This article is based on data from Sportradar. Text was compiled by an AI engine that was then reviewed and edited by the editorial staff.

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This article is based on data from Sportradar. Text was compiled by an AI engine that was then reviewed and edited by the editorial staff.

Read more...

This article is based on data from Sportradar. Text was compiled by an AI engine that was then reviewed and edited by the editorial staff.

Read more...

This article is based on data from Sportradar. Text was compiled by an AI engine that was then reviewed and edited by the editorial staff.

Read more...

This article is based on data from Sportradar. Text was compiled by an AI engine that was then reviewed and edited by the editorial staff.

Read more...

This article is based on data from Sportradar. Text was compiled by an AI engine that was then reviewed and edited by the editorial staff.

Read more...

This article is based on data from Sportradar. Text was compiled by an AI engine that was then reviewed and edited by the editorial staff.

Read more...

Reaction to the Damian Lillard trade to Milwaukee should be plentiful the rest of the week. Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat was one of the first NBA stars to react on social media, and immediately jumped online to hate on the trade. While it was in a playful manner, Butler appeared to call out the Bucks for tampering…

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In a move nobody saw coming, the NBA has stolen the NFL’s thunder one more time with a blockbuster trade. As reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Damian Lillard is headed to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a three-team trade, along with the Phoenix Suns.

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In the revenge game of Week 4, Ezekiel Elliott visits Dallas for the first time as a visitor with New England.

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SAINT-ETIENNE: Sam Whitelock will enter rarefied air on Saturday (5am AEST) when he surpasses All Blacks icon Richie McCaw as New Zealand's most capped Test player.

Whitelock was named on the All Blacks bench for the must win game against Italy and will play his 149th Test when he takes the field in Lyon.

The 34-year-old made his debut in 2010 - replacing Brad Thorn against Ireland - and was a pivotal player in the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup triumphs.

Watch all the action from Rugby World Cup 2023 on the home of rugby, Stan Sport. Every match ad free, live and on demand in 4K UHD

The lock will then rank behind only Wales great Alun Wyn Jones (170 caps) on the all time world list.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster was asked why he didn't give Whitelock a start in the milestone match, with Scott Barrett and Brodie Retallick preferred in the run on side.

"I don't think it takes the romance out of it," Foster said.

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"This is a credit to Sam, every game he is achieving something new at the moment. He equalled a record last week, he's going to beat it this week. He's got 150 coming up and then he's the most capped All Black in World Cups. Every day is a bit of a statement of something he's achieving.

"We will do all our celebration of that achievement after this game. Right now what the team needs to achieve is bigger than the individual."

All Blacks prop Nepo Laulala said the venerable Whitelock was "sort of like the Godfather" but that wasn't his only nickname.

NEW PODCAST! Michael Atkinson, Sam Worthington and Tom Decent ask what next for Australian rugby as Eddie Jones, Angus Crichton and the game's bosses dominate the headlines

"I've heard Gandalf before."

The All Blacks have never lost to Italy - who beat the Wallabies last year - but are taking no chances with their selection.

Apart from suspended prop Ethan de Groot, New Zealand had a full hand to pick from and welcome back four key players from injury.

Centre Jordie Barrett (knee) and flanker Shannon Frizell (hamstring) start while captain Sam Cane (back) and prop Tyrel Lomax (leg) are on the bench.

Ardie Savea will continue to lead the team.

"We're expecting a lot of emotion out there and to have the likes of Dane (Coles) and the two Sams (Whitelock and Cane) on the bench to come on and bring a slightly level headed approach in that last part is going to be important to us," Foster said.

Italy are coached by former All Blacks fullback Kieran Crowley.

And in classic Kiwi fashion, the Taranaki man is familiar with the Barretts.

"Our neighbouring farm is with the Crowleys, Alan and Susan Crowley, Kieran's brother," Jordie Barrett explained.

"We have great family ties with the Crowleys."

Italy (2-0) are ahead of New Zealand (1-1) in Pool A and Crowley has rearranged his key backs for the fixture.

Tommaso Allan will start at fullback, Ange Capuozzo on the wing and Paolo Garbisi at five-eighth.

ALL BLACKS (15-1): Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Mark Telea, Richie Mo'unga, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea (c), Dalton Papali'i, Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Ofa Tu'ungafasi

Reserves: Dane Coles, Tamaiti Williams, Tyrel Lomax, Sam Whitelock, Sam Cane, Cam Roigard, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown

ITALY (15-1): Tommaso Allan, Ange Capuozzo, Juan Ignacio Brex, Luca Morisi, Montanna Ioane, Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney, Lorenzo Cannone, Michele Lamaro (c), Sebastian Negri, Federico Ruzza, Dino Lamb, Marco Riccioni, Giacomo Nicotera, Danilo Fisichetti

Reserves: Hame Faiva, Ivan Nemer, Simone Ferrari, Niccolo Cannone, Manuel Zuliani, Toa Halafihi, Martin Page-Relo, Paolo Odogwu

Brad Fittler has quit as coach of the NSW Blues just days after pitching to the NSWRL board in a bid to receive a new contract.

Fittler was offered an extension to remain in the role after meeting NSWRL bosses last week, but on Thursday he told them he was walking out on the job.

The decision also comes just days after the prospect arose of Fittler and Phil Gould linking up in an official capacity, which Gould addressed on Nine's 100% Footy on Monday.

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Gould is the most powerful figure in rugby league, so the thought of him taking on a Blues role may have spooked NSWRL bosses.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart and Storm mentor Craig Bellamy are among the candidates to replace Fittler.

"The board understands and respects his decision," said NSWRL chairman Paul Conlon.

"Freddy was a legend as a player and returned to coach the team at a time when his state needed him.

"He enjoyed immediate success and his series win in 2021, which included record scorelines in Townsville and Brisbane, will go down in NSW Blues history.

"He also contributed through other programs including his Hogs motorcycle rides in regional NSW which played a big part in uniting the state.

"He holds a special place in NSW rugby league history."

Fittler said he "loved doing the job" and would "always love NSW".

Since taking on the job in 2018, Fittler won three series and lost three. He lost the last two series 2-1, with Billy Slater becoming Queensland coach and coming up trumps in consecutive years.

The NSW coaching staff has changed enormously since the completion of this year's series, with Greg Alexander, Paul McGregor, Andrew Johns, Danny Buderus and now Fittler all stepping down.

Gould explained on 100% Footy how talk of he and Fittler combining forces at the Blues had come about.

"He has never really asked for much in his life and he rang me last week to say Greg Alexander was stepping down from his role [and] that he would like me to get involved with the Blues," Gould said.

Watch the 2023 NRL grand final exclusively live and free on 9Now

"I think it is only simply to talk to him and whatever he needs.

"He really didn't explain to me what he wants me to do.

"I am certainly not chasing a job, I am not looking for a job.

"He was talking about a paid position — I am certainly not chasing a paid position with NSW Rugby League.

"He is yet to be appointed, that comes this week.

"He spoke to me about his plans for other people he is going to bring into the coaching staff and inner sanctum around Origin.

"It is important for the Blues because they have lost two [series] in a row. You can't go on like that — they have to get a win. He needs a win."

Ford Supercars legend Dick Johnson has let rip at category management for not sending both models of the Gen3 car overseas for pre-season wind tunnel testing.

The 2023 Supercars season has been dominated by the new Chevrolet Camaro, which only once from 23 races this season has failed to cross the line first.

Cameron Waters officially won the first race of the season for Ford at Newcastle in March, but he only inherited the win after the Red Bull Triple Eight pair of Shane van Gisbergen and Broc Feeney, who finished first and second, were disqualified.

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Johnson's eponymous team has the Mustang's only on-the-road win of the season, which came via Anton de Pasquale in the Sunday race in Townsville in June.

But even that win should have an asterisk – de Pasquale had a significant tyre advantage having retired from the Saturday race. Camaros filled the next six positions.

Ahead of the season, Supercars conducted a series of straight line runway tests to assess the downforce levels in an effort to ensure neither model has any advantage over the other.

But season trends suggest the Mustang is harder on its tyres than the Camaro, leading to an earlier loss of grip than the Camaro.

Ford's global motorsport boss Mark Rushbrook warned earlier this year the brand - which is the only one of the two brands to directly support the category - would "evaluate" its participation should the issue persist.

Next weekend's Bathurst 1000 is Supercars' longest race of the year, and its marquee event.

The race will be held for the first time on Dunlop's softer tyre, which Ford teams are concerned will exacerbate the issue. 

Johnson said the straight line testing, which the category calls the VCAT (Vehicle Control Aerodynamic Testing), is unreliable and has too many variables.

The category has reportedly agreed to take the cars overseas for wind-tunnel testing, a step Johnson, a three-time Bathurst 1000 champion said should have been taken before the season had even started.

"Obviously there is an imbalance between the two, there's an application in to get something ... for Bathurst, because we can't have it being a one sided bloody story," he told Wide World of Sports.

"We're not asking for anything special. We just want a level playing field like they promised us.

"You'll never get everything right until such time as the cars go into a wind tunnel, which they are going to do.

"But, this should have been happening before the bloody season even started."

Without a full-sized wind tunnel in Australia, the category has previously said the VCAT testing is the best and most reliable method to determine aerodynamic parity – a claim Johnson vehemently disputes.

"They think they know everything and they know jack shit," he said.

"You can't run up and down the bloody runway with so many variables with bloody wind and varying drivers and varying all sorts of things. You can't.

"You can't do that and hope you're gonna get a plausible bloody result."

Ahead of next weekend's Bathurst 1000, the category announced the 13 Mustangs would be allowed to run new door and rear quarter panels on the car, which the category says will shave 5.84kg of weight and lower the centre-of-gravity by 1.31mm.

Further tweaks may yet still be made.

Supercars was contacted for comment.

Practice for the Bathurst 1000 begins on Thursday October 5, before the 60th anniversary of the Great Race on Sunday October 8.

Rugby Australia has made Roosters star Angus Crichton a two-year $1.6m offer just days after the Wallabies were reduced to their worst ever World Cup performance.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Crichton has been offered a package deal between the governing body and the Perth Super Rugby franchise the Western Force for 2024 and 2025.

The Roosters will already lose Joseph Suaalii to rugby at the end of the 2024 season on a $1.6 million a year deal.

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Crichton is contracted to the Roosters until the end of 2024, but has been given the club's permission to explore a return to the 15-man game, in which he shot to prominence as a schoolboy. 

Crichton's departure would free up some salary cap room for the tri-colours, who are in the midst of extension negotiations with Siua Wong and Terrell May.

Crichton attended prestigious Sydney private school Scots College, where he was a first XV star. He also made the Australian schoolboy side.

He got his first taste of league in 2014, playing a handful of games for the Roosters' lower grade teams before returning to rugby.

But at the end of 2014, he signed a two-year deal with the Rabbitohs for 2015 and made his first grade debut in 2016.

He spent three years at the Burrow before moving to the chooks for the 2019 season.

Following confirmation of Suaalii's pending defection, reports emerged the Roosters were considering releasing him from the final year of his contract.

The reports prompted Rugby Australia to go public with their desires to lure not only Crichton, but Roosters coach Trent Robinson.

Watch the 2023 NRL grand final exclusively live and free on 9Now

"This is how league treat their players – Joseph (Suaalii) was the hottest star in league a month ago, now they don't want him," Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan said in May.

"If you're an aspiring cross-code star remember this is the treatment you could get. I told league not to be punitive, and that's exactly what they have done.

And of Robinson: "I rate Trent, but I wonder how he can coach in an environment like that when there is such a ruthless attitude towards young players".

"Trent would do well as a rugby coach."

After the loss to Wales resigned the Wallabies to a World Cup group stage exit, Rugby Australia announced they would conduct a review into their elite program.

This time a year ago, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was not a realistic goal for gymnastics great Simone Biles.

An official practice ahead of the 2023 US Classic gymnastics competition in August was the first event the seven-time Olympic medallist attended since the Tokyo Games in 2021, where she had pulled out of the women's team final and four subsequent individual finals to prioritise her health.

She has gone on to compete in three events since, including the 2023 US Championships in late August where she won an unprecedented eighth all-around crown. While fans have witnessed the same elite execution on Biles' part, getting her mental preparation has been anything but easy.

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"I didn't know if I was ever going to be able to compete again because there were multiple times this year where I was in the gym and I was like, 'I'm actually terrified of this full-in, like I'm not doing it again, never going to do it'," Biles told Olympics.com.

"And then I was like, 'You know what? I'm just going to come back another day, another day'."

Biles, the face of the US Olympic movement going into Tokyo, is taking a more low-profile approach to the sport this time around. She has only begrudgingly mentioned her goal is to make it to Paris 2024, choosing instead to focus on the process and take things one event at a time.

The American star headlines the five-woman US team that will compete at the 2023 world championships in Belgium during the first week of October. Biles' appearance will be her sixth at the event, the most ever by an American woman.

The meet will be held in Antwerp, where Biles won the first of her five world all-around titles as a 16-year-old prodigy. A full decade later, she will return looking to become the most decorated gymnast in history.

"The girls on the team really helped me with that because they were like, 'No, Simone, just come in. Come on'. And I'm like, 'OK, you're right. I can't give up now because then I'll forever be afraid of it'," Biles explained.

"I, at least, knew that if I were to walk away from the sport, I could come in the gym and at least do a full-in, a double-double, or triple-double and I'd be good," explained Biles. "I feel like right now, if I walk away, I know that I can do that, so that helps me."

Biles has seven Olympic medals (including the 2016 Olympic title) and 25 world championship medals, 19 of them gold. Her 32 combined medals is tied with Larisa Latynina of the Soviet Union for the most ever at the sport's two signature events.

The newlywed 26-year-old Biles will be heavily favoured to have the record all to herself by the end of the meet.

She has dominated in her comeback following a two-year break after her appearance in the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics was plagued by a bout with a mental block known as " the twisties".

"We've just been trailing along the journey and seeing what's to come, which is very rare for us because usually we have a set plan like... we do my short-term and my long-term goals, but this year, I think I'm even shocked by myself doing Classics, [US] Championships, now, here, world trials," Biles said.

"I think it's just a bunch of surprises and I kind of like it because I have expectations, but I won't be let down if I don't achieve something."

Biles said she's slowly building towards an appearance in Paris next year.

"I think mostly it was [thinking about] in 10 years, whenever I look back, do I want to have any regrets? Do I want to be watching say Worlds or Paris on the TV and be like, 'Wow, if I would have just gone into the gym and just put a little effort in…' Because I will always get to do whatever I want to do after my career is over," she added.

"But I won't be able to do my career forever."

Collingwood has confirmed Billy Frampton will replace key forward Dan McStay in the grand final against Brisbane, making Saturday the first ever final of his career.

McStay was heartbreakingly ruled out of the big dance after he suffered a high-grade medial strain in his knee, in their one-point preliminary final win over GWS.

The Magpies confirmed Frampton, who has played 15 games in 2023 since being traded from Adelaide, will play the first final of his career and his biggest on Saturday.

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"I'm comfortable to say to the footy world that Billy will play," coach Craig McRae said on SEN on Wednesday.

"I told him yesterday afternoon and we're excited for what he can do for us.

"He can play second ruck so he gives us good flexibility for our team.

"For every heartache story there's an opportunity and Bill gets that."

The opening bounce of the grand final is set for 2.30pm (AEST) on Saturday, September 30.

The grand final will be played at the MCG, after returning to Melbourne in 2022.

Before that, during COVID-19, the 2020 grand final was held at the Gabba in Brisbane, while the 2021 grand final was held at Optus Stadium in Perth.

Matt Stevic will umpire his 11th grand final alongside Simon Meredith, who is umpiring his seventh.

Hayden Gavine and Robert Findlay will umpire their first grand finals, making up the four field umpires.

Andrew Stephens has been named as the emergency field umpire.

