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NFL's top ten coaches for upcoming 2024-2025 season | The Herd
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Category: Sports
Sports News | ReportWire publishes the latest breaking U.S. and world news, trending topics and developing stories from around globe.
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Nick breaks down why Jalen Brunson signed a ‘discounted’ extension with the Knicks | What’s Wright? | Fox News Video
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Nick breaks down why Jalen Brunson signed a 'discounted' extension with the Knicks | What's Wright?
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World Matchplay Darts: Luke Humphries defeats Dimitri Van den Bergh as James Wade plots remarkable story
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A lethal Luke Humphries made it through to the semi-finals of the World Matchplay on Thursday after dispatching Dimitri Van den Bergh to set up a meeting with James Wade.
The world champion averaged 101.21, including a spectacular 164 on his way to a 16-10 victory over ‘The Dream Maker’.
He next faces 2007 champion Wade on Saturday after ‘The Machine’ booked his place in the semi-finals for the first time in nine years with a fine win over Ross Smith by the same scoreline.
It was a fast start from the world No 1, who broke Van den Bergh in the opening leg and then again to lead 3-0 on the back of four maximums.
Van den Bergh – who beat Humphries in the final of the UK Open in March – then got on the board against the darts before pulling another leg back going into the first interval just 3-2 behind.
The Belgian – World Matchplay champion behind closed doors in Milton Keynes in 2020 – then levelled the match after the restart as Humphries failed to take out 46, which Van den Bergh then finished on to move ahead for the first time at 4-3.
Humphries hit this whopping bullseye finish during his win against Van den Bergh
Humphries stopped the rot to hold on his next throw, and then there remained little between the pair as the world champion took an 8-7 lead into the mid-session break.
A checkout of 115 followed by taking another leg off Van den Bergh’s darts saw Humphries edge 11-8 in front, only for the Belgian to pull one back again before the next interval.
Humphries, though, then went up through the gears, with a stunning 164 finish seeing him win five straight legs and mimic Van den Bergh’s ‘chicken celebration’ to complete a 16-10 victory and moved into the World Matchplay semi-finals for the second straight year.
Humphries says he didn’t feel himself despite beating Van den Bergh as the pair exchanged mind games
“After the first five legs I felt deflated and tired, which can happen in random games – I just did not feel the real Luke Humphries up there tonight,” Humphries said on Sky Sports.
“But I said to myself ‘just stick in there, work hard and don’t leg your mind play games with you’.
“I worked incredibly hard in that last session to get over the line, and it was a great performance in the last few legs.”
Vintage display from Wade
Former champion James Wade produced a vintage display to beat Ross Smith
Wade produced a scintillating performance, averaging 100.30 and hitting 13 180s to reach a ninth World Matchplay semi-final.
An underdog coming into the tie, Wade was a front-runner for the bulk of the contest with his trademark finishing under pressure denying ‘Smudger’ a way back.
Wade says there’s a lot more to come after beating Smith
“I feel really good after that,” said Wade. “I enjoyed the game, it was a great game and I’m just glad that I played a little bit better than Ross on the night.
“He played really well at the start; I felt like I dragged him into a scrap and then I took charge.
“My scoring was good but I’ve been playing a lot better in practice so it’s not something I’m surprised by.
“I thought I could’ve played better at times and I know I can play a lot better than that.”
Smith flew out of the traps, averaging 114 in the opening five legs to take a 3-2 lead.
Take a look at some of Wade’s best moments from his quarter-final win…
Wade landed checkouts of 120 and 121 on his way to taking a 6-4 lead, before hitting his third ton-plus finish of the match to lead 8-5.
After Wade missed four darts for a 10-5 cushion, Smith took advantage with a clinical 107 finish to cut the gap to 9-6.
Wade then kicked for home, winning three of the next four legs to take a 12-7 lead before Smith took out 107 for a second time to stay in touch.
Smith continued to scrap, hitting a magnificent 161 checkout to stay in contention at 13-10, but that proved to be his last leg as Wade reeled off a trio of legs to seal victory.
What’s happening on Friday at the World Matchplay?
Michael van Gerwen returns to action at the Winter Gardens on Friday
The 2024 Betfred World Matchplay continues at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool, with the last two quarter-finals on Friday, July 19 on Sky Sports Action from 8pm and Sky Sports Main Event from 9pm. Get instant access to the World Matchplay for £26 with NOW.
Three-time champion Michael van Gerwen continues his title challenge against Andrew Gilding in the last eight, in a repeat of their memorable 2023 UK Open decider, while Rob Cross faces a fascinating quarter-final showdown against Michael Smith.
The iconic summer tournament sees 32 of the world’s top stars battling it out across nine days for the Phil Taylor Trophy and £800,000 in prize money.
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Stream Sky Sports live with no contract on a Month or Day membership on NOW. Instant access to live action from the Premier League and EFL, plus darts, cricket, tennis, golf and so much more.
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Pack report: Teams split nearly $13B in revenue
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GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers received a record amount of national revenue from the NFL in fiscal year 2024, resulting in a profit from operations of $60.1 million.
The Packers and the rest of the NFL’s 32 teams for the first time received more than $400 million from the league. With the team getting $402.3 million in national revenue, that means the NFL split nearly $13 billion among the teams. Last year (fiscal 2023) was the first time over $12 billion; the year before was the first time over $10 billion.
Despite being the NFL’s smallest-market team, Green Bay continues to generate strong revenues.
Overall, the Packers’ net profit was down 12.5 percent from $68.6 million in fiscal year 2023. While local revenue increased from $235.9 million to $251.8 million, the 6.7 percent gain wasn’t enough to offset the increasing costs of stadium depreciation and player salaries.
“I think probably the main takeaway is that it’s another strong year from a financial standpoint for the Packers, and I think really speaks to the popularity overall of the NFL,” Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy said on Tuesday at Lambeau Field.
As the NFL’s only publicly owned franchise, the Packers disclose their expenses and revenues each year.
Business is booming in the NFL. What Murphy called the “strategic” streaming of games, such as the new Christmas Day package on Netflix, will create additional revenue for player salaries and continued improvements of the venerable stadium.
“One of the things the league has talked about is trying to meet people where they are,” Murphy said.
In 2023, 93 of the 100 most-watched TV broadcasts were NFL games.
“It’s one of the few things that people watch live anymore,” Murphy said. “We’re very fortunate that we’re in that position and the networks are willing to pay, but we’re also looking at where the future is going and, certainly, streaming is growing.”
The Packers are preparing to transition from Murphy to Ed Policy, with Murphy set to hit the mandatory retirement age of 70 in July 2025.
With high hopes after making the playoffs in 2023 with quarterback Jordan Love, the Packers should continue to have the financial resources necessary to field a competitive team.
“We are in a good, strong financial position, but there will be challenges along the way,” Murphy said. “Things are changing within the league with the new ownership, the private equity, new owners, billionaires. The revenue sharing, I don’t see that changing in the short term, but if that ever changes, that could be an issue.”
“We don’t have a rich, deep-pocketed owner,” he added. “The economics of the league are changing pretty dramatically.”
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Chelsea condemn Fernández’s racist chant
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Chelsea have condemned all discriminatory behaviour and started an internal disciplinary procedure in the wake of Argentina‘s derogatory song about French players, the club said in a statement.
The French Football Federation (FFF) announced on Tuesday it would file a legal complaint over “racist and discriminatory remarks” made by Chelsea player Enzo Fernández and his Argentina teammates about France‘s team after Sunday’s Copa América victory over Colombia.
“Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour completely unacceptable,” a club statement said on Wednesday.
“We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities and identities feel welcome.”
Following Argentina’s 1-0 win over Colombia in the final, Fernández posted a video on Instagram that was widely viewed on X. The video showed the Argentina players singing offensive chants that singled out France players of African heritage.
The same chants — by some Argentina fans — emerged before France and Argentina met in the 2022 World Cup final, which Argentina won.
France defender Wesley Fofana displayed his discontent with his Chelsea teammate and reposted the video, citing the chant as “uninhibited racism.”
Chelsea and France forward Christopher Nkunku followed Fofana, saying on X: “God bless them,” talking about the Argentinean team’s derogatory words.
Fernández issued a statement of apology on Instagram admitting the song “includes highly offensive language” but added “those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character. … I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologise for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations.”
French sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra wants FIFA to take action. She replied to a L’Equipe story about the derogatory chants, writing on X: “Pathetic. Behaviour that is all the more unacceptable if it is repeated. @FIFAcom: a reaction?”
FIFA also said it was also looking into the incident after the French federation pledged to file a complaint with the sport’s world governing body over “racist and discriminatory remarks.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said football and its 211 national federations must have a zero tolerance approach to racism and in May committed to relaunching a task force to monitor incidents.
“FIFA is aware of a video circulating on social media and the incident is being looked into,” the governing body said Wednesday. “FIFA strongly condemns any form of discrimination by anyone including players, fans and officials.”
It is unclear what jurisdiction FIFA has over the incident on a team bus after a tournament, but the governing body likely could act if the Argentina federation’s handling of the case is considered unsatisfactory.
Julio Garro, Argentina’s undersecretary for sports, said on Wednesday he felt Argentina football federation president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia as well as team captain Lionel Messi should issue apologies for the chanting.
“This leaves us, as a country, in bad standing after so much glory,” Garro said in an Argentina radio interview.
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Adriana Garcia
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Scottie Scheffler’s fame has found new heights. He’s learning to deal with it
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Follow live coverage of day one at The Open 2024 from Royal Troon today
TROON, Scotland — The questions came every single day, one after the other, pressing Scottie Scheffler about whether he’d leave the Masters if his wife went into labor with their first child. The entire week was framed around this emotional crossroads in his life. People and Us Weekly tracked it like celebrity gossip. Here at The Athletic, we even wrote a story about Scheffler taking the lead into Saturday night without his wife, Meredith, there alongside him.
The baby was not due for another month.
When Bennett was eventually born in May, an ESPN reporter ambiguously broke the news with the hashtag #babyborn. The PGA Tour announced it on the tour website. Scheffler’s arrival that week at the PGA Championship in Louisville, Ky., was like an appearance from the royal family.
Life is suddenly very different for Scottie Scheffler. A golfer once deemed as boring, unexciting and ho-hum has somehow gone from really good golfer to comically famous human being. A player who spoke more than anyone on tour about how important it was to keep golf and life separate — about the essential nature of staying grounded in spite of success and generational wealth — is now in another class of attention. His injuries and equipment changes are headline news. His family is tabloid fodder. A bizarre arrest in Louisville made him an international fascination. His rare weeks when he finishes outside the top 10 at a major are treated like disasters.
Scheffler has been the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world for 96 of the past 121 weeks. Yet it wasn’t until 2024 he became a superstar.
“It’s definitely been a bit trickier,” Scheffler said Tuesday before the Open Championship at Royal Troon. “I think continuing to play better this year definitely — especially at tournaments, I think there’s just a lot more going on day to day. I think I’ve had to almost lean into that more, just continuing to improve my rest so that it’s actually restful.”
Scottie and Meredith Scheffler with son Bennett after Scottie’s win at the Memorial Tournament last month. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)Scheffler has always gone out of his way to keep his life small. He has a few big sponsorships but keeps the number at a minimum. He doesn’t post his life on social media. He stays off his phone a remarkable amount altogether.
And before this year, all of that was fine. He was world No. 1. He was the 2022 Masters champ. But he was maybe the fifth-most famous player in his sport. He could be normal. Brush off an occasional interview? No big deal. Don’t sign for a fan? Eh, he wants other people more anyway.
But something has noticeably shifted alongside his game’s elevation to a new level in 2024. He’s won six big-time tournaments in his last 10 starts, including a second Masters green jacket in April. Conversations around major championships have become, “Who’s your pick, you know, outside of Scottie?” And though a year ago his galleries were solid but unremarkable, Scheffler now has the largest following aside from Tiger Woods as fans want to see history.
There is now a responsibility element to his public appearances. He seems to grasp that.
“It’s a pretty cool feeling to be able to make someone’s day by signing an autograph or taking a picture,” Scheffler said. “It’s a pretty fun feeling. I’m trying to embrace more of that side of it than not being able to sign everyone’s autograph. People are upset because you can’t get to them throughout the day. That’s not a fun feeling. I’m trying to lean into more of making somebody’s day by signing something or taking a picture.”
GO DEEPER
YouTube golf is taking over. Will the PGA Tour ‘like and subscribe’?
It’s fascinating the way it’s slowly progressed, so easy to forget that his pre-tournament news conference at the Players Championship in March was filled with countless questions about how unfamous he was, how for whatever reason he didn’t move the needle like other huge stars.
But something happened in the second round of that week. He had won the week before at the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a new putter, and talk increased about how unstoppable he’d be with a better stroke on the greens. Then, that Friday, Scheffler slightly injured his neck, needing massages before each tee shot for several holes. Suddenly, a dozen or so reporters rushed from the media center to catch him on the back nine. It was urgent. It was covered in a way golfers’ injuries are almost never treated. He of course came from behind to win.
His four-shot win at the Masters was treated like an inevitability. He had Tiger-esque odds as a 4-to-1 favorite while constant talk of his coming son hovered over his week. His greatness took on a new tone.
But it was that strange, horrible day in Louisville that took Scheffler across the Rubicon. When Scheffler was thrown against a car and arrested before the second round of the PGA Championship, it was a viral, flashbulb type of moment. By the time he teed off hours after being in a jail cell, fans already had “Free Scottie” T-shirts and bought inmate costumes out of support. They loved him, all because of some freak incident.
How might Scottie Scheffler try to take on the famous Royal Troon bunkers? Find out Live at the Range.https://t.co/0LPQyHprlO@HSBC_UK | #LiveAtTheRange pic.twitter.com/92VGuKMV7u
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 16, 2024
He’s won three more times since that Masters win. When he finished tied for 41st at the U.S. Open in June — his first time outside the top 25 at a major in 2 1/2 years — it was met with concern.
So how does a person who takes such pride in keeping life calm outside of golf handle this new sort of attention? How does he make sure it doesn’t mess with his career?
“I think that’s something that my wife and I are always working on,” Scheffler said. “When we’re at home getting rest, what does it actually look like to be restful? That’s not necessarily sitting there and watching TV. There’s a lot of different things we do to get good quality rest so that, when we come back out on the road and play and do things, I have the energy to compete. I have the energy to — really the social energy to come out and interact with the fans and do this kind of stuff, sit in the media center.”
GO DEEPER
Are Ludvig Åberg’s Sunday doldrums the phenom’s first scar tissues?
This is now the place Scheffler lives, for better or worse. He’s now an ambassador. He’s a celebrity. He has responsibilities and expectations. And sometimes it means strange interactions with strangers recognizing him.
“There’s always some funny ones because I think like sometimes people don’t know exactly what to say, and they can be a bit weird at times,” he said, laughing.
This week at Royal Troon, Scheffler will try to put a cap on a historic year. He has a chance to be the first golfer since Arnold Palmer in 1962 to win seven tournaments by this point in July, and a second major in 2024 would help validate how great he’s been.
So, yes, Scheffler has finally accepted he’s famous. He concedes his life is different and that’s not going away. But do not expect Scheffler to explain why the people love him.
“I couldn’t tell you,” Scheffler said with a smirk. “I guess you’d have to ask them.”
(Top photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
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The New York Times
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Nick Saban is back at SEC Media Days, six months after retiring and asking the questions now
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DALLAS — Nick Saban is at SEC Media Days again, six months after retiring as Alabama coach.
This time he’s asking the questions as part of ESPN’s SEC Network coverage of the four-day event.
“I’m still a coach at heart. So I want to ask the coaches questions so that they can actually talk about things that they want to talk about, and maybe things that they want to be able to get out there,” Saban said Wednesday, a short time before his successor, Kalen DeBoer, made his SEC Media days debut as Tide coach.
“So I’m not trying to put anybody on the defensive,” Saban added. “I’m trying to help them express what they’d like to express about their team, or about a particular player, or about a position on their team.”
Saban, 72, retired in January after 17 seasons with Alabama and three decades as a head coach. The seven-time national champion will work for ESPN this season on its “College GameDay” Saturday pregame show.
He said he doesn’t plan to be critical as a broadcaster.
“I want to be objective. But I don’t want to be controversial,” Saban said. “You could take any decision in any situation that anybody makes and make it controversial. Like, if we go for it on fourth-and-3, we would have 100,000 people in Alabama say, ‘I’m glad he’s going for it.’ And we would have 100,000 people say, ‘He’s a dumbass for going for it.’”
Saban has already made a headline, picking Georgia and Texas, not the Crimson Tide, to play for the SEC championship.
His former players noticed.
“He always said don’t let some guy who lives in his mom’s basement determine how you feel. I’m not going to let a guy who plays golf all day determine how I feel,” offensive tackle Tyler Booker said with a smile.
Saban said he has poured himself into the new job much as if he was still a coach. He prepared “a couple hundred hours” for his role on ESPN’s NFL draft coverage. For SEC Media Days, he said he watched every team’s spring game and called every coach in the conference.
“The biggest thing I miss is the relationships with the people, the players, the coaches, the staff and all the people that you work with, being a part of a team,” Saban said. “That I miss. But, I also got to the point where it was difficult for me to sustain things the way I needed to sustain them, to be satisfied with myself that I was doing a good job. So the last year was hard. So, I said, maybe it’s time for somebody else. I don’t regret that.”
Saban was asked if major college football could ever install a commissioner, would be he interested in the job. He said that’s a question for his wife, Terry.
“I try to go play golf at 7:30 in the morning. So I get home at 11:30,” he said. “I can’t get to the ninth hole without getting a text of ‘This is what I want you to do when you come home.’
“At least let me finish my round. It’s not going to get done any faster.”
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Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
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Rivals.com – Rankings Spotlight: Five positions with the tightest battles at the top
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The preseason rankings update is coming up and there are a handful of really close battles at the top of certain positions. Take a look at the five positions with the tightest battles for No. 1.
QUARTERBACK
Tavien St. Clair Contenders: Julian Lewis, Bryce Underwood, Tavien St. Clair
Quarterback may be the most obvious answer here but it is also probably the tightest race of any of the positions in the 2025 class. No. 1 overall prospect Julian Lewis has had an excellent offseason and continues to show many of the skills that pushed him to the top of the rankings but the uber talented duo of Bryce Underwood and Tavien St. Clair are really pushing him for that No. 1 spot in the quarterback rankings.
Will there be a shake up? What happens in the Rivals250? These are all questions that will be answered in the upcoming rankings refresh.
*****
DEFENSIVE END
Christopher Burgess Jr. (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com) Contenders: Javion Hilson, Nathaniel Marshall, Zahir Mathis, Christopher Burgess Jr.
Pass rushers are some of the most important prospects on a roster and there are many really good ones in this 2025 class but none of them are five stars just yet. Javion Hilson, Nathaniel Marshall, Zahir Mathis and Christopher Burgess Jr. are the top four defensive ends in the class right now and they’re all within 20 spots of each other in the Rivals250.
At No. 19 overall, Hilson is the No. 1 defensive end at the moment. He’s been discussed as a potential five-star since the end of an impressive spring camp season. Marshall has displayed unique traits for the position but has not tested himself this offseason. Mathis and Burgess haven’t shied away from competition and are continuing to develop as expected.
*****
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Elijah Griffin Contenders: Justus Terry, Elijah Griffin
This is a race that will go down to the wire.
Five-star defensive tackles Justus Terry and Elijah Griffin, both out of the state of Georgia, have rare traits for players their size. Each is incredibly explosive and aggressive at the snap and pursues the ball carrier with tenacity. Terry plays a little bit better competition than Griffin but both have the tools to have success at the next level at an early stage of their college careers.
Neither participated in offseason events so they’re senior seasons will tell the story about how their order in the final Rivals250 plays out.
*****
LINEBACKER
Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com) Contenders: Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, Riley Pettijohn
After getting an up-close look at Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and Riley Pettijohn at the Rivals Five-Star in Jacksonville last month, it’s hard to argue against these two outstanding prospects being the top-ranked linebackers in the Rivals250. They both possess unique abilities for their position. They have the size, speed, explosiveness, physical style, and playmaking ability to warrant their lofty ranking.
Are they five-stars? Which one should be ranked higher? This is the debate that will play out during rankings meetings.
*****
SAFETY
Hylton Stubbs (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com) Contenders: Jonah Williams, Trey McNutt, Hylton Stubbs, Faheem Delane
The safety rankings have been a hot button issue throughout the cycle and it will be another heavily debated position during the rankings meetings. Five-star Jonah Williams holds down the No. 1 spot right now but right on his tail are Trey McNutt, Hylton Stubbs and Faheem Delane.
The offseason came and went without much on-field action from Williams or McNutt but Stubbs and Delane were eager to compete and show off their physical and technical development.
Each of these safeties bring slightly different skill sets and measurables to the table so they don’t all fit into defensive schemes the same way. Figuring out which one should be at the top of the list will be a lengthy discussion.
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Adam Friedman, Rankings Director and National Transfer Portal Analyst
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Leny Yoro: Lille defender flying to UK for Manchester United medical after £50m deal agreed
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Lille defender Leny Yoro is flying to the UK for a medical with Manchester United after a deal worth over £50m was agreed.
Man Utd have agreed personal terms in principle with the 18-year-old.
It was thought Real Madrid were the Frenchman’s preference, but Man Utd have been working to convince him to join.
There is still work to do as a deal is not fully done, but Man Utd are now optimistic they can get it over the line.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite and Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt are players Man Utd still admire – and remain options, subject to having budget and squad space available as window evolves.
More to follow…
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When does the summer transfer window close?
The 2024 summer transfer window officially closes on August 30 at 11pm UK time in the Premier League and 11.30pm in Scotland.
The Premier League has brought forward Deadline Day to link up with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
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Higgins to play on tag in ’24 as deadline passes
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CINCINNATI — What has been trending for months is finally official.
The Bengals and Tee Higgins did not reach a long-term deal ahead of Monday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline, leaving the wide receiver to play for Cincinnati on the one-year franchise tag in 2024.
It also puts Higgins in a unique category. Of the eight NFL players who were designated as franchise players in March, Higgins is the only one who did not receive a multiyear deal by Monday’s deadline for players who received the franchise or transition tag to reach long-term deals. Two of those players were traded before reaching deals — Brian Burns to the New York Giants and L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans.
Higgins is set to earn $21.8 million this season via his franchise tender.
According to the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association, Higgins will not be eligible to sign an extension until after the final regular-season game of the season.
The expiration of Monday’s deadline is the latest development in Higgins’ contract situation.
The Bengals officially placed Higgins under the franchise tag on Feb. 26. A few weeks later and just before the start of free agency, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Higgins had requested a trade from the team.
However, at his youth football camp in April, Higgins told reporters that he intended to play for the Bengals in 2024. And once Cincinnati wrapped up its offseason workouts, Higgins signed the franchise tag on June 17.
