Former NFL quarterback Oliver Luck is leaving his high-ranking position at the NCAA to become commissioner of the XFL [url=http://www.49erscheapstore.com/ronnie-lott-jersey-cheap]Ronnie Lott Jersey[/url] , the second edition of professional wrestling mogul Vince McMahon’s football league.

McMahon announced the hire Tuesday, four months after unveiling plans to relaunch the XFL, which folded in 2001 after its only season. The new XFL is scheduled to begin in 2020. Luck will start his new job July 1.

He said the XFL presents an opportunity to reimagine football, from how it is played to how it is delivered and consumed by fans.

”Opportunities like this come along very infrequently,” Luck told AP in a phone interview. ”You’ve got Vince, who is a visionary. A well-capitalized effort. A guy who has passion for the game, but realizes that there are others who have lived and breathed the game for decades who he was able to bring on board.

”An incredibly fascinating time in terms of technology that exists to engage fans. All of those combined led me to believe the key ingredients to a successful launch are there to deliver great football, which I think was one of the failings of the original league.”

Luck said McMahon assured him the XFL will be a more serious endeavor than the first time around, when the league tried to use some of the WWE’s sexed-up, tough-talking antics to spice up second-rate football.

”Vince and others have really looked clear-eyed at the original XFL and acknowledged there wasn’t enough focus put on the game itself,” Luck said.

Luck [url=http://www.buccaneerscheapstore.com/jacquizz-rodgers-jersey-cheap]Jacquizz Rodgers Jersey[/url] , the father of Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, played four seasons for the Houston Oilers after being drafted in the second round out of West Virginia in 1982. He graduated from University of Texas law school in 1987.

Luck went on to a successful career in sports management in the professional and college ranks. He joined the NCAA in 2014 as executive vice president of regulatory affairs and strategic partnerships.

Luck has served as president of the now defunct NFL Europe and was general manager for two of the league’s teams in Germany. He was later president and general manager of the Houston Dynamo, leading the franchise to two MLS Cup titles. Before joining the NCAA, he spent four years as athletic director of West Virginia, orchestrating the school’s move to the Big 12.

”Oliver and I share the same vision and passion for reimagining the game of football,” McMahon said in a statement. ”His experience as both an athlete and executive will ensure the long-term success of the XFL.”

At the NCAA, Luck oversaw all NCAA enforcement, academic and membership affairs and athlete eligibility.

”Oliver Luck has been a key member of my leadership team and he has done a superb job at the NCAA over the last three years,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement. ”His vision and insight have been invaluable to our schools and the national office. Oliver’s values and leadership skills helped keep the Association focused on supporting student-athletes.”

The XFL plans to have eight league-owned teams, 40-man rosters and a 10-week regular season during the NFL’s offseason. Host cities and stadiums are now being sought by the league through requests for proposals.

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In an unprecedented four-game sweep in Baltimore, the Seattle Mariners outscored the Orioles by a total of six runs and twice prevailed in extra innings.

The difference between the two teams [url=http://www.giantscheapstore.com/b.j.-hill-jersey-cheap]B.J. Hill Jersey[/url] , to a large degree, is that Seattle finds a way to win, and the Orioles keep coming up with a variety of ways to lose.

Nelson Cruz homered and drove in three runs, and the Mariners capitalized on two 10th-inning errors in a 4-2 victory Thursday that completed their first four-game sweep at Baltimore in franchise history.

The Mariners improved to 8-0 in extra innings this season. They won in 11 innings on Wednesday, after winning the first two games of the series 5-3 and 3-2.

”We won four games, four different ways,” manager Scott Servais said with pride. ”It shows what kind of team we are. Different players on different nights, all pitching in. We are playing pretty good baseball as a team right now. This sweep was a great turnaround for us.”

The Mariners came to town with a run of six losses in seven games. They headed back to Seattle in the thick of the AL West race.

”It’s great to get a sweep,” shortstop Jean Segura said. ”It gives us momentum as we go back home.”

After missing two straight games with lower back pain, Cruz celebrated his return with his 21st homer , a two-run shot in the fourth inning that put Seattle up 2-0.

Manny Machado and Chris Davis answered with solo drives off Mike Leake in the bottom half [url=http://www.giantscheapstore.com/mark-herzlich-jersey-cheap]Mark Herzlich Jersey[/url] , and that accounted for all the scoring until the 10th.

Dee Gordon beat out a dribbler to the left of the mound and scored when center fielder Colby Rasmus bobbled Segura’s single off Miguel Castro (2-4). A throwing error by third baseman Steve Wilkerson and an RBI single by Cruz followed.

Gordon’s speed and Cruz’s power have proven to be a potent combination for the Mariners. It was certainly too much for Baltimore.

”Guys like Gordon put such pressure on you because you know any little bobble, anything, he’s going to take another base,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. ”A groundball that probably 95 percent of people are out on pretty easily, it’s a base hit. That’s why they’re having a good year and winning some games, because of things like that.

”You can’t say, `We don’t have it.’ Well, a lot of teams don’t have that.”

Juan Nicasio got three straight outs in the 10th for his first save after James Pazos (2-1) worked the ninth.

Leake allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings, his eighth straight start of at least six innings.

Making his first major league start, Jimmy Yacabonis gave up two runs and six hits over four-plus innings for Baltimore. After Yacabonis allowed two straight singles to start the fifth, Jefry Ramirez took over and retired Segura and Mitch Haniger before striking out Cruz.

”I thought I did well [url=http://www.chargerscheapstore.com/ladainian-tomlinson-jersey-cheap]LaDainian Tomlinson Jersey[/url] ,” Yacabonis said. ”There were a couple of times where I tried to make my pitches too good instead of just executing. That’s just going to come with fine tuning and experience.”

Recalled from Triple-A Norfolk before the game, Ramirez threw five innings of three-hit ball in his second big league game.

STREAKY

Baltimore’s Mark Trumbo extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a sixth-inning single. It matches a career high, set with Seattle in 2015. … Davis has two HRs in his last two games and three in seven games since returning from an 8-game hiatus designed to break a season-long skid.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: 3B Kyle Seager did not start after hurting his toe during a swing Wednesday night, but entered as a pinch hitter in the ninth and stayed in the game.

Orioles: 3B Tim Beckham was given a day off. He had played in three straight games since coming off the DL following core surgery. ”He feels good. We just want to keep him that way,” Showalter said. … CF Adam Jones was also rested. ”I’ve been looking for a day (off) for him, and today’s the day,” Showalter said.

UP NEXT

Mariners: LHP Marco Gonzales (7-5, 4.04 ERA) starts against Kansas City on Friday night in the opener of a nine-game homestand.

Orioles: Rookie David Hess (2-4, 5.44) helps Baltimore launch a three-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Angels.

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