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METAIRIE, La. -- Jonathan Vilmas season is over and his future on the football field is in doubt. The New Orleans Saints placed Vilma to injured reserve, ending his season -- and possibly his career -- only three days after he had returned for his first game of this season. Still, his teammates expect him to be around and play a role in their success going forward. "Hes the heart and soul (of the defence). His voice speaks very, very loud," veteran safety Roman Harper said. "Hes always with us. He taught me how to play this game. Theres a mental aspect of what he brings to a team and the leadership aspect is matched by none. Hell still be around and still be doing whatever he needs to do. "Weve always called him player-coach anyway," Harper added. "He knows everything." Vilma began the season on short-term injured reserve because of an arthroscopic procedure in August on his left knee, which has troubled him through multiple surgeries over the past two-plus seasons. The designation allowed the 10th-year linebacker to return to practice in Week 8 and to the active roster in Week 9. Vilma was activated Saturday and played 12 defensive snaps in a 26-20 loss to his former team, the New York Jets, on Sunday. That represented about 20 per cent of the Saints defensive snaps. He was credited with one tackle. Vilma was not present in the locker room at Saints headquarters when it was open to reporters on Wednesday. After Sundays game, Vilma said he "felt fine," but added that he was eager to see how his knee responded in the coming days. "It felt good to get back on the field to run around, really be with the guys, be with my teammates," Vilma said. Coach Sean Payton did not explain or even acknowledge the roster move when he met with reporters after practice Wednesday, about two hours before it had been formally posted by the NFL. Payton generally declines to address roster moves until theyve been made official. However, the coach on Monday offered few compliments when asked about Vilmas return to action in New York. "He looked OK, rusty," Payton said. "There are some things that we have to get cleaned up." Vilma was traded by the Jets to the Saints in 2008 and was a captain of the 2009 Super Bowl championship team. For his first four seasons in New Orleans, Vilma started at middle linebacker and was designated as the on-field defensive play-caller, with the earpiece in his helmet that allowed him to hear the defensive co-ordinators instructions before each play. That ended last season, when Vilma was unable to train with the Saints for much of the off-season because of his suspension in connection with the NFLs bounty probe. The league named Vilma a ring-leader in a cash-for-hits program administered by former defensive co-ordinator Gregg Williams. Vilma denied the allegations and his suspension was overturned, but he still missed the first five games of 2012 while rehabilitating his knee. His 2012 off-season procedures included one in Germany by a specialist in platelet rich plasma therapy, a relatively new blood-spinning technique also used by Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant and New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. Vilma played the final 11 games of last season, but not at his regular middle linebacker spot, which was assumed by Curtis Lofton. "The thing about JV is hes very cerebral, just like having a coach in there. He sees stuff I dont see because Im playing. He sees the whole picture," Lofton said, describing Vilmas exhaustive studies of opponents game video. "Hes just been a great player for this team for many years. Its just a tough break for him. He spent a lot of time getting his knee ready to come back." Notes: The Saints re-signed veteran CB Chris Carr, whod been released last week to make room on the roster for Vilma. ... RB Darren Sproles, who left last Sundays game in New York with concussion symptoms, practiced fully on Wednesday. ... Those missing practice were: S Malcolm Jenkins (knee), G Jahri Evans (hip), TE Jimmy Graham (elbow,foot), LB David Hawthorne (toe) and DE Cam Jordan (ankle). ... Two players were listed as limited: S Kenny Vaccaro (chest) and WR Marques Colston (knee). Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys . In an interview with La Presse this week, the five-time Stanley Cup champion and three-time NHL scoring leader specifically took aim at wingers Thomas Vanek and Max Pacioretty, saying they cant show up in a 7-4 win over the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final and come up empty in Game 6. Wholesale Jerseys . As deep as their roster is, they need their superstar. Rose scored 23 points in his return from a five-game absence due to back pain, and Chicago hung on to beat the struggling Atlanta Hawks 90-79 on Monday. http://www.wholesalechinajerseysfreeshipping.com/ . Although Spain could still advance out of the group stage, the game may have signalled the end of the run by a generation of Spanish stars whose quick passing, "tiki-taka" style delighted the world and helped them win the last three major tournaments. Wholesale Jerseys China . - PGA Tour rookie Tony Finau shot a 9-under 63 at Del Monte and had a two-stroke lead over Billy Andrade and Lee Janzen of the Champions Tour after Thursdays opening round of the Callaway Pebble Beach Invitational. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . The flanker began his comeback from a right shoulder injury by coming off the bench on Saturday when Wales opened with a victory over Italy. Warburton replaces Justin Tipuric, one of three changes announced on Tuesday by coach Warren Gatland.Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - The recently completed 2014 Breeders Cup at Santa Anita did nothing to clear up the identity of the 2014 Horse of the Year. In fact, the World Championships broadened the scope of contenders for the top honor in thoroughbred racing. Where the main horses being mentioned before the Breeders Cup were Shared Belief, California Chrome, Close Hatches and Untapable the names of Main Sequence, Bayern and Goldencents are now part of the discussion. Bayern showed what he can really do on a big day, said trainer Bob Baffert about his 3-year-old Breeders Cup Classic winner. He put it together. Shared Belief didnt break. He broke a stutter-step slow (the chart says he bobbled) and Bayern was gone. I thought the nine (Toast of New York) swooped down on Shared Belief. The third-place finish, a neck behind Bayern, by California Chrome in the Classic may actually have helped the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner in Horse of the Year voting. The colt had two poor races coming into Saturdays start, but showed tremendous heart in his effort against a stellar field. It was a great race for him, and a game race to get beat by a neck, said trainer Art Sherman. Main Sequence, trained by Graham Motion, won the Breeders Cup Turf to post a perfect mark in his four starts this year. Motion, however, acknowledges there may be a prejudice against turf runners when it comes to Horse of the Year balloting. He has won four Group Is. No other horse has done what hes done, Motion said. At the end of the day, Im not going to lose sleep over it. He certainly deserves consideration. Im sure therell be a lot of split opinions because of the dirt and tuurf.dddddddddddd I get that. Its America, we race on dirt. Goldencents completed his racing career with a second straight victory in the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile on Friday. The 4-year-old colt, currently trained by Leandro Mora, had a light 2014 season, but deserves thoughtful consideration for Horse of the Year. Hopefully he will do as well in his next career as he did on the track. Hes going to make a lot of champions, Mora said. The horse that was most adversely affected by the Classic outcome was 5-2 favorite and previously undefeated 3-year-old gelding Shared Belief. Co-owned and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Shared Belief was roughed up at the start of the race by Bayern and finished fourth in the 14-horse field. He came out OK, said Hollendorfer of Shared Belief. Shared Belief, also partly owned by Jim Rome, would have secured Horse of the Year with a victory or at least a well run second in the 1 1/4-mile Classic. The gelding, 2013 champion 2-year-old male, should get respect for getting fourth after the horrible start he got. All the 3-year-olds ran good, Hollendorfer assistant Dan Ward said of the unprecedented 1-2-3-4-5-6 finish by the group in the race. The two fillies in the discussion, Close Hatches and Untapable, met for the first time in Fridays Distaff which Untapable won and Close Hatches finished last. Untapable performed excellently and ran a huge race, said the 3-year-olds trainer Steve Asmussen. Although Untapable lost to Bayern in the Haskell, she won all her starts against fillies and mares and locked up the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old filly. In my opinion, Untapable was the Horse of the Year for 2014. ' ' '