bowl behind three starting rookie defensive backs in cornerbacks Ronnie Lott and Eric Wright and safety Carlton Williamson.In the meantime the Three Amigos have leaned heavily on each other.Being able to know that there are guys in the same position as you, it definitely gives you a level of comfortability, knowing, `Oh, he made the same mistake as me, Worley said. You can learn just watching someone else make the mistake.In the teams defensive backs room, no question is a dumb question since everyone is learning the system.But its clear the room is much quieter now without the brash and outspoken Norman, who feared no one and wasnt afraid to let you know it. It was Norman who got under the skin of opposing wide receivers Odell Beckham and Dez Bryant last year, disrupting their play with bold trash talk.But teammates say these three rookies dont do much talking.Thats one good thing is theyre not too loud, said Benwikere, who still hopes to rise up and win a starting job. Thats good, theyre all humble and they take coaching very well. I know our coaches and the staff love that.Said defensive tackle Star Lotulelei: They dont talk much. They just go out there and compete.Game notes The Panthers will return to Charlotte, North Carolina on Wednesday to resume preparation for the season following their 22nd summer at Wofford College... Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen missed his second straight day of practice with back spasms.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '