ReportWire

Tag: APP Sports

  • Deshaun Watson has surgery to repair Achilles tendon. Team expects full recovery

    Deshaun Watson has surgery to repair Achilles tendon. Team expects full recovery

    [ad_1]

    CLEVELAND (AP) — Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson had surgery Friday to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon, an injury that not only ended his third season with Cleveland, but casts doubt about his future with the team.

    What You Need To Know

    • After an injury last Sunday in the game against Cincinnati, Deshaun Watson has had surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon

    • The injury will end his third season with the Browns and bring his future with the team into doubt

    • Cleveland expects Watson to make a full recovery

    • When Watson went down, some fans cheered

    The Browns said they expect the 29-year-old Watson to make a full recovery. Typically, injuries of this type require 6 to 9 months of recovery time.

    The surgery was performed by Dr. Bob Anderson, a foot and ankle specialist, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

    Watson, who has not lived up to expectations since being acquired in a 2022 trade and signing a fully guaranteed, $230 million contract, got hurt in last Sunday’s loss to Cincinnati. Watson planted his right leg on a draw play when his tendon snapped.

    When he went down, some fans cheered. That reaction angered many of Watson’s teammates.

    “It was a bad moment for us as fans and spectators and custodians of the game,” defensive end Myles Garrett said after Friday’s practice. “We’ve got to move forward and be better — all of us.”

    Watson’s tenure with the Browns has been beset with problems.

    He was suspended by the NFL for the first 11 games of 2022 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and harassment during massage therapy sessions while he played for Houston.

    Watson only made six starts last season before breaking a bone in his throwing shoulder and having surgery. He returned for the start of this season, but was one of the league’s lowest-rated passers through six games for a Cleveland offense that struggled across the board.

    The Browns, who have lost five straight, are the only team not to score 20 points in a game.

    Watson’s play and his latest injury could lead to the team taking a quarterback high in next year’s draft. The Browns finally have a first-round pick after trading three to the Texans in the franchise-altering trade.

    Cleveland also owes Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons.

    Watson will be replaced this week against Baltimore by backup Jameis Winston, who signed with the Browns as a free agent in March to give them an experienced option. The team did not re-sign Joe Flacco, who led the Browns to the playoffs in 2023.

    Starting left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. will miss Sunday’s game against the Ravens with a knee injury. Wills didn’t practice this week and was ruled out by coach Kevin Stefanski. The Browns have had to juggle their offensive line all season because of injuries.

    Stefanski said Wills hurt the same knee he had surgery on in December.

    With Wills sidelined, the Browns (1-6) will again have to shuffle the O-line and Stefanski confirmed one option is sliding right tackle Dawand Jones to the left side.

    Jones started the first five games at right tackle as Jack Conklin worked his way back from reconstructive knee surgery. Conklin, a two-time All-Pro, was hurt in last year’s season opener and returned to the lineup two weeks ago.

    The Browns are expected to get back right guard Wyatt Teller, who missed the past four games with a knee injury. One of the league’s best run blockers, Teller was designated to return from injured reserve and practiced all week.

    Stefanski said second-year QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson will back up Winston against the Ravens. Thompson-Robinson came in after Watson got hurt and injured the middle finger on his throwing hand on a sack.

    The Browns signed QB Bailey Zappe earlier this week off Kansas City’s practice squad.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Dodgers beat Yankees 6-3 in thrilling World Series opener

    Dodgers beat Yankees 6-3 in thrilling World Series opener

    [ad_1]

    LOS ANGELES — A nail-biter all night with a Hollywood ending. Game 1 of Yankees-Dodgers certainly delivered.

    Freddie Freeman hit the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history with two outs in the 10th inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 6-3 victory over the New York Yankees in a drama-filled opener Friday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Hobbled by a badly sprained ankle, Freeman homered on the first pitch he saw — an inside fastball from Nestor Cortes — and raised his bat high before beginning his trot as the sellout crowd of 52,394 roared

    • It was reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s stunning homer that lifted Los Angeles over the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series at Dodger Stadium — one of the most famous swings in baseball lore

    • “Might be the greatest baseball moment I’ve ever witnessed, and I’ve witnessed some great ones,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts marveled
    • Freeman, an eight-time All-Star who missed three games during the National League playoffs because of his bum ankle, didn’t have an extra-base hit this postseason until legging out a triple in the first inning Friday

    “Might be the greatest baseball moment I’ve ever witnessed, and I’ve witnessed some great ones,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts marveled.

    Hobbled by a badly sprained right ankle, Freeman homered on the first pitch he saw — a 92 mph inside fastball from Nestor Cortes — and raised his bat high before beginning his trot as the sellout crowd of 52,394 roared.

    “I cannot believe what just happened,” Roberts said. “That’s what makes the Fall Classic a classic, right, because the stars come out and superstars make big plays, get big hits, in the biggest of moments. … I’m speechless right now.”

    It was reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s stunning homer that lifted Los Angeles over the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series at Dodger Stadium — one of the most famous swings in baseball lore.

    Gibson, sidelined by leg injuries, came off the bench and connected against Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley.

    “I played the whole game, though,” Freeman said with a smile.

    Freeman, an eight-time All-Star who missed three games during the National League playoffs because of his bum ankle, didn’t have an extra-base hit this postseason until legging out a triple in the first inning Friday.

    “Actually felt pretty good,” said Freeman, who will donate his game spikes to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. “The last six days we treated it really well. I’ve been feeling pretty good. Right when I ran out to give high-fives to my teammates, I felt pretty good, because that was the first time I ran all week. So, ankle’s good.”

    After the home run, Freeman ran over to his father.

    “I was just screaming in his face. I’m sorry, dad,” Freeman said, laughing. “He’s been there since I was a little boy, throwing batting practice to me every day. So this is a moment, it’s my dad’s moment.”

    Giancarlo Stanton launched a two-run homer for New York in this much-hyped, star-studded matchup between two of baseball’s most storied and successful franchises — the third straight World Series opener to go extra innings.

    “You can’t sit here and mope. You can’t sit here and complain. You can’t shoulda, coulda, woulda,” Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said. “It’s time to go to work. We lost this game. Learn from it. See where we can improve and go out there and win the next one.”

    In the top of the 10th, Anthony Volpe grounded into a fielder’s choice to shortstop, scoring Jazz Chisholm Jr. from third after he stole two bases, to give New York a 3-2 lead.

    The speedy Chisholm singled off winning pitcher Blake Treinen and then stole second. Following an intentional walk to Anthony Rizzo, Chisholm swiped third base uncontested as Treinen was slow to the plate with Max Muncy playing deep at third.

    Tommy Edman made a diving stop to his left on Volpe’s grounder, but couldn’t get it out of his glove initially. He tossed to second to get Rizzo out as Chisholm came flying home with the go-ahead run.

    But the Dodgers weren’t done.

    Gavin Lux walked against losing pitcher Jake Cousins with one out in the bottom of the 10th and went to second on Edman’s infield single to second. Defensive replacement Oswaldo Cabrera knocked down the ball with his glove but it leaked into the outfield.

    That brought up star slugger Shohei Ohtani, a left-handed hitter. Yankees manager Aaron Boone went to his bullpen again for Cortes, a lefty starter who hadn’t pitched since Sept. 18 because of an elbow injury.

    After missing the AL playoffs, Cortes was added to the World Series roster Friday.

    “I ran into the (batting) cage and I told the guys in the cage, this game should have been the first baseball game ever on pay-per view,” Dodgers center fielder Kiké Hernández said.

    Left fielder Alex Verdugo made a running catch in foul territory to retire Ohtani on Cortes’ first pitch. Verdugo’s momentum sent him tumbling over the low retaining wall, advancing both runners one base because by rule it became a dead ball when Verdugo wound up in the stands.

    With first base open, New York intentionally walked Mookie Betts to load the bases and set up a lefty-on-lefty matchup of Cortes against Freeman.

    “I was on time for the heater,” Freeman said.

    His drive into the right-field pavilion sent Dodgers fans into a frenzy. It was the third walk-off homer in World Series history for a team that was trailing, following Gibson’s shot and Joe Carter’s drive for the Toronto Blue Jays that won the 1993 World Series against Philadelphia.

    Nelson Cruz hit the only other game-ending grand slam in postseason history, for Texas in the 2011 American League Championship Series against Detroit.

    “That’s stuff, you’re 5 years old in the backyard right there,” Freeman said. “That’s a dream come true, but it’s only one. We’ve got three more.”

    This is the 12th time the Yankees and Dodgers are meeting in the World Series, the most frequent matchup in major league annals, but their previous October clash was 43 years ago.

    While the Dodgers are seeking their eighth title and second in five years, the Yankees are in the Fall Classic for the first time since winning No. 27 in 2009.

    The first Series with a pair of 50-home run hitters in Judge (58) and Ohtani (54) opened quietly as Gerrit Cole, the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner, and Jack Flaherty dueled through four scoreless innings. Judge struck out swinging in his first three at-bats before hitting a single off Brusdar Graterol with two outs in the seventh.

    Ohtani was 0 for 3 before ripping a double off the right-field wall in the eighth. He raced to third on the play when second baseman Gleyber Torres mishandled Juan Soto’s throw, which became costly when Ohtani scored on a sacrifice fly by Betts that tied it 2-all.

    With two outs in the ninth, Torres sent a long drive to left-center. A fan wearing a Dodgers jersey reached over the wall and caught the ball. Umpires ruled fan interference and gave Torres a double, a call confirmed on video replay. The fan immediately left the area.

    Soto was intentionally walked before Judge popped out against Treinen to end the inning.

    The Dodgers broke through for a 1-0 lead in the fifth when Hernández tripled past Soto in right field and scored on Will Smith’s sacrifice fly.

    The Yankees answered right back in the sixth. Soto singled leading off before Judge struck out swinging for the third time. Stanton followed with a 412-foot shot to left off Flaherty for his 17th career postseason homer. Stanton grew up in the nearby San Fernando Valley, not far from Flaherty’s hometown of Burbank.

    Stanton, the ALCS MVP, connected on a knuckle-curve that hung slightly at the bottom of the strike zone. His sixth homer in 11 games this postseason came off his bat at 116.6 mph.

    After last weekend’s pennant-clinching win at Cleveland, Stanton said, “This ain’t the trophy I want. I want the next one.”

    The Yankees then loaded the bases. Chisholm singled off Anthony Banda and stole second. After Rizzo struck out, Volpe was intentionally walked. Austin Wells reached on an infield single that Edman smothered with a dive to save a run before Verdugo struck out swinging against his former team.

    Fernando Valenzuela, the 1981 NL Cy Young Award winner and Rookie of the Year who died earlier this week at age 63, was honored with a moment of silence before the game.

    Up next

    Game 2 is Saturday evening at Dodger Stadium, with Yankees LHP Carlos Rodón pitching against $325 million rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

    Rodón is 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA in three starts this postseason, with 22 strikeouts over 14 1/3 innings. Yamamoto is 1-0 in three postseason starts with a 5.11 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Dodgers beat Yankees 6-3 in thrilling World Series opener

    Dodgers beat Yankees 6-3 in thrilling World Series opener

    [ad_1]

    LOS ANGELES — A nail-biter all night with a Hollywood ending. Game 1 of Yankees-Dodgers certainly delivered.

    Freddie Freeman hit the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history with two outs in the 10th inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 6-3 victory over the New York Yankees in a drama-filled opener Friday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Hobbled by a badly sprained ankle, Freeman homered on the first pitch he saw — an inside fastball from Nestor Cortes — and raised his bat high before beginning his trot as the sellout crowd of 52,394 roared

    • It was reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s stunning homer that lifted Los Angeles over the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series at Dodger Stadium — one of the most famous swings in baseball lore

    • “Might be the greatest baseball moment I’ve ever witnessed, and I’ve witnessed some great ones,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts marveled
    • Freeman, an eight-time All-Star who missed three games during the National League playoffs because of his bum ankle, didn’t have an extra-base hit this postseason until legging out a triple in the first inning Friday

    “Might be the greatest baseball moment I’ve ever witnessed, and I’ve witnessed some great ones,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts marveled.

    Hobbled by a badly sprained right ankle, Freeman homered on the first pitch he saw — a 92 mph inside fastball from Nestor Cortes — and raised his bat high before beginning his trot as the sellout crowd of 52,394 roared.

    “I cannot believe what just happened,” Roberts said. “That’s what makes the Fall Classic a classic, right, because the stars come out and superstars make big plays, get big hits, in the biggest of moments. … I’m speechless right now.”

    It was reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s stunning homer that lifted Los Angeles over the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series at Dodger Stadium — one of the most famous swings in baseball lore.

    Gibson, sidelined by leg injuries, came off the bench and connected against Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley.

    “I played the whole game, though,” Freeman said with a smile.

    Freeman, an eight-time All-Star who missed three games during the National League playoffs because of his bum ankle, didn’t have an extra-base hit this postseason until legging out a triple in the first inning Friday.

    “Actually felt pretty good,” said Freeman, who will donate his game spikes to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. “The last six days we treated it really well. I’ve been feeling pretty good. Right when I ran out to give high-fives to my teammates, I felt pretty good, because that was the first time I ran all week. So, ankle’s good.”

    After the home run, Freeman ran over to his father.

    “I was just screaming in his face. I’m sorry, dad,” Freeman said, laughing. “He’s been there since I was a little boy, throwing batting practice to me every day. So this is a moment, it’s my dad’s moment.”

    Giancarlo Stanton launched a two-run homer for New York in this much-hyped, star-studded matchup between two of baseball’s most storied and successful franchises — the third straight World Series opener to go extra innings.

    “You can’t sit here and mope. You can’t sit here and complain. You can’t shoulda, coulda, woulda,” Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said. “It’s time to go to work. We lost this game. Learn from it. See where we can improve and go out there and win the next one.”

    In the top of the 10th, Anthony Volpe grounded into a fielder’s choice to shortstop, scoring Jazz Chisholm Jr. from third after he stole two bases, to give New York a 3-2 lead.

    The speedy Chisholm singled off winning pitcher Blake Treinen and then stole second. Following an intentional walk to Anthony Rizzo, Chisholm swiped third base uncontested as Treinen was slow to the plate with Max Muncy playing deep at third.

    Tommy Edman made a diving stop to his left on Volpe’s grounder, but couldn’t get it out of his glove initially. He tossed to second to get Rizzo out as Chisholm came flying home with the go-ahead run.

    But the Dodgers weren’t done.

    Gavin Lux walked against losing pitcher Jake Cousins with one out in the bottom of the 10th and went to second on Edman’s infield single to second. Defensive replacement Oswaldo Cabrera knocked down the ball with his glove but it leaked into the outfield.

    That brought up star slugger Shohei Ohtani, a left-handed hitter. Yankees manager Aaron Boone went to his bullpen again for Cortes, a lefty starter who hadn’t pitched since Sept. 18 because of an elbow injury.

    After missing the AL playoffs, Cortes was added to the World Series roster Friday.

    “I ran into the (batting) cage and I told the guys in the cage, this game should have been the first baseball game ever on pay-per view,” Dodgers center fielder Kiké Hernández said.

    Left fielder Alex Verdugo made a running catch in foul territory to retire Ohtani on Cortes’ first pitch. Verdugo’s momentum sent him tumbling over the low retaining wall, advancing both runners one base because by rule it became a dead ball when Verdugo wound up in the stands.

    With first base open, New York intentionally walked Mookie Betts to load the bases and set up a lefty-on-lefty matchup of Cortes against Freeman.

    “I was on time for the heater,” Freeman said.

    His drive into the right-field pavilion sent Dodgers fans into a frenzy. It was the third walk-off homer in World Series history for a team that was trailing, following Gibson’s shot and Joe Carter’s drive for the Toronto Blue Jays that won the 1993 World Series against Philadelphia.

    Nelson Cruz hit the only other game-ending grand slam in postseason history, for Texas in the 2011 American League Championship Series against Detroit.

    “That’s stuff, you’re 5 years old in the backyard right there,” Freeman said. “That’s a dream come true, but it’s only one. We’ve got three more.”

    This is the 12th time the Yankees and Dodgers are meeting in the World Series, the most frequent matchup in major league annals, but their previous October clash was 43 years ago.

    While the Dodgers are seeking their eighth title and second in five years, the Yankees are in the Fall Classic for the first time since winning No. 27 in 2009.

    The first Series with a pair of 50-home run hitters in Judge (58) and Ohtani (54) opened quietly as Gerrit Cole, the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner, and Jack Flaherty dueled through four scoreless innings. Judge struck out swinging in his first three at-bats before hitting a single off Brusdar Graterol with two outs in the seventh.

    Ohtani was 0 for 3 before ripping a double off the right-field wall in the eighth. He raced to third on the play when second baseman Gleyber Torres mishandled Juan Soto’s throw, which became costly when Ohtani scored on a sacrifice fly by Betts that tied it 2-all.

    With two outs in the ninth, Torres sent a long drive to left-center. A fan wearing a Dodgers jersey reached over the wall and caught the ball. Umpires ruled fan interference and gave Torres a double, a call confirmed on video replay. The fan immediately left the area.

    Soto was intentionally walked before Judge popped out against Treinen to end the inning.

    The Dodgers broke through for a 1-0 lead in the fifth when Hernández tripled past Soto in right field and scored on Will Smith’s sacrifice fly.