The four boundary umpires are Ian Burrows (10th grand final), with Christopher Gordon (seventh grand final), Matt Tomkins (fifth grand final) and Michael Barlow (second grand final).

Adam Wojcik will officiate his fifth grand final as goal umpire with Angus McKenzie-Wills in his maiden grand final.

This season

The Lions beat the Magpies in both their home-and-away meetings this season.

In round 23, Brisbane beat Collingwood by 24 points at Marvel stadium.

Magpies midfielder Tom Mitchell (31 disposals) and veteran Scott Pendlebury (31 disposals) starred, while Brisbane small forward Charlie Cameron kicked four goals.

Earlier in the year, the Lions again defeated Collingwood by 33 points at the Gabba. Brisbane goal sneak Charlie Cameron booted an impressive six goals, while Collingwood young gun Nick Daicos collected 38 disposals.

Last meeting in a grand final

The clubs last met in a grand final in 2003, where Brisbane completed their three-peat, overcoming Collingwood by 50 points.

Both Collingwood and Brisbane earned the week off before their preliminary finals, after wins in the qualifying finals.

Collingwood snuck home against Melbourne by just four points at the MCG in their qualifying final.

Two weeks later, they snatched victory from the seventh-placed GWS Giants by a single point, going one better than 2022, when they lost to Sydney by one point in the preliminary final.

Meantime, the Lions convincingly beat Port Adelaide at the Gabba by 48 points to secure their home preliminary final.

Key forward Joe Daniher booted five goals in the victory.

They then went on to defeat Carlton by 16 points in the preliminary to book their spot in the last Saturday in September.

Collingwood $1.73, Brisbane $2.11 (correct at time of publishing, 11.25am Thursday, September 28)

Tickets have sold out.

2022: Geelong 20. 13. (133) defeated Sydney Swans 8. 4. (52)

2021: Melbourne 21. 14. (140) defeated Western Bulldogs 10. 6. (66)

2020: Richmond 12. 9. (81) defeated Geelong 7. 8. (50)

2019: Richmond 17. 12. (114) defeated GWS Giants 3. 7. (25)

2018: West Coast Eagles 11. 13. (79) defeated Collingwood 11. 8. (74)

2017: Richmond 16. 12. (108) defeated Adelaide Crows 8. 12. (60)

2016: Western Bulldogs 13. 11. (89) defeated Sydney Swans 10. 7. (67)

2015: Hawthorn 16. 11. (107) defeated West Coast Eagles 8. 13. (61)

2014: Hawthorn 21. 11. (137) defeated Sydney Swans 11. 8. (74)

2013: Hawthorn 11. 11. (77) defeated Fremantle 8. 14. (62)

2012: Sydney Swans 14. 7. (91) defeated Hawthorn 11. 15. (81)

2011: Geelong 18. 11. (119) defeated Collingwood 12. 9. (81)

2010 (replay): Collingwood 16. 12. (108) defeated St Kilda 7. 10. (52)

Pre-match entertainment

- KISS

- Mike Brady (retiring legend parade)

- William Barton

- Jess Hitchcock

- Kate Miller-Heidke (national anthem)

Half-time entertainment

- Mark Seymour and the Undertow

- Kate Miller-Heidke 

In the event of a draw at the end of ordinary time, additional time will be played to crown a winner.

If scores are even at full-time, a six-minute break will occur before two three-minute halves (plus time on) are played to determine a result. At the end of the first additional period, the teams will change ends without a break.

If scores are still tied after the completion of both halves, the process will be repeated until a winner is declared.

Both clubs will receive 10 interchanges for each half (excluding the medical substitute). Any leftover interchanges from each half will not carry over.

Team runners may only head onto the field after a goal, during an extended stoppage in play or at the conclusion of the first half as the players change ends.

The Norm Smith Medal is presented to the player judged to be best on ground in the grand final. The honour is decided by an independent panel of football experts through a 3-2-1 voting structure.

The Norm Smith Medal cannot be shared between multiple players. In the event of a tie, a count-back-like situation of the higher votes received will determine a winner.

This year, it will be presented by 2003 winner, Brisbane's Simon Black.

2022: Isaac Smith, Geelong

2021: Christian Petracca, Melbourne

2020: Dustin Martin, Richmond

2019: Dustin Martin, Richmond

2018: Luke Shuey, West Coast Eagles

2017: Dustin Martin, Richmond

2016: Jason Johannisen, Western Bulldogs

2015: Cyril Rioli, Hawthorn

2014: Luke Hodge, Hawthorn

2013: Brian Lake, Hawthorn

2012: Ryan O'Keefe, Sydney

2011: Jimmy Bartel, Geelong

2010 (replay): Scott Pendlebury, Collingwood

If Collingwood win the flag, Pies legend Peter Moore, father of current captain Darcy Moore, will present the cup to coach Craig McRae and his son.

If the Lions get the ultimate glory, their three-time premiership coach and Australian football legend Leigh Matthews will do the honours.

Meantime, two-time Geelong premiership coach Mark 'Bomber' Thompson will present the Jock McHale medal to the winning coach.

Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd lashed Swans star Callum Mills for a "stupid" Mad Monday act, but says he doesn't deserve to lose the captaincy.

Mills, 26, is in danger of missing the start of next AFL season after tearing the rotator cuff in his shoulder while wrestling a teammate at post-season celebrations.

The Swans on Wednesday said they were "disappointed" in the skipper as the club confirmed he had surgery to fix the injury.

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Reports claim such an operation can take up to nine or 12 months to properly recover, which could almost end Mills' 2024 campaign.

"This is as bad an injury as I can remember from something as foolish as this," Lloyd told Footy Classified on Wednesday.

"You're messing around, you're having a wrestle on Mad Monday.

"You can cop football injuries that put you out for that long, but it's hard to remember something so serious from something so stupid from a captain of a footy club."

Veteran AFL journalist Damien Barrett suggested the incident was serious enough for Swans coach John Longmire to consider stripping Mills of the captaincy.

Footy Classified is now available as a podcast! Subscribe/follow via Apple, Spotify or Google Podcasts

It was a suggestion that left former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire seeing red.

"You reckon he doesn't feel bad enough now?" McGuire said in defence of Mills.

"It happens... I know what you're saying, it is hard for the club. You slam your head against a wall (in frustration)."

Lloyd, while highly critical of Mills over the incident, agreed with McGuire.

"He's made a mistake on the day, but not enough to lose the captaincy," Lloyd said.

The AFL world appears split on whether Mills should be condemned for the incident, or let it be brushed off as an accident.

"What's not acceptable? They're having a muck around wrestle with a mate having a drink," St Kilda great Leigh Montagna told Triple M radio.

"I'm not validating it, but I don't want to get caught in this hysteria and go down this path that it's inappropriate. It's not deliberate and accidents happen.

"That can happen in anything. You could be playing social basketball with some mates over summer and you fall over."

Former Spain women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda has been summoned to appear before a judge in the probe involving former football federation president Luis Rubiales for kissing a player on the lips after the team won the Women's World Cup title last month, court officials said.

Vilda and two other federation officials were summoned to appear as investigated parties. They are expected to be in court on October 10.

Three national team players had already been summoned as witnesses. Spanish news agency EFE said they were Alexia Putellas, Irene Paredes and Misa Rodríguez.

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Spanish state prosecutors have accused Rubiales of sexual assault and coercion for kissing Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her consent during the awards ceremony after the Women's World Cup final in Australia.

According to a sexual consent law passed last year, Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty of sexual assault. The new law eliminated the difference between “sexual harassment” and “sexual assault,” sanctioning any non consensual sexual act.

Vilda was replaced as coach not long after the World Cup final. He was among those accused of allegedly trying to convince Hermoso to back Rubiales after the kiss.

Rubiales eventually resigned and the players ended their boycott of the national team after being given some guarantees of change within the federation. Some federation officials have already been fired as a result.

Members of a new committee involving players, the federation and the government met for the first time on Thursday morning AEST.

Víctor Francos, Spain’s Secretary for Sports and president of the Higher Council for Sports, said the “very positive” meeting helped lay out all the demands made by the players and will lead to a document making the changes official.

“There was a general agreement about the document and we should be able to sign it in the next few days,” Francos said.

“I'm very happy for the players, because they deserved this. They've shown tremendous professionalism despite all the pressure and the concerns that surrounded them. I'm happy for Spanish sports. Whoever thought this would go away was mistaken.”

The Brownlow Medal voting process has been defended by the most senior umpire in the AFL grand final ahead of his 10th straight decider.

Criticism surrounding the umpires' vote intensified after Brisbane midfielder Lachie Neale claimed a shock win on Monday night to claim his second medal.

Matt Stevic, who was selected as one of the four field officials for Saturday, rejected talk the process should be changed, stating the the vote should be kept with the umpires to protect the sanctity of the award.

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"I've been (umpiring) 20 years, there's commentary every year about those things, so respectfully, I don't really take much notice at all," Stevic told media on Wednesday.

"Every game we discuss, we debate and we arrive at three players … we go through a pretty thorough process every game and we do that each and every week.

"We are the only four out there in the heat of battle. It's a wonderful seat in the house, you don't get too much chance to just enjoy it, but it's a unique position.

"So our perspective in that regard is quite unique in terms of what we see and in terms of player impact and that sort of thing … it's a unique award by us guys."

Officiating has come under the microscope over several non-calls in both preliminary finals despite the new four umpire system, lauded by the AFL.

"There wasn't anything to call it for … we don't umpire the game differently at different points in the game," AFL football boss Laura Kane said.

"Game state, momentum, score lead changes – that's for the coaches to worry about. We officiate the game the same for every minute."

Alongside Stevic, fellow veteran Simon Meredith (469 games, seven grand finals) and grand final debutants, Robert Findlay and Hayden Gavine will officiate the decider.

Glenn Maxwell returned from injury to help Australia snap its five-match losing streak with a 66-run win over India in their third and final ODI as both teams finalised preparations for the upcoming Cricket World Cup.

India had already won the series, which finished 2-1 to the hosts.

All-rounder Maxwell claimed 4-40 in 10 overs of spin as India was bowled out for 286 in 49.4 overs in an unconvincing pursuit of Australia’s 7-352 after the visitors chose to bat first.

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“It is nice to get some momentum going into the ODI World Cup. I have put in a lot of hard work to get fit," Maxwell said.

“The idea was to chop and change with Mitchell Marsh (who didn’t field or bowl). We will be as flexible as possible and that will be the role of all-rounders in the World Cup.”

Marsh’s 84-ball 96 with three sixes and 13 fours had earlier helped Australia rectify its batting issues and fellow opener David Warner (56 in 34) also scored his third successive half-century. No.3 Steve Smith (74 in 61) and No.4 Marnus Labuschagne (72 in 58) piled on the runs in an impressive batting display by Australia's top order.

Skipper Rohit Sharma, back in charge after resting the first two games, top scored for India with 81 in 57 and Virat Kohli scored 56 runs at close to run-a-ball pace.

Opting to bat on a calm wicket, Australia got off to a rollicking start. Marsh and Warner added 78 in 49 balls for the first wicket, with Warner scoring 50 off only 32 deliveries.

Marsh rallied after Warner was out caught behind and added another 137 runs for the second wicket with Smith.

At 1-215 in 27.5 overs, Australia was in a strong position. Marsh fell short of his hundred — caught off Kuldeep Yadav (2-48) — but reconfirmed Australia’s batting plans for the World Cup.

Mohammed Siraj trapped Smith lbw in the 32nd over and Australia was down to 3-242. Jasprit Bumrah (3-81) dismissed Alex Carey (11) and bowled Maxwell for five runs.

Australia was down to 6-299 in 42.3 overs as Cameron Green holed out off Yadav for nine. But Labuschagne held one end together and his innings included nine fours as Australia crossed the 350-mark.

In reply, Sharma opened with Washington Sundar (18), who was auditioning for a World Cup role.

Sundar looked uncomfortable but Sharma started like he had never been rested, scoring 50 off 31 balls. The duo added 74 before Sundar was caught by Labuschagne off Maxwell in the 11th over.

Sharma hit five fours and six sixes, and added 70 in 10 overs with Kohli as India looked to be putting together a base for the tough chase.

But Maxwell dismissed Sharma against the run of play – a stunning one-handed caught-and-bowled – and as the asking rate crept up, Kohli holed out off Maxwell. The all-rounder, returning to international cricket after a long injury layoff, also bowled Shreyas Iyer for 48 runs to claim India's numbers 1-4 batters.

When Maxwell dismissed Iyer, India was down to 249-6 in the 39th over with the game out of reach.

Ravindra Jadeja indulged in some glorified batting practice to score 35 runs as Australia wrapped up proceedings with plenty to spare.

Both teams now head into the one-day World Cup, hosted by India and starting October 5 in Ahmedabad with defending champions England taking on 2019 runner-up New Zealand.

Five-time champion Australia will take on two-time champion India in Chennai on October 8.

Australia is all but out of the World Cup with one game still to play against Portugal while there are still some important matches elsewehere to determine the make up of the quarterfinalists.

Eddie Jones will name his team Friday, around 6pm AEST, to play in Saint Etienne on Monday AEST.

While All Blacks coach Ian Foster has brought back several big names and included all three of his star playmakers in his side side to take on Italy in their must-win clash in Lyon.

Eddie Jones has some decisions to make as to whether he uses his wider squad against Portugal. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Uruguay vs. Namibia, OL Stadium, Lyon (1.45am AEST, Thursday)

Uruguay coach Esteban Meneses has made four changes to his starting XV from their 38-17 loss against Italy, with two in the forward pack and two in the back-line.

Diego Arbelo replaces Ignacio Peculo in the front-row, Carlos Deus replaces Manuel Diana in the back-row and Bautista Basso replaces Gaston Mieres on the right wing, while Felipe Arcos Perez will make his RWC debut, replacing Tomas Inciarte in the centres.

Namibia coach Allister Coetzee has made seven personnel changes to his starting XV from their last game against France, with four in the forward pack and three in the back-line.

Johan Coetzee and Gerswin Mouton will be the only two players to have started all four matches at this tournament.

Uruguay (1-15): Mateo Sanguinetti, German Kessler, Diego Arbelo, Felipe Aliaga, Manuel Leindekar, Manuel Ardao, Santiago Civetta, Carlos Deus, Santiago Arata, Felipe Etcheverry, Nicolas Freitas, Andres Vilaseca (c), Felipe Arcos Perez, Bautista Basso, Baltazar Amaya.

Replacements: Guillermo Pujadas, Facundo Gattas, Reinaldo Piussi, Juan Manuel Rodríguez, Eric Dosantos, Agustin Ormaechea, Felipe Berchesi, Juan Manuel Alonso.

Namibia (1-15): Jason Benade, Torsten Van Jaarsveld, Johan Coetzee, Adriaan Ludick, Tiaan De Klerk, Prince Gaoseb, Tjiuee Uanivi, Richard Hardwick, Damian Stevens, Tiaan Swanepoel, JC Greyling, Danco Burger, Alcino Izaacs, Gerswin Mouton, Cliven Loubser.

Replacements: Louis van der Westhuizen, Desiderius Sethie, Haitembu Shifuka, PJ Van Lill, Max Katjijeko, Adriaan Booysen, Jacques Theron, Andre van der Bergh.

Japan vs. Samoa, Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse (5am AEST, Friday)

Samoa head coach Seilala Mapusua has made four changes to his side for their Pool D match against Japan, with Taleni Seu and Sa Jordan Taufua coming into the back-row, Ed Fidow starting on the right-wing and Alai D’Angelo Leuila coming in at centre.

Japan (1-15): Keita Inagaki, Shota Horie, Jiwon Gu, Jack Cornelsen, Amato Fakatava, Michael Leitch, Pieter Labuschagne, Kazuki Himeno (c), Yutaka Nagare, Rikiya Matsuda, Jone Naikabula, Ryoto Nakamura, Dylan Riley, Kotaro Matsushima, Lomano Lemeki.

Replacements: Atsushi Sakate, Craig Millar, Asaeli Ai Valu, Warner Dearns, Kanji Shimokawa, Naoto Saito, Seungsin Lee.
23 Tomoki Osada.

Samoa (1-15): James Lay, Seilala Lam, Paul Alo-Emile, Chris Vui (c), Theo McFarland, Taleni Junior Agaese Seu, Fritz Lee, Sa Jordan Taufua, Jonathan Taumateine, Christian Leali’ifano, Ben Lam, Alai D’Angelo Leuila, Tumua Manu, Ed Fidow, Duncan Paia’aua.

Replacements: Sama Malolo, Jordan Lay, Michael Alaalatoa, Steven Luatua, Alamanda Motuga, Melani Matavao, Neria Fomai, Danny Toala.

Ian Foster has brought regular captain Sam Cane back via the bench. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

New Zealand vs. Italy, OL Stadium, Lyon (5am AEST, Saturday)

The troops are back, with Ian Foster naming a strong side, including three playmakers in his matchday squad, to take on Italy at OL Stadium in Lyon on Friday.

Richie Mo’unga will start at fly-half, with Beauden Barrett once again named at fullback. Damian McKenzie will come off the bench.

Regular captain Sam Cane has been named on the bench, with Shannon Frizell, Dalton Papali’i and Ardie Savea to start in the back-row.

Brodie Retallick starts alongside Scott Barrett in the second-row, with Sam Whitelock offering experience off the bench.

Nepo Laulala starts at tight-head prop, with Tyrel Lomax making his return via the bench.

Italy head coach Kieran Crowley has added Dino Lamb, Stephen Varney and Luca Morisi to his starting XV as he named his match-day 23 for the Pool A game against New Zealand

Niccolo Cannone moves to the bench with Alessandro Garbisi and Lorenzo Pani dropping out of the squad.

New Zealand: Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Codie Taylor, Nepo Laulaua, Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett, Shannon Frizell, Dalton Papali’i, Ardie Savea (c), Aaron Smith, Richie Mo’unga, Mark Telea, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Will Jordan, Beauden Barrett

Replacements: Dane Coles, Tamaiti Williams, Tyrel Lomax, Sam Whitelock, Sam Cane, Cam Roigard, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown

Italy (1-15): Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Marco Riccioni, Dino Lamb, Federico Ruzza, Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro (c), Lorenzo Cannone, Stephen Varney, Paolo Garbisi, Montanna Ioane, Luca Morisi, Juan Ignacio Brex, Ange Capuozzo, Tommaso Allan.

Replacements: Hame Faiva, Ivan Nemer, Simone Ferrari, Niccolo Cannone, Manuel Zuliani, Toa Halafihi, Martin Page-Relo, Paolo Odogwu.

Argentina vs. Chile, Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes (11pm AEST, Saturday)

Michael Cheika has made 11 changes to his starting XV from the team that defeated Samoa 19-10 in their previous match, with Marcos Kremer, Guido Petti, Eduardo Bello and Juan Martin González the only four players retaining their places in the run-on team.

Kremer and González will become the only two Los Pumas players to start in all three games at RWC 2023 with Kremer having played every minute of their campaign so far.

While four players could make their RWC debut, Cheika has named three of Argentina’s five most capped players of all-time in his starting XV in Agustín Creevy, Nicolás Sánchez and Tomás Cubelli.

Argentina (1-15): Joel Sclavi, Agustín Creevy, Eduardo Bello, Guido Petti Pagadizabal, Pedro Rubiolo, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Marcos Kremer, Facundo Isa, Tomas Cubelli, Nicolas Sanchez, Juan Imhoff, Jeronimo de la Fuente (c), Lucio Cinti, Rodrigo Isgro, Martín Bogado.

Replacements: Ignacio Ruiz, Mayco Vivas, Francisco Gómez Kodela, Matias Alemanno, Joaquín Oviedo, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Santiago Carreras, Juan Cruz Mallia.

Chile:

Replacements:

Fiji vs. Georgia, Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux (1.45am AEST, Sunday)

Fiji:

Replacements:

Chile:

Replacements:

Scotland vs. Romania, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille (6am AEST, Sunday)

Scotland:

Replacements:

Romania:

Replacements:

Australia vs. Portugal, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne (2.45am AEDT, Monday)

Australia:

Replacements:

Portugal:

Replacements:

South Africa vs. Tonga, Stade de Marseille, Marseille (6am AEDT, Monday)

Handré Pollard will play his first match for South Africa since the 25-17 defeat by Australia in Adelaide in August 2022, having missed their last 16 Tests. He comes into the side at the expense of Manie Libbok, who drops to the bench.

Pollard, 29, missed out on selection for the original RWC squad after picking up a calf injury in May but was called up as a replacement when hooker Malcolm Marx was injured.

The flyhalf, who kicked 22 points in the Rugby World Cup 2019 final win over England and is South Africa’s record RWC points scorer with 162, made a 30-minute comeback appearance for Leicester Tigers against Sale on 15 September.

Pollard’s inclusion is one of 12 changes to the Springboks’ starting line-up after their defeat by Ireland, with second-row Eben Etzebeth, captain Siya Kolisi and number eight Jasper Wiese the only players to retain their spots in the pack, while the whole backline has changed.

South Africa (1-15): Ox Nche, Deon Fourie, Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth, Marvin Orie, Siya Kolisi (c), Duane Vermeulen, Jasper Wiese, Cobus Reinach, Handre Pollard, Makazole Mapimpi, Andre Esterhuizen, Canan Moodie, Grant Williams, Willie Le Roux.

Replacements: Marco van Staden, Steven Kitshoff, Trevor Nyakane, Franco Mostert, Kwagga Smith, Jaden Hendrikse, Manie Libbok, Jesse Kriel.

Tonga:

Replacements:

Brisbane have made the heartbreaking decision to keep an unchanged line-up for the 2023 AFL grand final, with defender Jack Payne unable to earn a recall despite passing all fitness tests in his recovery from an ankle injury.

Payne had missed just one match for the season before being ruled out of the Lions’ preliminary final with the injury, sustained during their qualifying final win over Port Adelaide.

While the injury was significant enough to put his grand final hopes in jeopardy, Payne reportedly passed all fitness tests during the week, but the Lions opted to retain replacement key defender Darcy Gardiner, who held star Carlton forward Charlie Curnow to just eight disposals and a goal in the preliminary final.

That was just Gardiner’s third match of the season after shoulder and leg injuries delayed his start to the year, before the form of Payne in defence kept him in the Lions’ VFL team.

It is expected veteran Jarryd Lyons will once again be the Lions’ substitute.

Collingwood have made a surprise selection swing of their own, recalling forward Jack Ginnivan into the starting 22 after spending the first two finals as the team’s sub. Patrick Lipinski has been omitted but is expected to be named sub when final teams are announced an hour before Saturday’s grand final, according to reports.

As was confirmed by coach Craig McRae on Wednesday, the knee injury sustained by Daniel McStay in the Pies’ thrilling preliminary final win over GWS has seen him replaced by swingman Billy Frampton, for his first senior appearance since the final home-and-away round.

Jack Payne. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Grand final teams

Collingwood

B: 28 Nathan Murphy, 30 Darcy Moore (c), 38 Jeremy Howe

HB: 4 Brayden Maynard, 17 Billy Frampton, 3 Isaac Quaynor

C: 22 Steele Sidebottom, 10 Scott Pendlebury, 37 Oleg Markov

HF: 23 Bobby Hill, 41 Brody Mihocek, 5 Jamie Elliott

F: 31 Beau McCreery, 2 Jordan De Goey, 7 Josh Daicos

R: 46 Mason Cox, 35 Nick Daicos, 25 Jack Crisp

I/C: 6 Tom Mitchell, 14 Darcy Cameron, 32 Will Hoskin-Elliott, 33 Jack Ginnivan

Sub (not yet confirmed): 1 Patrick Lipinski

EMG: 9 John Noble, 18 Finlay Macrae, 36 Harvey Harrison

Brisbane Lions

B: 37 Brandon Starcevich, 31 Harris Andrews (c), 27 Darcy Gardiner

HB: 26 Conor McKenna, 35 Ryan Lester, 18 Keidean Coleman

C: 6 Hugh McCluggage, 5 Josh Dunkley, 15 Dayne Zorko

HF: 23 Charlie Cameron, 30 Eric Hipwood, 4 Callum Ah Chee

F: 16 Cam Rayner, 3 Joe Daniher, 33 Zac Bailey

R: 46 Oscar McInerney, 9 Lachie Neale (c), 7 Jarrod Berry

I/C: 2 Deven Robertson, 11 Lincoln McCarthy, 28 Jaspa Fletcher, 44 Darcy Wilmot

Sub (not yet confirmed): 17 Jarryd Lyons

EMG: 29 James Tunstill, 32 Darcy Fort, 40 Jack Payne

Straight-shooting former Australia Test captain Stephen Moore says Eddie Jones must come clean on the Japan job and the Wallabies coach should fall on his sword if he has been interviewed.

In France watching the World Cup, the 129-Test legend has been dismayed by the Wallabies’ dire performance under Jones, with their record loss to Wales following Fiji an intolerable low for the two-time champion team. 

Moore played at three World Cups, captaining the Wallabies to a loss to New Zealand in the 2015 final – a far cry from the current tournament with Australia set to miss the quarter-finals for the first time.

Moore told AAP that Jones’s link to Japan was the latest event in some “alarming behaviour” shown by the 63-year-old, who replaced Dave Rennie in January.

“I was excited when Eddie came in as he’s been a good coach for a long time, but I didn’t expect it to go this poorly,” 40-year-old Moore said.

“Certainly some of the decisions that have been made and some of the behaviour has been a little bit alarming and very different to the type of Eddie that I would have worked with very early in my career and that’s been really disappointing.”

Moore said Jones’s position was untenable if he had been looking to join Japan less than a year into his five-year Australian contract.

“If that’s accurate, I just can’t see how we can continue with that,” Moore said.

“Japan are looking for a coach and they’re in the process of recruiting a coach so Eddie is either going for it or he’s not.

“Whatever his involvement is, we need to hear that and if it’s accurate that he’s been engaging with Japan … I can’t see how he can continue to coach Australia. 

“As a player, I would find that very difficult.”

Putting his hand up to help, Moore said the problem went beyond Jones, laying the blame at Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan and his board with seemingly reactionary decisions and empty rhetoric.

He used the rapid appointment of Jones without the knowledge of the then CEO and the multi-million dollar deal for untested youngster Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii as examples.

“The coach piece is one part but the big picture has lacked any kind of checks and balances or strategy throughout over the last three or four years,” said Moore, a CEO of an insurance brokerage in Brisbane

“There seems to be a lot of captains picks in many different areas, there doesn’t seem to be any real governance around some of this stuff … there’s a lot of things going on that are very unconventional.

Eddie Jones, Head Coach of Australia walks through the tunnel at half-time following the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between Wales and Australia at Parc Olympique on September 24, 2023 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Adam Pretty – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

“It’s the member unions’ role is to make sure that we have the appropriate governance in place to ensure we’re going in the right direction and there’s consensus around decisions being made.”

Moore wanted to see solid strategy to solve the game’s woes, whether that involved centralisation or cutting Super Rugby teams, and a renewed focus on grass roots.

“For some time there’s been lack of a strategy or a long-term vision for the game at every different level; at the Wallabies, at the grassroots, club rugby, Super rugby, the third tier, I can’t put my finger on any type of direction we have for that stuff.

“We need to build a governance model, a high-performance model, a grassroots system that is going to be the best in the world – that’s what we should be aiming for and at the moment, we’re kidding ourselves if we think what we’re doing is going to get us there.”

NSW rugby league legend Laurie Daley has said the sport should “buy” rugby union to ward off the threat of AFL – a bizarre idea shot down in typical style by ARL boss Peter V’landys.

“Rugby league should buy rugby union,” Daley said on the Big Sports Breakfast radio show. “I think they can co-exist. They can have good competition, and skills are transferable. [The NRL should] own rugby union. I think in 20-25 years time, AFL is a massive threat.

“I just reckon if we were closer together, you’re not in competition and you can utilise those skills. They’re transferable to either code. You can stop the raid of talented players at junior level, going to AFL.”

Vlandy’s responded on the Footy Talk podcast. Well, the first rule in business is that you always buy an asset, not a liability. So I guess that idea would be off the table straight away. Tell Laurie, you don’t buy liabilities, you buy assets.”

World Rugby’s chief is backing a move to 24 teams for the next World Cup in Austrlaia.

While the change from 20 teams is not yet set in stone, WR CEO Alan Gilpin has briefed media that it is likely to happened following the impact of smaller teams in France.

There have been some batterings – notably Nambia’s 96-0 defeat to France, but Gilpin told the UK Telegraph:

“I personally believe you’ve got to do it, you’ve just got to commit to it and then you invest in the high-performance programmes of the teams that are likely to be those four-to-six teams.

“Chile had a tough match against a very strong England side who played some great rugby at the weekend. Chile played brilliantly against Japan the first game in this World Cup. Portugal, I mean, how amazing have Portugal been in this tournament? In the Rugby World Cup for the second time; Chile for the first time. And so on. The signs are very positive.”

Gilpin acknowledged a 24-strong pool stage would be more “awkward” given it would need to feed into either an eight or 16-team knockout round. The tournament length of seven weeks would also need to be considered.

Mizuno is synonymous with unmatched quality. Their Haga, Japan factory is the stuff of glove lore. The folks over at Mizuno have once again reached into their Haga bag of tricks and pulled out a limited edition release unlike any other we’ve seen.

Enter the Kenta Maeda Flow. This 12″ pitchers piece is one of the most unique we have seen in a while and certainly one of the most unique we have seen from Mizuno here in the US.

The most noticeable feature is the “flowing” welt pattern on the back. While this is said to help with shape and break in, it also just flat out looks cool.

To add to that “cool factor”, Mizuno made the back a high-grade red and black suede. This suede back is paired with a tried-and-true Prexy Kip leather palm and accents.

The web on the KM Flow is also only available in the States through this limited release. The Honeycomb web adds eye-catching detail while retaining the closed web to hide pitches. A killer combo.

When we say this drop is limited, we mean it. There will be 16 available in RHT and only 2 available in LHT. If you want one, don’t hesitate.

A limited edition, Made in Haga release comes with a price tag to match. The Mizuno KM Flow will run you $550. An undeniably steep price tag but for an undeniably special glove.

This glove is AVAILABLE NOW on Mizuno’s website and won’t be the only limited release we will be seeing from Mizuno this year.

The post Mizuno Drops EXTREMELY Limited KM Flow Glove appeared first on What Pros Wear.

Wilson has released a handful of special edition gloves under the “Aso’s Lab” umbrella in the past. These represent new patterns or modifications developed in large part by Wilson Master Glove Craftsman Shigeaki Aso. This release features two models – one pitcher and one infield – that draw from the success of Wilson’s relatively new 1810 outfield pattern.

The 1723SS was designed for infielders who wear their gloves with two fingers in the pinky stall. The redesigned wrist strap is made to hug the players hand. This fit is intended to lock the glove on while ranging for ground balls to the glove or backhand side. The finger stalls have also been altered to better accommodate a two-in-the-piny grip. SuperSkin was added to improve longevity and the black SnakeSkin accents add a little extra flair to the 1723SS.

The new 12″ B23 pitchers pattern takes all of the same custom internal queues from the 1810 (and now the 1723). The result is a glove for the bump with the same two-in-the-pinky fit. The B23 also features a finger hood shifted to the middle finger to allow for the intended grip glove while not tipping pitches.

The B23 also boasts a new web we saw at Spring Training this year. Wilson calls this closed web the Swordsman Web. A black SnakeSkin leather inlay is accented by the white stitch on this Aso’s Lab model for a clean look.

