t week. Albert said hes not ruling out playing this week against the 49ers.Josh Sitton, G, Bears:?Sitton had his right ankle rolled up on in the second half and was ruled out for the r

RIO DE JANEIRO -- So stung by a devastating defeat to Brazil in the championship match of the London Games four years ago, silver medalists Foluke Akinradewo and Jordan Larson contemplated walking away for good from the U.S. national team and skipping another Olympic cycle.One by one, something slowly pulled each woman back to join new coach Karch Kiraly and support his plan for Rio de Janeiro.I took the summer off for the most part to re-evaluate and make sure I still loved the game, and I did, so I came back, Akinradewo said, and Im really happy I did.Despite the deep sense of hurt after failing as the undeniable favorites, she and Larson knew one thing: They had to go for it again and chase that gold medal they knew was oh-so-close before calling it a career.And everybody involved realizes how much these two mean for the top-ranked and unbeaten Americans (6-0) in Brazil. They helped lead the U.S. one step closer to the goal and reach Thursdays Olympic semifinals with a straight-set victory against Japan on Tuesday. The Americans will play Serbia, which beat Russia later Tuesday.Thats awesome, thats been our goal, said Akinradewo, who provided the winning kill on match point to cap the 25-16, 25-23, 25-22 victory. Thats why were here.The hard-hitting, high-flying Akinradewo is a menacing force at the net -- She gets kills in her sleep, teammate Kim Hill said. The businesslike, reliable Larson is a steady presence in the lineup match after match.Theyre a part of building and laying the foundation for the culture that weve created, captain Christa Dietzen said.By late summer of 2013, Akinradewo had undergone shoulder surgery and would stop by the teams Orange County headquarters about once a week to check in, work out and just say hello. Larson, too, by then had decided to give it another chance, eager to follow Kiralys lead.That part was easy.I was pretty sad with how London ended and just whether I wanted to continue my career at all. Thats where I was at and I liked what Karch was doing and what the girls were trying to do, Larson recalled. I really wanted to be a part of that. I thought it was going to be a cool thing.Akinradewo is 28 and Larson 29. Both have aspirations beyond volleyball. Yet those goals can wait for at least another week.I love that our players are just all in giving it another shot here, Kiraly said. Ultimately they have to make their own decisions, so Jordan went through a process of pondering, mulling and weighing the options to play more and Foluke, too. Shes just gnarly. Shes like a thoroughbred, shes just such an unbelievable jumper and the quickness and the explosiveness that she has.Aside from her pure athleticism, Akinradewos playful nature has been a positive. She has a signature move shell break into every so often called the calf dance, including obliging teammate and setter Courtney Thompson on the 94th day counting down to Rio by taping a 9 on one leg and 4 on the other. Akinradewo does it to show them off when shes not self-conscious about her lower legs, Kiraly said.Those two, I cant say enough good things. It gives me chills thinking about it, Thompson said. They get their team going. Theres no better two that lead by example than Jordan and Foluke. Those two have a really powerful energy, and they set the tone.Akinradewo, a former Stanford star, is thankful she decided to stick with it. She knows now that it would have been a mistake to walk away from this tight-knit group.If I would have retired from volleyball I would have been missing out on some great things, she said. Im just really honored and humbled to be part of this group, absolutely.Larson has only one small request.I just wish she would give me some of her vertical, Larson said, just a little bit.Wholesale Nike Shoes . NBA officials ruled the court unplayable in the Bucks final exhibition game on Oct. 25 because players were slipping, and the game was cancelled midway through the first period. Discount Nike Shoes . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. http://www.cheapnikeshoesdiscount.com/ . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. Cheap Nike Shoes China . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked.Here are the most significant NFL players who got banged up in Week 11:Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts:?Luck did not miss a snap during Sundays win over the Titans, but coach Chuck Pagano said on Monday that the QB is in the concussion protocol. The Colts have a quick turnaround for a Thursday game against the Steelers.?Luck is believed to have suffered the concussion when Titans defensive Austin Johnson sacked him with 11:46 remaining in the game.?Luck was sacked twice and hit eight other times against the Titans.Jay Cutler, QB, Chicago Bears:?A source confirmed to ESPNs Jeff Dickerson on Monday that Cutler suffered a shoulder injury and?is undergoing tests to determine the severity.?Cutler was sacked four times by the Giants, including a vicious hit by New York defensive end Olivier Vernon on the Bears second play from scrimmage.?Team medical personnel examined Cutlers shoulder on the sidelines, but the veteran quarterback ended up finishing the game. The Chicago Tribune reported?Cutlers shoulder injury could be season-ending.A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals:?Green was carted to the locker room from the field after the Bengals second offensive play. He immediately grabbed his right hamstring as he went to the ground and was in a lot of pain. The team initially called him questionable to return before ruling him out. Coach Marvin Lewis said Green will definitely miss this weekends game, but is unsure beyond that. A source told ESPNs Adam Schefter that Green will have to sit out multiple