We have a message for those on Yardbarker's "Hall, No!" list, Tier 5 of our Hall of Fame project in which we rank worthy, active athletes in four major sports: Good job! But not great job. Only the best of the best belong in the Hall of Fame. This isn't the Hockey Hall of Fame, after all. ( Athletes on tiers 1 through 4 are here .) Seattle right-hander Felix Fernandez, now in his 15th season in the big leagues, is among 59 athletes on Tier 5. He produced tremendous numbers early in his career for some awful Mariners teams. His 2.27 ERA for a 59-win team in 2010 is something to behold. But an athlete must have sustained excellence to earn Hall of Fame consideration. Hernandez has slumped the past four seasons, preventing him from earning a spot on a higher Yardbarker tier. For Tier 5 athletes whose careers have not yet played out   hey, Rudy Gobert and Bradley Beal!   we also have a message: There's hope! But you must produce numbers above what your current production indicates you're capable of. In other words, start kicking ass pronto. (REMEMBER: We only considered athletes with four years' service in their league .) TIER 5: HALL, NO! MLB (14) RYAN BRAUN, Milwaukee Brewers: Drove in the fourth-most runs of any player over his first six seasons in the past 50 years (643). Then that PEDs thing happened. Since then, career batting splits are .277/.338/.486 and has only driven in 90 runs once. Forget Cooperstown. NELSON CRUZ, Minnesota Twins: Yes, he's hit more home runs than any player since 2014 (219). But his 376 career homers put him only 13th among players with at least 500 games as a DH. Hall of Famer? Nah. FREDDIE FREEMAN, Atlanta Braves: Freeman has enjoyed a steadily productive career, owning a .294/.379/.504 career split line, with over 200 home runs. However, solid consistency rarely equals Hall of Fame induction for players at the offensively elite position of first base. He's 29, so there's time to move up. But he must produce. A lot. COLE HAMELS, Chicago Cubs: He has some eye-popping achievements: more than 2,500 strikeouts, 2008 World Series MVP. He also pitched in tough-luck situations in Philly and Texas. Since 2013, he has had records of .500 or worse in three different seasons. FELIX HERNANDEZ, Seattle Mariners: Who can forget that 113-pitch perfect game in 2012 and that 19-5 record in 2009? After a dominant start to his career, however, King Felix has pitched his way out of Cooperstown consideration in recent years. KENLEY JANSEN, Los Angeles Dodgers: His 291 saves and 869 strikeouts are the second most in the game for reliever since 2010. The true test for Jansen will be durability, as he has pitched more innings than other closer in the game since 2010, and he has dipped slightly in efficiency the past two seasons. COREY KLUBER, Cleveland Indians: Has two Cy Youngs and a winning percentage (.628) and ERA (3.16) you have to like. But he doesn't have 100 wins yet, and he's 33. The starting pitcher with fewest career wins in Hall? Addie Joss, who won 160 games before his career ended at age 30. JON LESTER, Chicago Cubs: While his resume is a well-rounded  with nearly 200 regular-season wins, nine more in the postseason and a no-hitter   the lack of individual highs (no 20-win seasons, one top- three finish in Cy Young Award voting) works against him. EVAN LONGORIA, San Francisco Giants: Elected an All-Star in each of his first three seasons, when he played in Tampa. But he leveled off during his mid-20s, never producing a WAR north of 3.9 after turning 28. Severe downturn since being traded to Giants in 2018 costs him consideration for Hall. ANDREW McCUTCHEN, Philadelphia Phillies: Was one of most dynamic players in the game at his peak. One of six players in past 20 years with multiple seasons of scoring 90 runs, stealing 20 bases, totaling 290 bases or more along with a .400 on-base percentage. But prime production didn't last long enough. DUSTIN PEDROIA, Boston Red Sox: Only second baseman in history to win Rookie of the Year, MVP, the Gold Glove Award and a World Series. But he's missed 34 percent of possible Red Sox games because of injury during his 14-year career. ANTHONY RIZZO, Chicago Cubs: Has driven in most runs of any first baseman over past five years (498). In recent years, though, Rizzo has plateaued some, staying at a near All-Star level but not breaking through since 2016. ANDRELTON SIMMONS, Los Angeles Angels: Since debuting with Braves in 2012, he has been the premier defensive presence in the game. But with increased offensive productivity of shortstops in today's game, Simmons may be behind the curve. .699 career OPS is 15th among active shortstops with 400 games played. ADAM WAINWRIGHT, St. Louis Cardinals : One of most consistent pitchers of past decade, with 144 wins from 2007-17. When healthy a workhorse starter. But injuries impacted his availability at two crucial portions of his prime, with Tommy John surgery costing him all of 2011 and torn Achilles tendon limiting him to four starts in 2015. (MLB text by Matt Whitener) Note: Baseball stats through July 11. Go here for Yardbarker's Ultimate Hall of Fame tiers 1-4 NBA (16) LaMARCUS ALDRIDGE, San Antonio Spurs: On cusp of higher tier, but we couldn't get past fact he hasn't uplifted team in playoffs (0 titles). Seven-time All-Star deeply frustrates his fans. Good shooter, making over 80 percent of his FTs, 42% on long twos (from 16 feet to three-point line) for career. Poor three-point shooter (28.3% career). BRADLEY BEAL, Washington Wizards: Upward mobility possible -- he'll enter eighth season and has good numbers (19.8 ppg). Often felt like he's not reaching his potential despite making two All-Star teams. But it's possible he simply isn't a good fit next to the Wizards' other star guard, John Wall. JIMMY BUTLER, Miami Heat: Excellent player who perhaps mistakenly thinks of himself as superstar. Good wing defender, good creating own shot, particularly when the shot clock is winding down, and rarely turns ball over. Played heavy minutes for Tom Thibodeau, which suggests a steep decline may be coming in his 30s. DeMARCUS COUSINS, Los Angeles Lakers: Great post scorer and rebounder and even a willing passer. But he also can't help himself from arguing with the officials constantly, even when it results in a technical or a fast break the other way. Hurts his team. Not signed until late in free agency, a sign of how he's valued. ANDRE DRUMMOND, Detroit Pistons: Great at one thing: getting boards, averaging 13.7 per game for career. Three rebounding titles already, and he's only 25. Deserves credit for formerly awful free-throw shooting   let's give him a sticker or something   that's now just bad (59% percent last season). Hall of Boards shoo-in. MARC GASOL, Toronto Raptors: Was solid for Memphis and a great passing big man, but his career got started late by Hall standards. Didn't get good until 25. He just doesn't have the spectacular peak or long-term career value, although if he and Raptors can repeat, it might be a different conversation. RUDY GOBERT, Utah Jazz: OMG! Rudy dunked 306 times last year, shattering former mark of 269. Doesn't do a lot of different things on offense, but he's good at running to rim. For a Hall shot, he needs more playoff success. With Mike Conley on board, perhaps he'll show he's not merely regular-season marvel. AL HORFORD, Philadelphia 76ers: Great college player at Florida, where he won two titles. 13-1 mark in tourney. Basketball Hall considers college, too. A good pro, especially since he developed decent three-point shot. Played for good-but-not-great teams in Atlanta, Boston. Must have great postseason success to become Hall-worthy. DeANDRE JORDAN, Brooklyn Nets: Ugh! A career free-throw percentage of .466. Overrated defender, too. But underrated offensively. Has two rebounding titles and slew of State Farm commercials, but unless he gets rejuvenated in Brooklyn, he's not going to be sniffing the Hall. KEVIN LOVE, Cleveland Cavaliers: Monstrous offensive rebounder, scorer for lousy Wolves teams. Missed most of Cavs' first playoff run with injury. Aside from one defensive play, was a non-factor in '16 run. Without title LeBron, Kyrie won for him, you have rebounding title, two Second-Team All-NBA slots, chocolate milk commercials. KYLE LOWRY, Toronto Raptors: No one changed his reputation, Hall chances more this season. Was unfairly scapegoated for Toronto's previous playoff struggles but played great on way to Canada's first title. Even so, it's not quite enough for Springfield, but if it's any consolation, he'll never have to pay for a drink in Toronto again. PAUL MILLSAP, Denver Nuggets: Excellent defender and a smart offensive player. But he's just not in the same class as superstars who make the Hall of Fame. He's appreciated by smart fans and especially nerds   they loved the time he led league in Defensive Win Shares, in 2016. RAJON RONDO, Los Angeles Lakers : Was important part of '08 champion Celtics and teams that followed, albeit as fourth-best player. Exhibited strange behavior even then, often passing up easy layups in favor of padding assist totals. But once he left Boston, when traded to the Mavericks, he seemed to give up. Has become a basketball nomad. DERRICK ROSE, Detroit Pistons: Every eligible winner of MVP award is in hoops Hall, but he will break that streak. He tore his ACL in 2012 playoffs, never regained athleticism that made him the youngest MVP (22) in league history. (Though, let's be honest, he only won because people were mad at LeBron about The Decision.) KEMBA WALKER, Boston Celtics: Had MJ not lowballed him he'd be wrapping up spot as greatest Hornet ever (apologies to Hugo). Well-deserved All-NBA team this season but didn't score enough to make up for how mediocre team was. Move to Boston's strong defensive team might be a boon. Not enough for Hall, though. JOHN WALL, WASHINGTON WIZARDS: Most impressive part of Wall's game is his athleticism, which shows in his champion-level dunking, his shot-blocking at an unprecedented rate for PGs and relentlessness in transition. Unfortunately, after he made five All-Star teams, injuries have derailed Wall and his Hall ambitions. (NBA text by Sean Keane) NFL (20) CALAIS CAMPBELL, Jacksonville Jaguars: In just two seasons with Jags, he has the franchise's best (14.5 in 2017) and fifth-best sack seasons. Although Campbell has gotten better with age, his productive yet unremarkable start (six years without a Pro Bowl or All-Pro First- or Second-Team honor) has him fighting uphill. THOMAS DAVIS, Los Angeles Chargers: He suffered ACL tears in three straight years (2009-11) but missed just two games due to injury in past seven seasons. The Panthers' all-time tackles leader (1,111), he's now on a stacked Bolts D. Near end of a storied career, his two Pro Bowls, one All-Pro appearance are not enough to raise him a tier. JIMMY GRAHAM, Green Bay Packers: Once looking set to battle Rob Gronkowski to become the 2010s' premier tight end, he could not sustain the pace upon leaving New Orleans. After nine seasons, Graham's 7,436 yards sit 12th on the tight end receiving list; his 71 touchdowns rank fifth. Nearing 33, he's out of time for a Hall case. DeSEAN JACKSON, Philadelphia Eagles: Led NFL in yards per reception four times. In today's high-percentage-pass NFL, which features a bevy of 100-catch seasons each year, he (two seasons of 20-plus yards per catch) has a skill set that remains coveted but one that has him short on honors list for Hall consideration. CHANDLER JONES, Arizona Cardinals: One of this tier's players with upward mobility, he has yet to do enough to be on a clear Hall path. With two Pro Bowls, one All-Pro mention, the Cardinals outside linebacker still has work to do. He's one of the rare players to improve after leaving Patriots. CAM JORDAN, New Orleans Saints: The 2011 draft produced seismic pass-rushing talent, to the point Jordan's 71.5 sacks are only fifth in his own class. Sack total through eight seasons ranks 40th all-time. Despite his four Pro Bowl bids, the Saints' top pass-rusher has a lot of work to do to move into reasonable Hall of Fame consideration. RYAN KERRIGAN, Washington Redskins: Although most of his production has required NFL Sunday Ticket to witness, he has fifth-most sacks among active players and has been to four Pro Bowls. The soon-to-be 31-year-old outside linebacker looks to be just on the "Hall of Very Good" side of the legacy spectrum. MARSHAWN LYNCH, free agent: Just 29th on all-time rushing list, his 10,379 yards trail Warrick Dunn, Tiki Barber and Thomas Jones. For all the hype he received for four-year peak that doubled as Seattle's zenith, the popular 33-year-old RB may end up as most famous in "Hall of Very Good." Four seasons with fewer than 750 rushing yards. ALEX MACK, Atlanta Falcons: After toiling for mostly awful Browns teams for seven years, he became a key component of 2016 Falcons   one of the NFL's greatest offenses. He has six Pro Bowls and three Second-Team All-Pro placements, but he is nearing 34 and behind some centers in his own era. DEVIN McCOURTY, New England Patriots: One of the few constants on an evolving Patriots defense, he has collected three Super Bowl rings and played in eight AFC Championship Games. Members of the second leg of this Patriots dynasty will be enshrined, but with McCourty boasting just two Pro Bowls, this is a tough sell. GERALD McCOY, Carolina Panthers: Among players who have logged at least 2,000 snaps, Pro Football Focus rates him the No. 12 interior defender since '10. Geno Atkins' numbers (71 sacks to McCoy's 54) will hurt the longtime Bucs DT's cause. So do the Bucs D's struggles. (No. 17 or lower in scoring defense in seven of his nine seasons.) LeSEAN McCOY, Buffalo Bills: After 10 seasons, he's just 31st on the all-time rushing touchdown list with 69. McCoy (25th) is four spots in front of Lynch on the career rushing list, with 10,606 yards, and while he is in position to move up, that low touchdown number will work against him. BRANDON MARSHALL, free agent: He posted 1,500-yard seasons in two cities, doing so after setting the NFL's game reception record (21) on the Kyle Orton-quarterbacked Broncos and putting on a Dolphins helmet in the third of his six Pro Bowls. Despite superb mercenary work, he sits 22nd in both career receiving yards and touchdowns. GREG OLSEN, Carolina Panthers: Among TEs, his three 1,000-yard receiving seasons this decade trail only Rob Gronkowski's four. His peak was decent, with two 800-plus-yard slates preceding the trio of four-digit showings, but it did not last long enough. He has six sub-600-yard seasons, with only three Pro Bowls on the 12-year vet's resume. HARRISON SMITH, Minnesota Vikings: He has time to ascend into a stronger position in Hall conversations and carries four Pro Bowls into his age-30 season. But the high-end Vikings safety is in that space between "Destined for Greatness" and Tier 3's polarizing veterans who have more defined Hall of Fame cases. JOE STALEY, San Francisco 49ers: Hall of Fame tackles generally come with decorated All-Pro acclaim. Staley's 12-year career has included six Pro Bowls, a well-regarded advanced-metrics profile and a place as the Jim Harbaugh years' offensive line anchor. But he soon will be 35   not enough time to raise his profile. AQIB TALIB, Los Angeles Rams: Talib's scintillating run-after-INT ability and place as starter on three championship-level secondaries (New England, Denver, Los Angeles) works in his favor. But the anonymous start to his career in Tampa Bay, which began with five Pro Bowl-less years, likely will leave him with too much ground to cover. CAMERON WAKE, Tennessee Titans: Despite being tied with Von Miller for most sacks since 2009 (98), he is 35th on all-time list. Wake's late start (as a 27-year-old rookie) will make for an unusual case when his resume comes up in the voting queue, but at 37, he does not have much time to strengthen it. ERIC WEDDLE, Los Angeles Rams: Among NFL players on this tier, he may have the strongest claim to legitimate consideration. Only Earl Thomas matches his six Pro Bowls this decade, and the two-time All-Pro's 48-game Raven run did well to add a quality chapter for future voters to consider. But he's 34 and not a transcendent safety. TRENT WILLIAMS, Washington Redskins: His seven Pro Bowls are most by an O-lineman in franchise history. Williams (one Second-Team All-Pro honor) is en route to landing where Staley will: a vet tackle whose play has been regarded as a cut below top peers. The nine-year blocker has played 16 games in a season only twice. (NFL text by Sam Robinson) NHL (7) SERGEI BOBROVSKY, Florida Panthers: In the regular season, he's great. In the playoffs, he's mush. Among active goalies (minimum 20 games played), Bobrovsky has the worst postseason save percentage (.902) in the league. RYAN GETZLAF, Anaheim Ducks: One of only four active players with at least eight 50-assist seasons. Consistent but never truly an elite player. PATRICK MARLEAU, free agent: No player has more playoff goals (72). Too often Marleau was the scapegoat for San Jose's postseason shortcomings. Will be more appreciated after he retires. COREY PERRY, Dallas Stars: One of just five players to score at least 50 goals in a season over the past 10 years. Also one of most loathed players in the league by opposing fans and players. JONATHAN QUICK, Los Angeles Kings: Has two of the best postseason playoff performances in league history, backstopping the Kings to the 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cups. The problem: average otherwise. Bleh. ERIC STAAL, Minnesota Wild: Borderline All-Star for most of his career, occasionally had superstar season (45 goals, 100 points for Carolina in 2005-06). But never sustained Hall of Fame level. SHEA WEBE R, Montreal Canadiens: Only active defender with at least three 20-goal seasons. Feared slapshot. Physical beast. Slowed over past several seasons. (NHL text by Adam Gretz) WNBA (1) REBEKKAH BRUNSON, Minnesota Lynx: One of the greatest rebounders in league history. And what staying power! The 37-year-old has played for 14 seasons. But her inability to score consistently (9.2 PPG.) makes her one-dimensional. (WNBA text by Maggie Hendricks) Yardbarker's Ultimate Hall of Fame tiers 1-4


The Arizona Cardinals are about to begin training camp for a season following their worst season in franchise history. They were the worst team in football. They had the worst offense in football - historically bad. The defense couldn't stop the run at all. After overhauling the coaching staff and roster, they hope to be much better in 2019. However, national expectations are not high. In Doug Farrar's training camp power rankings for Touchdown Wire , Arizona is not at the bottom, but they are only one above it, coming in at No. 31. They are ahead of only the Miami Dolphins. It could be argued that the 2018 Cardinals were the worst-coached NFL team of the last decade, especially on offense, where former quarterback Josh Rosen was doomed before he ever hit the field. Now with new head coach Kliff Kingsbury and first-overall pick Kyler Murray at quarterback, the hope is that these Cardinals will parlay considerable skill position talent on offense, and a defense that was better than it looked last season, into something resembling respectability. The coaching bar can't be set much lower than it was, which we suppose is a good sign. Considering we have not yet seen the new offense or Kyler Murray leading it or the revamped defense, it is impossible to know whether the Cardinals will be competitive or not. 31st might sting a bit but it is reasonably fair considering the 2018 season they had. Listen to the latest from Cards Wire's Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio . View embedded content MORE: Angler defies odds, lands truly enormous halibut Is Tacko Fall an NBA player? Here is the case for why... and why not One bold prediction for each NFL team in 2019 Titans QB Marcus Mariota 'already on the verge of busting' according to Bleacher Report Lions pre-camp roster projection leaves many spots unclaimed


Here's the most recent top news you may have missed in Philadelphia. Philly's elusive black bear tranquilized after a day roaming Upper Roxborough The sighting comes just a day after officials spotted a bear on train tracks in East Falls. Read the full story on Philadelphia Inquirer . Police: Teens beat man, break his jaw in Old City It was just after midnight this past Monday morning and eight teens were caught on tape waking past a hotel in Old City. Read the full story on 6abc Action News . Crashes create traffic jams on Pa. Turnpike, Blue Route The Philadelphia area saw a number of crashes Thursday morning as heavy rain fell. Read the full story on 6abc Action News . Shooting in Philadelphia park leaves man dead, teen wounded A shooting in a Philadelphia park left a man dead and a teenage boy wounded. But it's not clear what sparked the shooting in Campbell Square park. Read the full story on MySanAntonio . Man accused of slashing 19 vehicles in Philadelphia A 25-year-old South Philadelphia man is in custody after officers caught him in the act slashing tires. Read the full story on ABC Philadelphia, WPVI . This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Scroll through garage area, pit road, and on-track photos from down on the track this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway outside the Windy City. Austin Hill, driver of the No. 16 SiriusXM Toyota, poses with the Pole Award after posting the quickest lap during qualifying for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Camping World 225. Natalie Decker, driver of the #54 N29 Technologies LLC Toyota, waits her turn before qualifying for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Camping World 225. Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 98 Ford Performance Ford, talks with a fan during practice for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Camping World 300. Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 18 Monster Energy Toyota, spends time in the garage before heading out for Xfinity Series practice. Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet, waits to start his practice session for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Camping World 300. Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford, practices for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Camping World 300. Spencer Davis, driver of the No. 44 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet, speaks with a reporters before qualifying for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Camping World 225. Jesse Iwuji, driver of the No. 34 Chevrolet, stands by his truck during qualifying for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Camping World 225. Harrison Burton, driver of the No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Camping World 225 at Chicagoland Speedway on Thursday. Brett Moffitt, driver of the No. 24 GMS Chevrolet, practices for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Camping World 225 at Chicagoland Speedway on Thursday. Ross Chastain, driver of the No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet, sits in his truck during practice for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Camping World 225 at Chicagoland Speedway on Thursday. Brett Moffitt, driver of the No. 24 GMS Chevrolet, watches NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Camping World 225 practice at Chicagoland Speedway on Thursday. Anthony Alfredo, driver of the No. 15 STEELSMITH Toyota, looks on during practice for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Camping World 225 at Chicagoland Speedway on Thursday. Ben Rhodes, driver of the No. 99 Carolina Nut Ford, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Camping World 225 at Chicagoland Speedway on Thursday. Johnny Sauter, driver of the No. 13 Tenda Heal Ford, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Camping World 225 at Chicagoland Speedway on Thursday.


As the competition for the remaining roles throughout the Indianapolis Colts wide receiver room progresses, it appears that Devin Funchess has the inside track to be one of the starters on the boundary. Though nothing is set in stone this early in training camp, Funchess has been working with the first-team offense over the past week. When discussing the wide receiver competition, Zak Keefer of The Athletic noted that Funchess is lining up to be the WR2 opposite T.Y. Hilton. "As noted, Hilton and Funchess are locked in at the top two spots. Campbell obviously isn't going anywhere," wrote Keefer. "Same for Deon Cain, who's still a bit rusty as he climbs back into form after his ACL tear 12 months ago." This shouldn't really come as a surprise. The Colts dished out a one-year deal worth up to $13 million for Funchess as the team's first signing in free agency in March. But, the 25-year-old didn't make much separation during the spring practices. Through the first full week of training camp practice, though, Funchess appears to be the clear-cut WR2 opposite Hilton. He's shown some solid route running on the boundary while proving his ability to be productive in contested catches. Seeing how badly head coach Frank Reich wanted Funchess during the offseason, it makes sense that he will be the WR2. For fantasy purposes, the former second-round pick should start to get on the radar of fantasy football managers. Though the preseason games should shine a little bit of light on what type of role Funchess might have, his current ADP shows he could be a solid sleeper to take a shot on in the late rounds. Per Fantasy Football Calculator, Funchess is going at 12.01 as the WR53 in half-PPR mock drafts. If he comes out of the gate with the WR2 job all to himself, there is a high chance he vastly out-produces his draft position. There is still a long way to go until we truly know who will be the WR2 in the high-powered Colts offense, but right now it appears to be Funchess' job to lose. MORE: Five potential Jeremy Lin landing spots in free agency Biggest winners from the first week of Packers training camp Jordan Crawford says Nike still owes him $500 for his legendary dunk on LeBron Steven Jackson gets random drug test from NFL after signing 1-day contract Roundup: Julianne Hough Bares All; Ninja Ditches Twitch; Bud Foster's Last Year


Running back Eric Dickerson took to WFNZ in Charlotte on Friday and suggested a number of Hall of Famers, including himself, may boycott the 2019 induction ceremony in Canton. Per WFNZ: "A lot of guys have talked about it, but you know we [may] try to start doing something about it," Dickerson said. "One of the things we're doing I mean is we're possibly a lot of us not going to the Hall of Fame this year. Because I think it starts was guys like myself, guys with names. You know, the Joe Montanas, the Marcus Allens, the Richard Dents, the Lawrence Taylors. If you've got a guy who played [and] his name is John Thompson, you know, who is he? But you've got the guys with the names, and you have to have awareness. And I think that's what it comes down to. No one is aware of how badly the players are treated and done. And I think when people think football, they think automatically, 'He's a rich guy. He's rich.' And guys aren't rich. Some of the guys are making real money, but in our era, the base salary was $40,000." The issue first percolated in September but fell apart after a letter sent to Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, and Hall of Fame president David Baker demanding lifetime health insurance, an annual salary for Hall of Famers, and a share of league revenue, had names on it that some players had not lent their name to. This year's inductees are: Champ Bailey, the late Pat Bowlen, Gil Brandt, Tony Gonzalez, Ty Law, Kevin Mawae, Ed Reed and Johnny Robinson. The ceremonies will take place Aug. 1-4. MORE: Mountain biker jumps over Tour de France peloton Lions pre-camp roster projection leaves many spots unclaimed Bobby Portis Q&A: 'I love being underrated' Broncos training camp: Live updates from Day 3 of practice Dallas Goedert gives some insight into his relationship with Zach Ertz


A new sushi bar and Japanese izakaya has opened up shop in the neighborhood. The fresh arrival, called EBESU Robata and Sushi , is located at 1007 E. 15th St. EBESU Robata and Sushi specializes in authentic Japanese cuisine, with menu items ranging from sushi rolls and sashimi options like otoro, hamachi and maguro to robatayaki-style grilled meats and other land-based fare, including baby back pork ribs and Berkshire sausage. The recent newcomer has overall garnered rave reviews thus far, with a 4.5-star rating out of nine reviews on Yelp. Adam K., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new establishment on July 27, wrote, "This is the best Japanese place so far in Texas. Service and quality of food are both great." Yelper Joey S. added , "Cool space with a full bar, including an assortment of sakes, whiskeys, soju, beer and wine." Interested? Stop by to welcome the new business to the neighborhood. EBESU Robata and Sushi is open from 5 10:30 p.m.Tuesday-Thursday, 5 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 5 9:30 p.m. Sunday. (It's closed Monday.) Want to keep your finger on the pulse of new businesses in Plano? Here's what else opened recently near you . This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Cadillac's lack of competitiveness in recent IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship rounds is becoming "hard to explain to the fans", believes Wayne Taylor Racing's Renger van der Zande. WTR pair have not won a race since the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona, while the last win for a Cadillac DPi-V.R came back in April at Long Beach. Since then, every race was been won by either Acura Team Penske or Mazda Team Joest, the latter team winning a third race in succession last weekend at Road America despite Balance of Performance changes aimed at slowing down the recently-dominant RT24-Ps. Read Also: Fight made Mazda's third win "more rewarding" than first Corvette drivers rue misfortunes after brave strategies fail Van der Zande had been optimistic the BoP changes would help bring Cadillac back into the fight for wins, but the marque's top finisher, the Action Express car of , finished one minute 16 seconds down on the winning Mazda in fourth. "Since Mid-Ohio we've been off the pace," van der Zande told Motorsport.com. "If I say it, it's not very objective, but the fans have been coming to us and saying this is wrong. "We don't like to speak about BoP, because it's hard to explain to the fans, but the fans have been explaining to us that the BoP is wrong. It's clear that it's too far off right now. It's hard to explain [to them] when you're performing at your best and getting the most out of the car. "We finished second of the Cadillacs, so we have room to improve, but on the other hand we are within 10 seconds of each other and the others are one and a half minutes in front, and that's too big of a gap." The Road America race was caution-free, giving the Cadillac runners little chance to take the fight to the faster Acuras and Mazdas by using strategy. "Last year we were also off the pace in a few races, but strategy-wise we were able to move forward," continued van der Zande. "We got lucky sometimes with them [Acura and Mazda] making mistakes and then us doing a brilliant job on strategy, we still finished high in the races even when we were off the pace. "Being so far off the pace takes away a lot of strategy calls to make up for the lack of speed on-track. For example in Mosport, we started saving fuel and playing with strategy, but as soon as we go to the pitlane, we're going a lap down, so the whole strategy is blown away." #10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R. Cadillac DPi, DPi: Renger Van Der Zande, Jordan Taylor Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / LAT Images Van der Zande also pointed out the fact that multiple teams run Cadillacs gives WTR no option to consider sandbagging in order to get a more favorable BoP, unlike its rival brands, although he stopped short of accusing them of doing so. "Acura and Mazda have two cars running on their own, so they are in a much better position to play the BoP game, if they want to," he explained. "We are always flat-out, because if we aren't, we know Action Express or JDC-Miller will be. There's no chance for us to even think about sandbagging." Albuquerque convinced Acura sandbagging , said he was baffled by the Road America BoP changes which included an extra 20kg for the DPi-V.R runners. "At the moment it's impossible to win a race with the Cadillac," the Portuguese driver told Motorsport.com. "We got power [for Road America] but the weight, I really don't understand the reason behind that when we were clearly lacking pace, especially in the last two races. "For sure something is going wrong in terms of balancing it. We are way further off than they think. We were already a second off in Mosport, more or less, then we got 20 kilos more and a little bit of power which didn't help enough. "I'm sure IMSA has realized the problem and with the holidays in August, they have time to make it fair for Laguna Seca [the next round on September 15]." Albuquerque added he is convinced the Penske-run Acura ARX-05s have not been running flat-out to ensure a favorable BoP for the championship run-in, with holding a narrow lead in the standings. "They are trying to balance everybody, but it hasn't worked lately, because you see games being played," he said. "Penske is not going as fast as they can because they don't want a bad BoP. "The Cadillacs, we're battling between ourselves. There is a great fight between Action Express and the #10 [WTR] car. It's impossible to play any games with that. "I think Acura is quite happy with it. When I'm following them, I'm locking tyres, going over the kerbs, over-driving completely trying to keep up. They look perfect, just because there's no effort being made there." #6 Acura Team Penske Acura DPi, DPi: Juan Pablo Montoya, Dane Cameron Photo by: Jake Galstad / LAT Images


The NJSIAA baseball tournament began Monday and will continue until state champions are crowned in all six groups on the weekend of June 8-9 at Veterans Park in Hamilton Township. To keep up with all the scores, highlights and happenings involving North Jersey teams, bookmark this page and check back often. Round-by-round coverage will be linked here for easy reference: NJSIAA BRACKETS: First-round schedule for every section in the state FIRST ROUND: Takeaways, top performances ( coming soon ) SECTIONAL Q'FINALS: Thursday-Friday May 23-24 SECTIONAL SEMIS: Tuesday, May 28 SECTIONAL FINALS: Friday, May 31 Although some teams may have rain-outs to make up while the state playoffs are ongoing, NorthJersey.com traditionally concludes its regular-season rankings when the NJSIAA tournament begins. Here is the last Top 25 that will be posted until the entire 2019 season is complete: Top 25 Rankings for May 20 St. Joseph (18-6) Pascack Hills (22-3) Mahwah (18-2) Ridgewood (18-4) Rutherford (20-3) Don Bosco (13-7) Bergen Catholic (15-7) Ramapo (17-6) St. Mary (17-7) Pascack Valley (16-6) Paramus (14-8) Midland Park (18-3) Cresskill (14-5) Emerson (17-7) Wayne Hills (15-6) Indian Hills (12-10) Eastside (12-7) Wayne Valley (13-8) NV/Demarest (13-10) Butler (21-4) Northern Highlands (11-11) West Milford (13-6) Waldwick (14-7) Wood-Ridge (18-6) Hackensack (11-11) (Records through Sunday, May 19) Don't miss a thing Download our app and get alerts for breaking news, football scores and more. Be in the know: Sign up for the newsletter Get the app: iPhone app | Android app Find us on social media: Twitter | Facebook This article originally appeared on North Jersey Record: NJ baseball: Everything you need to know about the state tournament


Boston is forecast to experience light rainfall this coming week, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Saturday's forecast shows the highest likelihood of rain at 92 percent, with rain possible through Sunday. The coming days will also see warm temperatures, forecast to last through Thursday. Temperatures will reach a high of 82 degrees today. Skies will be partly cloudy today. Winds will stay somewhat calm throughout the week, with the highest speeds on Sunday at just 11 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


With just three weeks to go until the Dallas Cowboys were set to kick off training camp on July 25, this was supposed to be a quiet time as the team was gearing up for the start of the 2019 season. That peace was disrupted by the revelation that star RB Ezekiel Elliott was summoned to appear once again before NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. If the meeting turns into what Cowboys fans and the organization fear most, another suspension, the question rises whether or not Dallas is equipped to handle however many games without Elliott leading the way. Although it is premature to assume that this meeting definitely results in another suspension for a key cog in the Cowboys' attack, a look back at his original notification of his initial six-game penalty in 2017 reveals some interesting history that may become a factor. In the original August 2017 letter from NFL executive Todd Jones was clear in noting that repeated transgressions would result in further punitive action. In letter from NFL senior VP Todd Jones to Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott: pic.twitter.com/UZtg3zIQA0 - Brandon George (@DMN_George) August 11, 2017 It is important to note the language in the letter which gives a significant amount of interpretative factors in the NFL's favor should they choose to punish Elliott for the Las Vegas incident. In the event that Dallas ends up losing their offensive catalyst for any extended period of time are the Cowboys prepared to absorb the body blow? The Cowboys are a team that creates its offensive identity by the ground game, with Elliott specifically as the pace-setter. It is very clear the team is designed to dictate contests by establishing a physical brand of football which controls the line of scrimmage, extends time-of-possession and grinds out the tough wins. Looking back at the storm that rolled through the Cowboy offense during Elliott's last six-game suspension in 2017, the consequences on the integrity of the offense was not pretty. Dallas did go 3-3 during his layoff, although it took rebounding against three weak opponents in the Redskins, Giants and Raiders after getting rolled by the Falcons, Eagles and Chargers. In those contests, Dallas leaned on veteran Alfred Morris who gave it a solid effort, but managed only 430 yards in those six games, a per game average well below what Elliott could normally provide. Now it may come down to the current talent in place should Dallas choose to keep the run-first mentality. Are the Cowboys any better equipped than they were just a season and a half ago? Rookies Tony Pollard and Mike Weber were taken in April to provide juice and depth for the position. If one and or both were asked to step up, what could they bring to the table? Based on college production, the projections are not the most optimal for either rookie. Both Pollard and Weber were part of deep rotations where their exposure to heavy workloads were limited in various degrees. Pollard shared time with Memphis' primary back Darrell Henderson, which would allow him to concentrate on being more of a mismatch threat than an every-down producer. He was so specialized that he received more than 10 carries only twice in 40 contests. Weber split carries with J.K. Dobbins in his final season in Columbus and never quite got into a groove. He appears capable of every down duty but has had injuries rob him when he received the opportunities to shine. A case study could be found by looking at the New Orleans Saints from last season. The Saints entered the season without their workhorse in Mark Ingram for the first four games as he served his time for a PED violation. They turned to Alvin Kamara and a platoon of backs for that first month. They were involved in a shootout with Tampa Bay (a loss) and then a narrow escape against a non-Baker Mayfield Cleveland bunch. Kamara had just 21 carries for 75 yards with 15 receptions. It wasn't until the third game things resembled a Sean Payton offense, when Kamara broke out for 31 touches against Atlanta and then a huge 19 carry, 138-yard rushing performance with three touchdowns against New York, to go along with five receptions. A shift to this kind of philosophy would be a challenging option for Dallas, with Pollard asked to do much more than anticipated. If it becomes necessary to retool the attack built around the pass, it is somewhat ambitious to assume a first-year offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore, a still-developing Dak Prescott and a revamped receiver group could be prepared to handle the stress. It would not be impossible, but it would require rapid change and a little luck to pull off in a short period of time. This would also mean a redesigned WR group would have to hit the ground running, presumably with Randall Cobb having more visibility in a new pass-first scheme. Prescott would also have to handle the uptick in his pitch count and become the true focal point of the attack. In any scenario, there will be a period of anxiousness until Elliott's final disposition is determined and his availability for the new year is set in stone. And during that time, the Cowboys would be prudent to give at least the possibility of a Zeke-less offense some deep thought. Strap on your seat belts, Cowboys Nation. It could be an interesting and bumpy ride. You can chat with or follow C.C. on twitter @boozeman811 . MORE: Jimmy Butler's decision to sign with the Miami Heat just got super awkward Troy Daniels is going to hit a lot of open three-pointers for Lakers Stephen A. Smith: 'Andre Iguodala is planning on joining the Lakers' Enes Kanter agrees to 2 year, $10 million deal with Boston Celtics What the Heck is Going On With the Jimmy Butler Sign-and-Trade? [UPDATED]