Both Aso’s Lab models from Wilson are available now for $400 but supplies are likely limited.

The post Wilson Releases Two 2024 Aso’s Lab A2Ks appeared first on What Pros Wear.

Nick Gonzales was a one man wrecking crew at New Mexico State University. After walking-on, he posted a career average of .399 with an OPS of 1.249. In the COVID shortened 2020 season, Gonzales hit .448 with 12 bombs in just 16 games for the Aggies. This absurd start helped solidified his draft stock for that June. The Pirates drafted the second baseman 7th overall in the 2020 draft and he now sits at #5 on the Buccos’ Top Prospect List.

Gonzales is primarily a second baseman but has been spending more time on the left side at third base and shortstop. Nick has been with Rawlings since being drafted and has no plans on switching. The first question that prompted was…

“Heart of the Hide or Pro Preferred?”

Nick’s response was an interesting one. He said “I really like to get both a Pro Preferred and a Heart of Hide to break them in at the same time and see which one I prefer for that year. I have definitely used Heart of Hide more since it seems to break in quicker.” You often see guys on one side of the debate or the other but Gonzales simply goes by feel after they’re worked in a little.

The next question relates to glove pattern. Being a second baseman in college, Nick grew accustom to a shallow pocket that emphasized a quick transfer. Since being drafted, Nick has used the iconic TT2 pattern from Rawlings. The shallow pocket with a thumb to middle finger close was ideal for the slick fielding Gonzales.

But, with more time being spent on the left side, Nick wanted to change it up.

He said “I have always used the TT2 and never tried anything else. When I move over to the other side of the infield playing SS and 3rd, I wanted something with a bigger pocket. For this season, I switched to the 200 pattern to give a little extra depth” Gonzales did retain the 11.5″ length from the TT2 with the switch to the 200 pattern, however.

Pictured above is the Pro Preferred offering he designed for the 2023 season. The PROS204-7KC adds a little more flash than we’re used to seeing from the usually understated Gonzales. He broke his “classic” mold by adding the red accents, the Speed Shell back, and even the V web. While louder than his go-to all tan TT2 from years past, this combo works perfect for the AAA Indianapolis Indians and ties in beautifully with the Pirates red accents if he gets the call this year.

For his Heart of the Hide, Gonzales went with all neutral colors. Black, brown, and blonde always work well and adding the mesh was a nice touch for some weight savings.

This PRO204-2HB is the same base pattern as his Pro Preferred, just in Heart of the Hide steerhide and with an I-web. I asked Nick about the design process for his gloves since these are a little different than what we’ve seen in the past. He said “This year, I tried to have some more flash on my glove. I went with a little bit of red and the non-leather back to change things up. But I try to find what is simple but looks really good”. While some guys go all out with a theme, like our first Talking Gloves piece with Jon Duplantier, Gonzales just finds a color combo he likes and rolls with it.

The ‘Nicky G” stitched on the thumb is pretty self explanatory. “Keep Hammering”, however, is a phrase I hadn’t seen before. When he’s not on the field, Gonzales often finds himself in his truck listening to some Zach Bryan (dude has good taste) on his way to go hunting. “Keep Hammering” is a quote from his favorite bow hunter that resonated with him. He said he adds it to his glove as a reminder to push through the tough days and to always keep working. A simple but important mantra as Gonzales says “Everyday is a new day and an opportunity to get better and learn from yesterday’s mistakes.”

As always, a big thank you to Nick for taking some time to answer our questions and talk gloves! Make sure you shoot Nick a follow on IG and let us know who else you’d like to see on our next Talking Gloves post!

The post Talking Gloves with #7 Overall Pick Nick Gonzales appeared first on What Pros Wear.

As the World Baseball Classic gets underway, we get a look at all the new uniforms, and of course we have opinions. These uniforms will be ranked both from visual aesthetics and design as well as by the history and meaning behind these designs. Not every WBC uniform is created equal, so don’t expect us to pull any punches.

Great Britain looks like they remembered they needed jerseys the night before. They slapped the most boiler plate block font on it, and the font itself is too small for the jersey. A lot of countries used a solid color jersey with block font, and even amongst a number of jerseys with the same idea, Great Britain stood out for its blandness. Its like they didn’t expect to qualify.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Nicaragua’s uniforms, they just aren’t that special. The jersey works well with the Nicaraguan flag, and the font feels like something we would see on an MLB jersey. While they are only one spot above Great Britain, they are leagues ahead of what the Brits are donning in the tournament this year. Overall, I take no issue with Nicaragua but a lot of the other countries went above and beyond this basic style of uniform. Bonus points for Juan Montes’ mustache, that guy deserves an MLB contract just for that handlebar.

I want to preface this section with an acknowledgement that many people are upset with the WBC calling this nation Chinese Taipei rather than Taiwan. I will be using that name due to that being their official name in the tournament and using “CT” logos for Chinese Taipei on their uniforms.

That being said, I went back and forth on whether or not I liked these. The overall design is actually pretty good. I really liked that they took their old logo and added laces to the “C.” The issue I have is that these are screen printed jerseys. If your national team is playing on baseball’s biggest international stage, pony up for the stitched jerseys. The screen print looks like a travel ball team.

These are at the top of my list with the more basic block letter jerseys. Having “Panama” outlined in two colors adds a nice level of depth to the text. One of my favorite parts of the jersey is having the “Fedebeis” logo on the left side of the chest, giving the Panamanian professional baseball league some exposure. Like many of these jerseys, they’re not bad, I just expected better.

Colombia may be a little low, but this is all opinion. The jersey does a good job of featuring the two most prominent colors on the Colombian flag. The Adidas jersey looks particularly nice with the white and blue piping on the ends of the sleeves. The pants feature a red “C,” which is the Colombian baseball logo. The red “C” looks out of place as its not featured anywhere else on the jersey or pants. This uniform reminds me of the Boston City Connect jerseys, and I think that’s what lost it points in my eyes. I never loved those unis, and the yellow is just a little too bright for my taste.

I went back and forth about these uniforms so many times. I really like the font. The overall design falls under the category of big block letters on the front with the first letter big on the hat which definitely hurt its rankings. It is also a near carbon copy of their previous uniforms. At the end of the day, I like the overall look of the Mexico unis, but they aren’t in the top tier.

​​Canada’s uniforms are similar in style to Mexico’s but have a couple of things that bumped them up in the rankings for me. The biggest thing for me is seeing that Canada used a logo on the hat rather than a big “C”. Canada Baseball has its own logo, a maple leaf with a baseball whipping around inside it, and that set it apart for me. These uniforms also get credit due to the fact that they were a big step up from their old uniforms in 2017, both simplifying the design while making it crisper and generally more Canadian.

The Dominican Republic may have been one of the most conflicting uniforms I looked at while putting together these rankings. On one hand, their white jerseys are absolutely gorgeous. Simple, classic, elegant, exactly what you want a jersey to be. On the other hand, the gradient jerseys look like a 13U travel ball team that just found out that their distributor could do gradients. It just does not work and honestly looks low effort. So its a split decision on these due to the alternates.

I’m going to catch a lot of flack for putting the US as low as I am, but I’m an impartial journalist. Deal with it. While the logo on the front is an absolute classic and I love the look of it, we’ve used it for years and its now a little dated. It was a good look while it lasted, but the lack of updates sends it way further down my list than most would have expected.

The Czech jerseys are a solid all-around uniform. Everything about the design is well done, I genuinely have zero complaints about what they did here. Two aspects in particular really stood out to me. The first is the usage of the native name “Česko”. Its a nice nod to their heritage and country’s history that was kept simple and well done. The second thing I liked, they put the “CR” for the Czech Republic in the shape of a home plate on the hat.

The Czech Republic team does a lot more than play baseball Head to the World Baseball Classic YouTube page to check out Episode 1 of Behind the Flag, a documentary series telling the stories of different federations as they prepare for the #WorldBaseballClassic

Maybe I ranked these jerseys a little too high, but how can you not want the plumbers and firemen to win it all.

Puerto Rico is back at it with the grey and white Adidas uniforms, and they are very similar to the ones worn in previous years. Similar to Korea and the white Dominican uniforms, they are for the most part simple and pleasing. The grey uniforms in particular really butter my bread. The white ones, however, I don’t love one certain aspect of. There is a blue silhouette of the Cape San Juan Light and a shore line that just looks a little goofy for my taste. Overall though, these are a perfect #10 spot, the ideal middle-of-the-pack uniform.

At one point in time Korea was my #1 uniform in these rankings. The designer understood what colors the human eye likes seeing together, and it works for me.

Israel, with a design by Warstic, put together one of the most gorgeous blue pinstripe jerseys I’ve seen, and the definitive third-best pinstripes in the Classic. To me, these uniforms look like a combination of the Blue Jays and Cubs home uniforms, and I love it. The thing about these jerseys I really love is putting the Star of David on the hat. I prefer something other than a letter on the hat, and the Star of David for Israel is absolutely perfect.

I love these blue and gold uniforms from Venezuela. These colors are tough to combine, but Venezuela made it work for me. They are at #7, though, because they are screen-printed! For the WBC, the Venezuelan boys deserve better.

China has the coolest logo in the WBC. The “C” in China is designed to be a dragon, which standalone is so freaking cool. It gets so much cooler when you look at what dragons symbolize in Chinese culture. In China, Dragons are associated with power and strength. In a tournament to decide who dominates the world in one of the most widely played sports in the world, a symbol of power and dominance goes astronomically hard.

But again, a screen-printed jersey is a no from this guy. You may get tired of me using that as a reason to dox points, but I refuse to compromise on this. They’re terrible.

Australia! Good work on these designs. These New Balance jerseys in white and green have a great look, and they did a fantastic job of incorporating the stars in their flag on the hat without mixing the color schemes between the jersey and flag. I put Australia at the #6 spot because of the small design on the lower right side of the jersey. Though hard to see, I was able to get a look at it while watching one of their games, and this is a mixture of aboriginal symbols. There is a rightward-facing arrow that is a hunting boomerang, and a circle surrounded by smaller circles that represent stars. This tribute to the native population of Australia is perhaps one of my favorite design elements used in the Classic this year. You might ask then, why are they not in the top three? Say it with me, NO MORE SCREEN-PRINTED JERSEYS. I hate them, automatic no.

At number five we have the Kingdom of the Netherlands. They took a massive step up this year from their previous jerseys. They moved away from the black unis toward white uniforms with navy pinstripes. The big change, however, was the hat. They moved away from the “NL” logo to a crown that works absolutely beautifully with the navy hats. The Netherlands draws a lot of uniform inspiration from its national football team, which famously dons orange kits. Something small but cool is a patch on the sleeve. The Kingdom of the Netherlands includes small tropical islands like Aruba and Curaçao, and players from these islands are able to put a patch on their sleeve that advertises their home island’s tourism industry.

Cuba stayed with their signature style. Cuba in script with a number on the lower left side, as well as a two-color sleeve and body combination. This year, however, they did something unique. They switched from blue to red text for the country name, and the big difference was the addition of a white star in the tail of the script writing. This star was added as a call to their national flag, which has a white star within a red triangle. This is a great addition, and small changes like that really make a big difference. In line with that, they also switched from a simple “C” on the hat to a C with a star, again a nice call to their flag. Lastly, the gradient fade on the sleeves, unlike the Dominican usage on the entire jersey, looks good to me since its used sparingly. It’s a great design element, not a great design.

After doing some research and looking into the Italian jersey, it may be my favorite in the tournament, but after excessive polling of people I was hanging out with I decided it shouldn’t be in the top spot. Out the gate, the script “Italia” on the front is too clean. It looks so nice. You may be thinking to yourself, why on God’s green Earth are their uniforms blue and not red, white and green? Both their national baseball team and national football team, known as the Azzurri (the “Blues”), use blue uniforms, and it dates back to the early days of the Kingdom of Italy. This is a connection to the crest of the House of Savoy, which was used on the flag of the Kingdom of Italy at the time. Italy has kept this tradition going, and I am absolutely about it. That level of tradition being kept over a century rocketed the Italian jersey up into the top three.

Japan did some amazing work putting together their jerseys for this years World Baseball Classic, so I am naming them the inaugural winner of the WBC Look Good Play Good Award. Congrats, gentlemen. Japan’s main uniforms are Mizuno pinstripes. Japan stuck with the Samurai Japan font and overall look. Japan very effectively took their old uniforms and just improved them. Instead of overhauling the design, they improved the color scheme. Previously, the only two colors were white and navy. This year, they changed the pinstripes to a red and navy helix.

They outlined the letter and numbers in a cream/gold color, and they added a solid navy piping around the collar and buttons. They also switched up the hats, which now have a red J and red stitching with a cream brim and outline on the J. One of the best moves was relocating the Japanese flag to the sleeve from the chest. These uniforms are classics. And guess what, I said I wasn’t going to compromise on my hatred of screen-printeds, but here we are. I’m doing it. Maybe I’m a hypocrite. Maybe these jerseys are just that good. Maybe during this tournament, I’m realizing that I have feelings for Lars Nootbar. Whatever the reason, these are taking home the cake for the 2022 World Baseball Classic uniform rankings.

The post Ranking all 20 World Baseball Classic Uniforms (Even Great Britain) appeared first on What Pros Wear.

The popular ColorSync line from the folks over at Rawlings is back for its seventh iteration. This glove line features eye-catching designs that boast a Rawlings patch that matches the glove instead of the iconic Red Label.

This drop every year produces some of the most unique offerings from Rawlings. They released 11 gloves in total and here are a few of our favorites.

My favorite by far is this red and tan 11.5″ PRO204W. Not only does it have the iconic wingtip design, but the tan leather features a topographical print to pair with the tan leather patches.

This 11.5″ PRO934 is another flashy meets classy combo pairing a camel base with white and baby blue accents.

For the outfielders, this black and blue 12.75″ PROMT27 adds just the right amount of pop to the stealthy black base.

Our guys on the bump weren’t left out by Rawlings either. This 11.75″ PRO205 with hand sewn welt (also now live on the custom builder) and baby blue/pink accents just works.

All of these are available now on Rawlings website for $300.

The post Rawlings Drops ColorSync 7.0 Heart of the Hide Line appeared first on What Pros Wear.

The post Marsh One Day Cup 2023-24 Points Table: Australian One Day Cup 2023-24 Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

Points table for the Marsh One Day Cup 2023-24 (Australian One Day Cup 2023-24), which is scheduled to be played from September 24, 2023 to February 25, 2023 in Australia.

The post Marsh One Day Cup 2023-24 Points Table: Australian One Day Cup 2023-24 Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

The post CSA Provincial One-Day Challenge Division One 2023 Points Table and Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

Points Table for the CSA Provincial One-Day Challenge Division One 2023, which is scheduled to be played September 18, 2023 to October 28, 2023 in South Africa.

The post CSA Provincial One-Day Challenge Division One 2023 Points Table and Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

The post Kuwait T10 Emerging 2023 Points Table: KCC T10 Emerging League 2023 Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

Points table for the KCC T10 Emerging League 2023 (Kuwait T10 Emerging 2023), which is scheduled to be played from September 16, 2023 to October 27, 2023 at Sulaibiya Cricket Ground, Kuwait.

The post Kuwait T10 Emerging 2023 Points Table: KCC T10 Emerging League 2023 Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

The post Oman D20 2023 Points Table: Oman D20 League 2023 Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

Points table for the Oman D20 2023 (Oman D20 League 2023), which is scheduled to be played from September 26, 2023 to October 10, 2023 at Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Oman Cricket (Ministry Turf 1), Oman.

The post Oman D20 2023 Points Table: Oman D20 League 2023 Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

The post ISL 2023-24 Points Table: Indian Super League 2023-24 Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

Points table for the tenth season of the Indian Super League (ISL 2023-24), which is scheduled to be played from September 21, 2023 in India.

