Here's the scenario: some of the fastest, and most athletic guys in the NFL run 40-yard dashes against each other in a bracket-style tournament. Winner takes all - or wins money for a charity or whatever they decide - and gets bragging rights for the next season. Admit it. That is something you would watch. Well, it may actually happen. Apparently, there is going to be 40-yard dash tournament between NFL players. It will feature players such as Alvin Kamara, Ted Ginn, and Tarik Cohen. That's pretty cool. The best thing about the Pro-Bowl has become the obstacle course and dodgeball contests the day before. The 40-yard dash competition is pretty sweet. In fact, the league should be sad it didn't think of it first. Imagine for the 100th year anniversary if we got to see players race a few months before the season started. The NFL would be able to sell that. At worst it's some content for NFL Network. Of course, this isn't an NFL event and that's why it could become a problem. Teams won't be happy if someone gets injured in the race. If it's a pulled quad or groin it's no big deal. If it's a tendon or ligament, then they won't be happy at all. MORE: Drake fires back at Bucks' owner's daughter by changing his profile pic to her after Game 5 Spurs' DeMar DeRozan 'possibly could be on the trade block' to Lakers Mallory Edens: Five Things To Know About Bucks Owner's Daughter 2019 OTAs: Four Cowboys standing out early in team activities Source: Warriors brought in Terence Davis for pre-draft NBA workout


Looking to uncover all that King William has to offer? Get to know this San Antonio neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a Tex-Mex restaurant to a cocktail bar and lounge. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in King William, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Rosario's Mexican Cafe Y Cantina Topping the list is bar, Mexican and Tex-Mex spot Rosario's Mexican Cafe Y Cantina . Located at 910 S. Alamo St., it's the most popular business in the neighborhood, boasting four stars out of 2,523 reviews on Yelp. On the menu, expect a variety of nacho options, enchiladas, parrillas platters, tacos and special entrees. Diners can choose Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (gulf shrimp in garlic and lime butter, tossed with pico de gallo and served with poblano rice), or the Albondigas con Arroz (Mexican meatballs of ground beef, pork and herbs in a spicy broth and garnished with queso). View the full menu here . 2. The Station Cafe Next up is The Station Cafe , a spot to score salads, sandwiches and coffee and tea, situated at 108 King William With 4.5 stars out of 536 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. The Station Cafe features a menu with more than two dozen hot and cold sandwiches, made on house-made bread baked daily. Try the Thai Fighter (roast beef, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato and red curry sauce) and the Habanero Turkey (garlic habanero aioli, turkey, lettuce, tomato and melted mozzarella). Wash it all down with 17 craft beers on tap and local and national brands. 3. 1919 Lounge and cocktail bar 1919 is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 1420 S. Alamo, 4.5 stars out of 309 reviews. On the menu, look for a wide selection of cocktails, scotch, whiskey, gin, rum, wine and beer. The 1919 also has cigars available for purchase. (Click here to view the menu.) 4. Guenther House Guenther House , a breakfast and brunch and party and event planning spot that offers specialty food and more, is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 923 Yelp reviews. Head over to 205 E. Guenther to see for yourself. The former home of the Pioneer Flour Mills, the Guenther House offers a menu of American-style breakfast and lunch items, as well as fresh pastries and Founder's Choice Coffee. For breakfast, try the 1851 Breakfast Platter. For lunch, consider the Spinach Salad with mushrooms, bacon, red onions, croutons and raspberry chipotle vinaigrette. (To view the full menu, click here .) 5. Boozy's Creamery & Craft Check out Boozy's Creamery & Craft , which has earned 4.5 stars out of 261 reviews on Yelp. You can find the bar and chocolatier and shop, which offers ice cream and frozen yogurt and more, at 711 S. St. Mary's St. Ice cream flavors are prepared daily and change each day, but expect flavors such as strawberry banana, pumpkin, the Groom's Cake and the Irish Setter. As for drinks, there are signature cocktails and beer. 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.


Ciara says Russell Wilson is "an awesome person." The 'I Bet' hitmaker, who has two-year-old son Future Jr. with ex-fiancé Future, is very happy after recently starting to date the NFL quarterback. The 29-year-old singer said: "He's an awesome person...Everything in life is about timing." But the brunette beauty, who attended US President Barack Obama's Japanese state dinner at the White House in Washington DC with the Seattle Seahawks star late last month, admits she used to be attracted to bad boys. She said: "I've always had this thing for a rebel. I was pretty consistent." The 'Goodies' hitmaker split from Future, 31, in December after trying to mend their relationship in August following rumors he cheated on her with his stylist while on tour, but she insists she is now completely over the rapper. She told US Hip Hop radio station Hot 97: "Men take breakups a little different. I don't wish it on anybody...Women, we go through our healing process right away. Men, they take a moment to go and fight away the feeling. [But] I'm moving at my timing that works for me." A source previously revealed Ciara thinks Russell, 26, is "a complete gentleman." The insider added: "It's constant laughter and fun with them. "Things are a bit busy for both of them now, but they are willing to make time and see where this may go."


Seattle should be fairly dry this coming week, although light rain is in the immediate forecast, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . The best chance for rain is on Thursday at 64%. The next few days will also bring cool temperatures, due to last through Friday. Temperatures will make way for warmer weather from Saturday through Tuesday, with a high of 79 degrees on Monday and Tuesday. Skies will partly clear upon Friday. Winds will remain somewhat calm through the week, with the highest speeds today at only 12 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.


As far as free agency signing days go this July 1 turned out to be one of the wilder ones we have seen in years. The New York Rangers landed a star, the Montreal Canadiens utilized the offer sheet option, there was a blockbuster trade that significantly altered two potential Stanley Cup contenders, and one general manager uttered one of the weirdest quotes you will ever read regarding a signing. We take a look at all of those storylines and more with 10 things we learned on a crazy free agent signing day. 1. Montreal's offer sheet did not go far enough Credit to Marc Bergevin and the Montreal Canadiens for exploring every possible option when it comes to trying to make their team better. It has been far too long since a team signed a restricted free agent offer sheet, and when word first surfaced that the Canadiens signed Sebastian Aho there was an immediate sense of excitement that free agency was about to get interesting … right up until the terms of the deal were released. The five-year offer comes with a salary cap hit of $8.45 million per season and would require the Canadiens to give up a first, second, and third-round pick if the Hurricanes do not match. It is an offer the Hurricanes seem almost certain to match, especially given the reaction of general manager Don Waddell at his press conference discussing the offer. Waddell said he was surprised the offer was not higher, and that he may take all seven days to decide on whether or not to match it because it may prevent Montreal from signing other players and he may not want to help them out. He also joked that it saved him a lot of time because now he will not have to spend the summer negotiating a new contract. Those are the words of a general manager who is confident and comfortable in what he is doing. He is matching. The Canadiens capped their offer at $8.45 million per season because going any higher would have increased the compensation to two first-round picks as long as it remained under $10.568 million (anything higher than that would require four first-round draft picks). The first question here is if you are going to go this direction, why make an offer that can so easily be matched? Given how good Aho is, it's not like he wouldn't be worth a $9-10 million contract for the next five or six years, especially since he will be in the prime of his career at his peak level of production. He is a star with the best days of his career directly in front of him. The second question is why not target a player on a team in a more dire salary cap situation? It was reported on Monday by Pierre LeBrun that the Canadiens had also considered making an offer to Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point before focussing on Aho. Had the Canadiens made a similar offer to Point (who also would have been worth it) the Lightning would have almost certainly had to clear salary cap space in another move just to create enough room to match it. It was a great idea in theory and a bold move. It was simply not bold enough. 2. The New York Rangers are back in business At least one team that calls Madison Square Garden home was able to finish the deal and lure in a top free agent this summer. The Rangers paid a significant price for Artemi Panarin , but it continued what has been a potentially franchise-shifting offseason for the team. One year ago they were telling their fans to prepare for a lengthy and painful rebuild. This summer they added a bonafide star (Panarin), a potential star (Kaapo Kakko), and a top-four defender in Jacob Trouba . Is that enough to get back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2019-20? Maybe not, especially in a Metropolitan Division that is setting itself up to be a complete free-for-all, but all of it definitely puts the rebuild on an accelerated path. Free agency is always a risk and more often than not the long-term contracts signed on July 1 are going to end up as buyouts or trade fodder a couple of years down the line, but Panarin is the rare exception that it is worth it to go all in on. He still has several more years as an elite player, and in his first four years in the league has proven to be one of the best and most productive forwards in the league. If you are going to hand out a big contract, you better make sure it is a star and an impact player. The Rangers did that. 3. The Maple Leafs and Avalanche both got what they needed Congratulations to Tyson Barrie for finally getting his hame removed from the "always on the trading block but never actually traded" list. He is on the move to Toronto, along with Alexander Kerfoot , in the blockbuster deal that sends Nazem Kadri to the Avalanche. It continued what was an extremely active day for the Maple Leafs that saw them overturn a significant chunk of their roster for two very big reasons: Clearing salary cap space to secure restricted free agent Mitch Marner , and also improving a defense that was the obvious Achilles heel of the team the past couple of years. With the departures of Jake Gardiner (well, he is likely to depart) and Ron Hainsey in free agency, as well as the trade of Nikita Zaitsev to Ottawa, there were an awful lot of holes on that Toronto defense. There had to be another shoe to drop. The other shoe was Barrie. He is a massive addition to the Maple Leafs' defense and gives them a very formidable top-three along with Morgan Rielly and Jake Muzzin . The fact Colorado is picking up half of Barrie's contract also helps given Toronto's salary cap situation. As for Colorado, Kadri gives the Avalanche a great second-line center to play behind Nathan MacKinnon , and along with the free addition of Joonas Donskoi greatly improves their forward depth. Kadri is an outstanding player due to his shutdown defensive play and 30-goal potential, but his inability to control himself proved costly for the Maple Leafs in consecutive postseasons. If he can stick to playing hockey without crossing the line and getting himself suspended at the worst possible time he is going to help. Losing Barrie hurts, but the Avalanche have an exciting crop of young defenders coming through the pipeline that are ready to make an impact in the NHL with Cale Makar , Samuel Girard , and 2019 No. 4 overall pick Bowen Byram all ready to take over. They also have an absurd amount of salary cap space and could still complete another move to replace Barrie. They are still in business and still building something that could be special. [Related: Maple Leafs, Avalanche make blockbuster trade involving Kadri, Barrie ] 4. The Penguins did not learn their lesson For the second year in a row the Penguins gave a bottom-of-the-lineup role player a long-term contract that defies pretty much any and all logic given their roster and salary cap situation. Signing Brandon Tanev for $3.5 million per season is, on its own, probably a defensible signing. The cap hit is not terrible, and probably not far from what someone of his skillset should get on the open market. He will do nothing for your offense, but he is a good defensive player, he can kill penalties, he plays hard, he can help you form a good fourth line. There is nothing wrong with him as a player. But as I argued on Sunday following the Phil Kessel trade, the key for the Penguins was always going to be what they did with their newly acquired salary cap space and how efficiently they could use it. They failed. There is no reason to give a fourth-liner a six-year contract, just as there is no reason to give a third-pairing defender a five-year contract, just as there is no reason to acquire another third-pairing defender that makes $4 million per season. On their own, each of them is a little mistake and a small mis-use of limited salary cap space. On their own, none of them alters the franchise in a positive or negative direction. But when you add all of them together all of those little mistakes turn into one big mistake and suddenly a team that is constantly talking about how tight the salary cap is and how little wiggle room they have under has more than $10 million committed to bottom-line, replacement level players. Despite the general managers insistence they still have holes on defense, especially when it comes to moving the puck, and they are still going too far in their quest to be "tough to play against" and finding "pushback." Tom Wilson broke them three years ago and he is still in their heads today. 5. The Canucks are still a rudderless ship The Canucks have an emerging superstar in Elias Pettersson and another top-line player in Brock Boeser . That is great. But then what? General manager Jim Benning seems to be stuck between trying to orchestrate a rebuild while also still trying to put a winning team on the ice, but hasn't picked a direction or done a good enough job with either approach to send them toward a set path. They paid a steep price to get J.T. Miller in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning at the draft, and while he's a fine player he doesn't do anything to move the needle in a meaningful direction. On Monday, he gave Tyler Myers a huge contract that you might want to say is a buyout waiting to happen, except it is a contract that is loaded with signing bonuses which pretty much makes it buyout proof. In the end, the Canucks seem destined toward another season where they finish 24th or 25th in the league standings and miss the playoffs by a mile, but are not quite bad enough to get the best lottery odds. [ ProHockeyTalk's 2019 NHL free agency tracker ] 6. Florida had money to spend and got one of its targets The Panarin- Sergei Bobrovsky package deal didn't work out, but the Panthers at least got one of them. But did they get the right one? Bobrovsky definitely fills a much bigger need in the short-term as the team's new No. 1 goalie, but he carries significantly more risk given his age and the position he plays. He is definitely the more boom-or-bust signing. As long as Bobrovsky is at his peak and playing at the level he has shown over the past seven years he could be the missing piece to get the Panthers back in the playoffs as soon as this season. But how long do you trust a soon-to-be 31-year-old goalie to play at such a level? If he doesn't, they are on the hook for a massive salary cap hit at one of the most impactful and important positions on the ice. The other intriguing layer to this is the Panthers just used their first-round pick on … a goalie. Obviously you are not going to draft for need in the NHL draft because most players are so far away from making an impact and you just want the best player that you think has the best chance to become a star. But goalie is a little different because you only get one of them on the ice at a time, and the Panthers just their first-round pick on a player that, in an ideal world, they will not need to count on and rely on for another five or six years. Not saying it is wrong. Not saying it is bad. It is just … interesting. 7. Jim Nill makes his yearly big splash Another year, another offseason championship for Jim Nill and the Dallas Stars. Every year he finds a way to bring in big-name players, and he pulled it off again with Joe Pavelski and Corey Perry. Perry is a total wild card but there is almost no commitment to him or risk with that signing. If he turns out to be done, the Stars don't really lose anything. Maybe they catch lightning in a bottle and can squeeze some value out of him. Pavelski seems destined to follow the path Patrick Marleau took when he left San Jose by being really good for one more year, just okay for the second year, and then be a potential buyout before year three. He could still make a major impact this season. 8. Minnesota is still a total mystery The Wild have made some strange moves over the past year, gutting their roster of veterans in an effort to get younger and cheaper, and then turning around this offseason and trying to acquire more veteran, big-money players. They tried and failed to get Phil Kessel. They succeeded in getting Mats Zuccarello on a five-year, $30 million contract , resulting in one of the weirdest comments you will ever read from an NHL general manager. "I told him when I was talking to him that he's like a lizard, the way a lizard takes his tongue and sticks it as far as it does and retrieves what it was trying to do."   GM Paul Fenton on @Zuccarello36 📰 → https://t.co/2V4Lig6AeV #mnwild pic.twitter.com/2tjfFXo1GJ   Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) July 1, 2019 That is your general manager, Minnesota. You are in … some kind of hands? 9. The Islanders are stuck in neutral By re-signing captain Anders Lee they managed to bring back three of their top unrestricted free agent forwards ( Jordan Eberle and Brock Nelson being the other two), and that is obviously a big deal even if Lee's contract looks like a potential long-term trap given his age. Other than that, there isn't much happening here for this team. They missed out on Panarin, the circumstances around the departure of Robin Lehner creates more questions than answers, while they replaced him with an older, more injury-prone, and probably lesser goalie in Semyon Varlamov and then committed four years and $20 million to him. As it stands right now, they are bringing back mostly the same team   one that struggled to score goals   with a different goalie. This will be a big test on whether the Islanders success in 2018-19 was goalie driven, or if it really was the work of Barry Trotz and his defensive system behind the bench. 10. The Blackhawks are not comfortable with Corey Crawford 's health What other conclusion can you jump to after the signing of Robin Lehner? When healthy Crawford is a top goalie in the league and one of the most impactful players on the Blackhawks roster. He has been the difference between the team winning and losing for the better part of the past two years … when he plays. The problem is he has not always been available due to injury and they have not had anyone capable of even coming close to replacing him. Given their other offseason additions ( Olli Maatta , Calvin de Haan , re-acquiring Andrew Shaw ) it is pretty clear the Blackhawks are trying to win now and re-open their window for contention with Jonathan Toews , Patrick Kane , and Duncan Keith . Given that, you don't sign a potential starting goalie if you are completely comfortable with the status of your current goalie.   Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports . Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz .


Maximum Security had won the Kentucky Derby Saturday and then he didn't. The stewards disqualified the unbeaten colt and moved up 65-1 shot and second-place finisher Country House. One of the most stunning DQs in all of sports. And those who backed the 9-2 favorite took quite the beating. Per @TwinSpires , $6,212,046 was bet on Maximum Security to win and $520,907 on Country House. Maximum Security also had $1,495,408 to place and $1,272,082 to show, so the DQ cost those bettors about $9-million just win, place, show. - David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) May 4, 2019 Holyfield-Tyson II Arguably the most memorable DQ in boxing history. Mike Tyson was fighting Evander Holyfield when he decided to take a bite out of his legendary opponent's ear. Bowe-Golota Riddick Bowe fought Poland's Andrew Golota at Madison Square Garden. Golota was putting on a strong show. However, he had been previously been warned for biting and butting. Bowe was nailed with a low blow in the fourth round, resulting in Golota losing a point. The same thing happened in round 6, before the 7th and final round where Golota threw low blow combinations After Golota was DQ'd, Bowe's corner attacked Golota with a radio, before an all out brawl ensued in the ring. 22 people were injured, 16 arrested and trainer Lou Duva stretchered out after he collapsed in the ring. Affirmed-Alydar in 1978 Travers Affirmed and Alydar had a storied rivalry. Affirmed won the Triple Crown with Alydar finishing second in all three races. Later in the summer, they met in the Travers. Affirmed finished first but was disqualified for cutting off Alydar, who was making a move inside him. Bowe-Tillery I Riddick Bowe was fighting Elijah Tillery in 1991, Late in the first round, Bowe dropped Tillery. The timekeeper didn't ring the bell, enabling the round to go on to 3:12. After the bell finally was rung, Bowe threw a jab, resulting in Tillery kicking Bowe three times, and the fighters began a brawl in the ring, before Rock Newman jumped up and dragged Tillery over the ropes and out the ring. Tillery was DQ'd for a flagrant kick. Poorly executed play by jockey In January 1990, Sylvester Carmouche surprised everyone at Louisana's Delta Downs Racetrack by finishing first on 23-1 longshot Landing Officer. However, Carmouche had decided to take advantage of foggy conditions. He had dropped out of the mile-long race while lost from view and rejoined the field as they came round. He won by 24 lengths and came within 1.2 seconds of the track so it raised suspicions. The stewards disqualified him and he received a 10-year ban after the other jockeys in the race testified that Carmouche had not passed them. Oops Lightweight Thomas Hamilton-Brown of South Africa, after losing a first-round split decision, went on an eating binge. No big deal, right? Wrong! It was discovered that one of the judges had reversed his scores and Brown was actually the winner but he was unable to make weight for his next bout and was disqualified! Dancer's Image DQ'd long after Derby Dancer's Image won the 1968 Kentucky Derby. If someone wagered on him, they were paid. Then post-race tests came back positive and the horse was disqualified. A long legal battle ensued but in the end the DQ stood. Holyfield at the Olympics At the 1984 Games, Evander Holyfield represented the United States in the light heavyweight division. In the second round of his semi-final with Kevin Barry, Holyfield was disqualified. Referee Gligorije Novicic called for a "break." Holyfield did not hear the call and threw a punch that dropped Barry. When Barry was unable to continue, Holyfield was disqualified. MORE: Kentucky Derby: Why Maximum Security was disqualified and Country House won Four potential Nikola Vucevic landing spots in free agency Giants' Reggie White Jr. doesn't care whose No. 13 he's wearing Lions gave OT Ryan Pope the biggest UDFA guaranteed deal Maximum Security Disqualified, Country House Wins Kentucky Derby Related slideshow: Best photos from the 145th Kentucky Derby (Provided by imagn)


The study looked at the average duration folks s in each state spent in traffic, and then factored in the opportunity cost if they had been working instead. For the vast majority of workers, the daily commute to work and back is an inevitable part of daily life, and it can also be one of the worst parts of many folks' day. Turns out sitting in traffic is pretty expensive, too. The team at Sky Blue Credit recently crunched the numbers that someone making the federal minimum wage of $7.25 had an opportunity cost of at least $1,068 per year from sitting in traffic. As you'd expect the states with the longest commutes contains contain or are near major cities   many of them in some cases. People in New York have the longest commute by spending an average of 11.9 days getting to work each year. Maryland comes in a close second at 11.8 days, and New Jersey rounds out the top three at 11.4 days. Assuming someone is making minimum wage, this means a New Yorker would have an opportunity cost of $2,073.50 each year. Someone from Maryland would have a cost of $2,054.65, and the commute would cost $1,979.25 in New Jersey. It's worth noting that Sky Blue Credit' s study calculates the money loss by opportunity cost, not an actual loss of wages. So the amounts are how much someone could have made if they would have been able to work during that time. At the other end of the spectrum, people living in the middle of the country generally have shorter commutes to work. Folks in South Dakota spend 6.1 days going to their job and getting back. People in North Dakota only need a little longer at 6.2 days, and Montana is a little worse at 6.4 days. This amounts to an opportunity cost of $1,068.17 in South Dakota and $1,074.45 in North Dakota. The cost amounts to $1,118.43 in Montana. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook and Twitter


A tug pushing two barges collided with an oil tanker in the Houston Ship Channel, causing one barge to capsize and the other is damaged, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement. The barges were transporting gasoline blend stock Reformate, which is leaking into the water, officials said. There are no reported injuries at this time. An estimated 25,000 tons of gasoline stock were on each barge and an unknown amount had been released, the Coast Guard said. A helicopter aircrew and a boat crew were both deployed to assess the situation. A Port Houston Fire Department fireboat plus oil spill response, air monitoring and salvage personnel are responding, the Coast Guard said. The city of Seabrook acknowledged a strong smell coming from the collision, but said it is "not getting any reports that the air quality is impacted. Residents do not need to take any action at this time," CBS Houston affiliate KHOU-TV reports . The Coast Guard said air monitoring is being conducted. Galveston County officials warned that if anyone smelled gasoline, they should stay indoors and avoid the coastline, KHOU-TV reports.


In this video, we review some of claims made during the first Democratic debate on June 26 in Miami, Florida. Sen. Cory Booker claimed the Iran nuclear deal "pushed back a nuclear breakout 10, 20 years." The deal pushed back the breakout time from two or three months to one year for at least 10 years. Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio said the bottom 60 percent of workers "haven't seen a raise since 1980." But two analyses of wage growth for the bottom 50 percent show some increase in wages since then. Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke misleadingly said Purdue Pharma had paid "no consequences … not a single night in jail" for its connection to the opioid crisis. There hasn't been jail time but the company and executives have agreed to pay hundreds of millions in fines and settlements. Booker also said "about 30 percent of LGBTQ kids … do not go to school because of fear," a statistic backed up by a 2017 survey that found those students missed one day of school or more in the prior month. For more information, see our story " FactChecking the First 2020 Democratic Debate ." The post Video: FactChecking the First Debate appeared first on FactCheck.org .


Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has insisted it will feel as though he has failed if the club cannot win the Champions League in the near future. The Citizens have been completely dominant in the Premier League in recent seasons, but they have crashed out of Europe at the quarter-final stage in the last two seasons. Speaking to Sky Sports News , Walker admitted that winning the Champions League is a personal dream for him, and anything less than that will be a bitter disappointment. He said: "We're not getting any younger and I want to win the Champions League before I finish my career. I feel I'm at the right club to do that and if we don't get as far as we should do, it feels like we've underachieved. "It's all a learning curve, especially for me and I need to pass on my experience to the younger players that are coming through and hopefully sooner rather than later we can be lifting that one as well." The 29-year-old has been a vital part of Pep Guardiola's side in recent seasons, and was rewarded with a contract extension earlier this summer which will tie Walker to City until the summer of 2024. "When the gaffer said he wanted to give me a new deal I was over the moon. I feel this club is going in the new right direction on and off the field, and just with the players that I'm playing with day in day out it's a dream come true for me," he added. "I didn't think I would be stood here two years on and achieved and picked up as many trophies as I did but it's been a breath of fresh air it really has." Finally, Walker discussed his plans for the future. Whilst he remains committed to City, the right-back confessed he would love to end his career with his boyhood club, Sheffield United . "I've said to the people that represent me that I'd love to finish, if I could, back at Sheffield United," Walker confessed. "That's where I started, that's who gave me my chance in football but you never know they might not want me, we could be in different stages of our career and you never know what might happen, but Chris [Wilder] if you want to take me, I'll come back soon."


The Gardner High baseball team began the second half of its season without head coach Dana English. "I have been relieved of my duties according to (Gardner High Principal) Ms. Bolger as of 12 p.m. (Friday) afternoon," English said in a phone interview Friday evening. "An opposing fan lodged a complaint. The comment was made that I used a racial slur toward one of my players. It's disgusting and it's untrue." Efforts to reach school officials were unsuccessful, Wicked Local reported. English said Bolger and GHS Athletic Director Dan Forte informed him of the opposing fan's complaint during a meeting at the school on Wednesday afternoon. "They called me in Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. and I met with Ms. Bolger and Mr. Forte and they told me the allegations and I told them it was completely false," said English. "I gave them my side of the story and Ms. Bolger said they would investigate this more and that I couldn't be around the team or the field while the investigation was on-going." English said his initial suspension, and his subsequent firing on Friday afternoon, stemmed from an incident which allegedly occurred on the afternoon of May 7 at Stone Field as the Wildcats awaited the arrival of the day's opponent, the Clinton High Gaels. "I was in the dugout and one of my players asked me for a pair of pants because he had forgotten his and he was walking away from me. I called his name like eight times," English said. "Somebody told him I was talking to him and he turned and I gave him pants and told him to go change." English said it was during this conversation with the player, which he noted took place between the home team's dugout located along the third base line and the concession stand located behind the backstop behind home plate, in which he was alleged to have directed the racial slur at the player. It's an allegation English denies. "Not once have I swore or lost my temper or used any derogatory language during a game ever," he said. "I've been coaching for 20 years and you can ask any players I've coached in the past and you can ask any players I've coached against -- I've never said anything close to that nature. I take pride in being a baseball coach and I try to act like a gentleman and it's a shame that this event took place." English, who was hired as the baseball program's 14th head coach earlier this year, said he "got a sick feeling" when Bolger informed him the complaint was for using a racial slur. "I wanted to vomit right there," he said. "I take pride in being a coach and protecting all of my kids and trying to be the best coach I can be. ... I've always held the program higher than myself. I know who I am and I have a clear conscience and I never said what I was accused of saying. "It's tough for me to have this interview because I'm hurt," English added. "I'm passionate about baseball and there were good things happening at Gardner. ... It hurts because I love and care for all of my players and this really hurts me because I was really proud to be the baseball coach at Gardner." READ MORE: Baseball coach relieved of duties; denies allegation he used racial slur against player CHECK OUT WCVB: Get the latest Boston news, weather and sports online, anytime. Stay in the know with Boston's news leader   WCVB.


Washington will see a return of last week's light rainfall today, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Today's forecast shows the greatest chance of rain at 99 percent, with predicted rainfall of 0.47 inches. Also look for cool temperatures today and tomorrow. Temperatures will turn warmer from Wednesday to Sunday, with a high of 82 degrees on Sunday. Skies will be mostly cloudy on Tuesday. Winds are expected to reach a modest high of 15 mph tomorrow, while today will be calmer with a top speed of just 8 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.


SAN FRANCISCO   For its next technological trick, Google will show you what it's like to zip through trees in the Amazon jungle. The images released Monday are the latest addition to the diverse collection of photos supplementing Google's widely used digital maps. The maps' "Street View" option mostly provides panoramic views of cities and neighborhoods photographed by car-mounted cameras, but Google also has found creative ways to depict exotic locations where there are no roads. In its latest foray into the wilderness, Google teamed up with environmental protection group Amazonas Sustainable Foundation, or FAS, to explore a remote part of an Amazon rainforest. Google Inc. lent FAS its Trekker device, a camera mounted on an apparatus originally designed to be carried like a backpack by hikers walking on trails. FAS, though, sent the Trekker down a zip line. Google is renowned for going out on a technological limb, but even this project made the company nervous at first, said Karin Tuxen-Bettman, who oversees Google's Street View partnerships. The setup required FAS workers to tread through the rainforest to find a place where they could string the zip line so the Trekker wouldn't bump into tree trunks and branches as it zoomed through the thick canopy. With the help of some monkeys who joined their scouting expedition, FAS workers found just enough room to erect a zip line for the Trekker's trip. "One of the things that I love about working at Google is that if a partner comes to us with a crazy idea, we will probably try it," Tuxen-Bettman said. Since Google developed the Trekker camera in 2012, the device has been dispatched on other unusual journeys. The Trekker went scuba diving in the Galápagos Islands to take underwater photographs of the preserve, and traveled on a dog sled in the Canadian Artic to photograph the tundra. Google's Street View feature has raised privacy concerns through the years because its photographs have occasionally captured images of unsuspecting bystanders engaged in embarrassing activities or near places where they didn't want to be seen. Cars carrying Street View cameras also secretly vacuumed up emails and other personal information transmitted over unsecure Wi-Fi networks from 2007 to 2010, sparking outrage and legal action around the world. Privacy issues shouldn't be an issue in any of the photography taken by the zip-lining Trekker. Birds and insects are the only visible forms of life in the pictures it took.


RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A Virginia mayor is resigning in protest from a historic Jamestown committee because of the group's reported plans to host President Donald Trump at the 400th anniversary celebration of the first representative legislative assembly in America. Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney sent a resignation letter Monday saying Trump "denigrates our democracy" and has no place at the event. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Friday that Trump will attend the July 30 event, but the White House hasn't confirmed it to The Associated Press. Democratic lawmakers have said they will boycott the event. The event will commemorate the 1619 founding of the House of Burgesses. It is part of a weeklong observance of the state's colonial past, which also will mark the 400th anniversary of the first enslaved Africans' arrival in Virginia.


A British wildlife guide helped capture the amazing spectacle of whale bubble net feeding.


Stockton will see a return of last week's hot temperatures this coming week, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Temperatures will reach a high of 102 degrees on Tuesday, and remain hot through Thursday. Also, expect partly cloudy skies today and tomorrow. Skies will become fully overcast on Sunday. Winds will continue to be somewhat calm over the course of the week, with the highest speeds today at just 10 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.


Video by WJW-TV Cleveland A 11-year-old girl is being hailed a hero after pulling her little brother away from a man who police have charged with abduction Julianne and Hayden Moore, 6, were playing outside their home in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood of Cleveland on Thursday evening when they were approached by a man. Julianne told Fox 8 Cleveland that the man started to talk them but they couldn't understand what he was saying. The man briefly left but quickly returned, grabbed Hayden by the hand and tried to 'pull him away,' Julianne said. The plucky 11-year-old said her parents have always told her to look out for her younger brother and she knew what was happening was serious. 'This was not like any handshake or anything,' Julianne said. 'I just grabbed my brother and went into the backyard because there was no time to panic. You just have to go with it.' She ran, screaming and dragging Hayden by the arm and alerted their father, Joshua Moore, telling him that a man had tried to take Hayden. Moore ran to the front yard and said he spotted the man before saying, 'Excuse me, did you touch my child?' The man threw out his arms, according to Moore who called the police. Pedro Luyando, 33, of Cleveland, was apprehended shortly afterward, walking down Mayview Avenue, based on Julianne's description. CCTV footage shows police arresting him, as shown by Fox 8 Cleveland. Luyando was charged with abduction. Julianne said she is shaken by what happened but that she knows she 'saved her brother.' 'He would not be here right now,' she added.


Looking to mix things up this week? From murder mystery dinner to silent party, here's a rundown of options to help you get off the couch and out into the world. 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. Maggiano's Charlotte June Murder Mystery Dinner From the event description: Grab your sweetheart or some friends for Maggiano's Little Italy's Night of Mystery on Friday. This is every detective's fantasy opportunity to get plunked smack-dab in the middle of a hilarious homicide investigation. Enjoy the atmosphere and fabulous cuisine while you could become the leading suspect. When: Friday, June 21, 7-10 p.m. Where: Maggiano's Little Italy, 4400 Sharon Road Admission: $65 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Rooftop & Rosé From the event description: It's time to kick off your summer with Rooftop & Rosé party. Expect live music and entry into the raffle for a gift basket packed full of poolside summer essentials. The rosé selections will cover all regions of the world. There will be still, sparkling and frozen options. When: Friday, June 21, 7-9 p.m. Where: 300 N College St, Suite 102 Admission: $17.31 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Media Industry Networking Mixer From the event description: The Who You Be Mixer on Friday at Dupp & Swat is a networking series dedicated to empowering the media, entertainment and artist community in Charlotte. When: Friday, June 21, 7-9 p.m. Where: Dupp & Swat, 1824 Statesville Ave., Suite 105 Suite 105 Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Millennium Age Host: Silent Party Charlotte 'Hip-Hop vs. Afro-Beats' From the event description: It's your typical party except there are no speakers or amps on Friday at the Bakadi Lounge. Instead, attendees don wireless headphones and turn them to various stations, then boogie on the dance floor amidst other revelers dancing to whatever's in their headphones. Three DJs will spin the hottest TRAP and Afro beats. When: Friday, June 21, 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Where: Bakadi Lounge, 4205 Monroe Road Admission: $12. More ticket options available. Click here for more details, and to get your tickets This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Ferrari Formula 1 junior Robert Shwartzman delivered a spectacular lap to score pole position in the first qualifying session of the new FIA Formula 3 Championship in Barcelona. Reigning European F3 champion team Prema elected to run all three of its cars in the mid-session gap in a bid to avoid traffic, with SMP Racing-backed driver Shwartzman delivering a lap four tenths clear of the opposition. But Formula Renault Eurocup runner-up Christian Lundgaard snatched provisional pole away from the Russian with a few minutes left on the clock. Lundgaard looked to have given dominant GP3 team ART Grand Prix the inaugural pole for F3's new era, but Shwartzman started his final lap just before the chequered flag flew and managed a 1m31.975s, 0.108s up on the Dane. Marcus Armstrong and Jehan Daruvala   also of Prema   headed out late, and rose up the order to take third and fourth places, 0.452s and 0.554s off pole respectively. Behind Daruvala, Logan Sargeant steered the best of the Carlin cars to a top five, ahead of MP Motorsport's Simo Laaksonen and ART's David Beckmann. Reigning Eurocup champion Max Fewtrell was eighth in the third of the ART machines, ahead of late improvers Alex Peroni (MP Motorsport) and Yuki Tsunoda (Jenzer). Hitech GP had a tough session, with Red Bull-backed Juri Vips its highest finisher in 11th, while Leonardo Pulcini struggled to 18th place after a late start to his session. HWA's highest-placed driver was Euroformula Open runner-up Bent Viscaal in 16th. Jake Hughes was 2.1 seconds off the pace in 29th, but reportedly without a working DRS on his car. Session results: Cla#DriverTeamTimeGap 1 28 Robert Shwartzman Prema Powerteam 1'31.975 2 3 Christian Lundgaard ART Grand Prix 1'32.083 0.108 3 26 Marcus Armstrong Prema Powerteam 1'32.427 0.452 4 27 Jehan Daruvala Prema Powerteam 1'32.529 0.554 5 31 Logan Sargeant Carlin 1'32.660 0.685 6 5 Simo Laaksonen MP Motorsport 1'32.755 0.780 7 1 David Beckmann ART Grand Prix 1'32.829 0.854 8 2 Max Fewtrell ART Grand Prix 1'32.857 0.882 9 23 Alex Peroni Campos Racing 1'32.863 0.888 10 14 Yuki Tsunoda Jenzer Motorsport 1'32.875 0.900 11 21 Jüri Vips HitechGP 1'32.876 0.901 12 19 Niko Kari Trident 1'32.878 0.903 13 18 Pedro Piquet Trident 1'32.880 0.905 14 7 Lirim Zendeli Charouz Racing System 1'32.934 0.959 15 6 Richard Verschoor MP Motorsport 1'32.949 0.974 16 10 Bent Viscaal HWA AG 1'33.010 1.035 17 8 Fabio Scherer Charouz Racing System 1'33.022 1.047 18 20 Leonardo Pulcini HitechGP 1'33.103 1.128 19 4 Liam Lawson MP Motorsport 1'33.150 1.175 20 30 Felipe Drugovich Carlin 1'33.313 1.338 21 12 Keyvan Andres HWA AG 1'33.430 1.455 22 22 Ye Yifei HitechGP 1'33.475 1.500 23 25 Sebastian Fernandez Campos Racing 1'33.508 1.533 24 17 Devlin DeFrancesco Trident 1'33.545 1.570 25 9 Raoul Hyman Charouz Racing System 1'33.564 1.589 26 15 Artem Petrov Jenzer Motorsport 1'33.714 1.739 27 16 Andreas Estner Jenzer Motorsport 1'33.962 1.987 28 29 Teppei Natori Carlin 1'34.054 2.079 29 11 Jake Hughes HWA AG 1'34.173 2.198 View full results


Joe Douglas is a coveted name in the search for a new GM for the New York Jets, but like many of the successful executives around the league, the Eagles top personnel guy isn't going to bite at the job without some control. Ian Rapoport had previously reported that the Jets have requested permission to interview Douglas for their vacant general manager job. Now according to Howard Eskins of 94WIP, Douglas is reluctant to accept the job without a complete say on the roster. Adding to a report @RapSheet the #Jets have asked for permission to talk with #Eagles VP of player personel for their GM opening. I'm told unless Jets give Douglas final say on players the Eagles would not let him go and Joe Douglas would not take the job. @SportsRadioWIP - Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) May 24, 2019 Douglas and Gase have a relationship, as he spent a year in Chicago after a 16 year run in the Baltimore Ravens' personnel department before joining the Eagles in 2016. In Philadelphia, Douglas has developed a reputation around the league as a key cog in Howie Roseman's front office, while playing a role in constructing the Eagles' Super Bowl LII-winning team and the deep roster that currently awaits the 2019 season. MORE: 'Jeopardy' fans ripped James Holzhauer for how he said Dr. Dre's name but here's why he did it This is how the Milwaukee Bucks head into the offseason Chuck Pagano feels 'like a kid again' coaching this Bears defense Report: Wizards would want Lonzo Ball included in Bradley Beal trade Frank Vogel shares his first impressions of LeBron James since accepting Lakers job


The NFL is considering expanding its season to 18 games once a new collective bargaining agreement is signed . While it wouldn't start until the 2021 campaign, players are already speaking out on it. That includes veteran Denver Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe, who asked one simple question. "Are you going to pay me?" Derek Wolfe on 18-game proposal: "Are you going to pay me? If you're going to pay me I'll do whatever you want but you're going to pay me. And then we're going to work out camp where maybe we go 3 days and maybe a day off, instead of 5, 6 days and then a day off.'' #9sports   Mike Klis (@MikeKlis) July 19, 2019 Basic fairness indicates that more games equals higher pay. Though, one of the ideas being floated is the possibility of limiting players to 16 games. This means they'd have to sit out two games during the season. That would impact an even playing field for contenders. Not to mention, the NFL would then be forced to see each team throw out a backup quarterback twice a season   watering down the product in the process. Based on what we're hearing from players, this proposal could already be dead in the water. Related slideshow: Ranking top 20 NFL draft classes (provided by imagn)


Panthers receiver D.J. Moore's traditional numbers were not particularly outstanding during his rookie season. He caught 55 passes, totaling 788 yards and just two touchdowns. However, Moore excelled in several advanced stats that indicate special potential. Moore led all NFL wide receivers in both yards after catch per reception and total yards after contact . He also forced the most missed tackles per reception, according to Pro Football Focus. Golden Tate is generally considered the best open-space receiver in the league, but he came in second behind Moore in this category, followed by Odell Beckham. Moore's teammate Curtis Samuel wasn't too far behind. He came in at No. 5. Here's the top 10. D.J. Moore recorded the most forced missed tackles per reception (0.31) among WRs in 2018 (minimum 50 targets). #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/t6ljVGDudR - PFF CAR Panthers (@PFF_Panthers) May 15, 2019 That's some impressive company for a rookie to keep. Expect big things from Moore in 2019 and beyond. MORE: Zion Williamson still has options if he doesn't want to play for the Pelicans NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Cowboys News: Prescott's circle of trust questioned, Kris Richard RKGs Pro Football Focus names Raiders CB Isaiah Johnson as a steal of the 2019 draft How Jamie Collins would fit if he returns to Patriots


Per the New York Post's Mark Berman, Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens interviewed former Memphis Grizzlies head coach J.B. Bickerstaff at the NBA Combine on Thursday. David Fizdale does not appear he will add his former Memphis assistant .JB Bickerstaff to Knicks staff. Per source, Celtics HC Brad Stevens interviewed Bickerstaff last night at Chicago combine. Celtics is losing assistant Micah Shrewsberry to Purdue. JB had been up for Cavs HC. - Marc Berman (@NYPost_Berman) May 16, 2019 Bickerstaff, who went 48-97 as the head coach of the Grizzlies, isn't held in a particularly high regard but recently interviewed for the Cleveland Cavaliers head coaching position before Cleveland hired former Michigan Wolverines' men's basketball head coach John Beilein. With former assistant coach Micah Shrewsberry leaving the Celtics for an assistant head coach role at Purdue University, there's now a vacancy on Stevens' bench. Bickerstaff, though struggling as a head coach of a team with All-Star caliber players in Mike Conley and Marc Gasol (prior to his trade to the Toronto Raptors), did lead the Houston Rockets to the playoffs as interim head coach in 2015-16. He also has a strong basketball pedigree, with the his father Bernie having made a career as a longtime NBA coach and front office executive. Bickerstaff may be better suited for an assistant coach role that utilizes his basketball knowledge but doesn't require him to be the face of the team and manage star players or their personalities. There would be less pressure on Bickerstaff and that seems to be what would be best for the 40-year-old. MORE: Why rookie Devin Bush is the cure for what ails the Steelers defense Roundup: RIP Grumpy Cat; Ruby Rose as Batwoman; Mets to Have Seinfeld Night What Steph Curry and his brother Seth said in their free-throw trash talking moment Five potential Jimmy Butler landing spots in free agency Austin Droogsma could be a rare find for Giants Related slideshow: Best of 2019 NBA playoffs (Provided by imagn)


Oakland If you love live music, there's no time like the present when it comes to getting out and about in Oakland. From a silent party to a party cruise, here are the local shows worth checking out this weekend. 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. Afrobeats at The Lake Festival From the event description: The Pergola at Lake Merritt is hosting the first annual Afrobeats at the Lake Festival. On Saturday, get ready for a day in the sun, beach blankets on the grass and dancing to the best Afrobeat DJs in the Bay area playing the latest sounds from West Africa and more. When: Saturday, June 29, 3-9 p.m. Where: The Pergola at Lake Merritt, 599 El Embarcadero Price: $10 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Urban Fêtes Presents the Silent 'Trap & Twerk' Party From the event description: Silent parties have been around for decades, but Urban Fêtes has brought back the rave-like shindig with a modern twist. Vibe out to three live DJs spinning the hottest trap and dance jams you can find. When: Saturday, June 29, 10 p.m.- 2 a.m. Where: Level 13 Ultra Lounge, 341 13th St. Price: $6. More ticket options available. Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Jay Electronica, Six Fif and Unlearn the World When: Sunday, June 30, 9-11:30 p.m. Where: The New Parish, 1743 San Pablo Ave. Price: $25. More ticket options available. Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Plank Summer Festival From the event description: This summer, Plank is getting whimsical and launching its own festival. A special food and drink menu will be offered every Friday and Saturday and includes pickleback corn dogs, ring toss onions, shrimp in a cone and funnel cake fries. When: Saturday, June 29, 4 p.m. Where: Plank, 98 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94607 Price: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Boat Party Cruise on The Bay From the event description: Come and enjoy some great times with us on this beautiful riverboat cruise over the bay area waters, while we get our boogie on to some great house music. Vibe with good folks, enjoy the sunset and many wonderful surrounding sights, travel under the Bay Bridge and enjoy this wonderful excursion of the San Francisco Bay Area. When: Saturday, June 29, 5:30 p.m. Where: Jack London Square, Oakland, CA 94607 Price: $30 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Jamie Whincup snapped his longest Supercars winless streak in 13 years with a clinical victory at Queensland Raceway. The seven-time series champion came into the QR round sporting a 24-race drought, his last win coming way back at last September's Sandown 500. It was his longest winless streak since joining powerhouse squad Triple Eight back in 2006. However he broke it in style at the Ipswich circuit, out-muscling Scott McLaughlin on the first lap and out-lasting a fast finishing Will Davison to take a 2.1s win. Whincup and McLaughlin staged a wild side-by-side battle through Turns 1 and 2 on the opening lap, the Red Bull Holden driver winning out to grab the lead, while McLaughlin found himself shuffled back to third behind Davison. Parked behind Davison's Tickford Mustang, and with Whincup 2.9s down the road, McLaughlin tried an undercut with a Lap 10 stop. However a problem on the left front meant his stop was more than 5s longer than usual. Whincup continued to pull away from Davison across the first stint, his lead 4.2s when he made his stop on Lap 15. He emerged 6s ahead of McLaughlin, and with clean air and fresh tyres at his disposal. Davison stayed out until Lap 19, which was enough to not only lose a little more ground to Whincup, but end up behind McLaughlin as well. McLaughlin did briefly make in-roads on Whincup's advantage, getting to within 4.5s of the leader as the stops shook out. However with 13 laps remaining the DJR Team Penske driver ran out of steam, which opened the door for Davison to reclaim second place. Davison's Tickford teammate Chaz Mostert followed suit, relegating McLaughlin to fourth a lap later. With the better tyre condition, Davison was able to eat into Whincup's advantage during the fun to the flag. But it wasn't enough, Whincup holding on to break his winless streak to the tune of 2.1s. "I've been reminded, especially the last couple of months, that I haven't had a win for a while," said Whincup. "So it's certainly fantastic to get a win. "A big thanks to the Holden supporters for hanging in there, we've had a bit of a drought, it's been a tough run, but we've been chipping away." Second for Davison marked a first podium for the Tickford-run 23Red Racing entry. "I'm stoked, I'm rapt for [team owner] Phil [Munday]," said Davison. "He's a great fella, great to have in the sport and I'm privileged to drive for him. "It's been a long time coming, but it's been a good weekend to now so I'm glad I was just able to get this monkey off the back. Hopefully there's plenty more." Mostert finished up third, having been unable to hang on to Davison in the closing stages despite the pair running an identical strategy. McLaughlin came home fourth ahead of Shane van Gisbergen, with another pair of Tickford Mustangs sixth and seventh thanks to Cam Waters and Lee Holdsworth. Nick Percat finished eighth, David Reynolds ninth and Fabian Coulthard in 10th. Race 1 results: ClaDriverCarTime 1 Jamie Whincup Holden Commodore ZB 2 Will Davison Ford Mustang GT 2.1796 3 Chaz Mostert Ford Mustang GT 6.0530 4 Scott McLaughlin Ford Mustang GT 8.7324 5 Shane van Gisbergen Holden Commodore ZB 9.6996 6 Cameron Waters Ford Mustang GT 20.8293 7 Lee Holdsworth Ford Mustang GT 23.1559 8 Nick Percat Holden Commodore ZB 25.4667 9 David Reynolds Holden Commodore ZB 35.6423 10 Fabian Coulthard Ford Mustang GT 36.5018 11 James Courtney Holden Commodore ZB 37.8383 12 Andre Heimgartner Nissan Altima 40.1545 13 James Golding Holden Commodore ZB 40.7462 14 Anton De Pasquale Holden Commodore ZB 42.6580 15 Mark Winterbottom Holden Commodore ZB 44.1889 16 Rick Kelly Nissan Altima 44.9761 17 Michael Caruso Holden Commodore ZB 45.9757 18 Simona de Silvestro Nissan Altima 46.3215 19 Todd Hazelwood Holden Commodore ZB 53.0295 20 Garry Jacobson Nissan Altima 1'01.0018 21 Scott Pye Holden Commodore ZB 1 lap 22 Jack Le Brocq Holden Commodore ZB 1 lap Tim Slade Holden Commodore ZB 2 laps Macauley Jones Holden Commodore ZB 2 laps View full results


For the first time since the Great Recession a decade ago, the US Federal Reserve is poised to cut interest rates, shoring up America's defenses as the global economy weakens. It will mark a striking about-face for the central bank, reversing a rate increase announced just seven months ago. And the policy flip comes as the central bank has suffered a number of awkward stumbles in communications, as it has tried to communicate confidence in the economy, while at the same time a readiness to support continued expansion. Fed officials have had to backtrack and clarify recent statements, and amid President Donald Trump's blistering, year-long public campaign against Fed Chair Jerome Powell, one central banker seemed to offer himself as an alternative for the leadership position. Meanwhile, although the rate cut this week is almost universally expected, economists disagree on whether the Fed is making the right move. Indeed, cutting rates now could appear highly unusual: the Fed has never done so with unemployment so low. New York Fed President John Williams, the influential vice chair of the Fed's monetary policy committee, said this month that acting quickly to cut the key lending rate could "vaccinate" an economy against "disease" later on. But his office later scrambled to clarify that the comment was referring to the history of monetary policy and was not a prediction of how the Fed would act on July 31. Trump pounced almost immediately: "I like New York Fed President John Williams' first statement much better than his second." Diane Swonk, chief economist at Grant Thornton, said the Fed's communication blunders did not help it withstand Trump's onslaught and his demand for lower borrowing rates. "The president might have been right for the wrong reasons because he was destroying the economy himself," she told AFP, saying the damage from the trade battles with China and others has been underestimated. So "even when they do the right thing it looks like they're capitulating," she said, undermining their credibility. Trump's vocal and repeated attacks on the Fed are unprecedented. And Swonk warned it could backfire. "What the president's doing now is undermining the most powerful tool the Fed has when he's going to need it most." - Mixed economic signals - James Bullard, the dovish president of the St Louis Federal Reserve Bank, who like Trump has advocated a rate cut, said recently that he would take the job of Fed chair if offered. In the context of reports that Trump has considered removing or demoting Powell, Bullard's comments do little to reinforce confidence in the Fed chief. Powell has repeatedly said the political considerations have no impact on the Fed's policy committee. But even the economic case is opaque. There are signs the economy does not need central bank stimulus: consumer spending is solid and job growth is steady, not to mention record stock prices on Wall Street. "For what it's worth, we think any rate cut is a mistake," economist Ian Shepherdson said in a recent note to clients. But others argue the Fed will be making up for the error it made in December. The Fed raised rates in December despite signs of a weakening global economy and Trump's multiple global trade conflicts. But central bankers now cite those same reasons as a justification for cutting rates. "I do believe the Fed made a mistake and they know it," Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial, told AFP. And there are a number of reasons to be worried. GDP growth slowed this year. Manufacturing is in recession. The housing market has stumbled. Business investment is flat-lining amid uncertainty caused by the trade wars. Powell told lawmakers this month that Trump's trade wars with China and Europe were a "shock" to American business confidence. Meanwhile, Europe and China are faltering, eating into demand for US exports and raising the prospect of contagion, while the possibility of a no-deal Brexit, with its uncertain consequences, draws nearer every day. Revised government data released Friday show that at the end of 2018 growth was only half as strong as previously reported -- taking the wind out of the economy's sails at the start of this year.


A Milwaukee police officer shot in the line of duty three years ago is suing the store that sold the gun. While sitting in this squad car near South 17th Street and West Morgan Avenue, Officer Brandon Baranowski was shot in the arm, chest and face. It was Baranowski's bulletproof vest that saved his life, police said. According to the lawsuit, he has been unable to return to work. The suit claims The Shooters Shop in West Allis should have known the original gun sale was an illegal straw purchase. WISN 12 News called the store for comment but has not gotten a response. READ MORE: Milwaukee police officer shot in line of duty sues shop that sold gun CHECK OUT WISN: Get the top Milwaukee news weather and sports. With the day's biggest stories and ones you may have missed, our Wisconsin news team has you covered.


Imagine Ivanka Trump sitting with Churchill, Stalin and FDR at Yalta. Or strolling across Abbey Road with the Beatles. Or her face carved on Mount Rushmore. The First Daughter raised eyebrows by elbowing her way into photo ops with presidents and premiers, most recently winding up in the front row of a picture with her famous dad and 19 other heads of state at the G20 economic summit. And the Twittersphere is hitting her right where it hurts. People are using photo-editing software to insert Ivanka into iconic historic images to mock her propensity for seeking the spotlight. One journalist simply wrote "Yalta" over an image of Ivanka artificially added to the famed photo of world leaders after the end of World War II. Another imagined what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech would have looked like with Ivanka on the stage with the civil rights leader. Another Twitter user implored followers not to "moon shame" Ivanka after posting a pic of an astronaut on the moon   with the First Daughter reflected in his helmet. Some of the most biting commentary about Ivanka didn't use fake images at all. Many shared the all-too-real video clip of the First Daughter inserting herself awkwardly into a conversation between Theresa May, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron and Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund, about social justice issues. Foreign diplomats and heads of state are usually insulated by protocol from having to talk substantive issues with the relative or spouses of their powerful counterparts. But those rules have gone out the window with President Trump, who has made it clear that he wants Ivanka treated like royalty. Despite Ivanka's lack of qualifications, Trump openly floated her name as a candidate for either World Bank chief or ambassador to the United Nations. "It may be shocking to some, but being someone's daughter actually isn't a career qualification," wrote Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Queens).


A jury has awarded more than $3 million to a woman who was misdiagnosed with epilepsy, one of hundreds of people to accuse a Detroit-area doctor of malpractice. Jurors on Monday said Dr. Yasser Awaad breached the standard of care in his treatment of Mariah Martinez . Oakwood Medical Center in Dearborn was found negligent in its supervision of him. Martinez says the verdict lifts a "big weight" from her shoulders. Lawyers for Awaad and Oakwood declined to comment. Martinez, now 26 years old, was told she had epilepsy at age 9. Awaad said EEG tests that measure brain waves revealed abnormalities. But after four years of anti-seizure medication that made her feel sluggish, another doctor found her results were normal. Awaad ordered tests on hundreds of Detroit-area children and intentionally misread the results, telling them they had epilepsy or some other seizure disorder, said lawyers for Martinez. Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes seizures, which are short changes in normal brain activity. Medicine is a common treatment, but nerve stimulation through an implanted device sometimes is another choice. Awaad was Oakwood's first pediatric neurologist when he was hired in 1999. Over nearly a decade, his annual salary rose from $185,000 to $300,000. He also qualified for a bonus as high as $220,000 if certain billing targets were met, documents show. Awaad and Oakwood will likely ask that the jury's award be reduced because it exceeds a cap under Michigan law. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jury awards woman $3M after Oakwood doctor's bogus epilepsy diagnosis


The Cowboys and their starting QB are still trying to hammer out a new deal. It's been a bit since we've heard much about the upcoming new deal for Dak Prescott. We know it's coming, we just don't know when or for how much. Since we're in a short summer holiday in the NFL offseason schedule, things seem to have slowed down on the contract front. But Prescott still has some opinions on the subject and is making them known . A while back, Stephen Jones made an effort to sell Prescott, and other Cowboys stars, on the idea of "team-friendly" deals that don't max out their contracts. "If we can talk them into not maxing out, doing well, but not maxed, that allows us to have other good football players around them," Jones said during the team's annual golf outing for sponsors at Cowboys Golf Club. "And we all know what happens, you look at the TV booths and look at what these players do off the field. If we can put Super Bowl rings on these guys, they'll be legends around this area for many, many, many years to come. "What they may give up a little bit in their contract, they should be able to invest in being a Cowboy and making our teams better." As we noted at the time, it's a nice sentiment but not one NFL players are likely going to take to heart. Especially a player who has been grossly underpaid so far in his NFL career. Prescott realizes that Amari Cooper and Ezekiel Elliott are also going to want top dollar, but he's not ready to concede that anybody has to do a "team-friendly" deal. "For somebody to say you can only take so much because of the salary cap or you can only do this or that, I don't know how fair that is to say," Prescott said. "Because with gambling, with everything going into this league, everything is going to continue to keep going up. "It's important for all these guys to get every bit of their worth. I want to see Zeke the highest paid. I want to see Amari the highest paid. I want to see myself up there. And I don't think any of that is too far-fetched. Because at the end of the day, when it's all said and done, a year or two later, you're not going to be the highest paid. That's just the way the game goes." Prescott is making the point that the salary cap keeps increasing, and that there is room for the Cowboys players to get top dollar. He notes, rightly so, that the top-paid player one year is usually eclipsed by someone else the next. And his point about the salary cap is valid. Over the last six years, the salary cap has increased on average $10 million a year. "I don't think it's fair to sit there and say, 'This guy can't get that because he needs the rest of the team,'" Prescott said. "The rest of the team can all get theirs with the way the league is trending." It's hard to blame Prescott for seeking the biggest contract he can get, especially given how little he's been paid so far. He has routinely been designated the biggest bargain in the league based on his salary cap number (only $2.1 million this year, and that's the highest it's ever been and more than he made in his first three years combined) vs. his production on the field (wins, NFC East titles, Pro Bowls, stats, etc.). At this point, there hasn't been much movement on a contract beyond the exchange of numbers reported earlier this offseason. "I mean, steps have to be made," Prescott said Monday while working with AT&T/DirecTV, with whom he partners on products including NFL Sunday Ticket. "They're simple steps. For the most part, obviously you want to get closure and obviously you want to get it done, but the Cowboys probably feel the same way that I do: Nobody wants to take anything that's not fair to the other." We wait, but this deal will go down sometime before the season. The only thing we're really waiting on are the numbers.


ELIZABETH, N.J. (CBSNewYork)   The man known as " Kai the Hitchhiker " was sentenced to 57 years in prison Thursday in Union County superior court in New Jersey. In April, 30-year-old Caleb "Kai" McGillvary was found guilty of murder in the 2013 beating-death of a Clark attorney. The body of 73-year-old Joseph Galfy was found in his home. The two men reportedly met in Times Square. McGillvary gained some online fame in 2013 after intervening in an assault on a California utility worker was threatened by a man with a hatchet. The jury deliberation spread over two days and a four-week trial before state Superior Court Judge Robert Kirsch. According to Union County prosecutors, Clark Township police responded to Galfy's home on Starlight Drive to find the victim's partially clothed body prone beside his bed. Investigators said surveillance footage, digital cell phone data and other forms of evidence were used to identify McGillvary as a suspect. Investigators said McGillvary and Galfy first met in New York City's Times Square, about a day and a half before the victim's death. McGillvary claimed self-defense at trial, the county medical examiner testified that the victim   "who stood 5-foot-5, weighed 230 pounds, and had a stent in his chest due to a heart condition"   sustained numerous serious blunt-force injuries to his face, head, neck, chest, and arms, including three skull fractures, four broken ribs, and severe contusions, abrasions, and bleeding. Prosecutors said the extent of injuries contradicted McGillvary's self-defense claim. They also said McGillvary cut his long hair and fled the state after the murder. Galfy had been a partner with the Rahway-based law firm of Kochanski, Baron and Galfy, PC, and was a military veteran who reached the rank of Major while serving in the U.S. Army from 1965 to 1970.