The NFL has suspended Cowboys defensive end Robert Quinn two games for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. In statement on Twitter , Quinn's agent says Quinn believes his seizure prevention medication was contaminated with a substance called probenecid, which the NFL classifies as a masking agent under its drug policy. Quinn failed his test on April 2, and embarked on an investigation to find out how the substance was in his system. His agent claims Quinn's pharmacy filled a prescription for probenecid prior to filling Quinn's prescription, which may have resulted in the contamination. Additionally, Quinn argues that his levels of probenecid would have been much higher had he actually been using the substance as a masking agent. Quinn has already lost his appeal of the suspension, so he'll be out for the first two games of the regular season. The NFL has historically taken a hard approach on drug suspensions, and successful appeals are rare. Recently, Giants wideout Golden Tate appealed his upcoming suspension by arguing that he was taking fertility drugs , but the leagues's policy is considered "unforgiving" and "rigid." Quinn, for his part, recently underwent surgery to repair two fractures in his hand, but was expected to be back in time for the season opener, according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News ( Twitter link ). Now, he'll get two additional weeks for his hand to heal, but Dallas will have to rely on other defensive ends   such as Taco Charlton and Tyrone Crawford   to rush the passer opposite DeMarcus Lawrence . The Cowboys acquired Quinn from the Dolphins in March in exchange for a 2020 sixth-round pick. Quinn agreed to lower his salary under the terms of the deal, reducing his compensation from $11.1M to $8M. While he finished with 6.5 sacks in 2018, Quinn tied for 20th among defensive ends with 24 quarterback hits. Pro Football Focus , meanwhile, assigned Quinn the 19th-highest pass-rush grade among 103 qualifying defensive ends.


WASHINGTON   Former top White House adviser Hope Hicks is refusing to answer questions related to her time in the White House in an interview with the House Judiciary Committee, according to several frustrated Democrats who have been in the meeting. Less than an hour into the interview, part of the panel's investigation into obstruction of justice and special counsel Robert Mueller's report, Democrats said she was following White House orders to stay quiet about her time as an aide to President Donald Trump. "She's objecting to stuff that's already in the public record," said California Rep. Karen Bass. "It's pretty ridiculous." Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., called it "a farce." House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., declined to comment on the substance of the interview so far, saying "all I'll say is Ms. Hicks is answering questions put to her and the interview continues." In a letter Tuesday to Nadler, White House counsel Pat Cipollone wrote that Trump had directed Hicks not to answer questions "relating to the time of her service as a senior adviser to the president." Cipollone said Hicks, as one of Trump's former senior advisers, is "absolutely immune" from compelled testimony with respect to her service to the president because of the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches. The White House has similarly cited broad executive privilege with respect to many of the Democrats' investigative demands, using the president's power to withhold information to protect the confidentiality of the Oval Office decision-making process. Democrats say they disagree that Hicks' answers are covered by such immunity or privilege, especially since she has already cooperated with Mueller. Jayapal said that at one point Hicks started to answer a question, and the lawyers jumped in and said "we're starting executive." "Basically, she can say her name," Jayapal said. As Hicks spoke to the lawmakers, Trump tweeted that the investigation is "extreme Presidential Harassment." He wrote that Democrats "are very unhappy with the Mueller Report, so after almost 3 years, they want a Redo, or Do Over." Hicks is expected to answer some questions about her time on Trump's campaign, but it was unclear how cooperative she will be. Jayapal said she told lawmakers that she would tell the truth. The interview marks the first time lawmakers are hearing from a person linked to Trump's inner circle since the release of Mueller's report. Obtaining the testimony Wednesday from Hicks, former White House communications director and a close and trusted former Trump aide, was a victory for the committee, given that Trump has broadly stonewalled their investigations and said he will fight "all of the subpoenas." But given the White House orders, it is unclear how much new information Hicks will provide. Testimony from witnesses such as Hicks is one step in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's methodical approach to investigating Trump. More than 60 lawmakers in her caucus   including around a dozen on the Judiciary Committee   have called for opening an impeachment inquiry, but she has said she wants committees to investigate first and come to a decision on impeachment later. While Trump has continued to block their requests, Democrats have made some minor gains in recent weeks with Hicks' appearance and the Justice Department's agreeing to make some underlying evidence from Mueller's report available to committee members. The Judiciary panel wanted a higher-profile interview with Hicks, subpoenaing her for public testimony. But they agreed to the private interview after negotiations. A transcript of the session will be released in the days afterward. The committee has also subpoenaed Hicks for documents, but she has only partially complied. She agreed to provide some information from her work on Trump's campaign, but none from her time at the White House because of the administration's objections. Hicks was a key witness for Mueller, delivering important information to the special counsel's office about multiple episodes involving the president. Mueller wrote in his 448-page report released in April that there was not enough evidence to establish a criminal conspiracy between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia, but he said he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. The report examined several situations in which Trump attempted to influence or curtail Mueller's investigation. Democratic aides said they plan on asking Hicks about several of those episodes, including efforts to remove Mueller from the investigation, pressure on former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the firing of FBI Director James Comey. The aides spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss their plans for the closed-door meeting. The aides said that lawmakers also plan to ask about Hicks' knowledge of hush-money payments orchestrated by former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen to two women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump   the porn actress Stormy Daniels and model Karen McDougal. Trump has denied the allegations. Cohen is now serving three years in prison partly for campaign violations related to the payments. The Democrats plan to use some of Hicks' answers to those questions to inform a committee hearing with experts to review Mueller's report on Thursday. Republicans have strongly criticized the investigations and say they are unnecessary after Mueller spent two years reviewing the same material and talking to the same witnesses. Hicks has also been interviewed by the House and Senate intelligence committees more than a year ago as they investigated Russian election interference. Georgia Rep. Doug Collins, top Republican on the committee, said Hicks' appearance proves that Trump is not stonewalling Congress. And he said they could have probably heard from her sooner if they hadn't taken "a scorched-earth approach to pursuing information" with subpoenas. Associated Press writers Padmananda Rama, Laurie Kellman and Eric Tucker contributed to this report.


Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had a fierce on-field rivalry with former Colts and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning from 2001-2015. Brady edged out Manning with an 11-6 record against his rival during the regular season but Manning owned a 3-2 postseason record against Brady. Their on-field rivalry apparently didn't carry over off the field. "Spoiler alert… we were friends this whole time," Brady captioned a selfie with Manning last month. "Always great to see you Peyton!" Spoiler alert… we were friends this whole time. Always great to see you Peyton! pic.twitter.com/DzscouMxsl - Tom Brady (@TomBrady) June 26, 2019 The tweet drew more than 20,000 retweets and over 200,000 likes. Many of the replies called the QBs "GOATs," counting them among the greatest quarterbacks of all time. 2 - Jill Arrington (@JillArrington) June 26, 2019 pic.twitter.com/ZwWYtPviEx - Danillo Honorio (@Dans_sep) June 26, 2019 Some fans joked about who was the better QB. The GOAT and tom brady - Elijah Floyd (@Elijahx775) June 26, 2019 Other fans joked (?) that they couldn't believe the QBs are actually friends. Mind blown - offszn (@CountOnVic) June 26, 2019 Pick better friends, Tommy. - Bernie's 3rd house (@OjPats4) June 27, 2019 I don't like breaking kayfabe like this. - Adam Rank (@adamrank) June 26, 2019 No. I will not accept this. - Brunette Bohemian (@WinterRae82) June 27, 2019 Liar - The Meta-Human (@AlmightyOxx) June 26, 2019 And there were plenty of funny replies. pic.twitter.com/Oi4MGGWUp2 - Sami Shamroukh (@Sam_Sham12) June 26, 2019 You always find the time to take pics with your fans, class act Tom! - Nicholas Patchen (@RealNickPatchen) June 26, 2019 Liar - The Meta-Human (@AlmightyOxx) June 26, 2019 Manning drew some flak for his orange and blue suit, the colors of the Broncos. Orange is also the color of Tennessee, where Manning played college football. Friends don't let friends wear a jacket like that. - Jackhar (@Jackhar29) June 26, 2019 Dude. You need to take him shopping so he can dress like a grown-up. - Barry Nelson (@realbarrynelson) June 26, 2019 if you were friends, you'd set Peyton up with your stylist. this is embarrassing. - This tweet is unavailable… (@Oenonewept) June 27, 2019 A two-time Super Bowl champion and five-time league MVP, Manning can wear whatever he wants. MORE: Poker player loses brutal 31 million chip hand with pocket aces at 2019 WSOP Main Event Three Potential Landing Spots for Chris Paul News: Major trade target at safety, levels to Cowboys WRs, NFL's best RB NBA Depth Charts Eagles earn $274.3M of a record $8.78B revenue split between all 32 NFL teams


NASHVILLE, Tenn.   The Latest on the investigation into seven people killed in rural Tennessee (all times local): 4:50 p.m. The medical examiner in Nashville says the causes of death for seven people found dead in two homes in rural Tennessee included multiple blunt force injuries and some sharp force injuries. Dr. Feng Li said Tuesday in a phone interview that all seven people were the victims of homicide. There was no evidence of bullet wounds. The victims include the parents and uncle of suspect Michael Cummins. The 25-year-old was caught Saturday, hours after the first bodies were found in one of two rural Sumner County homes. Cummins was shot and wounded during the capture and was still in the hospital on Tuesday. An eighth victim found wounded but alive at one of the homes was also hospitalized. ___ 3:50 p.m. A Tennessee man suspected of killing his parents and five others was close to being arrested for probation violations. Twenty-five-year-old Michael Cummins was caught Saturday, hours after bodies were found in two rural Sumner County homes. Court records show Cummins had been on probation after serving just 16 months of a 10-year sentence. He was convicted of attempting to burn down a neighbor's house and assaulting her when she tried to put out the fire. Sumner District Attorney Ray Whitley says Cummins' probation officer had been preparing another arrest warrant for Cummins' violation of a no-contact order with the neighbor and failure to get a mental health evaluation. The officer wasn't able to get a judge to sign the warrant, but Whitley says it's unlikely Cummins would have been arrested immediately.


The Golden State Warriors and Klay Thompson have a "done deal" in place, three sources confirm to Marc Stein of The New York Times ( Twitter link ). A source tells Anthony Slater of The Athletic ( Twitter link ) that it's a five-year max deal, worth $190M, with no options and no no-trade clause. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN ( tweeting ), Thompson's new contract includes a 15 percent trade bonus. Trade bonuses can't push a player's salary beyond his max, so Klay wouldn't receive it in the unlikely event he's traded this season. That could change down the road. Reports this week have indicated that Thompson had considered meeting with the Lakers and Clippers if the Warriors didn't put that five-year offer on the table immediately. However, there was no indication   even after Thompson tore his ACL   that Golden State was wavering on making that commitment. An ESPN report this morning suggested that Thompson's camp might have been using those Los Angeles teams to create leverage to ask the Warriors for a fifth-year player option or a no-trade clause. Stephen Curry didn't get either of those perks in his own five-year, maximum-salary deal, so Golden State appeared reluctant to give them to Thompson.


According to rental site Zumper , median rents for a one-bedroom in Anaheim are hovering around $1,500. But how does the low-end pricing on an Anaheim rental look these days   and what might you get for your money? We took a look at local listings for studios and one-bedroom apartments from Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what budget-minded apartment seekers can expect to find. Read on for the cheapest listings available right now. (Note: Prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 1219 N. State College Blvd. Listed at $1,270/month, this 433-square-foot studio apartment, located at 1219 N. State College Blvd., is 15.6 percent less than the median rent for a studio in Anaheim, which is currently estimated at around $1,504/month. The building features garage parking, secured entry and on-site laundry. Cat lovers are in luck: Kitties are allowed. Expect a $500 pet fee. Walk Score indicates that the surrounding area is somewhat walkable, is relatively bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options. (See the complete listing here .) 121 N. La Reina Circle This one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, situated at 121 N. La Reina Circle in West Anaheim, is listed for $1,400/month for its 750 square feet. Expect to find air conditioning and a balcony in the apartment. Building amenities include secured entry, on-site laundry and garage parking. Cats and dogs are not permitted. According to Walk Score, this location is quite walkable, is relatively bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options. (See the complete listing here .) 2175 S. Mallul Drive Next up is this 750-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, located at 2175 S. Mallul Drive in Anaheim Resort and listed for $1,470/month. Building amenities include secured entry and on-site laundry. Also, look for a balcony and a dishwasher in the apartment. Pet lovers are in luck: Cats and dogs are welcome. Be prepared for a $200-400 pet fee. Per Walk Score ratings, the area around this address is very walkable, has some bike infrastructure and has good transit options. (Here's the listing .) 3534 W. Ball Road This one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, situated at 3534 W. Ball Road in West Anaheim, is listed for $1,475/month for its 714 square feet. Expect a balcony and air conditioning in the unit. Neither cats nor dogs are welcome. Building amenities include secured entry, a swimming pool and on-site laundry. Walk Score indicates that the surrounding area is moderately walkable, has some bike infrastructure and has a few nearby public transportation options. (See the listing here .) 1680 W. Tedmar Ave. And here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 1680 W. Tedmar Ave. in Southwest Anaheim, which, with 750 square feet, is also going for $1,475/month. Amenities offered in the building include garage parking, secured entry and a swimming pool. The apartment also has a balcony and air conditioning. Cats and dogs are allowed. According to Walk Score's assessment, the area around this address is somewhat walkable, is fairly bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options. (Check out the listing here .) This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Russell Westbrook has been traded by the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets in a deal for Chris Paul and draft picks, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to trade Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul, first-round picks in 2024 and 2026, pick swaps in 2021 and 2025, league sources tell ESPN.   Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 12, 2019 Check back for more on this breaking story. More: Knicks signing Marcus Morris after contract fallout with Spurs, per reports More: Nets' culture the key as they enter bright future with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant More: Kawhi Leonard picks Los Angeles Clippers in NBA Free Agency This article originally appeared on North Jersey Record: NBA: Thunder's Russell Westbrook traded to Rockets for Chris Paul


The Celtics feel there was tampering involved in the departure of Al Horford to rival Philadelphia, according to Brian Windhorst. The ESPN analyst made that revelation on a Hoop Collective Podcast (hat tip to NBC Sports Boston's Justin Leger ). "What happened with Horford, again from what I'm told, really upset the Celtics," Windhorst said. "They were thinking they were going to be able to negotiate with him. Talk to him about a new contract and all of a sudden it was like he already knew what his market was and he was out of there." The Sixers inked Horford to a four-year, $109 million deal. We have more on the Celtics: Swingman Javonte Green is expected to sign a two-year deal with the Celtics, with a partial guarantee in the first year and a non-guarantee in the second, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe tweets . The news that Green was signing with Boston surfaced on Thursday. Green, who has played overseas since going undrafted in 2015, averaged 10.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.8 APG and 1.8 SPG in 22.6 MPG over five Summer League games at Las Vegas this month. The Celtics will have an open competition for the final roster spot, Himmelsbach reveals in the same tweet. Players with partial guarantees and the Celtics' two-way contract players will try to earn that spot. Guards Max Strus and reportedly Tremont Waters are their two-way players. Kemba Walker received the max allowed for a free agent from an opposing team, but the opportunity to join a contender seeking a point guard tipped the scales to Boston, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer relays. "It really came down to my happiness and how I want to compete night-in and night-out," Walker said. "It's a winning organization, and I want to win. That's what it's all about. Throughout my basketball career as a pro, I haven't won consistently, and I want to get a taste of that."


Giants star Saquon Barkley was a dynamic do-it-all back for the Giants last season, rushing for 1,307 yards and racking up 721 receiving yards in his rookie season, but the Pro Bowl RB does appear to have one weakness offensively. At Giants practice on Wednesday, Barkley showed off his throwing ability, and attempted to pull off a no-look toss like Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes. He missed the target entirely, and ended up hitting an unsuspecting Giants staffer. "No-look. Mahomes." @saquon 's impression did not go according to plan pic.twitter.com/rhTa1n5ZSa - Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 8, 2019 The Giants will kick off their preseason schedule on Thursday night with a home matchup against the New York Jets at 7:00 p.m. ET. MORE: A furious Chris Davis had to be held back from Orioles manager Brandon Hyde Where did Jakobi Meyers come from? 6 quick takeaways from Packers' joint practices with Texans Eagles land at No. 32 in ranking of best talent under age 25 in NFL Roundup: Bella Hadid and The Weeknd Appear to Split Again, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Class Related slideshow: Best photos from NFL training camps (Provided by imagn)


House Democrats are hoping Robert S. Mueller III illuminates potential obstruction of justice by President Trump and gives credence to their claim of an unlawful president for millions of Americans who will decide on Trump's political future. Mueller's much-anticipated testimony Wednesday is a pivotal moment for congressional investigators, holding promise   and peril   for Democrats as they finally get their chance to question a reluctant witness about his nearly two-year investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether the president tried to derail the inquiry. Democrats expect Mueller to describe in detail at least five of 10 episodes of possible obstruction that the former special counsel laid out in his report, which found insufficient evidence to show a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to influence the election and reached no conclusion about whether the president tried to block the probe. Subscribe to the Post Most newsletter: Today's most popular stories on The Washington Post Democrats, however, are divided on what they hope to get out of the long-awaited day of Mueller speaking to Congress and a nation. Ninety-two Democrats favor impeachment of Trump and consider Mueller's testimony their best shot at moving public sentiment toward ousting the president. Party leaders, reluctant to pursue an inquiry, are hoping the hearings inflict enough political damage to Trump to undermine his reelection bid in next year's election. During a recent closed meeting, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) argued that all Democrats need to do is let Mueller talk   particularly given that less than 3 percent of the country has read the 448-page redacted report, she said. "I'd like to have a level of calmness   no drama   regarding the Mueller presentation," Pelosi told her colleagues, according to an individual in the room who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely discuss internal talks. "The very fact that he is presenting is what we want, so many more people will be aware of the charges that are in the Mueller report." Democrats do not expect major revelations from Mueller, who will testify for three hours before the House Judiciary Committee and two hours before the House Intelligence Committee. They expect his answers to be short and curt, and have crafted questions that they hope will elicit a narrative from Mueller of a president committing illegal acts who would have faced prosecution if not for Justice Department policy forbidding the indictment of a sitting president. Mueller's team wrote in the report that it was bound by that policy from deciding or alleging   even privately   that Trump had committed a crime. "We don't need anything dramatic from Robert Mueller," said Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), a member of the House Judiciary Committee who favors impeachment. "We just need him to highlight the main parts of his report because it's such a damning report   and then we win." Clearly feeling the pressure of the moment, Democrats have been practicing. Over the past few weeks, members of both committees have been holding one-on-one prep sessions, with aides playing Mueller and forcing lawmakers to respond to different scenarios, such as a reticent Mueller or a combative Mueller. Several lawmakers have had multiple sessions. Privately, Pelosi has cautioned Democrats not to get carried away in their questioning, as overreach and grandstanding would undermine their goals for the hearings. Democrats will be in the spotlight for their performance as much as Mueller. Academics, lawyers and former White House counsel John Dean, a key player in Watergate, have hardly created a ripple with their testimony. Congressional investigations have produced no blockbuster revelation seen as damaging to Trump, complicated in part by White House resistance to their inquiries. At the same time, the party's liberal base has grown increasingly frustrated with what they see as ineffective oversight of the president. "I think people recognize that this is a very important moment in our oversight responsibilities," said Rep. David N. Cicilline (D-R.I.) when asked about the nervousness among Judiciary Committee members. The two panels have taken the unusual step of coordinating their questioning. Judiciary Committee Democrats plan to focus on possible obstruction of justice, while members of the Intelligence Committee are intent on getting answers about Russia's contacts with the Trump campaign. "We are operating under the expectation that most American citizens have not had a chance to read the paper report," said Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.), chairman of the Intelligence Committee. "And then we'll have questions for him that go beyond the report . . . we don't recognize any limitations, there are none in law or statute or policy, and the attorney general has disregarded them anyway." Over the nearly two-year investigation, the special counsel charged 34 people, including 26 Russian nationals, and secured guilty pleas from seven, including several high-level Trump campaign and administration officials. The investigation concluded in March, and the Justice Department in April released the office's report documenting its work. Democrats argue that in his public statements, Attorney General William P. Barr mischaracterized the report as more favorable to Trump than it was meant to be, and have prepared to push back on the impressions he created. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), a member of the Intelligence Committee, wants to know "which relationships were so compromised that they still present security risks to the United States, even if they're not criminally prosecutable." Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), who sits on both committees, wants to know why Mueller didn't push to interview Trump for his investigation and why he said he could not exonerate the president on obstruction. On the Republican side, lawmakers see the hearings as an opportunity to bolster their case that the report cleared the president, while demanding a reckoning from Mueller for an investigation they argue was biased from the start. "There's been a lot of concern about, you know, how this whole two-year trek got started and how things were done," said Rep. Douglas A. Collins (R-Ga.), the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee. "At the end of the day, the report showed no collusion conclusively and no charge of obstruction. . . . We're just going to say: Why did we get put through this?" Republicans also have been practicing. Some, including Trump ally Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), have studied videos of Mueller's congressional testimony from when he was FBI director, to better understand his moves. Judiciary Republicans recently held a closed mock hearing for their members. "Robert Mueller is the LeBron James of using 300 words to say absolutely nothing," Gaetz said, a reference to the basketball star. Republicans plan to highlight Mueller's finding that he could not establish a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia; anti-Trump text messages discovered on the phones of two of Mueller's agents by an independent watchdog; and allegations that a salacious, unsubstantiated dossier authored by Trump's political adversaries triggered the probe. The strategy holds potential promise with the GOP base, but also peril if lawmakers attack Mueller, a decorated Vietnam War veteran who has had a distinguished career serving both Republicans and Democrats. Yet that's exactly what Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.) suggested he might do with his five minutes of questioning. The Trump ally has a self-published book titled "Mueller Unmasked," and he plans to raise those allegations. House Intelligence Committee ranking member Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) has also tried to discredit Mueller's testimony in advance, accusing Democrats of feeding Mueller "helpful phrases." In fact, no Democrat on the committee or aide has had direct contact with Mueller, according to a panel aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations. Privately, some Republicans acknowledge that they have to strike a balance, calling into question any adverse findings about the president but also ensuring that they don't appear too partisan in criticizing Mueller. "The biggest risk that exists is that my colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle overreach and attack Bob Mueller, who was someone with a history of being a war hero, law enforcement professional, a patriotic American," said House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries of New York, a Judiciary panel member. "But the likelihood is, my Republican friends cannot help themselves, because they never miss an opportunity to bend over backward to please Donald Trump." rachael.bade@washpost.com karoun.demirjian@washpost.com