The post ISL 2023-24 Points Table: Indian Super League 2023-24 Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

The post ISL 2023-24: Chennaiyin FC extend partnership with ACKO as associate sponsor for fourth consecutive year appeared first on The Sports News.

Chennaiyin FC have renewed their long-standing association with ACKO as the team’s associate sponsor for the fourth consecutive year.

An important facet of the partnership will be the naming of the B Stand at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai, which seats one of the club’s loyal fan groups, to the ‘ACKO Stand’.

Also Check: ISL 2023-24 Standings

“We are delighted to have ACKO by our side for another season. Their commitment to fostering talent at the grassroots level and bringing fans closer to the club has been commendable. We are excited about embarking on a journey to accomplish shared milestones in the upcoming season,” commented Chennaiyin FC Vice-President Ekansh Gupta.

Also Check: ISL 2023-24 Fixtures; Full Schedule, Date Time and Venue

“We are glad to extend our partnership with Chennaiyin FC and support this beloved football team. We are looking to build on our association from previous years and increase further engagement with the fan groups of CFC. This collaboration underscores ACKO’s unwavering commitment to foster trust and genuine connections with the city and its people. Chennai remains a pivotal market in our expansion journey and this partnership continues to be a key ingredient of weaving ourselves into the cultural fabric of the city,” Nitin Khanna, Senior Director, Marketing at ACKO opined.

Chennaiyin FC are scheduled to play their second match of the Indian Super League 2023-24 season against NorthEast United FC in Guwahati on Friday.

The post ISL 2023-24: Chennaiyin FC extend partnership with ACKO as associate sponsor for fourth consecutive year appeared first on The Sports News.

The post Asian Games Men’s T20I 2023 Points Table and Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

Points table for the Asian Games Men’s T20I 2023, which is scheduled to be played from September 27, 2023 to October 7, 2023 at ZJUT Cricket Field, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.

The post Asian Games Men’s T20I 2023 Points Table and Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

The post Rugby World Cup 2023 Points Table and Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

Points table for the Rugby World Cup 2023, which is scheduled to be played from September 8, 2023 to October 28, 2023 in France.

Also Check: Rugby World Cup 2023 Pool

The post Rugby World Cup 2023 Points Table and Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

The post ISL 2023-24: Bengaluru FC signs Sun King as Official Lighting Partner appeared first on The Sports News.

Bengaluru FC, on Tuesday, announced a partnership with Sun King as the club’s Official Lighting Partner. This collaboration will see Sun King integrating the football team’s brand across its marketing collaterals and product packaging.

Also Check: ISL 2023-24 Points Table

Embarking on a partnership until July 2024, Sun King is set to illuminate the experiences of Bengaluru FC fans with a 360-degree campaign launching soon. The comprehensive campaign will not just limit itself to vivid marketing collateral but also offers Bengaluru FC aficionados a golden opportunity to meet their favourite players.

Also Check: ISL 2023-24 Fixtures; Full Schedule, Date Time and Venue

“Aligning with Bengaluru FC represents a significant milestone. This partnership mirrors our shared values and drive for excellence. We eagerly anticipate the luminous journey ahead,” expressed Surabhi Sharma, Asia Marketing Lead at Sun King.

Also Check: ISL 2023-24 Transfer Live News and Updates

“Over the years, we’ve continuously strived to reduce the carbon footprint that Bengaluru FC leaves behind on the planet, and our association with Sun King is another step in that direction. We’re looking forward to collaborating with Sun King in a big way this year, and I’m eager to see all the possibilities this partnership holds,” said Darren Caldeira, Bengaluru FC’s Director of Football.

Also Check: ISL Transfers Window – All completed signings for ISL 2023-24

The Blues, who began their 2023-24 Indian Super League campaign in Kochi last week, travel to Kolkata to face Mohun Bagan Super Giant on Wednesday.

The post ISL 2023-24: Bengaluru FC signs Sun King as Official Lighting Partner appeared first on The Sports News.

The post Gulf Championship T20I 2023 Points Table: Gulf Cricket T20I Championship 2023 Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

Points table for the Gulf Championship T20I 2023 (Gulf Cricket T20I Championship 2023), which is scheduled to be played from September 15, 2023 to September 24, 2023 at West End Park International Cricket Stadium, Doha, Qatar.

The post Gulf Championship T20I 2023 Points Table: Gulf Cricket T20I Championship 2023 Team Standings appeared first on The Sports News.

The latest USA TODAY High School Sports Super 25 has been released, which now shifts the focus to the matchups this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. 

It’s another solid round of gridiron action, too, including a tough California battle between No. 1 Mater Dei (Sanat Ana) and perennial Super 25 contender Servite (Anaheim).

Across the map, an undefeated Lincoln (Tallahassee, Fla.) team awaits No. 16 Colquitt County, while No. 18 Washington (Massillon, Ohio) takes on D.C. power St. John’s. 

Here’s the complete Super 25 schedule.

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HSS Top 5 Stars of the Week

SCORES: Live in-game results around the nation as they happen

Live-Stream High School Sports on the NFHS Network

For the second straight week, there was a shift among the top 5 teams in the USA TODAY High School Sports Super 25, but merely a minimal shakeup compared to the bottom half of the rankings.

The methodology: the HSS staff creates the Super 25 rankings while considering various data points, including strength of schedule, prospects, the more traditional stats—did the team win or lose?—as well as overall point differentials.

Record: 5-0 | Last Result: def. St. Frances Academy (Md.) 20-7 | PR: 1

Record: 6-0 | Last Result: def. Silverado (Nev.) 55-0 | PR: 2

Record: 5-0 | Last Result: def. Miami Central (Fla.) 31-28 | PR: 3

Record: 4-0 | Last Result: def. Cedar Hill (Texas) 76-0 | PR: 5

Record: 4-0 | Last Result: DNP | PR: 4

Record: 5-0 | Last Result: def. Marietta (Ga.) 30-3 | PR: 6

Record: 4-0 | Last Result: def. Beaumont United (Texas) 49-7 | PR: 7

Record: 3-1 | Last Result: DNP | PR: 8

Record: 4-1 | Last Result: DNP | PR: 10

Record: 6-1 | Last Result: def. Nanakuli (Hawaii) 56-7 | PR: 11

Record: 4-1 | Last Result: def. Treasure Coast (Fla.) 42-6 | PR: 12

Record: 1-2 | Last Result: lost to Chaminade-Madonna (Fla.) 31-28 | PR: 6

Record: 4-0 | Last Result: def. Waxahachie (Texas) 42-35 | PR: 13

Record: 5-0 | Last Result: def. Parkview (Ga.) 30-20 | PR: 14

Record: 4-0 | Last Result: def. Lake Travis (Texas) 20-14 | PR: 15

Record: 5-0 | Last Result: def. Cedar Grove (Ga.) 50-42 | PR: 16

Record: 5-0 | Last Result: def. Miami Northwestern (Fla.) 24-7 | PR: 18

Record: 6-0 | Last Result: def. Middletown (Del.) 41-7 | PR: 21

Record: 3-2 | Last Result: def. Liberty (Ariz.) 42-35 | PR: NR

Record: 5-0 | Last Result: def. Franklin (Mich.) 35-3 | PR: 19

Record: 2-1 | Last Result: DNP | PR: 22

Record: 4-0 | Last Result: DNP | PR: 23

Record: 5-0 | Last Result: def. Highland (Ariz.) 24-22 | PR: 22

Record: 6-1 | Last Result: def. Riverton (Utah) 55-12 | PR: 25

Record: 4-1 | Last Result: lost to Centennial (Calif.) 42-35 | PR: 17

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SCORES: Live in-game results around the nation as they happen

Live-Stream High School Sports on the NFHS Network

Watch:

HSS Top 5 Stars of the Week, Sept. 26, 2023

Note: We occasionally recommend interesting products, services, and gaming opportunities. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY HSS operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

One-handed grabs were the theme of an incredible week in high school football, with these five receivers headlining the talent show.

Standing-O to the following:

– Jeremiah Smith, Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)

– Adron Walker, First Coast (Jacksonville, Fla.)

– Keo Fleeks, Wichita Falls (Texas)

– NiTareon ‘Nitro’ Tuggle, Northwood (Nappanee, Ind.)

– Matthew Machalik, Palmerton (Pa.)

Note from the HSS team: To possibly have an athlete featured in our weekly selection, DM the highlight videos to USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram or Twitter.

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High School Football Scores: Live in-game/final results around the nation

Live stream or watch the 2023 high school football season on-demand

With long histories in athletics, Coronado High School (Calif.) seniors Emilia Alpert and Lindsey Balsley set their eyes on the gridiron, and both accomplished a significant achievement for their football careers on Friday.

Each scored in Coronado’s game against Mar Vista (Imperial Beach, Calif.), as Alpert rushed in a one-yard touchdown and Balsley nailed an extra point to help the Islanders take the 37-6 win and improve its record to 3-3.

Both girls are multisport athletes, according to The Coronado News. Alpert has done horseback riding since childhood and is captain of the rugby team with goals of playing it in college, while Balsley was a double medalist in the CIF San Diego Section Track and Field Championship Finals and plays soccer and volleyball.

Alpert, who plays both running back and inside linebacker, wanted to play a team sport rather than the equine sport. She started playing football as a junior, using her rugby experience to play the physical game.

Balsley hadn’t planned on joining the boys football team, but she showed out during the Powderpuff game last year. She stepped up to punt and, as head coach Kurt Hines described to the Coronado News, “booted the heck out of a ball.” He offered her a spot on the football team.

They joined the football team and haven’t missed a beat.

Hines posted videos of their scoring plays from Friday:

So proud of them! pic.twitter.com/PvEWNSvZtO

— Coach Hines (@CoachKurtHines) September 23, 2023

Unfortunately, after the girls scored and got some notice on social media, Hines saw negative attention going their way. He posted a strong message to Twitter about the difficulty of being in the position to accomplish what they did, imploring the “keyboard warriors” to stop “hating on young women and young men.”

“Anyone that’s ever played the game understands how hard it is to get any points on the board,” he said. “If you find yourself hating on young women and young men on social media and you are an adult, you gotta figure something out.”

See his full message below:

PSA:

To all Jackwagon. keyboard warriors who are living in their mother’s basements, STOP hating on young men and young women who are doing great things! pic.twitter.com/JE1IaKznUJ

— Coach Hines (@CoachKurtHines) September 23, 2023

Given that Hines has been a coach for 26 years, it’s safe to say he has a pulse on the game and its nuances and challenges— so we’ll cede to his opinion on this subject.

Kicking is a rather thankless job. You’re expected to make the PATs. You’re expected to make most of the field goals. If you miss, people are upset, and if you make, the reaction is typically (with the exception of game-winners) more of a “that’s what was supposed to happen” in place of “excellent kick!”

One of the exceptions came with weekend when Keelan Anderson of Cheyenne South (Wy.) School stepped onto the field for a historic attempt.  He had drilled a field goal of 57 feet just weeks ago, but this was longer. This was for the Wyoming state record.

After two steps and a kick, the ball sailed 61 yards and just through the uprights to break the record that had stood since 1982, according to Matt Atencio of WyoSports.

Keelen Anderson drills it for. 61(!) yards out!!! That’s a Wyoming state record pic.twitter.com/KNOnjnjalz

— Matt Atencio (@MattAtencio5) September 23, 2023

On the sideline, the coaches went crazy, without worry that South was now trailing 49-9. Moments of accomplishment deserve celebration and jubilation. Looking beyond the rankings and recruiting, isn’t that what youth football is all about?

To put that the kick perspective, the ball sailed 183 feet to reach its destination. Only 14 times in NFL history has there been a longer field goal, and nine other times has an NFL field goal traveled 61 yards.

MaxPreps put together this excellent guide in 2020 that outlines the longest field goals of each state’s high school history. It is possible that some have become outdated since its publication, but for the sake of perspective, 24 other states had seen a field goal reach 61 yards.

Anderson has a 4.5-star kicker ranking on Kohl’s Kicking, and it’s easy to see why given as he has both tied and broken the Wyoming record in the month of September. Don’t be surprised if more universities start to look into the 5-foot-11, 150-pound kicker.

A Roundup of college football, men's and women's basketball, and other news stories from throughout the west.

The post ESPN bowl projections: UW to NC game, Oregon to Cotton, Fresno St to Peach appeared on SuperWest Sports.

A Roundup of college football, men's and women's basketball, and other news stories from throughout the west.

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A Roundup of college football, men's and women's basketball, and other news stories from throughout the west.

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A Roundup of college football, men's and women's basketball, and other news stories from throughout the west.

The post 12 statistics that have shaped the Mountain West football season so far appeared on SuperWest Sports.

A Roundup of college football, men's and women's basketball, and other news stories from throughout the west.

The post WSU receiver Lincoln Victor out ‘a couple weeks,’ says Jake Dickert appeared on SuperWest Sports.

America is home to several incredible sporting bodies that fans all around the globe follow closely. Included in these are the NBA (National Basketball Association), NFL (National Football League), MLB (Major League Baseball), and the NHL (National Hockey League).

In the USA, teams active in these bodies are often called franchises. And, as with any sport, some teams excel, while others fall far short of the glory they seek. Whichever case is true for a franchise, their fans typically cheer them on through thick and thin.

In some cases, however, even fans have a hard time justifying their support. This occurs when teams go through incredible losing runs. Other times, fans proudly proclaim their chosen team after a solid winning streak.

To separate the best from the worst (or possibly just the least lucky), here are the franchises from these sporting organisations that have the most and least wins.

The position of most championship wins in the NBA is held by two teams: the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. Both franchises have won 17 championship titles, with the Lakers being the only ones to win a championship consecutively across the last four decades.

As of the start of 2021, the Lakers had recorded a total of 3,888 wins. These comprise regular season, playoff, division titles, and championship wins. The Celtics, however, had only recorded 3,848 wins under the same categories and timeframe.

While this shows that the Lakers are (technically) the team with the highest number of wins, the Celtics became the first team to win a 17th championship in 2008.

When it comes to losing, no franchise in the NBA has done it as well as the Philadelphia 76ers. The team had recorded 2,853 losses by 2021 across regular season games and playoffs.

The only team coming close to the losses of the 76ers is the Sacramento Kings. This franchise has also raked up an astonishing number of losses: 2,716 by 2021. The Kings are also known for a losing streak that lasted 15 seasons.

The NFL comprises some of the most loyal fans and incredible franchises in sports today. However, no franchise is perhaps as supported or loved as the Green Day Packers. This could be why the team holds the title for most wins in the NFL and has some very high-earning players.

The team has won 834 games across season wins, playoffs, Super Bowls, championships, and division titles. Among these wins are four Super Bowl victories and 13 NFL Championships—more than any other franchise in history.

Aside from the Packers, the Chicago Bears hold the second most wins, with 817 by the start of 2021. Included in these are nine NFL Championships and a single Super Bowl win.

Unlike the Packers and Bears, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are certainly not a franchise you’ll consider winners. They have recorded 435 losses, including a 14-season losing streak. These consecutive losses are the longest losing streak in NFL history.

The next biggest losers second to the Buccaneers are the Detroit Lions. Recording 439 losses across regular seasons and playoffs, they have also suffered a losing streak of ten seasons—coming just behind the Buccaneers.

When it comes to Major League Baseball, no team stacks up to the New York Yankees. The franchise, which is known internationally and is regularly recommended by experts who have reviewed over 5,000 sites related to gambling, has an incredible track record.

The franchise recorded 10,709 wins across regular seasons, post-season, division, and World Series titles. Among these are 27 World Series titles, giving the team the most title wins in MLB history.

The San Francisco Giants, who technically have more overall wins at 11,345 across all games, come second based only on World Series titles. As of 2021, the team has eight titles and is tied with the Boston Red Socks.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the spectrum, the Philadelphia Phillies have accumulated over 11,150 losses. This shocking number makes them the team with the highest losses despite the fact they have also won two World Series titles and pennants.

