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IRVINE, Calif. -- Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Dhaquille Williams is ready for his first preseason game Saturday, an opportunity he wasnt sure would be available after a tumultuous final year in college.Its been a long time since I have been on the field, like in a game, so I am ready to really explode, Williams said.Williams was regarded by draft analysts as one of the top prospects at the position entering his senior season at Auburn but he was dismissed in early October for what Tigers coach Gus Malzahn described as a failure to meet the teams expectations.Williams had previously been suspended for the Outback Bowl at the end of the 2014 season and again during fall camp last August. His production before getting kicked off the team disappointed, with 12 receptions for 147 yards and one touchdown in five games.Williams went undrafted, signing with the Rams in May only after participating in their rookie minicamp.Coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead warned Williams that any incidents on or off the field would result in him being cut immediately.Duke came in and knew he had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity based on some of the things that happened in his history, and we gave him that opportunity, Fisher said. He took advantage of it.Williams attitude and work ethic have not been issues in training camp. He has lost seven pounds this summer and aims to slim down to a playing weight of 220 by the start of the regular season.Now, it looks as if Williams future will come down to football considerations. Williams has the athletic attributes comparable to top receivers around the NFL, using his build and leaping ability to position himself against defenders.Cornerback Trumaine Johnson was ready to go head-to-head with Williams and test that physicality as he watched the Rams first special teams practice in pads last week.I like Duke, I like Duke a lot, Johnson said. I was about to go out there one time and (special teams coordinator John Fassel) got me back.However, Williams is still raw running routes after playing in Auburns spread-option offense that created favorable matchups. More troubling is Williams inconsistency catching the ball.Williams has showed steady improvement after struggling with drops during the first week of camp. But Williams dropped a pass at the goal line during a two-minute drill at the Coliseum on Saturday, nearly resulting in an interception.Quarterback Jared Goff went right back to Williams on the next play for a touchdown.I feel like Im progressing, Williams said. I can do better, you know, learn from the mistakes I made and make sure they dont happen twice.Whether that development will be enough for Williams to secure a roster spot isnt clear. The Rams drafted Pharoh Cooper from South Carolina in the fourth round and Southern Mississippi product Michael Thomas in the sixth, while fellow undrafted free agent Nelson Spruce has been steady.Williams is simply glad for another chance to play.Its a blessing to be right here, Williams said. I wasnt supposed to be here from the issues I went through last year. Worked my way up, stayed humble, continue to stay humble and Ill take none of that for granted anymore.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFLCheap Shoes Wholesale . Two pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the April 15 race in an area packed with fans cheering the passing runners. Three people were killed and more than 260 injured, including at least 16 who lost limbs. Cheap Shoes Replica . Klitschkos management company says the bout will be the Ukrainian fighters 25th world championship fight. The 1.83-meter (6-foot) Leapai defeated the previously unbeaten Denis Boytsov in November to become the WBOs mandatory challenger. https://www.cheapshoesdiscount.com/ . -- Jimmie Johnson held off a teammate, passed a pair of Hall of Famers, and dominated once more at Dover. Cheap Shoes . The International Olympic Committee released the official list of bid cities on Friday after the deadline for applications had passed. The candidates -- all previously announced in their own countries -- are: Almaty, Kazakhstan; Beijing; Krakow, Poland; Lviv, Ukraine; Oslo, Norway; and Stockholm. Cheap Shoes For Sale . PAUL, Minn.CHICAGO -- The New York Yankees enjoy putting on a show for the Fourth of July.A holiday winning streak will be on the line when the Yankees open a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Monday afternoon. The Yankees have won four consecutive games on July 4, and they are 6-1 on Independence Day since 2009.The days leading up to July 4 have not been as kind to the Yankees (40-41). New York narrowly avoided being swept on the road by the Padres thanks to a 6-3 victory Sunday in San Diego.Meanwhile, the White Sox (42-40) will return home after winning the last two games of a three-game series against the Astros in Houston. The White Sox have won four consecutive series against the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins and Houston after a miserable stretch in which they lost 26 of 36 games.Our guys are pitching well, White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. (On offense), youre opportunistic where youre getting some runs. During the rough stretch, we were leaving a lot of guys on third base.Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia (5-5, 3.17 ERA) will make his 14th start of the season Monday. The 35-year-old southpaw thrived in May and early June but has struggled as of late.In his past two outings, Sabathia surrendered 11 earned runs and two home runs in 11 1/3 innings. He allowed only 16 earned runs and two home runs in his first 11 starts (65 1/3 innings).If any opponent can allow Sabathia to forget his recent downturn, it might be the White Sox. Sabathia is 19-5 with a 3.68 ERA in 34 starts against the White Sox during his career. That includes a 10-1 record with a 3.dddddddddddd28 ERA in 17 career starts at U.S. Cellular Field.The White Sox will counter with veteran right-hander James Shields (3-9, 5.85 ERA). Like Sabathia, Shields enjoyed success early in the season, but a four-start tailspin inflated his ERA.Even so, Shields past two outings provided a glimpse of hope for the White Sox front office, which acquired the high-priced veteran from the Padres on June 4 in exchange for right-handed pitcher Erik Johnson and teenage infield prospect Fernando Tatis Jr.In four starts from May 31 to June 18, Shields allowed 31 earned runs in 11 1/3 innings. He recovered June 23 to limit the Red Sox to three earned runs in five innings, and his progress continued when he limited the Twins to one earned run in 6 2/3 innings on Wednesday.The Yankees have beaten Shields more than any other team in his career. He is 10-16 with a 4.15 ERA in 31 career starts against New York. In those 31 starts, he has allowed 30 home runs.Yankees left-hander Andrew Miller said plenty of time remains for the team to make a run at the postseason. New York is seven games back of the first-place Baltimore Orioles in the American League East, 3 1/2 games behind the second AL wild-card position.We were the team that was in first place all year until whenever the Blue Jays (passed us last season), Miller told Newsday. In an ideal world, youre hot at the end of the year. ... If we can finish hot, well put ourselves in position to make the playoffs. ' ' '