weeks, and there is a chance he will not play again this season.?LeSean McCoy, RB, Buffalo Bills:?McCoy suffered a thumb injury while stiff-arming a defender right before halftime and was listed as questionable to return.?McCoy spoke to trainers on the sideline following an 8-yard catch before jogging to the locker room with a trainer, holding his left arm close to his body. The team eventually ruled him out. McCoy was seen with a wrap over his left thumb/hand after the game, and the Bills official team reporter said the RB will need surgery but is expected to play next week.Earl Thomas, S, Seattle Seahawks:?Thomas tweaked his hamstring in the third quarter and did not return. The All-Pro safety has never missed a game in his seven-year NFL career. Seahawks CB?DeShawn Shead also left Sundays game with a hamstring injury. Coach Pete Carroll said both players have Grade 1 hamstring strains, adding, Those are usually 10 to 14 days, so well see what happens.C.J. Prosise, RB, Seahawks:?The Seahawks breakout running back suffered a scapula injury in the first half against the Eagles. Prosise did not return, and after the game, Carroll said, Theres a chance he comes back this year. ... Its gonna be a while, though. The Seahawks traded Christine Michael this week, but got Thomas Rawls back from injury this week, and he formed a one-two punch with Prosise before the rookie got injured. Third-string RB?Troymaine Pope also left Sundays game after sustaining a high ankle sprain.Giovani Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals:?Bernard got 12 touches against the Bills, including five on the games final drive, and no injury was announced in-game. But coach Marvin Lewis confirmed on Monday that Bernard tore his ACL. The RB will miss the remainder of the regular season.Cody Kessler, QB, Cleveland Browns:?Kessler suffered a concussion after taking a huge hit from Ryan Shazier and Lawrence Timmons at the end of the third quarter. Officials flagged the Steelers 15 yards for the hit, and Josh McCown replaced the rookie QB in the lineup. Kessler has started eight times for the Browns and been forced from the game on three occasions with injuries -- vs. New England (chest), vs. Cincinnati (concussion) and Suunday against the Steelers (concussion).ddddddddddddDee Ford, LB, Kansas City Chiefs:?Ford entered this week tied for the NFL with 10 sacks, but he left Sundays game with a hamstring injury and was ruled out.?Zach Miller, TE, Chicago Bears:?Miller limped off the field with a foot injury near the end of the second quarter. He was ruled out after halftime. Miller was able to walk, but he was clearly upset, slamming his helmet on the ground.?Coach John Fox said the tight end broke a bone in his foot and will miss the rest of the season.Ryan Mathews?and Darren Sproles, RB, Philadelphia Eagles:?Mathews left Sundays game in the first half with a knee injury, while Sproles injured his ribs on a punt return. Both were ruled out for the rest of the game. ESPNs Adam Caplan reported that the initial word on Mathews is that he has a sprained MCL. Mathews was seen wearing a brace on his knee in the locker room after the game.Leonard Floyd, LB, Bears:?Floyd stayed down on the field for several minutes and was eventually carted off on a backboard after suffering a scary-looking neck injury. The team ruled him out almost immediately. Fox said after the game that Floyd was taken to a hospital and had movement in his extremities. The team announced that Floyd was released from the hospital on Sunday night, and Fox said that the rookie is in the concussion protocol.Leodis McKelvin, CB, Eagles: McKelvin left the Eagles game against Seattle in the second half to have a head injury evaluated. The CB has battled a hamstring injury this season.Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Bengals:?Kirkpatrick, who snagged an interception last week against the Giants, suffered a knee injury in the second half on Sunday and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.Jimmie Ward?and Eric Reid, DBs, San Francisco 49ers:?Ward left Sundays game midway through the fourth quarter with a concussion. He did not return. Reid left the field on the games final drive, and the team confirmed its initial fears on Monday: The safety will miss the rest of the season with a torn biceps.Brent Grimes, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers:?Grimes left Sundays game in the first quarter with a quad injury and did not return.?He leads the Buccaneers with two interceptions this season.?Alterraun Verner replaced Grimes in the lineup. Verner himself sustained an ankle injury in the fourth quarter.?Robert Woods, WR, Buffalo Bills:?Woods (knee) left the game in the first half after his leg?bent awkwardly underneath him when he was tackled by multiple Bengals defenders following a 13-yard reception.?He remained on the ground for several moments before walking slowly off the field and eventually to the locker room accompanied by medical staff. The team ruled him out, and Woods left the locker room on crutches after the game.Laremy Tunsil, G, Miami Dolphins:?Tunsil injured his shoulder late in the second quarter. The Dolphins never officially ruled their 2016 first-round pick out, but he did not return to the field. Tunsil is the third Dolphins offensive lineman to get hurt in the past week. Albert said hes not ruling out playing this week against the 49ers.Josh Sitton, G, Bears:?Sitton had his right ankle rolled up on in the second half and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.?Taylor Lewan, LT, Tennessee Titans:?Lewan limped off the field late in the fourth quarter against the Colts. The team announced he suffered a left knee injury. Lewan did not return.?Aaron Colvin, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars:?The Jaguars third-year cornerback left the game in the first half to be evaluated for a concussion and was eventually ruled out. ' ' '