Likewise, while the Atlanta Braves have claimed 17 pennants and three World Series titles, their total losses are just under 11,000. However, the team’s losses tend to come in waves, as they have never had a significant losing streak.

The NHL is home to some of the most formidable franchises in American sports, who put everything on the line to ensure their victories. Among these, none competes as hard as the Boston Bruins.

Winning a total of 3,506 games across seasons, playoffs, and championships by 2021, the Bruins are a force to be reckoned with. They also hold six Stanley Cup wins, tying them with the Chicago Blackhawks for the position of fourth most wins in the NHL.

Hot on their tails, the Detroit Red Wings also have an incredible number of wins. The Red Wings have recorded 3,443 victories. Of these, 11 have been Stanley Cup wins, making them the team with the third most wins in history.

On the other end of the scale we have the Arizona Coyotes, which have recorded more than 2,300 losses and have yet to win any major title. The team is known for their 18-game losing streak during the 2022/2023 season.

The Florida Panthers have fared only slightly better, registering total losses over the 1,500 mark. Like the Coyotes, they have never won any significant title other than an Eastern Conference title win in 1996. Their longest losing streak, in 1998, saw the franchise defeated 13 times before they finally turned things around.

The post Franchises with the most wins and losses appeared first on Franchise Sports.

Many towering skaters have played in the league, but who is the tallest NHL player ever?

For a sport that requires quick movements up and down the ice, it may be surprising to find out that there have been a handful of tall players who have excelled in the NHL.

Although the 10 tallest players in NHL history will not be regarded as the greatest players ever, some were able to impact the game for many years.

Andrej Sustr went undrafted in the 2013 NHL Draft before signing a professional contract with the Tampa Bay Lighting. Sustr has spent parts of eight seasons in the NHL, the majority of them with the Lightning. He has registered 69 points in 361 games played.

Sustr did not play in any NHL games during the 2022-23 season and was recently traded to the San Jose Sharks in the offseason. It is unclear whether the 32-year-old defenseman will stay in North America or head to Europe to finish his career.

Ben Bishop, the tallest goaltender to ever play in the league, played in over 400 games in the NHL during his 11-year career.

Bishop had three seasons where he collected at least 35 wins, all of which came while with the Tampa Bay Lighting. One of his best seasons came during the 2018-19 regular season, where he led the league in save percentage as a member of the Dallas Stars.

A 30-year-old defenseman from Toronto, Ontario, Jamie Oleksiak is one of the tallest active players in the NHL. He had his best season, collecting 25 points in 75 games, for the Seattle Kraken this past year.

Prior to being selected in the 2021 expansion draft by the Kraken, Oleksiak played for the Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins. The 14th overall pick in the 2011 draft has played over 500 games in his NHL career thus far.

Hal Gill had one of the longest NHL careers for someone his size, playing 1,108 games across 16 seasons. He spent the majority of his career with the Boston Bruins but also played for the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Penguins, Predators, and Flyers.

Gill played in over 100 postseason games, and in 2009 won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was also on the United States team that won the bronze medal in the 2004 Ice Hockey World Championships. Gill finished his NHL career with 36 goals and 184 points.

Vladimir Mihalik played the fewest NHL games of anyone on this list, appearing in just 15 games. Mihalik was drafted 30th overall in the 2005 NHL Draft but did not make his NHL debut until 2008.

During the 2008-09 season, he played just 11 games, finishing with three assists. He would go on to play four more games the following season before his NHL career came to an end. Mihalik currently plays in the highest-level hockey league in Slovakia at the age of 36.

Joe Finley was another player who had a short stint in the NHL. Despite being drafted 27th overall by the Washington Capitals in 2007, Finley would play just 21 games. His first five games came as a member of the Sabres, while the final 16 came with the Islanders.

Finley spent the majority of his hockey career playing in the AHL for various teams. After his final AHL season in 2015-16, Finley went to Finland to finish his career and retired three seasons later.

Elmer Soderblom is a 6’8” winger currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings. The 22-year-old was drafted in the sixth round by the Red Wings in 2019.

Soderblom made his NHL debut at the start of the 2022-23 season and scored five goals in 21 games. He spent the season splitting time between Detroit and the team’s AHL affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins.

John Scott made huge headlines in 2016 when he was voted by the fans to be in the All-Star Game. Scott ended up scoring two goals to help his Pacific Division team win the championship and was chosen as the most valuable player of the event.

Although he did not have immense speed or skill, Scott’s strength and physicality kept him in the league for eight seasons. He finished his career with 11 points in 286 games.

Tyler Myers has played over 900 games so far in the NHL. He began his career with the Buffalo Sabres, where he was coached by one of the best hockey coaches ever, Lindy Ruff.

Myers currently plays for the Vancouver Canucks and is entering the final year of a five-year, $30 million contract he signed with the team in 2019.

Zdeno Chara is the tallest NHL player ever, standing at 6’9”. Not only is Chara tall, but he was also a great player in the league for many years. He was the captain of the Boston Bruins for 14 seasons and went on to have a 24-year career in the NHL.

Chara won the James Norris Memorial Trophy, which is given to the league’s best defensemen, in 2009, and helped the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 2011. Chara was also the recipient of the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award for the 2010-11 season. He would go on to play 1,680 games throughout his career before retiring in 2022 at the age of 44 years old.

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It’s going to be quite challenging for football fans this year to determine the best linebackers in 2023. There are excellent players at that position throughout the league.

In fact, there are even a few of the best NFL linebackers currently that could end up being among the greatest linebackers in NFL history. These are the guys who have to play sideline to sideline, defending the pass and the run with equal efficiency.

In other words, most teams need to make sure they are well covered at this position, leading to a ton of competition when trying to think about the best linebackers in 2023. Unfortunately, we couldn’t mention all of the ones who warrant recognition.

However, we were able to whittle our list down to the 10 best linebackers in the NFL heading into the 2023 season.

For Bobby Wagner, age continues to be nothing more than a number. Despite missing out on the Pro Bowl last year, his career-high six sacks helped Wagner to earn All-Pro recognition for the ninth time in his illustrious career. He continues to play at such a high level that the Seahawks are bringing him back where he belongs this season after a one-year stint with the Rams.

Wagner is poised to lead a linebacker corps that has some serious talent. Even if his days of being the best linebacker in the league are over, Wagner is still one of the elite linebackers of his generation and still qualifies among the 10 best linebackers in 2023.

Even if Buffalo’s offense gets most of the attention for the team’s recent success, the Buffalo defense contributes as well, and Matt Milano is a big reason why. He’s been a key leader in the middle of the defense for a long time but finally got the recognition he deserves last season when he was named to the Pro Bowl and the First-Team All-Pro team.

The former fifth-round pick is still a little easy to overlook because he doesn’t put up a lot of flashy numbers. But his leadership skills and ability to play sideline to sideline are unquestioned. He also had three sacks in Buffalo’s two playoff games last season, doubling his output during the regular season. These are Milano’s prime years, so he should have another great season as the leader of the Buffalo defense in 2023.

While he’s one of the oldest starting linebackers in the NFL, Demario Davis also figures to be one of the best linebackers in 2023. The 34-year-old finally earned his first Pro Bowl selection last season. But he’s also been an All-Pro for the last four years and has been one of the league’s elite linebackers throughout his time in New Orleans.

Davis has started all but one game over the last decade, collecting at least 90 tackles in each of those seasons. He also has 36 career sacks, including a career-high 6.5 last year, which isn’t too bad for a middle linebacker. While his age remains a lingering question to some extent, Davis has shown no signs of slowing down just yet.

C.J. Mosley fell off the radar for a little while after signing with the Jets. He played just two total games in 2019 and 2020. But it’s safe to say that he’s back after amassing 326 total tackles over the past two seasons, including over 200 solo tackles.

After a three-year drought, Mosley got back to the Pro Bowl and back to receiving All-Pro honors in 2022. He’s now the leader of a defense that has a chance to be one of the best in the league this season, especially if Mosely can continue to play at a high level despite now being in his early 30s.

A flurry of injuries limited Shaquille Leonard to just three games last year. His absence was surely felt by the Colts. But he’s not someone who should be forgotten after one injury-plagued campaign.

This is a guy who led the league in tackles as a rookie and was a First-Team All-Pro in three of his first four seasons in the league. If he proves to be healthy in 2023, Leonard should have no problem reclaiming his status as one of the NFL’s elite middle linebackers.

All it took was leaving Chicago and joining the Ravens for Roquan Smith to finally get to the Pro Bowl and become a First-Team All-Pro in 2022. Despite splitting his season between the two teams last year, Smith posted career-highs in tackles, sacks, and even interceptions.

Now that he’s settled into Baltimore and has a long-term deal, Smith should be ready to enjoy one of the best seasons of his career in 2023.

He’s only 26, so he should be approaching the peak of his career this season.

Among middle linebackers in the NFL, they don’t get much better than Fred Warner. He’s been a First-Team All-Pro selection twice in the last three seasons.

It’s a mystery why he wasn’t selected for that same honor in 2021 when he amassed a career-high 137 tackles. In any event, he controlled the middle of the field for an outstanding San Francisco defense last year, collecting 130 tackles while also defending 10 passes and making two sacks. While the 49ers have plenty of talent on that side of the ball, Warner is the heartbeat of one of the best defenses in the NFL right now.

The Eagles struck gold when they signed Haason Reddick before the 2022 season. All he did for them was collect 16 sacks during the regular season and another 3.5 sacks over three playoff games. Despite playing for three different teams over the last three seasons, Reddick has tallied 39.5 sacks during that stretch, becoming one of the NFL’s elite pass rushers.

Somehow, he didn’t make his first Pro Bowl until last season. But the former first-round pick appears to have come into his own and is living up to his promise, which should make him one of the best linebackers in 2023.

Just one year removed from winning Defensive Player of the Year, T.J. Watt still qualifies as one of the top linebackers in the NFL. Injuries limited Watt to just 10 games and 5.5 sacks last season, but that figures to only be a temporary setback for him.

After all, this is a player who had at least 13 sacks in four consecutive seasons prior to last year, including the 2021 season when he set an NFL record with 22.5 sacks. He also led the league in sacks, tackles for loss, and quarterback hits in both 2020 and 2021. Assuming Watt is fully healthy in 2023, he should quickly get back to playing at an elite level and giving opposing quarterbacks nightmares.

It’d be impossible to list anybody but Micah Parsons as the best linebacker in the NFL right now. While he didn’t win Defensive Player of the Year honors last year as many thought he could following a spectacular rookie season, there was no drop-off in his game from Year 1 to Year 2.

Parsons had 13.5 sacks in 2022 after collecting 13 sacks as a rookie. He also recovered three fumbles last year, one of which he turned into a touchdown. For the season straight season, Parsons was named a Pro Bowler and a First-Team All-Pro selection. He’s still just 24 and set up for another monster season in 2023, making him one of the leading candidates to be NFL Defensive Player of the Year this season.

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It’s not a coincidence to see some teams that struggled to compete last year having several guys on the worst NBA contracts 2023-24 list. Teams that don’t spend smartly rarely fare well, and sometimes, they even need to get rid of valuable draft assets just to get those salaries off their books.

The new CBA pretty much punishes teams trying to stack several superstars, so teams will now think twice or thrice before spending big bucks on players who may not be worthy of those contracts.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at those players who have already managed to convince their respective teams to give them way more money than they should’ve gotten.

There’s a big chance that Deandre Ayton lives up to that contract, which is why he’s number 10 on this list. Simply put, it’s up to him to be the Phoenix Suns’ x-factor, embrace his role as a potential defensive anchor, and put in some effort on both ends of the glass.

Ayton has the potential to be a legit two-way star, and Frank Vogel has often brought the best out of his big men. The big question is whether he’ll be motivated enough after it was more than evident that he didn’t want to play there, at least not for coach Monty Williams.

It’s crazy to think that a player who should be making the veteran minimum is actually making $18.7 million to sit at the end of the bench, but that’s the case with Evan Fournier. Truth be told, it was hard to blame Tom Thibodeau for getting him out of the rotation.

Fournier makes a lot of money, yet he doesn’t play defense, create for others, or and is not an efficient scorer. His contract has been a liability for the New York Knicks for so long now, and they may need to attach a valuable draft pick to move him at this point.

Mike Conley has been a borderline all-star for the better part of his career, a respected veteran who has made his teammates better every time he’s been on the floor. But that doesn’t mean he should be making $24.3 million at this point in his career.

The Minnesota Timberwolves will need to make some tough decisions if they reach the midpoint in the season and they’re underperforming again. That could lead to a trade or a buyout, as other teams could be interested in him at the right price.

Jerami Grant just signed one of the most baffling and mind-boggling contracts in recent NBA history. The Portland Trail Blazers signed him to a five-year extension worth $160 million, and that’s after he had already turned down a four-year, $112 million contract.

There’s simply no way that Grant will be able to live up to that contract, and no one will absorb that deal if the Blazers want to trade him somewhere down the line. It’s not that he’s a bad player, but that’s a superstar money.

Kyle Lowry and the Miami Heat were a great fit on paper, but he’s mostly struggled since arriving in South Beach. Father Time may have caught up to him already, as he’s dealt with multiple injuries, and he’s not a prolific scorer anymore, either.

Lowry is a veteran, and he could and should still have a place and a role in this league. But that huge contract has been more of a liability than an actual asset for Pat Riley and the Heat since he arrived, and they’ve tried to move him multiple times already.

There’s a big chance that Tobias Harris‘ deal will go down as one of the ultimate worst contracts of all-time. Philadelphia 76ers fans have urged the team to try and move on from him way too many times already, but it’s been impossible.

Harris is by no means a scrub or a bad player. He’s durable and has had some big games, and he can contribute as a rebounder as well. But a guy making this kind of money should be a perennial All-Star and All-NBA player, and he’s never been either.

It’s getting usual to see Gordon Hayward‘s name when we discuss bad contracts. Once again, he’s got one of the worst NBA contracts in 2023-24, being signed for a whopping $31.5 million next season despite constantly missing time with a never-ending string of injuries.

Hayward was one of the league’s rising stars before all the injuries got to him. It’s a shame that his promising career got derailed by things he simply cannot control. Then again, he’s made more than a fair amount of cash over the years, so he may have no complaints.

There’s absolutely no doubt that Ben Simmons could be worth almost $38 million and even more. He’s got the potential to be a two-way superstar, one of the best defenders and playmakers in the game, and he’s still young and could have a long and successful career.

However, we’re talking about a guy who’s love for the game has been questioned multiple times. He can’t seem to stay healthy, and he’s still under contract for years, so his deal might turn out to be a major liability instead of an asset if he doesn’t get back to the floor soon.

If we talk about overpaid NBA players in 2024, then we have to talk about Fred VanVleet. Yes, he’s posted solid numbers over the past couple of years, but he’s done that while also taking a lot of shots on a losing team. He plays defense, but is he worth almost $41 million a year?

The Houston Rockets know he might not be good for long, so they included a way to get rid of him soon if things don’t work out in his first season. That alone speaks volumes of how potentially bad his contract could be. No hate to VanVleet, who’s a good player, but $41 million should get you more than ‘good.’

The Minnesota Timberwolves will spend a lot of luxury tax money, and they may not even make the playoffs next season. Pairing Rudy Gobert with Karl-Anthony Towns was a questionable gamble, and it didn’t exactly pay off in their first season together.

Gobert is the 13th-highest-paid player in the league, yet he cannot defend on the perimeter or score from beyond five feet. He’s an elite rim protector and rebounder, but the league is perimeter oriented and he’s gotten exposed in the playoffs every single year he’s been in the league.

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One factor that fans may not want to overlook ahead of the new NFL seasons is what teams will have the best offensive lines in 2023.

