NORMAN, Okla. -- Joe Mixon might be Oklahomas best player.Hes undoubtedly the most controversial Sooner.Mixon landed in Norman back in 2014 as one of the nations top running back recruits. Before he even participated in a fall practice, he got into an altercation and punched a woman in the face at a restaurant, resulting in a one-year suspension. Many fans were outraged, and some wanted him kicked off the team.Two years later, hes a bona fide star and crowd favorite who is beloved by his teammates. He ranks seventh nationally in all-purpose yards per game (181.7) and sixth in kickoff return average (32.7) for the 25th-ranked Sooners .Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said Mixons most significant growth has been off the field.Hes really matured well, Stoops said. Hes been an excellent student. Hes never on the list for anything. He does everything you want him to do and been a great teammate. All of it. In the locker room, hes one of the more popular guys because hes a friend to everybody.Mixons growth has a player has been notable, too. He returned last year and was one of the Big 12s best all-around players. This season, hes been even better. Hes the conference leader in all-purpose yards and ranks fourth in rushing. He combines breakaway speed with shiftiness, the hands of a wide receiver and a powerful 6-foot-1, 226-pound frame.While his teammates have struggled at times during a 1-2 start, Mixon has stood out. He scored Oklahomas first touchdown of the season on a 32-yard run. He ran for 117 yards the next game against Louisiana-Monroe. Against Ohio State, he provided one of the few bright spots when he returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. He also ran for 78 yards on just nine carries.Mixon shares carries with Samaje Perine, an established star who is climbing the schools career record books. Still, the Sooners want to get the ball to Mixon as often as possible. This season, Mixon is averaging 8.1 yards per carry and 13.1 yards per catch. He has 998 career yards rushing on just 142 attempts.I think we have to be cognizant and keep track of the number of opportunities he gets, for sure, Stoops said. Hes exceptional when you do target him and give him the opportunity.The elephant in the room remains, in part, because Mixon has been sheltered. He has only spoken with the media once since the incident, when he answered football questions only in a session before the Orange Bowl at the end of last season.He hasnt been interviewed this year, though Stoops said he would consider making him available later in the season.Its something weve talked about and Ive talked about it with the administration, and were working on that, Stoops said. Theres a possibility.Mixon still has his immature moments -- at least, on the field. On his kickoff return touchdown against Ohio State, he dropped the ball at the 1-yard line as he headed into the end zone . The officials didnt catch it, but Stoops did. Stoops said he plans to discuss the incident with Mixon.Itll be positive, Stoops said. Weve got the clips of the other guys that have done it as well. Thats something that will be watched and talked through.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter (at)CliffBruntAP . Detroit Tigers Shirts . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half. Wholesale Tigers Jerseys . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. https://www.cheaptigers.com/ . Catch all the action on TSN2 at 11pm et/8pm pt. The nine-time Big 12 champion Jayhawks are positioning themselves for another title, as they have run out to a flawless 6-0 mark in conference play thus far. Detroit Tigers Gear .com) - The Calgary Flames aim to bounce back from their first regulation home loss of the campaign on Friday night when they host a Detroit Red Wings club that they swept in three meetings a season ago. Tigers Jerseys 2019 . -- If Henry Burris has his way, he will be the starting quarterback to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats back to the Grey Cup next year. NEW YORK -- Steroids-tainted stars Manny Ramirez and Ivan Rodriguez are on baseballs Hall of Fame ballot for the first time, along with Vladimir Guerrero.Jeff Bagwell is the top holdover on the 2017 Baseball Writers Association of America 34-player ballot announced Monday. He fell 15 votes short of the required 75 percent in 2016.Ramirez was suspended for 50 games in 2009 while with the Los Angeles Dodgers for using a banned female fertility drug. He retired in 2011 instead of facing a 100-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. He applied for reinstatement that December, and his suspension for the second failed test was cut from 100 games to 50 because he sat out nearly all of the 2011 season.Ramirez did not play in the majors again, although he did appear at Triple-A from 2012-14.Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds, also tainted by steroids allegations, are on the ballot for the fifth time. After a change on voting eligibility rules eliminated some retired writers, Clemens rose to 45.2 percent and Bonds to 44.3 percent in last years voting.Players remain on the ballot for up to 10 years, provided they receive at least 5 percent of the vote.Rodriguez was never disciplined for PEDs, but former Texas teammate Jose Canseco alleged in a 2005 book that he injected the catcher with steroids. Asked whether he was on the list of players who allegedly tested positive for steroids during baseballs 2003 survey, Rodriguez said in 2009: Only God knows.A 12-time All-Star, Ramirez helped the Boston Red Sox win World Series titles in 2004 and 07, the first for the franchise since 1918.dddddddddddd He hit .312 with 555 home runs and 1,831 RBIs in 19 big league seasons, and he was voted MVP of the 2007 Series.Rodriguez was a 14-time All-Star and 13-time Gold Glove catcher, and he was voted AL MVP in 1999 with Texas, his team for the first 12 of his 21 big league seasons. He batted .296 with 311 homers and 1,332 RBIs, winning a World Series with the Florida Marlins in 2003 after earning MVP of the NL Championship Series.Guerrero was a nine-time All-Star and the 2004 AL MVP with the Anaheim Angels. He hit .318 with 449 homers and 1,496 RBIs in 16 CORTLAND, N.Y. -- Rex Ryan has moved on from last season. He hopes New York Jets fans can, too. The coach refused to tell frustrated Jets fans Monday to take their boos elsewhere, but also reminded them that this is a new season, with new hopes and expectations. "Im not going to say Im disappointed in our fans, but I think we need to move forward," Ryan said. "The things from the past are in the past. Lets just focus on what we have in front of us. Were all going to make mistakes. Were all going to turn the ball over. "We dont like to, but those are things that are going to happen." The subject came up because Mark Sanchez, competing with rookie Geno Smith for the starting job, was booed loudly by some of the 6,000 fans at SUNY Cortland on Saturday night when he threw an interception during the teams scrimmage. Sanchez had an NFL-leading 52 turnovers in the last two seasons, something that has left many fans hoping for Smith to win the job. Antonio Cromartie, who made the interception, said Saturday he thought the reaction by fans was "bull" and added, "You dont come out here and boo anybody." Ryan understands the fans disappointment, even if he didnt particularly like the booing. "Fans have the right to do anything they want," Ryan said. "I think with us, the entire team, this is our teammate no matter who it is in the green and white. We want our fans behind us at all times. Obviously, guys make mistakes. I think thats probably the reaction we had: We dont want our guys getting booed, especially from our fans because we all wear green and white, including our fans. "This games tough enough. We need to support each other. Thats probably where Cro is coming from." Although the scrimmage was free admission, Ryan insisted that fans "earned" the right to boo whenever they want to because "theyre the paying customer." If Sanchez wins the starting job, the fans might have extremely thin patience in the regular-season opener at home against Tampa Bay in Week 1. That means there could be boos for Sanchez if he struggles early and chants for Smith to take over. Ryan insisted that public sentiment wont -- and has never -- played a role in the teams decisions. "A fans perspective, you dont factor that in," Ryan said. "You do what you think is -- dare I say it? -- in the best interest of your football team." When it was suggested that Ryan might have been more defiant during his first few seasons as coach, when he was known to make news with his mouth, he said that wouldnt have been the case. "I dont think I ever would have told our fans, You better get behind us," he said. "Theres no way I wouldve said that." USA Soccer Jerseys 2020 . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. USA Soccer Pro Shop .Y. - Rob Manfred was promoted Monday to Major League Baseballs chief operating officer, which may make him a candidate to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/ . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Stitched USA Soccer Jerseys . LOUIS -- St. USA Soccer Store . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs have waived defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches and elevated offensive lineman Jordan Devey from the practice squad for Sundays game in Houston.Kansas City needed depth along the offensive line after declaring their starting guards, Laurent Duvernay-Tardiff and Parker Ehinger, out for the Texans. Duvernay-Tardif is dealing with an ankle sprain and Ehinger is out with a concussion.Devey gives the Chiefs seven healthy offensive linemen, which iis coach Andy Reids preference.ddddddddddddhe Chiefs are also expected to be without running back Jamaal Charles, who is doubtful as he tries to work his way back from surgery last season to repair the torn ACL in his right knee.Charles has not played in a game since Week 5 last season.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' 'big league seasons.Also among 19 newcomers on the ballot are Casey Blake, Pat Burrell, Orlando Cabrera, Mike Cameron, J.D. Drew, Carlos Guillen, Derrek Lee, Melvin Mora, Magglio Ordonez, Jorge Posada, Arthur Rhodes, Freddy Sanchez, Matt Stairs, Jason Varitek, Billy Wagner and Tim Wakefield.Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza were elected last year, when Bagwell appeared on 315 of 440 ballots (71.6 percent. Other holdovers include Tim Raines (69.8), Trevor Hoffman (67.3) and Curt Schilling (52.3) along with Edgar Martinez (43.4), Mike Mussina (43), Lee Smith (34.1), Fred McGriff (20.9), Jeff Kent (16.6), Larry Walker (15.5), Billy Wagner (10.5) and Sammy Sosa (7). ' ' '