“I’m excited to move forward with Tee,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said in a statement announcing the transaction. “He’s done a great job handling his situation, and we are happy to get him back in the fold so we can start working toward a great 2024 season.”
A former second-round pick in 2020, Higgins has been a crucial part of Cincinnati’s offense over the past four years. In his first three seasons, Higgins amassed 3,028 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns in the regular season. That doesn’t include his performance in Super Bowl LVI in February 2022, when he caught both of Cincinnati’s touchdowns in a 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
In 2023, injuries hampered Higgins throughout the season. A rib injury and a hamstring issue limited Higgins to a career-low 12 games. He caught 42 of 77 targets for 656 yards and five touchdowns.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano contributed to this report.
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Ben Baby
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Jontay Porter, banned from NBA, asks court for permission to resume career in Greece
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Jontay Porter, who has been banned from the NBA after admitting that he helped bettors by intentionally underperforming in games, asked a federal court Tuesday for permission to resume his playing career in Greece
Jontay Porter, who has been banned from the NBA after admitting that he helped bettors by intentionally underperforming in games, asked a federal court Tuesday for permission to resume his playing career in Greece.
Porter, in a letter sent by attorney Jeff Jensen, is asking that some conditions of his bond be modified so that he can get his U.S. passport back, be allowed to travel in Europe and to reside in Patras, Greece. Jensen told the court that Porter would play for the Greek club Promitheas BC.
Prosecutors have no opposition to the request, Jensen wrote.
“The proposed modification would allow Mr. Porter to pursue a very fortunate — and quickly diminishing — opportunity to earn income through his primary skillset,” Jensen wrote. “Mr. Porter, and more importantly his agent, believe such an opportunity is unlikely to arise again. … Since being banned from the NBA there have been no other opportunities available to continue his basketball career. Mr. Porter has a limited window to earn an income through professional basketball during his prime earning years as a professional athlete.”
Porter, 24, pleaded guilty last month to a federal conspiracy crime in the scandal that got him banned from the league. He is free on $250,000 bond while awaiting sentencing set on Dec. 18 and prosecutors have estimated that he could be facing a range from just under three and a half years in prison to a little over four years.
Jensen has said Porter “was in over his head due to a gambling addiction.” Porter told the court he has undergone inpatient rehab for a gambling problem and remains in therapy, which is being done virtually and wouldn’t be affected by a move to Greece, Jensen said. The Greek club has also arranged in-person counseling for Porter, and plans call for his mother and mother-in-law to regularly be with Porter and his wife in Greece to provide additional family support. Porter’s wife is also expecting a baby, Jensen said.
Porter averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 26 games, including five starts for Toronto this past season. He also played in 11 games for Memphis in the 2020-21 season.
Porter was banned by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in April after a league probe found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors and wagered on games.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
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Rivals.com – Fact or Fiction: Miami commit Hylton Stubbs is nearing five-star status
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Rivals national recruiting analyst John Garcia Jr. is joined by national rankings director Adam Friedman and national recruiting analysts Marshall Levenson and Sam Spiegelman to tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
1.
Blue-chip Miami commitment Hylton Stubbs is on the verge of earning his fifth star.
Hylton Stubbs Friedman: FACT. Hylton Stubbs isn’t a no-brainer five-star but he’s proven time and time again that he is one of the best defensive backs in this class and he has a set of skills that translates to the next level. His top end speed is a bit worrisome for a prospect we’d essentially be predicting will be a first round draft pick but his coverage skills in the secondary, wingspan, leaping abilities, and physical style all give me confidence in him becoming a standout at the next level.
Garcia: FACT. There are few prospects who have seemingly upped their stock at just about every opportunity over the last year or so the way Stubbs has. He had a monster junior season at Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin, profiling as a balanced leader on the back-end, flashing with his range and ball skills in coverage while plenty willing to work down the alley or into the box to make noise closer to the line of scrimmage.
What has been revealed since the 2023 campaign is just how comfortable Stubbs is in space, where his man coverage skills have been at or near the top compared to any non cornerback projections in the cycle. It continued back at the Rivals Five-Star, where the Miami commitment won the vertical leap challenge, had a strong run in one-on-ones and also helped lead his team to the 7-on-7 tournament crown.
2.
Clemson is in the driver’s seat for four-star linebacker Logan Anderson.
Logan Anderson (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com) Spiegelman: FACT. No prospect in the South had a more productive camp season than Logan Anderson, who has shined in his transition from safety down to linebacker and tested and performed well at college campuses across the region this summer. Since May 31, Anderson has collected offers from the likes of Georgia, Clemson, Auburn, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, among others, while also flashing during the Rivals Five-Star event at the end of June.
As Anderson looks to lock in a decision before his senior season, Ole Miss and Clemson are the two programs trending at the top with the speedy second-level defender. Anderson is set to get back to Death Valley at the end of the month. I like the Tigers’ chances with Anderson, who fits the profile of a Clemson recruit.
Garcia: FACT. The Tigers are all but a public leader for the speedy linebacker at this point and the return trip to campus should only push that narrative further. Anderson has long been high on Ole Miss, too, and the allure of playing SEC ball won’t be easy to turn down for the Alabama native. If he holds onto the preseason decision timeline, the Tigers look like a safe bet at this time, but there has already been some delay to his decision-making process — so the door for the Rebels or others may still be cracked open.
Anderson was arguably the nation’s hottest camp prospect so it would be somewhat fitting for him to end the process where his rise took shape in Death Valley.
*****
3.
Four-star QB Ty Hawkins would not have flipped to SMU if not for the program’s move into the ACC.
Ty Hawkins Levenson: FACT. I would go as far to say that the move to the ACC was the single biggest catalyst for Ty Hawkins‘ flip to SMU. The resources, growing national brand and new competitive aspects of the programs were the three primary factors in his interest in the Mustangs.
