nd Grand Valley State running back Marty Carter highlight

At first glance, Dinesh Kumars loss to Virendra Singh of Himachal Pradesh in the semifinals of the heavyweight division at the Boxing National Championships on Monday must seem an upset. While Virendra is a relative newcomer, Dinesh has plenty of boxing pedigree. He is an Olympian and an Asian Games silver medalist after all. After the 2-3 split decision loss, Dinesh will have to be satisfied with a bronze medal, which he won by knocking out two opponents in the earlier rounds.But for those in the boxing fraternity, the result for the 27-year old - even if only a minor medal -- is nothing less than astounding. A thick ugly scar running down Dineshs right arm - from his shoulder to his elbow gives a clue to the reason for their surprise. Indeed it wasnt very long ago that it seemed Kumars boxing career was over.In May 2014, soon after winning the trials to select the Indian team for the Commonwealth Games, Dinesh was severely injured in a car accident. We were supposed to travel to Germany for a training camp soon after the trials. I had gone home to my village in Bhiwani because I expected to then travel to Delhi, he recalls. The training stint was cancelled however and Kumar was called back to the national camp in Patiala. Driving back, the vehicle he was driving collided with a truck. The car was a wreck. Dineshs right arm was mangled and his fist shattered. He was hospitalized and doctors screwed in his broken bones with metal plates.Dinesh had had comprehensive wins over his opponents in the Patiala trials and he says he often thinks about what could have been. I wonder how my life would have been different if I had been on that flight to Germany. I was in the best form of my career. I know I would have won a medal in Scotland. But I guess God had other plans for me, he says.This wasnt the first time that Dinesh had suffered an unexpected setback. In 2012, he was the frontrunner for the Indian team ahead of the Olympics. However just before the trials, he was attacked by unknown persons in the national camp. Sumit Sangwan would take his place and earn an Olympic quota. He had once been advised to conduct a religious ceremony for the bad luck he was plagued with. After his accident in 2014 though, he has stopped attending any religious function altogether. Ive given up on all of that. Ive realized, if something is written in your destiny, its going to happen whether you like it or not, he says.Despite the magnitude of the injury, Dinesh says it was his destiny to box again. Man me ek lalach tha. (There was a greed in my mind). There were boxers who said that I would not return. A couple of coaches told me to give up. But there was a fire from inside, that I will come back one day, he says.Dinesh remembers how determined he was right from the moment he woke up from surgery. About 18 days after the accident, I tried to start practicing again. I was desperate to compete in the Commonwealth Games. But, of course, I didnt make the team, he says. But his body started to respond. The doctor was stunned at my progress. He was expecting at least a couple of months for my stitches to come off but my arm began healing a lot faster, he says.?But despite his best hopes, recovery was indeed slow. It took 18 months, Dinesh says. In a bit of twisted logic, Dinesh reckons it helped that there were no tournaments during his layoff. It would have been difficult to watch others compete when I couldnt, he says.In the meantime, he threw himself into his Haryana Police job. Posted in Sirsa district, he began coaching youngsters in the district. I would go running just to maintain my fitness and I would notice these kids running behind me. Sirsa has a drug problem and it doesnt have a boxing culture so when one of my colleagues opened up a boxing academy in her village, I helped out over there, he says. Dinesh adds that training the youngsters helped him as much as them. They look up to me. It is a huge motivation to do well, he says. Dinesh also found inspiration in other sportpersons - Paralympian high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu. He didnt have a leg and yet he was able to win a high jump gold. Even if my arm was damaged, surely that should not stop me, he says.When the dates for the senior boxing nationals were announced three months ago, Dinesh says he knew he would have to take part. He spoke to his family, who supported his decision to return to the ring. He took the opinion of doctors who said he could fight again. Ive trained for three months straight. Ive not taken any rest days or attended any family functions or visited my friends. I just boxed, he says.While there was sympathy for him, Dinesh didnt get any special favours. He had to take part in the All India Police trials on December 4th in Madhuban, Haryana. It was his first serious competition in over two years. There, he beat the previous years champion to book his spot.While it would be heartening to hear that Dinesh is as good as he was, it is clear that the injury has taken a toll. In contrast to the sharply sculpted left arm, his right is noticeably less muscular. My right arm has about 15 percent less strength than what it used to have, he says. Indeed, in his quarterfinal bout, Dineshs opponent kept trying to left hook over his right arm that would often drop. Unfortunately for his opponent, Dinesh is a southpaw. He would be dropped with a vicious uppercut to the body. Perhaps the only bit of luck I had is that my left is my power hand. That was not damaged. In the past, everyone would be afraid of my uppercut and that is still the case today, he says.While he is glad that he has made a comeback, Dinesh isnt satisfied with winning a bronze. Gold ke saath ana alag baat hoti (Winning the Gold medal is a different feeling), he says. Still he will know that by virtue of his bronze he will be included in the national camp. If I get another two or three months, my body will respond even better than now, he says. Dinesh says his target is clearly defined. I must compete in the 2017 Asian and Commonwealth Games. Jis chez ke karan mera accident hua tha, woh cheez pura kar ke khelunga. Bilkul zid si hai. (I got injured because I was going to train for the Commonwealth Games. Now, I have to complete that task. It is something I insist on doing), says Dinesh. Tom Waddle Bears Jersey . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. Dan Hampton Bears Jersey . 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Colorado Mines quarterback Justin Dvorak and Grand Valley State running back Marty Carter highlight The Associated Press Little All-America team , honoring the top football players in Division II, III and NAIA.Dvorak also won the Harlon Hill Trophy on Friday as Division IIs top player.Dvorak and Carter were among nine finalists for the Hill Trophy. The other finalist to make the first team was receiver Garry Brown from California (Pa.).Dvorak threw for 4,584 yards and 53 touchdowns this season, leading the Miners to the second round of the Division II playoffs.Carter is the leading rusher in Division II with a Grand Valley State record 1,908 yards.St. Johns (Minn.) linebacker Carter Hanson, who won Gagliardi Trophy as Division IIIs most outstanding player, led the first-team defense.ddddddddddddlso on the defensive side was tackle Collin Bevins of Northwest Missouri State and cornerback Philbert Martial of North Alabama. North Alabama and Northwest Missouri State will play Saturday in Kansas City, Kansas, in the Division II playoff championship game.Undefeated Northwest Missouri State has a total of four players on the three teams with quarterback Kyle Zimmerman on the second team and offensive lineman Chase Sherman and defensive back Kevin Berg on the third team. ' ' '