and confidence to beat [Nadal], but I hope to enjoy the mat

ASHBURN, Va. -- London Fletcher says he gets his bell rung perhaps twice a game. Hes played in 240 games in a row, not counting preseason and playoffs. Do the math, and it adds up. The Washington Redskins linebacker has seen a lot of stars. "I play inside linebacker and I like to play it physical," Fletcher said Thursday. "So, I dont know, it can happen a couple of times a game, but I wouldnt classify them as concussions; theyre just, you know, bell-ringing. Youll see stars for a second, and then youre back to normal in two, three seconds, whatever the case may be. Thats just the way the game is." The 38-year-old Fletcher, who has never missed a game in 16 NFL seasons, is decidedly old-school. In a profile in this weeks issue of Sports Illustrated, he reveals that he suffered a concussion last preseason that he and the team kept secret from the public. "Im not going to tell an opponent about anything that Ive got going on, so its just the way I am," Fletcher told reporters in the Redskins locker room. "You play football, you have things that bother you all the time. If I go around telling you all everything thats bothering me, youd be writing a story every day." So what was suspected was true. When coach Mike Shanahan said Fletcher was "not feeling right" and kept evading follow-up questions, it turned out that the linebacker did get a concussion when he was hit by a teammate while defending a pass in the preseason opener in August 2012 against the Buffalo Bills. Fletcher stayed in the game a few more plays before telling trainers he was feeling dizzy, and he missed the next preseason game. Asked why he didnt reveal Fletchers concussion, Shanahan said: "I dont remember, to be honest with you. Ive got a hard enough time thinking about what it was last week with injuries, yet a year ago." Teams are not required to issue regular injury reports during preseason. Still, had the injury occurred in September instead of August, Fletcher wouldnt now hold the longest active consecutive games streak in the league. "If I had suffered the concussion in a regular season game, I would not have been able to play that following week," he said. What Fletcher didnt tell the trainers was that he was dealing with a byproduct from the concussion well into the regular season. He was over the actual concussion, but something still wasnt right with his head. "It wasnt a situation where I was all wobbly or anything like that," Fletcher said. "Its just every now and then I would maybe have a little sway. I would notice it. Nobody else would notice it. So I never told the team about that." It wasnt until he had a hamstring injury in October that Fletcher told the team about his "balance" issues. It turned out to be problem in his neck that was resolved easily. Fletcher hadnt been his usual self up until then, and once the problem was treated he had a strong second half and was named second-team All-Pro. "I think players sometimes go running to the training room too much," Fletcher said. "You get a hangnail, you go run to the trainer. You get a sprained finger, you go running to the trainer, things like that. For me, Im just of the mentality, if you can go out and play, you dont need to run to the training room about every little thing thats going on. "Obviously, looking back, I shouldve told the team about that part of it a lot sooner because it was something that was taken care of immediately. Thats the only regret I have about the situation." Fletchers comments about regular "bell-ringing" are sure to add the growing debate surrounding football safety. Experts have tried to educate coaches and players that "getting your bell rung" is not something to be ignored. That only works, however, if the player reports it or a coach or teammate notices it. "I remember a number of quarterbacks come to the sideline, and you knew there was something wrong," Shanahan said. "And you give the old 1-2-3 finger test and they go back out there. Times have changed, and education has changed for the right reason." Fletcher said he hasnt "taken the time" to count all of his concussions, including maybe one or two hes had while playing pickup basketball. Hes fully aware of concussion-related lawsuits filed by former NFL players, so he knows what hes up against once hes retired. "I signed up for this," he said. "Nobody makes me play this game." Notes: Robert Griffin III (right knee surgery) had his second full practice in a row, still progressing toward a target of playing in the regular season opener Sept. 9. "He was able to get a lot more reps," offensive co-ordinator Kyle Shanahan said. "And do some that werent totally scripted." ... With QB Kirk Cousins recovering from a sprained right foot, Mike Shanahan said Rex Grossman and Pat White will probably each play a half Saturday against the Bills. Kirk Cousins Jersey .com) - The Los Angeles Kings werent playing their best hockey before the league went on break during the Winter Olympics. Minnesota Vikings Jerseys . Sijsling, ranked 74th in the world, was leading 6-0, 4-1 when his Italian opponent called it quits after just 39 minutes on court. In a match pitting together two qualifiers, Michal Przysiezny of Poland defeated local favourite Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4) for only his second Tour win of the season. http://www.shopvikingsauthentic.com/Youth-Jalyn-Holmes-Elite-Jersey/ . The No. 23 seed at the first Grand Slam event of the tennis season has worked out all the details, from his training regime right down to where hes going to eat dinner. Mike Hughes Vikings Jersey .4 seconds left and dribbled up court, weaving through Pitts defence. Daniel Carlson Vikings Jersey .ca. Kerry, In Mondays Habs/Bruins game, there were three questionable/brutal calls against the Habs late in the game - Tomas Plekanec, then Douglas Murray, then Brendan Gallagher.Paris, France (SportsNetwork.com) - Eight-time champion Rafael Nadal and last years runner-up David Ferrer were a pair of easy winners Saturday at the French Open. The world No. 1 great Nadal improved to 3-0 lifetime against Leonardo Mayer by handling the Argentine 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 on the Spaniards beloved red clay at Court Chatrier. Nadal is now 62-1 lifetime at Roland Garros, where hes won four straight and eight of the last nine titles. He beat Ferrer in last years all-Spanish finale and has won his last 31 matches overall at this Parisian major. The 27-year-old Nadal is trying to become the first man to win five straight French Open titles. The reigning French and U.S. Open champions fourth-round opponent will be talented Serb Dusan Lajovic. The fifth-seeded Ferrer, meanwhile, got past 32nd-seeded Italian Andreas Seppi 6-2, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 on Day 7. Ferrer posted his 35th win at Roland Garros, one shy of Alex Corretja for the second-most by a Spaniard at this clay-court Grand Slam, and continued his dominance of Seppi, beating the Italian for the seventh time in as many meetings without dropping a set. Ferrer, like Nadal, did not lose a set in Week 1 in Paris. Seppi fell to 6-64 all-time against top-10 players, including only one win in his last 50 tries. Ferrer will next play Kevin Anderson. The 19th-seeded South African slugger earnned a spot in the round of 16 when Croatias Ivo Karlovic retired with an apparent back injury after dropping the first set 6-3.dddddddddddd Anderson has matched his best showing at a Grand Slam. Last year, he became the first South African man to reach the fourth round at the French Open since Wayne Ferreira in 1996. Flashy Frenchman Gael Monfils, seeded 23rd, posted an upset by tackling 14th- seeded Italian Fabio Fognini 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, 0-6, 6-2, while the aforementioned Lajovic moved into the round of 16 by defeating American Jack Sock 6-4, 7-5, 6-3. The 83rd-ranked Lajovic is playing in only his second major tournament. He lost in the second round to Japans Kei Nishikori at the Australian Open in January. "Its my first Roland Garros main draw appearance and first time in the fourth round, so I cant be more happy than this," said Lajovic. "Maybe to play Rafa on Chatrier is one of the biggest dreams and biggest challenges. So for sure its not going to be easy. "You need to have a lot of tips and confidence to beat [Nadal], but I hope to enjoy the match if he wins and to give my best." Also on Saturday, Spaniard Marcel Granollers overcame Slovak Martin Klizan, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 and Spains Guillermo Garcia-Lopez outlasted American left-hander Donald Young 6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4. Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '