It's no secret Dak Prescott needs a new contract. The Dallas Cowboys' quarterback is approaching the final year of his rookie deal and, after leading the team to a 32-16 record during his three years, the man rightfully expects to get paid. Prescott has remained rather cool throughout the entire process, refusing to go the diva route some fear from their team's signal caller. When asked about Jason Garrett being in the final year of his deal, Prescott quipped , "So am I. There's no difference. We're both in our last year. It's not talked about. It's not discussed." The fanbase is split. Some fans are rather excited about the prospect of locking down the 'franchise quarterback' while others are adamant Prescott isn't the answer. Rather than debate how much money he deserves, we're going to work through Prescott's 2018 season. There is a 16-game body of work to evaluate objectively the kind of quarterback he is and how that projects forward into the Cowboys future. For each quarter of the season's calendar, we'll examine one great game, and one well… bad game. Continue… Bad Dak: September 23, 2018 (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Seattle is a difficult place to play, nobody would contest that. However this was a brutal game from Prescott. He finished 19 of 34 passing, with less than 200 passing yards and two turnovers. The Seahawks defense dominated that game, finishing with five sacks. View embedded content Prescott's difficulty with precise ball placement is apparent. He struggles on comeback routes outside the hashes, failing to find an intermediate point where the receiver can still grab it while keeping the ball out of the hands of the defender. This concept was best illustrated on this missed connection with Michael Gallup. Obviously, there is no contract debate if everything is perfect with Dak. Jumping back to Week 3 @ Seattle. He has real issues sometimes on anticipatory throws. This ball completely sails on Michael Gallup coming out of his break pic.twitter.com/v6M8u1GPGR - John Crumpler (@Get_Crumped) June 7, 2019 This lack of precision would also bleed into other routes. Here, Prescott needs to lead tight end Geoff Swain forward to keep the linebacker out of the play and protect his receiver. Instead, Prescott stares down his target before placing the ball behind the receiver. That's all it took, linebacker Bobby Wagner disrupts the pass and it goes straight to Earl Thomas. Seahawks' ball. This interception late in the fourth quarter is also pretty inexcusable. Not only does Prescott stare down his target, the throw behind makes it an easy disruption for Bobby Wagner. Interception. pic.twitter.com/hSMImFrghV - John Crumpler (@Get_Crumped) June 7, 2019 This is the kind of game Prescott detractors will always point to. As a quarterback, he is not consistent with the high level throws required to be elite, and much of it can be placed at the feet of, well, his footwork. Does one need to be elite to be a franchise quarterback? That can be debated, but the Cowboys' will rarely win games when Prescott plays like this. Continue… Good Dak: September 30, 2018 (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) This was a very good Prescott game. Prescott showed the ability to be that franchise pocket passer the fanbase craves. He finished the day with 17 completions on 27 attempts with 255 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers. Breaking into the tape, there are some absolute gems of passes from this game. Early in the first quarter, Prescott throws a beautiful deep ball to Gallup. It's the kind of pass a franchise quarterback has to make to stretch a defense. According to recent reports, this has been a focus of the club this offseason. Prescott's footwork and ball placement are beautiful and Gallup pulls down a contested catch. Starting off right, Week 4 @ Detroit was an excellent game from Dak. Made some big time throws including this one. The safety is out of position and Prescott fires a rifle for a 40-yard gain. The ball couldn't have been placed any better down the field pic.twitter.com/Iq3kxw9PDF - John Crumpler (@Get_Crumped) June 7, 2019 The deep ball is one of Prescott's better throws and it happened when he wasn't afraid to let it fly. A similar ball was later dropped by Tavon Austin. Prescott also shows insane ball placement in the next quarter. For a throw he frequently struggles with, Prescott nails Allen Hurns on a comeback route. The ball is put where only the receiver can grab it and the offense gains an easy first down. Speaking of excellent ball placement, this sideline pass to Allen Hurns was absurd. Threads between two defenders perfectly for the first down pic.twitter.com/TNfjiX89Dz - John Crumpler (@Get_Crumped) June 7, 2019 There were also some poor moments, even in his best games from the season's first half. For instance, Prescott showed a total lack of self-awareness late in the game in taking this sack. Dak Prescott has made some horrific mental mistakes the last two weeks when it comes to basic things like field position and the clock. Think back to the Lions win when he took a sack on third and long taking the Cowboys out of field goal range. pic.twitter.com/VXs44ADd6Q - RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) October 8, 2018 Additionally, he showed some issues with intermediate ball placement on the comeback and timing routes that make good teams great. Overall, however, it was a strong performance. Prescott consistently found receivers in open space and did what was necessary for the Cowboys to win that game. His control of the offense seemed evident despite some errant throws. He showed good ball placement, footwork and the desired toughness to play the position. It was the kind of game that showed Prescott can lead the Cowboys' to victory when called upon. Continue… Bad Dak: October 7 @ Houston (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) To be honest, the expectation was this game would be a lot uglier for the franchise quarterback than it was. This game was tough for both teams, neither playing to their best capacity but still one Dallas fans probably left thinking they should've won. That said, the Cowboys did not lose because of Prescott. He contributed, but was not exclusively responsible. This kind of back-foot, off balanced throw is not what you generally hope to see from the franchise QB on 3rd down. Almost a turnover pic.twitter.com/PxzKn5q0uZ - John Crumpler (@Get_Crumped) June 18, 2019 From the onset, Dallas had a tough time converting on third down, completing only 4 of 14 of their attempts. A big part of this was Prescott, as he missed throws he needed to make to move the chains. Above, a lack of discipline on the footwork and an arguable worse decision nearly leads to a turnover. This game exposed the key flaw in Prescott's game: he is not a consistent precision passer. Just because every throw exists in his arsenal does not ensure they show up on the field. A key interception would occur later in the game as he doesn't properly drive the ball down. Although it only leads to a slight loss in accuracy, the overthrow turns into an interception. Consistency matters. Here, Dak's failure to drive his pass forward ultimately results in the turnover. The ball sails and it's an easy interception for Kareem Jackson off the deflection pic.twitter.com/dXCFs4h0zY - John Crumpler (@Get_Crumped) June 18, 2019 There were some gems during the two-interception contest for Prescott. This one in particular was stunning. He manages to escape J.J. Watt, work his way all the way to the sideline and fire an absolute laser to Austin. This is the ceiling for Prescott. Despite it all, there were some really brilliant plays by Prescott in this game. This pass to Tavon Austin is special pic.twitter.com/bwAZYBt0y5 - John Crumpler (@Get_Crumped) June 18, 2019 Continue… Good Dak: October 14 vs. Jacksonville Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports After a tough outing against the Houston Texans, the Cowboys had a fantastic bounce back game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6. The contest was an absolute rout, with Dallas winning 40-7 in dominant fashion. This was one of those games where Prescott executed nearly everything asked of him. He finished the game 17 of 27 with 187 yards and two touchdowns. Converting on important third downs and making key throws when needed was a big part of why the Cowboys' rolled to a win. Once again, Prescott showed that the deep ball is one of his best throws. This one, to start the game, was an absolute laser to Gallup. The location on this deep ball is unbelievable as Gallup humiliates former All-Pro AJ Bouye. Not every quarterback can put this ball where it needs to be pic.twitter.com/GOIOAFG8IZ - John Crumpler (@Get_Crumped) June 18, 2019 Cornerback AJ Bouye has almost no chance to make a play on this throw as the placement allows Gallup to simply elevate and snatch the ball out of the air. Franchise quarterbacks need to do this, they need to elevate the receivers around them. Prescott did that this game. In addition to doing what was asked of him in the passing game, Prescott caused a nuclear meltdown of the Jaguars defense with his legs. He'd rush 11 times for 82 yards and a score. Read-option plays like this kept the Jaguars off balance and opened up plays in the passing game along with more room for Ezekiel Elliot This game was an excellent example that Dak can make almost every requisite throw that's asked of him in the #Cowboys offense. Here he even does a little with his legs on the read option pic.twitter.com/O7QNmlzgEj - John Crumpler (@Get_Crumped) June 18, 2019 One of the harshest Cowboys' criticisms, from both the national media and former players, has been the lackluster nature of their offensive scheme. This is relatively fair, Dallas has the talent that they don't have to reinvent the wheel with their playcalling. However, when the talent on the outside isn't winning, Prescott makes a huge difference for how defenses play against them as he can scamper off. Below, what should've been a huge defensive sack turns into a massive offensive gain because of Dak's legs. For what many players have referred to as a 'vanilla' offensive scheme in Dallas, the value of a quarterback who can get the first down even when everyone is covered cannot be understated pic.twitter.com/BwTZQdwcEs - John Crumpler (@Get_Crumped) June 18, 2019 Although not solely responsible for the victory, this game highlighted Prescott's strengths and the multiple ways the Cowboys' can win with him on Sundays. Continue… Closing Thoughts on Prescott's first half of 2018 Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports Prescott is clearly a capable starter in the National Football League. He demonstrates an excellent understanding for the Cowboys' offense and has the tools necessary to make any throw they ask of him. His ability to hit receivers in motion and throw the deep ball keep the defense honest and pressure off of running back Ezekiel Elliott. Additionally, his legs can make up for a variety of sins that a non-dynamic offensive scheme can create. Essentially, every tool is there for Prescott to be the franchise . Those franchise throws are not always made, however. Prescott can struggle with the precision routes on comebacks or in soft-zone. The inconsistency on these balls can be the difference between winning and losing versus a great team. There's a trend that the Cowboys' win when he is able to make those tough throws on third down. Many will argue a franchise quarterback has to make them, and it's a valid criticism to watch moving forward. Prescott's improvement through the second half of the 2018 season should give a greater idea of how he can be evaluated. MORE: Rob Pelinka May Not Have Known the Cap Rules for Anthony Davis Trade Report: ESPN plans to stop featuring LaVar Ball after his inappropriate remark to Molly Qerim Four potential Kawhi Leonard landing spots in free agency Raiders DE Clelin Ferrell signs contract, offers message to fans Heading into training camp: Lions' top 8 O-linemen appear locked in


Only seven Power Five schools have averaged at least 10 wins per season over the last four seasons: Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Georgia, Wisconsin and Stanford. That group is largely a who's who of many of the best college football programs this decade   one that has combined for 15 of the 20 College Football Playoff appearances during the playoff era. It shouldn't be a surprise that with the exception of Wisconsin, those programs have recruited at a nationally elite level. From 2015 to 2018, Alabama had an average national recruiting class ranking of 2.0, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, thanks to three consecutive top-ranked classes. Ohio State (3.8) and Georgia (4.0) also had an average ranking inside the top five, while the average recruiting classes at Clemson (10.8) and Oklahoma (12.8) ranked just outside the top 10 in the country. Here's a scatter plot of the relationship between wins in the last four seasons and the average recruiting class ranking from 2015-18 for every Power Five college football program, plus Notre Dame. The win totals are not adjusted for NCAA violations. In general, there's a positive relationship between recruiting class rankings and win totals, meaning that the more talented players a school enrolls, the more games its football team will win on the field. It's fair to say this recruiting-to-win-total relationship is stronger in football than it is in men's basketball , where many programs have won at a high level in recent seasons thanks to veteran cores rather than one-and-done talent, transfers and players who redshirted. But like college basketball, there's no shortage of programs that have over and underachieved on the field based upon their annual recruiting class rankings in relation to the rest of the Power Five schools. With an average recruiting class ranking of 39.8 from 2015-18, Wisconsin is certainly an overachiever. Across their four recruiting classes from 2015 to 2018, the Badgers signed a combined seven 4-star prospects and zero 5-star prospects, building their roster around 3-star recruits. Schools with similar average recruiting class rankings won anywhere from 24 games (Missouri) to 37 (Oklahoma State) during that span. Instead, Wisconsin won 42 games in the last four years, including a 13-1 season in 2017 and a pair of Big Ten West titles. It's not a perfect model, but if you imagine a line drawn on the scatter plot from Kansas (average recruiting class ranking of 68.5, six total wins) to Alabama (average recruiting class ranking of 2.0, 55 total wins), you have established a general standard to judge the rest of the Power Five programs. Programs above the line have overachieved on the field based on the talent they've enrolled, compared to the rest of the Power Five schools, while schools below the line have underachieved. Schools on the line or very close to it have generally met expectations in terms of their win totals compared to their Power Five peers. The scatter plot below shows some schools that have overachieved the most, relative to the rest of the Power Five. The scatter plot below shows several notable schools that have recruited at a high level, but have failed to win at the level you would expect for a program that enrolls classes that rank in the top 10 to 20. It's worth noting that UCLA and Texas fall in a similar category in both football and men's basketball as schools that recruit at a high level, but have struggled in recent years to win at a level that's commensurate with their recruiting rankings . Below is a conference-by-conference breakdown for each school's win total and average recruiting class ranking from 2015 to 2018. They're listed in descending order of wins. ACC School Win Total Avg. Recruiting Class Ranking (conference rank) Clemson 55 10.8 (2) Miami 34 17.3 (3) NC State 32 40.0 (8) Virginia Tech 32 30.3 (5) Florida State 32 5.8 (1) Pittsburgh 28 39.8 (7) Duke 27 48.8 (9) Louisville 27 33.8 (6) Wake Forest 25 60.0 (13) Boston College 24 69.0 (14) Georgia Tech 24 51.5 (10) North Carolina 24 27.3 (4) Syracuse 22 55.8 (11) Virginia 20 57.5 (12) Big 12 School Win Total Avg. Recruiting Class Ranking (conference rank) Oklahoma 46 12.8 (2) Oklahoma State 37 39.3 (5) TCU 35 28.3 (3) West Virginia 33 41.5 (6) Kansas State 28 63.3 (9) Texas 27 11.3 (1) Baylor 25 36.3 (4) Texas Tech 23 49.3 (7) Iowa State 22 56.5 (8) Kansas 6 68.5 (10) Big Ten School Win Total Avg. Recruiting Class Ranking (conference rank) Ohio State 48 3.8 (1) Wisconsin 42 39.8 (7) Michigan 38 18.0 (3) Penn State 38 13.8 (2) Iowa 37 46.5 (8) Northwestern 36 53.8 (10) Michigan State 32 26.8 (5) Minnesota 27 51.5 (9) Nebraska 23 25.5 (4) Indiana 22 54.3 (11) Purdue 18 67.5 (14) Maryland 18 33.5 (6) Illinois 14 55.0 (13) Rutgers 11 54.5 (12) Pac-12 School Win Total Avg. Recruiting Class Ranking (conference rank) Stanford 40 23.5 (5) Washington 39 23.3 (4) Washington State 37 46.8 (9) Utah 35 37.0 (7) USC 34 5.0 (1) Oregon 29 18.8 (3) California 25 44.3 (8) Arizona State 25 28.0 (6) Colorado 24 56.3 (11) Arizona 22 49.3 (10) UCLA 21 16.0 (2) Oregon State 9 59.8 (12) SEC School Win Total Avg. Recruiting Class Ranking (conference rank) Alabama 55 2.0 (1) Georgia 42 4.0 (2) LSU 36 7.3 (3) Florida 33 14.5 (6) Auburn 33 9.5 (4) Mississippi State 32 24.3 (10) Texas A&M 32 14.8 (7) Kentucky 29 34.5 (12) Tennessee 27 14.0 (5) Ole Miss 26 21.3 (9) South Carolina 25 21.0 (8) Missouri 24 38.5 (13) Vanderbilt 21 52.3 (14) Arkansas 21 30.0 (11) MORE: Here's What Power Five Programs Have Accomplished Since 2020 Recruits Were Born The post Analyzing College Football's Relationship Between Recruiting Class Rankings and Wins appeared first on Stadium .


Google isn't trying to kill ad blockers . That's the message in a pair of Google blog posts published Wednesday in response to criticism of the search giant's plan to improve extensions in its Chrome web browser . "We are not preventing the development of ad blockers or stopping users from blocking ads," said Devlin Cronin in a post on the Google Security Blog . "Instead, we want to help developers , including content blockers, write extensions in a way that protects users' privacy ." Google in October revealed a broad plan to improve Chrome extensions . In January, developers noticed that part of the plan, called Manifest v3, could hurt ad blockers. Manifest v3 is designed to improve Chrome extensions' performance, privacy and security , but one part of that change limits how extensions will be able to examine aspects of websites. Some developers have said this will torpedo their ad-blocking and privacy extensions. "There's been a lot of confusion and misconception around both the motivations and implications of this change, including speculation that these changes were designed to prevent or weaken ad blockers," said Google's Simeon Vincent in a post on the Chromium Blog. "This is absolutely not the goal." Part of the debate concerns rules that ad blockers use to decide what to screen and what to display. Chrome's current design permits lots of those rules, so for example an ad blocker can check to see if elements on a website are coming from a very long list of ad-related internet addresses. The new approach had a proposed limit to those rules, a maximum of 30,000 , which could have hobble ad blockers and other extensions using those lists. On Wednesday, Google said its raising that limit to a global maximum of 150,000 rules. Last month, the search giant also said it plans an exemption for enterprise users . Google stressed in its posts that Manifest v3 is still in development and that it'll work with developers. However, the company feels it's making the "right choice to enable users to limit the sensitive data they share with third-parties while giving them the ability to curate their own browsing experience." CNET's Stephen Shankland contributed to this report. Originally published June 12, 10:59 a.m. PT. Update, 11:46 a.m. : Adds more details on the planned changes to Chrome extensions.


With Harry Maguire en route to Old Trafford, the long-anticipated knock-on effect will be felt through the Premier League. [ MORE: Sane injured ] Leicester City is being linked with a trio of players, including one from manager Brendan Rodgers ' old club Celtic. Burnley's James Tarkowski, Bournemouth's Nathan Ake , and Celtic's Kristoffer Ajer are being noted as targets to replace Maguire. Both of the PL center backs have been outstanding on their respective sides, with Tarkowski attached to a rumored $49 million price tag following another strong season in which he hoofed 6.7 clearances per match and scored three Premier League goals. While Burnley may be preparing for life without the 26-year-old Tarkowski, it's difficult to believe Bournemouth would sanction the sale of Ake. The 24-year-old Dutchman has played in all 76 matches for Eddie Howe over the course of the last two seasons, starting 75 and scoring six goals while completing a sterling 85 percent of his passes. Ajer, however, has a low $18 million price tag attached by reports, which may be due to his league more than his quality as Arsenal has taken a while to stump up Celtic's asking price for Kieran Tierney. Back to Ake, a report says $49 million is the fee as well. But Man City is also being linked with the player, and he absolutely fits the bill of what Pep Guardiola seeks in a defender. It would be a suave bit of business for Guardiola, as Chelsea has a reported $49 million buyback clause on Ake it cannot activate while under transfer ban. Ajax is going to look very different next season following its outstanding run to the Champions League semifinals. The Dutch side has already sold Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus) and Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), and now could move on from Donny van de Beek and David Neres. Van de Beek could be "hours away" from a $60 million move to Real Madrid, according to Marca , while Neres has earned a reported $54 million bid from Manchester United. Van de Beek had a goal and an assist in Ajax's season-opening draw at Vitesse on Saturday, while Neres played just eight minutes. American fullback Sergino Dest was an unused sub. Follow @NicholasMendola


Winter Olympics juggernaut Shaun White is carving out a path for the Summer Olympics. The three-time Olympic gold medalist in snowboarding announced plans Tuesday to compete in the world skateboarding championships in Brazil this September, effectively putting the 32-year-old on a trajectory for the Tokyo 2020 Games next summer for the sport's inaugural Olympic competition. "First steps are first," White said on The TODAY Show . "I'm really exciting to see the fact that skateboarding is in the Olympics now. I've been watching the competitions lately. I've been really inspired, doing a lot of skating myself this summer. ...I thought why don't I test the waters, compete a little and see what happens. After that I'll probably make the big announcement of what I'm going to do." White is no stranger to skateboarding, holding the record for the most gold medals (five) in the X-Games skateboarding competition. But all of those medals came in the vert, which is not on the Olympic program. Instead White will be competing in the bowl event. Olympian @shaunwhite is here, and he's got a big announcement! pic.twitter.com/8YM2soZ9tc   TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 23, 2019 "There's been so much exposure for the Winter Olympics for my career," White said. "But I've been just as much a skateboarder in my other side of my life. That was a goal of my life to really pursue skateboarding and snowboarding and try to be the best at both. I really took a backseat to skateboarding in my career when snowboarding really took off. I've been skating since I was a little kid." UNDER FIRE: NFL team questioned over short-term coach hire TRADE DEADLINE LIFE: The human toll of the MLB trade deadline White, the first to win in both the summer and winter X-Games in two sports, is looking to become just the second Olympian to win a gold medal in both a winter sport and summer sport. Eddie Eagan was the first in boxing (1920 Games) and bobsled (1932 Games). But his pathway there could be difficult. Olympic skateboarding will only have 20 spots per gender in each discipline (park/street), including one spot for the host country and three for the top three finishers at world championship events. The top 16 skaters in the Olympic rankings as June will round out the field. White was mentored and discovered by skateboarding legend Tony Hawk at the age of 9, helping him eventually turn pro at 17. "I'd get to learn from him," White said. "Not a bad coach." White brings significant exposure to a sport that's lacking it as it preps up for its big splash in the Tokyo Games. White said he remembers when a lack of exposure made his academics suffer because snowboarding wasn't considered a sport. "Now that skateboarding is an Olympic discipline it's going to carry so much weight in the mainstream and show that there's a career in the sport," White said. "It's been a long time coming. There are so many amazing athletes that I don't think get the recognition they deserve. They're out there every single day working and training. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shaun White says he's going to world skateboarding championships, gauging Tokyo Olympics


Bruce Cassidy has come a long way from writing his first NHL practice plan on a napkin. Craig Berube hasn't changed a bit from the moment he was fired from his first NHL head coaching job. Two roads diverged in a crazy world of hockey and brought them to this Stanley Cup Final. Cassidy has guided the Boston Bruins to this point a decade and a half after a disastrous tenure in Washington. Berube took the St. Louis Blues from worst to their first final since 1970 several years after a short stint in Philadelphia. One of them will become the sixth coach in 12 years to lift the Cup in his second stop as NHL head coach and reward an organization and countless people for giving him another chance. ''The guys that are good in this business, they learn a lot along the way and just continue to improve,'' said Vegas general manager George McPhee, who hired Cassidy with Washington in 2002, had Berube as a player and then interviewed him for the Capitals' coaching job in 2013. ''In some ways it's a shame that these guys didn't get opportunities earlier. But they continue to coach because they're good at it and they get opportunities at the American (Hockey) League and then get opportunities at the NHL because they deserve it.'' Cassidy's former Capitals players couldn't be sure he deserved this after benching respected veteran defenseman Calle Johansson in his last game with the team in 2003. Goaltender Olie Kolzig said Cassidy had ''a lack of professionalism on and off the ice'' at the time, which ultimately led to his firing 25 games into his second season. McPhee wonders aloud now if he put Cassidy in a difficult spot coaching a veteran team featuring established star Jaromir Jagr. Looking back, Kolzig believes Cassidy actually did a fairly good job his first season, but the now 54-year-old coach sees some of his shortcomings in the rearview mirror. ''I was young. I had really no NHL experience,'' Cassidy said. ''So you walk into an NHL locker room and there's still a little bit of awe in that, `Oh, there's Jagr, there's so many of these guys that've been around.' So it probably took me a while to just walk in there and say `This is what we're doing.''' Nicknamed ''Butch'' after the infamous outlaw, Cassidy rehabbed his reputation with a season as a Chicago Blackhawks assistant, two in junior and then an eight-year run as an assistant and head coach with the Bruins top AHL affiliate in Providence. By the time he got back to an NHL organization with the Bruins, general manager Don Sweeney noticed Cassidy has ''evolved a lot'' in his confidence, and the growth goes beyond that. ''He's been through the ringer and put his time in and obviously grew as a coach and a human being,'' said Jim Dowd, who played for Chicago when Cassidy was an assistant. ''You don't get to the Stanley Cup finals without doing that. That was just a blip in the road, but I'm sure he learned a ton from that Washington experience.'' Outside factors - such as Cassidy dealing with a rough divorce - might also have adversely affected his time with Washington. Kolzig is glad Cassidy has his life in order now, and he and McPhee are thrilled to see him at the summit of hockey. ''Most guys go through what he went through and you'd never hear from them again,'' Kolzig said. ''He went back and paid his dues and learned from his mistakes and applied it to the rest of his career. Now he's on the verge of winning a Cup.'' To do so, Cassidy's Bruins have to go through Berube's Blues, who responded mightily after he succeeded fired coach Mike Yeo on Nov. 19. Before winning 29 of their final 43 games to become the seventh team since 1967 to make the playoffs from last in the league after New Year's Day, they lost 11 of Berube's first 20 games as interim replacement. Former teammate and close friend Rick Tocchet will never forget Berube's reaction over a couple postgame beers following a 6-1 drubbing at the hands of his Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 1. ''It wasn't like, `What did I get myself into?' or `We have no chance to win.' It was like he had a plan,'' said Tocchet, who is now in his second NHL head-coaching job. ''Even though they were hitting rock bottom, we just beat them 6-1, he was really decisive what he knew he had to do. I could tell that this guy's got it handled. It wasn't like a deer in the headlights look.'' Nicknamed ''Chief'' for his First Nations heritage, Berube has never had that look - from his career of more than 1,000 games and 3,000 penalty minutes as a team-first role player to his first head job with Philadelphia when he took over three games into the 2013-14 season. Another former teammate and close friend, Keith Jones, remembers beer and chicken wing nights on the road with Berube and Dale Hunter during their playing days. They would watch and talk about hockey and subconsciously prepare to stay in the game after hanging up their skates. Jones said Ron Hextall's worst move as Flyers GM was firing Berube after his first full season because it looked as if he had what it took behind the bench. ''I can't tell you how impressed I was on his presence behind the bench, his quick eye and understanding which players were going and which were not,'' Jones said. ''I thought he was terrific in that regard and having a feel for players that had jump in their legs and maybe using them more effectively in that particular game. I thought he was great in just the chess match that goes on with being a head coach. Rarely did I sit upstairs and watch a game and think that he missed something.'' Flyers players respected Berube's no-nonsense attitude and simple approach of playing smart, defending well and working as a team. ''A lot of coaches will kind of give you the runaround when you're not getting ice time,'' said Scott Hartnell, who played for Berube's Flyers teams. ''Where `Chief' is very honest and he'll let you know exactly what you're doing wrong and how to fix it and you'll be rewarded with ice time afterwards. It's a very straightforward approach, which I think a lot of players could learn something about that.'' Berube learned some things too even while insisting he hasn't changed anything about being a coach from his first job to his second. ''I had a lot of experience being a head coach in the minors at that point when I was given a job in Philadelphia as the Flyers head coach, so I was pretty comfortable with my coaching and my abilities,'' Berube said. ''You learn things and you become a better coach as you go along just from learning things.'' Flyers President Paul Holmgren, who initially hired Berube, recommended to Blues GM Doug Armstrong that he bring him on for some scouting, and it eventually led to an AHL job. ''(That) got Craig back into it at a lower level and he could put in play some of the things he'd learned along the way and some of the new things that he maybe realized he needed to get better at,'' Holmgren said. Armstrong didn't know Berube before but elevated him throughout St. Louis' organization and hopes to talk after the series about a long-term deal. Cassidy, in his second full Bruins season, is here because of what he has changed, but Berube is here because of what he hasn't. ''He's been very consistent since the day I met him,'' Armstrong said. ''Craig has opened my eyes to is it's still a game, it's still hockey and don't try and reinvent the wheel. The way he treats the players I think is demanding but respectful - solid communication but not overboard and high-level accountability.'' --- AP Sports Writers Jimmy Golen and Kyle Hightower in Boston and freelance writer David Solomon in St. Louis contributed. --- Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno --- More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports Related slideshow: Best of 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs (provided by imagn)


Authorities in Madison say one man died and another was in critical condition after being pulled from Lake Monona during the swim portion of the Ironman 70.3 Wisconsin triathlon. Fire Department officials said the first man was found unresponsive in Lake Monona around 7:50 a.m. Sunday. The second man was found unresponsive in the water about an hour later. A Fire Department spokeswoman told the Wisconsin State Journal it's possible both men may have suffered a medical emergency that caused them to go under water. She said there is no indication that the two incidents were related. READ MORE: Man dies, another in critical condition after Ironman triathlon in Madison 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.


When Kevin Durant injured his Achilles during the second quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals, the NBA world was turned on its head. Many players offered their sympathies to Durant. Additionally, a variety of others, from executives to the media and fans, chimed in with their thoughts on the injury. While these people offered a multitude of opinions, not many truly know what it is like to be in Durant's situation. However, one of those people who does understand is Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard. In the 2017-18 season, Leonard only played nine games due to a right quad injury. It was a contentious battle between him and the Spurs organization, which eventually led to his trade to the Raptors. In an article with The Athletic's Blake Murphy , Leonard talked about the effects of such a serious injury, not only physically, but more importantly, mentally: It's devastating. You work so hard to get to this point, these are the last games, you see him try to come out and push himself, obviously he tried to do a move, and I feel bad for him. I've been in that situation before. I hope he has a speedy recovery, and just gets healthy. And I hope that he's going to be OK mentally, just throughout the whole rehab process. Because like I said before, we work so hard to either play in the Finals or just play in the NBA, and when you're not playing, it's hard to wrap your mind around it. But I'm pretty sure he's going to attack each day and get better and come back strong. Durant has a long rehab process ahead of him. As someone who (just like the rest of us) is affected by outside perceptions, keeping a positive attitude is key in his recovery. Here's hoping that Durant has a quick recovery following surgery to repair his torn Achilles. MORE: NHL fans sure enjoyed seeing Brad Marchand cry after Bruins' Game 7 loss NBA trade rumor rankings: Rockets on the move? Roundup: Latest David Ortiz Shooting Investigation Details, Elin Nordegren Expecting Third Kid Lions trading TE Michael Roberts to the Patriots Davante Adams on Packers rookie S Darnell Savage: 'We got a steal' Related slideshow: Best of the NBA Finals (Provided by imagn)


New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton successfully lobbied his fellow coaches and owners to make pass interference a reviewable and challengeable infraction after his team didn't get an obvious PI call in the fourth quarter of the NFC title game earlier this year. While it seems like an idea whose time was overdue, there are some who are concerned that there will now be red coaches' challenge flags flying every few minutes. But Payton tried to calm those concerns on Thursday. 'Remember: We only have two' The longtime Saints coach is one of several current and former NFL players and coaches taking part in the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship in Lake Tahoe this weekend ( he's paired with Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy and Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson for Friday's opening round). He chatted with "NFL Total Access" on Thursday, in part about the new PI rule. "Let's start with the very first premise for the fans: It's still just like all the other challenges that we have in place," Payton said. "Remember: we only have two [challenges] to start with. So I don't think you're going to see more challenge flags. "Probably you're going to be a little bit more judicious knowing that you want to have at least one left and if you feel like there's something you see clearly and it's outside of two minutes [before each half], as a coach you can challenge it. And of course, inside of two minutes, it goes upstairs to replay. And we're all, in this day and age with our technology and with the fans getting a chance to see real-time, we're wanting those calls, especially in games like that, to be officiated correctly." While it's easy to have the knee-jerk reaction that the ability to challenge pass interference calls, or non-calls, would lead to more challenges and therefore more stoppage in play, Payton's reminder underscores the fact that coaches still only start with two challenges per game. Officials will determine whether to review PI calls in the final two minutes of each half. Brees remains elite Payton was also asked about his team's franchise quarterback, Drew Brees, who celebrated his 40th birthday earlier this year, and whether New Orleans can expect continued strong play from Brees. "Yeah, absolutely," Payton said. "All the time we go by what we see. He had an exceptional season for us last year, his spring was fantastic. These guys, especially when you talk about the elite players, take such good care of their bodies. That age that we're accustomed to [believing a player's skills will diminish] has actually gotten higher. We're looking forward to the start of the season, and I know Drew is." Brees finished second in MVP voting last year, though well behind Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes. Brees' completion percentage was an incredible 74.4 percent as he threw for 3,992 yards with 32 touchdowns and just five interceptions. More from Yahoo Sports: OBJ challenges top QBs with jaw-dropping throw Strip club event at Trump golf club canceled 'Robot umpires' debut in baseball league Chargers star wants new deal, makes sudden threat


COLUMBIA, S.C.   There's been no hair-sniffing . No nose-to-cheek nuzzles. No intimate whispers with strangers. In his first full week on the road for his 2020 candidacy, Joe Biden is keeping his hands to himself. Biden joined the race on the heels of a rough period in which six women publicly complained that Biden's past touching made them uncomfortable. From his slow response to the controversy and the lack of apology, it wasn't quite clear if the 76-year-old former vice president could adjust to the realities of campaigning in the #MeToo era   or if the criticism of the overly familiar physical contact even registered. But after nearly a week on the campaign trail, including nearly a half-dozen events in Pittsburgh, Iowa and South Carolina, it appears Biden got the message. Gone are the episodes of canoodling with voters, replaced by a less tactile brand of retail politicking marked by selfies and more physical reserve than Biden is accustomed to. Where once Biden was famously photographed in an Ohio diner burying his face in the back of a woman biker's head, rubbing her shoulders and sitting so close that it initially appeared she was sitting on his lap, the former vice president is now showing signs of deliberately holding back in one-on-one encounters. "I think part of his evolving as a candidate is making an adjustment, if something's not working you go for another play," Antjuan Seawright, a South Carolina-based Democratic strategist who worked on Hillary Clinton's campaign in 2016 and is not aligned with a candidate. "It's growth. You know something is wrong and it didn't work that way so you just make adjustments and you do it differently. There's still a way to do retail and not be inappropriate." At his first public event, a rally last week in Pittsburgh, Biden took the stage and kissed his wife, Jill, then offered a simple handshake to the woman who introduced him. In other instances, Biden for the most part appeared to take pains to keep his hands in plain sight . In Monticello, Iowa last week, Biden entered an ice cream shop, shook hands with a male diner and commented "you got a grip, man " but that was perhaps the most notable physical interaction. For most of his visit, Biden kept a comfortable distance from others in the shop. The bulk of the news photo images that emerged from the event were of Biden standing alone, one elbow leaning on the shop counter, the other holding his chocolate and vanilla twist cone. It wasn't obvious at first that Biden, who was first elected to the Senate in 1972, would have the discipline or the self-awareness to recognize the need to alter his habits. Critics noted that while he released a video saying he understood that "the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset," he didn't offer an apology. And days after saying he took responsibility for his actions, he upset some of his own supporters by seeming to joke at a union event that he asked permission to touch one of the kids in a group that had joined him on stage. But since announcing his presidential bid, Biden's approach reflects an understanding of the greater scrutiny of his politicking style   his advisers at one point after the controversy huddled with him to underscore the need to adjust his habits and the need to tell the public that he would be more respectful of people's personal space. For Biden, though, reining in his self-described "tactile" politics isn't necessarily a simple matter. His warm persona and relationships built over nearly a half-century in politics often draws expressions of affection from people he meets at events. After a Saturday afternoon rally in front of a crowd of more than 500 people in Columbia, S.C. Biden worked the rope line and was swarmed with requests for handshakes, selfies, hugs or autographs. Biden gingerly moved through the crowd, again and again taking a cell phone into one hand, holding it high for a photo, while his other hand rested at his side. As Biden approached two teen-aged girls, he hugged one and snapped photos with her and her friend. Afterward, the young woman said she didn't mind the hug; caught in the thrill of the moment of seeing the former vice president to Barack Obama   she asked him for it. "I just wanted a hug," a beaming 16-year-old Eleanor Wachtel said. "It made my day." On Sunday at the close of the service at a South Carolina Baptist church, while Jill Biden stood nearby exchanging hug after hug, the former vice president himself stood for some time with his arms to his sides, merely shaking hands of congregants. In one exchange, a male congregant moved to hug Biden   and Biden didn't hug back, instead stiffening one of his arms. As Biden moved toward the exit of the large venue, a woman powered toward him   and the two engaged in a warm embrace. "I think he'll adjust. I'm pretty sure that he's been told that time and time again and he'll probably do it," said Joseph Darby, a senior pastor at Nichols Chapel AME Church in Charleston who's known Biden for 10 years. Darby predicted the affectionate exchanges are far from ending   and not because Biden would be one who initiates them. "I think folks will probably hug him," Darby said. He added that there's only one appropriate way to respond: "Then you hug back."


Scientists have spotted one of the most distant (and therefore the youngest) example of merging galaxies yet observed, according to new results. The team of researchers in Japan observed a distant source of light called B14-65666 using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array of telescopes in Chile. Higher-resolution data from light emitted by oxygen and carbon ions suggested to the researchers that the object might be a single galaxy quickly forming new stars as the result of a collision. Thanks to the fact that light has a top speed, looking farther into the distance reveals information about increasingly earlier times. Scientists therefore hope to retell the history of the universe, how it evolved and ended up looking the way it does today, by observing the most distant objects. What We Learned From the First Black Hole Image Scientists were already familiar with B14-65666, an object we see as it was 13 billion years ago. Data from the Hubble Space Telescope revealed that it seemed to have two lobes, separated by about 6,500 to 13,000 light-years the Milky Way, our home galaxy, has a diameter of more than 100,000 light-years, for comparison. So a team led by Takuya Hashimoto, a postdoctoral researcher at the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and Waseda University, took a closer look at the object using ALMA, on nights in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Specifically, the researchers observed radiation emitted by specific carbon and oxygen ions as well as radiation from dust. They confirmed that the object was indeed organized into two clumps and estimated the object's total mass at around 770 million times the mass of the Sun (that's many times less massive than our own Milky Way). They also predicted that it was forming approximately 200 solar masses' worth of stars each year. The researchers inferred that the object must be the result of two smaller galaxies merging, experiencing a starburst a quick period of star formation as a result. The galaxy is interesting for more than just how old it is, though. The fact that the researchers were able to detect the signal from dust as well as the specific oxygen and carbon spectral lines means that it could be a promising target for followup research with new telescopes. According to the paper , this is the first such galaxy at this distance with a complete set of measurements of these features. The researchers will attempt to view spectral lines representing other elements as well, to get an idea of the kind of matter making up the very early galaxy. But it's not the only early example of merging galaxies, and there's evidence for some even more distant ones as well. "The very early universe seems like a very exciting time to be a galaxy, with lots of violent collision and nothing that looks like the ordered structures we're used to at later times," Dan Marrone, associate professor at the University of Arizona, told Gizmodo. He pointed specifically to oxygen as a useful source of spectral lines for these distant objects, mentioning that there are a lot of measurements of these oxygen ions for this epoch. "There should be many exciting things happening in this space, even before [ James Webb Space Telescope ]." Scientists think that mergers are an important part of galaxy formation. Seeing galaxies merge so far away, and sp far back in time, adds some credibility to that theory. This article has been updated to include comment form Dan Marrone.


Many different types of free agents end up receiving relatively expensive, one-year deals. Some are looking for the right opportunity to earn a nice single-season paycheck while (hopefully) building up to a multi-year deal in the ensuing winter. Others settle for a solo campaign after trying and failing to find more. Some are younger players who have enough upside to draw a significant offer despite a rough platform campaign. Others are steady veterans who are being paid more for their floor than their ceiling. All such players necessarily receive only a limited commitment from their new teams; those who end up with non-contenders must be prepared for a midseason scramble for new lodging in the event of a swap. With about a quarter of the season in the books, let's look at how things are shaping up for the 10 highest-paid rental free agent position players, each of whom is earning over $5 million for his services in 2019. Josh Donaldson , Braves, $23 million: It took a big salary to land the former MVP, but this situation is playing out as the Braves envisioned. Thus far, a healthy Donaldson (40 games played) has provided good value (127 wRC+, 1.1 fWAR) and typically fiery leadership. Austin Riley 's ascent only sweetens the pot. He'll be an option at third if Donaldson gets hurt, and the Braves will get a good feel for whether he's ready to take over full-time next year   with Donaldson potentially declining a qualifying offer and delivering some draft compensation on his way out the door. Nelson Cruz , Twins, $14.3 million: Cruz isn't exactly driving the bus in Minny, where a host of other players are performing at unexpectedly lofty levels, but the respected veteran is earning his keep. Though 144 plate appearances, Cruz carries a .270/.354/.508 slash with seven home runs. He just hit the injured list with a wrist injury, but the hope is it'll be a brief respite. Mike Moustakas , Brewers, $10 million: It's hard to be a total bargain at this price, but the Milwaukee organization is getting everything it hoped for out of Moose. He's hitting at a 126 wRC+ clip and held down the fort well enough at second base before shifting back to his native hot corner. Brian Dozier , Nationals, $9 million: Even though he's walking in nearly a dozen of every hundred plate appearances, Dozier carries an anemic .187 batting average and hasn't yet rediscovered his pop. There's still time for a turnaround, but it's not a promising start for the second bagger, who was a star-level performer not that long ago. Jonathan Schoop , Twins, $7.5 million: The veteran second baseman has been a nice buy thus far for the Twins, putting up a strong 109 wRC+ after a rough 2018 season. There'll likely always be some ups and downs for a player who draws so few walks, but Schoop has been a productive player when he has been at or above the .300 BABIP and .200 ISO lines. He's doing that so far. Steve Pearce , Red Sox, $6.25 million: Even though his career has been filled with peaks and valleys, we've never seen anything like this from Pearce. Typically, he's an excellent hitter when he's able to stay on the field. Pearce opened the year on the IL with a calf injury but hasn't been himself since returning. Through 69 plate appearances, he owns a not-so-nice .111/.176/.143 batting line without a single long ball. Nick Markakis , Braves, $6 million: What is there to say at this point? It looked like a nice price when the Braves coaxed the veteran back, although it was questionable whether it really made sense to hand him everyday time in right field to open the season. Markakis has done more than keep the seat warm for younger options or midseason acquisitions; he's slashing .299/.393/.461. As was the case last year, there are some sustainability questions   different ones this time around. Markakis carries a robust 14.2% walk rate against only a 10.9% strikeout rate and is making tons of hard contact, but he's also sporting a 2.54 GB/FB rate that is by gar the highest in his career. Robinson Chirinos , Astros, $5.75 million: This one came as something of a surprise, as it had seemed the Houston organization would try for a big improvement behind the dish. Interestingly, the Rangers paid Chirinos $1 million rather than exercising a $4.5 million club option. The cross-Texas change has worked out well for Chirinos and the 'Stros, as he's off to a .268/.398/.546 start to the year with six home runs and an appealing combination of 19 walks and 30 strikeouts. Chirinos has shown power and plate discipline before but never to quite this extent at the same time. He's also back to being an approximately average framer after a rough grade in that regard last year. Billy Hamilton , Royals, $5.25 million: If the Royals were expecting something different than what they've received from Hamilton, they probably shouldn't have. He's still miscast as a near-everyday option in the outfield, as his ongoing struggles with the bat (.224/.305/.284) confirm yet again. Hamilton is now carrying a sub-70 wRC+ for the third consecutive season. He's also still providing value on the bases and contributing quality glovework, although metrics now view him more as very good than exceptional in those areas. Jordy Mercer , Tigers, $5.25 million: Injuries have hampered the veteran shortstop early on and he's not hitting when healthy. There was never much hope that he'd suddenly find a new gear with the bat at 32 years of age, but Detroit surely hoped for more than a .206/.275/.317 output. It's quite a small sample, but both DRS and UZR see cause for concern also with Mercer's glovework. To this point, the Blue Jays have gotten better value on their slightly lesser ($5 million) investment in the younger Freddy Galvis .


The Houston Texans have wrapped up nine weeks of their offseason program, which included three weeks of organized team activities and a week of mandatory minicamp. Among the 90 players, there has been one who has amazed spectators. According to Sarah Barshop of ESPN , running back D'Onta Foreman is the Texans' offseason standout. The 2017 third-round pick had a disappointing 2018 season after missing the majority of it while rehabbing an Achilles injury. Foreman said after last year that he feels as if he's "basically starting all over" and "coming in with something to prove to everybody." The coaching staff told Foreman to "have a great offseason," and coach Bill O'Brien said he thought the running back did just that. "I think he's had a really good time away from us," O'Brien said, "and that has parlayed into a good spring." Being an offseason standout when the pads are off and no contact is allowed is one thing. Carrying that momentum throughout training camp and preseason into September is another. If the Texans can get that level of top performance out of Foreman, it will bolster their running game. Now, the club will have a change of pace back behind starter Lamar Miller. Even the passing game could get an upgrade as Foreman could be a reliable target out of the backfield. Nonetheless, for Foreman, who is entering his third NFL season, having the best offseason for the Texans is a great building block to restoring a career that has been derailed from a torn Achilles in his rookie season. Even his "comeback" year of 2018 was anything but as the former Texas Longhorn was limited to just three appearances, including the 21-7 playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts. When the pads come out and the pads finally pop in the scorching Texas heat, that will be the next phase Foreman has to be the team's standout player. MORE: Shaq got so frustrated with Ryan Hollins' basketball takes on ESPN Fierce, fiesty WR competition for Cowboys behind Top 3 roster locks Rams trading Tyler Higbee to Patriots would make sense for both teams NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players 7 non-star free agents the Lakers could pursue with their cap space


Boston Celtics center Tacko Fall was one of the most interesting prospects to participate in the recent NBA summer league in Las Vegas. According to Celtics executive Danny Ainge , the center is going to " have a chance " to make the roster for Boston. The team still has one spot to offer with 14 played currently on the books and based on his size, it is possible that Fall gets an opportunity. Would it be a smart decision for Boston to keep Fall? During his college career, Fall averaged 10.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game while shooting a remarkable 74.0 percent from the floor. In summer league competition connected on 77.3 percent of his attempts. It was a small sample size, though, considering he appeared on the floor for just 12.6 minutes per game. Tacko Fall is first among qualified players in PER at Summer League https://t.co/zCOptrlxU9 - RookieWire (@RookieWire) July 9, 2019 During summer league, Fall finished Top 5 in Player Efficiency Rating among all qualified centers first eligible for the draft in 2019. But at one point, he led all qualified players in PER in the exhibition games. His block percentage ( 12.4 percent ) in summer league ranked second-best with the same qualifications. Here are some of the best arguments for why he has a future in the league followed by counterarguments explaining what his floor may look like as a pro. Why He Is An Nba Player No one was surprised to learn that Fall's height (7'7″), standing reach (10'2.5″), wingspan (8'2.25″), weight (288 pounds) and hand length (10.5 inches) are all ranked No. 1 in combine history. Fall recorded the second-best two-point field goal percentage in the NCAA last season and ranked Top 5 during three of his four collegiate seasons. The former UCF standout was one of the most efficient players in college basketball. He averaged 1.06 points per possession when operating in a set offense, which ranked in the 92nd percentile among all players. TACKO FALL REBOUND PUTBACK DUNK pic.twitter.com/rpG8C5Pz50 - NBA Summer League (@NBASummerLeague) July 12, 2019 Due to his size, the big man will continue to be dominant on putbacks when pulling down offensive rebounds. This is how he scored 1.4 baskets per game last season. Fall was also impressive when cutting to the basket, shooting 20-for-24 (83.3 percent) for UCF on these looks. On the defensive side of the court, he had the best defensive rating among all college players in 2016-17. His defensive win shares ranked No. 6, while his block percentage ranked No. 11 that year. Last year, Fall's 2.6 blocks per game ranked eighth-most as well. Based on his frame, he is still a viable option as a rim protector in the league. Why He Is Not An Nba Player Even though Fall can be a strong defensive presence, his combine scores may have exposed some serious lapses when on the court. His lane agility time (13.01 seconds), shuttle run (3.46 seconds), 3/4 quarter sprint (3.70 seconds), standing vertical (22.0 inches) and max vertical (26.5 inches) each rank in the sixth percentile or worse among big men who have ever participated in the combine, per NBAthlete.com . Overall, this ranked him below average ( 31.2 percent ) when examining all the centers who have tested in these events. Tacko Fall Lane Agility Drill pic.twitter.com/i1dEln8nHP - Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) May 17, 2019 When including passes, per Synergy Sports, approximately 60.0 percent of the offensive possessions he finished (7.1 possessions per game) were post-ups. In fact, he posted up more times per game than seven teams in the NBA did last year. He likely won't have the opportunity to post up as often as a pro, but it could be something he still does well when given the chance. But the problem is that he turned the ball over on 19.2 percent of these opportunities. Among players with as many possessions finished, that was better than just two D1 players. Tacko Fall checks back into the game with just over 7 minutes to play. The Celtics have used him a lot in the high pick-and-roll today. - Roy Parry (@osroyparry) July 6, 2019 Perhaps the biggest concern, however, is that he finished just 6.1 percent of his offensive possessions as the roll man in pick-and-roll sets. He had just 0.5 field goal attempts per game when operating in a pick-and-roll offense. Nearly one-third of the offensive possessions the Celtics ran last year were from the pick-and-roll. For him to fully fit into the NBA, this is a skill set he will desperately need to develop. MORE: Phil Simms: 'Multiple' teams were set to take Daniel Jones before No. 17 Brooks Koepka explained what's the most frustrating part of J.B. Holmes' slow play Report: Eric Dickerson says big-name HOFers may boycott 2019 ceremony 5 possible landing spots for former Cowboys WR Dez Bryant Brooks Koepka Calls Out JB Holmes Following Disastrous Final Round at The Open


CROMWELL, Conn.   For the first time in 3,983 days, Chez Reavie is a PGA Tour winner. Reavie saw his six-shot, 54-hole lead cut to just one Sunday, but hung on to win the Travelers Championship by four over Keegan Bradley and Zack Sucher. "Yeah, it means everything," he said. Reavie vaulted up the leaderboard Saturday when he tied the back-nine record at TPC River Highlands with a 7-under 28. Seated in the media room Saturday, he said his goal was to shoot 5 or 6 under in the final round, to run away and hide. That didn't happen. He played his first 16 holes in even par, with just one birdie and one bogey. Alongside Reavie in the final group, Bradley worked his way to 5 under through 15 and cut the margin to a single shot with three holes to play. But Reavie came out on the better end of a three-shot swing when he birdied and Bradley double bogeyed the 17 th . The drama was done. Reavie would not blow the largest lead anyone has ever blown in the history of the PGA Tour. In fact, if you didn't watch, you would assume he cruised. "It was a challenge for sure," he said. Adding to the challenge on Sunday was Bradley's role as the pseudo-hometown favorite. The New England native has had more than 100 friends and family members at the course this week, and the Sunday afternoon crowds weren't shy in expressing their rooting interest. At one point, on the 10 th hole, Reavie had to back off a shot. "'Yeah, Chez, we love you, but we love Keegan more,'" Reavie said, sharing a G-rated version of what he heard. "Yeah, they were screaming at me. You know that happens. You get it every week. It's not just this week. People are just having fun. I don't think they necessarily understand how important it is to us. Keegan was great. He told them to stop it and back down when I was trying to putt. It wasn't malicious by any means. "It was Sunday and just another test I had to go through today." Full-field scores from the Travelers Championship Travelers Championship: Articles, photos and videos It's been a career and a comeback defined by tests for Reavie. Even as a top-ranked junior in Arizona, he wasn't recruited by his eventual alma mater, Arizona State. "I pretty much just hounded the coach until he had to take me," Reavie said. He found success fairly quickly as a pro, winning on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2007 and taking the RBC Canadian Open in his rookie year on the PGA Tour in 2008. In the years after, he would do enough to keep his status, even when he'd finish outside the FedExCup's top 125. But his left wrist was getting worse, a byproduct of his golf swing. He was flicking his wrists through impact with a steep angle of attack, "which would pretty much cause my left wrist to blow up," he said. He underwent surgery in January of 2014 and missed the entire year. With his arm in three different casts over the span of seven months, his doctor told him that there was a "50/50 shot" that the surgery might not work. There was a chance that when he was finally cleared to resume hitting balls, one full swing would wreck his wrist again. "So those were probably the darkest days," Reavie said. "Just the unknown and sitting at home not being able to do anything and your mind wandering: 'Okay, if it didn't work, if I can't play golf, what am I going to do?'" In the course of his comeback, he rebuilt his golf swing, shallowing his angle into the ball to lessen the impact on his wrist. A year after surgery, he returned to the Tour. And a year after that, he returned to the FedExCup Playoffs. And in every year since, he's improved his ranking, from 166 th in 2015 to 12 th as of Sunday. Reavie has a had a number of close calls the last two years, racking up eight top-10s, including two seconds and two thirds. Just last week at the U.S. Open, he recorded his best career finish in a major, tying for third behind Gary Woodland. "That definitely gave me a lot of confidence coming into this week, and in particular into today," he said. "I played really well on Sunday at the U.S. Open, and I tried to treat this the same as I did then." It's tough to win on Tour. It's even harder to pick up wins Nos. 1 and 2 a full 11 years apart. But as Reavie said Sunday, his career has been defined by persistence and perseverance. "I enjoy every minute of every week I'm out here now, and I don't think I would necessarily be that way if I didn't go through those tough times," he said. "To win out here is an honor and something that shouldn't be overlooked or underappreciated." Reavie was asked to think back to those times, when he was wondering what else he would do with his life, assuming his wrist wasn't going to tolerate golf any longer. He thought for a minute. "Good question," he said. "Haven't figured that out yet."


What a lovely three days it has been for Liverpool Football Club. Saturday: the Reds comfortably see off Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League final to add a sixth European Cup to their trophy cabinet. Sunday: 750,000 jubilant supporters line the streets of the city to celebrate the momentous victory in Madrid. Monday: the club celebrate their 127th birthday. Today, Liverpool Football Club is 127 years old!  One hundred and twenty-seven years, 42 major trophies, thousands of magical moments, millions of passionate supporters around the world, one #LFC ❤ #YNWA pic.twitter.com/FwlEkPFOBg   Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 3, 2019 The glory days are back at Anfield following a barren spell in which the side wobbled both on and off the pitch. But, where does this triumph rank amongst all of the team's wonderful moments across their majestic history? 8: Liverpool 4-3 Newcastle United "Rush... Barnes... Still John Barnes... COLLYMORE CLOSING IN!" The centre-forward's score finished off a wild encounter in which his team led twice and also trailed twice. If you haven't seen highlights of this 1996 thriller then you are missing out on one of the most sensational games in the history of football. I will fight anyone who disagrees... well, I'll debate you, at least. Liverpool's trophy cabinet is packed to the rafters, but there are very few one-off matches that could rival the intensity of this one, that could trigger the same overawing rush of adrenaline. No, the Reds didn't claim any trophies this year, but they emerged victorious from the  Premier League game of the decade. 7: Gerard Houllier's Treble in 2001 Ok, so the trio of FA, UEFA and League Cups isn't on the same level as the hat-trick of trophies Manchester United delivered in 1999, but it's still a sizeable achievement. A penalty shootout victory over Birmingham City in the latter was hardly one for the ages, though the 2-1 defeat of Arsenal in the former is still talked about today. It was Michael Owen's final, the fresh-faced striker single-handedly overturning the Gunners' advantage in the closing stages. However, Owen's sterling efforts are topped by the UEFA Cup showdown with Alaves, Houllier's side claiming a 5-4 triumph after an unfortunate own-goal from the Spaniards in extra-time. 6: Securing Their 18th League Title Liverpool's last league title - coming in 1990 - took them to double the amount second-placed pairing Arsenal and Everton had each amassed. Just take a moment to really consider how incredible that tally is. Their supremacy was unquestioned, their players feared and respected across the globe. It would take arguably the greatest coach in the history of sport to dethrone the rampant Reds. 5: Joe Fagan's Treble in 1984 Following Bob Paisley's retirement from management in 1983, the Merseysiders chose to promote from within, just as they had when Paisley himself had been handed the reins. It was an inspired decision, the new man Joe Fagan bringing home another league title and league cup, as well as the club's fourth European Cup. Moreover, he secured the latter with a final victory over Roma in the Italian capital, the crowd harassing and howling at the 'visitors' for the entire game. That's a pretty stunning treble, so why doesn't the achievement rank higher? It was the team's sixth top division success in eight seasons, their fourth consecutive League Cup triumph and their fourth European Cup in eight years. A marvellous accomplishment, but the joy of the moment was perhaps slightly lessened by their ludicrous dominance (think Manchester City 2019). 4: 2019 Champions League Redemption Together, we did it  #YNWA pic.twitter.com/lyePu8hXP6   Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 2, 2019 Having fallen to Real Madrid 12 months ago in large part due to individual errors, Jurgen Klopp's recruits would have been desperate to make amends. They did precisely that, though they twice found themselves facing the prospect of another failure. The Premier League runners-up first scraped through the group stages and then pulled off an unthinkable turnaround against tournament-favourites Barcelona , resurrecting their hopes with a phenomenal comeback from three goals down to topple the Catalans on a seismic night at Anfield. 3: Winning Back-to-Back European Cups Paisley's trailblazing side collected their first European trophy in 1977 after dismissing Bundesliga outfit Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-1 at the Stadio Olimpico. They went on to retain it a year later, Kenny Dalglish downing Club Brugge with a delightful clipped finish. Those successive wins ensured the club would join a select group of elite European clubs to win the competition back-to-back; Real, Benfica, Inter , Ajax, Bayern Munich , Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest and Milan . Each was iconic in their respective era, demonstrating what an incredible feat this was. 2: The Miracle of Istanbul Before Rafa Benitez could even plan for a clash with Milan in the final, he needed a breath-taking volley from captain Steven Gerrard in stoppage-time against Olympiacos to reach the knockout stages. Fast-forward to half-time in Istanbul. It's 3-0 to the Rossoneri. The Merseysiders look like they are dead and buried, shell-shocked, demoralised - pretty much anything except  Champions League winners. We all know what happened next... 1: The 1989 FA Cup Final 1989 FA Cup Final @Ian_Rush9 @LFC heads the winner past @NevilleSouthall @LFChistory @LFCHistoryShow @angelcakepics pic.twitter.com/weVa232u6o   Firmino (@brazilegend10) May 26, 2019 The drama on that night in 2005 tops what happened in this FA Cup final meeting with fierce foes Everton, though this was also a tremendous encounter. John Alridge's fourth-minute opener is cancelled out by a last-gasp Stuart McCall effort, sending the game into extra-time. The Scotsman scores again to bring the Toffees level following Ian Rush's half-volley beyond Neville Southall, but the Liverpool forward has the final say with a decisive header. However, it's not what happened on the field that makes this the club's greatest ever moment. The Hillsborough Disaster occurred just five short weeks before the final, making this game about so much more than football. This meant everything to the supporters, players and anyone even remotely involved with Liverpool. It reminded them that, indeed, they would never walk alone.


Apartment hunting on a budget can be challenging. So what does the low-end rent on a rental in West Arlington look like these days   and what might you get for your money? According to Walk Score, the neighborhood isn't very walkable and has minimal bike infrastructure. It also features median rents for a one bedroom that hover around $1,145, compared to ann $800 one-bedroom median for Arlington as a whole. A look at local listings for studios and one-bedroom apartments in West Arlington, via rental site Zumper , paints a picture of what budget-minded apartment seekers can expect to find in this Arlington neighborhood. Read on for the cheapest listings available right now. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 2003 Wesley Drive First up, there's this 674-square-foot with one bedroom and one bathroom at 2003 Wesley Drive, listed at $875/month. In the unit, expect hardwood flooring, a dishwasher, new kitchen appliances, large closets, a patio or balcony and air conditioning. For those with furry friends in tow, know that cats and dogs are welcome on this property. The building offers on-site laundry and lots of parking. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee. (See the listing here .) 2612 Cinnamon Park Circle This one-bedroom, one-bathroom , situated at 2612 Cinnamon Park Circle, is listed for $895/month for its 614 square feet of space. In the unit, expect to find hardwood flooring, in-unit laundry, balcony, high ceilings and a walk-in closet. Pet lovers are in luck: cats and dogs are allowed. Amenities offered in the building include assigned parking, business center, fitness center, garage parking and swimming pool. There's no leasing fee required for this rental (See the listing here .) 1601 W. Arbrook Blvd. And here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom at 1601 W. Arbrook Blvd., which, with 653 square feet, is going for $965/month. Building amenities include on-site laundry, fitness center, business center, garage parking, on-site management, secured entry and a roof deck. In the unit, you'll find hardwood flooring, in-unit laundry, fireplace, dishwasher, balcony, high ceilings and a walk-in closet. When it comes to pets, both meows and barks are permitted. (Check out the listing here .) This story was created automatically using local real estate data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Click through to see some of the sport's winningest drivers who were never quite able to make it all the way to a championship. Denny Hamlin has three wins in 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing, moving up on the list of drivers with the most Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins -- but no championships. Read through to see some of the sport's winningest drivers without a title, and where Hamlin ranks in the discussion. T-12. Greg Biffle Wins: 19 Best championship finish: 2nd (2005) T-12. Fonty Flock Wins: 19 Best championship finish: 2nd (1951) T-12. Davey Allison Wins: 19 Best championship finish: 3rd (1991, 92) T-12. Buddy Baker Wins: 19 Best championship finish: 5th (1977) T-10. Jack Smith Wins: 21 Best championship finish: 4th (1962) T-10. Jeff Burton Wins: 21 Best championship finish: 3rd (2000) 9. Ricky Rudd Wins: 23 Best championship finish: 2nd (1991) 8. Jim Paschal Wins: 25 Best championship finish: 5th (1956) 7. Fred Lorenzen Wins: 26 Best championship finish: 3rd (1963) 6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wins: 26 Best championship finish: 3rd (2003) 5. Carl Edwards Wins: 28 Best championship finish: 2nd (2011) 4. Fireball Roberts Wins: 33 Best championship finish: 2nd (1950) 3. Denny Hamlin Wins: 34 Best championship finish: 2nd (2010) 2. Mark Martin Wins: 40 Best championship finish: 2nd (1990, '94, '98, '02, '09) 1. Junior Johnson Wins: 50 Best championship finish: 6th (1955, '61)


Former Xfinity Series champion Jeff Green will miss the second half of the Xfinity Series season to recover from rotator cuff surgery, Ryan Sieg Racing announced Tuesday. The 56-year-old Green will race through the July 12 race at Kentucky Speedway before stepping out of the No. 38 Chevrolet. He will then take over crew chief duties for Ryan Sieg Racing July 27 at Iowa Speedway. The team plans for Green to return to driving in 2020 depending on funding and sponsorship. While he's been entered in all 13 races this season, Green's only finish came in the season opener at Daytona, where he placed seventh. For those that don't know @buckcentral10 is more than just a great driver. He works hard on our cars every week. During final practice at MIS he was helping the 93 team. Old school racer who still has it. pic.twitter.com/dTArBCS2Tn   Ryan Sieg Racing (@RyanSiegRacing) June 11, 2019


