Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/669106
IRISH IN THE PROS naughton, who along with Grant led Notre Dame to a 32-6 record and the first of back-to-back Elite Eight bids a year ago, reached the playoffs as a reserve for the Portland Trail Blazers. He averaged 1.1 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.3 assists along with 4.2 minutes in 34 contests this season. Connaughton notched a career-high 29 minutes in the regular-season fi- nale while posting three points, eight rebounds and one assist. The Blazers began postseason play with a best- of-seven series with the Los Angeles Clippers, starting April 17. NFL NOTES • Defensive back Robert Blanton (2008‑11) signed with the Buffalo Bills after four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Blanton hopes to start for the Bills, who return both No. 1 safeties from the 2015 season. "That's what I'm going in there to do," Blanton told reporters. "Come into work every day, do my job, and I feel like I can be the best. I feel like I'm the best guy for the job. So I just have to come in and be Robert Blanton — do my job — and the rest will take care of itself." In Minnesota, Blanton started 17 of his 60 career games. He produced a career‑high 106 tackles and his lone pro interception while starting 13 of 15 games in 2014. Last year, he made 34 tackles and broke up three passes while starting one of 16 contests. • Safety David Bruton (2005‑08), fresh off a Super Bowl win with the Denver Broncos, signed a three‑ year deal with the Washington Redskins. The move will help Washington stabilize its secondary and special teams, with Bruton a standout in the latter. Bruton and tackle Ryan Harris (2003‑06) both represented the Super Bowl champions at Notre Dame's Blue‑Gold Game April 16. • Harris also departed the Broncos via free agency this offseason, with the former Irish tackle joining the Pittsburgh Steelers. He inked a two‑year, $3.9‑million deal. • Cornerback Darrin Walls (2006‑10) left the New York Jets to sign with the Detroit Lions this offseason, joining fellow Irish alum Theo Riddick (2009‑12), Golden Tate (2007‑09) and TJ Jones (2010‑13) with the organization. MLB NOTES • Entering a season with high expectations both for himself and his team, Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock suffered a fractured elbow sliding into home plate just days prior to the start of the regular season. "It was just one of those things where I was going to dive headfirst some time this season," Pollock told MLB.com. "It wasn't a dive, it was more kind of [on] the pop‑up, I felt something. I've done it before, so I kind of didn't have a freak‑out. I knew what happened. Lot of frustration." The 28‑year‑old Pollock, who was entering his fifth season with the Diamond backs, hopes the injury is not one of the season‑ending variety. He was placed on the 60‑day disabled list with no set timetable for his return. In 2015, Pollock had a breakout campaign during which he batted .315 with 20 home runs, 76 RBI and 39 stolen bases while earning a spot on the National League All‑Star team. • Starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija posted a 1‑1 re‑ cord and a 3.72 ERA in his first three starts with the San Francisco Giants after signing there this past offseason. He allowed eight earned runs in 19 1 ⁄3 innings while striking out 14 with eight walks. ✦ A.J. POLLOCK