EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Long-time center John Sullivan was in the first wave of cuts by the Minnesota Vikings, during a devastating day marked by a likely season-ending left knee injury for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater .Sullivans eight-year tenure with the team ended with his release on Tuesday after 12-year veteran Joe Berger was declared the winner of the starting job and the Vikings werent able to make a trade work for a player who missed last season because of a back injury.It was tough, but were always going to do whats in the best interest of the football team, coach Mike Zimmer said.Sullivan, a sixth-round draft pick out of Notre Dame in 2008, succeeded six-time Pro Bowl pick Matt Birk at center the following year. Hes fourth all-time among Vikings centers with 93 regular season starts.Our entire organization appreciates everything that John Sullivan has done for this franchise, general manager Rick Spielman said. Sullivan led our team, not only with how he played the game, but also with how he handled himself in our community. We wish John Sullivan and his family nothing but the best.Berger, a valuable, versatile player who has also started games at guard since joining the Vikings in 2011, proved to be a solid replacement in 2015 after Sullivan went down during training camp. They rotated regularly this summer, each taking turns with the first team.We graded them and everything, Zimmer said. We thought that Berger was better.With Bridgewater likely out, Berger will be working with a new starting quarterback. Shaun Hill will step in as the starter for now, but another quarterback is almost certain to be acquired over the next week.Meeting the NFL deadline for reducing rosters to 75 players on Tuesday, the Vikings also waived offensive tackle Austin Shepherd, defensive end Theiren Cockran, offensive tackle Sean Hickey, tight end Brian Leonhardt, defensive tackle Claudell Louis, wide receiver Marken Michel, linebacker Terrance Plummer, wide receiver Terrell Sinkfield, quarterback Brad Sorensen and wide receiver Troy Stoudermire.Safety Antone Exum and defensive tackle Scott Crichton were waived with an injured designation. Offensive lineman Mike Harris, the starter last year at right guard, was placed on the non-football illness reserve list. He has not practiced since training camp began because of an undisclosed condition.Cockran and Stoudermire are former University of Minnesota standouts. Sinkfield played in high school in the state (Hopkins), and Leonhardt played in high school (Spring Lake Park) and college (Bemidji State) in Minnesota. Shepherd was a seventh-round draft pick in 2015. Crichton was drafted in the third round as a defensive end in 2014.---AP Pro Football Writer Dave Campbell contributed to this report.---Online:AP NFL website: http: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFLCheap Broncos Jerseys . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. Authentic Custom Broncos Jersey . Paul Pierce couldnt believe he missed at the end. 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A statement from the worlds top-ranked player says all checks "were satisfactory and showed positive evolution" regarding the injury, which contributed to his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in the final in Melbourne.NEW YORK -- Penn State coach Patrick Chambers sounded like a coach who just watched his team play as well as it has all season.We competed. We played hard. And its nice, of course, to make so many 3s, he said. That always helps.Shep Garner scored 21 points and was 6 for 9 from 3-point range to lead Penn State to a 92-76 victory over St. Johns on Sunday in the Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden.If youre not nervous coming into this game, to be playing at the Garden, theres something wrong with you, Chambers said. I get butterflies. I get jacked up. I cant wait to walk on the floor.The Nittany Lions (7-5) took control early by closing the first half on a 35-5 run for a 52-29 lead. Garner had two 3s early in the surge as St. Johns (5-7) didnt have a field goal over the final 9:45, missing 10 shots from the field and committing six turnovers.Garners effort from beyond the 3-point arc was part of Penn State shooting 13 for 23 from long range (56.5 percent), well above the 33 percent it was hitting this season.Payton Banks had 17 points and was 5 of 9 on 3s for Penn State, which won its third straight. Mike Watkins had 15 points and 13 rebounds and Josh Reaves and Tony Reaves added 13 points each for the Nittany Lions.When Mike brings that juice, that energy and passion, hes protecting the paint and the rim for us, Chambers said. He gets us going and gets us out on the break for easy baskets and uncontested shots.Malik Ellison led the Red Storm with 22 points while Shamorie Ponds added 12 and Tariq Owens had 11 points and 11 rebounds.We had a lack of energy at a certain point in the first half and we just dug ourselves in a huge hole, Ellisson said.dddddddddddd.Owens echoed Ellisons comments.Early on we came out playing well and then just had a mental lapse, Owens said. Total effort in the first half, as a complete unit we didnt bring it as a team, so we had to change some things at half and adjust our effort.Second-year coach Chris Mullin hopes his team can gain something from the game.I was telling them after the game not only do you hate to lose and youre embarrassed and all those emotions, but what you really have to do is learn from this, Mullin said.BIG PICTUREPenn State: Two of the Nittany Lions losses have been to ranked teams -- No. 1 Duke and No. 25 Cincinnati. ... Penn State is the 18th least-experienced team in the nation but the Nittany Lions seem like gray beards compared to St. Johns which is the ninth least-experienced team in the country.St. Johns: This was the Red Storms 50th appearance in the Holiday Festival and they came in with a 73-58 record including a six-game winning streak. ... Kassoum Yakwe and Owens are the leading shot-blocking duo in the country. They came into the game with a combined 63 blocks. They both had one Sunday... This was St. Johns third straight game in a different New York City borough. They played Fordham in Queens, LIU Brooklyn in Brooklyn and Penn State in Manhattan.UP NEXTPenn State: The Nittany Lions host Morgan State on Wednesday, then open Big Ten play at home on Dec. 27 against Northwestern.St. Johns: The Red Storm are at Syracuse on Wednesday, then open Big East play at home against No. 18 Butler. ' ' '