Because of the move into the power four conferences, SMU has been able to rake in hundreds of millions of dollars of funding into the program. That has also brought in big donors who are willing to fund NIL for SMU. If the move never took place, that same support would not have been built up.
Playing in a power conference and being able to play early was a massive goal for Hawkins and with all the resources being poured into SMU, he has been open that they allow him to have the best opportunities, both on and off the field, including when he is done with college.
Garcia: FACT. Hawkins was a longtime pledge to Sonny Dykes and TCU and the Lone Star State native wasn’t an easy flip away from the program. It means all of the factors had to have been in play to make the move, and the optics of voluntarily leaving a Power Four “spot” as the face of the next recruiting class (and possibly beyond) for one at a lower level would present a different type of way. SMU’s move into the ACC, which all of a sudden feels wide open, wasn’t met with much surprise in the industry — maybe outside of timing.
That Power Four threshold is a legitimate milestone for every recruit, and we know how accelerated and fluid it is for the quarterback position, so every data point at the top of the list played a large part. Plenty comes along with the move into the top tier of the sport, of course, but the surface of perception boost holds its own weight.
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John Garcia Jr., National Recruiting Analyst
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Rafael Nadal beats Leo Borg in Swedish Open singles to set up Cameron Norrie clash
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Rafael Nadal returned to singles action with victory over Bjorn Borg’s son Leo at the Swedish Open, live on Sky Sports.
The pairing of the names of the two best men’s clay-courters of the Open era provoked excitement within tennis, although 21-year-old Leo appears highly unlikely to have a career anything like that of his father.
Ranked 461, Leo was given a wild card for the tournament in Bastad and competed well against his illustrious opponent before succumbing to a 6-3 6-4 defeat.
“Great feelings,” said Nadal in his on-court interview.
“For me it has been a huge honour to play against the son of one of the biggest legends in the history of our sport.
“I think he played quite well, he has a future in front of him so I wish him all the very best.”
Bjorn Borg’s son Leo produced a moment of magic to lob Rafael Nadal in their first round match at the Swedish Open
Nadal was playing his first singles match since an opening-round loss to Alexander Zverev at the French Open in May.
The 38-year-old decided to stay on clay rather than risk further injury by switching to grass and has been practising with the goal of being at his best for the Paris Olympics later this month.
Nadal should have a stiffer test next against British number two Cameron Norrie, who defeated Jozef Kovalik in the first round on Monday.
Nadal and Norrie will face off live on Sky Sports Tennis on Thursday.
Nadal will next face Britain’s Cameron Norrie, who beat Jozef Kovalik in straight sets to reach the second round of the Swedish Open
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?
Find out all the ways to watch tennis on Sky Sports, including the US Open, ATP and WTA tours
In the run-up to the final Grand Slam of 2024 – the US Open – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the hard-court season.
- Hamburg Open (ATP 500) 15-21 July
- Newport Hall of Fame Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
- Swiss Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
- Bastad Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
- Palermo Ladies Open (WTA 250) 15-21 July
- Hungarian Grand Prix (WTA 250) 15-21 July
- Prague Open (WTA 250) 21-26 July
- Iasi Open (WTA 250) 21-26 July
- Umag Open (ATP 250) 21-26 July
Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.
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Soto: ‘Nobody knows’ where future will take him
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ARLINGTON, Texas — There will come a time when New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto will take his seat at All-Star media day and won’t face constant questions about his future. Monday wasn’t that time.
For the third straight year, Soto, wearing a different jersey on each occasion, attracted a hive of reporters more interested in his cloudy future than the Hall of Fame trajectory he has carved out.
Two years ago, in Los Angeles, Soto, representing the Washington Nationals, was smack in the middle of trade rumors. He was traded days later. Last summer, wearing a San Diego Padres uniform, the question was whether he would sign a contract extension. Instead, he was traded again in December. On Monday, he donned the sport’s most famous pinstripes at Globe Life Field with free agency looming mere months away.
“It’s a little uncomfortable wearing different jerseys and changing teams,” Soto acknowledged in Spanish. “I’m looking forward to wearing one for a long time.”
Soto’s short time in a Yankees jersey has thus far been a resounding success. He has become an instant fan favorite by slashing .295/.426/.558 with 23 home runs, a league-leading 79 walks and a swagger ideal for New York City. He has done it batting in front of fellow All-Star starter Aaron Judge, creating a historic duo that has fueled the Yankees to a 58-40 record.
“Soto’s been amazing,” Judge said. “He’s the best hitter I’ve ever seen.”
Soto’s production earned him his fourth straight All-Star appearance — and surprisingly his first as a starter — before his 26th birthday. Whether his fifth All-Star Game appearance will be as a Yankee will almost certainly be decided after a high-stakes offseason bidding war. Does he see himself as a Yankee beyond this season?
“Who wouldn’t want to be with a team that wins?” Soto said. “For me, while you’re on a winning team, it’s always good to be there and be a part of it.”
A player of Soto’s profile — an established superstar with October bona fide credentials entering his age-26 season — is unprecedented and could prompt offers in the half-billion-dollar range. The New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Nationals are among the clubs expected to compete with the Yankees for Soto’s services.
“That decision’s all based on him and his family and what they want to do and what feels right,” Judge said. “As a teammate, it’s just about being supportive for him and showing him what New York can offer. I think the fans have definitely shown him a lot of love and shown him what he means to the city. I wish him nothing but the best. He’s going to make the right decision for what’s best for him.”
For now, Soto’s focus will be on helping New York rebound after a dreadful month sullied a resounding start to the season. The Yankees owned the best record in the majors as late as June 19 but have lost 18 of 26 games to drop to second place in the AL East.
“Nobody said it would be easy,” Soto said. “At the beginning it looked like it was easy, but of course it’s not that easy.”