Unlike some of the other football positions, offensive linemen need to work as a unit in tandem with one another. It’s not always enough to have one or two good players at that position. The best teams in the NFL this year could be the teams with the best offensive lines in 2023.

But what teams have the best NFL offensive lines currently? This took a little bit of work because we had to consider things like depth, star power, and experience, not to mention the offensive lines that don’t commit a lot of penalties or fouls in football games.

Taking those factors into account, we came up with a ranking of the 10 offensive lines in the NFL heading into the 2023 season with the expectation that these could end up being some of the best teams in the league this season.

The quarterback situation might be unclear for the 49ers, but whoever plays that position should be well-protected. Left tackle Trent Williams is still the best in the business and anchors the entire line.

The rest of the line is still young, but Colton McKivitz and Jake Brendel have performed well enough to earn extensions with the team. Veteran Jon Feliciano is also around to provide depth, flexibility, and leadership.

Admittedly, the offensive line has been an issue for Denver in recent years, including last season when Russell Wilson was sacked a league-high 55 times. However, left tackle Garett Bolles to an injury in Week 5 explains some of the team’s struggles.

The Broncos also threw some money at the problem this offseason, signing Ben Powers at left guard and Mike McGlinchey at right tackle. With those two on board and Bolles healthy, they are in much better shape. If youngsters Quinn Meinerz and Lloyd Cushenberry can take a step forward, Denver’s offensive line has the potential to be something special.

The Ravens better have one of the best offensive lines in 2023 if they want to keep the highest-paid player in football on his feet. Fortunately, center Tyler Linderbaum had a great rookie season after being selected in the first round of last year’s draft. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley is a former Pro Bowler while Morgan Moses is solid at right tackle.

Even if the Ravens lack elite talent, they are solid at the three most important positions. Likewise, Kevin Zeitler gives them an experienced guard next to Moses on the right side. Baltimore also has good depth on the line, although left guard remains a question mark heading into the season.

Even if they’re no longer protecting Aaron Rodgers, the Packers still have a talented offensive line. David Bakhtiari’s resume speaks for itself, he just needs to stay healthy.

The Packers have also used a lot of draft capital on the offensive line in recent years. Left guard Elgton Jenkins has been to the Pro Bowl twice in the last three years, so that side of the line is in excellent shape. Green Bay also has talented pieces with Josh Myers, Jon Runyan, Zach Tom, and Sean Rhyan to fill out the rest of the line.

With such a valuable commodity at quarterback, the Chiefs need to be strong up front. While they lost Orlando Brown Jr. at left tackle in free agency, they replaced him with Donovan Smith, who is also a Super Bowl champ and has over 120 career starts.

The left side of the line also includes Joe Thuney and Creed Humphrey, who were both Pro Bowlers last year. Meanwhile, right guard Trey Smith is starting to come along while the Chiefs paid big money to right tackle Jawaan Taylor to solidify an offensive line that was a huge liability just a couple of years ago.

Thanks to one of the top offensive lines in the NFL, Nick Chubb has been able to run wild in recent years. That’s probably not going to change for the Browns in 2023.

Right tackle Jack Conklin is an above-average performer while left guard Joel Bitonio is among the best linemen in the league right now. Right guard Wyatt Teller is nearly as good, going to the Pro Bowl in back-to-back seasons.

The Browns also seem to have a keeper at center with Ethan Pocic getting an extension earlier this year. Finally, at the all-important left tackle position, the Browns have former top-10 pick Jedrick Wills, who is starting to gel with the rest of the unit.

The Cowboys always seem to have a talented offensive line, and the 2023 season will be no different. Left tackle Tyron Smith and right guard Zack Martin have a combined 16 Pro Bowl selections. Center Tyler Biadasz also earned his first Pro Bowl selection last year.

Of course, the Cowboys also have high expectations for left guard Tyler Smith, their first-round pick in 2022. Obviously, age is starting to become a concern for Martin and Tyron Smith. But the Cowboys have dedicated several draft picks over the past couple of years to the offensive line, so they have plenty of depth.

Detroit’s success in 2022 was partly because of a strong offensive line. When he’s been healthy, Taylor Decker has been one of the most reliable left tackles in the NFL and boasts nearly 100 career starts. At the other tackle position, Penei Sewell is a budding star, as the seventh overall pick in the 2021 Draft went to the Pro Bowl last year.

Meanwhile, center Frank Ragnow, another former first-round pick, has been to the Pro Bowl twice in the last three seasons. The Lions have also done a good job of building depth among the interior positions of their offensive line to strengthen that unit even more.

While the Falcons face a lot of questions heading into the new season, they should have one of the best offensive lines in 2023. Atlanta has three first-round picks projected to start in left tackle Jake Matthews, right guard Chris Lindstrom, and right tackle Kaleb McGary.

Both Matthews and McGary are rock solid on the outside while Lindstrom is one of the best in the NFL at his position. Even rookie Matthew Bergeron was a second-round pick with first-round potential. He played left tackle in college at Syracuse and should be an asset right away at guard.

With center Drew Dalman entering his third season in the league, the Falcons should be able to push people around up front.

The Eagles have set a great example for other teams to follow when it comes to building a strong offensive line. They have veterans Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce at right tackle and center, respectively. Those two provide a lot of experience and leadership but both are also coming off one of their best seasons, which is a big reason why Philadelphia went to the Super Bowl last year.

The Eagles also hit the jackpot in the seventh round a few years ago when they drafted Jordan Mailata, who is now one of the best left tackles in the league. It’s at the guard positions where the Eagles are a little younger but still have tons of talent. Landon Dickerson was an All-American in college and is coming off his first Pro Bowl selection in his second year in the league. Philly has another former Alabama lineman at right guard in rookie Anthony Steen.

Obviously, he’s far from a sure thing. But since the Eagles have above-average players at the other four offensive line positions, they can roll the dice with a rookie and still have the best offensive line in the NFL.

The post 10 best offensive lines in the NFL in 2023 appeared first on Franchise Sports.

Even though it’s often overlooked compared to the other football positions, we thought it was important to look at the best offensive linemen in 2023 before the start of a new NFL season.

Obviously, this is a largely thankless position with offensive linemen taking the blame when something goes wrong but getting little credit when they do their job. That gave us even more reason to take a closer look at the top offensive linemen in the NFL. 

But who are the best NFL offensive linemen currently? That’s not an easy question to answer because there are so many great linemen in the league right now, including a few guys who will likely be considered among the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history one day.

We took a close look at our options and came up with a list of the 10 best offensive linemen in 2023.

There were definitely some growing pains for Andrew Thomas early in his career. A couple of minor injuries have tripped him up along the way too.

However, he’s coming off a breakout season, announcing himself as one of the best young tackles in the NFL. Outside of Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley, he might be the most important player the Giants have on offense. Thomas was a Second-Team All-Pro last year and is still only 24. There is a chance he has an even better season in 2023.

As a rookie, Tristan Wirfs played a key role in helping the Buccaneers win the Super Bowl. Since then, he’s continued to prove himself to be one of the best young offensive tackles in the NFL.

Wirfs has earned a Pro Bowl invitation and All-Pro selections in each of the past two seasons. When he got hurt late last season and missed Tampa’s playoff game, the Bucs undoubtedly missed his presence. But as long as he’s healthy in 2023, Wirfs should continue to perform at a high level and be one of the best offensive tackles in the league.

Unfortunately, Quenton Nelson is coming off a down year in 2022. While he still went to the Pro Bowl, last year was the first time in his career that he wasn’t named an All-Pro. To be fair, he played on a bad team in Indianapolis last season, so it was hard for him to stand out.

However, Nelson is still the highest-paid guard in the NFL and should have no problem bouncing back in 2023. He’s definitely not someone you want to bet against.

For most fans, Chris Lindstrom is a newcomer among the NFL’s elite offensive linemen. He was drafted in 2019 and has gotten a little lost in the shuffle while playing for the underachieving Falcons throughout his career. But after going to the Pro Bowl and being a Second-Team All-Pro selection last year, Lindstrom is on the radar.

He’s played well enough for the Falcons to give him a five-year, $105 million extension earlier this year. Lindstrom figures to anchor Atlanta’s offensive line for a long time, and as long as he can live up to that contract, he’ll be among the NFL’s top offensive linemen in 2023 and beyond. 

Even if he’ll be 36 by the end of the season, Jason Kelce still looks like he’ll be one of the best offensive linemen in 2023. He certainly holds the title of the best center in the NFL after being a First-Team All-Pro selection in back-to-back seasons and five of the last six years.

For a guy who has mulled retirement in recent years, Kelce is still performing at a high level. It’s no surprise that the Eagles ended up having such a great season in 2022 with someone like Kelce anchoring the offensive line. With 176 games under his belt, he’s still going strong and among the elite offensive linemen in the NFL.

On the heels of his fifth straight trip to the Pro Bowl last season, Joel Bitonio is undoubtedly among the top offensive linemen in the NFL heading into the season. After all, who do you think is helping to pave the way for Nick Chubb and Cleveland’s potent rushing attack?

Bitonio has played a key role in the Browns being able to run the ball so effectively in recent years. He’s also been an All-Pro in five straight years, including First-Team selections in back-to-back years. With Bitonio still in his prime, he’ll be among the NFL’s best offensive linemen this year.

For nearly a decade, Zack Martin has been a key factor on one of the best offensive lines in football. He’s entering his 10th season with the Cowboys and is still among the best interior offensive linemen in the game. Over his first nine seasons, Martin has been to eight Pro Bowls and been a First-Team All-Pro six times.

In fact, Martin has been a First-Team All-Pro selection in four of the last five seasons. Even in his 30s, Martin is maintaining a high level of play and continues to be a big reason why the Cowboys have such a strong offensive line year after year.

It’s taken a little bit of time, but Laremy Tunsil has finally worked his way among the best offensive linemen in the NFL. He had some struggles early in his career with the Dolphins. However, Tunsil has taken his game to another level since being traded to the Texans.

He’s become a bright spot during Houston’s rebuilding process, earning a Pro Bowl invitation three times in the last four seasons. Even after a thumb injury limited him to just five games in 2021, Tunsil bounced back and had another dominant year in 2022. He looks to be in his prime right now and is poised for another good season in 2023.

Age doesn’t seem to be much of an issue for Lane Johnson, who should be one of the top offensive linemen in 2023. A year ago, Johnson earned his fourth Pro Bowl selection and returned to the First-Team All-Pro for the first time since 2017. Needless to say, he was a huge part of helping the Eagles get to the Super Bowl, helping to lead a strong rushing attack and keep Jalen Hurts protected.

Late in the 2022 season, Johnson set a new NFL record by going 26 consecutive games without allowing a sack. That record says everything you need to know about how good Johnson is at this stage in his career.

For a long time, Trent Williams has been one of the top offensive linemen in the NFL, and that’s not going to change in 2023. To be fair, he’ll be 35 at the start of the 2023 season. But Williams has also been a First-Team All-Pro in each of the past two seasons on top of going to the Pro Bowl in 10 of the last 11 years.

There’s been no decline in his performance even after 163 career games. Obviously, Williams was ejected from the NFC Championship Game the last time he was on the field. But that should just inspire him to come back and have another great season in 2023 while helping the 49ers return to the promised land.

The post 2023 NFL player rankings: Offensive linemen appeared first on Franchise Sports.

Who are the highest paid NFL players in 2023? Over this past offseason, some of the biggest contracts in NFL history were signed, leading to some changes in the highest paid NFL players in 2023 compared to last year.

That could lead to some surprises when it comes to the top NFL salaries currently. After all, the best players don’t always make the most money.

Of course, with the highest-paid NFL players in 2023, teams usually don’t have to worry about using the franchise tag. On the other hand, if these players don’t work out, it could result in one of the largest NFL cap hits ever.

But putting all of that aside for a minute, let’s countdown the players who are set to make the most money in the NFL during the 2023 season.

The Rams giving Matthew Stafford a four-year, $160 million extension before last season might be the perfect example of a team paying a player for his past accomplishments rather than his future promise. Stafford surely deserves to be compensated by the Rams for winning that Super Bowl. But even before he got hurt last year, he showed that he’s not a $40 million quarterback anymore.

The Rams were just 3-6 in his games last year. Even the year they won the Super Bowl, Stafford led the league in interceptions. He might have won it all two seasons ago, but the Rams are still paying a turnover-prone quarterback a lot of money in 2023.

A year ago, it seemed impossible that Daniel Jones would one day rank among the 10 highest-paid NFL players. Frankly, it’s still hard to understand how he can be making $40 million per season.

Even if he helped the Giants win a playoff game last year, Jones only had 15 touchdown passes. To his credit, Jones has reduced his turnovers and become a competent game manager who can make plays with his legs. But that’s not exactly the type of quarterback who warrants this kind of salary.

If he could just stay healthy, Dak Prescott would probably be worth his $40 million salary. He missed five games last year and played in just five games during the 2020 season.

Of course, even in 12 games last year, Prescott still led the NFL with 15 interceptions. In his defense, Stafford wasn’t around to play a full season either. When he’s at his best, Prescott earns his $40 million salary. But the Cowboys know all too well that’s not always the case.

With the six-year extension that Josh Allen got before the 2021 season, he’s set to make $43 million this year. For a player who was so lightly recruited out of high school, it’s probably far more than he ever expected to make as a professional athlete.

Of course, if Allen can deliver a Super Bowl win to the Bills, folks in Buffalo will look at his salary as a bargain. His contract runs through the 2028 season, although given how good Allen has been, even Bills fans are starting to get impatient.

It’s crazy to think that Patrick Mahomes is only the seventh-highest-paid player in the NFL this season. He’s undoubtedly the best player in the league and is a two-time MVP and two-time Super Bowl winner.

However, Mahomes is the only player on this list who got a 10-year contract. The whole contract could be worth as much as $503 million when all is said and done, so the annual salary Mahomes makes isn’t that big of a deal.

This is probably the year we found out for sure if Cleveland’s investment in Deshaun Watson was worth it or not. Remember that the Browns gave up three first-round picks for Watson and then gave him a five-year, $230 million contract.

While it’s been surpassed several times over, it was the largest contract and most guaranteed money in league history at the time. After sitting out a year and a half and going through off-field issues brought on by himself, Watson didn’t look like he was worth $46 million in 2022. The Browns can only hope that changes in 2023 and beyond.

It’s safe to say that the Cardinals didn’t get their money’s worth from Kyler Murray last year, and they probably won’t get it again this year. Murray was just 3-8 before a torn ACL sidelined him for the rest of the season.

It’s now unlikely that he’ll be able to play a full season in 2023. But after signing a five-year, $230.5 million deal prior to the 2022 season, Murray is still Arizona’s long-term quarterback, which means they won’t have to rush him back from his injury, especially since the Cardinals aren’t set up for success this year, even if Murray were healthy.

He was so bad in 2022 that it’s almost easy to forget that Russell Wilson has one of the top NFL salaries currently. At this time last year, the Broncos had just signed Wilson to a five-year, $245 million contract, believing he was the last piece of the puzzle that could deliver them another Super Bowl win.

Unfortunately, Wilson’s first season in Denver was a disaster from Week 1. The silver lining of his contract is that Wilson still has a few years to turn things around and put that season behind him. But if that doesn’t happen, this could end up becoming one of the worst contracts in professional sports.

As a four-time MVP, Aaron Rodgers better be one of the highest-paid NFL players in 2023. His salary is part of a three-year, $150.8 million deal he signed prior to the 2022 season.

Just like the players ahead of him on this list, Rodgers was at one point the highest-paid player in league history in terms of annual income. Of course, it’ll be the Jets who are paying Rodgers in 2023. Between his new team, his salary, and his track record, Rodgers is arguably under more pressure than any other player in 2023.

After a brilliant 2022 season that ended with a trip to the Super Bowl, the Eagles had little choice but to give Jalen Hurts a big-money extension. Hurts got a five-year deal worth $255 million.

At the time, it was the biggest annual salary ever given to an NFL player, although that record didn’t last long. Of course, $51 million is still a ton of money for a player who has only been in the league for three seasons and was a second-round pick. The Eagles also made Hurts the first player in franchise history to receive a no-trade clause, meaning the Eagles are committing their future to him.

For a while, it looked like Lamar Jackson might not even play for the Ravens in 2023. After Baltimore slapped the franchise tag on him, Jackson requested a trade after long-held negotiations failed to accomplish anything.

However, the two sides finally agreed to terms in late April with Jackson receiving a five-year, $260 million deal. That means Jackson is making $52 million per season, making him the highest-paid player in league history.

Jackson had the fortune of signing his contract less than two weeks after Hurts signed his new deal, allowing the former MVP to one-up Hurts and earn a little more money. The only question is how long Jackson will remain the highest-paid player in the NFL.

The post 11 highest-paid NFL players in the 2023 season appeared first on Franchise Sports.

For fans preparing for the upcoming NFL season, it’s important not to forget about the best kickers in 2023. We often think that NFL games come down to quarterback play or winning in the trenches.

Surely, there are football positions more important than kicker. But countless NFL games every year are decided by a field goal or less, meaning kickers often play a pivotal role in winning and losing games.

In other words, the top kickers in the NFL are a huge asset for their teams. But who are the best NFL kickers right now? Well, there tends to be a lot of fluctuation from one year to the next when it comes to the top kickers in the NFL. While it wasn’t easy, we came up with a preseason ranking of the 10 best kickers in 2023.

Even at age 36, Graham Gano still qualifies as one of the NFL’s best kickers. He’s come back strong and aged like a fine wine since missing the entire 2019 season due to injury.

Gano connected on 31 of 32 field goals in 2020 and 29 of 32 last season. He’s kicked in the NFL for 13 seasons and made close to 85% of his field goals. With just four PAT misses over the last three seasons, Gano has proven that he’s still very much at the top of his game.

As the NFL’s reigning scoring leader, Jason Myers certainly belongs among the league’s top kickers heading into 2023. Myers also made the Pro Bowl last season and was an underrated factor in Seattle’s surprising run to the playoffs.

Earlier this year, the Seahawks rewarded him with a four-year extension, cementing his future in Seattle. For his career, Myers is hitting nearly 86% of his field goals, which is no small feat for a kicker who’s been in the NFL for nearly a decade.

Kicking in Buffalo isn’t an easy job. There is usually wind and rain, sometimes snow. But that’s why it’s even more impressive to see Tyler Bass become one of the NFL’s best kickers during the early part of his career.

In three seasons with the Bills, Bass has made nearly 86% of his field goals, convincing the Bills to give him a four-year extension earlier this year. Even during his rookie season in 2022, Bass showed an ability to fight against the strong Buffalo winds and handle the pressure of kicking for a team with championship aspirations, making him one of the best kickers in the league right now.

Just a few years ago, Jake Elliott made less than 75% of his field goals, making his future in the NFL a little uncertain. But he responded to that by going to the Pro Bowl in 2021 and helping the Eagles reach the Super Bowl last season.

He’s turned things around in a big way and could be considered among the best kickers in the league right now. Keep in mind that Elliott was a rookie with the Eagles when they won the Super Bowl in 2017. He’s also a perfect 15 for 15 on field goals in the playoffs, making him a kicker the Eagles can trust while they chase another Super Bowl in 2023.

If he didn’t play for the Falcons, it’s possible that Younghoe Koo would get a lot more credit and publicity for being one of the NFL’s best kickers. To his credit, he still managed to lead the NFL in points in 2020 and made more than 90% of his field goals in 2020 and 2021.

Even if his accuracy dropped a little last season, Koo has still made 89% of his field goals in his career. He’s even 20 for 25 on field goals over 50 yards, showing plenty of range. Plus, Koo has only missed two PATs over the last two seasons, as he almost always makes the kicks that he’s supposed to make.

Matt Gay set an NFL record this offseason for the largest free-agent contract ever given to a kicker. He was a Pro Bowler and arguably the top kicker in the league two years ago when he helped the Rams win the Super Bowl. Last year, he made over 90% of his field goals and missed just one PAT for the second straight year.

That allowed Gay to land a four-year, $22.5 million deal from the Colts this past offseason. Obviously, expectations are high for him now that he’s signed a big contract. But there’s no reason to think that Gay won’t continue to excel in Indy.

The Vikings must be kicking themselves (pun intended) for releasing Daniel Carlson just two games into his rookie season. The Raiders have given him a fair chance and been rewarded, as he’s blossomed into one of the NFL’s top kickers. Carlson has led the league in points twice in the last three seasons while making 88% of his career field goal attempts.

He only missed one PAT and three field goals in 2022, setting up Carlson to be among the best kickers in 2023 once again. He’s already proven that he can handle the pressure of big moments, which is why the Raiders have made him one of the highest-paid kickers in the league.

The Chiefs have won two of the last four Super Bowls thanks to some big-time kicks from Harrison Butker. When the Chiefs have had close games, he usually delivers. Oddly enough, Butker took a slight step backward in 2022, only converting 75% of his field goals during the regular season. But he obviously didn’t hold back the Chiefs during the playoffs.

Plus, Butker is hitting over 88% of his field goals during his career and also led the NFL in points in 2019. Also, don’t forget that he had the NFL’s longest field goal last season, hitting from 62 yards. There’s no reason to think he won’t be one of the best kickers in 2023 and able to come through for the Chiefs when they need him.

After just two seasons in the league, Evan McPherson has already made it clear that he’s one of the NFL’s best kickers. Don’t think that Cincinnati’s recent success isn’t at least somewhat tied to McPherson, who has already come up with some huge kicks for the Bengals, including going 19 for 19 on field goals and 12 for 13 on PATs during the playoffs.

Over his first two seasons, McPherson has converted 84% of his field goals, so there is still some room for improvement. But he’s handled the pressure of being a placekicker in the NFL far better than most young kickers in the history of the game, which is why his future in the league is so promising.

There is already a strong argument that Justin Tucker is one of the greatest kickers in NFL history, so there is no question he’s the best kicker in the game heading into the 2023 season. He currently owns the all-time record for field goal percentage, making over 90% of his field goals, and the longest field goal in NFL history at 66 yards.

There is nobody more reliable at kicking field goals or more capable of hitting field goals from long range. It’s why Tucker has been a First-Team All-Pro selection four times in the last seven years and a Second-Team selection in the other three years during that span.

He’s a virtual lock to make the Pro Bowl every year and a virtual lock on PATs, missing just five of them over the last five years since the distance was moved back. No other kicker in the game can claim that, which is why Tucker still stands alone as the best kicker in the NFL.

The post 2023 NFL player rankings: Kickers appeared first on Franchise Sports.

Just like any other year, there will be a lot of competition when it comes to the best cornerbacks in 2023.

It’s a position that seems to attract players with big egos who take pride in being the best. That’s at least part of the reason why it’s hard to distinguish between the top cornerbacks in the NFL year after year.

Who are the best NFL cornerbacks currently? Well, we created a long list of contenders before narrowing it down to the top 10.

Of course, we know there is a lot of room for debate among the corners on this list. But here is our list of the 10 best cornerbacks in 2023.

It’s no coincidence that Charvarius Ward played for one of the best defensive teams in the NFL last season after signing with the 49ers. Of course, the San Francisco defense would have been good without him, but Ward clearly helped take the 49ers to a new level with his coverage skills.

He’s obviously not one of the highest-paid corners in the league, nor does he have the resume of the other top corners in the league. But he was an underrated part of Kansas City’s success for several years and has continued to excel with the 49ers, which is why Ward deserves to be mentioned among the NFL’s top corners.

Despite becoming something of a scapegoat in the Super Bowl last season, James Bradberry still needs to be mentioned among the best corners in the NFL right now. Keep in mind he was a Second-Team All-Pro last year, playing a pivotal role in helping the Eagles get to the Super Bowl in the first place.

That controversial penalty in the Super Bowl aside, the Eagles knew what they had in Bradberry, which is why he got an extension this offseason. He should be ready to put that penalty behind him and have another strong season in 2023.

More than a decade into his career, Stephon Gilmore refuses to go away. Now with the Cowboys, Gilmore will be playing for his fourth different team in four years this season. Yet, he still figures to be one of the best cornerbacks in 2023.

Gilmore missed some time in 2020 and 2021, but he came back strong in 2022, playing 16 games for the Colts with two interceptions and 11 defended passes. As a five-time Pro Bowler, Gilmore brings a wealth of experience to the table that few corners in the league can match. Keep in mind that he’s still only a few years removed from being the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2019, so there is still every reason to believe Gilmore belongs among the top corners in the NFL.

Teams finally figured out not to throw the ball toward Trevon Diggs last season after he collected 11 interceptions in 2021. Of course, Diggs still had three picks and 14 defended passes in 2022 on his way to being named to the Pro Bowl for the second straight season.

It seems like Diggs has been around a lot longer than he has, but he only has three seasons under his belt. That means he should be entering his prime years and is poised for another impressive campaign in 2023.

It’s a little tempting to forget about Marshon Lattimore after a kidney injury limited him to seven games last season. But there’s no reason to think that he’s not capable of getting back to the same level he was before the injury.

After all, Lattimore has been to four of the last six Pro Bowls and is just two years removed from signing a $97.8 million extension with the Saints. When he was fully healthy two years ago, Lattimore collected 19 defended passes and averaged close to 15 defended passes per year during the first five seasons of his career. He’s very much in his prime right now and Lattimore should prove that in 2023.

For a long time, Darius Slay has been one of the best corners in the NFL. He’s gone to five of the last six Pro Bowls and played a huge role in Philadelphia’s success last season. Slay is good for at least a couple of interceptions every year and impressed with 14 defended passes in 2022.

Even in his early 30s, Slay is showing no signs of aging and will continue to be among the NFL’s elite at his position in 2023.

Coming off an injury-plagued 2021 season, Jaire Alexander proved last season that he’s still among the elite cornerbacks in football. There is also little doubt that he’ll be one of the best cornerbacks in 2023 if he can stay healthy.

Alexander finished last season with a career-high five interceptions and 14 defended passes, making teams pay for thinking he had lost a step after his injuries in 2021. Obviously, he was left off the All-Pro Team in 2021 because of the injuries. But Alexander quickly got back to that level last year and should have no problem maintaining that level this season and beyond. 

As the son of a three-time Pro Bowler, Patrick Surtain II has a lot of work to do get out of his father’s shadow. However, he’s well on his way to doing that just two seasons into his career.

Surtain has already amassed 24 pass deflections and six interceptions over two seasons, earning First-Team All-Pro honors last year. He looks the part of a top-flight cornerback with his size and physicality, which is why Surtain played such a big role on a great Denver defense last year. We’re expecting more of the same from him in 2023, especially since he’s only 23 and should have his best years ahead of him.

There’s little doubt that Jalen Ramsey will go down among the greatest cornerbacks in NFL history. He’s been to six straight Pro Bowls, helped the Rams win a Super Bowl, and is also the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history. Obviously, Ramsey’s track record speaks for itself. But he’s still only 28 and very much in his prime right now.

Being traded to the Dolphins in March means a change of scenery and some new challenges for Ramsey. However, playing with a new team should give Ramsey a lot to prove in 2023, which is why he still figures to be among the elite corners in the league this year.

After just one season, it’s not a stretch to call Sauce Gardner the best cornerback in the NFL. Not only did he win Defensive Rookie of the Year honors last year but he was also a Pro Bowler and a First-Team All-Pro. That’s what happens when you lead the league in defended passes with 20. Gardner stepped out of college and immediately played at an elite level. He has a chance to be even better in 2023 now that he has a year of experience under his belt.

It’ll be interesting to see if teams are cognizant of avoiding him this season. But even if they don’t, it’s clear that Garner is up for the challenge and figures to be one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL for a long time.

The post 2023 NFL player rankings: Cornerbacks appeared first on Franchise Sports.

Throughout the annals of Major League Soccer, there have been some fabulous teams who’ve gone on to win the MLS Cup and etch their name in American Soccer history. But today, we’re looking at the complete opposite as we list 10 of the worst teams to have played in the division. It’s nothing personal, however, as they were just so bad they were the worst MLS teams of all time.

So, these clubs sort of earned a spot in the history books too, albeit through unwanted history.

Ok, so some of the earlier teams from Major League Soccer infancy get the recognition that with fewer teams and fewer fixtures, there were only so many chances to get points on the board.

However, in 2020 FC Cincinnati couldn’t argue that case. There were 25 other teams to try to defeat yet this team, managed by Jaap Stam, couldn’t get going. They amassed a total of 16 points as they comfortably finished last in the overall standings.

Long before Inter Miami CF and Orlando City there was the Tampa Bay Mutiny. The team was famous for winning the inaugural 1996 Major League Soccer season and even signing the iconic Carlos Valderrama, one of the greatest MLS players, shortly after.

However, the new millennium wasn’t kind to the Mutiny as the team won just four games in the 2001 season and finished with 14 points. Subsequently, the owners didn’t want to keep the club (amid financial issues) and after they couldn’t sell it to any potential suitor, they ceased playing in the league altogether.

Another one of the lowest MLS points totals sits with the MetroStars. The team that would become the New York Red Bulls struggled in 1999 as they couldn’t replace the departing Giovanni Savarese.

This led to just four wins in the season, culminating in a lowly 15-point tally.

Guadalajara, a team from Mexico, thought it would be a good idea to have a splinter cell team in California. Thinking that a team north of the border would benefit all parties.

For most of their existence, Chivas USA showed up on multiple articles lists of naming and shaming bad MLS teams.

It started on a bad note as their inaugural season in 2005 saw them finish rock bottom of both the conference and overall standings with just 18 points. While they stuck at it, the team eventually folded after the 2014 season.

A few years before re-branding to the FC Dallas name, Dallas Burn endured a scolding season in which every opponent seemed to get the better of them. The Burn was so bad that almost every other team in the Western Conference finished with a positive goal difference because the Burn conceded very heavily. Ouch!

They ended up with -29 and rock bottom in the standings. The LA Galaxy finished one place above them but with a 0 goal difference. Yowza, that’s the ultimate worst MLS team of all time contention.

The season before Thierry Henry joined the New York Red Bulls was a tragic old year for the franchise. The team endured a 13-game winless run which included six defeats in a row as they became the definition of a bad MLS team.

They needed a talismanic striker as they also finished the 2009 season as the team with the fewest amount of goals with just 27 scored in 30 games.

Well before Wayne Rooney dreamed of relocating to America, DC United was out there at RFK Stadium, struggling.

The 2010 season was a poor year all round in the league as the team finished bottom of Major League Soccer but surprisingly made it to the semi-finals of the US Open Cup.

Three years on, DC United wasn’t much better off. Still playing their football at the dreadful RFK, the team didn’t have much to cheer as they finished bottom of all 19 clubs, again.

Supporters did however get to see MLS icon Dwayne De Rosario score eight goals for the club, however.

Hang on, isn’t Toronto supposed to be one of the best teams in MLS history? That’s what attracted the superstars to Canada in 2023. Well, yes they won the 2017 MLS Cup. But five years before they were performing like one of the worst MLS teams of all time.

The team started the season poorly, losing its first nine games and ended pretty badly too with no win in its last 14, winning just four matches between the two ends of the campaign. Torsten Frings, a former German international, was supposed to star in this team but seldom changed the proceedings.

The San Jose Earthquakes endured a torrid season in which they struggled to keep pace with all of the other teams in both the Western Conference and wider Major League Soccer.

Despite Valeri Qazaishvili and Chris Wondolowski scoring 10 goals each, the team still won a lowly four games all season (from a 34-game season), accumulating a somber 21-point tally.

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