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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots released veteran tight ends Jake Ballard and Daniel Fells in the first batch of final cuts. Now comes the really hard part. The Patriots released 10 players on Friday and must reduce their roster by 12 more to get down to the NFL regular-season limit of 53 by Saturday. Tim Tebow could be in jeopardy despite a decent performance in the Patriots 28-20 win over the New York Giants in the exhibition finale Thursday. The third-string quarterback completed 6 of 11 passes for 91 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He also was sacked four times but got poor protection on some of them. "Its not just one game (that matters)," coach Bill Belichick said Friday about the player evaluation process, "although every game is important. But the body of work, the camp, the rate of improvement, the ability to do the things that players are going to be asked to do at their respective positions (also matters)." Belichick spoke before the cuts were announced and gave no indication of which players he might let go. The cuts of Ballard and Fells indicate that Rob Gronkowski could be ready to play sooner than expected after missing all four exhibition games following back surgery. Hes one of three tight ends still on the roster. Tebow is one of three quarterbacks, playing behind Tom Brady and Ryan Mallett. Asked after Thursdays game if he felt that performance improved his chances of making the team, Tebow said, "Im not sure. I dont make those decisions." That decision will depend on whether Belichick feels it would help the Patriots more to have greater depth at another position than by carrying a third quarterback, something hes done just once in the past four seasons. "I dont think its good planning or good insurance for your team to go light at a position and then have no idea where your depth at that position is going to be," he said. "It may be on the roster. It may not be on the roster. But, at least, you want to have some idea where youre headed if you need it." That depth could come from players on the practice squad, the physically unable to perform list or free agents who arent on any team, Belichick said. "I think whenever you put a roster together you look at it and say, OK, were a little heavy here and were a little light here, relative to where your team has been in the past, or maybe relative to what the norm is around the league," he said. "But you do it because you feel you have a higher quality player at a certain position, or you just lack the overall depth at another position. "Thats going to happen somewhere on your roster every year." The Patriots released three other veterans -- defensive end Marcus Benard, wide receiver Johnathan Haggerty and linebacker Mike Rivera -- first-year offensive lineman Luke Patterson and four rookie free agents -- fullback Ben Bartholomew, defensive linemen Gilbert Pena and Scott Vallone and offensive lineman Matt Stankiewitch. The Patriots hoped Ballard could contribute this year when they claimed him off waivers from the Giants in 2012. Belichick knew the knee injury he sustained in the Super Bowl that year, a 21-17 win over the Patriots, would keep him out all last season. But Ballard didnt seem at full strength this summer and didnt catch any passes in exhibition games. Fells played 13 games last season after signing as a free agent from Denver and caught four passes. He had five receptions this preseason. Gronkowski is on the physically unable to perform list and, if he stays there, would have to miss the first six regular-season games. But hes been working out on the field in shorts and a T-shirt and could be ready early in the season. The other tight ends are rookie free agent Zach Sudfeld and Michael Hoomanawanui. The Patriots cut Aaron Hernandez on June 26 after he was arrested. Later that day, he was charged with murder. One decision involves the punter, where Zoltan Mesko had three solid seasons. But free-agent rookie Ryan Allen has had a good camp. "Its been competitive all the way through from the spring to training camp into the games," Belichick said. "We have to talk about that one." Clark Gillies Jersey .com) - Colorado forward P. Matt Martin Jersey . - Kevin Labanc and Joseph Blandisi were a potent combination for the Barrie Colts on Friday night. http://www.authenticnyislanderspro.com/J...landers-jersey/. The 26-year-old slider from Calgary posted a time of 50.464 seconds, 0.573 seconds back of leader Natalie Geisenberger. The German led the overall World Cup womens standings this season and continued her dominance by putting down a track record time of 49. Casey Cizikas Jersey .J. -- Kevin Gilbride retired Thursday as offensive co-ordinator for the New York Giants. Custom New York Islanders Jerseys .She struggled with a hacking cough, she