[ad_1]
Verstappen set to face Ferrari challenge in Suzuka qualifying LIVE!
[ad_2]
Category: Sports
Sports News | ReportWire publishes the latest breaking U.S. and world news, trending topics and developing stories from around globe.
-
Cashing in: Ranked Jayhawks plan $300M facelift
[ad_1]
The University of Kansas announced plans Friday for long-awaited renovations to Memorial Stadium, the Anderson Family Football Complex and other facilities along with potential conference, entertainment and retail spaces.
The school has long studied ways to renovate the aging stadium, one of the oldest football venues in major college football, but support has been tepid as the Jayhawks struggled through year after year of losing seasons. The few upgrades that have taken place have been largely cosmetic, leaving the old concrete bowl almost entirely untouched.
But buoyed by a 5-0 start to the season, which has energized fans of the No. 19 Jayhawks, the school decided it was time to make public the behind-the-scenes discussions that have been taking place for the past several months.
“This project is unmatched in its vision to benefit a broad range of KU constituents while signaling a new era for Kansas football,” Jayhawks athletic director Travis Goff said. “Once complete, this project will ensure our football program has the facilities it needs to compete at the highest level and provide the best possible game-day experience for student-athletes and fans. Moreover, we are thrilled this project goes beyond football to benefit the entire university and the region.”
The Jayhawks face No. 17 TCU on Saturday in a showdown of unbeatens. It is the third consecutive sellout for the school, and ESPN has brought its popular College GameDay program to campus for the first time.
The project comes during a transformative era in college sports, in which the appeal of schools amid conference realignment — even at Kansas, the defending men’s basketball national champion — has been dictated almost entirely by football.
Kansas has chosen HNTB as the lead architect for its project. It will begin early next year with renovations to the football complex that are designed to improve the student-athlete experience, along with appealing to potential recruits, and include groundwork for the bigger renovation to the stadium.
The project, which is expected to cost more than $300 million, will be funded primarily through private donations, economic development funds, premium seating sales and future development opportunities on site.
“The intersection near 11th and Mississippi streets is a primary campus entrance for prospective students, alumni and guests,” Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod said. “For these reasons, it’s the ideal location to develop a new gateway with multi-use facilities to better serve these audiences, generate revenue for academic programming, drive economic growth in the region, and reimagine our football facilities.”
The renovations to Memorial Stadium are likely to attract the most attention. The school is promising improved sight lines and seating experiences in the lower bowl, where fans are far from the field because of the existence of the since-removed athletics track, along with improved concourses, premium seating and other amenities.
Exact renderings of the stadium will be revealed later, once the school and partner Elevate Sports Ventures conduct fan focus groups and solicit other feedback from influential donors on what they envision in a football facility.
“Now more than ever, college athletics — and certainly sustained success in the sport of football — are critical to the health and vibrancy of our entire university community,” Goff said. “There is tremendous excitement for this project among donors and partners who believe in KU’s mission, and in partnership with KU Endowment, we’ll be reaching out in earnest to our benefactors and supporters to ensure this ambitious vision becomes reality.”
[ad_2]
-
Dean, Borguet help Harvard pull away to beat Cornell 35-28
[ad_1]
ITHACA, N.Y. — Charlie Dean threw a pair of second-half touchdown passes, Borguet ran for more that 100 yards and Harvard beat Cornell 35-28 on Friday night.
Dean was 15-of-29 passing for 208 yards with a TD pass each to Tyler Neville and Scott Woods II in the third and fourth quarters. Aidan Borguet finished with a season-high 165 yards, and his 2-yard touchdown run capped an 11-play, 71-yard drive that lasted six minutes and stretched Harvard’s lead to 35-21 with 2:50 to play.
Kym Wimberly had five catches for 82 yards for Harvard (3-1, 2-0 Ivy League).
Cornell (2-2, 0-2) took a 7-0 late in the first quarter when Jameson Wang’s 1-yard touchdown run ended an 18-play, 89-yard drive that chewed up 10 minutes. But two Jonah Lipel’s field goals sandwiched between Jelani Machen’s 17-yard scoop and score off a blocked punt gave Harvard a 13-7 lead at halftime.
The Big Red pulled to 27-21 on Wang’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Thomas Glover with 9:03 to play. Wang ended the scoring with a 1-yard TD run with 57 seconds left.
Wang completed 18 of 31 passes for 185 yards and added 83 yards rushing that included three short-yardage touchdown runs for the Big Red.
Harvard has won three straight against Cornell and its 50th in the series (50-34-2).
———
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap—top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2
[ad_2]
-
Tyreek Hill to the Jets? Here’s how it almost happened, and how they rebounded with Garrett Wilson
[ad_1]
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — On March 18, New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas received a call from Tyreek Hill‘s agent, Drew Rosenhaus. The Kansas City Chiefs had granted Rosenhaus permission to shop the star wide receiver, and now he was reaching out to see if the Jets were interested.
They were. Very.
What unfolded was a five-day pursuit that included a compensation agreement with the Chiefs, an elaborate sales pitch to Hill’s camp and a contract proposal that would’ve made Hill the highest-paid player in franchise history — by far. The Jets knew he’d be a tough get, but their hopes increased to the point where they felt it was a down-to-the-wire decision for Hill.
On March 23, Rosenhaus phoned Douglas with the news that Hill was being traded to the Miami Dolphins, the team he chose over the Jets. Douglas & Co. were disappointed. In fact, they conducted an internal postmortem, retracing their steps to see if they could have done anything differently during the process.
“Sure, we would’ve loved to have had him here, but I think things happen for a reason,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said Monday.
“It was a very realistic possibility,” Rosenhaus told ESPN of a deal to the Jets.
Hill, who tops the NFL with 477 receiving yards, leads the Dolphins (3-1) into MetLife Stadium Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS) for a key AFC East battle against the Jets (2-2). The Jets’ leader in receiving yardage is rookie Garrett Wilson (255), who essentially became their fallback option after failed attempts to trade for Hill and the San Francisco 49ers‘ Deebo Samuel.
How did the trade proposal come together? Here’s how it unfolded and why the Jets’ bid fell short, according to sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
BEFORE FREE AGENCY, the Jets’ personnel department compiled a list of potential cap casualties leaguewide. Hill was on that list. Heading into the final year of his contract with the Chiefs, due to count $21 million on the cap, his future in Kansas City wasn’t certain. So the Jets pegged him as a player to watch, which allowed them to start their homework … just in case.
When the Jets got the initial call from Rosenhaus, they already had a full scouting report on Hill. They spent the next 48 hours on his personal background, checking into past off-the-field incidents. Comfortable with their findings, they got into intense contract negotiations with Rosenhaus once they worked out a compensation package with the Chiefs.
The Jets agreed to trade two second-round picks (Nos. 35 and 38 overall) and a third-rounder (No. 69) to the Chiefs for Hill and a third-rounder (No. 103). It would’ve been a lot to give up, but this proposal enabled them to retain both first-round selections.
Technically, the Jets and Dolphins weren’t allowed to negotiate with Rosenhaus until their proposed trade package was accepted by the Chiefs. Then it all hinged on a “yes” from Hill. He didn’t have a no-trade clause, but gained leverage once he had permission to negotiate a contract with other teams.
The Jets wanted to fly down to South Florida to meet Hill at his home for a face-to-face recruiting trip — or at least fly him to New Jersey — but those meetings never happened. They suggested a video call with some of the coaches, but Rosenhaus preferred to be the point man, relaying information to Hill. The Chiefs were sensitive to the idea of teams talking directly to Hill. The Jets, who have a good working relationship with Rosenhaus, didn’t make a stink.
For the most part, it was Douglas and Rosenhaus, one on one. David Socie, the Jets’ senior director of football administration, was involved in the actual contract negotiations.
The Jets’ sales pitch focused on their young, homegrown talent, and how Hill could’ve been the player who galvanized it all. They want to become a destination team, and their feeling at the time was that a player of Hill’s magnitude could’ve been the trend-setter. They made an “awesome presentation,” according to Rosenhaus.
Hill would’ve been their biggest wide receiver star since Keyshawn Johnson in 1999. Since then, they’ve had only one Pro Bowl season by a receiver — Brandon Marshall in 2015. Hill would’ve been big box office for a franchise searching for an identity.
“Tyreek was interested and heard a lot of good things about the coaching staff and the direction the team was heading,” Rosenhaus said. “… We really felt like — myself and Tyreek and his family — that New York would be a great fit for him. Obviously, they needed at the time another big playmaker and a signature player. He would’ve been the face of the franchise, which was appealing. So there were a lot of things that were exciting about it. Ultimately, what it boiled down to was a close call.”
Rosenhaus did his own homework, reaching out to Jets wide receiver Braxton Berrios — a client — for intel on quarterback Zach Wilson. When a receiver picks a new team, the quality of the quarterback is important. Not as important as money, though, which typically drives the deal.
The Jets offered essentially the same deal that Hill signed with the Dolphins — a four-year, $120 million extension, a record for a receiver. It included $52.5 million in fully guaranteed money. The Jets were willing to go dollar for dollar with the Dolphins; they even offered a bigger Pro Bowl incentive than Miami. Rosenhaus characterized the Jets’ offer as “very competitive.”
In the end, the Dolphins closed the deal — one of the biggest in a wild NFL offseason. It cost them five draft picks — a 2022 first-round pick (No. 29), second-round pick (No. 50) and fourth-round pick, plus fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 2023 draft. Coach Mike McDaniel hasn’t stopped gushing about Hill, saying the three-time All-Pro has capitalized on “an opportunity for him to take his game to another level in terms of leadership and tone-setting.”
“We knew it was going to be an uphill battle, but we wanted to make a really strong offer to try to convince the player and the agent that this was a good place to be,” Douglas said at the time, calling it a “unique opportunity” to acquire a premium player.
Rosenhaus negotiated with three teams — Dolphins, Jets and Chiefs. He revealed that Hill “gave serious consideration to going back to Kansas City.” They were talking to the Chiefs about an extension, but Davante Adams‘ new deal with the Las Vegas Raiders (five years, $140 million) altered the wide receiver landscape. In training camp, Chiefs GM Brett Veach reflected on the trade, calling it “one of those difficult decisions that is the right thing to do, but it doesn’t make it any easier.”
Meanwhile, Hill is loving life amid the palm trees and sunshine.
“It was very close to happening, but it was just those state taxes, man,” Hill told the South Florida media on Monday, explaining why he picked the Dolphins over the Jets. “I realized I had to make a grown-up decision, and here I am in a great city in Miami.”
Because Florida has no state income tax, Hill saved millions on his contract. The Jets would’ve had to pay him approximately $58.75 million in guarantees to match the Dolphins’ $52.5 million, according to Robert Raiola, the director of the sports and entertainment group at the New York-based accounting firm of PKF O’Connor Davies.
Money aside, Hill liked the idea of playing for the Dolphins because he has a home in South Florida and trains there in the offseason, according to Rosenhaus, who said it was “tough to beat that scenario.”
Still craving a playmaker, the Jets turned to the draft. That, too, made for some anxious moments.
Wilson was the No. 1 receiver on their board, slightly ahead of Drake London, and they were nervous about losing Wilson when the Seattle Seahawks were on the clock at No. 9. London already was gone — he went eighth to the Atlanta Falcons — and their intel told them the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints were looking to trade up. (This was before the Eagles’ traded for A.J. Brown.) The Jets, sitting at No. 10, almost swapped places with the Seahawks. They stood pat, a calculated risk that worked out because they got Wilson without having to surrender draft capital.
While the Jets’ front office considers Hill perhaps the most dangerous offensive playmaker in the league, it’s absolutely thrilled to have Wilson, 22, who is a lot younger and cheaper than the 28-year-old Hill.
Wilson had heard about the Jets’ interest in Samuel, which occurred close to the draft, but he didn’t know about the Hill dalliance until a reporter mentioned it last week.
“Hopefully, over these next few years, I can prove they did make the right decision,” Wilson told ESPN. “That comes with time. Those are proven vets that go in and out every week and do it. I hold myself to a high standard. I’m not going to say I feel like those dudes are better than me or vice versa. At the end of the day, I know what I bring to the table.”
Wilson is fast, but he’s not an extreme burner like Hill. Wilson’s super power, as the coaches like to call it, is an uncanny ability to use his lower-body strength to separate from defenders. Zach Wilson said, “He’s hard to throw the ball to sometimes because he’s faking me out” with his moves. Wilson is second on the team in receptions (20) and tied with Corey Davis in touchdown catches (two).
But he’s not the Cheetah.
“He’s a little bit different; he runs by everybody,” Garrett Wilson said of Hill. “That’s not me. I just can’t run by everybody. He’s a special talent.”
Hill might have been the most dynamic playmaker in Jets’ history, but the cost would’ve been steep. Had the trade gone through, they would’ve surrendered the picks that allowed them to select first-round defensive end Jermaine Johnson and second-round running back Breece Hall. Both rookies have played meaningful snaps — Hall 137, Johnson 80 — helping contribute to the 2-2 record, the team’s best start since 2017.
Hill’s contract also would’ve altered their entire salary structure. His cap charges from 2022 to 2026 are a combined $90.6 million, compared to only $20.6 million for Wilson — a tremendous amount of flexibility for the organization. Still, they were willing to take the plunge for Hill, in part, because they still have Zach Wilson on his rookie contract.
So everybody’s happy, right?
“I think it’s working out well for Miami, but they’re further along than the Jets in terms of their roster,” said a personnel executive not affiliated with either team. “The Jets are still in that rebuilding, ‘who are we?’ mode. They’re still formulating an identity with their personnel. I’m a big Tyreek Hill fan, but he wouldn’t have been the right fit for them.”
[ad_2]
-
NFL Week 5 betting odds, picks, tips: What to look for in Bengals-Ravens and more
[ad_1]
Week 5 of the 2022 NFL season kicked off Thursday night with the Indianapolis Colts pulling out a 12-9 victory over the Denver Broncos. Hopefully Sunday we’ll get a little more excitement. We have several division matchups, culminating Sunday night with the Cincinnati Bengals visiting the Baltimore Ravens.
But what does all this mean from a betting perspective? And what are the best plays to help you make smart wagering decisions?
Betting analysts Doug Kezirian, Tyler Fulghum, Joe Fortenbaugh, Anita Marks and Erin Dolan, fantasy and sports betting analysts Eric Moody and André Snellings, ESPN Stats & Information’s Seth Walder and Football Outsiders’ Aaron Schatz offer insight into the games with tips and picks.
Note: Lines from Caesars Sportsbook unless otherwise indicated.
What is your biggest betting storyline entering Week 4?
Schatz: There’s a lot of parity in the league this year. Fourteen teams are now 2-2 (plus Denver, which was 2-2 before Thursday night). Don’t let that confuse you into thinking all 2-2 teams have played the same. There’s a big difference between Baltimore’s 2-2 and Arizona’s 2-2. It’s reflected in the line, and you need to be smart about it in the way you place bets.
Walder: Just something to keep an eye on, but there has been a very slight shift in the balance of power between run and pass thus far this year. Designed rushing efficiency is at an all-time high in our data set — which goes back to 2006 — at 4.24 yards per designed carry. Yards per designed pass are down just slightly from last year (6.30 to 6.24). It’s just worth keeping in mind as we try to forecast how often — and how well — teams will decide to run.
The NBA season is almost here! Sign up for ESPN Fantasy Basketball today. Play for free
Rookie Kenny Pickett gets his first NFL start Sunday, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are 14-point underdogs at the Buffalo Bills, the largest they have been since the AFL/NFL merger (1970). The Bills (-14, 47) have struggled as well the past two weeks. Are you laying the big number or taking the 14 with a rookie QB?
Schatz: This is a close one, but if I have to choose, I’ll take the rookie quarterback and 14 points. There’s this feeling out there that the Bills’ offense is unstoppable, and it really isn’t that good. It’s pretty good! But not unstoppable. Buffalo is 10th in our offensive DVOA ratings — and Pittsburgh, even without T.J. Watt — is 10th in defensive DVOA. The other side of the ball is a huge mismatch; the rookie quarterback against our No. 2 defense. But if the Steelers can keep the Bills to a reasonable number of points, there’s a good chance the rookie quarterback can score some garbage-time points and bring us a nice backdoor cover.
Moody: The Bills’ offense averages 412.5 yards per game, which is third in the NFL. It will be difficult for a Steelers defense without T.J. Watt to slow Buffalo down. The Steelers are giving up a staggering 383 yards per game. With Josh Allen under center, Stefon Diggs, Devin Singletary and other offensive playmakers, this Bills offense should have no problem moving the ball up and down the field and scoring a ton of points. The Steelers’ defense ranks 26th in pass rush win rate. Pittsburgh will have difficulty pressuring Allen. The Steelers are averaging only 278.8 yards per game on offense, so head coach Mike Tomlin will be looking for a spark, but Kenny Pickett on the road will have a tough time going blow for blow with Allen. I’m backing the Bills despite the large spread.
A key battle for the AFC North takes place Sunday night as the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens clash in Baltimore. Cincy has rebounded after an 0-2 start, while the Ravens have lost big leads in both of their losses. The Ravens are 3-point favorites in the game and +100 to win the division, while the Bengals are +190. Who do you like in the game, and who do you like to win the North?
Fulghum: I have always liked and continue to like the Ravens to win this division. Lamar Jackson is playing out of his mind, and despite the 2-2 record, this team has played like a 4-0 team for all but two quarters so far this season. The Bengals offense is struggling mightily to produce the explosive plays that propelled Cincinnati to the Super Bowl last season, and although the Ravens’ secondary has struggled at times this season, I trust Baltimore to get back on track in this matchup as a team and take a lead in the AFC North.
Schatz: Give me Baltimore to win this division. We have the Ravens winning it more than half the time in our playoff odds simulation, making +100 still good value. They have clearly been the class of the division so far, despite those two close losses. They are third in the league in total DVOA, including No. 1 in offense and in special teams. We had the Ravens as the best team in the division coming into the season as well. Plus, they have the easiest remaining schedule in the division. Based on average DVOA of opponents, the Bengals have the hardest remaining schedule in the league and the Baltimore schedule is roughly average.
Snellings: I’ve been on record since well before the season began that I believe the Bengals will repeat as AFC North champions this season, and the first month has solidified it. The Bengals don’t win in a way that is easily quantified by models. They don’t overwhelm on either side of the ball, and they have a tendency to play to the level of their competition in either direction. But the Bengals’ strength on both sides of the ball is exactly that ability to adjust to their opponents. Their defense in the second half of games is much stingier than in the first … this was epitomized by their two wins over the Chiefs last season, where they held Patrick Mahomes & Co. to very few second-half points in a big comeback — twice. And on offense, they rely on Joe Burrow‘s accuracy and moxie to make the big plays when needed. In the first two games of this season, the inexperience of the new-look offensive line plus Burrow’s post-appendix-surgery rust were evident with 13 sacks, 3 passing touchdowns and 4 interceptions. In the past two games, as the rust has come off, it’s been only 3 sacks, 5 passing touchdowns and no interceptions. The Bengals are trending up, and they will win the close games the Ravens have been losing to take the division.
This Sunday, I like the over (over 48.5, -110). The Ravens’ offense has been nigh unstoppable this season, averaging 29.8 PPG against a slate of strong AFC East defenses. The Bengals’ offense, as I just detailed, has come together with experience, and Cincinnati has scored 27 points in each of its past two games. The Bengals’ defense is solid, but the Ravens’ defense has been a weakness. Both teams should put points on the board.
What are the three most important things that our analytics say?
Walder: Let’s look at three games FPI likes relative to the spread:
San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers (+6.5)
Sunday, 3:05 p.m. ET, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C.FPI still has some faith in the Panthers, which is actually quite a shock to me, particularly given that Baker Mayfield literally ranks last in QBR. But this is also about a lack of faith in the 49ers. Yes, they beat the Rams last week. And yes, they have Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback now, which is an upgrade in the model’s mind over the uncertainty of Trey Lance. But Garoppolo hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire either — he’s 27th in QBR — and so FPI just isn’t convinced San Francisco ought to lay this many points on the road.
New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers (-8)
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, LondonDoes anyone believe in the Giants? FPI absolutely does not. It considers Big Blue the 29th-best team in the NFL, even working under the belief that Jones will play this weekend. Similarly, it hasn’t lost faith in the Packers despite too-close-for-comfort victories over the past couple of weekends. In general, this is about FPI placing a fairly heavy amount of weight on its priors and not seeing enough to dramatically move either team yet.
Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers(-9.5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.As disappointing as the Buccaneers’ offense has been, their defense has been totally solid, ranking third in defensive efficiency (efficiency is expected points added per play, with garbage time downweighted). If we’re betting on one of those units to change its level of play, the model is going to bank on it being Tom Brady‘s offense being pretty good going forward.
What is your best bet for Week 5?
Dolan: Eagles first half -3. The Birds are 4-0 straight up but haven’t covered every game. The one area they excel at is the first half. Philadelphia leads the league with an average of 23 points scored in the first half. Oh, and get this … Arizona is dead last in points scored in the first half with an average of four points. Eagles cover the first half.
Fulghum: Teddy Bridgewater — aka the ATS Gawd — is getting the start for the Dolphins in Week 5. Bridgewater is 42-21 ATS as a starter in his NFL career. That is the best mark by any QB with at least 40 starts in the Super Bowl era. He is 5-2 ATS as a road favorite, which is equally impressive, if not more so. The Dolphins, having played on Thursday in Week 4, have the rest advantage, as well. I know Zach Wilson led a fourth-quarter comeback against the Steelers, which is impressive, but I’m by no means convinced that he has made massive strides yet. Dolphins -3 at Jets.
Schatz: Eagles -3 in the first half. I was going to write here about how I’ve been driving the Eagles’ bandwagon since the preseason and everybody else is finally climbing aboard. The Eagles are second in DVOA so far this season, while Arizona is 29th. That’s not a surprise, as we had the Eagles far ahead of the Cardinals in our preseason projections, namely because we expected a decline for the Arizona defense — which has happened. I was going to recommend Eagles -5 for the full game here. But Erin is right, the Cardinals are particularly weak when it comes to early scripted plays. So why worry about a backdoor cover in the fourth quarter?
Snellings: Giants +8 over Packers. The Packers have shown me nothing this season that indicates they should be giving eight points against any reasonable team. After losing convincingly to a solid but unspectacular Vikings squad and defeating the Bears, they’ve won their past two games by a combined five points over a Buccaneers squad missing all of its wide receivers and a Patriots team missing its top two quarterbacks. The Giants have been solid this season, if against limited competition.
If Daniel Jones (ankle) sits, then I withdraw this pick and my best bet reverts to the Bengals-Ravens over 48.5 that I wrote about above. But assuming Jones plays — he was able to finish last game and log limited practice time this week — then I like the Giants to cover.
Moody: The Bengals +3 over the Ravens. After a disappointing 0-2 start, Cincinnati has gained some momentum. An underperforming Baltimore defense should provide plenty of scoring opportunities for the Bengals. Last time these two teams met, Joe Burrow threw for 525 yards and four touchdowns. Additionally, the Bengals’ defense is doing a good job stopping the run and limiting the passing game. Cincinnati has done well containing Lamar Jackson in previous games. Joe Mixon and the Bengals’ running game should be in good shape as the offensive line is finally jelling. Furthermore, Cincinnati is the second-best team in the league at wearing down defenses through time of possession. It would also keep Jackson off the field. In my opinion, the Bengals will play well enough to cover the spread. Cincinnati is 7-1 against the spread in its past eight games following a straight-up win.
What is your favorite player prop?
Dolan: Burrow over 273.5 passing yards against Baltimore. This bet almost feels too easy, as the Ravens rank dead last in passing yards allowed. The Ravens aren’t terrible against the run, which makes me believe Burrow will be slinging the ball all game. He has hit over this number in three of four games, including two straight where it feels like the Bengals have found their groove again. I can’t trust the Ravens’ defense against the pass.
Fulghum: Matthew Stafford under 258.5 passing yards. The Rams have had significant struggles protecting Stafford this season against elite pass-rushing teams (Buffalo and San Francisco both sacked him seven times). Well, I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but this Micah Parsons kid is pretty good. The Rams continue to be limited offensively due to a lack of field-stretching speed to threaten the back end of the defense and an offensive line that is both injured and ineffective. Stafford might complete 15 passes to Cooper Kupp again, but don’t expect them to net explosive plays.
Schatz: Let’s go with Michael Carter under 31.5 rushing yards against the Miami Dolphins. Last week, the Jets finally moved to where we all knew they were going — Breece Hall as the No. 1 back in the committee. Now they play the Dolphins, who have been a bit of a pass funnel this year. The Dolphins rank fourth in run defense DVOA but 31st in pass defense DVOA. I see this as a competitive game throughout, but the pass plays are going to be there for Zach Wilson, which means fewer runs, especially for Carter, now that he’s RB2.
Walder: Elijah Moore under 45.5 receiving yards. I actually like Moore and think he and Garrett Wilson offer a bright future for the Jets. But there are only so many yards to go around, especially with Wilson at the helm of this offense (it’s going to take more than one nice comeback to make me a believer). Between Wilson, Moore, Corey Davis, Tyler Conklin, Breece Hall, Michael Carter … I don’t think Moore can get the target share to justify this line. My projections expect 35.5 receiving yards from Carter, making him a solid fade.
Snellings: Derrick Henry over 103.5 total rushing/receiving yards. Henry has ramped up in the past two weeks, generating 143 total yards against the Raiders and 147 total yards against a strong Colts run defense. The Commanders are allowing opposing running backs to average 112.3 total yards against them this season, and none of those opposing backs has been of Henry’s caliber.
Moody: Deebo Samuel over 55.5 receiving yards. With Garoppolo back under center, Samuel has once again become the focal point of the 49ers’ passing game. He has had 15 targets over the past two games and produced 11 receptions for 188 yards. His advantage over all Panthers cornerbacks is significant. Due to Samuel’s ability to create yards after the catch, he should easily surpass 55.5 receiving yards. In the past month, Carolina’s secondary has allowed some impressive performances from wide receivers.
[ad_2]
-
England prove their might against USWNT side in transition at Wembley
[ad_1]
LONDON — Reigning European champions England added another notch to their goalposts with a win over the current World Cup champions, the United States, in a friendly at Wembley Stadium. The Lionesses prevailed 2-1, with Georgia Stanway‘s penalty the difference after Lauren Hemp and Sophia Smith had both struck.
– Report: England 2-1 United States
Here are the major takeaways from a gripping October international friendly between two of the world’s best women’s national teams as both sides prepare for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Post-match quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures
Rapid Reaction
1. England prove themselves against world champions
Who is the big dog in world football? That was the question coming into what was still, at the end of the day, just a friendly match with little fundamentally riding on it.
England’s narrow win could go down as a result for the European Champions, who matched the visitors well, but it was a little bigger than that. It serves as a wider example not just of the team showing they were no longer afraid of a U.S. team known for making opponents uncomfortable, but of the ability of the team to be more fluid in Sarina Wiegman’s system. The choice of Lauren Hemp at centre-forward following Ellen White’s retirement and Alessia Russo’s late injury should have left the attack unbalanced, yet the winger showed her intelligence throughout even if the defence looked less than perfect with Williamson out of it.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.)
For the U.S., who are still trying to recover from a disastrous showing (by their own standards) at the Olympics over a year ago, the match again raised more questions than it answered. Even where Sophia Smith and Naomi Girma shone for their country, doing all they could to book their tickets to the World Cup next summer, the fragility of a midfield lacking long-term absentee Julie Ertz proved to be the difference.
2. U.S. fall foul of VAR
With VAR not as widespread in women’s football as in the men’s game, there is still a novelty that comes of a referee pausing to run across to a pitch-side monitor and question their own judgement. Riem Hussein, who fell into a VAR row when she awarded Ellen White a penalty against Norway at the Euros, was again the topic of conversation at Wembley as she halted the game to confer with the VAR twice in the first half and once after the break.
The German official first jogged over to the monitor to review a high boot Lucy Bronze had taken to the face, opting to award a penalty to England and a yellow card to Hailie Mace upon review. Then, when the U.S. looked to have pulled level late in the half, the restart was delayed as those in the technical booth confirmed a barely visible offside in the build-up, before later chalking off a penalty she had awarded for a handball that had struck Hemp on the rear.
With the technology used at major tournaments in women’s football, there were few complaints about its application at such a friendly nor could the foul on Bronze be heavily disputed, yet it was exactly the type of contact that should have been picked up in real time. Similarly, the penalty Hussein awarded the U.S. didn’t look to have been anywhere near Hemp’s arm as she jumped, very much rear-first in front of the shot. The involvement of the video assistant, as ever, only served to raise the question about refereeing standards in the game.
3. Sloppy football reigns supreme
There was an uncomfortable sloppiness to the match that inexplicably bore some of the trademarks of a preseason friendly. Players ran into each other, fell over under no pressure and at one point, Millie Bright gloriously and unwittingly blocked a shot with her backside. In a match that was billed as a quasi or would-be World Cup final, there was a thick layer of polish missing from the perfectly curated Wembley pitch.
There were, of course, off-the-pitch distractions to be taken into account, just as there were moments of magic when the likes of Sophia Smith and Georgia Stanway got on the ball. However, the clumsy nature of the match shone through as England got to grips with being the champions of Europe and the U.S. continued to search for a clear identity under Vlatko Andonovski.
Player ratings
England (4-2-3-1): Mary Earps 5; Lucy Bronze 5, Millie Bright 5, Alex Greenwood 6, Rachel Daly 6; Georgia Stanway 8, Keira Walsh 7; Beth Mead 7, Fran Kirby 6, Chloe Kelly 6; Lauren Hemp 7.
Subs: Ella Toone 6, Lauren James 6.United States (4-3-3): Alyssa Naeher 5; Sofia Huerta 7, Alana Cook 5, Naomi Girma 7, Emily Fox 5; Trinity Rodman 6, Lindsey Horan 6, Andi Sullivan 6; Rose Lavelle 6, Sophia Smith 8, Megan Rapinoe 7.
Subs: Hailie Mace 4, Sam Coffey 6, Crystal Dunn 6, Ashley Sanchez 6, Becky Sauerbrunn 6, Alyssa Thompson 6.
Best and worst performers
BEST: Sophia Smith, FW, U.S.
A live wire for the U.S. all afternoon who has parried her silky club form into the international level. Really deserved more than one goal.
WORST: Hailie Mace, DF, U.S.
A forced first-half substitute for Fox, Mace spent the majority of the match looking off the pace and out of place in the defence.
Highlights and notable moments
Both teams put on a firm display of solidarity and protest before the game, in light of a difficult week for sports following Monday’s release of the Yates report and its spotlight on misconduct and systemic abuse across the NWSL.
Players from England and the United States Women’s national team unveiled a banner before kickoff in their match Friday at Wembley Stadium showing their support for victims of sexual abuse.
Both teams also wore teal armbands in a show of solidarity. pic.twitter.com/5cu8KqGc8K
— ESPN (@espn) October 7, 2022
It looked like they’d be tied 2-2 before halftime after a thrilling display of attacking power … but how on earth is this offside?
What could have been 😭
This Trinity Rodman goal was disallowed by VAR pic.twitter.com/JemzMWDCQD
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) October 7, 2022
After the match: What the managers, players said
“That was really intense, just what we wanted. The U.S. played as we expected, they gave us hard times sometimes. I thought we played well in moments, better first half than second. … Whatever happens we know this is just a starting point for the World Cup, but it shows you are at a very high level.” — England manager Sarina Wiegman
“I thought we did really well, especially in the first half. We created a lot of chances and were fantastic off the ball as well. We all put in a shift today, and it was a great result. Important we stay grounded now, another game on Tuesday and we’re looking forward to that.” — England forward Lauren Hemp
Key stats
– The U.S. are 0-3-3 (W-L-D) when conceding first in their past six matches. Their last win when conceding first was on Aug. 2, 2018, vs. Brazil (4-1).
– The victory extended England’s unbeaten run to 23 games in all competitions
Up next
England: Sarina Wiegman’s side face a friendly with the Czech Republic on Tuesday following the visit of the USWNT to Wembley. From there, the Lionesses and defending Euros champions are idle until November, when they’ll face a pair of friendlies against Japan (Nov. 11) and Norway (Nov. 15).
United States: The U.S. have another road game ahead against Spain on Tuesday, with home friendlies in November against the Euro 2022 runners-up Germany scheduled for Nov. 10 and Nov. 13. “Playing Germany in the final matches of the year will be ideal for our World Cup preparations for all of our players and coaching staff, but it’s also fantastic for all the fans,” U.S. head coach Vlatko Andonovski said. “USA-Germany is always one of the most entertaining matchups in women’s international soccer, and it’s a rivalry that has some wonderful history as well.”
[ad_2]
-
Pierre Gasly: French driver joining Alpine from AlphaTauri for Formula 1 2023 as transfer saga finally ends
[ad_1]
Pierre Gasly to partner Esteban Ocon at Alpine in 2023 as team finally get their man; Alpine were rejected by Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri earlier this summer but agree a deal with Red Bull to release AlphaTauri driver; AlphaTauri expected to confirm Nyck de Vries as replacement
By Matt Morlidge
Last Updated: 07/10/22 4:16pm
Pierre Gasly speaks to Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz about his move to Alpine from AlphaTauri for 2023. Watch the full interview in our Japanese GP coverage.
Pierre Gasly speaks to Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz about his move to Alpine from AlphaTauri for 2023. Watch the full interview in our Japanese GP coverage.
Pierre Gasly will race for Alpine next season after the French team finally thrashed out a deal with the AlphaTauri driver to end an F1 transfer saga.
Having been snubbed by current driver Fernando Alonso (leaving for Aston Martin) and reserve Oscar Piastri (McLaren) for a seat next year, Gasly was always Alpine’s number one target – as reported by Sky Sports F1 in August – and they have now landed their man.
Gasly, the always highly-rated but often overlooked driver who has 103 races and one incredible win under his belt, will form an all-French line-up with Esteban Ocon.
“It was a clear call and definitely very attractive,” Gasly, 26, told Sky Sports F1. “It felt the right time for me to take my own start and take my career on my own and start this incredible story with Alpine.”
