DAVIE, Fla. Benedikt Howedes Germany Jersey . -- New Miami Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey stepped to the microphone and apologized for his hoarse voice, explaining he wore it down in recent days trying to build a winner. Hickey then introduced a succession of big acquisitions in the first 24 hours of free agency -- 316-pound left tackle Branden Albert, 300-pound defensive tackle Earl Mitchell and 305-pound defensive tackle Randy Starks. All signed Wednesday. Starks remained with the Dolphins after a brief stint as a free agent, signing a $12 million, two-year contract. He spent the past six seasons with the Dolphins, with only one playoff game during that time. "The moves we made so far just show were close to doing something special here, and trying to bring in some people to help us get over the hump," he said. The return of Starks, a two-time Pro Bowl player, and the addition of Mitchell compensate for the loss of defensive tackle Paul Soliai, who joined the Atlanta Falcons after seven years with Miami. "Pauls a good player," Starks said. "He has been here a long time. Hell be well missed, but we have people who can step up." Hickeys shopping will continue, with additional offensive linemen, a tight end and a linebacker the most pressing needs. The Dolphins are trying to end a 13-year drought without a post-season victory, and theyre eager to put in the past their bullying scandal that involved tackle Jonathan Martin. The acquisition of Albert was a step in that direction. Hell take over the position manned at the start of last season by Martin, who was traded late Tuesday to the San Francisco 49ers for an undisclosed draft choice. "Im going to be here to play left tackle and make a difference," Albert said. "Thats the reason Im here. I feel like its a team I can help the most and make my legacy even better." Albert signed a $47 million, five-year deal that includes $26 million guaranteed. Dolphins officials, accompanied by a couple of players, treated Albert to dinner Tuesday night to celebrate the agreement. "Probably the happiest person at the dining room table was Ryan Tannehill," Hickey said. "He was really excited to have a player of his calibre on our team." Albert will protect the blind side for Tannehill, who was sacked a franchise-record 58 times last year. Mitchell was also part of the dinner celebration after agreeing to a $16 million, four-year deal. Like Albert and Starks, Mitchell envisions better days ahead for the Dolphins. "Im coming to produce and definitely trying to help this team reach new heights," Mitchell said. "Thats my reason for being here. Im trying to get us to a Super Bowl." Mitchell blossomed in his fourth NFL season with the Houston Texans last year, when he became a starter and won raves for the way he clogged the middle. He has been playing defence only since his junior year at the University of Arizona, and he and Hickey both said hes still improving. Alberts reputation has also been on the rise, and he made the Pro Bowl last year with the Kansas City Chiefs. He has had a home the past three offseasons 45 minutes from the Dolphins complex and will now move north, eager to go to work with his new team. "I live in downtown Miami, but I probably wont anymore because of the commute," he said with a smile. "Ive got to find a place close to the facility." Toni Kroo Replica Jersey .1 million qualifying offers to second baseman Robinson Cano, outfielder Curtis Granderson and pitcher Hiroki Kuroda. Per Mertesacker Germany Jersey . The 22-year-old from Notre Dame started 29 games and had five goals and six assists this season. The league announced Monday that Powers received 93 per cent of team, media and player votes.GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Malcolm Brogdon scored 23 points and No. 6 Virginia claimed its first Atlantic Coast Conference tournament title since 1976 by beating No. 7 Duke 72-63 on Sunday. Tournament MVP Joe Harris added 15 points and hit the backbreaking 3-pointer with just under 2 minutes remaining for the top-seeded Cavaliers (28-6). They shot 45 per cent, pestered the Blue Devils into 38 per cent shooting and used a late 12-3 run to pull away and claim the second ACC tournament title in school history. Jabari Parker scored 23 points on 9-of-24 shooting for the third-seeded Blue Devils (26-8), who were making their 31st appearance in the championship game but were denied their ACC-record 20th title. Anthony Gill added 12 points and was 10 of 17 from the free-throw line for Virginia. Duke as a team was just 7 of 11 from the line. The Cavaliers came to Greensboro off of their first outright regular-season title since 1981, and were trying to do something not even Ralph Sampson could do. It had been a long time -- 38 years -- since Wally Walker led Virginia to its only previous ACC tournament title. Now that trophy will have some company. With its "pack line" defence clicking and holding Duke 13 points below its scoring average, Virginia was in control for most of the day, yet could never get any separation until the final 2 1/2 minutes. Akil Mitchell hit a shot to make it 61-57, then stripped Parker at the other end to set up Harris wide-open 3 in transition that extended the lead to seven and had Dukes Rodney Hood fuming. Harris gave Duke a final chance when he rushed up a shot and Quinn Cook countered with a 3 with 1 1/2 minutes left to pull the Blue Devils back within four. Brogdon then drove through the Duke defence for a momentum-shifting layup that made it 66-60 with just over a minute to play and caused Duke assistant Jeff Capel to tellingly slump back on the bench in exasperation. Cook missed a short jumper before Brogdon hit six of eight free throws in the final minute to help thee Cavaliers pull away. Thomas Muller Shirts. Hood finished with 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting and Amile Jefferson added 11 for Duke. This was a one-possession game throughout the second half until Mitchells tip-in with 5:10 left pushed Virginias lead to 57-53. Parker missed three shots on Dukes next possession, then picked up his fourth foul with 3:53 left and Gill hit two free throws to put the Cavaliers up by six. Virginia was one of the few opponents which found a way to slow Parker, holding him to eight points on 3-of-11 shooting in the regular-season meeting -- a four-point Duke win that came down to the final seconds. With Mitchell keying the defensive effort on him, Parker was just 2 of 10 in the first half. Then he got hot midway through the second half and single-handedly kept Duke in the game, reeling off seven straight points for his team in a 90-second span. He went coast-to-coast and threw down a one-handed dunk on London Perrantes, hit a 3-pointer from the wing to briefly give Duke a one-point lead and added a jumper off a spin move with 8 1/2 minutes remaining. Mitchell finished with 15 rebounds for Virginia, which led 28-25 at the end of a physical, intense first half notable for its low shooting percentages -- and a technical foul on Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. Official Jamie Luckie hit Coach K with a T with 2:07 left in the half when Krzyzewski, with his back to the court, tossed his dry-erase marker toward his bench while coming out of a timeout. There were plenty of reasons for Duke to be frustrated, yet the Blue Devils managed to keep themselves in the game despite a rough first half from its two best players: Parker and Hood were a combined 4 of 18 from the field. Parker hit a point-blank shot while falling down with just under 16 minutes left to put Duke up 34-33 -- its first lead since the opening minute. Brogdon snatched the lead right back with a jumper on Virginias next trip down the court, and it stayed tight the rest of the way until the Cavaliers late surge. cheap nfl jerseyscheap jerseys ' ' '
