second half after clinging to a 24-20 halftime advantage. After

MILWAUKEE - As drivers pulled up in their cars to drop off canned goods at Miller Park, Ryan Braun collected the Thanksgiving donations and offered a warm handshake with his gloved right hand.Spring training is still more than two months away, but this is a good sign for the Milwaukee Brewers and their star outfielder.Braun said Wednesday that his right hand feels good. He is cautiously optimistic that a medical procedure performed in early October will finally fix a nerve problem near his right thumb that has nagged him since the 2013 season.My hope is it gets back to 100 per cent. Right now, I dont feel anything and I havent been able to say that in two years, Braun said. It would hurt shaking hands, writing — doing everything activities — and I dont feel that at all. Im excited about that.Days after the end of a disappointing season, Braun had cryotherapy, a procedure involving the application of extreme cold. The procedure was performed at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.Braun was suspended the final 65 games of the 2013 season for his connection to the Biogenesis doping scandal. The Brewers had hoped the extra rest going into last off-season would address the problem going into 2014.For a while, that plan seemed to be working. Braun got off to a hot start in spring training. The career .306 hitters average was up to .327 on June 1, though his power numbers were down. The average slowly dipped in the second half. His struggles at the plate epitomized Milwaukees frustrating September, when a team-wide slump dropped the Brewers out of first place and out of the playoffs.The 2011 NL MVP finished hitting a career-low .266 with 19 homers and 81 RBIs.I really believe if I was anywhere near healthy the season would end up differently, Braun said. Hopefully this thing continues to feel good ... and I can get back to being one of the best players in the league.Braun said his hand felt amazing after taking swings in the weeks after the procedure. He is in his typical off-season routine now, and doesnt plan to resume baseball activities until late December.The Brewers began their off-season by trading for Adam Lind from Toronto for pitcher Marco Estrada. The addition of Lind fills two glaring needs since he is a left-handed hitting first baseman.Other than that, Milwaukee has been relatively quiet so far. The club picked up starter Yovani Gallardos $13 million option. Third baseman Aramis Ramirez is returning to the Brewers after the two sides picked up the $14 million mutual option.Manager Ron Roenicke is also coming back, while Darnell Coles is taking over for Johnny Narron as hitting coach.I dont think our failure had anything to do with (Roenicke) managing, it had to do with us playing, Braun said. So definitely happy to have him back.Otherwise, Braun is also enjoying life as the father of a 2-month-old daughter. He said he wasnt getting much sleep, but otherwise called fatherhood indescribably beautiful. Stitched Nike NFL Jerseys . The best round belonged to Pat Perez. Tiger Woods didnt come close to claiming either Thursday in the Farmers Insurance Open, where the seven-time champion failed to break par in the opening round for first time in his career. Cheap NFL Jerseys Online . He made another correct read. The Browns, who have been shuttling quarterbacks on and off the field all season, finally got some good news on that front: Campbells ribs are only bruised. http://www.stitchedjerseysnfl.com/ . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. Cheap Stiched NFL Jerseys .com) - Avery Bradley scored 21 points and the Boston Celtics beat the Brooklyn Nets, 89-81. Wholesale NFL Authentic Jerseys . They named Mark Washington as their defensive co-ordinator on Thursday and appear to be closing in on an offensive co-ordinator.Fargo, ND (SportsNetwork.com) - North Dakota State trailing in the fourth quarter has been a rarity during its three-year reign as the FCS champion, but the Bison have come from behind to win two consecutive playoff games in eight days. Indeed, they continue to have the collective heart of a champion even as teams get closer in the rear-view mirror. Running back John Crockett rushed for a school playoff-record 227 yards and two touchdowns and became the Bisons new single-season rushing leader while second-seeded North Dakota State held off seventh-seeded Coastal Carolina, 39-32, Saturday for the second consecutive year in the national quarterfinals. The game was far different from North Dakota States 48-14 playoff rout of Coastal last season, but the Bison (13-1) will host Sam Houston State (11-4) in the national semifinals next weekend. The Bison defeated Sam Houston in both the 2011 and 12 national championship games. A week ago, the Bison rallied past Missouri Valley Conference rival South Dakota State in the final minute of their second-round game. On Saturday, they fell behind for the first time, 32-31, on Coastal running back DeAngelo Hendersons 2-yard touchdown run to open the fourth quarter. The Chanticleers, however, failed on a two-point attempt after a second straight score, keeping their lead at one point. North Dakota State then retook the lead two possessions later when Crockett found running room along the Coastal sideline and scored on a 45-yard dash with 9:28 remaining to play. Quarterback Carson Wentz ran up the middle to score a two-point conversion and lift the Bison advantage to 39-32. On Coastals next drive, the Chanticleers converted a fake punt just inside their territory, but didnt gain another first down on the drive. After NDSUs Adam Keller missed a 49-yard field goal that could have put the win away, Bison safety Colten Heagle (team-high 12 tackles) stymied the Chants final drive with an interception of Alex Ross just inside Bison territory with 53 seconds remaining.dddddddddddd Crockett, whos gained three 1,000-yard seasons, has 1,754 this season on a school-record 320 carries, including 26 on Saturday. Hes scored 17 of his 18 touchdowns on the ground. Wentz accounted for three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in the win. But Big South co-champion Coastal Coastal Carolina (12-2) was nearly up to the challenge, scoring the most points against NDSU during the Bisons playoff win streak. Henderson had 143 rushing yards and the touchdown, Ross rushed for two touchdowns and All-American Quinn Backus finished with eight tackles to end his illustrious career with 441 stops, 14th on the FCS all-time list. North Dakota State, which had won 22 straight home games and 14 consecutive playoff games, had hoped to assert itself in the second half after clinging to a 24-20 halftime advantage. After Coastals offense went three-and-out to begin the third quarter, the Bison completed a nine-play, 69-yard drive with Wentzs 2-yard scoring run around right end providing a 31-20 lead. But Ross capped the Chanticleers following possession by diving into the North Dakota State for a 4-yard touchdown and they pulled within 31-26 at the 3:29 mark. Hendersons go-ahead touchdown capped a quick-strike, four-play drive which went 95 yards when Ross had a 48-yard pass to John Israel, Henderson a 32-yard run and Ross a 13-yard pass to Osharmar Abercrombie. The first half featured offensive firepower as North Dakota State took a 24-20 lead at halftime. Crockett opened the scoring with a 70-yard touchdown and Wentz fired touchdowns to Kevin Vaadeland and Luke Albers. But Coastal moved the chains and Devin Brown returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown midway through the second quarter, tying the game at 17-17. Alex Catrons 25-yard field goal on the final play of the half pulled Coastal within 24-20. ' ' '