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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Zach Sudfeld always figured hed be the guy avoiding tackles, not making them.But the New York Jets backup tight end has been consistently taking down kick returners this season, leading the team with 15 total special teams tackles. Not bad for a guy who, as far as he can remember, last regularly tackled someone in his high school days.Oh, man, it feels great, Sudfeld said Friday. When you make a good tackle, its like, Man, this is awesome. I can see why people love playing defence so much. Its a lot of fun.At 6-foot-7 and 260 pounds, Sudfeld — nicknamed Sasquatch by coach Rex Ryan — isnt exactly the prototypical special teams player.You just dont see it from that body type too much, said linebacker and special teams standout Nick Bellore. Not from a guy that tall, that big.Sudfeld has a nose for the ball carrier, though, and he has become one of the biggest surprises this season for special teams co-ordinator Thomas McGaughey.When I got here last spring and I saw him on tape, McGaughey said, if you would have told me that that guy would be our lead tackler this year, and if he was sitting right there, I would say the same thing — and Ive said this in the meetings — its unbelievable.Sudfeld is third on the depth chart at tight end behind Jeff Cumberland and rookie Jace Amaro and has just two catches for 35 yards this season. While he works for more snaps on offence, Sudfeld has made himself a valuable part of the special teams unit.Hes starting to become more of a leader, McGaughey said. Hes more vocal. He has more confidence because he has been making plays. The one guy that I would say that really shocked me is Zach.And, it came about almost by chance.Sudfeld didnt play special teams in high school and rarely did so in college at Nevada. He had some spot duty as a blocker on punts last season, his first with the Jets, but didnt see much time on special teams in the preseason this year. But in the season opener against Oakland, McGaughey needed someone to cover a kickoff and Sudfeld was sent in.He assisted on the tackle — his first since he played some linebacker at Modesto Christian High School in California.I kind of just jumped out there and no one blocked me, Sudfeld said. No one accounted for me, so I was in on the tackle. From then on, it was like, Hey, I could do this. I dont have much technique, though. I just try to grab them and wrap em up somehow.Its not pretty all the time, with some awkward-looking arm tackles and near-body slams, so it makes for some laughs among the other special teamers who tackle for a living. But, it gets the job done.We dont really mess with it because some of the ways he gets guys down is pretty creative, Bellore said. I mean, he had one last week where he kind of got his arm in between a guys feet and tripped him up. Its been working for him.Sudfeld has spent extra time with assistant defensive backs coach Brian Smith working on tackling techniques, and he also asks questions of teammates Bellore and rookie linebacker Trevor Reilly.I think they all know that its not just second nature for me, Sudfeld said. Its a credit to a lot of the other guys making plays in there, so the returners kind of bounce out to me and Im just kind of there to clean up.So, if the tight end stuff doesnt work out, perhaps Sudfeld could think about a position switch.I dont know, man, he said, laughing. You see guys like Calvin Pace and David Harris and Quinton Coples, and those guys are pretty spectacular at what they do. I dont think Id be a very good defensive end or something like that in this league.But, making 15 tackles — including eight solo — isnt too shabby.Really, 15? Wow, Sudfeld said, smiling. I didnt know that. Thats a lot, man. To really be contributing, you go into meetings and you feel like you can really provide a service to the team. Its just great.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Fake Air Max 90 White . -- The Oakland Athletics and free agent right-hander Bartolo Colon have agreed to terms on a US$2 million, one-year contract, bolstering their depleted starting rotation. Discount Air Max 90 .com) - The Vancouver Canucks will try to win two straight games for the first time since mid-January on Monday night as they play host to the struggling New York Islanders. http://www.outletairmax90cheap.com/outle...