The Detroit Lions JACK linebacker position has several talented players, but how many will the team keep on their final 53-man roster? The Lions' base defensive formation is a 3-3-5, meaning three down linemen, three linebackers and a combination of five defensive backs. Like most NFL teams the Lions typically deploy four pass rushers on a given play, which include two interior defensive tackles, a defensive end and a pass-rushing linebacker, which the Lions call the JACK. The three down linemen all typically line up in a three-point stance and occupy the interior gaps between the offensive tackles, with the defensive end often shading to the outside shoulder of the left tackle. The JACK lines up on the opposite side of the line, shading outside of the right tackle and often has to account for the tight end as well. The JACK is a unique position - its name is derived from the phrase Jack-of-all-trades - and in the Lions scheme, it's designed to be a hybrid position. More often than not, this player is rushing the passer, but he also needs to be capable of dropping into a short zone in coverage situations. As the Lions head into training camp, they have four players on their 90-man roster who would be considered potential JACK linebackers. Because of their rangy skill sets and the importance of the position, there's a case to be made that all four could make the Lions 53-man roster. Devon Kennard - The starter The Lions' top free agent target in the 2018 class, Devon Kennard, was exactly the hybrid player that coach Matt Patricia wanted at the JACK linebacker position. Previously when with the Giants, Kennard saw reps as a pass-rushing linebacker working off the edge, while also showing the range to line up inside at the 3-technique. In 2018, Kennard started 15 games and recorded a career-high seven sacks on the season. He had his struggles in creating pressure, but overall, it was a solid, if unspectacular, first year in a Lions uniform. Cam goes ⬇. #OnePride *courtesy of @DevonKennard * pic.twitter.com/PD5gdiysK1 - Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 18, 2018 Entering Year 2 in Detroit, Kennard is still firmly locked into a starting role. He should be well acclimated to the position and with the offseason additions on defense (most notably Trey Flowers, who is expected to start opposite him), there is an opportunity for growth. Erik's prediction: Kennard makes the 53-man roster, keeps starting role Eric Lee - The experienced youth In 2018, with Ezekiel Ansah injured, the Lions turned to Romeo Okwara as their starting defensive end, leaving the team with a struggling Kerry Hyder as their only backup. Hyder's difficulties opened the door for competition at the position. Lee was one of the Patriots' final roster cuts ahead of the season and Patricia scooped him up and placed him on the Lions practice squad. As Hyder continued to struggle, Lee was promoted to the active roster in late September and the two battled for playing time all season. Lee showed well as a reserve defensive end but didn't stand out in any meaningful way. The Lions added three defensive ends this offseason and in spring camp, Lee made the switch to JACK linebacker. At 254 pounds, this was a relatively easy move and his experience with Patricia in New England surely helped him acclimate quickly. The Lions set their camp depth chart on seniority and make players earn a role, so with only Kennard and two rookies at the position, it's no surprise that Lee was the primary backup. The big question is, will he be able to hold off the talent behind him? Erik's prediction: 50/50 chance for the 53-man roster Austin Bryant - The future Playing on a Clemson defensive line that saw three players selected in the first 17 picks of the 2019 NFL draft, Austin Bryant was often overlooked and labeled a product of the players around him. The Lions selected Bryant with the 117th pick, and if it weren't for pectoral surgery or his teammates on Clemson's D-line, he likely would've been taken higher. I recently profiled why I believed Bryant's primary role would be at JACK linebacker , detailing his skill set. Missing spring camp (pectoral injury) will likely set him back a bit in training camp but he has the developmental ceiling to put pressure on Lee for a reserve role. How quickly Bryant acclimates to the role will likely be the determining factor in how many JACK linebackers make the roster. Erik's prediction: Bryant makes the 53-man roster Malik Carney - The sleeper A three-year starter at North Carolina, Carney played a hybrid defensive end/pass-rushing linebacker role for the Tar Heels and led them in sacks each of the past three seasons. Carney wins with effort more than technique right now, but he has loose hips, is comfortable standing up and locates the football in traffic; in the last three years he has 33 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks and nine forced fumbles. Well, I guess this look was timely. Here's UNC DE Malik Carney setting the edge despite giving up many LBs to the OT. Leverage, guys…leverage. pic.twitter.com/gzXxtAF1fe - Chad Reuter (@chad_reuter) August 6, 2018 While the other players listed primarily play the edge and can drop into short zones, what sets Carney apart is that he can both play the edge and operate as a true off-the-ball linebacker in coverage. During the Lions' spring camp, Carney saw time at JACK, MIKE, as well as on special teams. For a team that values versatility, Carney is in a terrific spot heading into training camp. Of course, he still has to prove it on the field, but the potential to fill multiple roles makes him a very appealing player. Erik's prediction: 60/40 shot to make the 53-man roster Conclusion How the JACK depth plays out is going to be very interesting. Kennard and Bryant look like the surest bests for the 53-man roster, but Lee (experience) and Carney (versatility) each bring valuable commodities to the table. The positional range of the four players in this section will make for some interesting September decisions, and while not likely, it wouldn't be overly surprising if all four found themselves on the roster for the season opener. MORE: Chauncey Billups had a brutally honest take on why Carmelo Anthony isn't in the NBA Roundup: Nintendo Switch Lite, Best New Restaurants in America, Shannon Elizabeth on American Pie at 20 Jeremy Hill is ready to find a new team in free agency One reason why getting rid of the franchise tag would be good for the NFL and its owners Bears' triplets rank 23rd in NFL entering 2019 season


PHOENIX (AP) Alex Len's grandparents can hear the gunfire from their home in eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists have been in fierce fighting with Ukrainian forces. Local police have abandoned his hometown, leaving gangs to roam the streets and terrorize residents. A half-world away, the 21-year-old center is showing he belongs in the NBA, displaying the skills that led the Phoenix Suns chose him fifth overall in the 2013 draft. ''When I play it's like a different world, just basketball,'' he said. ''Definitely off the court it's sad. ...Two years ago it was one country. Now all of a sudden people divide, separate themselves, like we're different.'' The violence stems from the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovich in February of last year, with Parliament naming a new leader for the country and voting to end Russian as Ukraine's second language. As Russia annexed the former Ukrainian Crimea, Russian-backed separatists clashed with Ukrainian forces, eventually seizing much of the area in the southeast part of the country where Len grew up. He is from Antratstit, a coal mining town of about 55,000 some 90 miles from the Russian border and 130 miles from Donetsk. With nearly 1 million residents, it is the largest city held by the separatists. He has brought his mother to live with him. His grandparents came for a short time, but the culture change was too much for them, he said, so they returned home. ''My grandparents right now are right in the middle of a war zone,'' he said. ''I tried to get them to stay over here, but you know how old people are. For them it was too big a change.'' No one in his family has been hurt in the fighting, Len said, ''thank God.'' As a youngster, Len wanted to be a gymnast before his school's basketball coach said he belonged on the court. Len kept growing and growing. He played for Ukraine in the European under-18 championships, then moved across the ocean to the University of Maryland. In two seasons with the Terrapins, he had some big games. He scored 23 and grabbed 12 boards against Kentucky. His tip-in at the buzzer beat North Carolina State. But he never made even third-team all-ACC. Still, the 7-footer was a prized commodity in the 2014 draft. An injury kept him from pre-draft workouts, but he was high on the list of a handful of teams. The Suns chose him as the No. 5 pick overall. ''He's 7-1, he's agile, he's really long,'' Suns general manager Ryan McDonough said. ''He really cares about being good. I think with a lot of big guys sometimes they play the game because they're big and it beats getting a real job. But he really cares. It means a lot to him to be a good player.'' Two ankle surgeries slowed the young big man in his rookie season, when he played in just 42 games. ''I was in and out,'' Len said. ''I would play some games then I would be out a long time. ... There was just a lot going on last year. It was probably one of the toughest years of my life.'' As he struggled to overcome his injuries and fit in with the Suns, war broke out back home. Before one game last season, Len wrote ''pray for Ukraine'' on his basketball shoes. He said he talks regularly with family and friends. The tales he hears are harrowing, and a million miles from the privileged world of an NBA player. ''My cousin, he had a crazy story,'' Len said. ''He said when the bombing started, he ran to get his cat from his apartment because he was trying to get out of his city. While he was running he was in shock, just amazing, bombs everywhere. He grabbed the cat, ran back to the car and drove away. He was driving so fast.'' After speeding out of the city and arriving at his family's home, Len said, his cousin came inside to the shocked look of his mother. ''He walked in and his mom saw blood on his pants,'' Len said. ''She was so scared but it wasn't his blood. It was from somebody who got hit while he was running.'' Len has managed to put the distraction of war aside and continue to get better on the court. His improvement was obvious from the start this season, and coach Jeff Hornacek put him in the starting lineup on Dec. 15. Since becoming a starter, he's averaging 2.2 blocked shots per game, tied for sixth-most in the NBA in that span. His 2.7 blocks per minute on the floor rank fifth in the league. He blocked six shots against Philadelphia on Jan. 2. And back home, the fighting goes on despite a supposed cease fire in a war Len knew was ''getting worse each day.'' He chooses no side. ''I'm Ukrainian and I won't go against Russia, too. I'm right in the middle,'' Len said. ''I just want peace for everybody. I just don't want people to die.''


MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO)   Authorities say new video evidence contradicts an 83-year-old drivers' claims that he confused the gas pedal for the brakes before crashing into a North Minneapolis bus shelter last month. According to Metro Transit, the crash happened around 9:20 a.m. near the intersection of West Broadway and Lyndale avenues on July 9. RELATED: 6 Injured, 3 Critically After Van Slams Into Minneapolis Bus Shelter Six people were injured, including two who were transported to North Memorial Hospital in critical condition, according to court documents. On Friday, a search warrant obtained by Metro Transit Police revealed new evidence into the incident. "The video shows the vehicle traveling westbound in the lane at very slow rate of speed with the brake lights activated. The brake lights turn off and the vehicle rapidly accelerates as it suddenly turns directly into the bus shelter," Metro Transit police officer Paul Buzicky wrote in a search warrant affidavit. "The driver was interviewed and stated he mistook the accelerator for the brake, which contradicts the video evidence." So far, no charges have been filed against the 83-year-old driver.


Tom Brady 's attempt to trademark the name "Tom Terrific" drew some ire from fans and former teammates of Baseball Hall of Famer Tom Seaver and Brady shared some thoughts on the matter Thursday. The trademark filings was related to using the name for trading cards, other collectibles and clothing, but Brady said merchandising wasn't the intent of the move. Brady told reporters at the Patriots facility that he is not a fan of the nickname and that he tried to gain the trademark in order to keep anyone from using it in concert with his name. Brady said it was "unfortunate" that it looked like he was trying to block Seaver or his family from using the name. "Lesson learned and I'll try to do things a little different in the future," Brady said, via NBCSportsBoston.com. And that's the end of the ballad of "Tom Terrific" for this offseason.


Masahiro Tanaka pitched beautifully Saturday. The Yankees right-hander even made a near perfect, run-saving kick-save on a Yandy Diaz's ground ball back up the middle to do a little bit of everything for the Bombers. But that was it for Tanaka. After taking the hard-hit ground ball off his right foot, Tanaka left the game with a 1-0 lead and possibly an injury. He pitched six shutout innings, scattering three hits and striking out six. He had thrown 88 pitches and the Yankees made no announcement on the reason Tanaka had left the game. Diaz's ball hit Tanaka on his right foot/ankle area. It deflected to first base where Luke Voit picked it up for the final out of the inning. Tanaka walked into the dugout shaking his head and immediately headed for the tunnel back to the clubhouse followed closely by head trainer Steve Donohue and manager Aaron Boone. Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


Compared to other professional sports, the NFL season is exceptionally short. It spans 17 regular-season weeks from September to the end of December (or early January), compared to MLB's season, which goes from April to the end of September with each team playing 162 games. However, when accounting for four preseason games and four playoff weekends, the NFL season looks a bit longer for those players participating in each game. That's led to some talk about shortening the preseason to reduce the wear and tear put on players' bodies. Rams general manager Les Snead agrees with that sentiment and even went a step further when discussing how to improve the preseason. Peter King of NBC Sports asked Snead (and several others) how they would change the NFL, and the Rams GM wants to remake the preseason. My long-term thought is to reduce the preseason from four to two games, one home and one away. But don't waste the rest of August. I would add a scrimmage with another team at a neutral site that loves football-and slot that scrimmage the same week that now would be used for the first full preseason weekend, the week after the Hall of Fame Game. We could take the NFL on the road to towns in America that support the NFL on Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays by watching us. Play those scrimmages in great high school stadiums, college stadiums or minor-league baseball stadiums. It's a chance to give back and invest in our dedicated fans who support us even though they might be in a place that's not close to an NFL franchise city. Wouldn't it be fun to see Carson Wentz and the Eagles scrimmage the Vikings somewhere in North Dakota? Or the Seahawks and Texans scrimmaging in Madison, Wis., where Russell Wilson and J.J. Watt played? Good work for the teams, and very beneficial for the fans. And wouldn't Carson Wentz always remember the time his professional team played in the state he grew up? This makes a ton of sense. As of now, the preseason is relatively mundane and boring with star players playing very little. Last year, the Rams' starters didn't play a single snap together. Snead's theory would at least increase the interest if there were only two preseason games, hopefully encouraging teams to play their top players. The around-the-country scrimmages are an especially good idea. Local fans would certainly come out to see their favorite college athletes play on nearby fields - like Aaron Donald in Pittsburgh or Todd Gurley in Georgia (or North Carolina, where he's from). Perhaps the NFL will change the preseason structure when the new collective bargaining agreement is discussed and put in place after the 2020 season. MORE: This photo of Kyler Murray led to more speculation about his height Roundup: Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost Engaged, Robert F. Smith Pays Off Morehouse Student Loans Patriots will prove Super Bowl LIII shutdown defense was no fluke NCSA: Five common recruiting myths Phil Simms: Daniel Jones 'fits what Pat Shurmur wants' Related slideshow: Top picks of 2019 NFL Draft (provided by imagn)


Welcome to the latest installment of 3 Up, 3 Down, our weekly gauge of who's streaking and who's slumping throughout Major League Baseball. Our latest edition includes notes on Kris Bryant's blazing hot streak, Gio Urshela shining in the Bronx and Mickey Callaway's slumping job security. ↑ Kris Bryant's Revival ↑ It was fair for Kris Bryant to feel disrespected heading into 2019. The 2016 NL MVP faced a wave of doubt and criticism following an injury-plagued 2018, with questions swirling regarding his diminished power. The first 20 games of the season continued to raised eyebrows he had a .232 average and just one homer though after his recent tear, perhaps we all owe Bryant an apology. Chicago's elite third baseman is fully back on track. Bryant has mashed like an MVP for much of May. He is slashing a robust .317/,431/.767 in his last 15 games, blasting eight homers along with 17 RBIs. May 17 provided Bryant's most satisfying outing of the season, a three-homer effort as the Cubs beat the Nationals. A healthy Bryant unlocks one of baseball's deadliest offensive trios along with 2018 NL MVP runner-up Javier Báez and the ever-consistent Anthony Rizzo. It could also vault the Cubs to their third NL Central title since 2016 and fifth playoff berth in Bryant's five-year career. ↑ The Dodgers K-Show ↑ There's the temptation to ignore the Dodgers to a degree as we slog through the first half of 2019. Los Angeles is heavy favorite to win the NL West, and its season will be defined by October. Add in the late start time for the folks on the East Coast, and back-to-back NL champs fly a touch under the radar. But the additional a.m. alarm is certainly worth staying up late to watch what's currently an electrifying pitching staff at Chavez Ravine. The Dodgers have logged 22 games with 10-plus strikeouts this season, including 29 K's in a two-day stretch last week. Kenta Maeda blanked the Padres with 12 strikeouts in 6 2/3 inning on May 15, advancing to 5 2 on the season. Rich Hill was not to be outdone in his start the next day, striking out 10 in six innings against the Reds. Hyun-Jin Ryu actually leads the team in strikeouts, though he settled for five across seven shutout innings on Sunday. Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler could start Los Angeles' first two games of the postseason. For now, they'll happily take a back seat as a trio of veteran arms steal the show. ↑ The Gio Urshela Effect ↑ The Yankees are currently on a 101-win pace despite key bats Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge , Miguel Andújar and Didi Gregorius on the injured list . At 29-17, they lead the Rays by a game in the AL East. There's plenty of credit to go around for the plugged holes in New York's lineup, but this week's shoutout goes to stocky third baseman Gio Urshela. After entering 2019 with 499 plate appearances in three years with Toronto and Cleveland, the 27-year-old Venezuelan has found a home in the Bronx. Urshela is fourth on the Yankees in hits and second in OPS, trailing only Gleyber Torres and Gary Sanchez in slugging percentage. He ripped a walk-off single on Friday night and is hitting .357 in his last 13 games. New York has 10 wins in that span. Walk it off, Gio! Walk. It. Off. Gio Urshela's third hit of the night was his biggest! pic.twitter.com/KjVb7Er5JD   YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 18, 2019 The Yankees are slowly getting healthy as Aaron Hicks returned to the lineup last week and both Stanton and Gregorius recently started rehab assignments. Urshela will be displaced out of the lineup sooner or later, but don't forget his impact as the year progresses. He's been an integral part of the Yankees' roster, steadying the ship when the mountain of injuries grew. ↓ Colorado's Pitching Woes ↓ Will the Rockies' staff ever break the franchise mold of quality lineups hampered by subpar pitching? Perhaps the situation will improve in the next decade, but for 2019, Colorado's Achilles heel remains an issue. The Rockies have been particularly miserable in May, posting a 6.25 team ERA en route to the league's second-worst mark. They're 26th in strikeouts generated and 29th in opponent batting average. Only three teams have scored more runs than the Rockies in May, and Colorado is just 7 11 since April 28. The chance at a third straight postseason appearance is slipping away, and Nolan Arenado's future could include a lot of cash but few playoff victories. ↓ Comerica Park Blues ↓ The Tigers sprinted out to a surprising 7 3 start in 2019, fueling optimism that Detroit could finish closer to .500 than the division cellar. Ron Gardenhire's squad took two of three from the Yankees on April 1-3, and then swept the Royals in its first home series of the season. But the early-season goodwill has faded and reality is beginning to set in. The Tigers are arguably as far from playoff contention as any team outside of Miami. Detroit's most recent home stand did nothing to lift the spirits at Comerica Park. George Springer and the Astros bludgeoned their way to a three-game sweep to start the week. The A's then held Detroit to six runs across another trio of losses. The Tigers now sit fourth in the AL Central at 18 26, losing eight of their last 10. Casey Mize can't arrive soon enough. The minor-league cupboards are far from bare, but the big-league club is currently years away, even in a weakened division. ↓ Mickey and the Mets ↓ It may have been only a matter of time before the Mets' offseason spending spree proved foolish, though May 21 is an admittedly early time to hit the panic button. The Mets were swept by the lowly Marlins over the weekend and rumors surrounding manager Mickey Callaway's job security have begun to swirl in earnest. Add in the latest Yoenis Cespedes injury and the Brodie Van Wagenen era is off to a troubling start. BREAKING: Yoenis Cespedes fractured his ankles during an accident on his ranch in Florida. He is in New York to see doctors. The Mets don't know what this means for him in 2019 and beyond. "That's the story from his standpoint," Brodie Van Wagenen said.   Tim Healey (@timbhealey) May 20, 2019 To be clear, it is multiple fractures of Cespedes' right ankle, suffered during a "violent fall" off a non-horse at his ranch. There you go.   Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) May 20, 2019 Judging Callaway's future is better left to the folks in Flushing, but the Mets' performance through nearly two months has been poor. A potentially potent lineup is slashing .217/.238/.358 in May, with only the Marlins generating fewer runs in the National League. Robinson Cano's .384 slugging is at a career low and Todd Frazier's window as an above-replacement player is closing. The slumping bats are pairing with an increasingly mediocre staff, and Edwin Diaz's usage is, well, frustrating. Van Wagenen dived into 2019 with an eye on the NL East crown. Finishing fourth is now the more likely scenario. Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)