    The Yankees answered right back in the sixth. Soto singled leading off before Judge struck out swinging for the third time. Stanton followed with a 412-foot shot to left off Flaherty for his 17th career postseason homer. Stanton grew up in the nearby San Fernando Valley, not far from Flaherty’s hometown of Burbank.

    Stanton, the ALCS MVP, connected on a knuckle-curve that hung slightly at the bottom of the strike zone. His sixth homer in 11 games this postseason came off his bat at 116.6 mph.

    After last weekend’s pennant-clinching win at Cleveland, Stanton said, “This ain’t the trophy I want. I want the next one.”

    The Yankees then loaded the bases. Chisholm singled off Anthony Banda and stole second. After Rizzo struck out, Volpe was intentionally walked. Austin Wells reached on an infield single that Edman smothered with a dive to save a run before Verdugo struck out swinging against his former team.

    Fernando Valenzuela, the 1981 NL Cy Young Award winner and Rookie of the Year who died earlier this week at age 63, was honored with a moment of silence before the game.

    Up next

    Game 2 is Saturday evening at Dodger Stadium, with Yankees LHP Carlos Rodón pitching against $325 million rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

    Rodón is 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA in three starts this postseason, with 22 strikeouts over 14 1/3 innings. Yamamoto is 1-0 in three postseason starts with a 5.11 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • USF basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim dies at 43

    USF basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim dies at 43

    [ad_1]

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Amir Abdur-Rahim, who led USF men’s basketball to 25 wins last year in his first season at the school, has died, the school confirmed Thursday evening.


    Abdur-Rahim coached at Kennesaw State for four seasons before taking over the Bulls program before the 2023-24 season.

    The Bulls had struggled before his arrival but climbed into the AP Top 25 for a stretch this season before falling just short of an NCAA Tournament bid.

    He played in college at Southeastern Louisiana.

    Just after 6:30 p.m. Thursday, the school released the following statement:

    University of South Florida head men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim passed away earlier today.

    Abdur-Rahim, 43, was undergoing a medical procedure at a Tampa-area hospital when he passed away due to complications that arose during the procedure.

    “All of us with South Florida Athletics are grieving with the loved ones of Coach Abdur-Rahim,” said Vice President for Athletics, Michael Kelly. “He was authentic, driven, and his infectious personality captivated all of Bulls Nation. Coach Abdur-Rahim leaves a lasting impact on our student-athletes, the University, and the community. We are supporting those closest to him, including his family, team, and athletics staff, to ensure they have the resources they need to deal with this tremendous loss.”

    “In a very short time, Coach Abdur-Rahim made an indelible impact on the University of South Florida. In his first season as our head coach, he brought an unmatched enthusiasm, achieved unprecedented success and helped generate unforgettable memories for Bulls Nation,” said USF President, Rhea Law. “Throughout my time working with Coach Abdur-Rahim, I was continually inspired by his leadership, and truly admired his sincere approach to connecting with our entire student body. His influence on our student-athletes, coaching staff and the university community will live on forever.”

    Abdur-Rahim was the American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year this past season. Following a 25-8 record, he led the Bulls to their first regular-season conference championship and to their first-ever top 25 ranking during the regular season, reaching as high as no. 24 in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Poll.

    We offer our deepest condolences to the family of Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim. He is survived by his wife, Arianne, and three children.

    [ad_2]

    Spectrum News Staff

    Source link

  • Banchero scores 33 as Magic pound Heat 116-97 on teams’ opening night

    Banchero scores 33 as Magic pound Heat 116-97 on teams’ opening night

    [ad_1]

    MIAMI  — Paolo Banchero scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Franz Wagner scored 23, and the Orlando Magic rolled past the Miami Heat 116-97 on Wednesday night in the opener for both teams.

    Gary Harris added 18 for Orlando, all on 3-pointers. The Magic shot 18-for-49 from 3-point range.

    Terry Rozier scored 19 for Miami, which celebrated “Pat Riley Court” night with a halftime ceremony. Nikola Jovic scored 15 and Tyler Herro added 14 for the Heat.

    Orlando led by as many as 32 in the second half.

    Takeaways

    Magic: Orlando’s high for 3-pointers attempted in a first half last season was 23. The Magic tried 27 before halftime on Wednesday, a clear sign that they see the 3-pointer as more of an option this season. The Magic made a league-low 903 3s last season.

    Heat: Jimmy Butler was 1-for-8 from the field and scored three points. It’s the fifth time in his career that he played at least 24 minutes and scored three points or less.

    Key moment

    The whole third quarter was a moment for the Magic. Orlando outscored Miami by 21 points in the third, 39-18. It was the most lopsided third quarter on the road for the Magic since Feb. 7, 2010, when they outscored the Boston Celtics by 25 on the way to a 96-89 win.

    Key stat

    Banchero had the sixth instance of an Orlando player scoring at least 30 in a season opener. Tracy McGrady did it twice, and Shaquille O’Neal, Nick Anderson and Anfernee Hardaway did it once. Anderson (1992) and O’Neal (1993) each scored 42 for the Magic opening night record. Banchero is now No. 3 on that list with his 33-point effort.

    Up next

    Orlando plays its home opener Friday night against the Brooklyn Nets. Miami goes to Charlotte to play the Hornets on Saturday night.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Unbeaten Miami not overlooking disappointing Seminoles

    Unbeaten Miami not overlooking disappointing Seminoles

    [ad_1]

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Florida State-Miami showdown is no stranger to the brightest of college football spotlights.

    The rivals spent the 1980s, ’90s and early 2000s chasing national championships while battling for state domination.

    Not only has the matchup routinely pitted Top 25-ranked teams against each other, it has featured some of the biggest stars in college football.

    This year’s version….not so much.

    While the unbeaten Hurricanes come in at No. 6 nationally, the Seminoles are struggling through a season that was supposed to feature an FSU run to a playoff spot.

    Whether it be high expectations, poor quarterback play, average offensive and defensive line or a lack of big play ability, the Seminoles (1-6 and 1-5 in Atlantic Coast Conference play) are spinning their wheels.

    Still, it is a rivalry game, and UM (7-0 and 3-0) is taking its conference rival seriously.

    “You know, we have tons of respect for those guys, defending ACC champions, a really, really talented football team,” Miami receiver Xavier Restrepo said. “You watch their defense, all five DBs (defensive backs) can line up in your face and play man, they run around, have great ball skills.

    “We have to be as prepared as we can be.”

    Consider last season, when the Hurricanes were a 14- and 17-point underdog when it went to Tallahassee to take on the then-undefeated Seminoles. Miami had the ball with a chance to tie in the final minutes, before losing 27-20 in a game that was much closer than oddsmakers expected.

    This year, Miami is a 21-point favorite for the 7:30 p.m. matchup Saturday.

    “Obviously, this is a huge week for our football program,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said. “I mean, this game is a game that we have an emphasis on 365 days a year because we’re fortunate to be at a place that you get two rivalry games every single year that mean a ton to our football program.”

    In Orlando, UCF will face a Top 11 team, and a top two team in the Big 12, for the second time in two weeks when BYU comes to town — for Homecoming, no less.

    After getting the starting nod last week in a last-minute 38-35 loss then-No. 9 Iowa State, Jacurri Brown has been named the starting quarterback for the rest of the season, coach Gus Malzahn said. He took over for KJ Jefferson, a fifth-year transfer out of Arkansas who began the season as the starter.

    “I liked the way he (Brown) handled himself,” Malzahn said.

    The team will look to balance the offense more going forward, he said.

    “We’ve got to find a way to take that next step,” Malzahn said. “I will say we did improve, played one of our best games (against Iowa State).”

    THIS WEEKEND’S GAMES:

    FSU (1-6, 1-5 in ACC) at Miami (7-0, 3-0), 7 p.m., ESPN

    While FSU’s disappointing season would receive a huge boost with a victory, this would be just another step toward a playoff spot for the streaking ‘Canes. Miami is coming off an impressive win at Louisville, taking shots from the Cardinals before pulling away for a wild 52-45 win. The Seminoles’ downtrodden season reached another low last week with its first loss to Duke in 22 years of being ACC foes. Miami quarterback, and potential Heisman finalist, Cam Ward has thrown for 2,538 yards, 24 touchdowns, leading the country in both categories, throwing for over 300 yards in every game played. Meanwhile, FSU will again be led by QB Brock Glenn, a redshirt freshman. Glenn, who has appaeared in the Seminoles’ last three games only completed nine of 19 passes last week in the loss to Duke, was sacked three times and threw two interceptions. FSU offense has not scored more than 16 points in its last six games.

    No. 11 BYU (7-0, 4-0 in Big 12) at UCF (3-4, 1-3), 3:30 p.m., ESPN

    The season has not gone as the Knights or their fans expected, and the team heads into this week’s matchup with another ranked team hoping to end its four-game losing streak. There were some positives, however, as Brown stepped in as starting quarterback to pass for 62 yards and rush for 154 yards and two touchdowns. As a team, the Knights rushed for 354 yards, led by RJ Harvey with 196 yards and two touchdowns. UCF’s Brandon Adams returned an interception to close to the goal line against Iowa State. Malzahn said early in the week that defensive end Nyjalik Kelly, who got knocked out of the loss to Iowa State, might be able to return Saturday. However, Malzahn also disclosed that defensive tackle John Walker, who was hurt in the preseason, underwent surgery and will miss the rest of the season. BYU came in on the opposite side of a 38-35 score last week, defeating Oklahoma State. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff threw for 218 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 81 yards and another score. The Cougars’ Tanner Wall, who was recruited as a wide receiver before switching to safety last year, has made interceptions in each of the past two games.

    (USF is off. Florida is off)

    [ad_2]

    Spectrum Sports Staff

    Source link

  • Hagel scores hat trick as Lightning beat Devils 8-5

    Hagel scores hat trick as Lightning beat Devils 8-5

    [ad_1]

    NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Brandon Hagel had three goals for his second career hat trick, Victor Hedman scored twice and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the New Jersey Devils 8-5 on Tuesday night.

    Brayden Point, Jake Guentzel and Janis Moser also scored to help the Lightning snap a two-game skid. Anthony Cirelli had four assists and Jonas Johansson stopped 28 shots.

    Timo Meier scored two goals and Jack Hughes, Nathan Bastian and Stefan Noessen each had one for the Devils, who have lost three of four (1-2-1) after winning four of their first five. Jake Allen finished with 29 saves.

    New Jersey led 2-1 early in the second period before Tampa Bay scored five straight goals later in the period, three from Hagel.

    Moser’s third period short-handed goal carried 136 feet, ricocheting off the side boards past Allen to push the Lightning’s lead to 8-4.

    Takeaways

    After losing 5-2 to the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Monday, the Lightning showed no signs of rust against the Devils. They peppered 37 shots on goal and blocked 18 shots.

    New Jersey is now 1-2-1 at home, getting outscored 18-15 in those four games. New Jersey has allowed 14 goals in the last two games, both home losses.

    Key moment

    Trailing 2-1 early in the second period, Tampa Bay scored five straight goals on just 13 shots to move ahead 6-2 heading into the third period. Hagel scored three of those goals at 9:27, 13:01 and 15:52 for his second hat trick against the Devils.

    Key stat

    Tampa Bay won despite star forward Nikita Kucherov being kept off the score sheet. The veteran right wing, who entered the game leading the NHL with seven goals, took just three shots, but did have an assist.

    Up Next

    The Lightning host Minnesota on Thursday night to open a three-game homestand, and the Devils visit Detroit.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Blue Jackets beat Maple Leafs 6-2

    Blue Jackets beat Maple Leafs 6-2

    [ad_1]

    COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Mathieu Olivier scored twice and Daniil Tarasov stopped 25 shots as the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2 Tuesday night.

    Justin Danforth had a goal and two assists, Sean Monahan added a goal and an assist, and James van Riemsdyk and Kirill Marchenko also scored for Columbus Zach Werenski had two assists.

    Matthew Knies and Nicholas Robertson scored for Toronto, which has lost two of three. Dennis Hildeby finished with 32 saves.

    Takeaways

    Maple Leafs: Toronto, which traveled to Columbus early this morning after their home win over Tampa Bay on Monday, came out flat with just six shots in the first period and could never find its offensive flow.

    Blue Jackets: Columbus scored three goals in a period twice this season, the previous time Oct. 12 at Colorado.

    Key moment

    The Blue Jackets shook up their lines to spread the offensive output, and it worked as they scored three goals n the first period. The reshuffled fourth line brought home the first score from van Riemsdyk at 5:29. The third line padded the lead 52 seconds later with Danforth’s first of the season and added Olivier’s score with 7:18 left. The first line finally got in on the action with Monahan’s goal at 5:35 of the second.

    Key stat

    The Maple Leafs seem to bring out the best in Danforth, who has three goals and four assists in seven career games against Toronto.

    Up next

    The Maple Leafs host St. Louis on Thursday, while the Blue Jackets visit Nashville on Saturday.

    [ad_2]

    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

    Source link

  • Juan Soto’s 3-run homer sends Yankees past Guardians 5-2 and into World Series

    Juan Soto’s 3-run homer sends Yankees past Guardians 5-2 and into World Series

    [ad_1]

    Juan Soto hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning and the New York Yankees advanced to their 41st World Series — and first in 15 years — by beating the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series on Saturday night.

    Baseball’s biggest brand is going back to October’s main stage.

    Soto, who was acquired in a seven-player trade with San Diego in December, moved the Bronx Bombers into position with one big swing.

    The Yankees will try to win their 28th title against either the New York Mets or Los Angeles Dodgers. Game 6 of the NL Championship Series is on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

    In the 10th, Austin Wells walked with one out and Alex Verdugo followed with a grounder to second baseman Andrés Giménez, whose soft toss to the bag was dropped by rookie shortstop Brayan Rocchio for an error.

    Gaddis struck out Gleyber Torres and had Soto in a 1-2 count before New York’s stylish outfielder sent a shot over the wall in center. Soto danced down the first-base line and paused to celebrate with his teammates before circling the bases.

    “I was just saying to myself, `You’re all over that guy. You’re all over that guy. He ain’t got anything,’” Soto said.

    Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer for the Yankees, who took care of the Guardians in five games, but it wasn’t easy.

    New York won the first two at Yankee Stadium without much fanfare or any major drama. However, it was a different story in Cleveland as all three games at Progressive Field were nail-biters.

    The Guardians rallied to win Game 3 on two, two-run homers in their last two at-bats, and the Yankees held on to win Game 4 after blowing a four-run lead.

    Cleveland just didn’t have enough and a surprising season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt ended just short of a World Series. The franchise remains without a title since 1948, baseball’s current longest drought.

    The Yankees are back in the World Series, back where their fans expect them to be every year.

    The club’s 82-80, fourth-place finish in the AL East last season led to some “soul searching as an organization” during the winter, according to manager Aaron Boone, who has been widely criticized but is one of just three managers to take New York to playoffs in six of his first seven seasons.

    While the team’s core stayed mostly intact, getting Soto in a blockbuster trade on Dec. 7 — New York sent five players to San Diego for the three-time All-Star outfielder — accelerated the team returning to title contender.

    “That was a good day,” Boone said with a laugh before the game.

    Stanton’s 446-foot rocket into the left-field bleachers tied it at 2 in the sixth and chased Tanner Bibee, who had struck out New York’s dangerous DH in his first two at-bats and held the Yankees scoreless for the first five innings.

    It was Stanton’s fourth homer in this series — his third in three days — and his 16th in the postseason, moving him into fourth place on the club’s career list behind Bernie Williams (22), Derek Jeter (20) and Mickey Mantle (18).

    Before the game, Boone was asked what makes Stanton so good.

    “He can hit it harder than anyone, first of all,” Boone said. “So there’s the physical nature of what he does that’s different than just about everyone in the world.”

    But Boone went on to compliment Stanton’s discipline at the plate, “his approach, his process, how he studies guys.”

    “There’s something that he does when he gets familiarity with people on top of being very physically gifted,” Boone said.

    The Guardians took a 2-0 lead in the fifth off Carlos Rodón on Steven Kwan’s RBI single with two outs. But Cleveland missed a big chance for more, leaving the bases loaded when Lane Thomas grounded out on the first pitch to him from Mark Leiter Jr.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Juan Soto’s 3-run homer sends Yankees past Guardians 5-2 and into World Series

    Juan Soto’s 3-run homer sends Yankees past Guardians 5-2 and into World Series

    [ad_1]

    Juan Soto hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning and the New York Yankees advanced to their 41st World Series — and first in 15 years — by beating the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series on Saturday night.

    Baseball’s biggest brand is going back to October’s main stage.

    Soto, who was acquired in a seven-player trade with San Diego in December, moved the Bronx Bombers into position with one big swing.

    The Yankees will try to win their 28th title against either the New York Mets or Los Angeles Dodgers. Game 6 of the NL Championship Series is on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

    In the 10th, Austin Wells walked with one out and Alex Verdugo followed with a grounder to second baseman Andrés Giménez, whose soft toss to the bag was dropped by rookie shortstop Brayan Rocchio for an error.

    Gaddis struck out Gleyber Torres and had Soto in a 1-2 count before New York’s stylish outfielder sent a shot over the wall in center. Soto danced down the first-base line and paused to celebrate with his teammates before circling the bases.

    “I was just saying to myself, `You’re all over that guy. You’re all over that guy. He ain’t got anything,’” Soto said.

    Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer for the Yankees, who took care of the Guardians in five games, but it wasn’t easy.

    New York won the first two at Yankee Stadium without much fanfare or any major drama. However, it was a different story in Cleveland as all three games at Progressive Field were nail-biters.

    The Guardians rallied to win Game 3 on two, two-run homers in their last two at-bats, and the Yankees held on to win Game 4 after blowing a four-run lead.

    Cleveland just didn’t have enough and a surprising season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt ended just short of a World Series. The franchise remains without a title since 1948, baseball’s current longest drought.

    The Yankees are back in the World Series, back where their fans expect them to be every year.

    The club’s 82-80, fourth-place finish in the AL East last season led to some “soul searching as an organization” during the winter, according to manager Aaron Boone, who has been widely criticized but is one of just three managers to take New York to playoffs in six of his first seven seasons.

    While the team’s core stayed mostly intact, getting Soto in a blockbuster trade on Dec. 7 — New York sent five players to San Diego for the three-time All-Star outfielder — accelerated the team returning to title contender.

    “That was a good day,” Boone said with a laugh before the game.

    Stanton’s 446-foot rocket into the left-field bleachers tied it at 2 in the sixth and chased Tanner Bibee, who had struck out New York’s dangerous DH in his first two at-bats and held the Yankees scoreless for the first five innings.

    It was Stanton’s fourth homer in this series — his third in three days — and his 16th in the postseason, moving him into fourth place on the club’s career list behind Bernie Williams (22), Derek Jeter (20) and Mickey Mantle (18).

    Before the game, Boone was asked what makes Stanton so good.

    “He can hit it harder than anyone, first of all,” Boone said. “So there’s the physical nature of what he does that’s different than just about everyone in the world.”

    But Boone went on to compliment Stanton’s discipline at the plate, “his approach, his process, how he studies guys.”

    “There’s something that he does when he gets familiarity with people on top of being very physically gifted,” Boone said.

    The Guardians took a 2-0 lead in the fifth off Carlos Rodón on Steven Kwan’s RBI single with two outs. But Cleveland missed a big chance for more, leaving the bases loaded when Lane Thomas grounded out on the first pitch to him from Mark Leiter Jr.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Miami looks to stay on roll, UF hopes to top .500 and other state teams seek win

    Miami looks to stay on roll, UF hopes to top .500 and other state teams seek win

    [ad_1]

    MIAMI, Fla. — As the college football season creeps past the halfway point, the state of college ball in the state of Florida is not exactly sunny. 

    In fact, it’s pretty cloudy. 

    Outside of Miami, (6-0 and sporting a No. 6 national ranking), no state team even has a winning record. UM may face a test Saturday in 4-2 Louisville. 

    After entering the season in the Top 25, FSU’s shocking season has left the Seminoles with one win as the calendar moves past mid-October. 

    In Gainesville, coach Billy Napier’s seat keeps getting hotter. Last week’s 23-17 loss at then-No. 8 Tennessee leaves the Gators at 3-3, and Kentucky, Georgia and No. 1 Texas are looming. 

    Meanwhile, UCF (3-3 overall) continues to meander in the Big 12. The Knights are on a three-game slide after opening the year with three consecutive wins. UCF hits the road against No. 9 Iowa State this week. 

    USF is struggling in its own three-game losing streak, putting up just 28 points during its slide. The Bulls (2-4) will look to get right this week with a home game against Alabama-Birmingham. 

    Here’s a closer look at the Week 8 games: 

    Friday, Oct. 18 

    FSU (1-5, 1-4 ACC) at Duke (5-1, 1-1), 7 p.m., ESPN2  

    Redshirt freshman quarterback Brock Glenn will again be under center as the youth movement continues. The Seminoles have never lost to the Blue Devils on the football field. Expect a tight game as the FSU defense took a hit with the season-ending injury to linebacker DJ Lundy.   

    Saturday, Oct. 19

    No. 6 Miami (6-0, 2-0 ACC) at Louisville (4-2, 2-1), noon, ABC and ESPN+

    The Miami Hurricanes have had two near-misses the past two weeks, getting past Virginia Tech 38-34 and California 39-38. Could Louisville trip up the Hurricanes and stellar quarterback Cam Ward? The Cardinals have lost two of three games but come into this matchup against Miami with a defense that ranks 43rd nationally. 

    Kentucky (3-3, 1-3 SEC) at Florida (3-3, 1-2), 7:45 p.m., SEC Network

    True freshman DJ Lagway will take over at quarterback for the rest of the season after Graham Mertz tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in a 23-17 loss at then-No. 8 Tennessee on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Wildcats were penalized 12 times for 106 yards last week in a 20-13 loss to Vanderbilt after upsetting No. 6 Mississippi two weeks ago.

    UCF (3-3, 1-2 Big 12) at No. 9 Iowa State (6-0, 3-0), 7:30 p.m., FS1

    The game marks the first between the Knights and Cyclones and starts a challenging two weeks for UCF against Top 25 opponents. The good news is the Cyclones are not coming off a bye week. The bad news is the Knights are on a three-game losing streak and have only managed to score a combined 26 points the past two weeks. Iowa State’s defense allows only 11 points and 285.3 total yards a game. As of Wednesday afternoon, UCF coach Gus Malzahn had not said who will start at quarterback this week after sitting KJ Jefferson last week against Cincinnati, starting 17-year-old true freshman EJ Colson and giving redshirt sophomore Jacurri Brown most of the playing time in a 19-13 loss.

    Alabama-Birmingham (1-5, 0-3 AAC) at USF (2-4, 0-2), 3:30 p.m., ESPN+ 

    What was expected to be a promising season has taken a slide with three consecutive losses, including blowout losses to Miami and Tulane. USF and its struggling offense will try to right the ship with a couple of American Conference cellar-dwellers in UAB this week and at Florida Atlantic next week.  

    [ad_2]

    Spectrum Sports Staff

    Source link

  • League still reviewing latest claims against DeShaun Watson

    League still reviewing latest claims against DeShaun Watson

    [ad_1]

    ATLANTA (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league is still reviewing the latest claims of sexual assault and battery against Deshaun Watson.

    The Cleveland Browns quarterback resolved the civil lawsuit filed against him by the woman but that doesn’t preclude him from being disciplined by the league.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Cleveland Browns quarterback resolved the civil lawsuit filed against him

    • The league, per standard procedure, has sought to interview the plaintiff through her lawyer, Tony Buzbee

    • Watson was suspended for the first 11 games in 2022 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy

    • Watson, who is in his third season with Cleveland after being acquired in a controversial trade from Houston, had strongly denied the allegations

    “We’re continuing our review like we would,” Goodell said Tuesday at the conclusion of the league’s fall meeting. “As you know, we take the personal conduct policy seriously so our people are working diligently.”

    The league, per standard procedure, has sought to interview the plaintiff through her lawyer, Tony Buzbee.

    Watson was suspended for the first 11 games in 2022 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions.

    Watson was also fined $5 million and had to undergo mandatory evaluation before he was reinstated by the league.

    The latest lawsuit was filed on Sept. 9 in Harris County, Texas. The unidentified woman alleged Watson had sexually assaulted her in 2020 while on a dinner date in her apartment. She was seeking damages in excess of $1 million.

    Watson, who is in his third season with Cleveland after being acquired in a controversial trade from Houston, had strongly denied the allegations. The 29-year-old has previously settled nearly two dozen civil lawsuits.

    Watson has struggled in Cleveland after the Browns traded a slew of draft picks to get him and gave him a $230 million guaranteed contract. The Browns are 1-5 this season and some fans are calling for the team to bench Watson in favor of backup Jameis Winston.

    Kickoff progress

    The NFL is pleased with the early results from the new kickoff rule and league executive Troy Vincent said no changes are planned this season.

    The 32% return rate through six weeks is a 90% increase from last season when the play was essentially “ceremonial” as Vincent called it. The return rate was 17% at this time in 2023 and increased to 22% by the end of last season. A 33-35% return rate is the goal, Vincent said.

    Moving the spot of the ball from the 30-yard line to the 35 after a touchback will be discussed in the offseason.

    Jeff Miller, who oversees player health and safety, said there have been no ACL or MCL injuries on kickoffs and only one concussion.

    “What was the overall objective? It was putting the foot back in the game, reducing the head injuries as well as some of the lower-extremity injuries, which is all promising,” Vincent said.

    Vincent added the league has to explore how to make the onside kick a more viable option.

    Hip-drop tackles

    Seven players have been fined for hip-drop tackles but none over the past two weeks, Vincent said.

    “Coaches and the players have been outstanding with sending in video, whether it’s their own club without the player making the tackle or something in another game,” Vincent said.

    No player has been penalized yet for a hip-drop tackle during a game. Vincent said there have been about 22 questionable tackles but none met the four-point criteria.

    Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon has complained about being injured on a play he thought should’ve been flagged for a hip-drop tackle.

    “It’s just so important that all four of the elements show up,” Vincent said. “Reviewing that after the game, some of us have just a better feel and an eye for when those things occur. If there’s not an unweighting and trapping of the legs, you’ve got to stay away from it. But that’s during the week, it gives us and many others the opportunity to evaluate so one player is not penalized for something that didn’t occur, especially in real time with all things kind of look the same. We’ve tagged probably 22 to date that were questionable. But again, by the letter of the law or the rule, all four elements were present so we have to stay away from it.”

    Violent gesture fines

    Several players have been fined or penalized this season for making violent gestures such as finger guns during celebrations.

    There were eight penalties and fines in the first four weeks combined, and two more in Week 5. Fines have ranged from $6,250 to Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase getting docked $19,697 last week.

    “Those policies and rules have been in place,” Vincent said. “When you start getting into violent gestures, there’s just no place in professional football for that. … Just think about where we are as a society and we have fans and children tuning into the game. You can make the first down, big tackle, have spontaneous gestures, but the violent gestures. … where we are and what we’re trying to represent, that just doesn’t. And we’ve talked to the players, we’ve talked to the coaches. We’re not trying to make it not for fun, but we also have a responsibility as professional athletes.”

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Cleveland Guardians ready for Yankee Stadium

    Cleveland Guardians ready for Yankee Stadium

    [ad_1]

    NEW YORK (AP) — Andrés Giménez is ready for the rowdy gauntlet of Yankee Stadium.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Guardians will send Alex Cobb to the mound against the Yankees’ Carlos Rodon in Monday’s ALCS Game 1

    • Gerrit Cole, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil will follow Rodón in the Yankees rotation, and Tanner Bibee will start Game 2 for the Guardians

    • Two years ago, Cleveland’s Josh Naylor angered Yankees fans with his rock-the-baby celebration of a home run off Cole in Game 4 of the ALDS, which the Yankees won in five games
    • Cobb has thrown just 19 1/3 big league innings this year. The 37-year-old right-hander, a 2023 All-Star, had hip surgery Oct. 31 and hadn’t yet returned to the mound when he was acquired from San Francisco at the July 30 trade deadline

    “It’s a mindset,” the Cleveland second baseman said through a translator ahead of Monday night’s AL Championship Series opener. “It’s just this sense of belief we can do it because we know we can play baseball the right way.”

    In the ALCS for the first time since 2016, Cleveland sends Alex Cobb to the mound against the Yankees’ Carlos Rodón in the start of the best-of-seven matchup for a World Series berth against the Los Angeles Dodgers or New York Mets.

    Cleveland seeks its seventh AL pennant and first since 2016, trying to win its third World Series championship after 1920 and 1948. The Yankees are trying for their 41st pennant and 28th title.

    “What makes the Yankees the Yankees is winning and winning a World Series,” said New York shortstop Anthony Volpe, who grew up a Yankees fan in Manhattan and New Jersey. “I had a way better view now than I did when I was a fan. There was sometimes where we were like basically sitting with our backs against the upper deck top row and it felt like the stadium was going to come down shaking.”

    AL Central champion Cleveland beat Detroit in a five-game Division Series and the AL East-winning Yankees defeated Kansas City 3-1. While the Mets, Yankees and Dodgers are 1-2-3 in payroll at $266 million and up, the Guardians are 23rd at $109 million.

    “We’re confident in who we are,” Guardians first-year manager Stephen Vogt said. “All we can control is us.”

    Gerrit Cole, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil will follow Rodón in the Yankees rotation, and Tanner Bibee will start Game 2 for the Guardians.

    A chill in the air led some players to wear ski caps for Sunday’s workout.

    “I’m sure Yankee Stadium is going to be rocking tomorrow night,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It looks like cooler weather is moving in for these first two games, so it’s going to have that October feel to it.”

    Ugly past

    Fans in the right-field bleachers pelted Cleveland outfielders with bottles, cans and debris moments after New York rallied for a 5-4 win in April 2022, a weekend in which Cleveland’s Myles Straw called Yankees supporters the “worst fan base on the planet.”

    Two years ago, Cleveland’s Josh Naylor angered Yankees fans with his rock-the-baby celebration of a home run off Cole in Game 4 of a Division Series won by the Yankees in five games.

    “The reception a couple months ago was pretty good, so I’m sure it will be the same,” Vogt said.

    Third baseman appreciation day

    Cleveland’s José Ramírez should get more nationwide attention in Boone’s view.

    “He’s the complete package,” the Yankees manager said. “If I hear another how underappreciated, underrated he is from somebody on a network or something, I want to rip my arms off and throw it at the TV. He’s not underappreciated. He is not underrated. He’s a great on-track Hall of Fame player.”

    Ramírez had a quiet ALDS, going 3 for 16 with three RBIs. 

    “He’s one of the elite players in this league,” Vogt said. “He’s a top-five player in this league every year. In the baseball circles, everyone knows about it and talks about it.”

    Rested

    Cobb has thrown just 19 1/3 big league innings this year. The 37-year-old right-hander, a 2023 All-Star, had hip surgery Oct. 31 and hadn’t yet returned to the mound when he was acquired from San Francisco at the July 30 trade deadline.

    He made his season debut Aug. 9 and was sidelined after two games by a torn nail on his right index finger. He didn’t allow an earned run over six innings in his Sept. 1 return against Pittsburgh, then went back on the injured list with a blister on his right middle finger that ended his regular season.

    “I felt on pace to have a pretty normal season after the hip surgery and just had setback after setback,” he said. ” I don’t think anything’s gone quite like I expected it to this year, but to look up and to be in the ALCS and have an opportunity to set the tone early is something I’m going to cherish for a long time.

    He was 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA in three games and 16 1/3 innings with the Guardians, then allowed two runs over three innings in Game 3 against Detroit.

    “I’ve done everything I can to make sure that I’ve mentally stayed sharp, gone over my delivery as much as I could with the long layoffs in between,” he said. “Even though it was only three innings in the DS series, it helped a lot to get back into that game action and feel the adrenaline of the postseason.”

    Stats

    Juan Soto is 7 for 11 with four homers against Cobb.

    Cleveland’s bullpen threw 25 2/3 of 44 innings in the Division Series and had a 3.16 ERA, up from a big league-best 2.57 during the regular season.

    “We’ve relied on our bullpen all year long, but now in a seven game — traditional seven games in nine days — you have to do it a little bit differently,” Vogt said. “With the days off we had in the DS, it allowed us to really push the bullpen more than typically.”

    Yankees relievers didn’t allow an earned run in 15 2/3 innings against the Royals.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Knee injury ends season, college career for Gators quarterback Mertz

    Knee injury ends season, college career for Gators quarterback Mertz

    [ad_1]

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida quarterback Graham Mertz will miss the remainder of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a 23-17 overtime loss at Tennessee on Saturday, coach Billy Napier announced Monday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida quarterback Graham Mertz tore the ACL in his left knee in Saturday’s game

    • The sixth-year senior’s season and college career is over 

    • He will undergo surgery next week, Gators coach Billy Napier said

    • Mertz completed 73.7% of his passes for 3,694 yards, with 26 touchdowns and five interceptions at Florida and is projected to be a Day 3 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft

    Mertz, a sixth-year senior from Overland, Kan., will have surgery next week, Napier said

    Mertz awkwardly caught his cleat in the turf after throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Arlis Boardingham midway through the third quarter. Mertz limped to the locker room with a 10-0 lead and later returned to the sideline wearing street clothes and a knee brace.

    Highly touted freshman DJ Lagway took over and gave the Gators (3-3, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) a chance with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Chimere Dike with 29 seconds left in regulation. Napier called for the extra point instead of trying a 2-point conversion, and Florida lost in overtime.

    Mertz completed 11 of 15 passes for 125 yards, with the touchdown pass and a fumble at the goal line. He spent the past two years at Florida after transferring from Wisconsin, where he was a three-year starter.

    Mertz started 11 games in 2023 before breaking his collarbone in a game at Missouri and four more this season. He completed 73.7% of his passes for 3,694 yards, with 26 touchdowns and five interceptions at Florida. He is projected to be a Day 3 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

    Napier will turn to Lagway beginning with Saturday’s homecoming game against Kentucky. Lagway, who is from Willis, Texas, has completed 65.3% of his passes for 765 yards, with five touchdowns and four interceptions.

    Lagway’s first start will come against a defense that ranks third in the SEC in yards allowed. The Wildcats have given up a combined 50 points in their past three conference games.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Kyle McCord steers Syracuse to 24-17 road win at NC State

    Kyle McCord steers Syracuse to 24-17 road win at NC State

    [ad_1]

    RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Kyle McCord threw for 346 yards and two touchdowns as Syracuse defeated North Carolina State 24-17 Saturday night.

    McCord connected on 31 of 42 passes for the Orange (5-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), while LeQuint Allen supplemented Syracuse’s offensive attack with 119 yards of total offense and a touchdown on 23 touches. Jackson Meeks hauled in 11 passes for 116 yards and one of McCord’s scores.

    “Just thankful that we’ve been able to start off pretty good,” first-year Syracuse coach Fran Brown said. “I thought we gave up too many big plays, but we were able to complement each other… I’m just happy for Syracuse University right now.”

    The Wolfpack (3-4, 0-3) were powered by true freshman quarterback CJ Bailey, who completed 17 of 24 throws for a season-high 329 yards and two touchdowns. Bailey also rushed for a team-high 28 yards.

    With a 17-7 lead late in the third quarter, the momentum of the game shifted to Syracuse’s favor when Justin Barron intercepted Bailey and returned it 53 yards. That halted an eight-play Wolfpack drive that was nearing the red zone. Syracuse responded with an eight-play drive of its own that ended with McCord finding Meeks for a touchdown on a fourth-and-goal.

    “We talk about it every week, the guys know it, the most important thing on the field is the ball,” Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said. “There’s a reason they named the game after it. We’re not coveting the ball enough. We got to get back to protecting the football. That’s how you win games.”

    N.C. State responded quickly, with Bailey finding Noah Rogers for a 75-yard catch-and-run touchdown, but Syracuse took more than six minutes off the clock with its next possession. The Wolfpack trimmed the deficit with a field goal, but the Orange cleanly recovered an onside kick attempt and drained what time remained.

    THE TAKEAWAY

    Syracuse: With McCord leading the way, the Orange won in Raleigh for the first time since 2013. He entered this game leading the nation in completions, and McCord has now passed for more than 300 yards in all six games this year, which ties a single-season program record for Syracuse. The transfer from Ohio State has provided a big boost to the Orange under Brown.

    N.C. State: The Wolfpack have now suffered back-to-back losses at home for the first time since 2019. It was another game where N.C. State — which ranked 107th nationally in total offense entering Saturday — lost the turnover battle, 3-0, allowing the Orange to score off each of its crucial errors. Syracuse had possession for 13 minutes longer than N.C. State did, allowing the Orange to run 31 more plays than the Wolfpack.

    BIG GAME FOR BARRON

    Barron’s opportunistic play on defense helped Syracuse win two consecutive road games for the first time since 2012. In addition to his interception — just the second of the fifth-year defensive back’s career — Barron also recovered a fumble in the second quarter.

    “It’s exciting. We’ve been preaching it all season, and we really focused in on it and were able to get the ball,” Barron said. “It’s something that you really see on film, just the way the ball carriers carry the ball. They were carrying it really loose.”

    Barron led Syracuse in tackles with eight, one of which was a crucial sack of Bailey on a third down in the fourth quarter.

    UP NEXT

    Syracuse: After a bye, the Orange play at No. 22 Pittsburgh on Oct. 24.

    N.C. State: The Wolfpack travel to the West Coast to face California on Saturday.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Tigers hope Carpenter can come off bench in ALDS Game 5

    Tigers hope Carpenter can come off bench in ALDS Game 5

    [ad_1]

    CLEVELAND (AP) — The Detroit Tigers are hoping slugger Kerry Carpenter can come off the bench in Saturday’s decisive Game 5 of the AL Division Series against Cleveland despite dealing with a hamstring injury.

    What You Need To Know

    • Kerry Carpenter was injured while running the bases in the game on Thursday night

    • The Tigers are hoping he can come off the bench in Game 5 Saturday

    • He hasn’t had much recovery time, especially given the game moving up due to potential weather

    • Manager A.J. Hinch said Carpenter took batting practice Friday and was feeling better

    Carpenter got injured while running the bases in Game 4 on Thursday night.

    The quick turnaround — and MLB’s decision to move the starting time up seven hours, citing a chance of inclement weather — didn’t give him much recovery time.

    But manager A.J. Hinch said Carpenter took batting practice Friday and was feeling better. Hinch said Carpenter will go through a full pregame workout before the team makes a decision on whether he can play.

    “He’s sore and he’s dealing with some discomfort and not feeling 100%, but he’s also feeling some adrenaline for Game 5 in the ALDS,” Hinch said. “So that’s a good counter to not feeling at your best, and hopefully that adrenaline and that excitement will override the issues that he’s dealing with.

    “He was happy with how he hit. I was happy with how he hit. Our hitting guys felt like he was taking full swings. And this morning when he woke up, he was on the early bus and was in great spirits. So when I saw the big smile, I got more and more optimistic that we were going to get good news.”

    Carpenter came in as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning of Game 2, and in his second at-bat hit a three-run homer in the ninth off Cleveland All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase as the Tigers won 3-0 to even the series.

    The Tigers need Carpenter’s power. He had 18 homers this season despite playing in just 87 games because of a lower back stress fracture that sidelined him from May 26 to Aug. 13.

    With the Guardians starting left-hander Matthew Boyd for Game 5, Carpenter, who bats from the left, probably wouldn’t have started anyway. He was on the bench for most of Game 2 before coming in as a pinch-hitter in the eighth.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Memphis beats USF 21-3 in game moved to Orlando

    Memphis beats USF 21-3 in game moved to Orlando

    [ad_1]

    ORLANDO — Seth Henigan passed for 201 yards and two touchdowns, and Memphis forced three turnovers in a 21-3 victory over shorthanded USF on Saturday.

    The game was moved from Tampa to Orlando’s Camping World Stadium due to Hurricane Milton.

    One of the biggest plays came when Ja’Koby Banks downed a punt at the 1-yard line. USF fumbled it in the end zone on the next play when quarterback Bryce Archie rolled to his right for a short pass to Joshua Porter, who was hit backwards by Kobee Minor. The ball came out and Chandler Martin recovered it for a touchdown to give Memphis a 21-3 lead.

    South Florida turned it over on downs on its next possession, deep in Memphis territory.

    Memphis (5-1, 1-1 American Athletic Conference) scored 20 or more points for the 33rd consecutive game — the longest active streak in the nation — dating to a 33-28 win over Tulane on Nov. 27, 2021.

    Brandon Thomas led the Memphis rushing game with 67 yards after starter Mario Anderson Jr. was ejected for spitting on a USF player.

    USF (2-4, 0-2) was held to 258 total yards.

    Archie was 22 of 41 for 234 yards with an interception in his first career start for the Bulls. Starter Byrum Brown was on crutches before the game.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Las Vegas says goodbye to the Tropicana with flashy casino implosion

    Las Vegas says goodbye to the Tropicana with flashy casino implosion

    [ad_1]

    Sin City blew a kiss goodbye to the Tropicana before first light Wednesday in an elaborate implosion that reduced to rubble the last true mob building on the Las Vegas Strip.

    What You Need To Know

    • The iconic Tropicana hotel in Las Vegas was demolished early Wednesday morning, the first casino implosion in nearly a decade

    • The Tropicana closed in April after 67 years to make room for a new $1.5 billion baseball stadium for the relocating Oakland Athletics

    • Once known as the “Tiffany of the Strip” for its opulence, the Tropicana was a frequent haunt of the legendary Rat Pack



    The Tropicana’s hotel towers tumbled in a celebration that included a fireworks display. It was the first implosion in nearly a decade for a city that loves fresh starts and that has made casino implosions as much a part of its identity as gambling itself.

    “What Las Vegas has done, in classic Las Vegas style, they’ve turned many of these implosions into spectacles,” said Geoff Schumacher, historian and vice president of exhibits and programs at the Mob Museum.

    Former casino mogul Steve Wynn changed the way Las Vegas blows up casinos in 1993 with the implosion of the Dunes to make room for the Bellagio. Wynn thought not only to televise the event but created a fantastical story for the implosion that made it look like pirate ships at his other casino across the street were firing at the Dunes.

    From then on, Schumacher said, there was a sense in Las Vegas that destruction at that magnitude was worth witnessing.

    The city hasn’t blown up a Strip casino since 2016, when the final tower of the Riviera was leveled for a convention center expansion.

    This time, the implosion cleared land for a $1.5 billion baseball stadium for the relocating Oakland Athletics, part of the city’s latest rebrand into a sports hub.

    That will leave only the Flamingo from the city’s mob era on the Strip. But, Schumacher said, the Flamingo’s original structures are long gone. The casino was completely rebuilt in the 1990s.

    The Tropicana, the third-oldest casino on the Strip, closed in April after welcoming guests for 67 years.

    Once known as the “Tiffany of the Strip” for its opulence, it was a frequent haunt of the legendary Rat Pack, while its past under the mob has long cemented its place in Las Vegas lore.

