The NFL Referees Assn. says the suspensions handed out by the league to two game officials this week went too far and that it will attempt to get them reduced.
On Monday, the NFL issued a two-game suspension for line judge Jeff Seeman and a one-game suspension for referee Adrian Hill for separate instances of “unprofessional conduct toward a player” during games they were working the previous day.
The NFLRA said in a news release Tuesday that it “believes the suspensions imposed by the NFL on two officials following incidents this past weekend were excessive and inconsistent with past precedent.”
“Given these concerns, the NFLRA will challenge the severity of those suspensions and meet with the NFL Officiating Department to discuss the League’s disciplinary standards,” the NFLRA said. “The association also plans to meet with NFL Players Association leadership to address on-field conduct and the growing levels of confrontation between players and officials.”
Late in the Arizona Cardinals’ 36-24 loss to the New York Giants, Cardinals tight end Trey McBride argued a non-call with Seeman. A video of part of the interaction between McBride and Seeman, posted on X by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, appears to show the line judge shouting profane language at McBride.
“This kind of behavior from an official towards a player is unacceptable,” NFL Players Assn. executive director JC Tretter wrote with a repost of the footage. “Players are consistently held accountable when the roles are reversed. We expect the NFL to hold officials to the same standard.”
Early in the Minnesota Vikings’ 15-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins, Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson appeared to be shoved into Hill, who was knocked to the ground. When Wilson attempted to help Hill to his feet, the official jumped up and appeared to yell at the player and point for him to move away.
“I ended up apologizing to him and explained the situation,” Wilson told reporters after the game. “He was cool about it. He understood what was happening. He just said he was trying to get me — he didn’t want us fighting apparently, me and the Dolphins guy. So he was just trying to break us up.”
NFLRA executive director Scott Green acknowledged that both officials “fell short” in conducting themselves professionally on the field, but he also suggested that players often do the same.
“Officials are routinely subjected to highly charged interactions and, at times, verbal abuse from players and coaches,” Green said in the association’s news release. “While that never excuses misconduct by an official, it shouldn’t be dismissed as simply part of the game. The League expects the highest level of professionalism from its officials, and it should demand the same from everyone on the field.
“We will defend the principle that discipline must be fair, consistent and proportionate,” Green continued. “Holding officials accountable while ignoring or minimizing the conduct directed at them is neither fair nor an effective way to address this issue. We look forward to working with the League and NFLPA toward that shared goal.”
Cristiano Ronaldo says he is not retiring from international football but deserves to be punished for walking out on Portugal for a “breach of the coach’s trust”.
The 41-year-old captain left his country’s Nations League camp after being an unused substitute against Norway and then finding out he would not start against Denmark.
Al-Nassr forward Ronaldo has scored 146 goals in 234 Portugal appearances – both world records – helping them win Euro 2016 and the Nations League twice.
In a lengthy statement, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United player said he should be held accountable for his actions.
“The Portuguese Football Federation must assess the consequences of my actions and punish me for them. I believe the punishment should not be reduced,” Ronaldo said.
“I have already apologised, but I know that actions have consequences.”
Portugal manager Jorge Jesus said on Sunday that the door was still open for Ronaldo to play for the country’s national team.
Ronaldo said that, provided he was “physically fit, playing with my team, and hopefully scoring goals”, he would like to continue to play international football.
“After my suspension period ends, I will be available, as I always have been, to compete and win with our national team,” he added.
In 2018, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas – two of the three youngest players on Furyk’s team – starred as they won three out of four points as a foursomes and fourballs pairing.
With 21-year-old Jackson Koivun having impressed during an unbeaten Presidents Cup debut in last month’s comeback victory over the Internationals in Chicago, Furyk says he is excited to inject more youth into the US side.
“I really love the guys who have played for us in the past few years,” the 56-year-old, who played in nine consecutive Ryder Cups between 1997 and 2014, told the BBC.
“We have tough, gritty veterans who have been around the block, and I’m excited, we have a lot of great, young talent who have yet to play in this cup and I’d bet two or three of them will be at Adare.”
During the news conference, Furyk said he will ask his team to “do more than any American team has in the past” to seal an elusive away win and vowed to address his side’s dismal recent record in foursomes.
The US won just three points from a possible 16 in the alternate-shot format over the past two Ryder Cups.
“I know those numbers very well. I’ve lived them the last four,” said Furyk.
“It’s not an anomaly. There’s some issues. We understand that. Not something I’m very happy with. I plan on making some changes.
“As captains we need to do a better job – not only putting the folks into good pairings in good positions, but I don’t think we are preparing for those matches in a proper way.”
The 2027 Ryder Cup – the second to be staged in Ireland after the K Club in 2006 – will take place on 17-19 September.
India batter Harmanpreet Kaur has left her role as national team captain across all three formats of international cricket.
Harmanpreet led India in five Tests, 51 one-day internationals and 155 T20 internationals and took her country to their first global title, winning the 50-over World Cup last year.
The 37-year old last captained her country on 22 September, when she helped secure a second successive Asian Games title against Sri Lanka.
She will be replaced by opener Smriti Mandhana, who has already skippered the side in limited-overs games.
In a post on Instagram, external, Harmanpreet said she was leaving the India side in a “good place” and that she’s now “ready to play for the love of the game again”.
“This is not an easy decision,” Harmanpreet wrote. “It carries years of memories, emotions, sacrifices, and moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
“I have given everything I had to this team and to Indian women’s cricket – my blood, my sweat, my time, and many times, a part of my own game and personal ambitions.
“There were moments when I had to put my individual performance, my own growth, and what I wanted for myself aside, because I believed the team had to come first.
“As a captain, I have had to make difficult decisions. Decisions that were not always understood, not always easy, and sometimes came at a personal cost. But every decision I made was with one intention – to make this TEAM better and to give other players the opportunity to grow, believe in themselves and become the best versions of themselves.”
Mandhana, 30, has previously captained India in 18 T20s and four ODIs.
She has also captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru to two Women’s Premier League titles.
She said: “To be given the responsibility of leading India is a very special honour, and the opportunity to lead the team is something I will value deeply.”
India are set to welcome Zimbabwe for three T20s and three ODIs from 16 October.
A number of Premier League clubs want Manchester City to be hit with both “retrospective punishments” and sanctions for the future for their mass financial rule-breaking, sources have told BBC Sport.
An independent commission found City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.
However, there is said to be a consensus among a group of top-flight club executives that if City’s appeal is unsuccessful, the sanctions should make reparations for the period when they broke the rules, while also limiting their powers in future.
There is also a feeling from at least four Premier League boardrooms that a “one-hit” points deduction resulting in relegation to the Championship would be an insufficient punishment given the severity of City’s wrongdoing.
There is understood to be nuance in exactly what clubs consider a fitting penalty for the eight-time Premier League champions, who were found guilty of all serious financial rule breaches in a damning verdict by an independent commission.
One senior club source said City should be stripped of their titles, and added there was “no great rush” among clubs to push for the redistribution of trophies, but rather to take honours away and leave them vacant.
The source warned the credibility of the Premier League would be lost if City were allowed to keep the eight major trophies they won during the period they have been found guilty.
However, in a sign of a range of opinions across the league, BBC Sport was previously told there was little appetite among other clubs for City to be stripped of titles.
Regarding the timescale for sanctions in the future, there is a concern among club executives that a sanction applied just to one season would merely provide City with a “bump in the road” given the likelihood of them returning to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
A number of Premier League figures therefore believe any points deduction should be split over multiple seasons, while there is also a sense that transfer bans that stretch over a number of windows would also significantly hinder City’s ability to regain their top-flight status as quickly as possible.
Fred Claire was an unorthodox choice for general manager, a former sportswriter and public relations man who didn’t play baseball beyond the junior varsity level in high school, and his 1987 promotion to head the Dodgers’ front office was met with skepticism around the game.
A year and a half later, after his shrewd moves helped turn the Dodgers into World Series champions in 1988, Claire was named Major League Baseball’s executive of the year by the Sporting News.
Claire, who spent 30 years in the Dodgers’ front office, died Monday on his 91st birthday. The news was shared on social media by former Dodger broadcaster Ross Porter.
An avid runner and golfer fit and trim enough to pass for a man a decade younger, the silver-haired Claire was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in 2015 when what looked like a harmless spot on his lip turned out to be cancerous.
The growth was surgically removed, but the cancer returned in August 2016, and spread into the left side of his face. Claire underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments to kill the malignant cells in his body, but the cancer returned again in 2017.
An immunotherapy clinical trial saved his life, according to a story in Pasadenanow.com, but then an infection forced him to undergo even more extensive facial reconstruction surgery at City of Hope in Duarte, replacing his jawbone with a bone from his leg.
Claire was so impressed with his treatment at City of Hope that he teamed with author Tim Madigan in 2021 to publish a book chronicling his career and capturing the hospital’s history as well the stories of patients and doctors. The book, “Extra Innings,” can be purchased at Amazon, with all net proceeds donated to City of Hope.
“The main thing that I liked and appreciated about the book was people buying it because of their interest in baseball,” Claire told the Desert Sun in 2021, “then to discover what a great place [City of Hope] is after reading it.”
Claire was also active in helping fund research — he and his wife, Sheryl, set up a scholarship fund with the USC Keck School of Medicine for research in head and neck cancer.
Claire was born Oct. 5, 1935, in Jamestown, Ohio. His parents moved the family — Claire had a brother and a sister — to Torrance when Claire was a teenager. After graduating from Torrance High, Claire earned a degree in journalism from San José State in 1957 before taking his first newspaper job.
“I graduated on a Sunday afternoon,” Claire told The Times in 1997, “and by Monday morning, I had a job at the Whittier Daily News.”
For 30 years, Dodger Stadium was Fred Claire’s home. “Honestly, in my heart and soul, it was a thrill and honor to have the opportunity to walk into Dodger Stadium every day and go to work,” Claire told the Times in 2017.
(Jack Harris / Los Angeles Times)
Claire spent 11 years as a sportswriter and was covering the Dodgers for the Long Beach Press-Telegram in the spring of 1969 when a position opened in the team’s public relations department.
Claire, who always longed to be involved in baseball, expressed interest in the job and was hired as a public relations assistant, remaining in the position until 1975, when he was promoted to vice president of public relations.
He was instrumental in creating the branding that came to be known as “Dodger Blue” and was directing the team’s marketing efforts when the Dodgers passed the 3-million mark in attendance for the first time. He also hired Ross Porter, a Dodgers broadcaster from 1977 to 2004.
In April 1987, then-Dodgers general manager Al Campanis was fired after making controversial and what many said were racist remarks about Black Americans on “Nightline,” during which he told the show’s host, Ted Koppel, that Black people may lack “some of the necessities” to be the field manager or GM of a major league baseball team.
Claire was then-Dodgers President Peter O’Malley’s surprise choice to replace Campanis, and his hiring raised the eyebrows of his new peers, who saw Claire as an outsider with no background as a player, coach, manager or scout.
“I knew some people might say, what does this guy know about baseball, he covered it from behind a typewriter?” O’Malley said in 2017. “But I knew Fred could do it. And he did it. He deserves a lot of credit for stepping in quickly, without advance notice, and doing a great job.”
The Dodgers suffered their second straight losing season in 1987, but Claire made several off-season moves — acquiring outfielders Kirk Gibson and Mike Davis, shortstop Alfredo Griffin and pitchers Jay Howell and Jesse Orosco — that fortified the club.
The Dodgers, led by National League Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Orel Hershiser and most valuable player Gibson, won the National League West in 1988 and upset the 100-win New York Mets in the NL championship series.
The gimpy Gibson hit his memorable pinch-hit, walk-off homer off Oakland closer Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the World Series to push the Dodgers toward their fifth championship since moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958.
Kirk Gibson reacts to his game-winning two-run homer in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
(John Swart / Associated Press)
Claire dealt a smallish and seemingly fragile pitcher named Pedro Martínez to Montreal for second baseman Delino DeShields in what turned out to be one of the game’s most-lopsided trades. DeShields hit .241 in three years in Los Angeles, while Martinez went on to have a dominant 17-year career that earned him a 2015 Hall of Fame induction.
But during Claire’s 11-year tenure as GM, the Dodgers won a World Series, two division titles, a wild-card berth and a first-place finish in the strike-shortened 1994 season.
Claire also changed the culture in the front office, hiring an analytics expert, holding regular conference calls with coaches and scouts and canvassing the clubhouse to talk with players about everything from their families to their on-field performance.
“Fred gave us that first edge of being progressive and aggressive,” Hershiser told the Times in 2017. Added former Dodgers utility man Mickey Hatcher: “Fred Claire was amazing. For a guy who was suddenly put into the limelight, he asked all the right questions, listened to everyone and believed in all of us.”
Claire was fired along with then-Manager Bill Russell on June 21, 1998, five weeks after executives from Fox News Corp., which purchased the Dodgers earlier that year, engineered a blockbuster trade — deflating to many fans — of All-Star catcher Mike Piazza to the Florida Marlins without Claire’s involvement.
Claire, a man of “integrity and dignity,” as former Times baseball columnist Ross Newhan wrote, walked away with no harsh words or public regrets.
“Honestly, in my heart and soul, it was a thrill and honor to have the opportunity to walk into Dodger Stadium every day and go to work,” Claire told the Times in 2017. “This is truly enough for me.”
After his departure from the Dodgers, Claire worked as a columnist and analyst for MLB.com, a radio show host, an instructor at USC and a consultant to companies involved with sports. He co-authored an autobiography, released in 2004, titled “Fred Claire: My 30 Years in Dodger Blue.”
His response during an interview with Business Renaissance Quarterly in 2007 shed some light on Claire’s philosophy. The question: What do you want to be remembered for?
“I was once in the presence of the late Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley when he was asked this question by a reporter from United Press International,” Claire said. “Mr. O’Malley spun his ever-present cigar, paused for just a second and replied, ‘I want to be remembered for planting a tree.’
“Walter O’Malley’s answer, in my mind, overshadowed the great question. He wanted to be remembered for helping things grow, and in my mind, that meant his family, his friendships, the good causes he was involved in.
“I have seldom planted a tree, but I would proudly borrow Mr. O’Malley’s answer to this question.”
Claire is survived by his wife, Sheryl, and their three children, Jen, Jeff and Kim.
The newbies have a lot of work to do: The Lakers lost 50.8% of their points, 55.7% of their rebounds and 47% of their assists from last year. As coach JJ Redick acknowledged during his preseason press conference alongside Rob Pelinka, “There’s a lot of minutes … up for grabs.”
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We know three of the starters. We start with the biggest question mark in that rotation:
Position battle we’re watching most this preseason
Austin Reaves has tormented the NBA with his crafty finishes in the lane and step-back threes. In many of his new Lakers’ teammates, he has found equally frustrating counterparts, defenders that twist him into knots like he does to them.
It’s the best — and most important — problem for the Lakers to have. The Lakers’ deep group of perimeter defenders have the most to prove and could be the biggest X-factor in the season’s success.
The wing group felt so unsettled late into the offseason that the Lakers were among the final teams willing to wait out the Jonathan Kuminga sweepstakes. The 6-foot-7 forward did not make his decision until Aug. 26, spurning the Lakers for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Kings’ Darius Acuff Jr. dribbles under pressure from Laker Ziaire Williams during a preseason game in Sacramento on Monday.
(Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
The only other offseason bandaids the Lakers could acquire were Williams and Thybulle. After signing minimum contracts, they were both in the starting lineup for the Lakers’ preseason opener Monday.
Williams, the 6-foot-9 forward from Sierra Canyon High, is relishing the chance to play for his hometown team. The former top-10 pick is on his third NBA team in six seasons, never finding solid footing with Memphis or Brooklyn. He is coming off a career-high 10.3 points per game for the tanking Nets. The expectations will be drastically different with the Lakers and the Lancaster native is ready to meet them.
“There’s not really anything I’m not comfortable with,” said Williams, who reported he currently weighs 215 pounds, up 30 from his previously listed weight with Brooklyn. “If it’s a smaller guy bringing the ball up, I pick up 94 [feet]. If it’s a bigger wing who likes to play off a live dribble and jab step, being more physical off the ball.”
Thybulle is listed at 6-foot-5, but renowned for a nearly 7-foot wingspan. Not only does he torment opponents with his length, his defensive anticipation is “top-tier,” Reaves gushed.
The Washington alumnus was a two-time second-team all-defensive honoree with the Philadelphia 76ers. The hope has always been that his three-point shot could match that defensive talent.
Thybulle is a 34.9% three-point shooter, averaging only 2.6 attempts per game during his career, although his attempts increased in Portland. Thybulle and Williams (32.2% on threes in his career, four attempts per game) are consistently shooting threes after every practice. Williams made all three of three-point attempts in Monday’s preseason game while Thybulle made two of four.
Lakers forward Sandro Mamukelashvili drives to the basket in front of Kings guard Daeqwon Plowden during a preseason game in Sacramento on Monday.
(Sara Nevis / Ap Photo/sara Nevis)
“For me personally, at this point, [it’s about] having the confidence in my shot to know that when it comes, I’m ready for it, as opposed to just hoping for the best,” Thybulle said. “I think it goes a long way as well.”
Mamukelashvili offers three-point shooting that stretches the floor. Redick described the 6-foot-9 forward as “an offensive connector” who can revive seemingly dead plays with a simple pass or a cut. After shooting 38.9% from three last season (115-of-296) with Toronto, he’s a potential starter at power forward, but the defensive matchups could be different when he and Walker Kessler share the floor compared to one of the other perimeter-oriented wings pairing with Kessler.
Young wing players including Adou Thiero and Cameron Carr have also impressed coaches and teammates with their athleticism and eagerness to learn. Reaves affectionately hailed Thiero, who was Reaves’ primary matchup during offseason pickup games, as a “freak of nature” and “one of the best athletes in the league.” That talent was obvious during his injury-plagued rookie season when Thiero scored his first NBA basket on a high-flying dunk last November.
Redick said Thiero’s development in the summer has been “unbelieveable.” The most critical part has been his health, said Thiero, who battled nagging injuries to both knees last season.
Between the veterans trying to prove themselves and the young players hoping to make an impact, the Lakers could go six or seven deep at the wing, Redick said. Depth is a critical ingredient of this era of the NBA. The Lakers are confident in theirs.
“We got some dogs on this team,” Williams said. “Everyone plays one through four. All the wings are great. There’s no slack; you see four or five wings out there playing hard, everybody else has to pick it up a notch.”
Position we should watch this preseason
Lakers center Kevon Looney drives to the basket under pressure from Kings Dylan Cardwell and Nique Clifford during a preseason game in Sacramento on Monday.
(Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
There is no reason to panic about Kessler’s preseason absence. He jammed his left pinky finger on the backboard in practice last week and Redick said Kessler is “day-to-day.”
But the sight of the star center on the sideline is still an unnerving way to start preseason games, especially after the Lakers invested so much to get Kessler. The 7-foot-2 center, who cost the Lakers four first-round draft picks and a four-year, $130-million contract, is supposed to be a lynchpin of their defense. Without him, the Lakers’ entire plan could fall apart.
The only true center the Lakers have behind Kessler — who only played in five games last year because of a shoulder injury — is Kevon Looney. The former UCLA star started in Kessler’s place Monday, playing 18 minutes with nine rebounds, three assists and two points. Mamukelashvili, a power forward, can also rotate to center.
The Lakers have so much riding on the center position this year. Their backup options don’t feel strong enough to bear the weight of a possible Kessler injury. But Redick said the team’s wing players could shoulder some of that burden.
“Loon, Mamu, those guys, they’re not going to be Kessler,” Redick said. “Mamu is versatile enough that he can do different things, whether that’s a hedge or a switch or a drop, and we’ll figure out what works best for this team with that when we’re in man. Then with Loon, I think he’s smart enough and savvy enough that he can get the job done. But again, none of that matters if we’re not guarding the basketball.”
Looney, 30, is the unexpected veteran on a team of 20-somethings. Redick used the three-time champion’s experience with the Warriors for inspiration on the first day of practice, saying Looney faced plenty of adversity during those years. The Warriors fell behind in multiple series and still clawed back to win, Redick said. The Lakers expect Looney to stablize the team during the inevitable rocky periods of the season.
“What a great vet,” Kessler said. “He’s done it before. He knows what it takes to win a championship on and off the court.”
On tap
Tuesday at Warriors, 7 p.m. PDT
The Lakers open the preseason with a road back-to-back. Expect that while the Lakers have no pressing injury concerns, most of the key players will be on an early load management schedule.
Thursday vs. Kings, 7:30 p.m. PDT
The Lakers’ third game in four days – a workload that should be banned in the preseason – will be the debut of Lakers public address announcer Derrin Horton. The former KTLA broadcaster will take over for franchise legend Lawrence Tanter, who died last week at 76. Tanter retired from his game day role in June after 43 iconic years as the “Voice of the Lakers.”
Favorite thing I ate this week
From Broken Spanish Comedor, the ceviche (left) and the camote, a coal-roasted Japanese sweet potato served with pork rinds.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
I’d been reading great things about Broken Spanish Comedor, and after finally trying the new Culver City restaurant, I’m surprised to report that my favorite dish from a modern Mexican restaurant was a Japanese sweet potato. The camote was an ideal combination of textures thanks to the creamy coal roasted sweet potato and crunchy pork rinds and sweet, smokey and spicey flavors. We also ordered the ceviche, which came with a deserved heat warning, and the chicharron. The server insisted we get the hand-pressed tortillas and who’s saying no?
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Reports have indicated in recent months that Derry attempted to terminate McClean’s contract because of persistent injuries, a matter alluded to in Tuesday’s statement by the PFAI.
The statement says that Derry had attempted to invoke Section 18 of the Standard Players Contract, which permits them to terminate a contract with six months’ notice when a player is deemed to have a “permanent incapacity”, as confirmed by an independent physician.
“For any club to feel it is OK to attempt to terminate a player’s contract without any due process or just cause is incomprehensible, and it sets a dangerous precedent for every player in this league,” said McClean.
“I am not permanently incapacitated, or anything even remotely close to that. I am capable of contributing and doing well in the League of Ireland. I train as hard and give as much as anyone.
“I will decide when I retire. Nobody else will make that decision for me. When that time comes, my body will tell me. This is my life and my career. I deserve the same duty of care and fairness given to the majority of other players at Derry City FC.”
The PFAI gave further information on the nature and extent of the player’s injury.
“In short, James has had a hip injury which had been causing intermittent issues for him. This has caused him to miss some games and occasional training sessions,” the statement read.
“He has sought medical treatment for this and is currently fit and well.
“He has trained fully for the last nine weeks and has made himself available for selection. He recently played in an internal match arranged by the club. He believes he can help the team and has not been provided with a satisfactory reason for being left out of the squad.”
BBC Sport NI contacted Derry City for comment but a spokesperson said that the club were presently “solely focused on this weekend’s FAI Cup semi-final against Galway United (Saturday, 15:00 BST kick-off).
While England’s League A campaign has gone well so far, Wales’ has been trickier.
In a tough group with Portugal, Denmark and Norway, Wales have picked up three points from four games after beating Norway 2-1 in Cardiff.
With Portugal already qualified for the last eight, Wales will need close to maximum points in their final matches against Norway and Portugal to stand any chance of making the last eight.
A third-place finish would put them in a play-off to avoid relegation in March, while coming last in the group would guarantee a drop down to League B.
Like England, Scotland have three rounds of fixtures remaining. They face Slovenia at Hampden Park on Tuesday.
Going into that tie, they are third in League B1 but only behind Slovenia on goal difference. A win for Sebastien Pocognoli’s side would put them second behind Switzerland heading into the November break.
With Scotland’s penultimate match coming against bottom of the table North Macedonia, wins in their next two games would all but seal a place in the top two heading into their final match against Switzerland, who are expected to clinch the automatic promotion spot.
Northern Ireland have had a successful international break with two wins, two draws and no goals conceded in their four matches in Group B2.
They sit top of the group by a point, with their remaining matches against bottom side Georgia and second-place Hungary.
Should they beat Georgia and Hungary fail to beat Ukraine in November’s first round of fixtures, they will guarantee top spot and promotion. A win for them and Hungary doing the same would mean the two sides face off in a promotion-decider in the final round of games.
The Republic of Ireland are third in Group B3 following five points from their first four matches.
Their remaining two fixtures are against the top two teams Austria and Kosovo. Wins in both would guarantee a top-two finish and would also put them in a strong position to win the group, depending on goal difference and the result of Austria’s meeting with Israel.
ATLANTA — When Edwin Díaz envisioned his first season with the Dodgers, it looked nothing like this. He was going to stay healthy all year, pitch like an All-Star. He certainly was going to throw in more than 21 regular-season appearances.
A slew of injuries, with mechanical issues layered on top, had other plans. But everything resets in the postseason. And against the odds, the right-hander is back in the closer conversation.
“It means a lot,” Díaz said in a conversation with the Times Monday. “Because I was nowhere, basically this season. They gave me the last week and a half of the season to come and pitch. And I was ready every day.”
If he can keep pitching the way he has since returning from the IL in September, it’ll strengthen the Dodgers’ chances at a three-peat. They went into the postseason with a closer-by-committee approach. But manager Dave Roberts said before the Dodgers’ workout at Truist Park on Monday that they could get to a consistent closer by the end of the postseason.
“Certainly that last outing was as good as we’ve seen him throw, and it’s hard to imagine throwing any better,” Roberts said of Díaz’s perfect inning against the Atlanta Braves Sunday, which included three fastballs over 100 mph. “We built him up, regained the confidence in himself. So, I think that it’s certainly a viable option for [Tuesday] night. I feel very confident [with] him finishing a game.”
Though his first postseason outing for the Dodgers was in the sixth inning of Game 2 of the National League Division Series, Díaz has been mainly in high leverage in his playoff career — he owns a 2.19 ERA in nine postseason appearances. The former Mets closer even recorded a four-out save at Dodger Stadium in Game 2 of the 2024 National League Championship Series.
“I don’t try to think, ‘Oh, there’s many thousands of fans here,” he said. “Just me against the hitter, and I trust myself. And like I always tell myself, ‘You are a warrior, you are you are the best, and go and compete.’”
The Dodgers’ closer situation has been in flux all year. They had signed Díaz to a three-year, $69 million contract with that role in mind. And even when he missed three months for arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow, and lefty Tanner Scott took over in the ninth inning, the spot was open for Díaz when he returned.
That was not the case after his second IL stint. And it was during that month-long road back that he finally re-found himself on the mound.
“I was like this maybe in the [World Baseball Classic] and first couple games early in the year before I got hurt,” Diaz said. “But now I feel way better than everything. So I think this is the best I ever felt this year.”
The process started with treating his neck. Díaz was feeling tightness around the front side of his right trapezius muscle, which could have contributed to Díaz dropping his arm angle. He received medication and needling therapy to address the issue, he said.
Trainers used manual manipulation to find Diaz’ ideal arm slot and build muscle memory, and he was quickly cleared to resume throwing.
“I’ve been doing that for so long, I just lost it for a little,” Díaz said of his arm angle. “And we’ve got a really good group of coaches right here, and they found it right away.”
Díaz began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City in early September. But it wasn’t smooth sailing. In his fourth outing, Díaz issued three walks and surrendered five runs in just two-thirds of an inning.
“I got mad at myself because I knew I was better than that,” Díaz said. “I wasn’t able to control my fastball. So after that game, I talked to the pitching coaches in Triple-A to say, ‘We need to find something because I want to be back in the big-leagues, I want to help this team to win.’”
They dug into Díaz’ biomechanics and found that his hip position was different from last year. When he’s right, Díaz explained, his leg lift starts with his hip. But he’d begun to rush the move, which caused his arm to lag behind.
He threw a bullpen with the adjustment and then took it into one final rehab appearance, a one-hit outing.
“I told the team, ‘I’m ready to go,’” Díaz said.
He sure was. Díaz posted a spotless ERA in six games down the stretch, limiting opponents to one hit combined. And that success carried into his Dodgers postseason debut.
“He’s put himself in a position to be the closer,” Roberts said. “And in October, I don’t pay too much attention to the long sample of a season in a lot of cases because in October things happen quickly, and you’ve got to be willing to read and react.”
For Díaz, the season may not have gone as planned, but his vision of the next few weeks is as clear as ever. He wants to record the final out of the World Series.
“I know how to control my emotions,” he said. “I learned that during my career, and I’m pretty good at that. I just can’t wait to be in that position, and if I’m in there, I will give my 100%.”
Rams coach Sean McVay told reporters Monday that he had spoken with his assistant coaches about the way some of them behaved toward the end of the team’s 24-20 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
“We did talk about it,” McVay said, “and that won’t be an issue moving forward.”
Videos posted on X by user @RBPhillyTake appear to show some Rams coaches inside a glass-enclosed booth interacting with Eagles fans sitting outside directly below them. The caption on one of the videos says the coaching staff was “taunting Eagles fans after the game-winning touchdown.”
“The Rams coaches started to bang on the windows and flip off Eagles fans which caused retaliation (which also isn’t right),” the caption reads. At least one person in the Rams’ booth can be seen giving the middle finger to those outside. A fan appeared to throw a water bottle at the glass window, while others yelled and displayed their own middle fingers.
In another post, the user wrote that “the Rams coaches started banging on the windows for about 30 seconds after the touchdown which then resulted in the Eagles’ fans turning around and chirping back.”
Trailing 20-10 late in the fourth quarter, the Rams appeared to be on their way to a second-straight loss and a 1-3 start to a season in which they were considered by many to be the Super Bowl favorites. But Kyren Williams rushed for touchdowns of one and seven yards in the final four minutes to lift the Rams to a stunning comeback victory.
The sudden turn of events may have gotten folks in the Rams’ coaching booth a little too amped up.
“We’ll be better in those situations,” said McVay, a former assistant coach in Washington. “I’ve been a part of that situation where when I was with Washington calling it from the booth, and you get excited and emotional. … You know, we’ll learn from that. We’ll be better.
“Those fans are really into it. But I know we want to make sure we’re representing the class and just the calm steadiness that we want to have while also being emotionally into it. And there’s ways that we can have that reflected.”
The NFL did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter. Its personal conduct policy states that “everyone who is a part of the league” must refrain from behavior detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the NFL. Earlier Monday, two officials were suspended for separate instances of “unprofessional conduct toward a player” during Sunday’s games.
Staff writer Gary Klein contributed to this report.
ATLANTA — As the Dodgers mull potential lineup changes for Game 3 of the National League Division Series, manager Dave Roberts said he is “open” to moving Shohei Ohtani lower in the batting order.
In his three seasons with the Dodgers, Ohtani has batted first or second in every game he has started. However, as he has admitted he is trying to “manage” in the aftermath of knee and arm injuries, and as Roberts has acknowledged Ohtani is “not 100%,” the lack of success could compel the manager to replace him at the top of the lineup with a more productive hitter at some point.
“I would,” Roberts said Monday. “I would. I think it’s something that, you know, I think moving him from 1 to 2 — but going further than that? I’m open to it.
“And it’s something that if I do, I would obviously have the conversation with Shohei to explain why. And at the end of the day every conversation I’ve had with him is whatever’s best for the team, he’s all-in on. So I know that undoubtedly.”
The Dodgers are batting .215 through the first two games of the NLDS, with the Atlanta Braves scheduled to pitch left-handed ace Chris Sale in Game 3 on Tuesday. If the Dodgers lose, they would need to win back-to-back elimination games to advance beyond this series.
Roberts said the lineup changes he would consider include starting Kiké Hernández and Miguel Rojas, both of whom hit well against left-handers. That could mean infielders Max Muncy (0 for 7 against Sale, with five strikeouts) and Tommy Edman (0 for 11 against Sale) might not start.
Center fielder Andy Pages, who batted so poorly last October he was benched for the final three games of the World Series, is hitless in seven at-bats in this series, with four strikeouts.
“I’m gonna continue to give Andy leash,” Roberts said. “I believe in him. I feel that for us to win the World Series this year, we’re gonna need him to be an active part of our team.
Roberts said he did not envision benching catcher Will Smith, who is 0 for 8 in the series. The Dodgers’ backup catcher, Hunter Feduccia, is a career .205 hitter with no postseason experience.
But, even with the Dodgers’ star-studded lineup, the spotlight shines brightest on Ohtani.
Ohtani has not homered since Aug. 18. He hit .157 between then and the end of the regular season, striking out in 41% of his at-bats. In this series, he has two hits and two strikeouts in eight at-bats, and his inability to refrain from swinging at pitches outside the strike zone has become a glaring weakness.
“He’s not 100%,” Roberts said. “But, at the end of the day, he can still do a better job of staying in the strike zone.”
Ohtani hasn’t given the Braves a reason to challenge him within the strike zone.
“Everything orbits around Shohei, in the sense of his talent,” Roberts said. “And the Braves are going to enter with caution. And, so, knowing that, they’re going to continue to expand as long as we keep giving that to them. So until we show some discipline, they’re going to continue to kind of use that playbook.”
The credit firm, which provides financing to middle-market companies, said the funding would support the next phase of LIV Golf, under which players would become equity owners of both the league and its teams.
The financing remains subject to bankruptcy court approval and customary conditions.
“This investment is an important step forward for LIV Golf,” said LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil in a statement.
“We’re delivering on our major milestones, and while there is still work ahead, today marks meaningful progress toward a player-owned, team-focused, truly global league that complements the wider game and creates new opportunities for players, fans, partners, and the next generation of golfers.”
Since LIV’s controversial launch in 2021, more than $5bn (£3.7bn) has been spent by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), with major winners including Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau lured by lucrative contracts and vast prize money.
However, the future of the concept – and its star players – has been shrouded in uncertainty, with the 2026 season having ended early.
Documents in the petition outline money owed to LIV Golf’s creditors with the 30 largest unsecured claims.
Two-time major winner Rahm tops that list with an unsecured claim of $7.5m (£5.5m).
DeChambeau ($5.7m – £4.2m), Dustin Johnson ($5.5m – £4.1m), Cameron Smith ($4.8m – £3.5m) and Tyrrell Hatton ($3.4m – £2.5m) are also among the top 30 creditors, as well as Brooks Koepka, who left to rejoin the PGA Tour in January but has an unsecured claim of $1.7m (£1.25m).
The total amount owed to the 14 current and former LIV players in the top 30 creditors is just over $45m (£33m).
A source familiar with the figures told BBC Sport the creditors list outlines the “amount owed and not paid for Q3” of 2026, not the full amounts.
Chapter 11 protection postpones a US company’s obligations to its creditors, giving it time to reorganise its debts or sell parts of the business.
PIF is providing a bankruptcy loan of $49.6m (£36.6m) – called ‘debtor in possession’ (DIP) financing – to help fund the process.
SACRAMENTO — The Lakers pressed, switched and swarmed from the opening whistle. After the Sacramento Kings were caught for a shot-clock violation on the first possession of Monday’s preseason game, Luka Doncic raised his fists toward the Lakers bench with a triumphant grin to symbolize the successful start.
But Doncic’s smile toward his teammates had a hint of sarcasm; this is still just an exhibition.
The Lakers teased their new defensive identity in a 127-103 preseason win against the Sacramento Kings on Monday at Golden 1 Center, rolling out their deep group of wings to overcome a short-handed bench.
Playing without star center Walker Kessler, who missed the game with a finger injury, and guard Austin Reaves (ankle), Doncic led the Lakers with 21 points. He took a hard knee to the side of his quad midway through the second quarter, but stayed in the game. With the Lakers up 26 points at halftime, Doncic didn’t need to return.
The star guard actually was bringing down the team’s shooting average. While he was three-for-nine from three-point range in the first half, his teammates combined to make nine of their first 13 three-pointers. Ziaire Williams led with perfect three-for-three shooting from distance with 13 points and one steal while serving as the Lakers’ top on-ball defender. Matisse Thybulle, another key defensive offseason addition, had two steals and made two threes.
The lengthy wings could unlock a new style of defense for the Lakers, who remade their team to support Doncic with three-and-D wings and a rim-running center.
“I think for the first time since I’ve been here, we have multiple guys that go pick up the ball full court and be disruptive at the point of attack,” coach JJ Redick said before the game. “We’re going to ask those guys to do that.”
The Lakers deployed what they call “a line of confrontation.” Williams, Thybulle, second-year forward Adou Thiero and guard Quentin Grimes were among the players who guarded the ball full court. The Lakers forced four steals in the first quarter and 15 for the game. They averaged 8.5 per game last season.
The product Monday is far from what the Lakers hope to show in their regular-season opener Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors.
Kessler was wearing a splint on his left pinky finger after he jammed it on the backboard during practice last week. Redick doesn’t expect any of the injuries that kept Reaves, guard Collin Sexton (lower body) and two-way forward Arthur Kaluma (lower body) to be long-term.
Reaves, who tweaked his ankle in practice, still went through his pregame warmup routine Monday.
Even without two of their three top players, the Lakers overwhelmed the Kings, who are expected to be among the worst teams in the Western Conference again. Rookie point guard Darius Acuff, the No. 7 pick in last April’s draft, had 19 points with four assists and five turnovers.
Coco Gauff says she suffered racial abuse on social media following an incident in her win over 16-year-old Sun Xinran at the China Open.
The American had been serving at 4-5 in the first set her Chinese opponent thought she had hit a winner.
However, Gauff raised her hand to halt play because of a flickering light in the side panels surrounding the court.
Gauff won the next three points to hold for 5-5 before she closed out the set, and then dropped just one game in the remainder of the contest as she claimed a 7-5 6-1 victory to reach the last 16 in Beijing.
The world number four gave a lengthy explanation of why she stopped the point in a post on X and said it was “an unfortunate situation” but “out of my control”, adding that Sun had understood and accepted her apology.
Gauff then responded to a reply to her original post which included racist language.
“You can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist,” Gauff wrote.
“The amount of racist comments/direct messages I’ve received in the last few hours is insane. Lastly, I’m not a cheater or a thief.”
Gauff is far from the first player in the women’s game to suffer social media abuse.
A report in July said female players were subjected to more than 12,000 abusive posts and messages on social media in 2025.
The WTA and World Tennis said “collective action” was required to make “significant progress” in tackling abuse.
Coco Gauff is calling out the racist abuse she’s received online after following the rules during her latest match at the China Open.
The two-time Grand Slam champion defeated 16-year-old Sun Xinran 7-5, 6-1 on Monday to move on to the round of 16 at the Beijing event. After the match, Gauff took to social media to address the racist comments and messages she’d received for halting a point mid-rally and explained the point in question.
“[H]ey everyone, you can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist,” Gauff wrote in a post on X, replying to a user who directed profanity and a racist slur toward her. “[T]he amount of racist comments/dms I’ve received in the last few hours is insane. Lastly, I’m not a cheater or a thief.”
The tennis star then shared a screenshot of the lengthy explanation she posted to Instagram explaining the rules and why she stopped play when she did.
The point in question occurred during the first set, when Gauff was serving and down 4-5. She raised her hands to halt the point toward the end of a lengthy rally, just before Sun returned a volley that could have put her just two points shy of winning the first set.
But just as Sun closed into position to take her shot, the electronic advertising boards around the court flickered as it changed what was displayed.
“I saw it flicker in the beginning of the point but was not sure if that is what I actually saw,” Gauff wrote in her explanation. “[W]hen it flickered again I raised my hands before she hit her shot because this is when I was sure I saw the light flicker and it wasn’t my mind doing tricks.”
The chair umpire then conducted a video review of what happened, and ruled that the flickering ad constituted a “hindrance” outside of the control of the players, like some paper getting blown onto the court. According to the WTA rules, a point should be replayed from the beginning in such instances.
In her Instagram post, Gauff also explained that players are told that they can keep playing a point and challenge once it is over. Both Sun and Gauff would have been permitted to challenge the point regardless of who won it.
She called it an “unfortunate situation” and added that “it’s weird” that she’s “getting hate for following the rules.” Gauff also praised Sun and her talents, saying “it was an honor to share the court in front of her home crowd.”
With this new four-game window presenting something different for managers across Europe to tackle, a myriad of approaches emerged.
Germany boss Jurgen Klopp named virtually two separate squads for his side’s two pairs of games, while Ukraine made 10 changes between their first two games and then nine for their defeat by Northern Ireland.
Having spoken before the start of the campaign about how the condensed schedule would be more difficult for smaller nations, O’Neill kept changes to a minimum.
He started only 15 different players across the four games with two of his changes enforced by Ballard’s injury and Ethan Galbraith’s absence against Ukraine to attend the birth of his child.
Despite the relatively small pool of starters, this still feels like a window when Northern Ireland’s depth was tested and passed with flying colours.
O’Neill was without talisman Bradley and the reliable Ali McCann coming into the window, and then lost Ballard to a hamstring injury after the first game in Tbilisi.
Young centre-backs McConville, 21, and Tom Atcheson, 20, looked ready to play at this level, while Ciaron Brown started all four games and drew plaudits having often had to bide his time in past squads.
Kieran Morrison, Terry Devlin and Brodie Spencer all impressed when given a chance against Ukraine.
O’Neill’s praise for his squad is across the board.
“For me it’s been one of the most enjoyable windows I’ve had as an international manager, and that’s been because of the players,” said O’Neill.
“How they’ve applied themselves, how desperate they are to do well, that’s a real positive.
“We’ve a brilliant group of players and a lot of them I think will play international football for a long time.”
Left tackle Rashawn Slater sustained a high ankle sprain and is a candidate for injured reserve, Harbaugh said. Right tackle Joe Alt (neck) is still being evaluated but is less likely to be placed on IR. Offensive lineman Trevor Penning is in concussion protocol.
Safety Derwin James Jr. (hamstring) is week-to-week, but is expected to stay off IR. Cornerback Donte Jackson (hamstring) is also week-to-week.
Wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who has already fought through a cracked rib this season, is day-to-day with a foot injury.
“Next man up,” Harbaugh said. “Putting the plan together and treating it like it’s a one-game season. That’s what we’re doing.”
Harbaugh said guard Kayode Awosika (fibula), wideout Brenen Thompson (quad), defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (hamstring) and tight end Charlie Kolar are “all making good progress” with their injuries.
Harbaugh added that offensive lineman Branson Taylor and fullback/defensive lineman Scott Matlock, who were placed on injured reserve for undisclosed reasons before Week 1, have a “good chance” to open their practice windows this week. However, linebacker Denzel Perryman (undisclosed) isn’t “quite there yet.”
The 0-4 Chargers host the Denver Broncos (2-2) on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.
The baseball world was captivated by left-handed pitching prospect Jim Abbott ahead of the 1988 major league draft mostly because he didn’t have a right hand. Seven teams passed on him before the Angels picked him.
Why? Largely because Angels scouting director Bob Fontaine Jr. ignored the potential limitations that others fixated on when evaluating Abbott. Rather than dwelling on the absence of a right hand, Fontaine saw something wondrous coming out of Abbott’s left hand — a cut fastball.
“He’s actually more suited to the pro game than the amateurs with the aluminum bats,” Fontaine told The Times after the draft. “He’s going to be breaking off a lot of these wood bats with that cut fastball.”
As usual, Fontaine, who died Saturday at age 73, was prophetic in his assessment. Abbott became the rare pitcher to go straight from college — he’d starred at Michigan — to the major leagues, skipping the minors entirely and enjoying a 10-year MLB career while inspiring numerous fans in disabled communities.
Bob Fontaine Jr. as director of player development for the Seattle Mariners.
(Seattle Mariners)
“I think every scout, if they scout for any length of time, is going to have one player that just is special to you. Jimmy Abbott was that,” Fontaine told JapanBall in 2022. “There were people that were even kind of saying, ‘Oh, they did it for a publicity stunt.’ I remember saying, ‘Yeah, we took the eighth player in the country for a publicity stunt? Give us some credit!’”
Fontaine was showered with plenty of posthumous credit over the weekend. He scouted for six teams, and a highlight of his resume was drafting the nucleus of the Angels’ roster that won the 2002 World Series.
“What a character … what a storyteller … and what a talent evaluator … there is no 2002 World Series title for the #Angels without Bob Fontaine Jr. … RIP,” wrote former longtime Times baseball writer Mike DiGiovanna on X.
What a character … what a storyteller … and what a talent evaluator … there is no 2002 World Series title for the #Angels without Bob Fontaine Jr. … RIP https://t.co/1eHIStuWWY
“Crushed regarding Bob Fontaine Jr.’s passing, as he was a special man who I was lucky to work closely with three times @WhiteSox @Mariners, and @BlueJays. Fun as hell, elite evaluator, and phenomenal people skills. RIP, Robert,” added former Dodgers general manager Dan Evans.
“A gifted talent evaluator and mentor, Bob helped shape generations of Angels by overseeing the signing and development of numerous Halos, including Jim Abbott, Jim Edmonds, Garret Anderson, Tim Salmon and Darin Erstad,” the Angels said in a statement. “Bob left a lasting mark on baseball by devoting over five decades to the game. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”
The Angels frustrated Fontaine at times by declining to spend big on players from talent-rich Latin America. Rather than sulk, however, he scoured the globe, in 1992 signing three players from Russia and a fast-pitch softball player from New Zealand named Gus Leger.
Asked by The Times’ Bill Shaikin if he had ever played baseball, Leger responded, “I haven’t. Would it help?”
The experiment failed — none of the quartet advanced beyond Class A — yet Fontaine maintained the sunny outlook he inherited from his father. Bob Fontaine Sr. was a scout who worked under the legendary Branch Rickey with the Brooklyn Dodgers before becoming scouting director of the Pittsburgh Pirates for 18 years and the first scouting director of the expansion franchise San Diego Padres. He also served as general manager of the Padres from 1977 to 1980.
“[My father] told me when I got started, ‘Don’t you ever, ever not appreciate where you are and what you’re doing, because you’re lucky. You’re going to a ballpark to make a living, so your bad days aren’t that bad,’” Fontaine Jr. said. “I never forgot that, I never forgot how lucky I am.
“Hey, you’re looking at a guy that barely squeaked through high school, who doesn’t have any ability, and I lasted almost 50 years. It’s because in baseball, if you listen, and you’re not afraid to take a chance once in a while, even somebody with my lack of ability can stay around for a while,” he said.
Fontaine got his foot in the door through his father. His first job as a teenager was as a minor league bat boy with the Pirates. Next he became a peanut vendor at Forbes Field. By age 19, he caught on with the Padres as an area scout.
Both Fontaines were scouts well ahead of the deep empirical and objective analysis of baseball data — sabermetrics is the catchall term — that some believe has made scouts obsolete. Fontaine maintained the best evaluations come when scouting is utilized along with numbers.
“What the traditional scout gives you is personal reference, like with things I learned on players that I missed on,” he said. “Analytics didn’t do that. I’m a firm believer that the best video camera is your eyes, the best model is your brain, and the best way to make a tough decision is with your heart.”
Fontaine’s methods produced results. Under his guidance in 1977, the Padres drafted future Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith in the fourth round. Four years later Fontaine plucked another future Hall of Famer, taking outfielder Tony Gwynn in the third round.
And when Fontaine moved to the Montreal Expos in 1985, he took a 6-foot-11 left-handed pitcher out of USC named Randy Johnson in the second round — another Hall of Famer.
Fontaine co-authored a memoir in 2021, “In Search of Millionaires (The Life of a Baseball Gypsy): The Accounts of Bob Fontaine Jr.”
“Baseball has provided me with a fabulous opportunity to see the world and work in an industry that most people envy,” he wrote in the book. “I didn’t get rich, except in experiences. To meet and work against so many fine people, as well as some great general managers and owners, has been a privilege.”
Times sports columnist Bill Shaikin contributed to this story.