was sick, and she twice celebrated too early, but she held her composure in a 6-3, 7-6 (5) victory on Saturday.On her third match point, she let her racket go before hearing a let call to what she thought was an ace. CHICAGO -- Playoff appearances were rare enough for the Washington Wizards let alone series victories. Never mind all that now. John Wall finished with 24 points, Nene scored 20, and the Wizards beat the Chicago Bulls 75-69 on Tuesday night to clinch their first-round series in five games. Bradley Beal scored 17 points, and the fifth-seeded Wizards advanced in the post-season for just the third time since the 1970s. They will meet Indiana or Atlanta in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Hawks lead the series 3-2. Its a huge step for a franchise that hadnt been to the post-season since 2008, but with Wall and Beal leading the way, they won 44 games during the regular season. "It just shows our continued growth," Beal said. "We played great basketball in this series and we can only continue to get better and better." As for the Bulls? "It is real disappointing," Taj Gibson said. "We put so much work into the season, came out of countless holes." The Wizards turned a halftime tie into a nine-point lead heading into the fourth quarter and hung on down the stretch. Chicagos comeback chances took a big hit early in the final quarter when Gibson crumbled to the court clutching his left ankle after he tried to block a layup by Wall with the Wizards up by six points. He had to be helped off the court and did not return. The Bulls got within three points in the closing minutes but couldnt grab rebounds when they needed them, particularly after D.J. Augustin hit two free throws to make it 72-69 with 2:18 left. The Wizards grabbed three offensive rebounds while whittling more than a minute off the clock before Beal threw the ball away with a minute left in the game. Carlos Boozer missed on a drive, but the Bulls couldnt convert after a shot-clock violation by Washington with 22.4 seconds left. Chicagos Jimmy Butler missed on a layup off the inbounds, and the Wizards caught a break after Andre Miller missed two free throws. Nene tracked down the loose ball and Beal hit the first free throw to make it 73-69 with 14.6 seconds left before missing the second. But Nene got another rebound, and that led to two free throws by Wall with 7.8 seconds remaining. Nene was back to wreaking havoc after serving a one-game suspension for grabbing Butlers head, whether he was knocking down jumpers or sscoring inside.dddddddddddd. He hit 10 of 17 shots and grabbed seven rebounds. Wall also had seven boards and hit 9 of 11 free throws. Marcin Gortat grabbed 13 rebounds, and the Wizards did something they have rarely done the past three-and-a-half decades -- they moved on. The playoffs have mostly been one-and-done affairs for them -- with a few exceptions -- since they lost to Seattle in the 1979 Finals. They knocked off New Jersey 2-0 in the first round in 1982 and took out Chicago in six games in 2005. In this series, they showed a resolve and killer instinct that wasnt always there in the regular season. "The main thing is to focus in and know what this team is capable of," Wall said. "I just give a lot of credit to my teammates and the coaching staff and the great game plan and making adjustments and committing ourselves to play on every given night." For the Bulls, a season that unfolded in ways they never envisioned is finally over. They expected to challenge Miami for supremacy in the Eastern Conference with Derrick Rose back after sitting out last season, only to lose their star to another season-ending knee injury. As if that wasnt enough, they traded away one of their top remaining players in Luol Deng yet somehow squeezed out 48 victories. No team in the East won more games after New Years Eve, either, but slow starts and poor shooting plagued them in this series. Butler and Kirk Hinrich scored 16 points each and Gibson had 12 for the Bulls. Joakim Noah, whose left knee has bothering him the past few months, added 18 rebounds and seven assists. Boozer, a candidate to be amnestied, added 10 points and nine rebounds in what might have been his final appearance for Chicago. The Wizards outscored the Bulls 20-11 in the third quarter to turn a 41-41 halftime tie into a 61-52 lead going into the fourth. "I am proud of this team," Noah said. "I am proud of the way we competed all year. We dealt with a lot. Whenever a season is over it is always tough." NOTES: The Wizards outrebounded the Bulls 49-43 overall and 15-8 in the fourth quarter. ... Nene declined comment about his suspension at the Wizards shootaround, saying, "I dont want to talk about that." ... Gibson on his injury: "Real painful. I got to see what they (the medical staff) say tomorrow." 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