ting to make sure Bells off the field issues were firmly in

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Michael Phelps wants to dive into Silicon Valleys investment opportunities as he tries to make the transition from Olympic swimming star and product pitchman to entrepreneur.I would love to get involved, whether its in a couple little startups here and there, take a little risk, have some fun and see where it goes, Phelps said in an interview during a recent visit to San Jose, California, while appearing at Intuits QuickBooks software conference.For now, Phelps isnt providing any details about what he is going to do, though he says he has been getting advice from venture capitalists and other experienced investors in Silicon Valley startups.Getting into tech investing would be a new direction for Phelps, whose business experience to date consists mostly of his own line of swimwear and endorsement deals with the likes of Under Armour, Visa and Wheaties.These and other big brands have paid him an estimated $75 million during his career. Thats far more than the $1.65 million that he received from the U.S. Olympic Committee and Speedo for winning a record 28 medals, including 23 golds, in five Olympics. Hes still promoting products; he is currently doing commercials for computer chipmaker Intel in a campaign that began in October.Whatever he does next, Phelps isnt ready to start his own investment fund, like retired Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant did earlier this year with entrepreneur Jeff Stibel. And if Phelps has ideas for founding a startup of his own, hes keeping them to himself.Making the leap from pitchman to businessman wont be easy, said David Carter, executive director of the University of Southern Californias Marshall Sports Business Institute. Athletes come and go and many talk a big game, but they dont follow through, he said. Phelps is really going to have commit to learning about business and demonstrate his seriousness about it.Other celebrities have ventured into the tech industry in search of riches, with decidedly mixed results.Notable successes include rapper and record producer Dr. Dre, who was part of the founding team that sold Beats to Apple for $3 billion 2014. Actor Ashton Kutcher co-founded an investment fund in 2010 that made early investments in startups such as the ride-hailing service Uber, the home rental-service Airbnb and the music streaming service Spotify. The funds value had soared to $250 million from $30 million, based on a review of its books earlier this year by Forbes magazine.Among the flops: HJR Capital, a tech-investment firm that collapsed in 2009, a decade after former San Francisco 49er lineman Harris Barton founded it and later enticed ex-teammates Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott to join him. In Rhode Island, former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling started a video game company that went bankrupt in 2012.Phelps is exploring ways to expand his business ventures beyond a line of swimwear and other clothing bearing his MP logo. Other products are in the pipeline for next year, though he wont say what.I am getting my feet wet, Phelps said with a grin. 2017 will be a big year. Ken Boyer . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Custom Ozzie Smith Jersey . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. http://www.custommlbcardinalsjersey.com/custom-dakota-hudson-jersey-large-731q.html .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. Red Schoendienst . The formidable trio of Canadian receivers -- individually known as Chris Getzlaf, Rob Bagg and Andy Fantuz -- will share the field at Mosaic Stadium one more time on Sunday. Keith Hernandez . Andrew Luck lost his favourite target and the Indianapolis locker room lost one of its most revered leaders when Reggie Wayne was diagnosed Monday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will cost him the rest of the season. PITTSBURGH -- The pieces are all there. The footwork. The vision. The patience. The instinctive ability to read a defender, plant a cleat in the ground and go get the ball.And to think, wide receiver isnt even LeVeon Bells natural position. At least, not yet.I tell him all the time, when he turns 30, when they talk about running backs being done, for the next five years (receiver) is the thing he should do, Pittsburgh Steelers teammate Darrius Heyward-Bey said.And Heyward-Bey wasnt kidding, a testament to the seemingly tireless Bells versatility.Nearing the end of his fourth season, the 24-year-old is still finding new ways to expand his game for the Steelers (6-5).If that means splitting out wide, so be it. If it means standing next to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and taking out a blitzing linebacker, thats fine too.I think there are probably a lot of quarterbacks in this league that when their running back is blocking, theyre probably a little nervous and peeking over their shoulder, Roethlisberger said.I never have that fear. And I know in the pass game that hes going to get open, hes going to make catches and make plays. And then, we all know what he can do in the run game.Meaning pretty much whatever he wants. In the midst of a tailspin in early November, Pittsburgh turned it around by turning to Bell.In the span of five days, Bell touched the ball 63 times (51 carries, 12 receptions) and piled up 343 yards and a couple of touchdowns in victories over Cleveland and Indianapolis .No play went longer than 22 yards, yet Bells ever churning legs kept the ball moving, the clock running and his teammates grasping for superlatives.Hes the best all-around in the game, Roethlisberger said.One who is balling out the cage as the aspiring hip-hop artist put it on the recently released track Rappin Athlete .A year removed from a torn ligament in his right knee that forced him to miss the second half of 2015, Bell looks as if hes all the way back to the All-Pro form he showed in 2014 when he put up 2,215 yards of total offense.While hes well aware of the heavy workload hes carried lately, hes also hardly bothered by it. Last he checked, the Steelers paid him to have the ball in his hands.Im just kind of used to playing, Bell said. I dont ever think about the snap count in my head. I feel like at any moment in the game one play can change everything, so I want to be in the game and I can be the reasson why the game changes.ddddddddddddAnd potentially changing the way the game is played.While there have been running backs who are productive in the passing game before -- most notably Roger Craig and LaDainian Tomlinson -- Bell is a man apart.When the Steelers go to a five-wide set, Bell will find his 6-foot-2 frame across the line from a smaller defensive back and let his route running and exceptional hands go to work.His first touchdown reception of the season came against Dallas three weeks ago when Bell lined up on the outside, stutter-stepped then ducked inside on a quick slant to beat Cowboys safety JJ Wilcox for a 2-yard score.Perhaps the most startling thing about the play was the way Bell caught the fastball from Roethlisberger, casually stretching his hands out in front of him with an assured confidence to rival superstar teammate Antonio Brown.The crazy thing is he doesnt even know why hes doing it, Heyward-Bey said. Once he figures out why hes doing it, youre talking about a running back weve never seen before.New York coach Ben McAdoo, who brings the streaking Giants (8-3) to Heinz Field on Sunday, described Bell as a magnet.One playing the best football of his still-brief career at a pivotal time. Twice suspended by the league for violating the substance policy, Bell will be a free agent next spring.The Steelers declined to offer Bell a new deal last summer -- something they regularly do to stars entering the final year of their contract -- wanting to make sure Bells off the field issues were firmly in the past.Bell is hesitant to talk about his long-term future. For now simply trying to get Pittsburgh back to the playoffs is enough. Its a place hes never been thank to knee injuries that cut each of his past two seasons short.Finally healthy, the guy who goes by Juice is determined not to miss out this time around.Weve been doing what we need to do to win games, he said. Whether its running, catching, blocking, we just want to make sure we win the game.Game notes Pittsburgh gave Brown the day off Wednesday. Heyward-Bey (foot) and backup RB DeAngelo Williams (knee) did not practice. TE Xavier Grimble (quadriceps) and S Shamarko Thomas (groin) were full participants.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '