Former NFL lineman Jeremy Newberry often hobbled into the 49ers locker room on game days using a walking boot and crutches, then lined up behind as many as two dozen teammates, in his case to get a shot of the painkiller Toradol in the butt. Ten minutes later, he sprinted out of the tunnel and onto the field. The toughness of pro football players may be legendary, but a lawsuit filed Tuesday on behalf of more than 600 former players contends it was abetted by team physicians and trainers across the NFL who routinely -- and often illegally -- dispensed powerful narcotics and other controlled substances on game days to mask the pain. Among them were the painkillers Percodan, Percocet and Vicodin, anti-inflammatories such as Toradol, and sleep aids such as Ambien -- "handed out like candy at Halloween," according to lead attorney Steven SIlverman. Sometimes, the lawsuit also charges, the drugs were given in combinations as "cocktails." "The stuff works," Newberry, who played seven of his nine seasons in San Francisco before retiring in 2009, told The Associated Press in an interview. "It works like crazy. It really does." But only for so long. Newberry, now 38 and one of the eight plaintiffs so far named in the lawsuit, says that because of the drugs he took while playing, he suffers from kidney failure, high blood pressure and violent headaches. Others -- including three members of the NFL champion 1985 Chicago Bears: quarterback Jim McMahon, Hall of Fame defensive end Richard Dent and offensive lineman Keith Van Horne -- reported a range of debilitating effects, from chronic muscle and bone ailments to permanent nerve and organ damage to addiction. "Our attorneys have not seen the lawsuit," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, in Atlanta for the leagues spring meetings, "and obviously I have been in meetings all day." The lawsuits main burden is proving cause and effect -- that use of painkillers long ago is responsible for chronic problems the players face now. The claims are for a wide variety of problems that are common in older people, such as high blood pressure, knee replacements, arthritis, kidney problems, heart attacks and abnormal heart rhythms. The diversity of these problems, affecting so many different parts and body systems, tends to argue against a single cause, such as painkiller use. The players also would have to show that they are suffering these problems at a greater rate than other people their age, and that its not due to other risk factors such as obesity, smoking and family history. Six of the plaintiffs in the new lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco, including McMahon and Van Horne, were also parties to the concussion-related class-action lawsuit less than a year ago. The NFL agreed to pay $765 million to settle that case -- without acknowledging it concealed the risks of concussions from former players. A federal judge has yet to approve the settlement, expressing concern the amount is too small. "The difference is that the concussion case claimed the NFL knew or should have known," Silverman said. "Were saying this was intentional, putting profits ahead of players health -- and in violation of federal controlled substance laws, as well as state laws. You dont order hundreds of narcotic painkillers in their names without telling them." The lawsuit covers the years 1968-2008. Silverman said a number of clients reported teams had "tightened up" dispensing procedures since then, including one incident in which a player said a trainer waited until the team plane on a flight home was 10,000 feet in the air before handing over a narcotic "to avoid violating any state laws." McMahon and Van Horne were among several players wqho said they were never told about broken bones and fed pills to mask the pain instead. Toradol, which players called a "full-body numb-er" and "the current game-day drug of choice of the NFL" was prevalent enough that Newberry described frequently seeing both teammates and opponents during warm-ups with blood spots on the buttocks of their pants -- a telltale sign theyd taken a pre-game injection. "There was a room set up near the locker room and you got in line," said Kyle Turley, who played for three NFL teams in an eight-year career. "Obviously, we were grown adults and we had a choice. But when a team doctor is saying this will take the pain away, you trust them. Newberry said he regrets that decision now, but never considered not taking the drugs during his career because he feared hed be out of a job if he didnt play. After his retirement, a specialist who reviewed his medical records concluded the protein levels in his urine had been elevated -- a precursor to kidney problems -- for years. Newberry said he got blood work during a team-sponsored physical every year but was never told about any problems. "They said, Youre good to go, you passed another one. Youre cleared to play," he recalled. Silverman said he planned to serve the NFL with the lawsuit within the next 120 days, after which the league has 30 days to respond. The case could be significantly delayed if there are similar filings and the lawsuits are eventually consolidated into a single class-action. "We hope this gets to trial," Silverman said. "I could see a scenario where, if it were to go to discovery, there would be more doctors and trainers