NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Mark Ingram insists his march into Saints history was never fueled by criticism that he was a bust during his underwhelming first few NFL seasons.That doesn’t mean the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner with Alabama Gary Jennings Jr. Jersey , and 2011 first-round draft choice by New Orleans, was able to tune out such slights entirely.“I know people wanted me out, calling me a bust, this and that. I heard all that stuff my first few years, but I never really paid attention to the naysayers,” Ingram said Monday after tying Deuce McAlister for the most rushing touchdowns in Saints history with 49.“I always do it for the people who love me, for the people who care about me, for the people who believe in me,” added Ingram, whose father, Mark Sr., was an NFL receiver. “I have a great support system. I have a good mind, good head on my shoulders and I’ve always had that belief in myself that I could be a great player in this league.”Ingram’s record-tying touchdown embodied the determination that carried him beyond the lean early years. He dragged Buccaneers safety Andrew Adams several yards before bowling into the end zone, giving New Orleans a more comfortable 11-point, fourth-quarter lead in its NFC South-clinching http://www.seahawkscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-phil-haynes-jersey , 28-14 comeback victory in Tampa Bay on Sunday.“I was hungry to make the play,” Ingram said, crediting leading receiver Michael Thomas for a key block. “It was a big play in the game, and it was just a lot of emotions in that game having to come back, very gritty. So, very passionate and I was happy to be able to make that play for the team.”Ingram said he also was pleased to join McAllister — whom he admires and considers a mentor — in the record books with a memorable run.“That was a good run to be able to tie Deuce,” Ingram said. “He had such a great career here and set the standard for running backs coming through New Orleans. He’s always been supportive of me and I appreciate him, so just to be able to have a run in that fashion to tie such a great record in this franchise, it’s good.”McAllister retired after the 2008 season, but remained in the New Orleans area and close to the Saints, working as a team ambassador and eventually becoming a radio analyst.Ingram said McAllister always has been “encouraging” and “supportive,” describing how McAllister sometimes attends running back video sessions and shares his thoughts. “Or if he sees something in a game, he might send me a message.”“It has just been a good relationship over the years and I appreciate him,” Ingram continued. “I’m thankful for his mentorship and he’s been a good asset to my career.”While Ingram showed promise as a rookie, he missed six games with injuries and was a bit of an afterthought on a record-setting offense that featured quarterback Drew Brees Ugo Amadi Jersey , tight end Jimmy Graham, receiver Marcus Colston, and running backs Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas.Ingram rushed for 602 yards and five TDs in 16 games in 2012, then managed just 386 yards and one TD in 11 games for what was a playoff team in 2013.The overwhelming majority of his pro production has come since 2014, when he rushed for 964 yards and nine TDs in 13 games and was named to his first of two Pro Bowls. He has surpassed 1,000 yards each of the previous two seasons and had a career-high 12 TDs last season, despite splitting carries with Alvin Kamara.A four-game suspension, tied to a positive test for a banned substance, likely will prevent him from hitting 1,000 yards this season — his final campaign under contract. But he has averaged 4.7 yards per carry and has rushed for 519 yards and five TDs in nine games.“He’s run with confidence,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. “His health has been outstanding really the last year and a half, two years. I thought the (touchdown) run (Sunday) was impressive and he’s been real consistent. That’s pretty good company when you look at what Deuce accomplished.”Meanwhile, Ingram has established himself as a team-first, locker-room leader, most notably for how he’s gone out of his way to hasten Kamara’s development and celebrate his success http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-drew-sample-jersey , becoming close friends with the young running back in the process.“If I’m bringing younger players along, making them better, teaching them and helping them and encouraging them, it makes the team better, and it makes the competition stronger, which makes me better,” Ingram said.Ingram said if any younger players approach him for help, “I’m going to tell them what I think, what I see, what I would do. And try and encourage them and help them anyway I can just because that’s just like what a good person would do in my eyes. I would never shun somebody just because I feel threatened. I’m going to compete. I’m going to work my butt off. I have confidence in my abilities no matter what.” NEW YORK (AP) — Detroit Lions linebacker Trevor Bates was arraigned Tuesday from a psychiatric ward on charges accusing him of punching a New York City police officer after he was taken to a precinct house for failing to pay a taxi fare.Bates, 25, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault, resisting arrest, theft of services and obstruction of governmental administration.Bates has been hospitalized since his Jan. 26 arrest and was arraigned via a video hookup.Bates’ lawyer, Eric Breslin http://www.oaklandraidersteamonline.com/trayvon-mullen-jersey , said they were looking forward to “resolving this manner in an expeditious and satisfactory fashion.”Bates was arrested around 1:30 a.m. Jan. 26 at a hotel near LaGuardia Airport after allegedly refusing to pay a $32 cab fare for a ride from Manhattan.Police have said they were ready to let Bates go with an appearance ticket if he didn’t have any outstanding warrants, but that Bates refused to be fingerprinted and punched a sergeant in the face.Sgt. James O’Brien, who was hit as he tried to calm Bates down, suffered a concussion and needed three stitches over his left eye, police said.The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Bates was subdued with a stun gun and taken to a hospital.Bates’ agent said last week that his alleged actions “are in no way a reflection of who he is as a person” and “not at all consistent with the man and friend we know him to be.”“At this time our priority is to ensure that Trevor receives the help he needs and that the privacy of the parties involved be respected,” agent Jeff Jankovich said in a Jan. 28 statement.Bates, who’s from Westbrook, Maine, and played college football at the University of Maine, joined the Lions last year and appeared in nine games.He was drafted in 2016 by the Indianapolis Colts and was on the practice squads of the New England Patriots and New York Giants.Lions general manager Bob Quinn has said that the team is aware of Bates’ arrest but had no further comment.Judge Karina Alomar set Bates’ bail at $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond. His next hearing is scheduled for March 8.Bates faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.