KARNES CITY, Texas Outfitted with miniature furniture, toys, and rugs with roads painted on them, the government detention center here was designed with young migrants in mind. But the only people being held here right now are adults. While reports of children being detained in crowded Border Patrol stations widely criticized as dirty and unsafe have sparked a national outcry, several facilities run by immigration authorities that are intended for children aren't being fully used for that purpose. Get news and analysis on politics, policy, national security and more, delivered right to your inbox "It boggles the mind that at this very moment there are no kids here, when just on the other side of the state they have kids at Border Patrol processing centers sitting there for lengthy period of times without access to any of the things we should be providing them," said Cori Hash, an Austin immigration lawyer who was part of a delegation that visited the Karnes County Residential Center last Friday. In a detention center in Dilley, Texas, that houses families with children, more than 1,200 of its 2,400 beds were empty as of late June, federal data shows. A family facility with about 100 beds in central Pennsylvania housed just 29 people as of June 27. Officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which oversees Karnes and Dilley, said the crush of immigrants has left them unable to transport children to those facilities, located hundred of miles from the busiest border crossings. Because families with children can't be held more than 20 days by law, officials say it makes more sense to transport single adults who can be detained longer. In addition, monitoring minors requires more resources. But immigration lawyers and advocates said the dramatic contrast between the child-friendly Karnes and Dilley facilities and Border Patrol stations that a Department of Homeland Security inspector general report this week labeled "dangerous" showed the administration was prioritizing enforcement over the humane treatment of children. "While it is imperfect, Dilley has playgrounds, a gym, a library, a cafeteria, a school, telephones and a kitchen," said Warren Binford, a law professor at Willamette University who has interviewed migrants at the Dilley facility as well as at Border Patrol stations. "No child should be placed in a Border Patrol facility for any length of time." An official with Customs and Border Protection, which oversees the Border Patrol, said the agency is using its limited resources to provide the best care it can for children. "Our short-term holding facilities were not designed to hold vulnerable populations and we urgently need additional humanitarian funding to manage this crisis," the official said. Immigrant children who cross the border illegally by themselves or with relatives aren't supposed to be held more than 72 hours by the Border Patrol, whose cells were intended to detain single men for a day or two and lack basic amenities such as showers. Amid overcrowding and what critics say has been poor coordination between government agencies, some have been held for weeks. Dr. Sara 'Sally' Goza, incoming president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, visited a Border Patrol processing center in McAllen, Texas, last week, where she said she saw children draped in Mylar blankets in cells that reeked of feces, urine and sweat. One boy who had lost the phone number for a family member in the U.S. was weeping, while two young sisters were holding hands so tightly their knuckles had turned white, she said. "We have to do better than this," Dr. Goza said. President Trump on Monday signed a $4.6 billion aid package intended to help care for migrants in government detention. ICE detention centers, such as the one in Karnes, are meant to hold migrant families, while unaccompanied children are supposed to be cared for by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement. But advocates say authorities should be immediately getting kids who cross the border to any safe facility with room for them, regardless of what agency is responsible. "It seems like there is no organization of the whole system," said Delia Garza, an Austin city councilor who was among those to visit Karnes. In April, ICE converted Karnes to a single-adult center after it had been housing families since 2014. An ICE spokeswoman said the agency would continue holding single adults at Karnes due to a shortage of detention space for them elsewhere. HHS, which oversees 168 shelters that house thousands of minors, is set to open a new one for about 1,300 teenage boys and girls in rural Carrizo Springs, Texas. A spokesperson for the department didn't respond to requests for comment. Ms. Hash, the Austin lawyer, said she and her colleagues spoke with women housed in Karnes, none of whom complained about the conditions. She said the facility seemed set up as if ready to house kids from pictures of playscapes to chalkboards lowered to children's height to living units named "Rainbow" and "Rainforest." While she has long argued migrant children shouldn't be held by the government for any length of time, Ms. Hash said under present circumstances, she would rather see kids in the Karnes facility than processing centers at the border. "It's a better place than the hieleras," she said, using the Spanish word for "iceboxes" that migrants use to derisively describe the Border Patrol holding cells where they are kept. Write to Dan Frosch at dan.frosch@wsj.com and Alicia A. Caldwell at Alicia.Caldwell@wsj.com


If you love to take advantage of the music offerings near you, this weekend offers several great reasons to leave the house. From a cultural festival to a jazz conce, read on for a local music to-do list to fill your calendar this week. 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. Outpost Los Angeles City Market 2019 From the event description: Explore. Experience. Elevate. Join us at Outpost, LA's premier cultural festival celebrating the music, food, drink, art, products and immersive experiences that make Los Angeles so special. Outpost is an opportunity to meet other creative individuals, learn new skills, jam out to quality tunes and discover interesting new products and ideas in outdoor lifestyle, tech, art/design, food, drink and social good. This year's event takes place at Rolling Greens, a unique plant-filled oasis in Downtown Los Angeles. When: Saturday, June 1, 12-11:30 p.m. Where: Rolling Greens, 1005 Mateo St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Boombox From the event description: Boombox returns with an ultra-rare west coast appearance from hip hop radio icons Stretch & Bobbito. Creators of arguably the greatest hip hop radio show of all time, this legendary duo is responsible for introducing the world to artists like The Notorious BIG, Nas, Jay-Z, Wu-Tang Clan, Busta Rhymes, Mobb Deep, Eminem, DMX, Mos Def, Big Pun, Fat Joe, Big L and MF Doom, just to name a few. RSVP for discount entry before 11 p.m. When: Saturday, June 1, 9:30 p.m.- Sunday, June 2, 2 a.m. Where: Grand Star Jazz Club, 943 N. Broadway Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Soulful Sundays Open Mic and Jam Session From the event description: The best open mic and jam session in the city is still going strong. More space, more vendors and the same good food, good music and good vibes. The DJ plays your record, and our house band, The Noise, will learn your music on the spot. The DJ cuts the track, and you perform with the band. Each artist is allowed to perform one record, and if the crowd wants to hear more then, by all means, keep them entertained! Please bring lightly used clothing for our charity clothing drive to help the men and women on Skid Row who need them most. All donations will go to My Friends House Charity on Skid Row. When: Sunday, June 2, 2-6 p.m. Where: Comfort LA, 1110 E. Seventh St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets The Kickback LA Summer Series From the event description: The Kickback LA summer series is back. The Kickback LA is a high-energy summer day party series complete with big drinks, great vibes, good music and cool people. When: Sunday, June 2, 3-7 p.m. Where: 1652 N. Cherokee Ave. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Jazz Está Morto: Azimüth Concert From the event description: Azimüth was born out of the bossa nova and jazz scenes in Rio de Janeiro in the 1960's. Keyboard player and bandleader Jose Roberto Bertrami (RIP), drummer Ivan 'Mamao' Conti and bass player Alex Malheiros met during that time and recorded an album called 'O Trio' in 1968 under the name Projeto 3. Projeto 3 changed their name to Azimüth after backing the recording of 'O Fabuloso Fittipaldi' for Marcos Valle in the early '70's   'Azimüth' is a track title from that album. Their first recording under the new name was a four-track EP for Polydor in 1975. When: Sunday, June 2, 6 p.m. Where: Lodge Room Highland Park, 104 N. Ave. 56th Admission: $35 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.


Phoenix will experience light rainfall, due to last through Saturday, according to the seven-day forecast from drone-powered weather service Saildrone . Today's forecast shows the highest possibility of rain at 99 percent, while the most rainfall is expected on Wednesday at 0.06 inches. The next few days will also see hot temperatures, forecast to stick around through Thursday. The weather will bring a high temperature of 110 degrees on Sunday and Monday. Skies will partly clear up on Sunday, remaining partly cloudy through Tuesday. Winds will continue to be fairly calm through the week, with the highest speeds on Wednesday at just 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.


The Raiders apparently liked what they saw during the workout . Tight end Erik Swoope will sign with Oakland tonight, a league source has confirmed to PFT. Swoope worked out for the Raiders on Tuesday. Swoope originally entered the league in 2014 as an undrafted free agent, with the Colts. After four years in Indy, he also spent time with the Saints. For his career, Swoope has appeared in 24 regular-season games with six starts. He has 23 career receptions for 384 yards and four touchdowns. The Raiders lost tight end Jared Cook in free agency, and they recently cut tight end Lee Smith . They currently have five other tight ends on the 90-man roster, including veterans Luke Willson and Derek Carrier .


Americans generally do not have enough saved for retirement and Congress is considering a number of measures to address that. There are a few retirement-related bills of note making their way through Congress. One in particular, the Secure Act, gained significant traction this week. The House voted to approve it Thursday, and it is widely expected to move forward in the Senate. Some experts are saying it is one of the most important potential changes to retirement rules seen in years. WHAT IS IT? The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, known as Secure Act, is designed to help more people save more for retirement. Its highlights include a provision to make it easier for small businesses to band together to offer retirement plans to employees. It also opens the door for long-term part-time employees to gain access to workplace retirement plans. It would raise the age that Americans must start drawing from retirement savings, known as the required minimum distribution age, from 70½ to 72, as people are living and working longer. It also provides more years for people to contribute to individual retirement accounts, for the same reason. Additionally, it creates new rules that could expand lifetime-income options within workplace plans, such as annuities, to help people establish reliable stream of income in retirement. It would also make it easier for employees to transfer retirement plan assets when they change jobs. There are other notable components, such as allowing employees to withdraw savings penalty free for the birth or adoption of a child. And it would fix a component of the 2017 tax overhaul that raised taxes on benefits received by family members of deceased military veterans, as well as taxes on some students and members of Native American tribes. Related video: House committee passes bill to help Americans save for retirement (provided by CNBC) WHY DOES IT MATTER? Americans are facing a major retirement savings crisis. Almost half of U.S. households led by someone 55 or older had not set aside savings for retirement, according to a report released in March by the Government Accountability Office. About 20% of households did have access to a pension or other defined benefit plan. But 29% of older Americans had neither a pension nor assets in another retirement account. It's a complex problem, driven in part by a shift away from traditional pensions toward a do-it-yourself savings system. Research has shown one of the most effective ways to get people to save is through access to a workplace retirement plan. But millions of Americans do not have access to such plans, particularly at small businesses where the cost and complexity hinders some companies from establishing one. So this legislation is important because it removes some of those barriers, said Phil Waldeck, president of Prudential Retirement. The legislation would eliminate other hurdles that keep other people from saving in other settings. It's not a cure all but experts say it's a step in the right direction. Rhian Horgan, founder and CEO of Kindur, a startup that aims to help people navigate retirement, said she thinks it is "the most meaningful piece of retirement-focused legislation we've seen in decades." WHAT'S NEXT? The bill was approved in the House with a 417-3 vote and now goes to the Senate. Given the overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress and among industry leaders, it's likely to move forward, said Elizabeth Kelly, senior vice president of operations at United Income, who once worked as the special assistant to the president on the National Economic Council under the Obama administration. There is a similar Senate bill, known as the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act, but the Secure Act has many of the same provisions. But even the backers of the Senate bill spoke out in favor of the Secure act Thursday, suggesting its passage is likely. The bill would then head to the president.