WOMBAT-Empfang » 14 season debut, the former world No. 5

CLEVELAND - Billy Cundiff practiced inside FirstEnergy Stadium on Thursday, working on his mechanics and hoping to snap out of his recent funk.He wont play there Sunday.The Browns waived the slumping kicker Saturday and replaced him with veteran Garrett Hartley, who will likely kick against the AFC North-leading Cincinnati Bengals.Cundiffs release comes a week after he missed a 40-yarder in a one-point loss to Indianapolis and following two days in which he kicked well in practice before injuring his knee.On Thursday, Browns special teams coach Chris Tabor offered his support of Cundiff, who had missed a kick in each of Clevelands past five games. Tabor gave a glowing report on Cundiffs workout at the downtown stadium.We just got back moments ago, and I thought he kicked the ball as well as Ive ever seen him, Tabor said. There are some other things that sometimes go into it, but if he strikes the ball the rest of the season like he did today, well be in great shape.Cundiff, however, then missed Fridays practice and coach Mike Pettine said the 34-year-old veteran had injured himself the previous day.Cundiff refused to discuss his injury, deferring all questions about his status to Pettine. Although Cundiff had a sleeve on his left leg, the Browns said on their injury report he hurt his right knee.Whatever the case, with three games left, the Browns (7-6) couldnt afford to squander any more scoring chances if they want to make the playoffs.Hartley was one of three kickers the Browns worked out earlier this week. He kicked in 57 games for New Orleans from 2008-13 and made 82 field goals. Hes converted on 81 per cent of his attempts.Cundiff made 22 of 29 field goals in his second season with Cleveland. Last year, he was good on 21 of 26. The Browns signed him as a free agent in 2013 after deciding not to re-sign steady Phil Dawson, who went to San Francisco. Cundiff has also played for Washington, Baltimore, New Orleans and Dallas. He was previously with the Browns in 2009.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Cheap Hydro Flask Water Bottle . PETERSBURG, Fla. Hydro Flask Water Bottle Sale . The St. Louis Cardinals were scheduled to arrive in Boston in time for a workout on Tuesday afternoon. Much of Mondays discussion focused on Bostons lineup considerations as the series progresses, specifically when the venue shifts to St. http://www.cheaphydroflask.net/. A spokeswoman for the NLRB says its "a very incremental move" and does not necessarily indicate the board is close to a finding in the case. NFL owners filed an unfair labour charge against the players union in February, arguing that the union was not negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement in good faith. Cheap Hydro Flask Ombre . Louis against the Blues. The Canucks picked up their second straight victory in the swings opener on Tuesday in Calgary before getting routed in Minnesota last night, 5-1. Rei Hydro Flask Sale . THE THUNDER & PACERS BENCHES: In a nutshell, not impressive at all.Charleston, SC - Former runner-up Lucie Safarova and 15th- seeded American Madison Keys were a pair of opening-round winners, while 10th- seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko was sent packing Monday at the Family Circle Cup tennis event. The ninth-seeded Safarova doused Swede Johanna Larsson 6-2, 6-3 on the green clay at Family Circle Tennis Center. The Czech player was a finalist here two years ago and captured back-to-back doubles titles in 2012 and last year. Making her 2014 season debut, the former world No. 5 Kirilenko succumbed to Swiss qualifier Belinda Bencic 6-1, 7-5. Kirilenko had been sidelined since the end of last season because of a knee injury. The 19-year-old Keys, meanwhile, advanced by sneaking past Croat Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, 7-6 (7-0), 7-6 (7-3). In other acction involving Americans, Lauren Davis leveled German Dinah Pfizenmaier 6-1, 6-4; Russian Alla Kudryavtseva dismissed Christina McHale 6-3, 7-5; South African Chanelle Scheepers overcame Alison Riske 4-6, 6-2, 6-3; and Czech Petra Cetkovska topped Varvara Lepchenko 6-1, 2-6, 6-0.ddddddddddddDavis will face former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic in the second round. Also advancing on Day 1 were Frances Virginie Razzano, Brazils Teliana Pereira, Kazakhstans Yaroslava Shvedova, Croat Ajla Tomljanovic, and Dutch qualifier Kiki Bertens. Serena Williams has won the last two titles and is a three-time Charleston champ. The world No. 1 star topped the 2007 titlist Jankovic in last years finale. Last weeks Miami champion Williams and Jankovic are this weeks top seeds. ' ' '