BALTIMORE -- Take it from none other than David Ortiz: Jonathan Papelbon would fit in just fine with the Boston Red Sox.I dont know what happened there at the Nationals, but he was a great guy and we would welcome him back with open arms, Ortiz told ESPN Deportes before the Red Sox faced the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. And we need help in the bullpen. We definitely do.Papelbon requested and received his release from the Washington Nationals last Saturday, making him a free agent. The Red Sox have expressed interest in the 35-year-old reliever, who also has been linked to the Chicago Cubs and likely is getting calls from several other playoff contenders.In addition to a stretch of five consecutive dreadful appearances in which he gave up nine runs on nine hits and five walks in 3 1/3 innings and was replaced as the Nationals closer by the recently acquired Mark Melancon, Papelbons attitude in the clubhouse had become toxic, according to one National League scout.But the Red Sox know Papelbon well. They drafted him in 2003, developed him in their farm system and won a World Series with him as their closer in 2007. Papelbon is the organizations all-time saves leader with 219 over seven seasons from 2005 to 11. And although manager John Farrell has described the high-strung Papelbon as a unique guy in many ways, Papelbon retains a strong relationship with Farrell, second baseman Dustin Pedroia and Ortiz.He started here and the fans love him, Ortiz told ESPN Deportes. Jonathan is like a brother to me. Hes a great guy and an amazing teammate. His teammates were always first to him. It would be fabulous to have him back.The Red Sox continue to sort out roles in their bullpen. Although Craig Kimbrel is cemented as the closer, Papelbon could be a potential solution in the eighth inning, where the Sox have been seeking a replacement for setup man Koji Uehara, who is sidelined indefinitely by a right pectoral strain.On Tuesday, Farrell said he has reached out to Papelbon to discuss a return to Boston, a sign that the Red Sox believe his recent struggles on the mound in Washington arent indicative of an irreversible decline.Theres no question hes a different pitcher now than nine years ago, Farrell said, alluding to a decrease in average fastball velocity from 95.0 mph when Papelbon left the Red Sox after the 2011 season to 90.9 mph this year. Hes evolved as more of a quote-unquote pitcher rather than relying solely on velocity and a fastball that he would attack with. With the exception of a stretch in July where maybe the performance was less than what Pap has been maybe accustomed to, hes been an effective pitcher.In 37 appearances with the Nationals this season, Papelbon posted a 4.37 ERA with 31 strikeouts and 14 walks in 35 innings. Darlington Nagbe Jersey . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said. DeAndre Yedlin Jersey . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. "I didnt need to be anybody else, I just needed to be myself and be aggressive," said Burks, who scored a career-high 34 points to spark the Utah Jazz to a 118-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/311j-djordje-mihailovic-jersey-usa.html . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. USA Soccer Jerseys 2019 . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. Russell Canouse Jersey . Murray beat Sam Querrey 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3 to clinch Britains opening-round victory against the United States on Sunday at Petco Park. "Im proud of the way Im playing just now, because I had to do a lot of work to get back to where I want to be," Murray said after celebrating with his teammates on the red clay court in a temporary stadium in left field of the downtown home of baseballs San Diego Padres. PHILADELPHIA -- On Nov. 21, 1976, audiences met Rocky Balboa, the southpaw boxer from south Philadelphia. Four decades later, Sylvester Stallones lovable character resonates with fans drawn to his underdog tale of determination, grit and sleepy-eyed charm.The reach of Rocky is international, and the film serves as a slice of Americana. It is shorthand for Philadelphia as much as the Liberty Bell or Benjamin Franklin.Anytime we are speaking to overseas visitors ... the conversation always turns, at some point, to `Rocky, said Julie Coker Graham, president of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau. They ask, `Have you met Rocky? A lot of them think its an actual, real-life person.On the films 40th anniversary, a few reasons for its enduring legacy:---LOVABLE UNDERDOGWritten by Stallone in three days, fans fell hard for the ballad of Rocky Balboa. For the uninitiated (SPOILER ALERT): The small-time boxer from the heavily Italian neighborhood of South Philly stumbles into a bout with the heavyweight champion of the world, Apollo Creed, fighting in the city to celebrate Americas bicentennial. To get him into fighting shape, Rocky (played by Stallone) is trained by the peppery Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith), whose many one-liners make him a frequent scene stealer. Rocky also finds love in the film with sheepish neighborhood pet store clerk, Adrian (Talia Shire). Though he ultimately loses the fight, Rocky proves himself and wins Adrians heart, making him the winner of much more than a title.The film itself was a long shot, made on a budget of only $1 million and shot in 28 days, with a largely unknown cast, including Stallone himself. And it was shot in working-class Philadelphia, a city that -- despite its roots as the crucible of freedom -- had long had a chip on its shoulder as second-tier as compared to more cultured East Coast metropolises like New York and Boston. (It is worth noting that the film had its premiere in New York.)---CHEERS FOR ROCKYWhat the movie lacked in beauty, it made up for in heart, something that resonated with audiences worldwide. The film was the highest-grossing of the year, earning $117 million at the North American box office and another $107 million overseas. Rocky received 10 Oscar nominations in nine categories at the Academy Awards, winning three: best picture, best director (John G.dddddddddddd. Avildsen) and best film editing. Stallone, Burgess and Shire were all nominated in acting categories, and Stallone was nominated for his screenplay.Rocky is preserved in the Library of Congress National Film Registry as being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. It was also ranked one of the greatest sports films ever made and is the second-best film about boxing behind Raging Bull, according to the American Film Institute.---GONNA FLY NOWThe score for Rocky, which was also nominated for an Oscar, was penned by Bill Conti. The main song, Gonna Fly Now, was originally intended as filler for the training sequence marking Rockys journey from amateur to contender. The opening fanfare is among the most recognizable in American culture, and the soaring melody that plays on the melancholic theme woven throughout the movie is the backdrop to Rocky doing impressive one-armed pushups, punching meat in his girlfriends brothers butcher shop and running through Philadelphias Italian Market, along the Schuylkill River and past the shipyards.Conti went on to win an Oscar for his score to 1983s The Right Stuff and made music recognizable to millions in theme songs to Dynasty and Falcon Crest.---THE ROCKY STEPS AND STATUEThe montage climaxes in one of the films most memorable scenes, as Rocky bounds up the 72 steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, raising his arms in triumph. Four decades later, the run and pose atop the steps are re-created daily in Philadelphia, mostly by tourists. In 1982, a statue of Rocky commissioned by Stallone for Rocky III was placed in the spot where he stood in the original film. Its current home is just to the right of the steps and is a selfie stop for visitors.---ROCKYS NEXT CHAPTERThe original movie was followed by six sequels. In 2015, Rocky was reborn in Creed, the story of Adonis Creed, the son of his nemesis-turned-best friend, Apollo. An aging and dying Rocky trains Adonis for a brawl not unlike the grizzled boxers first fight nearly two generations earlier. The New York Times reviewed it as a dandy piece of entertainment, soothingly old-fashioned and bracingly up-to-date. ' ' '