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http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/former-nfl-linebacker-thomas-howard-dies-in-car-crash-in-california-111713 Updated Nov 18, 2013 8:02 PM ET ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) Former NFL linebacker Thomas Howard died early Monday morning following a high-speed car crash on a freeway in Oakland. The Alameda County Coroner's office said the 30-year-old Howard was one of two men who died in the crash Monday. The driver of the other car, 64-year-old Zeng Long Liu of Hayward, also died in the crash. Howard was driving a speeding BMW when he hit a big rig, flipped over the center divider and went head-on into a Honda traveling on the other side around 1 a.m., said Officer Daniel Hill, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol. Witnesses say the car was traveling at speeds between 100 mph to 110 mph as the car overturned, crossed a median and ended up in the southbound lanes of the freeway, where it sideswiped another car before landing on top of the Honda, Hill said. Hill said that alcohol is not being ruled out as a possible cause of the accident. Howard played eight years in the NFL after being drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the second round out of Texas-El Paso in 2006. He was most recently with Atlanta before getting released last week after playing two games this season. Howard played his first five seasons with the Raiders and two seasons with Cincinnati. "Words really can't describe how I'm feeling right now," former Raiders teammate Kirk Morrison wrote on his Instagram account. "To get that dreaded phone call and hear someone tell you that one of your best friends is no longer with us is hard to grasp. The feeling of shock and disbelief can be unbearable at times but all I can remember is all the good times that we had. ... I didn't lose a best friend or former teammate, I truly lost a brother today in Thomas Howard." Howard became an almost immediate starter when he joined the Raiders, making 62 starts in his first four seasons. His best season came in 2007 when he intercepted six passes and returned two of them for touchdowns. He also had one sack, 11 passes defensed and one fumble recovery that season. Howard left the Raiders as a free agent in 2011 and started 15 games in his first season with the Bengals. Howard tore his ACL after his first game in 2012 and missed the rest of the season. He signed with the Falcons in October and played two games with Atlanta before being cut. Howard's father, Thomas Sr., also played nine seasons in the NFL as a linebacker. "Thomas was an absolutely terrific guy, one of the best and nicest guys I have ever come across," said Howard's agent, Andrew Kessler. "He had two daughters. It is a horrible tragedy obviously for everyone involved. Really devastatingly sad in every way."

DENTON, Texas – North Texas head basketball coach Tony Benford has announced the signing of former Cincinnati center Kelvin Gaines to a scholarship. The Ocala, Fla., native played in 39 games for the Bearcats over the last two years after taking a redshirt in 2010-11. Gaines will graduate from Cincinnati this summer, and is expected to be immediately eligible to play his final two seasons at North Texas. "We are tremendously excited to have Kelvin Gaines joining the Mean Green family," Benford said. "He brings a great deal of character, athleticism and toughness to our program. Kelvin comes from a great program in Cincinnati, which has put him through three years of Big East competition. He's been to the NCAA Tournament, he understands how to work, and he can protect the rim for us. We have great shooters and great balance in our program right now, and Kelvin will really help us shore up the paint." Standing 6 feet 10 inches tall, Gaines has been a potent defensive asset for the Bearcats. He tallied 39 blocks in just 276 career minutes for UC. As a redshirt freshman in 2011-12, Gaines ranked third on the team with 23 blocks, and he tallied 17 more last season. With the offseason additions of Gaines and George Mason transfer Vertrail Vaughns, the Mean Green will have two graduates in its locker room for 2013-14. "In my 20-plus years of coaching, I've never seen a kid that got his degree in three years and still has two years to play. That shows me that Kelvin has a great head on his shoulders and will be a tremendous mentor for our younger players." Gaines' resume also includes international experience, as he toured Belgium, Germany and London as part of the Global Sports Academy team in 2011. He played a total of five games against international competition – two contests in Brussells, Belgium; and one each in Cologne, Germany; Dusseldorf, Germany; and Antwerp, Belgium – and averaged seven points and nine rebounds during the trip. As a senior in 2009-10, Gaines transferred to Arlington Country Day in Jacksonville, Fla., where he led the Apaches to the FHSAA Class 2A finals and a record of 21-6. He ultimately chose Cincinnati over offers from UCONN, Georgia, Memphis, Oklahoma, and Miami (Fla.). As a junior, Gaines averaged 10.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 6.2 blocks per game in 2008-09 playing for Heat Academy in Martinsville, Va. The Heat finished the season with a record of 50-8 and was ranked as high as No. 12 in the national prep school polls. North Texas Basketball 2013-14 Recruiting Class Kelvin Gaines – 6-10, 227, Jr., C, Ocala, Fla. (Cincinnati) Vertrail Vaughns – 6-2, 184, Sr., G, Mesquite, Texas (George Mason) Colin Voss – 6-7, 240, Jr., F, Grand Rapids, Mich. (Northern Oklahoma) Armani Flannigan – 6-8, 200, Jr., F, Rockford, Ill. (Central Wyoming State) Tony Nunn – 6-9, F/C, Salisbury, N.C. (Oldsmar Christian) Josh Friar – 6-8, F, Houston, Texas (Kingwood HS) Greg Wesley – 6-7, F, Arlington, Texas (Seguin HS) Read more: http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1800&ATCLID=208113563 This post has been promoted to an article

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MABxTmV33DI

Cincinnati center Kelvin Gaines, who we have talked about a bit over the last few days, has arrived in Denton and is taking the tour of campus/town as we speak. As of this afternoon, it sounds like this has a pretty good chance of working out for UNT. There are always loose ends to tie up, but this just makes too much sense for everyone involved. To review: Gaines has spent three seasons at Cincinnati and is coming off pretty major shoulder surgery. Jermaine Lawrence, one of the top power forwards in the country, was a late add for Cincinnati, which is now one player over the scholarship limit. Gaines has barely played for the Bearcats and is highly expendable. Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2013/06/kelvin-gaines-in-town-heres-the-situation.html/

Got this from Cincy fan subflea on their message board site: read more: http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=341&f=2405&t=11614871

Kelvin Gaines, a 6-10 center who has spent the last three years at Cincinnati, will likely visit UNT this weekend, multiple sources close to the situation said late this week. Gaines redshirted his first season at Cincinnati and then playing sparingly the last two years. He is set to graduate in just three years and could be looking for another school where he can continue his career. A Cincinnati spokesman declined comment when asked about Gaines’ status with the program. Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2013/05/cincinnati-center-likely-visiting-unt-this-weekend.html/