-red-cheap.html. Trailing 4-1 in the final set, Sharapova steadied her erratic service game and took command again to beat the 56th-ranked American 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 on clay at the Magic Box tennis centre. The ninth-ranked Russian looked to be cruising before McHale broke late in the second set to tie the match and then took her commanding lead in the final set after breaking Sharapova. Air Max 90 Ultra 2.0 Essential Triple Black . Watch all the action unfold live on TSN and TSN Mobile TV at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. You can also watch the game live with the debut of Wednesday Night Hockey on TSN.ca and chat throughout the game with TSN. Air Max 90 Womens Clearance .com) - Troy Brouwer scored the game-winning goal with just 12.MANGARATIBA, Brazil - A hard rain was falling when Gianluigi Buffon paused for a moment during an Italy training session Tuesday. Leaning forward with both hands on his knees, Buffon appeared to be resting or somehow trying to withstand the rain. Or perhaps the 36-year-old goalkeeper and Italy captain was reflecting on this: He is only the third player in history to be part of five World Cup squads, along with Germany great Lothar Matthaus and former Mexico goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal. Buffon first went to the World Cup back in 1998, although he didnt play a second-choice option behind Gianluca Pagliuca. He then took over the starting position from 2002 onward. "A fifth World Cup is a nice milestone but that doesnt mean Im satisfied," Buffon said before departing for Brazil. "Both individually and as a squad were preparing to surprise people." Buffon, of course, doesnt need to prove anything at this point in his career. He was one of the driving forces behind Italys run to the 2006 World Cup title, when he didnt concede a single goal to opponents during normal play over the course of seven matches — letting in only an own goal from Cristian Zaccardo and a penalty from Zinedine Zidane in the final won over France. He helped Parma to the UEFA Cup title way back in 1999 and has since won five Serie A titles with Juventus — including the last three. "As the years go by, Gigi still has the same amount of desire," said midfielder Claudio Marchisio, who plays with Buffon with both Italy and Juventus. "Hes a great professional, a great friend, and a top-level player. Hes a player who is able to give his all in every moment and always offer the right words of encouragement. "There are players here who are at their first big tournament and hes always there offering the right words of advice," Marchisio added Tuesday. Now that Buffon is setting records for longevity, its worth remembering what an early start he had. Born to members of Italys national teams in athletics (his mother) and weightlifting (father), Buffons distant relative Lorenzo Buffon was also Italys goalkeeper in the 1950s. Having played in midfield as a kid, Buffon decided he wanted to be a goalkeeper after seeing Thomas NKono defend Cameroons goal during the 1990 World Cup in Italy — when Buffon was 12 — and years later Buffon named his first son Louis Thomas after NKono. In 1991 when Buffon was just 13, Parma purchased his rights and put him in their youth system.dddddddddddd At 17, Buffon made his Serie A debut with Parma, keeping a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw against AC Milan. At 19, Buffon made a memorable Italy debut on a snowy pitch in Moscow during a playoff with Russia for a spot in the 1998 World Cup. Coming off a frigid bench as an injury replacement for Pagliuca, Buffon first raised eyebrows by wearing shorts in the arctic-like conditions then made a series of impressive saves in a 1-1 draw. Fast forward to 2006, when Buffon was one of the few key players to stay with Juventus when the Turin club was relegated to Serie B due to a match-fixing scandal — meaning that a month after guiding Italy to the World Cup title, he was playing in small second-division stadiums. Then at the 2010 World Cup, Buffon struggled with back pain. He played only a portion of Italys opening match and the Azzurri were promptly eliminated after the first round. But he was back in place to help Italy reach the final of the 2012 European Championship. And last October, Buffon surpassed Fabio Cannavaro with an Italy-record 137th appearance. So how does Buffon keep going? "Motivation is the key," he said in a recent interview with Italian daily La Repubblica. "Reflexes diminish. At my age you dont improve anymore, so its better to reduce training and take better care of injury prevention, nutrition and gym work." Buffon has often recounted how he fell into depression about 10 years ago, then resuscitated himself by turning to literature. He has also been the subject of a couple betting scandals. In 2011, he married Czech model Alena Seredova but Buffon announced last month when Italy gathered to begin training that they had separated. In announcing their split, Buffon thanked Seredova publicly for not making things too difficult for him, and said that he hopes she will bring their two boys to watch him play in Brazil. Whether Seredova and the boys come is yet to be seen. Either way, Buffon has already inscribed his name in the World Cup record books. And who knows, maybe Buffon will continue playing and go back to Russia and the site of his Italy debut for the 2018 World Cup, when hell be 40 — the same age that one of his idols, Dino Zoff, was when he helped Italy to the 1982 World Cup title. "Ill keep playing as long as I dont become a reserve," Buffon said. "Once the day comes that I get benched, thats when Ill hang my boots up." ___ Follow Andrew Dampf at http://twitter.com/asdampf ' ' '