Golf helping Eagles' Graham improve injured knee

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Like a lot oflocked-out athletes, Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Grahamhas had some extra time on his hands.When Graham hasn't been rehabbing his surgically repaired right knee in the Los Angeles area, he's been on a golf course.A lot."I played for two weeks straight to getready for this," Graham said Monday at Barton Hills Country Club,appearing at an event to support the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy."Before that, it was about twice a month.""It has improved my game," he added. "But it has improved my knee, too."Cleveland Cavaliers guard Manny Harrisisn't ready to take his game overseas as Deron Williams appears readyto do if the NBA lockout lingers for too long."I haven't even thought about it," Harris said. "I'm just controlling what I can control and that's working out."Graham said the lockout has given himtime to rest and recover from major knee surgery last winter.Philadelphia's first-round pick in 2010 said he is to see Dr. JamesAndrews this week and hopes to be cleared to practice, not play, inSeptember."It's kind of benefiting me in mysituation," said Graham, who says he's close to full health. "But Iknow my other players want to get back and get to work and I'm allabout that."Graham says that of late he's been using demo clubs and playing golf regularly."One thing is, I do hit it straight," Graham insisted.The 6-foot-2, 268-pound Detroiter,wearing basketball shoes and apparel, then approached the first tee. Hesent the ball about 50 yards to the right in a bunker.In September, 120 students will beselected by lottery to be ninth-graders at Rose's open-enrollment,tuition-free charter school when it opens in Detroit."I'm trying to create a break-the-moldschool," said Rose, an ESPN analyst, former Michigan and NBA standout."We want to be able to compete with the best private schools in thestate of Michigan."
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