Sometimes saying nothing speaks volumes. And sometimes the simplest statements are the most powerful. Major League Soccer on Monday wisely chose not to discipline or fine Alejandro Bedoya for his passionate statement against the epidemic of gun violence plaguing our country. The Philadelphia Union captain, who also played for the United States at the men's World Cup in 2014, grabbed an on-field microphone after scoring Sunday and shouted, "Hey Congress, do something now. End gun violence! Let's go!" His plea came hours after mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, killed 31 people. According to Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit research group, there have been 255 mass shootings already this year. "I'm not going to sit idle and wait for things to happen 50 years from now," said Bedoya, who'd made a similar plea to our elected representatives earlier in the day via Twitter. "I want change now. Something." Bedoya is not the first athlete to call attention to the ills in our society. Far from it. Megan Rapinoe speaks often , and eloquently, about the need for gender and racial equity. Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem to call attention to the racism and biased policing that has cost the lives of too many people of color, costing himself his job in the process. LeBron James, Steph Curry, Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich have all been outspoken in their criticism of President Donald Trump and the damage his racist rhetoric has done to our country. But Bedoya's plea went one step further, occurring during a game   and a nationally televised one at that. MLS, like the NFL and Major League Baseball, takes great pains not to offend the stick-to-sports crowd, and that made some wonder if the league might fine Bedoya. There are some fights worth having, though, and MLS' decision not to discipline Bedoya, along with its determinedly bland statement announcing it, was a tacit acknowledgment of that. "The Major League Soccer family joins everyone in grieving for the loss of lives in Texas and Ohio, and we understand that our players and staff have strong and passionate views on this issue," the league said. In truth, this was an easy one. The majority of Americans, gun owners included, support stricter gun control and universal background checks, according to the Pew Research Center. We're tired of seeing more government oversight for contaminated produce than weapons of mass destruction that no civilian has any business owning. We're angry that our places of sanctuary   schools, churches, hospitals   are no longer safe. And we're horrified at the rising number of dead, their blood barely dry before the killing starts again. "It's absurd, man. I'm not going to sit idly and watch this stuff happen and not say something," Bedoya said. "Before I'm an athlete, before I'm a soccer player, I'm a human being first." That's the part that is always overlooked or ignored when people criticize athletes for speaking out. James might be the best player in NBA history, but he is a black man first, and even his fame can't insulate him from the bigotry and hate that remains endemic in our society. Rapinoe is one of the most popular athletes in the country right now, but as a woman and a lesbian, she has first-hand experience in being marginalized. Bedoya playing in a World Cup, or being the captain of an MLS team, won't protect him if he happens to be in a public space when someone who is filled with rage and hate and has too easy access to guns decides to open fire. Sports are supposed to be an escape, those who wish athletes would just be seen and not heard like to say. In an ideal world, that would be true. But until we fix the ills of our broken society, until we address the issues these athletes are highlighting, there won't be peace anywhere. Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on Twitter @nrarmour . This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Opinion: MLS right not to punish Alejandro Bedoya for speaking out against gun violence Related slideshow: Best of MLS season (provided by imagn)


Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta's chief of staff will be forced out by the end of this month after an investigation by the White House raised questions about his professional conduct. A DOL spokesperson confirmed Nick Geale's departure Tuesday but did not provide further details. White House officials instructed Acosta to fire Geale after its review concluded that Geale's interactions with employees were damaging DOL morale, according to two former Trump administration officials with direct knowledge of the investigation. According to the former officials, Geale created a culture of fear inside DOL's headquarters with profanity-laced tirades and belittlement of subordinates. "There are times when he goes completely loony," said one of the former Trump officials, recalling Geale pounding the table and screaming during a meeting. Geale, in a written statement, called the DOL staff "dedicated and professional," and said he was "very excited to spend time with my new family and take on the next challenges of our journey." One of the former Trump officials recalled a particularly fraught encounter in which Geale became furious about what he perceived as poor preparation for a meeting. "Nick came into my office screaming and yelling and throwing papers on my desk," the former official said. "I chose to leave [DOL] because I didn't get any work done." "He's abusive, he's abrasive, he tries to be intimidating, he's condescending," the former official added. After this person complained to Acosta about Geale's rages, nothing changed. "He ratified Nick's behavior," the former official said. "He was privy to it." Bloomberg Law reported that in April 2018 Geale sent out a memo ordering the agency's top political appointees to "physically remain in the Frances Perkins [Building] on the day before a hearing until all hearing preparation is completed.... No agency head is allowed to be out of town or otherwise even leave the building on the day before the Secretary testifies without affirmative permission from either Molly [Conway, deputy chief of staff] or me." A third person with knowledge of the situation said Geale alienated not only DOL officials but also "people at the White House." Some White House officials also expressed frustration to POLITICO with the slow pace of deregulation at DOL, and blamed that at least in part on Geale. Acosta's own proclivity for caution continues to bother Republican allies who expected a more forceful advocate for business. For instance, DOL has struggled for months to finalize a rule that would privatize some of the agency's apprenticeship training, as it was instructed to do by a 2017 order from President Donald Trump. Enthusiasm for the initiative is tepid inside DOL. "Very few people, if any, in the building think that this will work," another DOL official said. News of the dismissal was first reported by Axios . Geale's forced departure is more bad news for Acosta, who has spent the last few months fending off criticism of a 2008 plea deal he reached with billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein when Acosta was a U.S. attorney in Florida. A federal judge in February ruled that the Justice Department's failure to notify Epstein's victims of the plea deal before it was finalized violated the 2004 Crime Victims' Rights Act. "In many positions at the Department of Labor, on Capitol Hill, and as a member of the National Mediation Board, Nicholas Geale is a national expert on labor issues," Acosta said in a statement. "After years of hard work here at the Department, I wish him the best on his future endeavors." Nancy Cook contributed to this report.


In search of a new favorite performing art spot? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top performing art spots around Cleveland, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture next time you're in the market for performing arts. 1. Playhouse Square Topping the list is Playhouse Square . Located at 1501 Euclid Ave. downtown, the performing art, opera, ballet and community service/non-profit spot is the highest-rated performing art spot in Cleveland, boasting 4.5 stars out of 103 reviews on Yelp. 2. The Cleveland Orchestra Next up is University District's The Cleveland Orchestra , situated at 11001 Euclid Ave., Severance Hall With five stars out of 39 reviews on Yelp, the music venue and performing art spot has proven to be a local favorite. 3. State Theater Downtown's State Theater , located at 1501 Euclid Ave., Suite 200, Playhouse Square, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the performing art spot 4.5 stars out of 16 reviews. 4. Hanna Theater Hanna Theater , a performing art spot located downtown, is another much-loved go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 18 Yelp reviews. Head over to 2067 E. 14th St. to see for yourself. 5. Jacobs Pavilion At Nautica Over in Ohio City - West Side, check out Jacobs Pavilion At Nautica , which has earned four stars out of 49 reviews on Yelp. You can find the music venue and performing art spot at 2014 Sycamore. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Rafael Nadal came through a grueling second-round clash with Nick Kyrgios in four sets to continue his bid for a third title at Wimbledon. The world No. 2   the third seed at the All England Club   prevailed, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3), but will hope to avoid too many more days like Thursday. Kyrgios, who was pictured in a local pub late Wednesday night, initially enjoyed playing the clown as the pair shared the first two sets, before he put the pressure on Nadal in the next two. Nadal was good enough to come out on top yet needed a pair of tie-breaks in front of an engrossed crowd on Center Court. The charismatic Kyrgios had outlined his aim to "have some fun" against Nadal and, despite trailing early, he certainly did that. Nadal's breakthrough arrived when an underhit 'tweener set him up to smash into the lead, but Kyrgios had the crowd on its feet when an underarm serve kept him in the set. The Spaniard passionately celebrated when he wrapped up an opener in which Kyrgios repeatedly complained to the umpire of his opponent's failure to be ready to receive serve. . @NickKyrgios ' 143mph second serve at 2-5 in the first set fell just short of @ivokarlovic 's record. The fired the fastest second serve on record (144mph) at 2007 Washington. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/20CMSZZRd4   ATP Tour (@ATP_Tour) July 4, 2019 But a highly motivated Kyrgios sensationally broke Nadal at the start of the second and then brilliantly battled to a subsequent hold. Another underarm serve this time angered the fans, bringing loud jeers that prompted a Kyrgios shrug, and Nadal was level with a break to love. Kyrgios was given a warning as he again implored the umpire to punish Nadal's poor timekeeping, yet he broke back as he leveled the match at a set apiece. A tense third set stayed on serve all the way through to a tie-break, where Nadal wrong-footed Kyrgios for the crucial first mini-break as he edged back in front. The fourth went the same way and, unfortunately for Kyrgios, had the same result, the Australian failing to recover after horribly miscuing a simple volley on the first point of the tie-break. STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN Rafael Nadal [3] bt Nick Kyrgios 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-3) WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS Nadal - 44/16 Kyrgios - 58/27 ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS Nadal - 10/2 Kyrgios - 29/3 BREAK POINTS WON Nadal - 2/5 Kyrgios - 2/2 FIRST SERVE PERCENTAGE Nadal - 63 Kyrgios - 71 MORE : Wimbledon 2019: Defending champ Angelique Kerber stunned by American Lauren Davis | Wimbledon 2019: Brit dumps mixed doubles partner   via text   for Coco Gauff PERCENTAGE OF POINTS WON ON FIRST/SECOND SERVE Nadal - 82/71 Kyrgios - 76/57 TOTAL POINTS Nadal - 126 Kyrgios - 111