h better odds than Stanford (30-1), Oregon (40-1) and Michigan St

Its been a while since Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas felt this good.Thomas and fellow Legion of Boom members Richard Sherman and Jeremy Lane are healthy heading into their opener against Miami on Sunday. Unlike last year, they didnt have to spend much of their summer rehabbing from injuries.Also last year, Kam Chancellor was in the midst of a holdout that didnt end until hed missed the first two games.You know, having Kam back healthy in mind and body, its very important to our defense, Thomas told The Associated Press while discussing his new investment partnership with Chefs Cut Real Jerky. We need to be strong where we are strong and having Kam back with a clear conscience, it helps us out a lot.Thomas said Seattles secondary and the Seahawks defense as a whole is miles ahead of where it was a year ago at this time.Of course, when you look at the whole picture, Kam wasnt there to run it all. A lot of guys were fighting battles with issues that needed to be cleared up, Thomas said. So, now you just see people have their fire back and thats just fun to be around.After back-to-back Super Bowl trips, the Seahawks were beaten by Carolina in the playoffs last year.Its also enjoyable to be a Longhorn again, Thomas said.Texas, Thomas alma mater, is ranked for the first time under coach Charlie Strong , coming in at No. 11 in the latest AP Top 25 after a rousing opening victory against Notre Dame.The last time the Longhorns were ranked was November 2013, Mack Browns last season as coach.I think college football fans around the world respect what we do in Texas, Thomas said. They might not have been for the past couple of years. But everybody in the world knows what were capable of and when we pull out a win like that, it gives everybody that same taste of what great Longhorns do. We produce greatness.Its a great time to be a Longhorn, man.And a member of the Seahawks, who have posted double-digit wins in each of the last four seasons under coach Pete Carrol. Seattle has had the NFLs best scoring defense in each of those four seasons, the first team with such a run since the Cleveland Browns in the mid-1950s. Unlike previous endorsements, Thomas latest business venture is an equity partnership in Chefs Cut, which hes making available on his website www.earlthomas.com . Another partner is Super Bowl MVP Von Miller of the Broncos.We actually have the same agency and were both good friends so we talked about it, Thomas said. Its a great way to introduce it to my fans.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapletonVans Outlet . Two pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the April 15 race in an area packed with fans cheering the passing runners. Three people were killed and more than 260 injured, including at least 16 who lost limbs. Vans Old Skool Comprar . Batiste, who briefly signed with the Eskimos in 2006, has spent time with several NFL teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. http://www.oldskoolbaratasespana.es/ . PETERSBURG, Fla. Vans Old Skool España . Note: The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that Sean Monahan would not be made available to Canadas World Junior team. Vans Old Skool Outlet . Marincin has played in two NHL games so far this season with two penalty minutes. The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season.Alabama and Clemson lead a group of perennial powers atop the odds in Las Vegas to win the national championship, but several bookmakers are more concerned about Iowa as the college football season kicks off.The Crimson Tide, at 6-1, are the favorites at the majority Las Vegas sportsbooks, but not all of them.Clemson is the favorite at William Hill. Clemson, LSU and Michigan?are listed as co-favorites, each at 6-1, at MGMs books.At the Westgate SuperBook, more money has been bet on LSU to win the national championship than any other team. Michigan is second.Ohio State and Florida State also are receiving strong support from bettors and are in the top tier of favorites at the majority of books. But no team could do as much damage to some books as upstart Iowa.Iowas taken some good money, Johnny Avello, executive director of race and sports at the Wynn, said. They are our worst liability right now, but we have a whole season to get off them.The Hawkeyes opened as a 100-1 long shot to win the national championship but have been bet down to 25-1 at the Wynn. Iowa is also the worst-case scenario at the Westgate and for Las Vegas sportsbook operator CG Technology, where Iowa begins the season with better odds than Stanford (30-1), Oregon (40-1) and Michigan State (80-1).ddddddddddddThe Hawkeyes return 13 starters, including senior quarterback C.J. Beathard, from last years team that went 12-2 and lost 45-16 to Stanford in the Rose Bowl. Iowa has only one team currently ranked -- Michigan -- on its schedule. The Wolverines visit Iowa City on Nov. 12.Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey and LSU running back Leonard Fournette have the best odds to win the Heisman Trophy. Watson is 9-2 at the Westgate, followed by McCaffrey and Fournette at 5-1.Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson, who accounted for eight touchdowns in the first half of the Cardinals 70-14 opening win over Charlotte on Thursday, began the week at 100-1 to win the Heisman Trophy at the Westgate. ' ' '