The worst loss of the bunch came before scattering for the All-Star break Sunday when, with a chance to sweep the Baltimore Orioles and reclaim first place on the road, the Yankees committed two defensive gaffes with two outs in the ninth inning and were walked off with closer Clay Holmes on the mound.
“We’ve felt like we’ve been tested in a sense, but at the same time we know the players we have, the team we are, what we need to do to play our best baseball when it matters the most,” said Holmes, the Yankees’ third All-Star. “I think it’s probably good for us to build some resilience and show us what we need to improve on and how we need to improve our game.”
Holmes, like Soto, is one several impending free agents on the Yankees. It was a club built with championship-or-bust expectations for 2024 that could look very different in 2025. How different could depend on Soto’s decision this winter.
“If I knew the future,” Soto said with a laugh, “I would play the lottery. Nobody knows the future. At the end of the day, I’m enjoying this moment, representing the New York Yankees. … I’m very happy to be part of [the game], but nobody knows what will happen next year.”
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Jorge Castillo
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With no extension for Tee Higgins, are Bengals’ big three headed for final run?
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CINCINNATI — The throw from quarterback Joe Burrow to Tee Higgins was poised to become a franchise-defining play for the Bengals.
In Super Bowl LVI against the Los Angeles Rams on Feb. 13, 2022, Burrow heaved the ball toward Higgins, one of his top wide receivers. Higgins turned, leaped, caught the pass and ran into the end zone for a 75-yard touchdown and a 17-13 lead early in the third quarter. It was the second TD for Higgins, who had 100 yards on four receptions.
The Rams ultimately won 23-20 to keep Cincinnati waiting for its first Lombardi Trophy. But a play that serves as a footnote is a reminder of what is possible — at least for one more season.
Between the regular season and playoffs, Higgins and teammate Ja’Marr Chase have combined for 51 touchdown catches and 7,399 receiving yards on passes from Burrow. But after Monday, this could be the last year Burrow will have this 1-2 combination. Higgins and the Bengals failed to reach an agreement on a long-term deal by Monday evening, which means Higgins will play 2024 on the franchise tag before entering free agency.
Even if it will cost Cincinnati $21.8 million to have Higgins for just a year, it’s a price the Bengals felt was worth investing to keep their passing trio together for a little bit longer.
“He’s one of the top receivers in this league,” coach Zac Taylor said at the NFL scouting combine earlier this year. “We don’t want that just walking out of the building.
“So when you get an opportunity to put a tag on him and keep him in the building and let him play at least another year for us, I think that’s critical.”
Higgins has been a massive part of Cincinnati’s rebuild under Taylor. When the Bengals drafted Burrow with the first overall pick in 2020, they used their next pick to take Higgins at the top of the second round. One year later, Cincinnati added Chase, Burrow’s former teammate at LSU.
Those three picks paved the way for one of the best runs in franchise history. In 2021 and 2022, Cincinnati won the AFC North and reached the conference championship game in each of those playoff runs, splitting games against Kansas City. Chase (3 times) and Burrow (1 time) have each made the Pro Bowl, while Higgins has remained productive when healthy.
However, maintaining that success comes at a steep cost. At $55 million annually, Burrow is the highest-paid player in NFL history. Chase is in line for a mammoth extension as well. Despite the lack of accolades, Higgins’ production has also warranted a significant payday.
That’s what makes the situation so precarious. Cincinnati is at risk of tying up significant chunks of its salary cap in three players. A precedent was set by the Philadelphia Eagles, who have given extensions to a quarterback (Jalen Hurts) and two receivers (A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith) that will take up more than 18% of their cap space in 2025, according to data from OverTheCap.
The Bengals could tag Higgins for a second straight year, but that would be back-to-back years of paying a premium, fully guaranteed salary.
“You’ve got to be really judicious with your money,” Bengals de facto general manager Duke Tobin said at the combine. “You’ve got to determine what’s needed and what’s just wanted. Like I’ve said before, it’s a finite pie, and we slice it up a lot of different ways.”
The numbers show how effective Cincinnati’s offense is when Burrow has Chase and Higgins at his disposal. When all three players have been on the field at the same time during the regular season, Cincinnati averages 5.8 yards per play, according to ESPN Stats & Information. To put that in perspective, the San Francisco 49ers lead the NFL in that category during that span at 6.2 yards per play.
After the Bengals ended 2023 by missing the playoffs for the first time since Burrow and Higgins’ rookie season, Burrow emphasized Higgins’ importance to Cincinnati’s success.
“He’s a big part of what we’ve done here,” Burrow said in January.
When the Bengals start training camp next Wednesday, it’ll mark the start of potentially the last run of Burrow, Chase and Higgins all in the same offense. It’s an opportunity Cincinnati will have to maximize if the trio wants another crack at leading the Bengals back to the Super Bowl.
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Ben Baby
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Bohm and Ramirez pace 1st round of HR Derby, Alonso’s bid for 3rd title ends without advancing
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ARLINGTON, Texas — Switch-hitting Cleveland third baseman José Ramírez and Philadelphia third baseman Alec Bohm both hit 21 homers in the first round of the Home Run Derby on Monday night, advancing to the semifinals with Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández.
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso’s bid to join Ken Griffey Jr. as a three-time derby champion ended when he hit only 12 homers in the first round.
Instead of a single-elimination bracket like last year, the four hitters with the most homers in the first round advanced to the semifinal round.
Witt, who went to high school only about 15 minutes from Globe Life Park, hit 20 homers, while Hernández had 19.
Alonso hit a 428-foot homer to left-centerfield on his first swing, but couldn’t get into a groove. The others knocked out after the first round were hometown favorite Adolis García, the Texas Rangers’ right fielder who was the AL Championship Series MVP last season, Atlanta outfielder Marcell Ozuna and Baltimore shortstop Gunnar Henderson.
Ozuna did have the longest homer of the first round at 473 feet.
Bohm, one of a franchise-record eight Phillies named All-Stars, has only 11 homers this season — the fewest among the eight derby competitors. He said he was going to try to hit as many balls as he could to left field and did — pulling all 21 of his homers that way in the first round.
“Who would have thought,” he said after the first round.
Ramirez hit left-handed, a change from what he has done when hitting in past home run contests, and what he had planned until a round of batting practice Monday.
It still felt like 100 degrees (38 Celsius) outside Globe Life Park when the derby began, but the retractable roof was closed on the stadium that opened in 2020. When the Rangers hosted the 1995 All-Star Game across the street in their old stadium without a roof, the derby wasn’t yet a prime-time event and was held in the sweltering mid-afternoon heat.
Frank Thomas won in 1995 with 15 homers over three rounds in a different format. Albert Belle finished with a total of 16, then a Home Run Derby record, but Thomas beat him 3-2 in the final round.
With García knocked out, there remain only three players who have won the title in their home ballpark. The last was Bryce Harper when he was still with the Washington Nationals in 2018, after Cincinnati’s Todd Frazier in 2015 and Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs in 1990.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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Rosenborg 1-0 Manchester United: Erik ten Hag says his team’s display in Norway defeat was “by far not good enough”
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Erik ten Hag was left unimpressed by Manchester United’s players in their 1-0 pre-season loss to Rosenborg, saying their performance was “by far not good enough” and “not the top standard of football”.
United were dominated by the Norwegian side, who are in the midst of their domestic season. Rosenborg hit the post four times and had 22 shots on the United goal before eventually taking the lead in the 93rd minute through Noah Holm’s late strike.
Ten Hag named Marcus Rashford, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jonny Evans, Mason Mount and captain for the day Casemiro in their starting line-up before taking all of the outfield players off at half-time in a planned switch.
Last season, Man Utd conceded 20 or more shots in a Premier League game on 15 occasions.
“The result is not secondary. We play pre-season but at Manchester United, there’s a standard,” said Ten Hag to MUTV after the game.
“You win games. Definitely you don’t lose games. If you can’t win, don’t lose the game as we did at the end, the last second of the game.
“The performance is more important. The performance was below standard.”
United were grateful to young goalkeeper Radek Vitek who managed to keep the score down, as the 20-year-old made six key saves in Trondheim.
Asked about Vitek’s display, Ten Hag replied: “Let’s say he got the opportunity from the team to make some very good saves – because our performance as a team is by far not good enough.
Marcus Rashford played 45 minutes for Manchester United in their 1-0 loss at Rosenborg
“I have seen this is not the standard for top football. Top football, you have to achieve much higher standards. It starts with any individual, make sure you are fit.
“I know we can’t be match fit in this moment therefore you need these games. I know we are playing an opponent who are in their league, they have a much higher fitness level. But still we are Man Utd and players and teams from Man Utd must perform better.”
United replaced their first-half team with a host of youngsters and while Ten Hag praised the young side for their second-half display, he added they failed to take his advice onto the pitch.
Roseborg dominated against United
“They always listen, they try to transfer. We didn’t succeed today,” added Ten hag.
“But the attitude, they want to transfer the coaching play model, they are always willing to do it. But it is clear today we didn’t transfer it to the pitch.”
Man Utd’s pre-season schedule in full
July 15: Rosenborg 1-0 Manchester United
July 20: Man Utd vs Rangers – Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh – kick-off 4pm
July 27: Man Utd vs Arsenal – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, kick-off 5pm local time (1am July 28 UK time)
July 31: Man Utd vs Real Betis – Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, kick-off 7pm local time (5am August 1 UK time)
August 3: Man Utd vs Liverpool – Brice Stadium, South Carolina, kick-off 7.30pm local time (12.30am August 4 UK time)
August 10 – Community Shield: Man City vs Man Utd – Wembley, kick-off 3pm
Man Utd 2024/25 fixtures: Ten Hag starts with Fulham, live on Sky
Manchester United will start their 2024/25 Premier League season with a home fixture against Fulham, live on Sky Sports, and face Liverpool in the opening month of the season.
The opening game of the new campaign will be played on Friday August 16, with kick-off at 8pm.
United then travel to Brighton before their first big derby of the season at home to Liverpool with the game currently scheduled for Saturday August 31.
The reverse fixture will be played at the start of 2025 with a trip to Anfield on January 4.
Fans will have to wait until December for the first Manchester derby of the season, away at Manchester City on December 14. The reverse fixture at Old Trafford will be played on April 5.
Boxing Day will see Man Utd travel to Wolves, and they will finish the 2024/25 campaign at home to Aston Villa on May 25.
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Rivals.com – Four-star WR Tanook Hines makes the call for USC
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Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans have come into Texas once again to grab a blue-chip prospect.
The newest wide receiver headed to Los Angeles is Houston (Texas) Dekaney four-star Tanook Hines.
Hines chose USC over other top contenders in Texas, Notre Dame, and Arizona State. Hines holds over 40 offers in his recruitment.
Hines has been one of the more intriguing wideouts in Texas over the past two years. We were not able to get a full season of Hines last year as he only played in six games but the production was still top notch.
As a sophomore, Hines broke onto the scene with 783 yards and seven touchdowns on 47 receptions in 12 games. Despite playing only six games as a junior, he he had 583 yards and five touchdowns on 35 receptions.
USC is adding a speed element to their wide receiver room in the 6-foot-1, 170-pound Hines. This spring, Hines posted a 10.45-second 100 meter time, his personal record. He also placed second in the Texas state championships with a 20.71 in the 200 meter race.
With the addition of Hines, USC’s class rises from No. 25 to No. 20 in the recruiting team rankings. Hines is the third wide receiver among the group, joining four-star Corey Simms and three-star Romero Ison.
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Marshall Levenson, National Recruiting Analyst
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