Derrick Rose, who has spent most of his professional career playing under Tom Thibodeau, is supposedly relieved to be leaving for a more regimented preseason.

According to Rose, “these last two years, I had Thibs,” he revealed Thursday from Memphis Grizzlies camp. To compare this with Thibs, just know that we put in a lot of effort on this one. However, Thibs is, how should I put this?

It is performed in a novel way. That is all I’m going to say. A new course was taken. It’s easier to move around here. It flows better. The men are putting in a lot of hours. And that’s not to suggest that our people back in New York weren’t productive.

Rose and Thibodeau had a strong rapport that appeared to bring out the best in the point guard throughout their three seasons together in the NBA.

Rose didn’t elaborate on why the Grizzlies’ training camp was “smoother,” but he did say that he values the team’s roster stability since “they don’t have to do much to tweak things.”

However, things between you two were strained during the last New York season.

It came as a surprise to everyone when Rose arrived at training camp for the 2022 season, boasting about how he had followed Thibodeau’s advice and lost weight.

The previous MVP, Rose, was not only taken off the court but also removed from the team’s rotation, playing in just 27 games.

The Knicks opted not to exercise their $15.6 million club option on Rose, and he subsequently signed with the Grizzlies.

One current Knicks player offered a negative take on Thibodeau’s training camp, as was to be anticipated.

“He’s very detail-oriented, which I appreciate,” Donte DiVincenzo remarked of him. I played under coaches in college who paid attention to the smallest of details, and that’s why I’m in the NBA now. So, I believe Thibs is capable of bringing out the best in me.

Just remember the angles and the basics, and don’t miss any of the procedures. Most of the teams in this league win solely on the strength of their athletes. They depend only on their own talent. Thibs, on the other hand, takes care of the finer points and allows your innate skills to shine through. And you’ll be able to tell by the third day of training camp.

Thibodeau values the “trained eye” above statistical analysis when it comes to defense.

“I haven’t seen a defensive rating system yet [that is the best],” the coach remarked after much research. In my opinion, the trained eye is the most crucial factor in determining a victor. Both field goal percentage and rebounding margin have consistently ranked highly on my list of priorities throughout the years. Does your shot-challenging technique work? What percentage of your opponent’s shots are you directing? Are you eliminating high-stakes situations? These are the points I make.

Thibodeau, by coincidence, mentioned Rose on Thursday as the driving force behind the 2021 playoff push that landed them in the fourth spot.

“Three years ago, it was more based on our defense, and at the end of that year, we turned the corner when we made the trade for Derrick,” Thibodeau said.

James Harden is ‘hopeful’ of signing with the Clippers, and the Clippers are doing all they can to make it happen.

James Harden has reportedly arrived at the Philadelphia 76ers’ training camp at Colorado State this week, although he is still “hopeful” of being traded to the L.A. Clippers, his hometown team.

A second source in the NBA stated, “I believe the Clippers have genuine interest, but what will Daryl accept in a trade?” He has to get Harden a solid harvest of players and draft choices if he wants to win the press conference.

The Athletic reports that Clippers GM Rob Pelinka is trying to strike up a trade for Harden with the Sixers by offering “fifth-year forward Terance Mann and multiple first-round picks” in return for the dissatisfied Harden.

Harden, in the meantime, is in camp without having spoken to the media and without creating a “circus-like atmosphere.” No, not at this time.

According to The Athletic, Sixers center and current MVP Joel Embiid said of Harden’s comeback, “It’s been good.” He has been active to some degree. Even though he hasn’t performed (in the real-life equivalent), the vibes have been fantastic. His experience and wisdom will serve us well, in my opinion. Coming in and not being a distraction—not that it would have been a diversion anyway, given how focused we have been.

Sportda Advance Media has an anonymous league source saying the Clippers “won’t add T-Mann to the deal” and that Morey “needs more” than simply selections.

This team is different from the one we had a few years ago when we had that problem (with Ben Simmons),” he said. It’s been simple, what with the new coaches and all. Nobody seems to be concerned about what has been happening.

When asked whether he thought Harden would stick around, Embiid said, “Uh, I don’t know. There he is. All we know is that he is practicing with us. However, we are not concentrating on it at the moment. Our main goal right now is to figure out how to play as a team, both offensively and defensively.

Harden’s next move is a complete mystery. In the last three years, he has pushed his way out of Houston and Brooklyn, and he now wants to leave for a third time.

One person in the league stated, “Harden is such a mystery.” “He just sits and pouts no matter where he is, and it’s very puzzling!”

Harden, according to veteran forward Danny Green, is not the kind of player who would intentionally cause a disruption by skipping a game.

Finally, Green stated, “I don’t see him not playing,” based on his experience both playing against and alongside James over the years. A little mystery surrounds his upcoming actions. I believe he is unhappy but is attempting dissociation. You may be unhappy over there, but he should be a terrific teammate, a brother to his teammates, and a contributor to something he believes will make a difference and be memorable here.

The second-league source expressed his desire that Harden not sign with the Clippers.

“I hope not,” the informant answered. Without him, the Clippers would still be a formidable team.

Michael B. Jordan and Steve Harvey have a cordial relationship. More than a year after their breakup with Lori Harvey, Steve Harvey and Michael B. Jordan were seen hugging one another at an NBA game.

Over a year after Jordan’s breakup with Harvey’s stepdaughter Lori Harvey, the 36-year-old Black Panther star and the Family Feud presenter were reunited at the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 on Thursday.

The NBA posted a snapshot of Jordan smiling broadly as he bent down to give Harvey, 66, a hug on the NBA’s official Instagram page.

The NBA captioned the photo, “All smiles at #NBAinAbuDhabi!,” tagged the two stars, and used the hashtag “NBACelebRow” to draw attention to their positive facial expressions.

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The basketball league also released a video of the two hands shaking. They started out by shaking hands, then Jordan moved in for a hug, and they were both grinning the whole time.

Steve remarked on an edition of The Steve Harvey Morning Show after the actor and Lori split up in June 2022 that he was “team Lori, 1,000 percent.” She’s my little girl. I’m on her side, and I adore her.

“Things happen,” the TV presenter said. Having a happy relationship as a young celebrity might be challenging. As long as everyone can part ways amicably, I don’t see any problem here. As far as I know, nobody has reported any broken windows or anything else.

Steve also remarked on the show, “As long as you don’t put your hands on my daughter, I don’t give a damn what you do.”

The TV presenter had gushed about Jordan being a “nice guy” when the actor and his daughter made their relationship public in January 2021.

Let’s get one thing straight, right from the bat. In February of 2021, he said on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that he is a decent man, adding, “This youngster… He’s very cool, actually. I hope he succeeds.

In the same month of 2021, he said on Newscase (the TV Show!), “I don’t talk publicly about this sort of thing, but I’m thrilled for my daughter right now. Actually, I am. I’ve never felt pleased for her [in a relationship] before, but now I do. And this is the first time she’s ever felt really content.

Simply put, he’s a decent human being. ‘Cause I have ways,’ the Family Feud presenter said; if he wasn’t, “get him out of here. But I can’t say anything negative about you, guy. Simply put, he comes from an awesome clan. He has a deep spirituality.

The 36-year-old Messi has missed five of Miami’s past six matches, including a 4-1 defeat to Chicago Fire FC on Wednesday that put its prospects of reaching the MLS Cup playoffs at significant risk. The 3-0 victory against Bolivia on September 12 was another game the Argentina skipper had to miss.

Even though he has been out for two weeks with a leg injury for club team Inter Miami CF, Lionel Messi was selected on Thursday for Argentina’s next two World Cup qualifying matches.

The entire Argentina team:

Defenders: Walter Bentez (PSV Eindhoven), Juan Foyth (Villarreal), Gonzalo Montiel (Nottingham Forest), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Germán Pezzella (Real Betis), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Lucas Martnez Quarta (Fiorentina), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Marco Pellegrino (AC Milan), Marcos A

Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martnez (Aston Villa), Franco Armani (River Plate), and Juan Musso (Atalanta).

Forwards: Paulo Dybala (Roma), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Julián Alvarez (Manchester City), Lautaro Martnez (Inter Milan), Facundo Faras (Inter Miami), Lucas Beltrán (Fiorentina), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Nico González (Fiorentina), Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla), Lucas Beltrán (Fiorentina), Lucas Beltrán (Fior)

Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Roma), Guido Rodrguez (Real Betis), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Rodrigo de Paul (Atletico Madrid), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Carlos Alcaraz (Southampton), Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham), Alexis MacAllister (Liverpool), and Thiago Almada (Atlanta)

Streaming on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, and more (US)

Argentina and Brazil are the only teams in CONMEBOL to have a perfect 2-0 record in World Cup qualification. visit Peru on October 17 after playing Paraguay in Buenos Aires on October 12.

Messi has scored 11 times in 12 games for Inter Miami. The squad is undefeated while he is on the field, with a record of 8-0-4. Seven of those victories came during the run to the Leagues Cup title, the club’s first major honor, and another came in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. Since Messi’s arrival, Inter Miami has gone 1-3-2 in its six matches played without him.

Messi’s most recent appearance was in his team’s encounter against Toronto on Sept. 20, during which he was replaced at halftime because of the recurrence of a leg ailment that first returned in a 1-0 victory over Ecuador on Sept. 7.

Miami coach Gerardo Martino remarked of Messi after Chicago’s defeat, “Barcelona missed him, and the Argentine team missed him,” referring to the loss of the team. “Of course, we’re going to miss the best player in the world.”

There was some good news among the challenges for the Washington Commanders in their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last weekend. One bright light was the play of second-year quarterback Sam Howell.

Eric Bieniemy’s new attacking strategy seemed like a breath of fresh air. It’s worth noting that Washington also had no turnovers, but the team’s emphasis on short throws, shifting pockets, and the run game looked to be a rather drastic change from the week prior’s blowout defeat to Buffalo. Without those five giveaways, it’s harder to maintain a quick and effective offensive.

On defense, though, things were different.

Selling out seemed like a good plan for stopping the Eagles’ running attack, so head coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio implemented it. That resolved the issue. D’Andre Swift, the Eagles’ rushing back, had rushed for over 300 yards in his previous two games, but the Washington defense held him to only 56 yards.

Unfortunately for the Commanders, Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts was able to defeat them from the pocket, as was the goal. The one change that may have made a difference would have been to assist rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes or at least shift his focus away from Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown. He was the game’s clear-cut MVP after catching nine passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns. Fans of the Commanders can only hope that Brown will use his humiliation of Forbes as a learning lesson.

There is good news coming for Washington now, and that is facing the struggling Chicago Bears. Here are some details you need to know about the game:

1- The Chicago Bears have allowed just two sacks this season. The total is two in the last four games. The strain that has been building on Howell thus far this season should ease somewhat when the Bears come to town.

2- In Washington’s two victories this year, defensive end Montez Sweat has recorded three sacks, which is a kind of pressure. Sweat has not contributed to either of Washington’s two defeats this year. It’s the kind of evening that calls for a sweatsack.

3- Although the “battle black” outfits the commanders will be wearing look fantastic, the all-black performance has been less than stellar. The commanders have a 1-2 punch in their ensemble.

4- Washington has a 23-21-1 overall record versus Chicago and is 2-0 all-time against the Bears on Thursday night.

5- Only the Chicago Bears and the Carolina Panthers have yet to record a victory in the NFL this season.

6- Howell was a star back on the collegiate level, but he only had five rushes in the Commanders’ first three games. Howell carried the ball six times last week against the Eagles, which was easily his greatest game as a professional. The young quarterback will likely run the ball more often.

7- Despite having the 21st-best scoring offense in the NFL, Chicago’s defense is second-worst in points allowed (31st). It’s not much better in Washington. The Commanders’ offense is 17th, while their defense is 29th in points allowed.

8- Wide receiver D.J. Moore, a graduate of the University of Maryland, is Chicago’s most dangerous offensive weapon. Through four games, Moore has 24 catches. Washington’s wideout group consists of Curtis Samuel (20), Jahan Dotson (25), and Terry McLaurin (26). Dotson and Samuel were listed as questionable on this week’s injury report, but both are expected to play against the Bulls.

9- Brian Robinson, a running back with the Commanders, has rushed for 262 yards on 62 attempts, enough for 13th in the NFL. He is just behind Christian McCaffrey (23) in rushes that result in first downs (20).

10- Howell has been sacked 24 times, which is the most in the NFL, and has lost 156 yards as a result. Bears quarterback Justin Fields has taken 17 sacks for 116 lost yards this season. With 17 sacks, they are third in the NFL.

The Big Ten released their updated future football schedules for the years 2024–2028 on Thursday, including the addition of Oregon and Washington to the conference.

The most recent schedule will use the “Flex Protect XVII” style, so named because it combines protected opponents with rotating opponents for the universities.

Even though the league had already issued a schedule format in June, with the addition of Oregon and Washington, a new release was required.

We’ve added two extra squads, but that changes the whole dynamic. Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti remarked in a conference call that they needed to “go back to the drawing board” and try the scheduling rotation again. Many of the guiding principles, such as competitive balance and linking the whole league, that were established during the initial announcement of USC and UCLA’s merger were maintained. Protecting the traditional rivalries and making an effort to be cognizant of travel are both key parts of this procedure.

Since the addition of four West Coast schools raised logistical problems that needed to be balanced for student-athletes and finances, distance and travel have been major factors for Petitti and Big Ten chief operations officer Kerry Kenny. Athletes and directors were able to create a good work-life balance by ensuring that both were working efficiently.

“There’s an overarching narrative that’s being presented that every battle that’s going to occur in the Big Ten is going to be a midweek matchup pitting a club from Eugene versus a team from Piscataway. And that’s not really the focus here,” Kenny said. The addition of these four colleges is likely to have an effect on a number of sports, and we’ve given careful consideration to each one. When making schedules, it’s best to rotate opponents and use formats that reduce travel and other off-campus obligations as much as feasible.

Kenny said the sequencing was done with the players’ mental and physical health in mind, so teams who play in an away game two time zones away don’t have to play an away game at noon at a Central time zone school the following week. The league considered things like bye weeks and Friday night games that may impact scheduling and travel.

🏈 The #B1G Announces 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 Future Football Schedule Format

➕ https://t.co/hfPUYhaiqX pic.twitter.com/JZqcS2Fn0Q

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 5, 2023

🏈 The #B1G Announces 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳 Future Football Schedule Format

➕ https://t.co/hfPUYhaiqX pic.twitter.com/44f4Es4ay6

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 5, 2023

🏈 The #B1G Announces 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟴 Future Football Schedule Format

➕ https://t.co/hfPUYhaiqX pic.twitter.com/nQGBeXpwxH

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 5, 2023

There are 12 guaranteed protected matches under the new structure that will be contested annually: Maryland-Rutgers, Michigan-Michigan State, Michigan-Ohio State, Minnesota-Wisconsin, Oregon-Washington, UCLA-USC, and Illinois-Northwestern all include rivalry games.

There will be a lot of road games for the new teams in 2024, with Oregon visiting Michigan, Purdue, Wisconsin, and UCLA. At away games against Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, UCLA, and Washington, the Trojans will play all five. The Bruins are planning road trips to Nebraska, Penn State, Rutgers, and Washington. The Huskies’ next schedule includes road games at Indiana, Iowa, Penn State, Rutgers, and Oregon.

The conference schedule calls for nine games every season, with each club facing the other eight times during a five-year span.

There will be no divisions in the 2024 season, and all 18 clubs will play together. The Big Ten’s top two regular-season finishers will compete in the conference title game since there won’t be any more divisions.

The Raiders, Chargers, and Broncos all used signature moves. Teams in the AFC West who wanted to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs had a lot on their plates in March 2022.

The Raiders strengthened their pass rush that fateful month by signing defensive end Chandler Jones, who had logged five consecutive seasons with double-digit sack totals over the previous six years.

To improve their pass rush, the Broncos went out and acquired defensive end Randy Gregory, who had six sacks in 11 starts last year.

After trading away star receiver Tyreek Hill, the whole nation watched in dismay as the Chiefs’ fortunes plummeted. In light of their defensive improvements, the Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Denver Broncos were feeling pretty good about themselves.

To strengthen their secondary, the Chargers went out and signed cornerback J.C. Jackson, who had collected 22 interceptions in the previous three seasons.

J.C. Jackson A Chargers Free Agency Failed

Jackson has departed from the L.A. area. On Wednesday, the New England Patriots acquired him in a trade.

And we are looking to trade Gregory. If no club comes up with a late-round selection in exchange for him, the Broncos will release him on Thursday or Friday, according to coach Sean Payton.

On September 30, the Raiders released Jones because they were worried about his problematic behavior.

“We’ve got theists; we’ve got the best.” “We’ve got the best team we’ve got.” “We’ve got the best team we’ve ever had,” one of our reporters said. “We’ve”

The AFC West Keeps Chasing After the Chiefs

The three clubs in pursuit of the Chiefs paid a total of $203.5 million to acquire these three players. Their goal is to thwart Patrick Mahomes.

And they all came up short.

At the time, no one considered such a possibility. No one challenged the logic of the seeming sound movements.

The Chargers already had a solid secondary thanks to the play of Assante Samuel Jr. at cornerback, and the addition of Jackson would further strengthen it.

The Raiders thought their pass rush was strong with Maxx Crosby, but adding Jones would make them unstoppable on both the right and left sides.

Since the Broncos already had Bradley Chubb, they reasoned that adding Gregory would just increase the burden on both him and Chubb.

The decisions reflected poorly on the Chiefs, who had just seen their offense take a major hit.

But on Wednesday, we realized that rumors are often completely false.

Ultimate Chiefs Weapons: Mahomes and Reid

Also, with Mahomes and Reid at the helm, the Chiefs are well-protected against the schemes of their opponents in the division.

The Chiefs are 3-1 right now, but they are worried because Patrick Mahomes had a terrible game against the Jets, and his receiving group hasn’t been very productive.

Everyone seems to be freaking out right now.

No, not at all.

“We have a couple of young guys we’re kind of bringing along, but I think they’re doing a pretty good job,” Reid remarked on Wednesday, seemingly unconcerned.

Nobody has had a disproportionately high number of receptions since we’re always switching up who plays in there. Indeed, that is how things will always be. We’re rotating between six or seven people who can play since we have so many.

Against the Jets, Mahomes said, “I didn’t play very well,” since he threw two interceptions and underthrew a few passes.

“It’s officially football season, and the saying goes, “It’s never too early to start declaring it’s football season.

Three of Kansas City’s division opponents have recently released or traded high-priced defensive players, but it was they who did it. While the chiefs avoid the impulse to worry.

“You know,” Reid said, “we had 400 yards the week before, so somebody is getting open.”

Available Randy Gregory As A Trade

Last year, they were victorious in the Super Bowl. Jones, Gregory, and Jackson were the division’s key players. And the Dolphins accomplished this with Hill on their roster.

In the meantime, the chiefs kept making progress. Unaffected. Undeterred.

The Chiefs currently lead their division by one game over the Chargers, who seem to be their only real contender for a third straight division title.

I mean, what does this mean?

It’s a cautionary story about the NFL offseason, and it occurs every year. When high-profile athletes receive lucrative contracts, the world seems to turn upside down.

Unfortunately, by winter, we realized that much of the enthusiasm we had in the spring had dissipated.

Kobe Bryant grew up in Italy and went directly from high school to the NBA. Bryant was a scoring machine for the Los Angeles Lakers, helping them win five NBA titles and the Most Valuable Player award in 2008. However, in December 2014, he eclipsed Michael Jordan for third place on the NBA’s all-time scoring record, and he retired in 2016 after scoring 60 points in his last game. Injuries hindered his later seasons. For his work on the short film Dear Basketball, Bryant won the 2018 Academy Award for Best Animated Short. On January 26, 2020, Bryant and his daughter Gigi, then 13 years old, were among eight people killed in a helicopter accident.

Personal life

On August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a baby boy named Kobe Bean Bryant entered the world. Bryant is the son of former NBA player Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, and his name is a nod to a city in Japan.

After retiring from the NBA in 1984, the older Bryant moved his family to Italy to play in the Italian League. Bryant was an active basketball and soccer player growing up in Italy with two athletic elder sisters, Shaya and Sharia. When the family relocated to Philadelphia in 1991, Bryant joined the Lower Merion High School basketball team, which he led to four consecutive state titles. With his sights set on the NBA, he began working out with the 76ers.

Bryant skipped college to begin his professional basketball career, despite his excellent academic record and high SAT scores. In the 1996 NBA draft, the Charlotte Hornets used the thirteenth overall choice on him before trading him to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Who was Kobe’s wife?

In April of 2001, Bryant tied the knot with Vanessa Laine, then 19. Natalia Diamante was born in 2003; Gianna Maria-Onore in 2006 (who will pass away in 2020); Bianka in 2016; and Capri in 2019.

Is Kobe Bryant the top 5 NBA player of all time?

Bryant was selected as a starter for the 1998 All-Star Game in his second season with the Lakers, making him the NBA’s youngest All-Star at the age of 19. The shooting guard then won three straight NBA titles alongside superstar center Shaquille O’Neal, and he was named first-team all-NBA from 2002 to 2004. He also signed multi-year sponsorship agreements with Adidas, Sprite, and other major brands.

Despite the fact that the Lakers struggled when O’Neal departed in 2004, Bryant excelled. He set an NBA record with 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in January 2006, the second-highest single-game total in NBA history, and led the league in scoring the next year and the year after.

In 2008, Bryant won the award for Most Valuable Player and led his team to the NBA Finals, where the Boston Celtics defeated them. The Lakers won the NBA Finals in 2009, defeating the Orlando Magic. Soon later, Bryant attended a memorial ceremony for friend and music legend Michael Jackson. The Lakers won their second consecutive championship the following year, beating the Celtics.

Bryant was a member of the United States Olympic teams in 2008 and 2012, capturing gold medals alongside teammates Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony, among others.

Bryant battled hard to return to the court after tearing his Achilles tendon in April 2013, but he fractured his knee only six games into the 2013-2014 season. The veteran All-Star overtook Michael Jordan for third place on the NBA scoring chart in December 2014, but his season was cut short for the third time in a row when he tore his rotator cuff in January 2015.

Read Article: How tall is Josh Allen: weight, height, age, net worth, and all you know

Academy Award for ‘Dear Basketball

Bryant posted a poem titled “Dear Basketball” on The Players’ Tribune website in November 2015 to announce his retirement from the Lakers. The sports legend quickly enlisted the help of industry heavyweights like Disney animator Glen Keane and musician John Williams to adapt his poetry into a short film.

The finished product was a stunningly created short film that premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. Voters took notice, and Bryant was presented with the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film at this year’s presentation.

Bryant was also invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ short films and animation division. The governors committee of the Academy said in June 2018 that they had canceled the invitation, citing the former basketball great’s lack of sufficient contributions to the field as the reason.

Philanthropy

The basketball legend has collaborated with After-School All-Stars as part of the Kobe & Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation’s charitable work. He also oversaw the Kobe Basketball Academy, a summer program that occurred every year.

Sexual Assault Charge

Bryant was arrested in Colorado in July 2003 on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old hotel employee. Bryant said he committed adultery but was not responsible for the rape. In 2004, Bryant’s case was dropped when he reached a civil settlement with the hotel worker who had sued him.

Why did Kobe Bryant retire?

Bryant did make it back for the start of the 2015–2016 NBA season, but he and his youthful Lakers colleagues faltered. He announced his retirement in November 2015, after the conclusion of the season. He said on the website The Players’ Tribune, “This season is all I have left to give.” That won’t bother my heart too much. My head can take it, but my body is telling me it’s over.

Even NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had strong feelings about the news. “With 17 NBA All-Star selections, an NBA MVP, five NBA championships with the Lakers, two Olympic gold medals, and a relentless work ethic, Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players in the history of our game,” Silver said in a press release. “Whether competing in the finals or hoisting jump shots after midnight in an empty gym, Kobe has an unconditional love for the game.”

Bryant’s last game was on April 13, 2016, and he left a lasting impression on the sold-out crowd at the Staples Center and on basketball fans across the world by scoring 60 points and guiding the Lakers to a victory against the Utah Jazz. It was Bryant’s sixth career game with at least 60 points.

After the game, Bryant addressed the spectators. “I can’t believe how fast 20 years went by,” he said. We’ve had our ups and downs, but to be standing here in the middle of the floor with my teammates behind me, recognizing the road that we’ve been on, is simply surreal. What matters most is that we stuck together, I believe.

In addition to Shaquille O’Neal and Shaquille Arthur, Lakers legends Phil Jackson, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom, and Magic Johnson also spoke highly of Bryant. “We are here to celebrate greatness for 20 years,” Johnson said. Two decades of unmatched quality. Kobe Bryant is one athlete who has never deceived his fans by cheating. He’s played despite being hurt or injured. And we may hang up five banners proclaiming our success as a result.

What was Kobe doing when he died?

Bryant was on board a Sikorsky S-76 aircraft when it crashed in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Calabasas on January 26, 2020. Bryant’s daughter, Gianna “Gigi,” 13, was one of nine people who lost their lives. Bryant was on his way to Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California, from Orange County by helicopter for a tournament game.

Vanessa, the wife of Bryant, said on Instagram.”We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe — the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna — a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri,” There are no adequate words to express the depth of our suffering at this time. It gives me peace of mind to think that Kobe and Gigi understood how much they were adored. Having them in our life was an incredible gift. I hope they could stay with us indefinitely. They were our precious gifts from God that were snatched from us much too soon.

On February 7, 2020, a private burial service was held for Bryant and his daughter. On February 24, a memorial ceremony was held at the Staples Center to pay respect to the basketball great and family man. Beyoncé and Alicia Keys performed musical tributes, while Jordan, Shaq, and Vanessa said moving words.

Bryant entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on April 4, 2020.

The National Transportation Safety Board said in February 2021 that pilot Ara Zobayan was likely confused because he was “flying under visual flight orders, or VFR, which legally prohibited him from penetrating the clouds.”

QUICK FACTS

Best Known For Former pro basketball player Kobe Bryant won five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers while establishing himself as one of the game’s all-time greats. He died tragically in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020.

After recovering from LeBron James’s foot injury from the previous year, he is back to his normal self!

LeBron James was last seen playing for the Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals when he fought through a foot ailment to play almost all 48 minutes despite being plainly hampered.

His power was largely unrivaled among players in his position; therefore, he was still able to muscle his way into starting roles. But the responsiveness of a sports car’s gas pedal was missing. The lightning-fast agility was muted. And with it, part of his “wow” effect is gone.

People who were in the gym for the Lakers’ first two days of training camp only saw a different James. Even at age 38, James has shown he can still surprise with his blazing speed.

Coach Darvin Ham has confirmed that he is completely healthy. His appearance is unimpaired. He looks like a third- or fourth-year LeBron.

James definitely didn’t appear that late last season when he returned from a major foot injury. His colleagues have seen an ageless version of the league’s all-time leading scorer this summer and in the first few days of training camp.

Recently, he’s been putting on quite a handsome appearance. Simply his activity and energy levels. Forward Jarred Vanderbilt observed after Wednesday’s practice that the wing player “looks like he has a little bit more bounce and pep to his step” while switching ends of the floor. We’re relieved that he’s feeling better than ever. He’s still going like a freight train, like I stated.

During media day on Monday, James expressed his eagerness to put everything to the test.

“This summer has been a lot about rehabbing that and getting that back to where it needs to be,” he said. However, I have had a great response from my foot throughout my offseason training. I’m excited to see its performance during training camp, preseason, and the next regular season. I’m thrilled with the present state of my life.

“This summer has been a lot about rehabbing that and getting that back to where it needs to be,” he said. However, I have had a great response from my foot throughout my offseason training. I’m excited to see its performance during training camp, preseason, and the next regular season. I’m thrilled with the present state of my life.

This summer, he says, “a lot of my attention was with my foot and getting that back to a pre-injury [state],” similar to before his injury in a February 26 game against Dallas, “where I pretty much tore the whole tendon on my right foot.”

The quarterback position is his. When it comes to tactics and attacking our opponents, he will help us figure out what we are up against. Just like he did last year,” Ham said. “But this year, we just watched Gabe Vincent in today’s scrimmage with a tremendous three-pointer to put his side up one and eventually win the scrimmage.

Big plays from AD. Big shots from D-Lo Austin; he has support. Hachimura, Rui; Wood, Christian. You may get assistance everywhere. Men have hit huge shots in crucial situations, including game-winners. Just based on that alone, he’ll know when to be aggressive and when to hold his fire. However, he is also the most unselfish top superstar I’ve ever seen; therefore, we need him to be forceful when necessary. He’s going to choose the prudent course of action.

“He can be selective now. He’s a seasoned veteran and a sage on and off the field. He’s really strategic about where he does it and how he displays it,” Ham added. And now he has an army at his disposal. He’ll be able to maintain his explosive performance for extended chunks of games throughout the whole season as a result. Clicking on all cylinders, he’ll be at the location in a flash.

And after last year, it ought to be possible to have complete confidence in such assistance.

Early in his career, he was criticized for supposedly being too timid to seize the spotlight. That is completely not the case. In basketball, he just takes his time before making a move. And now that we have this team of men organized to go around him and AD, it will be much worse.

FIFA said on Wednesday that it has awarded Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay the opening games as part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup, for which a South American bid had been submitted. South America will host the first three games of the World Cup.

The 2030 World Cup will be held in Morocco, Spain, and Portugal; however, the first three games will be held in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.

After playing their first three games at home, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay will travel to Morocco, Spain, and Portugal to play the remaining games of the tournament.

It will be the first World Cup in history to span three continents, and all six teams will qualify automatically.

Paraguay is home to the CONMEBOL offices, despite Uruguay having hosted and won the first World Cup in 1930 and Argentina having finished as the tournament’s runner-up. At the time of the 1930 tournament, CONMEBOL was the only existing confederation.

As stated by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, the first match will take place in Uruguay at Estadio Centenario, a stadium built for the 1930 competition.

It is still planned for Morocco, Portugal, or Spain to host the opening ceremony.

After failing to host the event in 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, and 2026, Morocco will finally be able to call themselves World Cup hosts in 2030. It will also be the first North African nation to host World Cup games.

Before teaming up with Spain and Portugal in March, Morocco had planned to submit a proposal on its own.

Along with Spain, which hosted the 1982 World Cup, Portugal will also be hosting for the first time, despite having previously bid unsuccessfully for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Although Portugal reached the finals of Euro 2004, they were ultimately defeated.

The Spanish government issued a statement calling the news “truly transcendental” for Spanish sports.

Ukraine had offered to host some group-stage matches for Spain and Portugal in October of last year, but their preparation for a major tournament had been in question due to the continuing conflict with Russia.

It will be the first World Cup to be held in more than two host countries; the 2026 tournament in North America will include Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

According to FIFA’s rotation policy, CONCACAF will host the tournament in 2026, with CAF, CONMBEO, and UEFA hosting the tournament in 2030. In 2034, FIFA hopes to accept bids from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).

Infantino said that the FIFA Council has unanimously decided to support the combined candidacy of Morocco, Portugal, and Spain to host the FIFA World Cup in 2030. “Two continents, Africa and Europe, came together in an unprecedented display of social and cultural harmony to celebrate football. Wow, this is a powerful statement for unity and acceptance.

“In 2030, we will have a unique global footprint: three continents—Africa, Europe, and South America—six countries—Argentina, Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, and Uruguay—welcoming and uniting the world while celebrating together the beautiful game, the centenary, and the FIFA World Cup.”

CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez remarked, “It’s a historic event, and CONMEBOL is happy.” In doing so, we are able to reach parity with our forebears. Once again, we are grateful for FIFA’s and our colleagues’ trust in such a momentous occasion and year.

The good news is that by splitting the investment amongst three nations and three hosts, we can use nearly none of the resources that are now being used. And that’s fantastic news because we all know that if it had been an issue of investment or money demands, we simply wouldn’t be able to compete in that setting.

“I believe it would have been an unwise suggestion from us if this had been a competition where our governments had to contribute the amounts that nations now pay to be hosts. Because we know that other countries are far better off economically and have less pressing issues, I doubt that we would have been able to accomplish that goal either. Therefore, I consider this to be a very responsible and workable approach.

Saudi Arabia said later on Wednesday that it would submit a proposal to host the 2034 FIFA Men’s World Cup.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) said on Wednesday that it was aiming to host a “world-class tournament” for the 25th edition, drawing on the country’s “deep-rooted passion for football” in its bid.

FIFA has been criticized for not ‘seriously’ addressing climate change.

One example of football’s “inability to take the threat of climate change seriously” is FIFA’s decision to split the 2030 World Cup over three continents.

“The announcement today that the first three games of the 2030 World Cup will be played in South America before hosting the remaining matches across two continents is yet another example of the footballing industry’s inability to take the threat of climate change seriously,” said Elliot Arthur-Worsop, founder of Football for Future, a non-profit organization aiming to create an environmentally sustainable culture in the sport.

Extreme weather, such as flash floods and heat waves, is becoming more common and increasingly endangering football games.

FIFA’s decision today would result in significant carbon emissions from unnecessary travel by both players and spectators.

At a time when the effects of climate change are only expected to worsen, this creates a worrying precedent for future events.

Football may affect positive change by mobilizing a new generation of supporters.

To preserve the “beautiful game” we all love, it is critical that FIFA and other governing organizations take the initiative to build a sustainable future.

Soccer’s governing body has previously said that it is “continuing to strengthen its requirements and programs related to environmental protection.” It claims to have compensated for the “unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions” produced by the men’s, women’s, and youth World Cups held during the last four years.

Does FIFA make a wise move with its 2030 decision?

Although it would have been romantic to have the World Cup return to Uruguay 100 years later, the country lacked the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the tournament’s larger 48-team field. Should we have believed that Europe would agree to two successive World Cups being held in the Americas? If FIFA were a father with two pampered children, it would have to institute an incentive system to keep them in check.

Just when you think the decision-makers at FIFA and its confederation can’t top themselves, they go and do it. Under the pretense of “uniting the world,” FIFA’s intention to spread the 2030 Globe Cup among six nations on three continents is absurd. CONMEBOL was obviously never going to be ready to host the 2030 tournament.

The CONMEBOL proposal, which included Argentina and Paraguay, was a last-ditch effort to make a hopeless campaign seem legitimate. Uruguay and CONMEBOL will have their time in the sun in 2030 if the first matches are played in South America. It’s the simplest way to host the World Cup in Uruguay without drawing attention to the country’s unfriendliness toward foreigners.

As a result, FIFA, UEFA, and CONMEBOL will work to alleviate the obvious travel difficulties that a transatlantic World Cup inevitably raises. It was terrible enough that the World Cup had to be scaled down to 48 teams. It would be too much to ask to have the World Cup on two different continents.

J.C. Jackson returns to the Patriots after Christian Gonzalez’s injury through a trade with the Chargers:

Jackson will return to New England with a seventh-round selection from Los Angeles in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2025.

A potential rookie cornerback for the Patriots, Christian Gonzalez, was injured in Sunday’s defeat to the Dallas Cowboys, which led to the trade.

An insider with the Patriots said that tests on Gonzalez verified their greatest worries about the extent of the injury to his shoulder.

Jackson has been held out of both of the Chargers’ most recent games. He said, “I’m not 100 percent” when questioned about his condition before Week 4’s game. I’m trying my best.

Bringing back the former Pro Bowl cornerback less than two years after he departed in free agency, the New England Patriots have acquired J.C. Jackson from the Los Angeles Chargers, per a club source. What you need to know is as follows:

The Logic Behind the Swap

Four of the Patriots’ starting corners were hurt before they left Dallas last Sunday. The Athletic has revealed that one month into the season, their standout rookie, González, sustained a major shoulder injury. Jack Jones and Marcus Jones are both on injured reserve, while Jonathan Jones has missed the previous three games with an ankle injury. The Patriots needed assistance immediately in order to recover from their recent humiliating loss to the Cowboys. Belichick is more likely to bring in guys in the middle of the season if they are ones he is familiar with and has worked with before.

Despite the injuries, this is still a risky move on the Patriots’ part. Jackson was a high-profile free agency acquisition for the Chargers, but after a dismal 2022 season and an even worse start to this year, he has been a healthy scratch. Belichick is certain, however, that the Patriots can turn Jackson back into the superstar he was while playing for New England.

Jackson’s contract has no guaranteed money until 2023, so the Patriots may simply renegotiate his agreement once this season’s high salaries are paid. The Patriots have signed a cornerback who was a star for them only two years ago, just when the club needed him the most. Author and New England Patriots beat reporter Chad Graff

Trade’s Monetary Implications

According to Sports Illustrated, the Chargers will convert most of Jackson’s remaining basic salary into a signing bonus, saving the team around $7.4 million on their 2023 cap sheet. With Mike Williams out for the season with an ACL tear, they might utilize this in the coming days and weeks to improve other parts of the squad, possibly at receiver. Due to Jackson’s prorated signing bonus, the Chargers will still be on the hook for a hefty dead money penalty of about $21 million in 2024.

One of the worst deals Tom Telesco made in his 11 years as general manager was this one. Staley should take part in the responsibility since he was an enthusiastic supporter of Jackson’s signing. However, the organization deserves credit for ending its relationship with Jackson after realizing it could not be fixed. Insights from Popper

Why did Jackson’s time with the Chargers end in failure?

The Chargers have promptly and decisively severed connections with Jackson, the crown jewel of their 2022 free agency class, less than two years after making that decision. A chain of events beginning at the end of August last year led to this abrupt ending. Jackson’s first training camp with the Chargers was a success. There was a lot of enthusiasm regarding the cornerback’s integration into Brandon Staley’s defense. In addition, the two combined workouts with the Cowboys were Jackson’s finest of the summer.

Jackson had surgery to remove a bone spur from his ankle on August 23 in New York City. He didn’t play in the team’s season-opening victory against the Raiders but returned the following week to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night. After having ankle surgery, everything went south. Jackson was out during the third-week defeat against the Jaguars. The following three games after his Week 4 comeback were not much better. In the second half of the game, a victory against the Denver Broncos, he was taken off the field. He tore the patellar tendon in his right knee in Week 7 against the Seattle Seahawks.

Public and private testimonies alike agree that Jackson has done a fantastic job with his rehabilitation. On the first day of training camp, he returned to the field ahead of time. Jackson was making steady progress toward a return to play prior to a little setback during the second week of camp. In Week 1, he began for the team and struggled against Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins. He played well in his Week 2 start against the Tennessee Titans.

However, a rift between him and the coaches was brewing behind the scenes within the facility. As a result, Jackson was not on the active roster when the team faced Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3. The coaching staff was trying to get Jackson to regain his concentration by sending him a message. Obviously, it had the opposite effect. Jackson was there on Sunday but did not contribute to the victory against the Raiders of Las Vegas. After earning almost $45 million from the Chargers for only seven starts, he is reportedly on his way to New England. — Daniel Popper, a beat reporter for the Los Angeles Chargers

Backstory

Before the 2022 season, the Chargers gave Jackson a five-year, $82.5 million deal. In Week 7 of the previous season, he injured his patellar tendon.

Jackson spent the summer at the team facilities rehabilitating the injury, which placed him ahead of schedule since he was able to take part in the Chargers’ first training camp session.

The Patriots have acquired a guy who had a productive four years in Foxboro. Jackson joined the Patriots as an undrafted free agent that year (2018) and has since recorded 25 interceptions for New England.

The United States women’s gymnastics team won their eighth straight global championship on the floor exercise at the Global Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, and Simone Biles wins the 20th gold medal for outstanding performance.

On Wednesday, Simone Biles, at the age of 26, completed her remarkable comeback after a two-year absence from gymnastics by winning her 20th world championship gold medal, a major contributor to the United States’ historic triumph in the women’s team final.

Biles’s first three apparatus scores were: 14.800 (vault), 14.466 (bars), and 14.300 (beam).

France came in third, while Brazil came in second, giving the South American nation its first-ever medal at the Women’s World Gymnastics Championships.

Skye Blakey, Shilese Jones, Joscelyn Roberson, and Leanne Wong competed with Olympic champion Biles in the team final. In the warmups, though, Roberson, who trains with Biles in Texas, sustained a devastating ankle injury.

When Roberson dropped out, Wong stepped in to compete on the vault and floor, two events the 20-year-old was not supposed to attempt.

The 26-year-old gymnast was the last member of the US team to compete on the floor, and she and her colleagues knew that a strong showing would secure another gold medal for them.

The judges awarded Biles a score of 15.166 because she smiled throughout her performance and executed her twists and turns with Elan, making scarcely any mistakes.

The United States team scored a total of 167.729 points, beating their opponents by just 2.199 points.

In a celebratory post on X (previously Twitter), USA Gymnastics said the US women’s team was in a “league of its own.”

The American gymnast has won 33 medals between the Olympics and the world championships, making him equal for first place with Vitaly Scherbo of Belarus.

Over the last decade, Biles has established herself as a legend of American gymnastics and the all-time medal leader in the United States.

Biles has accumulated a total of 26 medals from world championships, including 20 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze.

Returning to the site of her 2013 global championship debut, when the American won all-around and floor exercise gold, silver on vault, and bronze on beam, has been a monumental occasion for Biles.

Before winning gold on Wednesday, Biles had already had a historic first day of competition at the championships.

The American gymnast won the women’s all-around qualifying on Sunday by successfully landing the challenging Yurchenko double pike vault.

This is Biles’ first major competition since the Tokyo 2020 Olympics when she withdrew from many events due to a mental block called “twisties,” which causes a gymnast to temporarily lose sight of where they are in the air.

Since then, she’s shown off the same great skills that got her to the top of the sport in the first place, winning an unprecedented eighth national all-around championship.

After competing in the women’s vault and uneven bars finals on October 7 and the women’s balancing beam and floor exercise finals on October 8, Biles will compete in the women’s individual all-around final on Friday.

Biles made history at the 2018 Artistic World Championships in Antwerp by becoming the first American woman to compete in six such championships.

The Broncos have decided to cancel the devastating event, and Randy Gregory signed and released an unimpressive pass rusher subsequently.

Last summer, Gregory agreed to a five-year, $70 million deal with the Broncos. He saw action in 10 games throughout two seasons and had three sacks. Multiple sources indicate that the Broncos are now planning to release the 30-year-old linebacker.

According to Spotrac, Gregory has a 2023 base salary that is guaranteed for $14 million, on top of the $14 million he received in 2018. For almost no change, that amounts to $28 million. Last season, Gregory and Los Angeles Rams guard Oday Aboushi fought to the point that they made headlines.

The Denver Broncos committed a number of offseason blunders, including trading for Russell Wilson, but at least they’re seeing some returns on their investment. Not so much, Randy Gregory.

Gregory, a free agent, will attract attention despite his two disappointing seasons and subsequent release from the Broncos. The Cowboys benefited greatly from his pass-rushing skills. A club in need of pass rush assistance will sign Gregory, who will be 31 in November, most likely on a short-term deal.

Last year, when Gregory was a free agent, the Dallas Cowboys believed they had re-signed him, but he ultimately signed with the Denver Broncos after rejecting a deal that included wording the Cowboys desired. Things looked up for Dallas.

The Broncos, already one of the NFL’s worst teams, have taken yet another step back recently. They’re going with their younger, more potent pass rushers moving ahead. No one will remember Gregory fondly, but he will be remembered as one of the worst acquisitions in franchise history.

The Giants’ season takes a turn for the worst as they are defeated by the Seahawks, who are having a strong season themselves.

The Giants hit the jackpot when they hired Brian Daboll, the NFL’s Coach of the Year in 2022. After a successful season, the Giants decided to offer Daniel Jones a massive contract extension. Saquon Barkley’s predicament was also resolved in New York; he received a little pay increase from the franchise tag that had previously angered him. The anticipation for this season was well-founded.

Last year, the New York Giants advanced to the postseason. Even better, they won in the playoffs for the first time since Eli Manning’s second Super Bowl victory. The crowd during the game was full of ecstatic Giants supporters.

The Giants’ dramatic second-half rally against the Arizona Cardinals was all that stood between them and a 0-4 start. The rest of the season’s 14 quarters have been abysmal for the Giants.

When it was over, the fun began. After an embarrassing 24-3 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks, the New York Giants seem like one of the worst teams in sports. Even though they didn’t play very well and lost their starting quarterback, Geno Smith, to a knee injury early in the second quarter, the Seahawks still managed to beat the Giants by a wide margin.

The Giants, who trailed 14-3 late in the third quarter, had a chance to make a comeback. Much of the way into Seahawks territory, they drove. However, rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon of the Seahawks had a phenomenal game and returned an interception 97 yards for a score after Jones threw one. The Giants’ whole season may be summed up in one single play.

The Giants’ offensive collapses

The Giants have been outscored 77-9 in the first half of this season, which seems ridiculous. They were the only NFL club to enter halftime scoreless. Coaches, particularly offensive-minded ones like Daboll, often do well in the first half of games because they have time to prepare their plays. Daboll’s scripting, if there is one, is failing.

The Giants failed to score any touchdowns and made no attempts to do so. Jones never made a deep pass. The offensive line hasn’t been performing well, which has been a contributing factor. After recording only 5 sacks in their first 3 games, the Seahawks matched their franchise record with 11 on Monday night. The Giants just do not have a receiver on their roster that poses any kind of danger to opposing defenses. Offensive responsibility also falls on the shoulders of the coaching staff.

Barkley, who was out with an ankle injury, was a major loss. Having star left tackle Andrew Thomas out due to injury is a major setback. However, other teams have also had to contend with injuries and have scored a touchdown before halftime this season.

Daboll’s second season has gotten off to a terrible start, and it may be too soon to question whether he will follow in the footsteps of first-year coaches like Matt Nagy and Kevin Stefanski, who won the NFL Coach of the Year award but then swiftly fell from grace.

A terrible evening for the Giants

The Seahawks shouldn’t be too proud of themselves. Everything worked out great. The Giants’ ineptitude overshadowed the Seahawks’ superior skills.

The first half was a complete mess. Smith threw a touchdown throw to DK Metcalf, putting the Seahawks on the board first. While Smith was gone, Drew Lock completed a pass to Noah Fant, who ran for 51 yards and a touchdown. Kenneth Walker III was able to score after that. At halftime, the Seahawks led 14-3, and it seemed the game was already gone due to the poor performance of the Giants.

After a positive play, the Giants would promptly fall flat on their faces. They were able to prevent a touchdown on fourth down in the third quarter with a throw of 3 yards, 2 sacks, and a punt. The 2023 Giants’ offensive has been as bad as it sounds. Their complete lack of playmakers has been highlighted without Barkley.

Jones threw the game-ending pick-6 to Witherspoon on New York’s lone promising drive deep into Seahawks territory.

Don’t you just long for the anticipation of last season? Concerns for Giants fans now include: Jones having one of the worst contracts in the NFL; Daboll possibly not being as good as they thought after last season; Barkley’s contract expiring in 13 games; a lack of promising young talent on offense; and little hope for a turnaround for the rest of this season.

Giants fans, you have returned to the lowest reaches of the NFL.

Geno Smith criticizes the Giants linebacker of the New York Giants for engaging in unsportsmanlike conduct resulting in the infliction of a knee injury on the quarterback.

Smith told ESPN’s Lisa Salters, “Dirty play,” after coming back for the second half of Seattle’s 24-3 win. It’s obvious to you all. It was a shady move. There’s no place for it in sports, and maybe something may happen, but other than that, I’m grateful to God for allowing me to return to the field.

Smith was clearly unhappy and spoke as much right away. Later, in the third quarter, he returned to the game and was called for taunting.

Even though the Seahawks (3-1) were headed into the bye week on a high note after a victory, he remained agitated after the game. Smith completed the game 13 of 20 for 110 yards and a score via the air.

On Monday night, New York Giants linebacker Isaiah Simmons made a dubious tackle along the sideline on Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, sending him stumbling off the field and causing him to miss two series for his team.

“I just don’t respect that kind of stuff,” Smith remarked. Nothing of the kind is required. It’s a tough battle on the field. We’re all fighting, but there’s no need to shoot at those who are already out of limits.

During the game, Smith hurt his knee. For one more play, he stayed on the field before heading to the medical tent.

Smith seemed to have some mobility issues after his comeback, as he was taking it easy on his injured knee. However, he claims it’s not a big deal.

“I’m fine.” I’m fine. He said, “God is good.”

Pete Carroll, head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, was more upset with the manner of Smith’s tackle than with the location. After Smith’s ball was knocked back to him, the action unfolded close to the Giants’ sideline.

On the play, it was ruled a catch that gained a negative two yards.

Indeed, “that looked so dangerous,” as Carroll put it. I don’t see why we didn’t view it that way. Just looking at that gave me the creeps. In that play, he was harmed when his torso swung around in a horse-collar fashion, pulling down on the back of his legs. A penalty wouldn’t have changed the outcome, but it seemed like a risky move that officials should have taken a second look at.

The Giants did not appreciate the hit as much. They deemed it clean to consume.

Simmons claims he made no illegal moves and that he was in bounds when he made the tackle.

Simmons claims that all he was doing was attempting a tackle. After collecting his own pass, Smith took off for a long gain.

“I really don’t have much to say about it,” Simmons said. Football, that is. Do you mean he’s pissed because he was hit? When quarterbacks don’t want to be hit, they often do what? The numbers drop. There’s not much more I can say to him on the subject.

“Yeah, no one is trying to hurt anyone out there.” I want everyone to succeed, you know what I mean? “No one is trying to hurt anyone else, so I would hate it if someone intended to hurt me,” Simmons said. That was not the plan at all. We’re simply going out there to compete and win.

Smith first blamed safety Xavier McKinney for the controversial play. Later in the series, the two got into it on the field.

McKinney’s post-performance attitude was unconcerned.

“I don’t know. “I really don’t care what he says or does,” McKinney said. Don’t worry about it.

“Yeah, I thought the hit was fine.” He laughed. “He’ll be fine.”

Jimmy Butler amazed everyone with his fresh appearance during the Heat media day.

There were a lot of hiccups in Jimmy Butler’s summer.

Is he really wearing his disappointment after missing out on Damian Lillard with the Miami Heat on his sleeve? The Heat star made a surprising appearance at Monday’s media day sporting a new hairstyle.

“I’m emo,” Butler said of his new look. To be at one with one’s feelings, as I am at this moment: “This is my emotional condition. Yes, this is the result.

“I don’t think it’s right,” Butler said to USA Today last year. It’s important to me that I’m free to style my hair any way I see fit. It’s my media day photo that you’re supposed to use.

“Put my hair back the way that it was because I love that hairdo on me.”

Butler didn’t say anything further about the cut he got. He also didn’t provide any indication of the duration of the glance. Last year during media day, he debuted a new hairstyle that he called dreadlocks. The only place they lived once the season was over was in his publicity photos. In fact, he politely asked that ESPN keep using his media day shot from the previous season.

“I am happy for Dame to be somewhere he is wanted, where he has a chance to win a championship.” To be a first-year head coach and have some players like you have is great, and I’m pleased for Adrian Griffin that he has that, too,” Butler told him.

When asked about Lillard, Butler stated he was “happy for Dame to be somewhere he is wanted,” which clearly wasn’t on the Heat.

“But you know, I’m still going to be me.” Every year, I say it, but I’m still going to win the championship by beating Dame, Giannis, and Adrian Griffin. I really mean it this year, just as I do every year.

He was quizzed on whether or not he believed the Heat had done enough to build around him to have a title run.

“Yeah, we’re straight,” Butler confirmed. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I know my limits. What my boys are capable of is no secret to me. So we’ll keep playing basketball as a group and hope to make it to the championship game one day.

I guarantee that this time we will come out on top. You’ll look at this and think, “They got lucky.”

After Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 victory against them over the weekend, Liverpool Football Club has issued a formal statement in response to an incident involving racist abuse directed at Destiny Udogie on social media platforms.

On Saturday night, Udogie helped lead Tottenham to a 2-1 victory against Liverpool, owing in large part to an own goal from Liverpool’s Joel Matip in the 96th minute.

The teenage fullback uploaded celebration photos on Instagram after his team’s big victory and was met with a barrage of racist insults.

The club issued a statement in which it stated, “Liverpool FC condemns all forms of racism and discrimination and will cooperate with the appropriate authorities and social media platforms to help identify those responsible and apply the strongest consequences.”

Liverpool has released a statement condemning the disturbing assault that the Tottenham player experienced and promising to work with law enforcement to find those responsible.

Earlier on Monday, Tottenham issued a statement indicating they, too, will assist in identifying the perpetrators: After Saturday’s game against Liverpool, racial comments were posted online about Destiny Udogie.

“We stand with you, Destiny.”

Together with the Premier League, we will investigate and take appropriate action against any responsible parties.

Liverpool has released many statements after the very contentious match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Liverpool has also decided to appeal the red card sent to Curtis Jones for a tackle that almost broke Tottenham’s key player Yves Bissouma’s leg, one of two given to the Reds that day.

The Reds claimed sporting integrity had been damaged’ on Sunday when Luis Diaz’s first-half goal was disallowed for offside, negating what would have been a 1-0 Liverpool lead.

Kawhi Leonard, star of the Los Angeles Clippers, has been more closely linked than any other NBA player to load management and the league’s new player participation policy. However, at Monday’s media day, Leonard spoke out against the policy, saying, “There is no league rule that helps me play more.”

Leonard’s 2021–22 season was cut short due to his ACL injury. Since 2016–17, he has not had a season with more than 60 games played.

After being silent since tearing the meniscus in his right knee in April, during Game 1 of the Clippers’ first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns, Leonard finally spoke up. Leonard, 32, has now been hurt in the playoffs on two separate occasions in the last three years, both times to his right knee. In the midst of the 2021 Western Conference semifinal run, he suffered a torn right ACL in the second round.

Leonard addressed a reporter’s question by explaining that he was on and off the court with the Toronto Raptors throughout the 2018-19 season due to knee injury rehabilitation.

He said, “Well, when I was with the Raptors, it was different; like, I was coming off an injury. I’m not a guy that’s sitting down because I’m doing load management.” The doctor is the only one who can fill you in on the specifics.

However, the league should desist from observing or mocking what I did with the Raptors since I was injured for the whole season. But other than that, I’ll play basketball if I’m well enough to do so. To get in shape for the season, I go to the gym every day throughout the summer. So, no rule in the league is allowing me to play more.

Leonard first inquired as to the specifics of the recently implemented regulation that specifies clubs must guarantee no more than one-star player is missing for the same game.

If our guys are healthy, they’re going to play,” Clippers head coach Ty Lue stated of the new stance. There’s this huge controversy, but it’s not true that our men don’t want to play or whatever. The soldiers on our side are eager to get going. The bad news is that they’ve been hurt. So, if our players are healthy, they’ll play, and that’s basically all we’re thinking about right now.

During the Clippers’ first-round series against the Suns in April, Leonard was injured in the meniscus. He battled through the pain to finish Game 2 of the series before being sidelined for the series’ last three contests. On June 6, Leonard had meniscus cleaning surgery.

Leonard said he didn’t do anything new to get in shape for the next season. Instead, he emphasized how unpredictable certain wounds may be.

“It’s a matter of if you’re going to trip on somebody; for a lot of my injuries last year, I stepped on someone’s foot or ran into somebody,” Leonard said. Listen to your body, stay active, and watch what occurs; you can only control what you can measure.

To this end, Leonard said, “You’re either going to be injured or you’re going to be fortunate enough to play games throughout the playoffs or the full regular season… I have no goal of attending a certain number of games. I’m doing my best to participate in whatever games I can. I can’t play basketball if I’m injured. My ACL has been torn for the last two years, and my meniscus has been torn at the conclusion of each year. It’s a ball game. It works both ways with me. I get hurt easily because I play so hard. I’m not simply strolling the streets at this point. Yes, I can defend and score equally well. Every game, I get to see the finest players from both teams. The best player is either protecting me or I am guarding the greatest player. That’s what would happen in the event of an injury.

Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations for the Clippers, claimed last week that both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are “fully healthy” heading into the team’s training camp in Hawaii after injuries sustained in the first-round series against Phoenix. George missed Game 1 with a right knee injury.

George responded to a question regarding the NBA’s new policy by saying, “If healthy, absolutely, I’m suiting up, and I want to play every night.”

Despite all the hype surrounding Leonard and George’s arrival in Los Angeles, the duo has struggled to stay healthy as a unit over the course of their four seasons with the Clippers. They only participated in 38 games together in 2017–18, and in a total of 142 games between the regular season and the playoffs, the team went 96–46.

The untimely death of Russ Francis, a renowned tight end who had previously been selected for the Pro Bowl, occurred as a result of an unfortunate aviation accident.

On Sunday, an aircraft tragedy in Lake Placid, New York, claimed the life of Russ Francis, a former Pro Bowl tight end, according to his family. Franz was seventy.

In the first round of the 1975 draft, the New England Patriots selected Francis. For the club, he won three Pro Bowls.

He then joined the San Francisco 49ers in 1982, where he played for one season and won a Super Bowl in 1984. Francis ended his career the following season, but he returned to the Patriots in 1987. He totaled 40 touchdowns and 5,262 yards with 393 catches.

According to an NTSB representative, Francis and Richard McSpadden, a former leader of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, slid sharply to the left after takeoff from Lake Placid Airport before crashing. It was initially unclear whether McSpadden, 63, or Francis was piloting the aircraft.

According to Ed Francis, the brother of Francis, “My older brother Russ Francis was just killed in an airplane crash in Lake Placid, New York,” on Facebook on Sunday. My brother’s lifetime passion was flying, so it seemed fair that he would die doing what he loved. To you, my big brother, may God speed!”

Following his football retirement, Francis pursued his love of flying and most recently acquired Lake Placid Airways. According to the Boston Globe, he was certified to operate single- and multi-engine aircraft as well as helicopters, according to FAA data.

“We are deeply saddened by the sudden and tragic loss of former New England Patriots tight end Russ Francis,” the Patriots said in a social media statement. We send our sympathies to Francis’s friends and family.”

LeBron James declined to meet WWE’s Undertaker at a Cavaliers event, possibly due to concerns about the commercial exploitation of his personal brand.

Following their 2016 NBA Finals victory, the Cleveland Cavaliers invited The Undertaker to a private meet-and-greet with the team, with an emphasis on King James. Dana Warrior accompanied him on this trip along with the undertaker and his wife.

Many of the Cavaliers greeted the wrestling great with open arms. Fans were disappointed that LeBron James ignored The Undertaker because they knew it would make The Undertaker feel disrespected and ashamed.

The Undertaker allegedly waited for close to an hour outside the locker room while dressed in his signature “Deadman” outfits. He took full advantage of the photo op with Kevin Love, even throwing on a WWE Championship replica for the occasion. The decision by LeBron James to avoid a meeting with The Undertaker stands. If so, why?

According to Joe Vardon, LeBron was unwilling to meet with The Undertaker because he “did not like the idea of somebody profiting or gaining recognition at his expense; in other words, no PR stunts that don’t benefit James.”

When did WWE superstar John Cena dare to take on LeBron James?

It’s very uncommon for NBA and WWE superstars to publicly show their support for one another and even issue challenges to one another. For instance, both Dennis Rodman and Shaquille O’Neal have competed in WWE matches. However, NBA superstar LeBron James was dealt a one-of-a-kind obstacle. LeBron was once the target of a public invitation from WWE star John Cena.

In the 2015 film Trainwreck, LeBron James and John Cena starred together. Cena, a 16-time WWE champion, jokingly challenged LeBron, also known as L-Train, to a WWE match during a promotion for the film.

It should be clear that this challenge was meant in jest. There has been no Cena vs. LeBron WWE bout. It was just another demonstration of Cena’s incredible microphone abilities, which he has developed for almost twenty years in the WWE.

Cena began by making light of LeBron by saying that his name sounded like “two first names.”All right, Mr. James,” he said with a wink. If that’s really your name, It sounds as if you could be using two different first names at once. In other words, seriously? Which fool names himself “LeBron James?”

In addition, Cena went on to detail what he would do in the event that LeBron accepted his dare and entered the WWE ring with him. Cena used his wit and knowledge of basketball jargon to issue a challenge to LeBron. He boldly offered that he would use LeBron’s face as a basketball and bounce it off the floor.

According to his agent, Mohamed Salah is reportedly earning £1 million per week with Liverpool.

Recently, Salah’s lawyer and adviser, Ramy Abbas Issa, said that his client makes over £1 million per week.

According to recent statements made by Abbas to Harvard Business School (HBS) research, negotiations for the 31-year-old’s most recent contract began as early as 2020 and were still ongoing in June 2022, according to The Guardian.

The adviser alleged that by summer, communication on a contract had “broken down entirely” with Liverpool.

This sparked widespread conjecture amongst supporters, with some even spreading rumors that the star had lost interest in the team.

A breakthrough was supposedly reached, and the winger signed on for a three-year agreement just a few weeks after negotiations had stalled.

With regard to the discussions, Abbas said, “When you have put your requests on the table and you don’t get anything you’ve asked for, you have to start thinking about parting ways.”

I had been optimistic about the negotiations from the start, but now that Ramy has informed me that they have not agreed to anything we requested, I see things differently,” the Egyptian is said to have said as the talks dragged on. I know the club wants me to remain, and I know I want to stay, but it’s been difficult to negotiate a contract extension.

It describes the discussions in detail, including Abbas’s “final” deal-making offer to Liverpool.

Abbas was reportedly in Dubai, while Salah was on vacation in El Gouna.

Abbas, whose client also consented to be cited as if speaking in the present tense, said of the counteroffer, “We are still very far apart.”It’s not just a 5% discrepancy between what we’re asking for and what they’re ready to pay that has Mohamed considering throwing in the towel on his contract.

He continued, “We conservatively expect the total amount Mohamed and the image rights companies will receive over the next few years from both his playing contract and his image rights contracts to be somewhere between €54m (£46.8m) and €62m (£53.7m) per year.” This is based on the assumption that Liverpool will agree to the salary that was discussed and that Mohamed will continue to perform at the level he has in recent seasons.

The 31-year-old player indicated before he renewed his contract that doing so would be a major career achievement.

However, we must proceed properly. Throughout my work, I’ve realized the importance of feeding not only your body but also your mind with the resources it needs to thrive. That’s the case not just on the field but in everyday life as well. You need to keep your cool under intense scrutiny.

There are no specifics, but it seems like Liverpool gave in to Abbas’ requests.

The Guardian reports that the survey did not determine how much Salah gets paid, but that sources suggest he receives more money via endorsement agreements with third parties.

There are business relationships between him and Adidas, Gucci, and PepsiCo at the time of writing.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah uses Harvard research to shed light on contract discussions.

Salah’s future at Liverpool was called into question last year as rumors surfaced that the two sides were having trouble agreeing on a new deal.

When it was announced that Salah had signed a new contract to remain at Anfield until 2025, all worries were put to rest.

The Egyptian scored a goal on Sunday afternoon against West Ham United and then went on social media to speak about Harvard research that looked at his contract negotiations.

Research claims that Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, phoned the player and said, “I am starting to fear that we may not be able to come to an agreement on a new contract, Mohamed; their latest offer is still very far from what we want.”

The Liverpool forward has been cited as stating, “I want to stay with Liverpool, but the club needs to show that they want me to stay as well.”

The paper went on to emphasize salient points, including Salah and Issa’s history together and whether or not it was appropriate for Salah to press for a move elsewhere.

Salah remarked to Issa, “We are partners.” Always looking out for my best interests, I can count on him.

Salah said on the club’s website that he was “feeling great” and “excited to win trophies with the club” after signing his new contract in July 2022. Everyone is in a good mood today.

“I believe renewal takes a little bit of time, but at this point, we’ve finished everything and can look ahead to the next step.”

He said, “I believe we are in a fantastic position to compete for everything. In addition, we have added several new players. All we have to do is stick to it, have faith, be optimistic, and try again.

This summer, Al Ittihad, a team in the Saudi Professional League, expressed serious interest in signing Salah, once again making his future uncertain.

Al Ittihad reportedly offered £200 million for Mohamed Salah, but Liverpool refused the offer from the start.

It has been reported that Jurgen Klopp is “interested” in a £52 million replacement for Mohamed Salah from Borussia Dortmund.

There is still no clarity on Salah’s future, despite the fact that Al Ittihad showed serious interest in signing him during the summer transfer window.

Liverpool, though, has been firm from the start that its star player is not for sale.

Salah’s future is up in the air despite Al Ittihad’s apparent serious interest in signing him during the summer transfer window.

Liverpool, though, has been firm from the start that its star player is not for sale.

Malen spent 2015–2017 as a member of the Arsenal youth program before joining PSV. In 116 games with the Dutch team, Malen scored 55 goals and added 24 assists.

Liverpool supporters, though, have noted Malen’s injury history and wonder whether it would be a problem for the Reds.

Malen had knee surgery in the 19/20 season and missed a total of 241 games.

After suffering torn muscle fiber and ankle difficulties during the 22/23 season, the Dutch international missed 31 days of action.

The summer signing has surpassed Mohamed Salah as the most popular Liverpool jersey.

Salah, who joined Liverpool for an estimated £43 million in 2017, has quickly become the team’s star player.

Salah improved significantly as a player while working with Jurgen Klopp.

Salah’s name and number have been the most popular ones for Liverpool supporters to buy in the previous two years.

However, according to Liverpool’s most recent top-10 list, Salah is no longer number one.

Dominik Szoboszlai, a summer acquisition for Liverpool, has taken on the role of “Egyptian King” and is quickly becoming a fan favorite.

Hungarian midfielder Szoboszlai signed with Liverpool after the Anfield club used a £60 million release clause in his contract with Bundesliga club RB Leipzig.

In a 3-1 victory against Aston Villa at Anfield earlier this month, Szoboszlai scored his first goal for the Reds.

Alexis Mac Allister, another newcomer, has the third most popular jersey among Liverpool fans. The top five also include Darwin Nunez and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Sixth place went to Luis Diaz, seventh to Alisson Becker in goal, eighth to Virgil van Dijk, ninth to Cody Gakpo, and tenth to Andy Robertson.

Here is the full list of the top 10:

1. Cody Gakpo – 18

2. Virgil van Dijk – 4

3. Alisson – 1

4. Luis Diaz – 7

5. Darwin Nunez – 9

6. Trent Alexander-Arnold – 66

7. Alexis Mac Allister – 10

8. Mohamed Salah – 11

9. Andy Robertson – 26

10. Dominik Szoboszlai – 8

Salah was extensively linked with a move away from Anfield during the whole summer transfer window.

The 31-year-old’s availability has reportedly piqued the curiosity of Saudi Professional League team Al Ittihad.

Liverpool, though, would not budge and instead turned down every offer.

Supposedly, Al Ittihad may start showing interest again during the January window.

Liverpool has been connected to a number of players in the market for a replacement for Salah, including Leroy Sane, Take Kubo, Jarrod Bowen, and Raphinha.

According to studies, Mohamed Salah could make millions per month from an OnlyFans page.

Liverpool only has 10 games remaining in the season, and it appears like Salah will have his poorest season with the Reds since he joined in 2017.

Even after he scored in last weekend’s thrashing by Manchester City, it was surprising to see him sit on the bench for Liverpool’s midweek encounter against Chelsea.

One commentator even said that Jurgen Klopp’s choice to start the Egyptian on the bench indicated a rift between the manager and his best player.

His representative has denied that his client wants to leave Liverpool, and reports have indicated that Barcelona is interested in signing the attacker who formerly played for Roma.

The 30-year-old is reportedly getting £350,000 a week, making him one of the league’s best-paid stars despite the fact that he does not even have to play football.

Salah could use his big social media following to make millions if he ever wanted to retire from sports.

SeatPick conducted an analysis utilizing the Cam Formula Agency’s formula and determined that Salah, with his 58 million Instagram followers, had the potential to earn £7 million per month on OnlyFans.

Though it’s most often associated with the adult film business and related content providers, the online content subscription service may be utilized for a wide variety of purposes.

Creators may publish almost anything for a price, so maybe the Egyptians would provide advice on health and fitness or give lessons in various trades.

Norwegian Erling Haaland stands to benefit greatly from the website as well, with monthly earnings of £3.3 million.

There have been rumors that Manchester City have offered their top player a new contract for £2 million every four weeks.

With a hypothetical OnlyFans value of £2.8 million per month for the Tottenham Hotspur striker, Richarlison would earn the third-most money in the Premier League.

One model on the site has offered to take the Napoli football team on a “naked bus tour” around Naples if they make it to the finals of the Champions League.

A court has ended Michael Oher’s conservatorship, putting an end to the Tuohy family’s legal authority and responsibility for overseeing his affairs.

The city of Memphis, Tennessee On Friday, a court in Tennessee announced that she was terminating the conservatorship arrangement between former NFL star Michael Oher and a Memphis couple who took him in during his high school years. However, the widely publicized conflict over money concerns will continue.

Judge Kathleen Gomes of the Shelby County Probate Court has announced that she is rescinding the 2004 agreement that gave Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy power over Oher’s assets. When Oher was 18 and still living with the couple, he signed the deal because he was a highly sought-after high school football player. The 2009 film “The Blind Side,” for which Sandra Bullock won an Oscar, tells their tale.

Gomes said she was not dropping the charges. Oher claims the Tuohys exploited his name, image, and likeness to benefit themselves and misrepresented to him that the arrangement meant the Tuohys were adopting him; therefore, he has ordered the Tuohys to submit a financial accounting of any money that may have gone to them as part of the deal.

In Tennessee, a person loses the ability to make their own choices if a conservatorship is established. It is often used in the context of a physical or mental impairment.

Oher’s petition for conservatorship said that he was above the age of 18 and did not suffer from any “diagnosed physical or psychological disabilities.”

Gomes expressed dismay that such an understanding could be reached. Conservatorship should have terminated long ago, she argued, adding that in her 43 years of practice, she had never seen an arrangement struck with someone who was not handicapped.

She finally remarked, “I can’t believe it got done.”

Oher and the Tuohys participated in the meeting via video call, but they remained silent throughout. Both sides’ attorneys agreed that the settlement should be finalized, although they will still be litigating Oher’s allegations.

Oher, now 37 years old, sued his adoptive parents in probate court in August, claiming that the Tuohys had lied to him about becoming his conservators. If the conservatorship is ended, all profits from using his name and tale are to be transparently reported, and any money owed to him is to be paid back with interest.

He claimed that the pair had misrepresented themselves as his adopted parents and that he had learned in February that the conservatorship agreement he had signed in 2004 was not what he had been led to believe it was.

Over the course of the agreement’s 19 years, Oher alleges the Tuohys have kept him in the dark about any financial transactions using his name, image, or likeness.

Oher has been accused of engaging in a “shakedown” by making false assertions that the Tuohys profited themselves at his cost.

The wealthy couple said in court documents that they treated Oher like a son and gave him everything he needed throughout his time with them, including food, housing, clothes, and transportation, but that they never meant to formally adopt him.

In their lawsuit, the Tuohys alleged that Oher called them “mom and dad,” and that they sometimes referred to him as their son. Even though they’ve been quoted on their websites as calling Oher “our adopted son,” they insist that the word was meant to be used “in the colloquial sense” and that “they have never intended that reference to be viewed with legal implication.”

The conservatorship was reportedly selected by the Tuohys so that Oher could attend Ole Miss, where Sean Tuohy was a star basketball player, in accordance with NCAA regulations.

According to a court filing submitted by the Tuohys on September 14, the NCAA “made it clear that he could attend Ole Miss if he was part of the Tuohy family in some fashion” after it became apparent that the petitioner could not attend Ole Miss due to living with the respondents.

The Tuohys also claimed that Oher fabricated his February revelation that he was not adopted. A statement from 2011 by Oher in his book “I Beat the Odds” is cited as evidence that Oher knew the Tuohys had been named conservators.

The production firm for “The Blind Side,” based on a novel authored by Sean Tuohy’s friend Michael Lewis, reportedly gave the Tuohys a tiny advance, according to the couple’s attorneys. In addition, they said Oher shared “a tiny percentage of net profits” with the other people involved.

The lawyers calculated that Oher and the Tuohys each earned $100,000, and the pair reported and paid taxes on Oher’s behalf.

The Tuohys claimed in the paperwork that they never signed Oher to a professional football contract and that he was OK with the financial arrangements shown in the film “The Blind Side.”

Oher was selected by the Ravens with the 23rd overall choice in the 2009 NFL Draft, and he played for the team for the next five years, during which time he helped them to a Super Bowl victory. Over the course of eight NFL seasons, he appeared in 110 games and made 11 starts for the Tennessee Titans in 2014. The Carolina Panthers were where Oher’s career came to a close.

According to online jail records, Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones was detained on Friday in Las Vegas.

As of late Friday morning, Jones was reportedly being held at the Clark County Detention Center. According to the prison records, he was arrested for violating a temporary protection order against domestic violence and was being detained on a $15,000 bond. According to documents from Clark County, Jones posted bail later on Friday and is scheduled to appear in court on December 4.

The Raiders tweeted Friday that they were “hopeful that Chandler Jones receives the care that he needs. He, his family, and all those involved are in our thoughts.” The team said that it would make no additional comments.

NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy stated, “We have been closely monitoring developments and have been in constant communication with the Raiders.”

Peter Christiansen, a Las Vegas attorney who represents Jones, declined to comment when questioned about his client’s detention.

Since Labor Day weekend, when he made a series of social media postings directed at the organization, owner Mark Davis, general manager Dave Ziegler, and coach Josh McDaniels, Jones, 33, has not played for the Raiders and has been away from the team. On September 20th, Jones was put on the Raiders’ non-football sickness list.

Jones claimed on social media late Monday night that the Las Vegas Fire Department had moved him to a mental health facility last week after transporting him to a hospital “against my will.”

He also made a lot of social media postings on Thursday, including many live broadcasts in which he sat outside his house and rambled about various themes.

On Friday, when questioned about Jones’ arrest, McDaniels stated, “I’m going to stay where I’m at.” I can’t really add anything to what’s already been said. Regarding his current position and everything else, nothing has changed on our end. Just the way it is.

McDaniels also said that he wishes the best for all of his players.

McDaniels is firm: “That will never change.” “That piece will always be there for all the people we’ve taught and had the privilege of knowing and working with. So, let’s simply accept each day as it comes and keep striving to improve our situation. As I indicated before, short of that, our options are limited.

Xavi Hernandez, the manager of Barcelona, explained the decision to sit Lamine Yamal, claiming that Lamine Yamal was benched based on a physical concern as the primary factor.

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez was grilled on his team’s strategy for Friday’s match against Sevilla, while 16-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal was the subject of a whole round of questions.

Lamine Yamal, who came off the bench for Barcelona and had a significant effect in their midweek match against Real Mallorca, almost won a penalty and set up the equalizer for Fermin Lopez in only 25 minutes of action.

Xavi was questioned about whether he hadn’t thought about starting Lamine Yamal, one of their most valuable players.

“He’s just 16, and his age shows at times, so it’s a physical problem. It’s not necessary to have the ball at your feet to play football. Depending on the opponent or the nature of the game, his age may become an issue, which is why we have to look out for him.

But he is a cheerful young man; he loves football; and he strikes me as physically attractive. The issue is stress on his body, not his mind or spirit.

Even older than Messi was when he was first brought to the Barcelona squad, a certain Lionel Messi was also presented as a child. Xavi said that Frank Rijkaard’s treatment of the Argentine, which he saw firsthand, served as a useful precedent.

Rijkaard’s handling of Leo is a model of effective leadership. Careful attention to detail, a little physical exertion, etc. are required around him. but he’ll be a big help in a number of games for us.

Xavi, for his part, hoped that his team would get the most out of Lamine Yamal.

We need to find football players who can create anything. We need to take advantage of what occurred with Dembele and Messi and use it to our advantage in competition. Lamine needs to have all of his abilities on the field.

It may be argued that no one so young has ever had such a profound effect at the highest level of the game in the contemporary period. Since Xavi Hernandez’s presence makes such a noticeable impact on Barcelona’s inventiveness, his job is that much more challenging.

As Week 4 of the NFL season 2023 approaches, there are a number of high-profile injuries to keep an eye on. Saquon Barkley, the starting running back for the New York Giants, is still recovering from a high ankle sprain he sustained against the Arizona Cardinals; Jaylen Waddle, the starting wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins, missed last week’s game due to a concussion; and Bryce rookie and Anthony Richardson, two rookie quarterbacks, have both already lost time due to injury.

Let’s take a look at the health of each team in the league as we enter Week 4. The final injury report for Thursday night’s game between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers will be revealed, and we’ll also discuss the Wednesday injury reports for all NFL teams who will play on Sunday.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Atlanta Falcons (-3) in London

Cordarrelle Patterson, the Falcons’ starting running back, and Josh Ali, their starting wide receiver, both missed significant time in practice due to injuries. Calais Campbell, a defensive lineman, sat out yesterday to recuperate.

The Jaguars’ wide receiver Zay Jones and linebacker Devin Lloyd both sat out of practice with injuries; Jones has a knee and Lloyd a thumb. Shoulder issues hindered the effectiveness of linebacker Josh Allen, defensive back Andrew Wingard, and defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi.

New Orleans Saints -3 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Defensive end Vita Vea (pectoral), defensive lineman Calijah Kancey (calf), and cornerback Jamel Dean (neck/shoulder) were all absent from Wednesday’s practice for the Bucs. Carlton Davis, a cornerback, was limited due to a toe ailment.

New Orleans Saints QB Derek Carr (right shoulder), OG Cesar Ruiz (concussion), CB Paulson Adebo (hamstring), and TE Foster Moreau (ankle) did not participate in Wednesday’s practice. At this time, Carr’s prognosis is “week to week” due to his sprained AC joint.

Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins (-3).

On Wednesday, the Dolphins were without left tackle Terron Armstead (back/ankle/knee), pass rusher Jaelan Phillips (oblique), and offensive lineman Connor Williams (groin). Limited participation was also seen from running back Salvon Ahmed (groin) and safety DeShon Elliott (ankle/groin). After missing Sunday’s game with a concussion, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle has returned to full participation.

Buffalo Bills defensive end Leonard Floyd (ankle), safety Micah Hyde (hamstring), safety Jordan Poyer (knee), and cornerback Taron Johnson (hip) did not participate in Wednesday’s practice.

Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles (-8)

Commanders tight end Logan Thomas was limited Wednesday as he worked back from his concussion. Cornerbacks Emmanuel Forbes Jr. (elbow) and Benjamin St-Juste (neck) were listed on the injury report, but both were full participants. 

Eagles safety Sydney Brown (hamstring), safety Justin Evans (neck), and wide receiver Quez Watkins (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday. Punt returner Britain Covey (hamstring), defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (knee), linebacker Zach Cunningham (ribs), and offensive guard Cam Jurgens (groin) were limited participants. 

Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens (-3) in Cleveland

Injured Ravens wideout, Rashod Bateman, wideout Odell Beckham Jr., safety Kyle Hamilton, running back Justice Hill, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, linebacker David Ojabo, and lienbacker Odafe Oweh all missed Wednesday’s practice. Center Limited participation was given to Tyler Linderbaum (ankle), Ronnie Stanley (knee), and Marcus Williams (pectoral).

Kareem Hunt, the new Browns running back, injured his ribs and groin on Monday and did not participate in Wednesday’s practice. Limited players were quarterback Deshaun Watson (right shoulder), cornerback Greg Newsome II (elbow), and running back Jerome Ford (shoulder).

Chicago Bears vs. Denver Broncos (-3 points)

Three Broncos players were unable to participate in Wednesday’s practice due to injuries: linebacker Frank Clark (hip), inside linebacker Josey Jewell (hip), and nose tackle Mike Purcell (ribs). Jerry Jeudy (knee) and Justin Simmons (hip) both had restricted practices due to injuries.

Safety The Bears were without Eddie Jackson (hamstring) and Jaylon Johnson (cornerback) for Wednesday’s practice.

Indy Colts vs. Los Angeles Rams (-1)

Puka Nacua, who has been garnering a lot of media attention after setting a record for most catches in a game by a rookie wide receiver with 15, was hampered in practice due to an oblique strain.

Despite missing last week’s game due to a concussion, the Colts’ No. 4 choice from this April’s draft, Anthony Richardson, returned to full participation in practice. Dallis Flowers (cornerback) and Ryan Kelly (tackle) both returned from injuries that sidelined them earlier in the season. Stars DeForest Buckner (groin) and Quenton Nelson (toe) did not participate in practice, which is not good news.

Houston Texans -3 at Pittsburgh Steelers

On Wednesday, the Steelers were short eight players due to injuries and other absences. Among them were cornerback Patrick Peterson (unrelated to injury), wide receiver Allen Robinson (ankle), and tight end Connor Heyward.

Five Texans players did not show up to practice on Wednesday. Laremy Tunsil (offensive tackle), Robert Woods (wide receiver), and Austin Corbett (offensive tackle, hand) were all sidelined. Shaq Mason (guard) and Shaquill Griffin (cornerback) were among those with restricted availability due to injuries.

Titans vs. Bengals (-2), Cincinnati.

On Wednesday, Bengals tight end Irv Smith and wide receiver Charlie Jones both sat out due to hamstring and thumb injuries, respectively. Joe Burrow, the starting quarterback, participated fully despite still dealing with a calf ailment.

Peter Skoronski (abdomen), a first-round selection for the Titans, did not participate in Wednesday’s practice as he continues to heal from an appendectomy. Teair Tart, who is nursing a knee ailment, didn’t play either. Treylon Burks (WR) and Harold Landry (DE) were both restricted due to injuries (Knee and Hamstring, respectively).

Carolina Panthers -3.5 at Minnesota Vikings

Marcus Davenport (ankle), Josh Metellus (shoulder), and Byron Murphy (hip) did not participate in Vikings practice due to injuries. Harrison Phillips, a defensive lineman, also missed Wednesday’s practice but for different reasons.

Although the Panthers are still struggling with some ailments, reigning No. 1 overall selection Bryce Young played in full after missing last week’s game with an ankle issue. Frankie Luvu (hip), Taylor Moton (ankle/rest), and Xavier Woods (hamstring) did not participate in Wednesday’s practice for Carolina. The injury Woods suffered on Sunday against the Seahawks is said to force him to miss four to six weeks of action. Jonathan Mingo (wide receiver), C.J. Henderson (cornerback), and Miles Sanders (running back) were among the restricted participants due to injuries.

Raiders of Las Vegas against. Chargers of Los Angeles (-5.5)

Jimmy Garoppolo, the quarterback for the Raiders, was the main attraction on the team’s injury report. A concussion prevented him from training. Defensive end Maxx Crosby (knee) was among those who were restricted in practice, while linebacker Curtis Bolton (knee) did not participate at all.

Joey Bosa (hamstring/toe), Gerald Everett (sickness), Alohi Gilman (heel), Derwin James (hamstring), Corey Linsley (illness), and Kenneth Murray Jr. (groin) were among the Chargers’ players who did not participate in Wednesday’s practice. Austin Ekeler, who has been out with an ankle injury, returned to limited participation in practice on Wednesday. Eric Kendricks (linebacker) and Rashawn Slater (offensive tackle) both had injury setbacks (hamstring and ankle, respectively).

Dallas Cowboys against. New England Patriots (-7).

On Wednesday, the Patriots practiced with a few limited players. Offensive lineman Cole Strange (knee), defensive tackle Christian Barmore (knee), defensive tackle Davon Godchaux (ankle), and defensive back Jonathan Jones (ankle).

Five Cowboys players (center Tyler Biadasz (hamstring), WR CeeDee Lamb (rest), DE Demarcus Lawrence (rest), OG Zach Martin (ankle), and OT Tyron Smith (knee)) did not participate in practice today.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals (-14)

James Conner, Arizona’s starting running back, has been dealing with a back ailment and has been restricted in practice. Linebackers Krys Barnes (finger), Jonathan Ledbetter (finger), and Josh Woods (ankle) were all inactive on Wednesday.

Deebo Samuel, a star wide receiver, missed time during practice because of rib and knee issues. Jauan Jennings, another wideout, also went down with a shin injury and had to sit on the bench. Trent Williams, the offensive lineman, took a day off.

New York Jets (-9.5) vs. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs’ injury report was rather lengthy this week. Patrick Mahomes, who seemed to injure his ankle in Sunday’s game against the Bears, was nonetheless a full participant despite being labeled as questionable with the injury. Defensive end Chris Jones (groin) and wide receiver Kadarius Toney (toe) were also on the list of players with restricted participation. Even though he’s nursing an abdominal ailment, running back Isiah Pacheco took part in every aspect of practice.

The Jets’ injury report was much shorter than the opponent’s. Two starters on offense, offensive lineman Mekhi Becton and running back Breece Hall, were both hampered due to knee ailments.

After their failing attempt to land Damian Lillard, the Miami Heat will need to reevaluate their whole approach.

I think it’s fair to say that the Heat is the club most directly affected by the three-way trade that sent Damian Lillard to the Bucks.

When Lillard demanded a trade in July, he favored a move to the Miami Heat. While one of their main competitors made a substantial improvement this summer, the Heat, who unexpectedly entered the Finals as the eighth seed in June, are left trying to rebuild a squad that witnessed significant losses.

There are many levels of meaning here. After Miami’s failed purchase attempt, several fans and media outlets are celebrating in style. I mean, it’s not like it wasn’t coming. There was some arrogance coming out of South Florida this summer, with Heat supporters and reporters saying the team had all the cards in the Damian Lillard negotiation. Some others questioned why the organization would make such a huge offer for Dame if there were going to be no market for him. Meanwhile, many from outside Miami questioned whether or not the Heat had a competitive offer to begin with.

Whoever listens to The Crossover podcast (subscribe!) knows where I stand on this: the Heat were gambling with their future by attempting to get Lillard cheaply, and the Trail Blazers had no incentive to make a hasty choice. Portland did hold off, and Miami paid the price.

There’s only a little matter of whether or not the Heat really behaved with the arrogance that’s being attributed to them. The Athletic reports that the club offered the Blazers up to three first-round selections, second-year player Nikola Jovi, pick swaps, and a number of second-round choices. If that’s the case, Miami’s offer is far more appealing than the alternatives. The Blazers did not want a much better deal than what the Heat allegedly offered, even if Portland trades Jrue Holiday for multiple firsts. You may argue about the worth of future selections, but that is just speculation.

Even if Miami offered three-firsts and everything else, Portland apparently still didn’t want to send Lillard there. If the Heat make a move for Deandre Ayton, the Blazers would likely still be allowed to sign him as well. The Ayton component of this is also off-limits. How often do dynasties that select “franchise centers” deal them away for a glaring positional downgrade when they go all-in on winning the NBA Finals?

After the public position taken by Lillard and his representatives, Portland was under no duty to work in good faith with the Heat. It’s also not clear how serious Miami was about making that offer; according to various sources, the clubs seldom spoke after July. Unless the bidding battle for Holiday gets significantly out of hand, the Heat’s offer was virtually the same as the current return, but it doesn’t matter if the Blazers are set on not appeasing Lillard.

With Lillard out of the picture, though, the Heat have an obligation to Jimmy Butler to strengthen their roster. Adding Lillard alongside Butler and Bam Adebayo would have been a dream scenario, but even little steps forward would have helped the Cavaliers get to the Finals. To what extent the Bucks improve remains to be seen. Meanwhile, the Celtics may really be in a worse position. The Sixers’ number two is seen partying with others who have made the statement that “Daryl Morey is a liar” on their placards. The Cavaliers and the Knicks, however, aren’t exactly powerhouses. Miami isn’t in the lead among these teams right now, but there’s no reason to worry.

In reference to Butler once again, Miami has improved greatly this year. Thanks to Butler’s exploits in the postseason, the organization won’t have to invest much in new equipment. Even though the Heat have had trouble adding players, Butler has helped them go far in the playoffs. It’s a risky tactic, to put it mildly, and it seems completely untenable. The Heat can’t stay up without scoring. They haven’t done anything to put themselves in a position to win the title.

Are they going to compete? Sure, of course, they will do it. Herro’s return, after missing all but half of one playoff game, helps make up for the absence of Max Strus. To replace Gabe Vincent, Josh Richardson is not the worst option. The help of Jovi, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Haywood Highsmith is required immediately.

Even if those things work out, it’s still a huge leap to say the Heat are better than the Finals team. You can’t become worse and yet hope to triumph. To build the squad around Butler that he deserves, even if it involves Riley picking up the phone to re-engage with Portland on Holiday, is necessary.

The Heat: Doomed to Perish? Do you think Riley was unsuccessful? Not yet; I’m not ready to commit to it. Butler is a big reason why people will give Miami a chance now. But the Heat, if they are serious about getting over the hump, need to begin to work on their backup plan right now.

A court document states that FC Barcelona is under investigation for “sustained… active bribery.”

According to a court document that CNN obtained, FC Barcelona and numerous current and former soccer club officials are formally under investigation as suspects in “the sustained crime of active bribery.” This is the latest development in an alleged inappropriate payment scandal that has cast a cloud over Spanish sports.

Barcelona is being looked at for allegedly paying former top Spanish referee José Mara Enrquez Negreira improperly.

A Guardia Civil official told CNN on Thursday that officers had investigated the offices of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) that morning in search of evidence in the case.

While no arrests are anticipated, the representative will not elaborate on the search.

A source close to FC Barcelona told CNN that the club has not released an official comment on the probe but that its attorneys have evaluated all conceivable court outcomes, including the present labeling of the club as a suspect, and are working and moving ahead accordingly.

Prosecutors have accused the Barcelona club of engaging in “continued corruption between individuals in the sports field” in a case called “the Negreira case” in Spanish soccer. The charge was filed in a Barcelona court earlier this year.

From 1993 to 2018, Negreira served as vice president of the CTA. According to the prosecution, various current and former club executives knew of payments totaling over €7 million (almost $7.4 million) billed to two firms he formed that “acted on behalf of and indirectly benefit Barcelona.”

In Spain, league and national competitive matches are assigned referees and assistance by the CTA, the regulating body.

The formal charge submitted by the prosecutor in March of this year alleges that the club entered into a “strictly confidential verbal agreement” with Negreira to produce “actions which tended to favor Barcelona in the form of refereeing decisions.”

Judge Joaquin Aguirre López, who is presiding over the investigation at the 1st Investigation Court of Barcelona, said in a court document from Wednesday that the alleged crimes committed by Negreira, Barça, and the other accused amounted to bribery rather than ongoing corruption.

According to the paper, Aguirre López said, “Whether or not a systemic corruption of Spanish refereeing resulting from said payments is proven, the crime of bribery has been consummated when the payment was made.”

From 2001 through 2018, the court filing detailed yearly payments between 70,000 and 700,000 euros ($74,000 and $740,000).

Further in the court document, the judge said that “by logical deduction,” the club’s interests were “satisfied” owing to the length of time and rise in payment since the payments ended when Negreira departed his job in 2018. He continued, saying that the bribes “produced the desired effects on referees,” leading to “consequent systemic corruption in… Spanish refereeing,” which in turn hurt soccer in Spain.

Barça said in February that a “thorough and independent investigation” was underway, and in March, an FCB source categorically denied to CNN that the club had ever attempted to bribe or otherwise influence a referee.

Xavi, the head coach, was asked about the newest Caso Negreira developments on Thursday at a news conference. He said, “You already know my stance regarding the Caso Negreira. There will be more Negreira content next week. One more is coming in 15 days. And another one in about a month and a half.

He said, “I have never had the notion, never, and I say it, that the referees have benefited us. Never.”

LaLiga President Javier Tebas told reporters on Thursday that the issue of the Civil Guard’s visit to the RFEF offices is “very important to be able to continue the investigations; that’s why permission was given for the search.”

Both La Liga and Barcelona’s soccer rival Real Madrid are named as plaintiffs in the dispute.

In a statement released in March, Los Blancos stated, “Real Madrid wishes to express its utmost concern regarding the gravity of the facts and reiterates its confidence in the legal system.” When the court opens the trial to the impacted parties, the club has consented to attend to defend its legal rights.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) informed CNN it had no comment while an inquiry was ongoing. It has, however, previously said that a final judgment on Barça’s admittance or expulsion from European club tournaments is pending further review.

CNN has attempted to contact Negreira via his firm for comment but has not yet heard back.

Stevenson and Robinson are among five fantasy football running backs who should be avoided during Week 4.

UPI—MIAMI, Sept. 27 For Week 4 of fantasy football, two of my five “don’t start” running backs are Rhamondre Stevenson and Brian Robinson Jr.

Check out my recommended adds and drops before the waiver wire opens to give your team some flexibility. On Sunday, you can check out my revised Week 4 rankings for quarterbacks, wideouts, and tight ends.

My top 30 players include Christian McCaffrey, Josh Jacobs, Kenneth Walker, Travis Etienne, and Tony Pollard. The remaining five players on my Top 10 list are James Cook, Joe Mixon, Derrick Henry, Miles Sanders, and D’Andre Swift.

Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, Aaron Jones, Austin Ekeler, and David Montgomery are all capable of carrying the load, but their injury histories must be checked before they can be inserted into starting lineups.

I have ranked my undesirable running backs outside of the top 24.

Rhamondre Stevenson

This season, Stevenson’s average fantasy points per game for running backs places him outside of the top 20. In his first three starts this year, the New England Patriots running back did not amass 60 rushing yards. There was just one touchdown for him as well.

The Patriots’ opponent this week is the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are tied for third-lowest in the league in allowing fantasy points to running backs, with the Jacksonville Jaguars. They were stingy last year as well, allowing the position to score the fourth-fewest fantasy points.

The Cowboys, in my opinion, will take an early lead in this game. In Week 4, I think Stevenson is the 25th-best play. If your league has 12 teams or more, he’s only worth using as a low-end RB2 or flex.

Rachaad White

With roughly 20 touches per game, White is still the primary running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Because of his heavy workload, White is a viable RB2 option, but he has a terrible matchup this week.

In Week 4, the Buccaneers will play the Saints on the road. In addition to not letting any running backs score a touchdown this year, the Saints have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to the position, tied with the Kansas City Chiefs.

They limited A.J. Dillon to 33 yards on 11 runs for the Green Bay Packers in Week 3, while they allowed just 43 yards on 14 attempts for the Carolina Panthers in Week 2.

The Saints allowed just 63 yards on the ground to Derrick Henry in Week 1. At the very least, I anticipate that White will get 15 touches. In my own Top 30 list, he comes in at number 26.

Brian Robinson Jr.

Robinson has taken over the starting running back role for the Washington Commanders, with 40 more carries than his closest competitor, Antonio Gibson. He gained 216 yards on 47 carries for an average of 4.6 yards per run and three touchdowns.

On the road in Week 4, Robinson will face the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have the greatest run defense in the NFL and recently limited White to 38 yards on 14 rushes. They allowed their first three opponents to gain 145 yards on the ground.

In this NFC East showdown, the Eagles should jump out to an early lead. As the Commanders attempt to regain the lead, Gibson will likely play a larger role as a pass catcher.

A.J.Dillon

Dillon had trouble getting open against the Saints in Week 3, as was previously reported. The Detroit Lions’ run defense will be another test for the Packers this week.

Thus far in the season, the Lions’ run defense has only given up 216 yards, which is fifth-best in the NFL. They allowed just 152 yards on the ground per game, which was third-best.

In this game, Dillion should rack up close to 70 yards. My Week 4 RB rankings have him at No. 28 because he is a touchdown-or-bust RB2.

 Breece Hall

Hall has tremendous football talent, but after gaining 147 yards in Week 1, he has been unable to get going in subsequent games. The New York Jets back carried the ball 13 times for a total of 27 yards in Week 3.

This week the Jets will face the Chiefs, who after three games have given up the third-fewest receiving yards (44) and the fifth-fewest fantasy points to running backs.

Until Hall demonstrates that he can reliably perform, he should not be relied upon as a starting player. In my own rankings, he does not even make the top 30.

Rankings for Running backs in Week 4 of fantasy football

1. Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers vs. MIN

2. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans vs. CIN

3. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals at TEN

4. James Cook, Buffalo Bills vs. MIA

5. Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys vs. NE

6. Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. ATL

7. Kenneth Walker, Seattle Seahawks at NYG

8. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers at HOU

9. Joshua Kelley, Los Angeles Chargers vs. LV

10. Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos at CHI

11. James Conner, Arizona Cardinals at SF

12. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints vs. TB

13. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders at LAC

14. De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins at BUF

15. Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns vs. BAL

16. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams at IND

17. Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans vs. PIT

18. Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins at BUF

19. Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings at CAR

20. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions at GB

21. Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts vs. LAR

22. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons at JAX

23. D’Andre Swift, Philadelphia Eagles vs. WAS

24. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers vs. ARI

On Week 4 of Sunday Night Football predictions (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), the AFC West-leading Chiefs (-9.5) travel to MetLife Stadium to take on the struggling 1-2 Jets. Even though this was supposed to be a must-see matchup heading into Week 1, the Chiefs are already 9.5-point road favorites after a dominating 41-10 victory over the uninspired Bears in Week 1.

The Jets’ defense is still among the best in the league, as they limited the Patriots to only 15 points last week. However, the team’s offense is terrible, managing just 10 points and converting on just two of 14 third downs. Against a Chiefs defense that has had the fourth-lowest success rate (39.1%) after three weeks, quarterback Zach Wilson ranks worst among QBs in anticipated points added per play (-0.279 EPA), signaling difficulties on SNF. Trevor Siemian, the experienced quarterback the Jets acquired to be Wilson’s successor, will not play in this game.

Can the Jets pull off an upset, or will the Super Bowl champs easily improve to 3-1? We’ll provide the latest odds from BetMGM, as well as our pick for this Week 4 showdown between the Jets and Chiefs, so you can make an informed wager on the game on Sunday night.

Jets vs. Chiefs odds, spread, maximum/minimum

• Point differential: Chiefs -9.5 (-110); Jets +9.5 (-110)
• Maximum (-110) and Minimum (-110) of 42.5 and 42.5, respectively
• Spread: Jets +340, Chiefs -450

This offseason’s Mahomes-Rodgers matchup had the Chiefs as one-point road favorites. Kansas City is near double-digit road favorites after Rodgers’ season-ending injury and New York’s 1-2 start. The Jets’ offense appears hopeless with Wilson at the helm; thus, a radical change like an 8.5-point adjustment is necessary.

A total of 42.5 points seems low for a game featuring the Chiefs’ potent attack. Given that their opponent scores 14 points per game on average (with the Jets’ walk-off kick return TD in Week 1), it is clear why the total is what it is.

How about taking the Chiefs minus the points?

We don’t trust Wilson’s offense to generate enough scoring drives to cover almost double digits as a road favorite in the NFL. Even though New York’s offensive line was questionable coming into the season, they did a good job of protecting quarterback Russell Wilson and providing him time to throw in Week 2’s defeat to New England. The Jets’ pass-blocking grade of 77.0 was their best of the season, according to PFF, but Wilson could only lead them to two scoring drives.

The Jets’ defense is good enough to cause problems for the Chiefs’ offense, but Kansas City has more than enough firepower to win and cover the 9.5-point spread. Week 3 saw a return to form for Kansas City’s offense, even if it was against the Bears. The Chiefs finished the week with the second-best dropback success rate (60.5%) in the NFL, behind only the Dolphins. Bet for the Chiefs to win their third consecutive game while covering the spread.

What about the over/under for the Jets/Chiefs game?

New York scored just 10 points, even when their offensive line was at its best. It’s hard to support the OVER on 42.5 points when the Chiefs have the third-best dropback success percentage in the league (39.3%) and have done a great job of keeping opposing offenses off schedule.

Given the inefficiency of the Jets’ passing attack, the UNDER is the bet here, even if early Chiefs scoring pressure causes Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett to call more passing plays, which would normally benefit the OVER.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has thrown for more than 280.5 yards.

Mahomes has a good chance to throw for more than 280.5 yards since the Jets’ rush defense has been far less effective than their run defense through three games. Despite facing two of the greatest passing offenses in the league, the Bills and Cowboys, the Jets have allowed the eighth-highest dropback EPA (0.183) and success rate (49.6%).

If Isiah Pacheco and company are unable to get traction on the ground, Mahomes may have greater success passing against the Jets’ defense, which is sixth in rush EPA (-0.240) and seventh in rushing success rate (33.7%). Even though he only threw for 272 yards in Week 3, Mahomes was taken out of the game in the third quarter with the Chiefs leading 41-0.

Preview of the Sixers training camp: Can the tandem of Maxey and Melton exhibit growth under Coach Nurse?

The Sixers have a squad full of NBA veterans.

On the current Sixers roster, eight players will have reached the age of 30 before the regular season’s end. P.J. Tucker (39), Patrick Beverley (35), and Danny Green (36).

The Sixers’ young guards are a strength. These young guards seem like a good spot to begin our miniseries on significant Sixers themes in advance of the 2023–24 season, even though there is a lot of unknown going into training camp next week at Colorado State University.

Who, exactly, are these security personnel? Most notable are Tyrese Maxey (22) and De’Anthony Melton (25). Two-way rookies Terquavion Smith (20) and Ricky Council IV (22), and the just-turned-21-year-old Jaden Springer Javonte Smart, 24, and David Duke Jr., 23, have both inked Exhibit 10 contracts with the Sixers.

New Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said in his inaugural press conference that they want Maxey to get more pick-and-roll work so that he can improve his reading of the game and his range of possible plays. They’d want him to “impact the ball a lot” and make better use of his tremendous speed to create defensive havoc for other teams. 

Melton is already well-established as a top-tier defender heading into his sixth season. Melton’s 126 thefts last season were second only to OG Anunoby, another of Nurse’s previous players.

We anticipate that Melton and Maxey’s interactions this year will be significant. It would make sense to insert Melton into the starting lineup for James Harden if it turns out that Harden won’t be a part of the opening lineup. Melton last year seemed competent and at ease in a wide variety of situations.

It helps that he and Maxey are good friends. They put up a lot of shots after practice, laughed, and threw around some friendly trash talk throughout the early part of their first season as teammates. 

Maxey stated after the Sixers’ Game 3 playoff triumph over the Nets, “People thought that we would be beefing or whatever because we were in and out of the (starting) lineups.” But in all seriousness, we are the best of friends on the squad. We’ve got each other’s backs, no matter what! I scolded him for not taking the initiative. He constantly criticizes my lack of assertiveness.

The desire to win and the desire to see each other succeed are two things I believe we have in common. Positively, he performed well. I have no idea where this De’Anthony was throughout the regular season, but now that he has that tiny windmill dunk, he wants to dunk on everything. That’s OK with us.

The Sixers’ 2022–23 season was not very successful when they used a lineup centered on Melton and Maxey. According to Cleaning the Glass, there was a net positive of 1.5 across 1,651 items in those storage lockers.

On the other hand, there are reasons to be hopeful for the pair if you’re looking for them. The presence of Harden in many of these lineups gave opposition offenses an open invitation to exploit mismatches. The Sixers’ defensive prospects aren’t hopeless if there’s enough size to protect the bench against Maxey and Melton. Melton’s 6-foot-8.5-inch height, his ability to handle larger opponents, and his ability to defensively rebound are all pluses.

Over the limited sample size of 180 possessions, the starting five of Maxey, Melton, Tobias Harris, PJ Tucker, and Joel Embiid had a net rating of plus-17.2. The team had a net rating of +50.0 in the playoffs (with a sample size of just 42 possessions).

Having Harden on board opens up several interesting possibilities for Melton, some of which include different types of small-ball teams. Regardless of Harden’s health, it’s likely that Nurse will call on Melton and Beverley to spearhead stretches of high-intensity, pressure-based basketball designed to disrupt the opposition’s rhythm.

Springer also has a stellar reputation as a tenacious defender. Springer’s prospects of playing time in the NBA, or at least of being trusted as the “next man up” when injuries occur, will increase if he continues to grow as a shooter and confident decision-maker in his third professional season.

Springer seems to be developing a more refined strategy as he improves his talents.

On July 1st, immediately before the summer league, he remarked, “I feel like in the G League Finals, I was just going out there and competing.” I wasn’t anxious because I was focused on playing my best and making good decisions. If I do that, I think everything will turn out okay.

With the G League champion Delaware Blue Coats, Smith and Council are certain to rack up a number of memorable moments. One or both of these rookies may surprise everyone by making an immediate impact as NBA reserves.

At this point, it seems reasonable to assume that both Maxey and Melton, alone and together, will be extremely significant contributors to the 2022–23 Sixers.

There are six strong reasons to instill optimism over the Philadelphia Sixers’ prospects for the next 2023–24 National Basketball Association (NBA) season.

The Sixers’ future in 2023–24 is bleak, and it’s easy to be negative about it. With the goal of getting moved, James Harden exercised his $35.6 million player option, yet he is still playing for the 76ers. As expected, Sixers president Daryl Morey is already making demands about what kind of return he wants in exchange for Harden.

Harden has requested a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers from the Philadelphia 76ers, but Morey has asked for a high price that the Clippers don’t seem willing to pay. According to Kyle Neubeck of the 76ers, the team has been “fairly unserious about what they’re willing to give up” in exchange for Harden, and other writers have noted the team’s reluctance to trade away Terance Mann.

Parabellum, the third chapter of The Harden Trade Saga, shows no indications of ending very soon. That leaves the door open for the Sixers’ point guard drama to re-emerge for the second time in as many years.

Because of Harden, the Sixers have probably done nothing with their $5 million taxpayer mid-level exception. If they used any of their TMLE, they’d be limited in how much money they could recoup in a Harden deal to the $182.8 million second apron.

The Sixers’ 2023–24 season is likely to be a struggle until they make a decision on Harden. But there is still a chance. Despite the hardening uncertainty, there are real reasons for hope.

Nurse Nick

For many seasons, many Sixers supporters have been pleading with the franchise to dismiss head coach Doc Rivers. In the offseason, their hope came true.

The team has replaced him with Nick Nurse, formerly the head coach of the Toronto Raptors. Early reviews regarding Nurse’s fit in Philadelphia have been excellent, despite the fact that the vibes seemed to go south at the conclusion of his stay in Toronto.

Third-year guard Jaden Springer told reporters before the start of the summer league, “I can tell he’s a coach; he really wants to help the players learn and wants to teach, and then he stopped the drills, stepped in, and gave us points on what to do here and there, like it’s great.” I can’t say I’ve seen many things as remarkable as that in my time in the league.

Morey also told 97.5 The Fanatic’s Anthony Gargano that Joel Embiid is “excited” about what Nurse “is planning to do for training camp.”

Later, Morey said, “I know Nick; a big focus of his is how to make us less predictable in key moments.” The emphasis has been there. I can tell Joel is looking forward to talking with Coach Nurse.

As Morey put it, “versatility will be a big theme” for Nurse this year because “he’s looking at very different, creative ways to use all the folks we’ve brought in.” After the last several years with Rivers in charge, it definitely seems like a breath of fresh air.

Mr. Paul Reed

In the early hours of free agency, the Sixers said goodbye to Georges Niang, Jalen McDaniels, and Shake Milton. Fans should rest easy, however, since the team eventually matched the Utah Jazz’s wicked three-year, $23.5 million offer sheet in order to keep fan favorite Paul Reed on the roster.

This year, Ball Paul seems to be a major focus.

Reed told Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire, “I’ve talked to him plenty of times, and it’s always been kind of the same kind of idea.” He said he could make me into a player like Pascal Siakam. An individual with a wide range of skills. Shoot, drive, and pass, but my current priority is perfecting my shooting form. That’s where we begin. That’s the point when it all begins.

Furthermore, Reed said that he is “getting more and more comfortable every day” with his improved shooting techniques and is anticipating a “breakout year.”

“I feel like last year, I started figuring things out toward the end,” he said to Carlin. “And I feel like this season is going to go a lot smoother because I already have things figured out.”

In 13.1 minutes per game, Reed averaged 5.7 points on 61.4 percent shooting, 4.7 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, and 0.7 steals after replacing Montrezl Harrell as the Sixers’ main backup center following last year’s trade deadline. He also excelled in a pair of postseason starts in place of Embiid, including Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, a road victory against the Boston Celtics.

Reed will fight with Mo Bamba for backup minutes behind Embiid this year, but if he can improve his shooting this summer, he might also get time in the 4 position. Whatever the case may be, it seems like we’re in for an unprecedented influx of BBall Paul.

Tyson Maxey

The basketball nurse is optimistic about the whole team, not just Paul. He is also confident in Maxey’s potential development with or without Harden.

During his introduction news conference, Nurse noted, “From afar, playing against him was very difficult.” It was difficult to prepare a strategy to counter his speed and agility alone. Sometimes speed is unbeatable, and no countermeasures seem possible. What he accomplished and what we saw weren’t all about sprinting and easy baskets, however. After that, his shooting improved dramatically. Then he began making layups that were only a hair and a half or so longer. Despite our best efforts, he continued to make easy baskets along the basket’s rim.

He has a great opportunity to develop and advance, and all signs point to the fact that he is eager to seize it. Excellent worker and a sincere improvement seeker.

In the middle of July, Morey expressed the same view to Gargano.

Morey added, “I don’t want to limit Maxey, frankly, because he’s exceeded expectations since we drafted him.” Each year, he improves more than expected, both offensively and defensively. He’s got the makings of an All-Star, for sure.

Maxey will be the starting point guard for the Sixers if they are unable to either keep Harden or acquire one in exchange for him. A year and a half had passed since he temporarily assumed that position during Ben Simmons’ holdout in 2021–22, before Harden’s arrival.

The nurse had already intended to give Maxey more pick-and-roll work before Harden’s trade request, saying that he wanted Maxey to be able to “make the reads for all the other players on the floor depending on what he sees.” One of the season’s greatest themes, Maxey’s development in that area will have a significant impact on the Sixers’ roster-building plan going ahead.

Jeden Springer

Over the course of his first two NBA seasons, Jaden Springer has logged a paltry 95 minutes in only 18 games. For those who missed the third-year guard in the G League or the summer league this past July, he remains a bit of a black box.

At least in the outset, Springer is expected to contribute more on defense than offensively. His inexperience was not lost on veteran forward P.J. Tucker, who lauded him throughout training camp last year.

“He doesn’t even know how to play yet,” Tucker told the press. Therein is the insanity. He’s out there, obliviously doing his own thing. It’s fantastic, by the way. I’m going to constantly pump him up. It’s fantastic, by the way. He tried his hardest and is still learning, but he is still a child. He hasn’t a clue yet, but he continues to work hard every day as if he did. Furthermore, he is mute. The weird aspect is that!

This past season, Springer played 30.2 minutes per game on average for the Delaware Blue Coats and averaged 2.3 steals and 0.8 blocks. In a late-season matchup against Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks, he again performed well, scoring 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting with 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 threes, 1 block, and 1 steal in 34 minutes of action.

Last year in the G League, Springer made only 31.9 percent of his 3-point attempts, and in his few NBA minutes so far, he has made just five. He assured reporters during this year’s summer league that he could strengthen his offense.

“I know I’ve been working,” Springer said. “I am very aware of the effort I have put into perfecting my shot and all that. I’m sure if you stick with it, you’ll succeed. It’s all a matter of timing; in the meantime, don’t worry and make yourself at home.

Springer is expected to compete with Patrick Beverley for minutes off the bench in the Sixers’ backcourt if they deal Harden without receiving a guard in exchange. How Nurse uses him and the devastation he might cause in certain defensive pairs (Reed, Springer, and De’Anthony Melton, anyone?) will be a fascinating subplot to follow this season.

The new-look bench

The Sixers’ bench will look different this season without Niang, McDaniels, or Milton. In the summer, they brought in free agents like Beverley, Bamba, Danny Green, and Kelly Oubre Jr. to fight for playing time against returning players like Melton, Reed, Springer, Danuel House Jr., and Furkan Korkmaz.

Although Beverley is not the same shutdown defender he once was, he nevertheless helped the Chicago Bulls right away after being traded to them at the deadline last season. Because of their ability to disrupt passing lanes and initiate fast-break points, he and Melton could be a nightmare for opposing second-unit ball-handlers.

While with the Sixers, Oubre is the first true bench gunner for the team since Lou Williams. He signed a one-year, minimum-salary agreement with the Sixers after scoring a career-high 20 points per game for the injury-plagued Charlotte Hornets the previous season. The Sixers will give Oubre a chance to show he can contribute to a successful team, much as the Milwaukee Bucks gave Bobby Portis a few years ago.

After struggling with limited playing time after returning from ACL and LCL tears, 36-year-old Green may not even make the opening night roster since his contract is totally non-guaranteed until then. However, now that time has passed and his injuries have healed, he may demonstrate that he still has some fight left in him. The Sixers are aware of his potential as a three-and-d contributor.

There is potential that the Sixers’ bench is better than it was last season because to the four new arrivals and the development of Reed, Melton, Springer, and House. After losing Niang, McDaniels, and Milton on July 1, this seemed like a long shot, but the front staff was able to do some good on the edges while being unable to fulfill Harden’s trade request.

 Joel Embiid

In spite of just being named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, Joel Embiid may be experiencing the lowest level of public acclaim in Philadelphia in at least half a decade. Since he vanished for a chunk of the Eastern Conference Semifinals and has said he would be happy to win a championship “in Philadelphia or anywhere else,” it’s reasonable to ask whether the Sixers’ greatest shot to win with him has already gone.

Sixers supporters shouldn’t waste their time worrying about Embiid’s future with the team by trying to predict when he’ll want to be traded.

Embiid is the first center to lead the NBA in scoring in consecutive seasons since the mid-1970s. He has guided the Sixers to their most successful season in almost two decades. He is now in the middle of his peak and into his 29th season.

It’s reasonable to assume that Embiid is even more motivated by the negative impression the end-of-season slump left on fans. The fact that Nikola Jokic, his main MVP opponent of the last several seasons, won the NBA title with the Denver Nuggets last year should serve as extra inspiration.

Embiid has remade himself in recent years by moving away from post-ups and toward mid-range shots with his back to the hoop. The Sixers haven’t advanced beyond the second round in over two decades, but if he improves in another area of his game this summer (it seems like playmaking is a goal of his), he may be a big reason why.