taking the Fifth (Amendment) than providing sworn testimony. We think the problem is that profound." Tyler ONeill . The 49ers announced the deal Thursday. San Francisco selected Kilgore in the fifth round of the 2011 draft out of Appalachian State. He has played in 33 regular-season games, plus all six playoff games the last two seasons. Adam Wainwright . The club announced Friday that Mauro Biello will be kept on as an assistant to coach Jesse Marsch when the Impact join the MLS in 2012. http://www.custommlbcardinalsjersey.com/...arge-1551q.html. TSN 1290s Jordan Cieciwa, Big Marv and Toby are here to give their predictions on who will leave with the belt and who will take some of the other key bouts on the card. Johny Hendricks vs. Rangel Ravelo . The league-leading New York Rangers outhit and outmuscled the Maple Leafs during a 3-0 victory on Saturday. Backup goalie Martin Biron stopped all 20 shots he faced to complete a nice workmanlike effort by the visitors. Vince Coleman . MacArthur scored two goals, and the Senators outlasted Detroit in a testy third period to beat the Red Wings 4-2 on Saturday night.DENVER -- A two-week losing streak that included a tumultuous player-coach run-in during a game is over and the Denver Nuggets can finally exhale. Ty Lawson scored 18 points, including a key 3-pointer with less than a minute to play, and the Nuggets snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 111-108 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night. "Its a wonderful feeling," said Kenneth Faried, one of six Nuggets to score in double figures. "We got the monkey off our back. We cant put it back on." Lawson also had 12 assists for the Nuggets, who played without Andre Miller. His two-game suspension stemming from a verbal clash with coach Brian Shaw during Wednesdays loss to the Philadelphia 76ers was rescinded by the club earlier Friday. But Miller, who lit into Shaw over his lack of playing time in the waning minutes of Wednesdays game in full view of fans and teammates, will remain away from the team until Monday under a newly issued personal leave. With frustration and uncertainty running rampant, Shaw held individual meetings with his players, and then had a group session with the team Thursday. "It was great," guard Randy Foye said. "Coach called us in and just explained how much confidence he had in us, what he expected from us. He reassured us that hes with us 120 per cent. He told us that he needs us to be with him 120 per cent, and to believe in the game plan. Coach was awesome, explaining the things that he needed from us, and I think guys took that and ran with it." Shaw said dealing with the fallout from the losing streak as well as the verbal clash with Miller was just part of the job. "Everything thats gone on in the last 48 hours is part of what you sign up for," Shaw said. "Theres ups and downs. ... But just allowing everybody to voice how they felt about the way things were going, assess themselves, assess us as a coaching staff, I think that just liberated everyone." Faried and Timofey Mozgov added 16 points apiece for Denver and Nate Robinson had 15 points, including nine in the fourth quarter. Zach Randolph had 25 points to lead Memphis and Mike Conley added 23.dddddddddddd Mike Miller narrowly missed a tying 3-pointer at the buzzer. "We didnt guard well," Grizzlies coach David Joerger said. "They got the loose balls. They got the offensive rebounds and we didnt convert on fast breaks. We gave up too many easy baskets." Trailing by 10 at the break, the Grizzlies got back in the game by opening the third quarter with a 13-4 run. Tony Allens layup little more than three minutes later put the Grizzlies in front 65-64, their first lead since the opening moments of the game. The Nuggets came back, with help from a three-point play by Evan Fournier and a 3-pointer by Robinson to take a 77-75 lead into the fourth quarter. The Nuggets extended their lead to 87-77 with 9:32 remaining, getting 3-pointers from Randy Foye and Robinson around a breakaway dunk by Faired. The Grizzlies made another push, getting seven consecutive points capped by Conleys 3-pointer to pull to 98-96 with 4:05 left. Robinson answered with a 3-pointer to give the Nuggets a bit of breathing room, but Tayshaun Prince drained a 3-pointer with a minute left, getting the Grizzlies within 107-104. Lawson rebuilt the Nuggets lead to six points with a clutch 3-pointer with 53.1 seconds left. Memphis scored the next four points, and with 4.1 seconds left fouled Robinson, who made one of two free throws with the Grizzlies rebounding and getting the ball with just over 3 seconds remaining. Millers attempt for a tying 3-pointer hit the back of the rim and bounced out. "They played desperate. They needed a win and they played like it," Conley said. "They worked hard for it and they outworked us at the end." NOTES: Lawson has had eight points-assists double doubles this season. ... Mozgov has come off the bench to score in double figures 13 times this season. ... Memphis outscored the Nuggets 27-19 in the third quarter, getting 12 of its points from the free throw line. ... The Grizzlies attempted 38 free throws in all, making 29. Only Houston (44 on Nov. 16) shot more free throws against the Nuggets. ... Randolph reached 25 points and 13 rebounds in a game for the third time this season. ' ' '