“He brings a wealth of experience, and speed,” stated Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer. “And those are the two things we were looking for.”
Gasly is leaving the Red Bull family for the first time in his F1 career, with Alpine agreeing a deal with the team to release the star of their sister outfit, AlphaTauri. Sky Sports News understands Alpine are paying Red Bull €10m (£8.8m).
AlphaTauri now replace Alpine in having one of the three seats available on the 2023 grid, although they are expected to fill the space quickly with Mercedes reserve and impressive recent Williams stand-in, Nyck de Vries.
Gasly has one Grand Prix win to his name
“What’s easy in Formula 1? Nothing is easy!” Gasly said. “I must admit I’m very thankful to everyone involved because everybody tried their absolute best to make it happen.
“On Red Bull’s side, Christian [Horner, team boss] and Helmut [Marko, team advisor] understood how important, how big this opportunity was to me and my desire to go there and start this new adventure with Alpine.”
Gasly added: “It’s a big change in my career. I’m closing a nine-year chapter with Red Bull, having had a lot of success in younger categories as well as my five years in Formula 1, my first win, podiums.
“I’m starting a new chapter with Alpine. It’s a fresh start.”
Gasly, who had penned a new deal with AlphaTauri for 2023 in June, said he was convinced by Alpine’s form in recent years and their pace this season, with the team currently just behind McLaren in the battle for fourth.
It is his biggest career step up since his brief and unsuccessful stint alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull in 2019.
“I had another year in my contract and it was kind of sealed for next year, then everything happened and this opportunity came up,” Gasly said. “I thought about it and I must admit straight away I knew this was the right move.”
Alpine’s chase comes to an end… and what it means for driver market
Alpine’s signing of Gasly brings an end to a remarkable off-track saga in Formula 1 – one the team never foresaw.
First, two-time world champion Alonso shocked Alpine by agreeing a deal with Aston Martin, and then came the even bigger surprise when Piastri rejected his team’s announcement and set his sights on McLaren.
Ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, we look back at some of the most memorable moments from previous races in Monza. Ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, we look back at some of the most memorable moments from previous races in Monza.
Alpine fought hard to keep the Australian but lost out in a Contract Recognition Board hearing, leaving them without a driver for 2023.
While publicly embarrassed in that chase, the team had the bonus of having the most competitive seat available on the market and plenty of potential suitors. But although Daniel Ricciardo’s name was immediately linked and Alpine tested three younger drivers in August, Gasly was always their preferred choice.
“It started probably early August and here we are in October, so it’s had its ups and downs and its ebbs and flows,” said Szafnauer. “But we got there. We worked towards making him available and it will be great next year.”
Red Bull agreed to release Gasly, but only if they had a suitable replacement lined up at AlphaTauri.
F1 contracts: Who’s driving where in 2023?
Red Bull Max Verstappen Sergio Perez Ferrari Charles Leclerc Carlos Sainz Mercedes Lewis Hamilton George Russell Alpine Esteban Ocon Pierre Gasly McLaren Lando Norris Oscar Piastri Alfa Romeo Valtteri Bottas Zhou Guanyu Haas Kevin Magnussen TBC Aston Martin Fernando Alonso Lance Stroll AlphaTauri Yuki Tsunoda TBC Williams Alex Albon TBC The team initially targeted IndyCar standout Colton Herta – whose F1 dream has been dented by a lack of superlicense points – before turning their attention to De Vries.
The fact Gasly is now confirmed heavily implies an announcement is forthcoming for his signature, too.
The other seats left on the market are at Haas, who are weighing up whether to keep Mick Schumacher, and at Williams, with American Logan Sargeant the favourite there.
[ad_2]
-
England women beat US 2-1 in statement victory at Wembley
[ad_1]
LONDON — Ten weeks after conquering Europe, England women proclaimed themselves ready for even more after beating the world champion United States 2-1 in a friendly at Wembley Stadium on Friday.
Lauren Hemp and Georgia Stanway scored to help England beat the U.S. for the first time since 2017 and less than 10 months before the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Stanway’s penalty in the 33rd minute put the hosts in front for good before 76,893 fans. Victory extended England’s unbeaten run to 23 games under coach Sarina Wiegman. England stopped the Americans’ 13-game winning streak and 21-match unbeaten streak dating to a 1-0 defeat to Canada in a 2021 Olympics semifinal.
“It was a great result,” Hemp told broadcaster ITV. “There’s a lot of preparation now for the World Cup. It’s important that we stay grounded.”
England, which won the European championship in late July, took the lead in the 10th when Beth Mead sent a low cross into the box. Defender Alana Cook tried to make a sliding block but the ball wiggled through to Hemp, who finished from close range.
The Americans equalized just before the half-hour mark. Millie Bright tried to pass out of the back to a tightly covered Stanway, and Lindsey Horan poked the ball forward to Sophia Smith, who turned and fired low to the left corner past a diving Mary Earps.
Stanway made amends from the spot, though, shooting the ball into the right corner as goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher went the wrong way.
Minutes later, the visitors thought they tied the game again but Trinity Rodman’s strike was ruled out for offside after a video review.
England and the U.S. wore teal armbands in solidarity with sexual abuse victims and together held a banner that read “Protect the Players” just before kickoff. A report this week into the scandals that erupted in the National Women’s Soccer League last season found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic in the league.
There was also a moment of silence for the victims of the deadly crush of fans at a soccer match in Indonesia.
Forward Alyssa Thompson entered in the 84th minute and at 17 years, 334 days became the youngest to debut for the U.S. since Mallory Pugh in January 2016. Thompson was the 70th teenager to appear for the Americans.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Allen Lazard were among the stars in attendance. The Packers play the New York Giants on Sunday in an NFL game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. “Ted Lasso” actor Jason Sudeikis was also on hand.
U.S. wing Crystal Dunn went on as a second-half substitute — less than five months after giving birth to her son. It was her 124th international appearance and first in nearly 13 months.
The draw for the World Cup will be in Auckland on Oct. 22.
———
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports
[ad_2]
-
Browns’ Garrett to return 2 weeks after car crash
[ad_1]
BEREA, Ohio — Myles Garrett will play Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, less than two weeks after crashing his car Sept. 26.
The Cleveland Browns star pass-rusher practiced all week and was removed from the injury report Friday.
“Good to go,” coach Kevin Stefanski said of Garrett. “Excited to have him back out there.”
Garrett sat out Sunday’s 23-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons after suffering left shoulder sprain and right biceps sprain in the car accident when his vehicle went off the side of the road and flipped over.
Garrett has three sacks over the three games he’s played.
[ad_2]
-
Jaguars DT Fatukasi (quad) out vs. Texans
[ad_1]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi will not play against the Houston Texans on Sunday because of a quad injury.
The team ruled Fatukasi out Friday. Receiver Zay Jones (ankle), linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson (ankle) and offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen (hamstring) are questionable.
Fatukasi has started all four games this season and has four tackles. He was a key part of the team’s run defense, which led the NFL through the first three weeks at 55 yards per game.
However, the Jaguars struggled in last week’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, giving up 210 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. The Jaguars (2-2) now rank eighth in rush defense (93.8 yards per game).
Texans rookie running back Dameon Pierce is coming off the first 100-yard game of his career and is 10th in the NFL in rushing with 313 yards.
[ad_2]
-
Kilmarnock: Derek McInnes insists he has no issues with Scottish FA over Kyle Lafferty hearing date
[ad_1]
Derek McInnes insists he has “no beef” with the Scottish FA following communication issues around Kilmarnock striker Kyle Lafferty’s disciplinary hearing date.
Killie fined the 35-year-old striker over an alleged sectarian comment after a video appeared on social media and he faces a Scottish Football Association tribunal on October 20 having been accused of not acting in the best interests of football, with a minimum 10-game ban possible.
Lafferty was on the bench last week at Aberdeen but started in the 2-1 win over St Johnstone at Rugby Park on Wednesday night.
McInnes had reiterated on Sky Sports after the Saints game that it would have been “nice if that would have been dealt with at the time” by the governing body but the SFA consequently claimed the Ayrshire club had been offered the chance to bring the tribunal date forward.
Ahead of the home game against Hearts on Sunday, the Killie boss said: “It got brought to my attention on Tuesday, prior to the St Johnstone game after we had named the team and went through everything, that we could have maybe brought it forward by a week which was the 13th, by which stage we had just decided to run with the 20th.
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes insists striker Kyle Lafferty will play for his side as long as he is eligible
“Maybe there has been a wee bit of a lack of communication but certainly no beef with me and the SFA.
“We are just trying to respect the process.
“Before the Aberdeen game I wanted it dealt with because then it falls on me.
“Am I right to pick him or not? And I thought it would have been dealt with but we have had good communication with the SFA in the last 24 hours and probably better communication.
“It was a tough one for me to get involved in last Saturday, whether to take the sting out of it all. I thought long and hard about his involvement in the game.
“But being at home here (on Wednesday), we had done our preparation Monday and Tuesday and I felt if he is going to get a ban in a few weeks’ time it is important that we tried to utilise that.
“Kyle has been training well and that’s why we played him, he played well in the game and played his part in a winning performance.
“There is three more games prior to the hearing and we will take what’s coming from that but up until then I have the luxury of picking him or not.”
[ad_2]
-
Injured Broncos OL Bolles, CB Darby out for year
[ad_1]
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — An ugly loss Thursday night to the Indianapolis Colts turned even uglier Friday morning for the Denver Broncos as coach Nathaniel Hackett said left tackle Garett Bolles (leg/ankle) and cornerback Ronald Darby (knee) will miss the remainder of the season.
In the span of four days — Sunday’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders and Thursday’s loss to the Colts — the Broncos have seen running back Javonte Williams, Bolles and Darby each suffer season-ending injuries.
Bolles suffered a fractured lower right leg with just over three minutes remaining in regulation of the 12-9 overtime loss to the Colts. The Broncos were not optimistic about the sixth-year tackle’s short-term prognosis when he was examined by the medical staff.
He was taken for additional tests Friday morning and the need for surgery to repair the fracture was confirmed. Bolles has been one of the team’s more durable players, having started from his first game as a rookie in 2016 when he was the first-round-draft pick. He has missed just four games in his career (three last season — two with an ankle injury and another on the COVID-19/reserve list).
Darby, who had ACL surgery in 2018 when he was with the Philadelphia Eagles, suffered his injury just before halftime. Wide receiver Tim Patrick, who led the team in touchdown catches last year, suffered a season-ending knee injury in training camp to go with Williams’ injury this past Sunday, so the Broncos (2-3) have suffered significant losses at the top of the depth chart over five games.
Outside linebacker Randy Gregory also suffered meniscus damage in his knee against the Raiders and will miss several weeks.
“Injuries are things as a coach, I can’t control,” Hackett said. “They’re long-term things. I can only go to the drawing board and grind, and try to find ways to put people in good positions and the new guys are going to have to go in there. We have to find a way to make them successful.”
Hackett said Friday since the Broncos have additional time before their next game — Monday night Oct. 17 against the Los Angeles Chargers — the offensive staff will discuss who will replace Bolles. Calvin Anderson finished the game Thursday, but Billy Turner, a free agent signee who has yet to play this season (knee injury), is an option and is closing in on a return to the lineup.
Hackett said Turner could have played against the Colts, but because it was a short prep week, Turner was inactive.
Rookie Damarri Mathis, a fifth-round pick in April’s draft, played in Darby’s spot in the second half Thursday.
Hackett also said linebacker Josey Jewell was week-to-week’ with a sprained knee he suffered against the Colts and outside linebacker Baron Browning would be day-to-day with a sprained wrist.
[ad_2]
-
NASCAR teams decry ‘broken’ economic model
[ad_1]
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The most powerful teams in NASCAR warned Friday that the venerable stock car racing series has a “broken” economic model that is unfair and has little to no chance of long-term stability, a stunning announcement that added to a growing list of woes.
The Cup Series is heading into the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course playoff elimination race Sunday with three full-time drivers sidelined with injuries suffered in NASCAR’s new car and no clear answer as to how to fix the safety concerns.
It got much worse as teams went public with their year-long fight with NASCAR over equitable revenue distribution.
“The economic model is really broken for the teams,” said Curtis Polk, who as Michael Jordan’s longtime business manager now holds an ownership stake in both the Charlotte Hornets and the two-car 23XI Racing team Jordan and Denny Hamlin field in NASCAR.
“We’ve gotten to the point where team’s realize the sustainability in the sport is not very long term,” Polk said. “This is not a fair system.”
The Race Team Alliance was formed in 2014 to give teams a unified voice in negotiations with the sanctioning body. A four-member subcommittee outlined their concerns at a Charlotte hotel, with Polk joined by Jeff Gordon, the four-time NASCAR champion and vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, RFK Racing President Steve Newmark, and Dave Alpern, the president of Joe Gibbs Racing.
Hendrick and Gibbs have won six of last seven Cup Series championships dating to 2015, but Gordon said the four-car Hendrick lineup, the most powerful in the industry, has not had a profitable season in years. It will again lose money this season despite NASCAR’s cost-cutting Next Gen car.
“I have a lot of fears that sustainability is going to be a real challenge,” Gordon said.
Led by Polk, whose role with the Hornets brings familiarity with the NBA’s franchise model, the RTA presented NASCAR in June with a seven-point plan on a new revenue sharing model. The proposal “sat there for months and we told NASCAR we’d like a counteroffer,” Polk said.
He did not disclose the seven points other than noting that team sustainability and longevity were priorities. The committee said Friday they are open to all ideas, including a spending cap like that in Formula One.
“We are amenable to whatever gets us to a conceptual new structure,” Newmark said.
NASCAR responded to the RTA last week with a counteroffer of “a minimal increase in revenue and emphasis on cost-cutting,” Polk said.
The team alliance was unanimous in that the only place left to cut costs is layoffs.
“We’ve already had substantial cuts. We are doing more with less than we ever have in 30 years,” Alpern said.
NASCAR did not immediately reply to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
The battle over costs has been made public with five races remaining to crown the 2022 NASCAR champion.
The issue has simmered for years and in 2016 NASCAR adopted a charter system for 36 cars that is as close to a franchise model as possible in a sport that was founded by and independently owned by the France family. The charters at least gave the teams something of value to hold — or sell — and protect their investment in the sport.
The team business model is still heavily dependent on sponsorship, which the teams must individually secure. Newmark said sponsorship covers between 60% to 80% of the budgets for all 16 chartered organizations.
Because sponsorship is so vital, teams are desperate for financial relief elsewhere and have asked NASCAR for “distribution from the league to cover our baseline costs,” Newmark said.
The current charter agreement expires at the end of the 2024 season, the same time that NASCAR’s current television deals expire.
Although TV money is split between NASCAR, teams and the tracks, Polk said in terms of actual revenue produced by the sport 93% goes to NASCAR and the teams receive just 7%. He noted that in Formula One, all revenue is split 50-50 between the teams and series ownership.
Mars Inc., which first entered NASCAR in 1990, late last year decided this season would be its last and JGR spent the last nine months trying to find a new sponsor to keep Kyle Busch, the only winner of multiple championships at the Cup level. Busch has since signed with Richard Childress Racing and will leave JGR after 15 seasons as Toyota’s winningest NASCAR driver.
“We have become full-time fundraisers,” Alpern said. “Instead of working on our business, we’re raising money just to exist.”
Polk said the teams will honor the charter agreements through 2024. But in negotiating a new charter agreement, the teams are demanding more.
“NASCAR is a money-printing machine,” Polk said. “But the teams and the drivers are the ones putting on the show.”
NASCAR is now under fire from nearly every angle as drivers remain angry over some recent penalties and the stiffness of the new Next Gen car blamed for causing unprecedented injuries. What should have been routine crashes into the wall have sidelined both Alex Bowman and Kurt Busch with concussions, and Cody Shane Ware opted out of Sunday’s race because of a broken foot.
NASCAR has tested potential adjustments for the car and will present the findings to drivers Saturday morning ahead of practice at Charlotte.
[ad_2]
-
NASCAR teams call revenue model ‘broken,’ warn of layoffs
[ad_1]
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The most powerful teams in NASCAR warned Friday that the venerable stock car racing series has a “broken” economic model that is unfair and has little to no chance of long-term stability, a stunning announcement that added to a growing list of woes.
The Cup Series is heading into the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course playoff elimination race Sunday with three full-time drivers sidelined with injuries suffered in NASCAR’s new car and no clear answer as to how to fix the safety concerns.
With just five races left in the championship chase, it got much worse as teams went public with their year-long fight with NASCAR over equitable revenue distribution.
“The economic model is really broken for the teams,” said Curtis Polk, who as Michael Jordan’s longtime business manager now holds an ownership stake in both the Charlotte Hornets and the two-car 23XI Racing team Jordan and Denny Hamlin field in NASCAR.
“We’ve gotten to the point where teams realize the sustainability in the sport is not very long term,” Polk said. “This is not a fair system.”
The Race Team Alliance was formed in 2014 to give teams a unified voice in negotiations with the sanctioning body. A four-member subcommittee outlined their concerns at a Charlotte hotel, with Polk joined by Jeff Gordon, the four-time NASCAR champion and vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, RFK Racing President Steve Newmark, and Dave Alpern, the president of Joe Gibbs Racing.
Hendrick and Gibbs have won six of last seven Cup Series championships dating to 2015, but Gordon said the four-car Hendrick lineup, the most powerful in the industry, has not had a profitable season in years. It will again lose money this season despite NASCAR’s cost-cutting Next Gen car.
“I have a lot of fears that sustainability is going to be a real challenge,” Gordon said.
NASCAR issued a statement acknowledging “the challenges currently facing race teams.
“A key focus moving forward is an extension to the charter agreement, one that will further increase revenue and help lower team expenses,” NASCAR said. “Collectively, the goal is a strong, healthy sport, and we will accomplish that together.”
Led by Polk, whose role with the Hornets brings familiarity with the NBA’s franchise model, the RTA in June presented NASCAR with a seven-point plan on a new revenue sharing model. The proposal “sat there for months and we told NASCAR we’d like a counteroffer,” Polk said.
He did not disclose the seven points other than noting that team sustainability and longevity were priorities. The committee said they are open to all ideas, including a spending cap like that in Formula One.
“We are amenable to whatever gets us to a conceptual new structure,” Newmark said.
NASCAR’s counteroffer offered “a minimal increase in revenue and emphasis on cost-cutting,” Polk said.
The team alliance was unanimous in that the only place left to cut costs is layoffs.
“We’ve already had substantial cuts. We are doing more with less than we ever have in 30 years,” Alpern said.
The battle over costs has simmered for years. In 2016, NASCAR adopted a charter system for 36 cars that is as close to a franchise model as possible in a sport that was founded by and independently owned by the France family. The charters at least gave the teams something of value to hold — or sell — and protect their investment in the sport.
The team business model is still heavily dependant on sponsorship, which the teams must individually secure. Newmark said sponsorship covers between 60% to 80% of the budgets for all 16 chartered organizations.
Because sponsorship is so vital, teams are desperate for financial relief elsewhere and have asked NASCAR for “distribution from the league to cover our baseline costs,” Newmark said.
The current charter agreement expires at the end of the 2024 season, the same time that NASCAR’s current television deals expire.
Although TV money is split between NASCAR, teams and the tracks, the committee found that the value of the teams is just 7% while the tracks and NASCAR have 93% of the value. Polk noted that in Formula One, all revenue is split 50-50 between the teams and series ownership.
Mars Inc., which first entered NASCAR in 1990, late last year decided this season would be its last and JGR spent the last nine months trying to find a new sponsor to keep Kyle Busch, the only winner of multiple championships at the Cup level. Busch has since signed with Richard Childress Racing and will leave JGR after 15 seasons as Toyota’s winningest NASCAR driver.
“We have become full-time fundraisers,” Alpern said. “Instead of working on our business, we’re raising money just to exist.”
Polk said the teams will honor the charter agreements through 2024. But in negotiating a new charter agreement, the teams are demanding more.
“NASCAR is a money-printing machine,” Polk said. “But the teams and the drivers are the ones putting on the show.”
NASCAR is now under fire from nearly every angle as drivers remain angry over some recent penalties and the stiffness of the new Next Gen car blamed for causing unprecedented injuries. What should have been routine crashes into the wall have sidelined both Alex Bowman and Kurt Busch with concussions, and Cody Shane Ware opted out of Sunday’s race because of a broken foot.
NASCAR has tested potential adjustments for the car and will present the findings to drivers Saturday morning ahead of practice at Charlotte.
———
More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports
[ad_2]
-
Ralph Rimmer: RFL chief executive avoids sanction for Fiji comment
[ad_1]
RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer, who is leaving his role at the end of the year, was investigated after a complaint was made over comments he made about the Fiji national team at the Championship and League One awards dinner on September 26
Last Updated: 07/10/22 6:32pm
Ralph Rimmer was investigated for comments made at a recent awards dinner
RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer has avoided any sanctions for using “unacceptable” language at an official function.
The governing body launched an investigation into Rimmer’s actions after receiving a complaint over comments he made about the Fiji national team at the Championship and League One awards dinner on September 26.
The RFL says it followed procedures under the Directors’ Code of Conduct, led by the RFL chair Simon Johnson, who submitted a 21-page report to the RFL Board and to Rimmer, who announced last month his intention to step down from his role at the end of the year.
It said the procedures involved gathering of information from three independent experts, in addition to a number of attendees at the dinner, and a statement from Rimmer – who apologised for his comments.
Views from the Fiji Rugby League and their World Cup travelling party were also sought.
“The report concluded that the language fell within the wide definition of unacceptable language as defined in the RFL’s Operational Rules and therefore could be considered to breach the Code of Conduct,” A statement from the governing body said.
“However, it noted that the comment was taken within the context of a wider discussion of the World Cup; that any insult of the Fiji national team or of people from Fiji or of Fijian origin or heritage was unintended; and that the Fiji national team, the Federation and the Confederation have accepted Ralph Rimmer’s apology for the comments.
“Noting the agreement of all consulted that there was no intent in the use of the unacceptable language; that a fulsome apology was issued and accepted; and taking into account relevant and applicable precedent, from other sports and previous RFL compliance investigations, the decision of the chair is that no formal disciplinary action is appropriate.
“The matter will be dealt with through education, to be conducted during the three months before Ralph Rimmer’s previously-announced departure from the RFL at the end of the year.”
The statement was issued two hours before Fiji were due to play England in a Rugby League World Cup warm-up game at Salford’s AJ Bell Stadium.
[ad_2]
-
Pats’ Hoyer to IR; Zappe to start if Jones still out
[ad_1]
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots placed veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer on injured reserve Thursday because of a concussion, thinning their depth chart behind injured starter Mac Jones.
That thrusts Bailey Zappe, a fourth-round pick out of Western Kentucky, into the No. 2 spot behind Jones.
Zappe is projected to start in Sunday’s home game against the Detroit Lions if Jones — who has been limited in practices on Wednesday and Thursday — isn’t cleared to return.
“If that’s what happens, that happens. That’s a question for Coach Belichick. I’m not going to get into those details,” Zappe said.
The Patriots also signed 31-year-old quarterback Garrett Gilbert to their practice squad Wednesday, and in a reflection of the team’s unsettled picture at the position, he was swarmed by reporters in the locker room Thursday.
Gilbert likes what he has seen from Zappe in recent days.
“I’ve been very impressed,” he said. “I’ve spent a good amount of time with him in extra meetings, and being a young guy thrust into this position he’s done a very good job with it the first couple days. He’s got good command of the offense. He’s been willing to ask questions and learn as we continue to prepare for Sunday.”
Starting in place of Jones on Sunday, Hoyer suffered the concussion on a first-quarter sack in a 27-24 overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers, which put Zappe into the game. He finished 10-of-15 for 99 yards with one touchdown and was sacked three times.
Hoyer, who turns 37 on Oct. 13, will miss at least four games by going on IR.
[ad_2]
-
Rivals.com – Breaking down the Red River Rivalry rosters
[ad_1]
One of the best rivalries in all of sports will be played Saturday when Texas meets Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry. The Sooners have won four-straight and seven of the last 10 in this matchup but the Longhorns are favored by about a touchdown heading into the weekend.
Here is a breakdown by star ranking of each roster.
MORE BIG 12: Transfer portal storylines | Texas has talented WRs in backyard
MORE FROM GORNEY: Five thoughts on the 2023 receiver class | Biggest weekend visits | West Region takeaways
*****
CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals100
TRANSFER PORTAL: Stories/coverage | Message board
*****
FIVE-STARS
Bijan Robinson (USA Today) OKLAHOMA: 2 | TEXAS: 4
Overview: Bijan Robinson is one of the best players in college football and has more than backed up his ranking in the Longhorns’ backfield. So far this season, the No. 1 all-purpose back in the 2020 class has rushed for eight touchdowns in five games. Quinn Ewers was the top-ranked prospect in the 2021 class and after transferring from Ohio State to Texas earned the starting job and could return from injury this weekend. Ja’Tavion Sanders was the No. 1 athlete in the 2021 class and someone who could’ve played tight end or defensive end. For the Longhorns this season, Sanders has caught 20 passes for 212 yards and tied for a team-high with three scores.
After missing nearly the entire 2021 season because of injury, Theo Wease is back and an important target in Oklahoma’s offense so far. The No. 3 receiver in the 2019 class, Wease is second on the Sooners with 11 catches for 195 yards and two scores this season. Ranked as the second-best outside linebacker in the 2021 class behind Alabama’s Dallas Turner, Clayton Smith has yet to make a major impact in Oklahoma’s defense yet.
*****
FOUR-STARS
Marvin Mims (USA Today Sports Images) OKLAHOMA: 46 | TEXAS: 46
Overview: The amount of four-stars making huge impacts on both Texas and Oklahoma is pretty extraordinary. From quarterback Hudson Card to receivers Jordan Whittington and Xavier Worthy to offensive lineman Kelvin Banks to Demarion Overshown, Jerrin Thompson and Anthony Cook on defense, the Longhorns have many four-star contributors.
There has clearly been a debate about Kelvin Banks losing his fifth star following a poor performance at the Under Armour game before he came to Austin and whether it was an overreaction to one unsteady week, especially since he has already earned a starting job on the offensive line, but that can only be determined which side was right in the coming years.
Oklahoma’s top three running backs – Eric Gray, Jovantae Barnes and Marcus Major – were all four-star recruits. In the 2020 class, Marvin Mims was a fringe Rivals250 receiver who finished No. 47 in the position rankings, which was clearly far too low considering his output in Norman. Leading tackler David Ugwoegbu was a four-star athlete outside the Rivals250 in the 2019 class.
*****
THREE-STARS
Brayden Willis (USA Today Sports Images) OKLAHOMA: 31 | TEXAS: 28
Overview: Texas’ Jaylan Ford was a low three-star linebacker from Frisco (Texas) Lone Star who didn’t receive offers from Oklahoma or Oklahoma State but is now the top tackler by far on the Longhorns’ defense. For the Sooners, tight end Brayden Willis, who also had only a handful of other Power Five offers, leads the team with four receiving touchdowns. Former three-star linebacker Danny Stutsman out of Winter Garden (Fla.) Foundation Academy is second on Oklahoma with 42 tackles.
[ad_2]
Adam Gorney, National Recruiting Director
Source link -
One dead as tear gas forces Boca abandonment
[ad_1]
At least one person died after clashes between fans and police forced the Argentine league match between Gimnasia La Plata and Boca Juniors to be abandoned Thursday.
The match was stopped after nine minutes by referee Hernan Mastrangelo amid serious incidents outside the stadium that led the police to fire tear gas, with the official citing a lack of security to control the situation.
According to authorities, fans of the local team, Gimnasia, were trying to force their way into an already packed stadium. Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to force the fans to retreat.
“Unfortunately, there is a dead person,” said Sergio Berni, minister of security for the province of Buenos Aires. “He died of a heart problem when he was transported to the hospital.” The tear gas entered the field with pictures showing players and fans covering their faces, while supporters made their way onto the pitch looking for a quick exit.
Berni gave no other details about the circumstances in which the person died.
The Argentine Football Association posted a statement on its Twitter account condemning the incident and violence: “The AFA strongly repudiates the events that took place today in the vicinity of Gimnasia stadium and expresses its commitment to continue working to eradicate this kind of incidents that tarnishes the spirit of football.”
Only Gimnasia fans were in Juan Carmelo Zerillo Stadium in La Plata since Buenos Aires province banned supporters of visiting teams from games in 2013 amid frequent outbreaks of violence.
Gimnasia player Leonardo Morales said: “My 2-year-old son couldn’t breathe. We feel desperate and worried about all the people in the stands. This is crazy. We were playing a normal football game and it turned it into this and the feeling that our relatives almost died.”
The incident in Argentina comes on the heels of a tragedy at a soccer match in Indonesia on Saturday that left at least 125 people dead after police fired tear gas inside the stadium, causing chaotic scenes in which fans were trampled on and suffocated.
Attention in Indonesia immediately focused on the police use of tear gas. Witnesses described police beating them with sticks and shields before shooting canisters directly into the crowds.
On Monday, an Indonesian police chief and nine elite officers were removed from their posts, while 18 others were being investigated as the government tried to determine what led to the use of force and tear gas.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
[ad_2]
-
Rivals.com – Three-Point Stance: Arkansas’ ceiling, 2023 WR in Texas, 2024 in Louisiana
[ad_1]
Rivals national recruiting analyst Nick Harris takes a look at how far Arkansas can go in recruiting under Sam Pittman, the available options at wide receiver for Texas and Texas A&M in 2023 and the rising talent in the 2024 class in Louisiana.
*****
CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals100
TRANSFER PORTAL: Stories/coverage | Message board
*****
1. What is Arkansas’ recruiting ceiling?
Arkansas commit Malachi Singleton (Twitter) In Sam Pittman‘s third season at Arkansas, the Razorbacks are continuing to show signs of improvement from year-to-year and giving the Fayetteville faithful multiple reasons to believe that bright times are ahead, and it’s easy to see why.
Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles has Arkansas among the top 30 in total offense, the Razorbacks have at least competed with every team in the SEC aside from Georgia since Pittman’s arrival and most importantly the culture that Pittman has built has recruits buying in to the future as well. But that begs me to ask the question, what exactly is Arkansas’ ceiling on the recruiting trail?
The Razorbacks are on pace for their first top 15 finish in Rivals history behind having some big names in the class such as four-star quarterback Malachi Singleton, in-state four-star tight end Shamar Easter and athletic four-star cornerback Jaylon Braxton, to name a few. However, Arkansas hasn’t been able to enter the conversation of being a dangerous recruiter outside of its own region which is something that would help push the Razorbacks into the top 10 conversation.
Winning cures all problems, and it surely looks like Pittman will do quite a bit of that in the years to come, but is it possible for him to hit a ceiling in the toughest conference in college sports? I think it’s premature to answer that question, but for a program that hasn’t really been able to fully overcome the nationally elite programs since before the turn of the century, we have to consider the possibility that it may be too tough to do in the new era of college football.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ARKANSAS FANS AT HAWGBEAT.COM
*****
2. The answer for Texas and Texas A&M at wide receiver is in the state of Texas.
Justin Stevenson (Rivals.com) The wide receiver talent in the state of Texas in the class of 2023 isn’t as deep as previous or future classes, but the talent remains, even with a lot of the options already off of the board.
For the state’s two flagship programs, Texas and Texas A&M both have holes in their respective classes at the wide receiver position. The Longhorns are down to two pledges after losing a commitment from four-star Jonah Wilson last Saturday and the Aggies have yet to find a commit at the position at all.
Fortunately, there are multiple options that are more than capable of that level of play still in the state of Texas that just need one of these programs to reach out and initiate contact.
We can start with a list of commits that I believe could be “flippable” if approached correctly: LSU commit Kyle Parker, four-star Texas Tech commit Tyrone West and Baylor commit Micah Gifford. All three have had strong senior seasons and could be solid fits for each program.
As for uncommitted prospects, three-star Justin Stevenson remains one of the most athletic under-recruited prospects in the entire state, regardless of position. Ja’Ryan Wallace is experiencing a wave of attention following a public spat with Florida State earlier this week and could provide an athletic body into either receiver room. Wilson also remains an option for both programs despite decommitting from Texas, but I would especially be intrigued if Texas A&M were to pursue.
Both programs are looking from a national lens to fill the remaining spots, and rightfully so with legitimate chances at top prospects. But if it comes down to expanding the board, their own backyard is a solid starting spot.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TEXAS FANS AT ORANGEBLOODS.COM
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TEXAS A&M FANS AT AGGIEYELL.COM
*****
3. The class of 2024 in Louisiana is only getting stronger as the season goes on.
Tylen Singleton (Rivals.com) Year after year, the state of Louisiana produces some of the most athletic prospects across the country that go on to play at the Power Five level and dominate after a year or two of development. It’s almost been like clockwork seeing products from The Boot dominate on the college ranks based off of developed raw athletic traits, and I don’t see the 2024 class being any different.
In the class’ current junior season, prospects from across the state, including those at the top, are starting to prove their worth among the elite and highly recruited.
We can start up top with four-stars Tylen Singleton, Trey’Drez Green and Wardell Mack who have all taken on a bigger role this season and are taking full advantage while showing mass offseason improvements along the way. Four-star Ju’Juan Johnson generated a ton of buzz on the college camp circuit and has shown on the field that he is worthy of the attention. On the defensive side of the ball, four-star outside linebacker Kolaj Cobbins is racking up offers amid a huge junior season rushing the passer.
Further into the ranks, I continue to love what I see from LSU commit Xavier Atkins. An absolute tackling machine, Atkins is always the most impactful player on the field when he steps between the lines. Johnson’s teammate at Lafayette (La.) Christian Academy, Sandy Lewis, is also making noise after picking up offers from Alabama and Texas A&M over the summer. Just southeast of Lafayette in New Iberia, defensive end De’Myrion Johnson has colleges keeping a close eye amid a strong junior year.
When the season is said and done, there is the potential for 12-15 four-star prospects to come out of Louisiana as the state continues to churn out talent in 2024.
[ad_2]
Nick Harris, National Recruiting Analyst
Source link -
Skysports (Sky Sports)
[ad_1]
Make sure the URL in the address bar contains no capital letters or spaces and please check your bookmarks.
Popular Links
[ad_2]