    It opened in 1957 with three stories and 300 hotel rooms split into two wings.

    As Las Vegas rapidly evolved in the following decades, including a building boom of Strip megaresorts in the 1990s, the Tropicana also underwent major changes. Two hotel towers were added in later years. In 1979, the casino’s beloved $1 million green-and-amber stained glass ceiling was installed above the casino floor.

    The Tropicana’s original low-rise hotel wings survived the many renovations, however, making it the last true mob structure on the Strip.

    Behind the scenes of the casino’s grand opening, the Tropicana had ties to organized crime, largely through reputed mobster Frank Costello.

    Costello was shot in the head in New York weeks after the Tropicana’s debut. He survived, but the investigation led police to a piece of paper in his coat pocket with the Tropicana’s exact earnings figure, revealing the mob’s stake in the casino.

    By the 1970s, federal authorities investigating mobsters in Kansas City charged more than a dozen operatives with conspiring to skim $2 million in gambling revenue from Las Vegas casinos, including the Tropicana. Charges connected to the Tropicana alone resulted in five convictions.

    There were no public viewing areas for the event, but fans of the Tropicana did have a chance in April to bid farewell to the vintage Vegas relic.

    “Old Vegas, it’s going,” Joe Zappulla, a teary-eyed New Jersey resident, said at the time as he exited the casino, shortly before the locks went on the doors.

    [ad_2]

    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

    Source link

  • Big Ten has become a landing zone for transfer quarterbacks

    Big Ten has become a landing zone for transfer quarterbacks

    [ad_1]

    PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Bret Bielema was at the forefront of the graduate transfer game in 2011 when the NCAA passed a new rule that allowed athletes in all sports to transfer and gain immediate eligibility without a waiver as long as they were enrolled in graduate school.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Big Ten has become a landing zone for quarterbacks on the move

    • When this season opened, 14 of the 18 teams in the expanded conference had transfer quarterbacks starting

    • The days of wooing a high school quarterback, signing him to a national letter of intent and then having him around for five years have declined drastically

    • Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said a big reason for the influx of transfer quarterbacks is the number of coaching changes

    Needing a quarterback at Wisconsin because of an unexpected illness to Jon Budmayr and an ACL injury to his backup, Bielema and the Badgers found future NFL player Russell Wilson looking for a new home.

    Russell was going to return to NC State for a graduate year, but he also wanted to play baseball. He was a fourth-round pick of the Colorado Rockies and spent two seasons in the minors. He missed spring camp in 2011 and Wolfpack coach Tom O’Brien said he could return but not as a starter. So he transferred to Wisconsin and had a monster season, leading the Badgers and Bielema to an 11-3 record and a Rose Bowl berth.

    Much has changed in the last 13 years. Bielema left Wisconsin, went to Arkansas for five years, worked in the NFL for three years and then became the head coach at Illinois in 2021. Budmayr recovered and is now the wide receivers coach at Iowa.

    That’s not all that changed. So has the transfer rule. It’s open to everyone. Looking for more playing time, unhappy where they’re at, there’s always the portal.

    The Big Ten has become a landing zone for quarterbacks on the move. When this season opened, 14 of the 18 teams in the expanded conference had transfer quarterbacks starting. The expectations at the time were Drew Allar at No. 4 Penn State, Davis Warren at No. 24 Michigan, Miller Moss at Southern California and freshman Dylan Raiola at Nebraska.

    Warren has been replaced twice with transfer Jack Tuttle expected to start their next game on Oct. 19.

    No. 2 Ohio State is led by Will Howard (Kansas State). No. 3 Oregon has Dillon Gabriel (Central Florida, Oklahoma). No. 18 Indiana has Kurtis Rourke (Ohio) and Bielema and No. 23 Illinois have Luke Altmyer (Mississippi).

    The days of wooing a high school quarterback, signing him to a national letter of intent and then having him around for five years have declined drastically.

    “So I think the definition of what we think is normal is now gone,” Bielema said last week. “The new normal is to be able to get a quarterback that you need to play right now.”

    That’s what Greg Schiano did at Rutgers in starting his second stint with Scarlet Knights in 2020. He got Nebraska transfer Noah Vedral for a couple of years and now has Athan Kaliakmanis from Minnesota. Neither was considered a superstar but both fit into his team-first culture.

    “O-Line and quarterback are the hardest positions,” said Schiano, whose Scarlet Knights are off to a 4-1 start. “So if you can look at it, this guy’s already done it at this level or a level like ours, it really decreases your kind of miss rate and it increases your hit rate.”

    Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell, whose team faces Rutgers this weekend in New Jersey, said a big reason for the influx of transfer quarterbacks is the number of coaching changes in the conference. Nine of the coaches have been hired since 2023, the year Fickell went from Cincinnati to the Badgers.

    “I don’t know that it’s going away,” Fickell said. “I think this position in particular, everybody understands and knows that in football — I don’t care if it’s college football, NFL football, high school football — the quarterback position is critical in everything that we do. There’s not many teams today that can get by without having a guy at that position who can make plays and run an offense.”

    Wisconsin started the season with Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke, who was hurt in a loss to Alabama. He has been replaced by Braedyn Locke, a Mississippi State transfer.

    In taking over the job at Indiana, new coach Curt Cignetti brought along 13 players and 12 coaches and support from his 2023 team at James Madison. He also added Rourke, the Mid-American Conference offensive player of the year. He leads the Big Ten with 1,752 yards passing, 14 TDs and two interceptions. The Hoosiers are 6-0.

    With the transferring, there are some players who are content to stay put. Allar wanted stability and he saw that in choosing the Nittany Lions, who had just given coach James Franklin a new 10-year contract the summer before his senior year in high school.

    “I always wanted to find as a recruit, somewhere where I can go and develop and not have to leave,” Allar said, noting while coordinators may change, the concept usually doesn’t change much if the coach stays.

    While Allar understudied for Sean Clifford, Raiola has stepped into the starting role as a freshman at Nebraska. He’s a workaholic, gym rat who devours minutia. And he’s not afraid to take control and lead.

    “Dylan’s going to play,” Huskers coach Matt Rhule said. “He’s going to play the plays. When we call drop back, he’s going to drop back, he’s going to go back there and take his drop, go through his progression. Just how we want him to play when he’s a junior, we’re going to start day one that way. We’re not easing into anything.”

    That’s the exception though in the Big Ten. Most quarterbacks aren’t freshman. They’re older and starting over.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • 57th All American Quarter Horse Congress gets underway

    57th All American Quarter Horse Congress gets underway

    [ad_1]

    COLUMBUS, Ohio — The All American Quarter Horse Congress is well underway at the Ohio State Fair grounds. 

    It’s known as the largest single-breed horse show in the world, attracting hundreds of thousands of people every year to Columbus and generating hundreds of millions of dollars for the economy, but one man in particular is known to dominate the track. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The All American Quarter Horse Congress is known as the largest single-breed horse show in the world

    • The event runs for an entire month, attracting hundreds of thousands of people every year to Columbus and generating hundreds of millions of dollars for the economy

    • Reigning champion Shawn Flarida competed again this year

    The dream started when he was young. 

    “My dad brought me here when I was a youth kid,” Flarida said, “and started showing horses at the Quarter Horses Congress. I’ve been a professional horse trainer since 1988, so that’s all I’ve ever really done. It’s all I really know.”

    He’s getting ready to compete in The All American Quarter Horse Congress again this year, but as trainers like Flarida keep their eyes on the prize, CEO of the Ohio Quarter Horse Association Justin Billings is the man pulling it altogether. 

    “This is the Super Bowl of Quarter Horse Competition right here in Columbus, Ohio. There’s 200 staff that help pull it off,” Billings said. 

    The All American Quarter Horse Congress started back in 1967 as a three-day event. Fifty-seven years later, it runs for an entire month.

    “as we’ve grown into a 30-day event with over a half a million visitors, 4,000 horses, that turns into a huge economic impact for the central Ohio area, just shy of $430 million generated for our local area,” he said. “And that’s hotels, that’s restaurants, that’s trucks, that’s trailers. That’s the 200 vendors here for the trade show generating over $400 million for the central Ohio area.”

    Competition may be fierce this year, but Flarida still has a reputation to uphold, crediting that to none other than his horse. 

    “You’re only as good as the horse that you’re riding,” Flarida said, “and, you know, the owners and the people that support me and get me up and down the road and get me there. They’ve been tremendous to me.”

    But no matter, win or lose, Flarida’s doing what he loves where he first fell in love with the sport many years ago. 

    “It’s an honor to be here at the Congress. I’m probably one of the few people that can do something that I love to do every day. There’s not a day that that I don’t wake up looking forward to go do my job,” he said.

    [ad_2]

    Aliah Keller

    Source link