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NAPA, Calif. -- Reggie McKenzie walked through the lobby of the hotel adjacent to the Raiders training camp facilities and was immediately approached by a middle-aged man seeking an autograph. The freckle-faced general manager stopped a few moments later to talk with another group of fans eager to speak with him.What a difference a few years -- and a few more wins -- make.Four years after become the Raiders first general manager since Al Davis and inheriting a franchise laden with salary cap and personnel problems, McKenzie is more popular than ever.Hes got a team that many believe can be a legitimate playoff contender after more than a decade of futility; two franchise players in quarterback Derek Carr and defensive end Khalil Mack; and a roster filled with rising stars such as wide receiver Amari Cooper.McKenzie also has a contract extension after agreeing on a deal that will keep him with the Raiders through 2020.Thats a great feeling when you get a hand-pat on the back, McKenzie said Saturday before heading out to watch practice. Anytime people recognize the job youre doing, its a sense of accomplishment.The Raiders are coming off a 7-9 campaign, their best mark since consecutive 8-8 seasons in 2010 and 2011.That might not like seem like much of an achievement, but Oakland hasnt made the playoffs in 14 years, so its monumental when compared to what shape the team was in when McKenzie was hired by Mark Davis.The Raiders were in salary cap purgatory at the time and McKenzie had to painstakingly work his way through the mess while making sweeping changes. High-priced, underachieving players were let go. Replacements were bargain-buy veterans McKenzie had to sign just to keep the team running as he and his staff got the books back in order.Along the way the Raiders kept piling up the losses -- 37 in McKenzies first three years on the job. That led to critics and fans calling for Mark Davis to fire his general manager.Davis adamantly stuck by McKenzie. Now the owner is beginning to see the fruits of his faith.He was committed to my plan so a lot of credit goes to him, McKenzie said of Davis. Im sure he had a lot of phone calls, a lot of people talking to him saying, `Is Reggie the guy?The guys in the building, all the guys Im working with, they saw the plan. It wasnt going to be a quick fix and Im not into quick fixes. It was a process and it worked the way we kind of planned. I still havent had a winning season, lets get things straight. But we feel good about the direction its going and we feel good about this upcoming season.For McKenzie, the contract extension gives him more time to complete the plan he laid in place in 2012.I want to be a consistent, good football team, and thats what were trying to build, he said. We want to try to get on the other side of the .500 mark and just keep going. Our ultimate goal from Day 1 is I want to hold up the (Lombardi) trophy, and its a process to that. Theres not a quick fix to it.Game notes McKenzie said the Raiders remain supportive of suspended linebacker Aldon Smith. Smith signed an $11.5 million, two-year contract in the offseason, but recently checked himself into a rehab facility.Our deal is to support Aldon from a standpoint of the person, McKenzie said. Whether he comes back to us or not ... we told him from Day 1, `We care more about you than the player. Whatever he does to ensure his health, were going to stand by him. We know his situation. Its not like we had blinders.We knew going into last year a suspension was probable and its going to be an uphill battle for him. Hes going to have to fight the good fight. Were not going to bail on him. But he has to do his part.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Dave Schultz Jersey .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. Brian Propp Jersey . The Brazilian goalkeeper signed a loan deal with the Major League Soccer club on Friday as he looks to get playing time ahead of this summers World Cup in his home country. http://www.hockeyflyersauthentic.com/oskar-lindblom-jersey/ . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. Bobby Clarke Jersey . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014. Claude Giroux Flyers Jersey . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL. DERRICK ROSE LAWSUITLOS ANGELES -- Lawyers for NBA star Derrick Rose and two friends accused of raping an incapacitated woman doubled down on their assertions that the accuser willingly had sex with the trio, saying she performed sex acts on the men earlier that night at Roses mansion in Beverly Hills.In sharp contrast to the opening statement in the civil case from the womans lawyer who called the incident a classic gang rape, the defense described an August 2013 scene for jurors in Los Angeles federal court that sounded like a porn movie.They said the woman gave lap dances earlier under a sky full of stars by the side of Roses pool overlooking city lights, performed oral sex on Rose and had sex with his two friends before inviting them back to her apartment.The womans lawyer said the story about her having sex earlier in the night was falsely concocted to try to show she was insatiable and wanted to have sex with the men later that night. He said the three got into her apartment in the early morning hours after she passed out from drinking and raped her while she faded in and out of consciousness.AARON HERNANDEZBOSTON -- Lawyers for former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez asked a judge on Wednesday to prevent the jury at his upcoming double murder trial from hearing descriptions of the shooter from two witnesses who were inside a car prosecutors say Hernandez sprayed with bullets.Hernandez is scheduled to go on trial in February in the 2012 killings of two Boston men prosecutors allege he shot after an encounter at a nightclub. He is accused of following the men and then opening fire on their car after one of them accidentally bumped into him in the club and caused him to spill a drink.During a hearing in Suffolk Superior Court, defense attorney Jose Baez said the descriptions given by two other men in the car have changed over time, are unreliable and should be excluded from the trial.COLLEGE SPORTSDALLAS -- The former Title IX coordinator at Baylor University said top campus leaders undermined her efforts to investigate sexual assault claims and were more concerned with protecting the Baylor brand than the students.Patty Crawford told CBS This Morning that the university set her up to fail from the beginning. Crawford, who resigned Monday from her role enforcing the federal standards meant to prevent discrimination based on gender, said she received resistance from senior leadership but did not identify those leaders.Later Wednesday, Baylor officials announced that they had promoted Crawfords senior deputy, Kristan Tucker, as the universitys new Title IX coordinator.In her televised interview, Crawford said Baylor officials marginalized her by leaving her out of meetings, undermining her authority and making decisiions that should be left to a Title IX coordinator.dddddddddddd. The treatment led her to file complaints with the university and U.S. Department of Educations office for civil rights. Charges that she was the victim of retaliation are included in those complaints.UNDATED -- The NCAA is now facing 43 class-action lawsuits related to the handling of concussions by Division I football programs after 18 more were filed this week.The complaints also name college conferences and in some cases schools. The Chicago-based law firm Edelson PC has been filing the lawsuits in batches since May.The latest were filed Tuesday on behalf of former players from Texas A&M, UCLA, Maryland, Richmond, Idaho, South Carolina, Mississippi, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Alabama and Iowa.On Monday, former players from Memphis, Ball State, Rutgers, Eastern Michigan and Florida A&M filed lawsuits.The players are seeking damages for injuries they claim are the result of mishandled concussions they suffered while playing college football.A judge in a previous case ruled one large class-action concussion lawsuit could not be filed against the NCAA.COLLEGE FOOTBALLThe NCAA wants to restrict when and where college football coaches can hold satellite camps and implement two early signing periods for high school prospects.The two proposals by the Division I Council announced were recommended by the football oversight committee as part of comprehensive reforms to recruiting. The council also recommended allowing FBS schools to have 10 assistant coaches.The proposals need approval by the Board of Directors and would go into effect for the 2017-18 year.Under the proposals, football coaches would be limited to 10 days of their choosing in the summer during which they could participate in camps with high school prospects. Coaches could still participate in camps on other college campuses, but not at high schools.Under current rules coaches are allowed two 15-day periods during which they can hold camps.BASEBALLMIAMI -- Marlins hitting coach Barry Bonds was fired along with third base coach Lenny Harris and bullpen coach Reid Cornelius.Miami also announced a $40 million, three-year contract with third baseman Martin Prado, who would have been eligible for free agency, and exercised a $2 million club option on outfielder Ichiro Suzuki.Miami finished fourth in the majors in batting average at .263 but fourth-lowest in runs at 655 and next-to-last with 128 homers. The Marlins improved in all three categories from 2015.Manager Don Mattingly said the organization decided to move in a different direction with its coaching staff. ' ' '