EUGENE, Ore. -- Sprinter LaShawn Merritt has won a pair of Olympic gold medals and might take home a few more before his career is over.Hes been expelled from his sport for more than a year, too.The man who has seen both the pinnacle and the bottom is working on his next chapter on the track -- but also thinking ahead. Merritt, who turned 30 last Monday, owns a trucking business, a day care and is working on starting up a counseling center in his hardscrabble hometown of Portsmouth, Virginia.Im not someone trying to reinvent the wheel, said the sprinter, who tries to secure his Olympic spot in the 400 meters Sunday. But I dont want to be the guy whos an Olympic gold medalist, and also broke. That happens a lot in the U.S.Track stars, even those who enjoy long careers and win Olympic gold medals the way Merritt has, are not guaranteed millions, the way so many football, baseball and basketball players are in the United States.There are always athlete rights movements -- currently best reflected in efforts spearheaded by 800-meter runner Nick Symmonds -- to give sprinters and throwers a bigger share of the pie from licensing deals negotiated by the U.S. Olympic Committee and tracks governing bodies.Merritt is working outside the system, well aware that track and field will only take him so far.It goes by fast, and you definitely have to set yourself up for afterward, he said. A lot of guys finish the sport and they dont know what theyre going to do, not just for money, but for things to just do. They go into coaching. I think Id be a great mentor, but I dont want to coach, day-to-day.One of Merritts businesses currently includes five 18-wheelers that haul freight long distances.He also wants to run counseling centers for poor parents and kids, the struggles of whom he witnessed far too often growing up in a poor part of southeast Virginia. Merritt also suffered his own tragedy, when his older brother, Antwan, fell to his death out of a dorm-room window in 1999. It might help explain the sprinters compassion for those less fortunate.If I can get this together to be able to get great people together to mentor these kids, then come in and use my influence, its something that needs to be done, he said. The trucking thing, that just makes sense. But the counseling thing is something that needs to be done.Merritts career has seen its share of ups and downs.In 2008, he had a back-and-forth rivalry going with American Jeremy Wariner, and he beat Wariner in Beijing by a whopping 0.99 seconds to take the gold medal. Merritt followed up in 2009 by beating Wariner at world championships, as well.But in 2010, Merritt failed drug tests -- the result of using a banned substance found in a male-enhancement product. A humiliation, he called it, and he was banished for 21 months. Reinstated in time for the London Olympics, he went into those games nursing a tender hamstring and didnt make it out of the qualifying round.Things have gotten better.He came into this years Olympic trials with the worlds fastest time in 2016 at 200 meters -- not his preferred distance -- opening up the possibility that he could join Allyson Felix in going for the 2-4 double in Rio. Merritt said hell decide on whether to pursue the 200 after qualifying for the 400 is over Sunday night.His plans for the long-term future are better laid out.Its definitely about more than running for me, he said. Its about maximizing these opportunities and setting myself up for the second chapter of my life. Dave Winfield Blue Jays Jersey . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. Billy McKinney Jersey .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday. http://www.bluejaysonline.com/blue-jays-justin-smoak-jersey/ . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. Clay Buchholz Jersey . Still, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke thought taking him out before the fifth inning was an unusual move. "Im looking up at the board and hes got two hits given up and one run, and Im taking him out after the fourth inning," Roenicke said. Roger Clemens Blue Jays Jersey . The Cincinnati Reds remain perfect with their speedy rookie outfielder in the starting lineup. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos have boosted their offer to Von Miller, a person with knowledge of the proposal has told The Associated Press. The Super Bowl MVP has threatened to sit out the 2016 season without a long-term deal.The person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because negotiations are ongoing, said the new proposal was submitted to Millers agent, Joby Branion, on Friday and moves up the date at which more money would be guaranteed.The sides have a week to work out a deal or Miller would only be allowed to play the 2016 season on the $14.26 million exclusive franchise tag tender, something hes insisted he wont do.A month ago, Millers camp agreed to the parameters of the Broncos $114.5 million, six-year offer that would have made Miller the NFLs highest-paid non-quarterback but they wanted more guaranteed money. The proposal included $38.5 million fully guaranteed over the first two years with the possibility of another $19.5 million that wouldnt kick in until Year 3.Miller prefers something more along the lines of Fletcher Coxs recent deal that guarantees him $55 million in the first nine months and about $63 million overall.ddddddddddddMiller predicted peaceful contract negotiations after spearheading Denvers 24-10 win over Carolina in the Super Bowl but things got thorny last month. Miller cropped general manager John Elway from a photo on his Instagram account and said theres no way hed play this season on the franchise tag.His teammates continue to express confidence Miller will be in uniform when the Broncos open training camp later this month.I think it will happen because me and Elway went down to the wire last year, said receiver Demaryius Thomas, who signed a $70 million deadline deal in 2015.Mr. Elway will get it done, safety T.J. Ward predicted on NFL Total Access this week. I know Von is eager to get back with us. We miss him, he misses us. It is time to get going. But, Im pretty sure it will get done.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton ' ' '