Three months after House Democrats issued a report concluding that the NFL improperly sought to influence a major government study on football and brain disease, their Republican counterparts called for an independent review into the controversy.In a 21-page letter to the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services, Republican leaders from the Energy and Commerce Committee requested the review to determine whether proper procedures were followed by officials with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and its fundraising arm.The letter suggests that NIH officials engaged representatives from the NFL throughout the process and tried to resolve the conflict by offering a compromise solution -- reinforcing the perception that there was nothing improper about the NFLs actions.The questions and concerns raised by these events are vital to the integrity of research and the grant award decision-making process, concluded the letter, written by Reps. Fred Upton of Michigan, Tim Murphy and Joseph Pitts of Pennsylvania, and Michael Burgess of Texas.In May, Democratic leaders from the committee issued a 91-page report that described a behind-the-scenes campaign by top NFL health officials to strip a $16 million grant from a prominent Boston University researcher who has been critical of the league. The Republican letter provided little new information about the NFLs campaign, but it suggested that the league may have been convinced that its input was welcomed by senior NIH officials who agreed to discuss the matter, in possible violation of NIH regulations.The Democratic report stemmed from interviews with officials at the NIH and the Foundation for the NIH (FNIH) as well as the NFLs top health and safety official. It also cited emails between the parties. The report singled out Dr. Richard Ellenbogen, the co-chair of the NFLs Head, Neck and Spine Committee. Ellenbogen was a co-investigator on a competing grant proposal, which the report said NFL officials tried to convince the NIH to fund. Ellenbogen was a primary example of the conflicts of interest between his role as a researcher and his role as an NFL adviser, according to the report.Ellenbogen, however, was not interviewed by the Democrats, and he denied to the Republicans that he ever had sought to influence the NIH process, as he had previously to Outside the Lines and other media outlets.Ellenbogen, the chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Washington, is the subject of an internal investigation at UW over the findings by the Democrats.The Republican letter said the review was necessary because this controversy has tarnished the reputations of some leading brain trauma experts.We stand by our findings that the NFL improperly attempted to influence NIH on its brain injury research, and that FNIH did not adequately fulfill its role of serving as an intermediary between NIH and the NFL, an Energy and Commerce Democratic Committee spokesperson wrote to Outside the Lines.The controversy stems from a $30 million donation the NFL made to the NIH in 2012. At the time, the league described the grant as unrestricted, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell insisted that the league would let NIH make the decisions on how best to spend the money. The first $12 million of that funding was allocated in 2013 to two groups to study the defining characteristics of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the brain disease that has been found in dozens of deceased NFL players and that experts have linked to repetitive head trauma. However, Outside the Lines reported in December that the NFL had backed out of using most of the remaining funds on a $16 million study that had been awarded to Robert Stern, a prominent Boston University researcher.Soon after, the Democratic committee launched its investigation.The league has said that its officials expressed concerns about Stern but that they did so appropriately. And the Republicans letter suggests that if the NFLs actions were inappropriate, the NIH should have addressed that with the league rather than encouraging ongoing discussion.The NFL issued a statement Thursday afternoon repeating prior comments that it had never wavered in its commitment to advance the science and understanding of concussions and that it looked forward to cooperating in a review.Ellenbogen and three other members of the NFLs Head, Neck and Spine Committee issued their own statement, saying they welcome a fair and balanced review and look forward to engaging fully in the process, a courtesy we were not provided by the committees minority staff.The Republican letter comes one day after the NFL announced a $100 million initiative designed to focus on concussion research and technologies to lessen head trauma. http://www.nflcardinalsrookiestore.com/Customized/ . -- Anaheim Ducks defenceman Luca Sbisa will be out at least six weeks with a torn tendon in his right hand. http://www.nflcardinalsrookiestore.com/Cardinals-Frostee-Rucker-Jersey/ .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. http://www.nflcardinalsrookiestore.com/Cardinals-Chandler-Jones-Jersey/ . The Hall of Fame defenceman told Landsberg that he believes fighting still has a place in todays game, but thinks staged fighting needs be outlawed. http://www.nflcardinalsrookiestore.com/Cardinals-David-Johnson-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. http://www.nflcardinalsrookiestore.com/Cardinals-Drew-Stanton-Jersey/ . Miller finished in two minutes, 6.09 seconds, one day before the first medal race on the Alpine schedule. The 36-year-old American also turned in the top time in Thursdays opening training session. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessees long-range shooting is helping the Volunteers compensate for their lack of experience.Whether their 3-point proficiency could make them more than long shots to challenge for a postseason bid will become clearer over the next two weekends.Tennessee (4-3) has won three straight and matched a single-game school record for 3-pointers Tuesday by going 16 of 33 from beyond the arc in a 90-50 blowout of Presbyterian. Tennessee faces a much tougher challenge Sunday when it visits No. 7 North Carolina (9-1) to begin an eight-day stretch in which it plays four games and faces two top-10 opponents.After returning from Chapel Hill, the Vols host Tennessee Tech on Tuesday and Lipscomb on Thursday before facing No. 8 Gonzaga on Dec. 18 in Nashville, Tennessee.You go in there, play them hard and you see where youre at, sophomore guard Shembari Phillips said. When its time for SEC play... going in there, well have a lot more confidence and things of that nature. These tests are definitely necessary.Tennessee has shot 47.5 percent (29 of 61) from 3-point range during its winning streak. Vols coach Rick Barnes downplays the impact of his teams recent 3-point accuracy because he knows how quickly that can change.I know basketballs a game of makes and misses, Barnes said. Weve had games I think where weve made one or two (3-pointers). Shooting is something that you work on and you hope youre making your shots, but good teams are going to win whether theyre making their shots or not. Theyre going to guard. Theyre going to do certain things.The one thing that you can control as a player is you dont want to base how well youre playing on if youre making shots because some nights you make them, some nights you dont.But consistent production from 3-point range could enable Tennessee to withstand its lack of height and outperform expectations. Tennessee was picked before the season to finish 13th out of 14 SEC teams.Were a team that is undersized compared to a lot of teams, even in the SEC, ssenior forward Lew Evans said.dddddddddddd Making shots outside is going to help us in the long run.Tennessees long-range shooting has come from multiple players. Redshirt freshman Lamonte Turner and true freshman Jordan Bowden went a combined 12 of 21 from 3-point range against Presbyterian. Phillips is 9 of 12 on 3-pointers this season.Six different players already have either led or have tied for the team lead in scoring in at least one game. Last year, Kevin Punter. Jr. was Tennessees top scorer in 19 of the Vols first 26 games before a fractured right foot knocked him out for the remainder of his senior season.That improved balance makes up for Tennessees inexperience.The Vols lost three of their top four scorers from a team that went 15-19 last season. Tennessees roster includes only three upperclassmen, its lowest total since 1996-97. One of those upperclassmen is actually a newcomer, with Evans arriving as a graduate transfer from Utah State.Tennessees starting lineup throughout this winning streak has included three freshmen: Bowden, John Fulkerson and Grant Williams. Jordan Bone, another freshman, started Tennessees first two games before developing a stress fracture in his left foot.Those freshmen play the first true road game of their college careers Sunday at North Carolina.While his players lack experience, Barnes at least has a history of success against the Tar Heels. During his Texas coaching tenure, Barnes won five of his last six games against Roy Williams North Carolina squads.I dont think my personal record against anybody (matters) because its not me, its the players, Barnes said. I think if Roy and I played one-one-one, I think I would win, but Im sure he thinks he would win. Believe me, weve both had a chance to coach good teams.---More AP College Basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org---Follow Steve Megargee at www.twitter.com/stevemegargee Cheap Soccer Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Hockey Jerseys Nike NFL Jerseys China Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys China Wholesale Baseball Jerseys China Wholesale College Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys Near Me Cheap Jerseys Online Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap NCAA Jerseys Authentic Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic MLB Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Throwback Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '