Without a roaring crowd, Coco Gauff makes early exit at US Open

Gauff didn't have the extra support that she often does as she lost for the first time in the first round of a Grand Slam.

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NFL takes over Washington Football Team probe

The NFL is now overseeing the investigation by Beth Wilkinson into the Washington Football Team over alleged sexual harassment issues in the organization.

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Source: Chargers' James to undergo knee surgery

Chargers safety Derwin James needs surgery on his injured right knee and will be out six to eight months, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.

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Sources: KC reaches extensions with Reid, Veach

The Chiefs have agreed to contract extensions through 2025 with coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach, sources confirmed to ESPN.

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New on Sports Illustrated: Iowa State to Allow 25,000 Fans at Season Opener vs. Louisiana

The Cyclones will kick off their season against Louisiana on Sept. 12.

Iowa State will allow fans to attend its season opener at Jack Trice Stadium next month amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Cyclones announced Monday that 25,000 spectators will be permitted in the stadium for their Sept. 12 matchup against Louisiana. 

In a letter to fans, athletic director Jamie Pollard said the crowd will consist of season ticket holders only. Everyone in attendance must wear a face covering at all times, and anyone who refuses to wear one will be denied access and/or removed from the stadium. No tailgating will be permitted, and Pollard asked everyone to "honor other fans' wishes for physical distancing."

"An important factor in the decision to allow fans is our belief that Cyclone fans are willing to adhere to our mitigation measures," Pollard wrote. "The purpose of this letter is to ask for your support in helping create a safe environment while also providing our team an impactful home field advantage. This is an incredible opportunity for Iowa State University to showcase its ability to successfully navigate the challenges associated with large outdoor events during a pandemic."

Pollard said if the mitigation actions are successful, the Cyclones will allow season ticket holders to attend the Oct. 3 game against Oklahoma. If Iowa State determines mitigation measures were not followed adequately at the first game, no fans will be allowed at games for the rest of the season.

Iowa State's announcement comes shortly after The New York Times identified Ames, Iowa, as a coronavirus "hotspot" city over the weekend. The Times reported Ames, which has a population of 97,117, had 964 cases in the last two weeks. Iowa City, home to the University of Iowa, was second on the list.

Iowa State began holding in-person classes on Aug. 17 and has no current plans to move to online-only instruction.

Pelicans' Ingram caps breakout season with MIP

Brandon Ingram won the NBA's Most Improved Player award after setting career highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals and 3-point percentage.

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New top story on Hacker News: Ask HN: Captcha Alternatives?

Ask HN: Captcha Alternatives?
42 by ev1 | 39 comments on Hacker News.
TLDR: I help with a gaming community-related site that is being targetted by a script kiddie, they are registering hundreds of thousands of accounts on our forums to 'protest' a cheating (aimbot) ban. They then post large ASCII art spam, giant shock images (the first one started after we blocked new accounts from posting [img]), the usual. Currently we use a simple question/answer addon at registration time - it works against all untargeted bots and is just a little "what is 4 plus six" or "what is the abbreviation for this website" type of question. It's worked fine for years and we don't really get general untargeted spam. I am somewhat ethically disinclined to use reCAPTCHA, and there are some older members that can't reasonably solve hcaptcha easily. Same for using heavy fingerprinting or other privacy invading methods. It's also donation-run, so enterprise services that would block something like this (such as Distil) are both out of budget and out of ethics. Is there a way I can possibly solve this? Negotiation is not really an option on the table, the last time one of the other volunteers responded at all we got a ~150Gbps volumetric attack. I've tried some basic things, like requiring cookie and JS support via middleware; they moved from a Java HTTP-library script to some kind of Selenium equivalent afterward. They also use a massive amount of proxies, largely compromised machines being sold for abuse.

Minggu, 30 Agustus 2020

Murray again magical as Nuggets force Game 7

Helping stave off elimination again by scoring 50 points for the second time in three games, Jamal Murray outdueled Donovan Mitchell and lifted the Nuggets to a 119-107 Game 6 win over the Jazz.

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Sources: Busy Padres get M's Nola, ship Trammell

The Padres on Sunday acquired catcher Austin Nola from the Mariners as part of a seven-player deal, sources told ESPN. Part of the return for Seattle is one of San Diego's top prospects, outfielder Taylor Trammell.

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Auburn down 16 players for virus-related issues

Nine of Auburn's players have tested positive for the coronavirus, and seven others are at high risk, coach Gus Malzahn said.

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Everton can help James Rodriguez reach his potential

One of the stars of the 2014 World Cup, James Rodriguez never really got going at Real Madrid. Can Everton provide him a better platform?

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'Man of business' Kawhi stomps on gas vs. Mavs

Kawhi Leonard helped the Clippers finish off the Mavs with 33 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals to become the seventh player to have 30 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals in a playoff game.

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Seahawks put DE Jackson on IR after knockout

The Seahawks put defensive end Branden Jackson, who was knocked out in a scrimmage, on injured reserve.

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How Jon Rahm made a mistake and still won the BMW Championship

Normally, Rahm's temper would have gotten the best of him. Not this time.

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Rahm's 66-foot putt in playoff stuns DJ, wins BMW

Dustin Johnson made a 45-foot birdie on the 18th to force a playoff. Jon Rahm answered with a 66-footer on the opening hole of that playoff, winning the BMW Championship. Johnson, though, stays at No. 1 in the FedEx Cup going to the Tour Championship.

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Luka Doncic and the Mavericks' championship window is approaching

Luka Doncic is the generational talent speeding up the Mavs' process. But is Dallas done searching for his sidekick?

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Byron wins at Daytona; Johnson misses playoffs

William Byron earned his first career Cup Series victory on Saturday, clinching a playoff berth by winning at Daytona. Jimmie Johnson, meanwhile, was caught up in a late wreck and will miss the playoffs in his final full-time season.

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Giannis: Protesting shooting bigger than game

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said Saturday he'll remember how he felt after talking to the family of Jacob Blake, who was shot seven times by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday, for the rest of his life.

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Interception spurs Lamar in Ravens' scrimmage

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson struggled in Saturday night's intrasquad scrimmage but finished on a hot streak.

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Murray: Skin color shouldn't decide life or death

In order to make his point that "my skin color should not determine whether I live or die," Denver's Jamal Murray placed a pair of shoes with Breonna Taylor's and George Floyd's likenesses on them in front of the camera before speaking Saturday.

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The Bucks' playoff run now has a larger purpose

The Bucks' postseason journey has evolved into something bigger than the quest for 16 wins and a trophy.

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CDL Championship Weekend Day 1: Fond farewells and picks for grand finals

In some of the best Call of Duty we've seen all year, we say goodbye to the London Royal Ravens and Chicago Huntsmen, and look forward to the $1.5 million finals matchup of Dallas Empire vs. Atlanta FaZe.

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Carroll implores coaches, white people to listen

Pete Carroll said white people need to educate themselves on the issues facing Black people in America and called on coaches to lead the charge for change.

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'It's very important we stay together': WNBA, NBA figures promote strengthened bond

As the WNBA returned to the court Friday, its relationship with the NBA and its players around social justice issues took on a renewed strength.

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A-Rod pulls Mets bid; Cohen reportedly near deal

Alex Rodriguez, fiancee Jennifer Lopez and their group have withdrawn their offer to purchase the Mets amid a report that the Wilpon family is finalizing a deal with billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen.

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Boseman, who starred as Jackie Robinson, dies

Chadwick Boseman, whose starred as Black icon Jackie Robinson in "42," has died of cancer at age 43. His death came on the same day Major League Baseball celebrated Jackie Robinson Day.

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Sports world reacts to death of Chadwick Boseman

The Rock, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Stroman were among the many stars across sports to react on Twitter to the death of Chadwick Boseman.

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New top story on Hacker News: Tell HN: Check medium's localstorage if you use adblock

Tell HN: Check medium's localstorage if you use adblock
40 by ev1 | 2 comments on Hacker News.
If you have uBlock or similar, it appears medium logs all analytics pings into HTML5 LocalStorage and will keep retrying to send them (and apparently periodically change domains and subdomains to try and send them). I had tens of thousands of entries in localStorage, wasting quite a bit of space, all of them at least 400-600 characters or more. Each time I scrolled it'd add a few dozen more in, to the point where devtools was freezing. Ridiculous. Example: https://ift.tt/2QAyqu0

LeBron, CP3 talked with Obama during stalemate

After a contentious meeting among players left the NBA's postseason in the balance, LeBron James and Chris Paul led a subcommittee of players who reached out to former President Barack Obama for advice.

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Sources: Angels trade La Stella to A's for Barreto

The Angels traded Tommy La Stella to the Athletics for utility man Franklin Barreto, sources confirmed to ESPN.

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Athletics, Astros exit, won't play Friday's game

The Oakland Athletics and Houston Astros decided not to play Friday night's game, following the example of other teams protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

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McCutchen: Robinson Day has extra meaning

Major League Baseball's celebration of Jackie Robinson and his legacy comes on the heels of teams deciding this week to not play their games in protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

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Tiger well off BMW pace after second-round 75

Tiger Woods has plenty of work to do this weekend at the BMW Championship, where he's tied for 55th after a 5-over 75 Friday and needs a major run over the next two days to qualify for next week's Tour Championship.

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Rivers: Clips players thought season was 'over'

Clippers coach Doc Rivers said his players are ready to resume play, but said they "thought it was over" after an emotional meeting Wednesday night.

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Lute Olson, Arizona coaching great, dies at 85

Lute Olson, the Hall of Fame basketball coach who turned Arizona into a national powerhouse, has died, his family said Friday night. He was 85.

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US Open draw: Many top players missing but intrigue remains

This year's US Open won't have Rafa or Fed, or Ash or Simona. But Serena Williams is still chasing Grand Slam No. 24, and Novak Djokovic is after his 18th major title.

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Mets GM: Comments about Manfred 'unfounded'

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen has clarified critical comments he made about Rob Manfred, saying they were unfounded while noting a walkout plan he initially said was the commissioner's was actualy that of Mets COO Jeff Wilpon.

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Players Alliance pledges salaries to fight inequality

The Players Alliance, made up of more than 100 Black current and former MLB players, announced Thursday that its members will donate their salaries from Thursday's and Friday's games to the organization to support its efforts to combat racial inequality.

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Lawyers to NFL: Investigate Washington on own

Lawyers for more than a dozen ex-employees of the Washington Football Team have requested from the NFL an independent investigation into sexual harassment allegations during their time there and that owner Dan Snyder be suspended pending the outcome.

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Osaka won't play in W&S semis in Blake protest

Naomi Osaka won't play in Thursday's semis, saying that there are more important matters at hand.

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'Society has to change': NBA players spoke up before walking out

Here's how the protest progressed this week, in the words of NBA players and coaches.

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Five MLS matches called off amid Blake protests

Most of Wednesday's matches in MLS were postponed as players chose not to play in protest of racial injustice.

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Five MLS matches called off amid Blake protests

Most of Wednesday's matches in Major League Soccer were postponed as players chose not to play in protest of racial injustice.

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Players across the NBA and sports offer support for the Bucks' boycott

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Trae Young were among players showing their support on social media.

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WNBA teams join protest; Wed. games postponed

Three WNBA games were postponed Wednesday as the Dream, Mystics, Sparks, Lynx, Sun and Mercury joined others across sports in protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

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Kenny Smith walks off live TNT show in solidarity

Kenny Smith walked off the TNT "Inside the NBA" set on Wednesday night as a show of solidarity with the NBA players boycotting games in protest of the Jacob Blake shooting.

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Selasa, 25 Agustus 2020

No-hitter proof Lucas Giolito an ace you don't want to face in October

Coming a long way from his initial struggles, Chicago's young ace just spun the best no-no in team history.

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Serena: Put myself in 'bad situation' in 3-set loss

Serena Williams said she put herself "in a bad situation" as she let her lead slip away Tuesday in a surprising 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-1 loss to Maria Sakkari at the Western & Southern Open.

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'Superstar': Murray keeps Denver alive with 42

Jamal Murray scored 33 of his 42 points in the second half to help the Nuggets stave off elimination against the Jazz on Tuesday.

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New on Sports Illustrated: LSU Basketball Investigation Could Signal Trouble for Football Program Allegations

The federal investigation into LSU basketball is reportedly likely headed to an independent panel. What becomes of recent NCAA violations pertaining to the LSU football program?

The slowest NCAA infractions case tied to the federal investigation of college basketball has been the one targeting LSU. It also might be the juiciest, given Will Wade’s infamous, “strong-ass offer” wiretap. Of the dozen schools caught up in the feds’ web, none has a head coach so closely tied to a potential violation.

Now there is a new layer to the drama, folding LSU football into the mix and potentially raising the stakes. The tussle between NCAA Enforcement and the school regarding football’s role in the investigation may well impact the overall severity of the case, and any sanctions that arise from it.

According to a

story published Tuesday by The Advocate that cites correspondence between the NCAA and the school, Director of Enforcement Jon Duncan believes the case should be referred to the Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP). That’s the recently devised “off-ramp” in infractions cases, steering it outside the Committee on Infractions—a route adopted for cases involving Memphis, North Carolina State and Kansas, with others possible.

According to The Advocate, Duncan cited five factors for referring the case to the IARP in a July 15 letter. Among them: contentiousness arising from Wade’s lack of cooperation with the investigation. Duncan noted Wade’s chronic inability to produce requested phone records, saying that it took the coach 13 months to produce documented calls from two different cell phones. The NCAA made repeated requests between September 2018 and the arrival of the records in January 2020, according to The Advocate.

But another element of The Advocate story could have a greater impact on the overall tenor of the case: What becomes of recent NCAA violations pertaining to the LSU football program?

Basically, this part of the case is Kansas 2.0. In that one, the school sought in June to separate admitted football violations from the larger and more spectacular basketball allegations. Kansas wanted the football infractions to be decided by the more traditional Committee on Infractions route, independent of the ongoing basketball case.

In July, that request was denied and the entire case was tracked to the IARP. Enforcement rolled the Kansas football and basketball allegations together for a reason: It helped make a case for one of the most serious charges against the school: lack of institutional control. That’s a Level I violation, which is the most severe in the NCAA’s penalty matrix.

LSU appears to be working to avoid a similar scenario. The school has no objection to the basketball probe being diverted to the IARP, according to The Advocate, but does not want the football violations included.

Per The Advocate’s documents, LSU is trying to put the football allegations to rest quickly via summary review, which would result in agreed-upon penalties without a formal hearing. They center on three separate incidents:

  • The father of offensive lineman Vadal Alexander received $180,000 in stolen money from LSU booster John Paul Funes, who admitted in 2019 that he embezzled more than half a million dollars from Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge. The money was payment from 2012–17 for what the NCAA characterized as a “no-show job,” according to The Advocate.
  • Former LSU standout Odell Beckham’s cash payments to players immediately after the Tigers won the College Football Playoff championship game in January. LSU officials initially told reporters that Beckham was handing out fake money, but later retracted that assertion after quarterback Joe Burrow acknowledged in an interview that the cash was real. LSU said the payments totaled $2,000, which Duncan characterized as a Level III violation.
  • An impermissible recruiting contact in January 2019 by LSU football coach Ed Orgeron. The Advocate said the school self-imposed recruiting restrictions on Orgeron.

Meanwhile, the NCAA’s case against LSU basketball crawls on. No Notice of Allegations has been filed yet, multiple sources confirmed to SI. Previously, the NCAA has submitted NOAs related to the federal probe to North Carolina State, Kansas, Louisville, USC, Oklahoma State, South Carolina and TCU. NOAs are believed to have been submitted to Creighton and Auburn, but the schools have refused to publicly acknowledge them. Alabama and Arizona remain under investigation as well.

In March 2019, Yahoo Sports reported on the existence of a federal wiretap from 2017 in which Wade tells Christian Dawkins—who was at the center of the FBI’s sting operation—that he made a “strong-ass offer” to a third party representing then-recruit Javonte Smart .

“Dude,” Wade said to Dawkins, “I went to him with a [expletive] strong-ass offer about a month ago. [Expletive] strong.

“The problem was, I know why he didn’t take it now, it was [expletive] tilted toward the family a little bit,” Wade continued. “It was tilted toward taking care of the mom, taking care of the kid. Like it was tilted towards that. Now I know for a fact he didn’t explain everything to the mom. I know now, he didn’t get enough of the piece of the pie in the deal.”

After that story published, Wade refused to cooperate with LSU’s internal investigation and was suspended. Wade later changed his mind and submitted to an interview by the school and NCAA investigators and was subsequently reinstated.

LSU renegotiated Wade's contract as part of his reinstatement. The new pact included a clause that makes it easier for LSU to fire him with cause if he or the school is charged with a Level I or Level II violation.

Wade has yet to offer a public explanation for what the “stong-ass offer” consisted of.

There has been some question among those with experience in NCAA investigative circles whether the wiretap is enough to form the basis of a formal violation charge. It was never introduced as evidence in the federal trials, and The Yahoo Sports story might not have been constituted firsthand evidence, enforcement experts told Sports Illustrated. But the airing of the wiretap on the HBO documentary, The Scheme, might provide an avenue to use it.

The documentary also contained a snippet of conversation between Wade and Dawkins in which Wade referred to paying a player “more than the (NBA) rookie minimum.” LSU athletic director Scott Woodward issued a statement after the documentary was aired, saying, “There is no change to Coach Will Wade's employment status at LSU and we will continue to cooperate with all reviews into this matter."

The only school from the federal probe that has gone through the NCAA hearing process and received a ruling thus far is Oklahoma State. The Cowboys, which had one of the least complex cases, were hit with a one-year postseason ban in early June—a penalty that shocked the school. Oklahoma State has said it will appeal.

The COVID-19 shutdown of much of the country affected the timeline for many schools under investigation, elongating the already laborious NCAA crime-and-punishment process. As it currently stands, many of the charged schools may be able to complete the 2020–21 season without sanctions—if indeed there is a 2020–21 season.

White Sox's Giolito tosses season's 1st no-hitter

Add the season's first no-hitter to the accomplishments list for the surprising White Sox, as Lucas Giolito blanked the Pirates on Tuesday night.

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On third Contender Series try, Jamie Pickett is one of four winners to earn a UFC contract

Jamie Pickett became the second Contender Series fighter to have lost twice on the show before being awarded a UFC deal in his third appearance.

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Source: Dad missing, Alexander leaves Bengals

With authorities in Florida searching for his father, Cincinnati cornerback Mackensie Alexander left the Bengals' training camp site on Tuesday, a source told ESPN.

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Lakers 24, Trail Blazers 8: First-quarter lead turns into Mamba Day tribute

The Lakers found some offense and turned the scoreboard into a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant on 8/24.

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LeBron, Kamara seek justice after Wis. shooting

As protests took place in Wisconsin after the police shooting of a Black man on Sunday, LeBron James and Donovan Mitchell were among the NBA stars to demand justice on Monday via social media.

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From afar, watching Lakers-Blazers with Trevor Ariza

The Trail Blazers forward opted out of the NBA restart to spend time with his son, but he's with his team in spirit.

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Butler helps Heat sweep despite shoulder strain

Miami's Jimmy Butler has been hamered by a left shoulder strain, but Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said no MRI has been scheduled as the team looks toward Round 2.

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The Thunder built a Game 4 comeback out of all those Rockets bricks

Houston came out of halftime looking unstoppable from 3-point range. But when the shots stopped falling, Chris Paul and OKC stole Game 4 and the series momentum.

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Alabama's Saban wants to play for players' sake

Asked after practice Monday about the importance of college football, Alabama's Nick Saban touched on school pride and the value of competition amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Ex-Seahawks CB apologizes for hotel guest sneak

Former Seahawks rookie cornerback Kemah Siverand issued a public apology for what he called an "inexcusable" mistake after he tried to sneak a woman into the team's hotel. He has since been released.

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Minggu, 23 Agustus 2020

Raptors' Lowry to undergo MRI for foot injury

Raptors guard Kyle Lowry injured his left foot in the first quarter of a series-ending Game 4 win over the Nets on Sunday and did not return. He will have an MRI for the injury, which Toronto previously said was to his ankle.

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Indianapolis 500 denied classic finish as 2020 wins yet again

When the yellow flag robbed us of a legendary finish and Takuma Sato claimed the Indy 500 under caution, the real winner, again, was 2020.

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Luka: Game-winner vs. Clips 'something special'

Luka Doncic called his historic 40-point triple-double and game-winning shot to even the series with the Clippers on Sunday "something special."

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Goodell: 'Wished we listened earlier' to Kap

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that he wishes the league had listened earlier to what Colin Kaepernick was protesting.

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The NFL's Sunday coronavirus scare: What happens if it occurs during the season?

The NFL had a coronavirus "fire drill" on Sunday, with multiple teams receiving false-positive tests. How could it get ahead of the issue now?

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A new era begins for Kyrie, KD and the ousted Brooklyn Nets

The next time these Nets take the court, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will be part of the NBA's newest mystery.

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World No. 304 Popov claims Women's Open title

The 304th-ranked German Sophia Popov claimed the Women's Open at Royal Troon on Sunday.

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D. Johnson finishes 30 under, reclaims No. 1 spot

Dustin Johnson looked as dominant as he ever has, finishing at 30-under 254 to win The Northern Trust on Sunday and reclaim the No. 1 spot.

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Tiger, Rory, Brooks, Jordan and Phil: This isn't the best time for some of golf's biggest names

Tiger is still trying to find his way. Rory admitted he's at times just going through the motions. Brooks Koepka is hurt. Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson are out of the playoffs. The stars are struggling.

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From middle finger to the punch: Thomas' tumultuous timeline

In 17 months with the Baltimore Ravens before his release on Sunday, controversy followed safety Earl Thomas.

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The NBA's best praise Luka's double-bang after buzzer beater

Doncic wasn't even certain to play in Game 4 against the Clippers. Then he hit the game winner.

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Sources: Ravens QB Jackson nursing groin injury

Ravens quarterback and reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson has missed the past two training camp practices because of a groin injury, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. He is slated to return to action Monday, sources said.

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CP3, Thunder come up clutch by going away from their best lineup

Oklahoma City had to deviate from worked best for them all season to finally beat Houston in Game 3.

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Who's next for Edgar? Which upset was most impressive?

Frankie Edgar made the most of his bantamweight debut. Now what? Also, we break down tonight's upsets.

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Edgar defies critics, edges Munhoz by decision

At 38, Frankie Edgar proved he has "still got some fight in this tank," edging out Pedro Munhoz by split decision to win his bantamweight debut Saturday night.

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Chris Paul closes out Rockets in return to form

Chris Paul, after shouldering the blame for the Thunder's two losses to start the series, came up big in overtime against the Rockets on Saturday.

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Cubs place Bryant on IL with finger sprain

An hour after manager David Ross said Kris Bryant wouldn't need to hit the injured list, the Cubs announced that the third baseman had landed on the 10-day IL.

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Whyte KO'd, ruining shot at Wilder-Fury winner

Dillian Whyte, who looked to be on course to face the winner of Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder, was knocked out by Alexander Povetkin in the fifth round of Saturday's fight.

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Live results and analysis from Las Vegas

Follow all the action live from Las Vegas.

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Nats fire employee for throwing coffee at woman

In a video posted to Twitter, Jazhiel Morel, an administrator at the Nationals' academy in the Dominican Republic, was shown filling two cups of coffee before exchanging words with a store cashier and then throwing the coffee on her. Morel was fired.

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D. Johnson seizes control of The Northern Trust

Dustin Johnson pulled away from Harris English and Scottie Scheffler to take control of The Northern Trust after three rounds at the TPC Boston Saturday.

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Trying to make sense of Dustin Johnson's weird and wild two months

Dustin Johnson has had a strange run since golf restarted. He's won. Almost claimed his second major. He's missed cuts. He withdrew once. He's nearly broken 60 and twice shot 80. Now, he has a chance to win the FedEx Cup opener.

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Mavericks' Doncic ruled out after spraining ankle

Dallas' Luka Doncic was ruled out of Friday's loss to the LA Clippers in the fourth quarter after trying to return from a sprained left ankle.

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Embiid falters late as Celts take control vs. 76ers

Joel Embiid made a pair of crucial mistakes late in Friday's game against Boston and the Celtics used them to fuel a 10-0 run on their way to a 102-94 win and a 3-0 series lead against the Philadelphia 76ers.

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Walker joined Boston for moments like his Game 3 dagger

Kemba Walker had won just three playoff games in his career before joining the Celtics. With Boston, he's got his eyes on a bigger prize.

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DJ cools after hot start, takes Northern Trust lead

Dustin Johnson's captivating start Friday trailed off, leaving him with a 60 on the day -- one shot off golf's magic number -- but he still took a 2-shot lead at The Northern Trust.

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Death Star: Davis welcomes Raiders to Allegiant

Raiders owner Mark Davis welcomed his team to its new $1.9 billion stadium on Friday, saying it will be a place "where our opponents' dreams come to die."

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Lillard dislocates left index finger; X-rays negative

Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard left Thursday's game in the third quarter after scoring 18 points against the Lakers.

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Europa League final: Inter vs. Sevilla preview, key players, prediction

Sevilla have been prolific in the Europa League, with a three-peat from 2013 to '16, but we're tipping Inter Milan to lift the trophy this time.

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Giannis: Bucks had urgency, couldn't trail 2-0

Giannis Antetokounmpo said the Bucks played with more urgency Thursday night against the Magic, determined not to fall into a 2-0 hole in their first-round series.

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Golfers play through in 120-plus temperatures in Death Valley

At Oasis in Death Valley, California, golfers brave temperatures that have reached 130 degrees in the past week.

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Washington's Rivera has cancer, plans to coach

Washington head coach Ron Rivera has been diagnosed with cancer but plans to continue coaching, he told ESPN on Thursday night.

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Timberwolves win top pick in NBA draft lottery

The Minnesota Timberwolves won the NBA draft lottery Thursday night.

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Silver: NBA likely delaying Dec. 1 start to '20-21

NBA commissioner Adam Silver told ESPN on Thursday that the league's planned Dec. 1 start to the 2020-21 season seems "a little bit early" to him now.

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What to watch in the Women's British Open, the LPGA's first major of 2020

This week, the LPGA Tour tees it up at Royal Troon in Scotland for the Women's British Open, the first women's major of the 2020 season.

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New on Sports Illustrated: The Time to Protest the Big Ten's Decision Is Officially Over

Kevin Warren's open letter officially closes the book on fall football. And it's time for the rest of the Big Ten to move on.

The Big Ten can stop fighting itself now, right?

Right?

Can we get a peace sign out of the folks in Columbus? A white flag from Lincoln? Some happiness from Happy Valley? Can all the nice people who go to Iowa games get back to waving? Can the looney player parents who talked about going to Chicago to confront commissioner Kevin Warren at league HQ find something more important to protest?

Warren’s open letter Wednesday closes the book on fall football in America’s oldest and richest college athletic conference. The decision made last week—“a gut-wrenching decision,” Warren told Sports Illustrated—is not changing. Fall sports are not happening.

It sucks. It’s also a perfectly logical and defensible position to take, one that Warren very consistently stated all along could end up being the way it goes. It’s also a position shared by the Pac-12, the Mountain West, the Mid-American Conference and just about everyone at the FCS level of NCAA Division I athletics. That includes the Ivy League, which has a few smart people within its membership.

Six other leagues are still playing, as we all know, including three members of the Power 5: the Southeastern, Atlantic Coast and Big 12 conferences. That has made Warren’s stance tougher, with fans howling that the league is being left behind. (Which is ludicrous.) The fact that his son, Powers, is playing at SEC member school Mississippi State has also created a lot of noise.

“As a family, we’ve had many difficult discussions,” Warren said. “You don’t mix family issues with work issues.

“I have great respect for the other Power 5 conferences … but our focus is on the almost 10,000 student-athletes we have at 14 world-class institutions over 11 states. That is my focus.”

There is no guarantee that, in a week or two or three, those leagues still playing won’t end up where the Big Ten is today. If anything, news out of North Carolina and Notre Dame has thrown fresh doubt on whether anyone can pull this off. With campuses welcoming in the general student population, COVID-19 forest fires can erupt all over the place.

So it bears repeating that the Big Ten decision is not some irrational, outlier stance. It’s simply an unpopular decision, and the people who are performatively outraged over the process are actually just angry with the result. Warren acknowledged that he didn’t do a great job articulating the league’s reasoning last week, but ultimately he had the backing of the university presidents and the Big Ten medical advisory board.

“Even with all the criticism, we’re very comfortable with our decision,” Warren said. “We are working with student-athletes who are not professional, who are trying to get an education with participating in athletics, and they must be in a safe environment. Our first priority all along has been the health and safety of our athletes. You have to be willing, when you ask your medical experts for information and for their feedback for months, you have to listen to that.”

They listened. They made a decision. Turn your frown upside down and deal with it, Big Ten complainers.

You want a reason to move on from eight days of anger? Here’s one.

There could well be a winter season of Big Ten football coming, a development that multiple sources told SI is gaining momentum around the league. Indoor stadiums within the league’s sprawling geographic footprint could host doubleheader games, one source said, with multiple schools assigned to five or six “anchor” facilities.

The thinking is that playing in the winter, as opposed to spring, will keep a lot of NFL prospects in the college game and also avoid compromising the 2021 fall season. The idea has been well received by Big Ten TV partners, sources said.

Warren would not confirm that a winter football season is a leading option, but he did say that a task force assembled to plan what to do with displaced fall sports is in the works. “I think this is where you’ll see the Big Ten at its best,” he said, touting the creative clout of the people working on the project.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith hinted at just such a plan in a statement released Wednesday, noting “the possibility of bringing at least some of our fall sports back to practice and competition by the end of the year. We are actively planning for the winter and spring seasons for all sports, including the return of football.”

Here’s what else you need to know about Smith’s statement, and why it may signal that peace is not yet fully at hand in the Big Ten: It ran nearly 700 words, and none of them were “Kevin” or “Warren.”

This is what he said about the league: “As an athletics director at a Big Ten institution, I will always be respectful of our conference as it provides an outstanding platform for our student-athletes to pursue the championship experience.” As someone who has read approximately four million statements from college athletic officials, an athletic director wishing to make nice with the commissioner would have offered him a personal bon mot in that sentence. The absence of any such thing was notable.

Fact is, Smith has watched his star quarterback, Justin Fields, start an online petition to push the Big Ten to reverse his decision. Then he watched his football coach, Ryan Day, champion Fields’ petition on Twitter. Then Smith himself tweeted, “LOVE MY COACH!!!” That’s not exactly subtle messaging.

So we can continue to monitor the Ohio State–conference office relationship going forward. But the time for grandstanding protest of the Big Ten’s decision is over.

Not playing fall football should be about 29th on most people’s worry list right now, and if it’s any higher than that you might need to check yourself. Big Ten football will be back, perhaps as soon as early January. From Piscataway to Lincoln, that should make some crabby people happy.

Experts debate Oscar De La Hoya's return, possible opponents and the risk to his legacy

Oscar De La Hoya announced his return to competitive boxing and our experts share their thoughts.

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US Open excitement building: Private suites, empty tennis courts and COVID-19 protocols

After a long break from professional tennis due to the coronavirus pandemic, some of the game's biggest names have finally made their way to Queens for the Western & Southern Open and the US Open.

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New on Sports Illustrated: Inflated Rosters, Financial Burdens and 'Tough Conversations': Ramifications of an Extra Year of Eligibility

While the NCAA moving toward granting fall athletes an extra year of eligibility is a giant positive, there are negative ramifications—notably financial burdens and inflated rosters.

Over the last three decades, Bear Bryant’s secrets to success during a six-championship run at Alabama have gone quite public.

For one, he switched to the Wishbone about halfway through his tenure. Secondly, he put his players through a grinding practice regimen that crafted them into football-playing machines (heard of the Junction Boys?).

But there is another ingredient in that winning formula of his: The Bear signed as many good players as he could even if he didn’t need them, just to keep them from joining his rivals. His philosophy: Why play against them? In fact in the 1960s, Bobby Dodd and Georgia Tech famously bolted the SEC in protest over Bryant signing as many as 45 players each year for a squad total that often approached 150.

Nearly 30 years after the Bear’s final season with the Crimson Tide, scholarship roster sizes in college football are heading back into the triple digits for the first time since the late 1970s, when the NCAA decreased the football roster limit from 105 to 95 and then, finally, to its present 85 in 1992.

The

NCAA Division I Council on Wednesday approved a proposal to grant all fall athletes an extra year of eligibility, no matter if they play a 2020–21 season or not. Final approval is expected to come Friday during a meeting among the Division I Board of Directors.

So, all athletes playing football, soccer, volleyball and cross country have a fifth and, in some cases, a sixth year of eligibility. The seniors on those squads will not count against those teams’ roster limits. For instance, if 20 scholarship-earning seniors on a football team decided to return for the 2021 season, that program’s roster could conceivable, barring attrition, be at 105 players.

Lump in the 35 walk-ons FBS programs are allowed and rosters in some places could soar well above 140, if the NCAA doesn’t decrease the walk-on allotment.

“It’s like the days of Tom Osborne and Bear Bryant,” says one athletic director.

And you thought the 70s were dead.

While the NCAA’s ruling is a giant positive—in a COVID-impacted world, all athletes deserve a do-over—there are negative ramifications. More players on a roster means more money, and in a time of financial stress—some universities are projecting losses in the tens of millions—affordability is in question. Can schools that are already slashing staff, salaries and sports really be expected to fund 10–30 additional scholarships? Scholarship value ranges greatly by school. Some are $30,000 a pop. Others are $80,000. That doesn’t include the other necessities: equipment, travel, meal plans, plus medical and training. Contrary to a recent narrative across America, athletic departments do spend millions on their athletes (they make millions, too, of course).

“Will all universities be able to afford it?” asks AFCA executive director Todd Berry, who sits on the NCAA Football Oversight Committee. “Probably not.”

And that means the gulf between the haves (Power 5) and the have-nots (Group of Five) is bound to grow even wider than it already is. The schools with the most money and most motivation to win on a football field (ahem, SEC) could very well have scholarship rosters in the triple digits. At the powerhouse programs, though, senior classes are quite tiny, sometimes as small as 12 members. Not all of those will return for a fifth or sixth year, especially those of NFL caliber.

The NCAA Division I Council’s decision isn’t all that surprising. It set a precedent by granting similar freedoms to spring athletes who had their seasons canceled because of the original COVID-19 outbreak in March. There were even some Power 5 programs that didn’t fund the scholarships for returning spring seniors, including a Big Ten member like Wisconsin.

So, what if winter sports aren’t played and those athletes also get an extra year? What if the same happens again for spring seniors? The scholarship costs to fund every senior an extra year could be $2–4 million, estimates one administrator.

“The downside of this decision is the back end,” acknowledges West Virginia athletic director and Division I Council member Shane Lyons, who helped publicly spearhead the movement. “Well, that’s what we get paid for. We have to deal with the ramifications. It will all work its way out. I’d rather deal with that than student athletes not know what their eligibility looks like.

“What coaches worry about is roster management,” he continues. “There will be some tough conversations in managing your roster.”

Already these conversations exist in college athletics, primarily football. In the NFL, these conversations end with a player cut from a team. In college, they end with a player entering the transfer portal. At places unable to fund the additional scholarships, seniors will either be pushed out or they will take a spot once reserved for an incoming freshman or underclassman. It’s a domino effect. “The untold story right now is the roster management challenges,” says one Group of Five AD. “There are massive budget challenges so many P5 and G5 programs are facing that this will mean they won’t increase their roster sizes.”

So maybe we won’t have so many inflated rosters like those in the 70s? But, oh, there will be some—maybe even at Alabama.

Brennaman uses anti-gay slur on Reds broadcast

Reds broadcaster Thom Brennaman used an anti-gay slur moments after returning from a commercial break during the first game of a doubleheader with the Royals.

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Raptors: Ujiri video highlights social justice fight

Raptors guard Norman Powell said team president Masai Ujiri's altercation with a deputy at last year's NBA Finals highlighted "exactly what we're fighting for."

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