spoke at a news conference more than four hours before Monda

FRISCO, Texas -- Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick signed lucrative second contracts with Dallas after starting right away as first-round picks, and Zack Martin is next.The Cowboys have made significant investments in their offensive line for five years, and its paying off for two rookies and budding stars in quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott.Dallas doesnt even miss the injured franchise leader in passing yards and touchdowns, Tony Romo. And opposing defenses are certainly noticing.Now I see why hes got 100 million dollars on his line, Cincinnati cornerback Adam Jones said after last weeks 28-14 loss to his former team and former boss, Dallas owner Jerry Jones. Some of those holes my daughter could have run through.The Cowboys (4-1), who visit Green Bay (3-1) on Sunday, hadnt drafted a lineman in the first round since Jones bought the team in 1989 when they took Smith ninth overall in 2011 thinking he would eventually be their left tackle.Two years later, Frederick went 31st, then Martin at No. 16 the year after that.Three first-rounders in four years, followed by an eight-year, $98 million extension for Smith that pushed the total value of his deal over $100 million and made him the second player after Romo in franchise history to hit that mark.This preseason, Frederick signed a six-year, $56 million extension that makes him the highest-paid center in the NFL.Martin figures to get something in the range of $10 million per season -- tops among the leagues right guards at the moment. And its at the bottom of his list of concerns.We focus on whats important, Martin said. Its not hard to stay on the straight and narrow in that room.Doug Free, a 32-year-old right tackle in his 10th season, has been the other constant on the line the past five years.Ron Leary, undrafted four years ago, started at left guard for two years before the addition of Lael Collins, a projected first-rounder who went undrafted last year because his name surfaced in a murder investigation just before the draft. Collins replaced Leary last year, but Leary is starting again with Collins sidelined by a toe injury.Frederick credits former Dallas center Phil Costa because he says Costa knew the job was going to Frederick and his teammate still taught me everything that he knew. Martin says he was just following the example of fellow first-rounders Smith and Frederick.And Frederick said Leary and Collins worked through a potentially awkward situation with both staying on the roster after Collins took over. Leary asked for a trade that never came in the offseason, but was ready when Collins went down.With Leary starting again, its the same line that blocked for NFL rushing champion DeMarco Murray in 2014. Now Elliott is the league leader with 546 yards through five games.I think the common denominator is the group, Frederick said. The group helped bring me along the right way. It would have been really easy for those guys to say, `Oh, hes a rookie, were not going to help him out.While Elliott struggled with a per-carry average of less than 3 yards in an opening loss to the New York Giants, the average has risen steadily since. The former Ohio State star had his first breakaway touchdown against the Bengals, a 60-yarder that put Dallas up 28-0.Prescott has been sacked seven times, matching the second-lowest total in the league. The protection probably has something to do with him being eight passes away from breaking Tom Bradys record of 162 attempts without an interception to start a career.Tight end Jason Witten, in his 14th season, says Fredericks intelligence helped him master Dallas system quickly, and Martins athletic ability helped him transition to guard after spending significant time at tackle at Notre Dame.And of course Tyron, Witten said. If you can pick one guy, thats who youre picking.And Smith started a trend thats paying off for the Cowboys.O-linemen, we kind of put them in this box, Witten said. But when you have success, it can get to anybody. That group, if anything they put their head down even more and go to work.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler Wholesale Sabres Jerseys . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. Sabres Jerseys China . White came in fourth place in the event. He was the two-time defending gold medallist. The gold medal went to Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov. https://www.cheapsabres.com/ . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. Buffalo Sabres Gear . To the surprise of many, it isnt the Wolverines but their in-state rivals the Michigan State Spartans. Buffalo Sabres Store . The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. Making his first appearance since injuring his wrist a month ago, Del Potro had difficulty with his service games in the first set. MIAMI -- The president of the Baseball Hall of Fame was the grateful recipient Monday as Ichiro Suzuki handed over his gear -- a jersey, a pair of cleats, his arm guard and batting gloves, all items he wore while becoming the 30th player to reach 3,000 hits.When the exchange concluded, the two men bowed to each other, a fitting gesture to celebrate the bridge from Japan to Cooperstown.Suzuki began building that bridge when he came to the major leagues as a 27-year-old rookie in 2001. Three-thousand hits later, hes a memorabilia-making machine.The Suzuki collection at the Hall of Fame numbered more than two dozen items even before his triple Sunday at Colorado, which made him the first Japanese player to reach 3,000 hits. When he and his teammates returned to Marlins Park to begin a homestand, Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson was there to collect additional Suzuki souvenirs.Jeff asked me about the stuff, Suzuki said through an interpreter. I was happy to give it to him. I have an agreement with Jeff that when I die, all of my stuff is going to go to Jeff and the Hall of Fame.Suzuki, a baseball history buff, has visited Cooperstown six times.There is no current player Ive encountered who has as deep an appreciation of baseball history as Ichiro, Idelson said. This is a guy who understands his place in history. Because of that, as a sport and as a country, were all the richer.While Major League Baseball celebrated Suzukis achievement, it was even bigger news back home. Several dozen reporters and photographers from Japan had been logging lots of air miles following their nations most famous athlete as he approached the milestone and then went into a slump.With the triple in Denver -- only his second hit in 17 at-bats since July 29 -- he said his overriding emotion was relief that so many of his countrymen would be reunited with their fammilies.dddddddddddd.For the last couple of weeks there have been a lot of members of the media following me, Suzuki said. Im just so happy they can go back to their homes now.Suzukis characteristically humble attitude regarding his achievement transcended the language barrier. When asked to name the most famous person to congratulate him on 3,000 hits, he responded in English.Justin Bour, he said, drawing laughter.Bour, the Marlins rotund first baseman, is famous mostly in his own family but expressed gratitude for the recognition from Suzuki.I think hes just trying to make me feel better after he blasted me yesterday for being fat, Bour said.Suzuki, Bour and the Marlins are in playoff contention for a change. Miami hasnt been to the postseason since 2003, and Suzuki has made it only twice in his 16-year career.Small things turn into big things, he said. I hope our team can continue to do the small things and theyll turn into big things.Meticulous preparation is a Suzuki hallmark, and he spoke at a news conference more than four hours before Mondays game already in uniform. That included sunglasses atop the bill of his cap, even though he was going to be playing indoors at night.While ready for action, he was in need of a new bat. Suzuki put aside the one that produced the historic triple, one of the few mementoes he has kept.I really dont have much, he said. Most of it is in my home in Seattle. Its something I think Ill enjoy once I become a grandpa.At 42, hes old enough to be thinking about grandchildren -- and retirement. He has often said he wants to play until at least 50 but sidestepped that subject Monday, saying hes taking it one at-bat at time.With Suzukis help, even baseball cliches have gone global. ' ' '