Real Madrid are prepared to allow Gareth Bale to move to Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning free of charge, as they desperately attempt to move the Welshman on. Bale had been the subject of interest from plenty of clubs around Europe with many prepared to pay tens of millions for the forward, but Madrid are set to let him go without any transfer fee. As reported by Marca (via SportWitness ), it could be announced on Saturday that Bale will join the Chinese club, where he is expected to earn €22m-a-year after tax in a three-year deal. The Spanish publication claim that Madrid had been trying 'until the last moment' to get a fee for the Welshman, but have failed in their attempts to do so. Jiangsu Suning would be liable to pay 100% tax on any transfer fee they pay for a foreign player, as per the league rules. This measure was put in place by the Chinese FA in an attempt to boost the development of the sport in their country, and would effectively double any transfer fee Los Blancos asked for in exchange for Bale. Despite having a brilliant goalscoring record at the Bernabeu, Zinedine Zidane is clearly desperate to offload the former Tottenham man, as he recently said as quoted by the club's official website : " Let's hope, for everyone's sake, that it happens soon. The club is dealing with the club that he'll move to." The freeing up of the 30-year-old's wages may allow Madrid to bring in more reinforcements. The Spanish giants have been linked with Paul Pogba and Christian Eriksen and Bale's move could potentially kickstart a domino effect of transfers between Europe's biggest clubs.


The Cardinals have announced ( Twitter links ) a series of roster moves in advance of their second-half opener on Friday. Catcher Yadier Molina is heading to the 10-day injured list due to a right thumb tendon strain, with an IL placement retroactive to July 8. Coming back from the IL is infielder Matt Carpenter , who has been out of action since June 29 with a lower back sprain. The Cards also sent Rangel Ravelo and southpaw Tyler Webb to Triple-A and moved Jordan Hicks to the 60-day IL, while calling up catcher Andrew Knizner and selecting the contract of left-hander Chasen Shreve from Triple-A. This is the second time this season that Molina has missed time due to his troublesome right thumb, as the same injury also put the longtime St. Louis backstop on the IL from May 31 to June 11. It's fair to assume that the nagging nature of Molina's thumb problem is at least partially responsible for his lack of production this season, though Molina was also struggling prior to May 31. Overall, Molina has only a .261/.286/.368 slash line and four homers over 276 plate appearances, making him one of several veteran Cardinals who are seemingly all having down years at the same time. This list includes Carpenter, who has a career-worst .216/.325/.381 with 10 home runs over 326 PA. While his IL stint was minimal, he and the Cards are surely hoping that this brief time off combined with the All-Star break is enough to finally get his bat moving close to the MVP-level production that Carpenter provided over the last three-plus months of the 2018 season. Carpenter only had a .739 OPS over his first 234 PA last season before exploding for a .983 OPS over his final 443 PA. Last season's results notwithstanding, Carpenter's cold streak this season has lasted longer and reached deeper depths than his slow start to 2018. His power and hard-hit ball rates have both fallen significantly, while the quality of his contact has also dropped off (.324 xwOBA in 2019, as opposed to a .392 xwOBA in 2018). Carpenter will resume his usual duties at third base, though the hot-hitting Tommy Edman retained his spot on the MLB roster after his strong performance as Carpenter's fill-in. Knizner and Matt Wieters will handle the catching duties while Molina is out.


Some homes have hard water water that contains a high level of calcium, magnesium, lime, or other minerals. Hard water doesn't pose any health risks, but it can cause a number of plumbing, maintenance, and household cleaning issues. Click through to discover some of the problems hard water can create. And if these issues sound all too familiar, maybe it's time to install a water softener! Shortened Hot Water Heater Lifespan On average, a hot water heater lasts 8 to 10 years, but hard water can shorten its life to as few as 4 to 6 years, depending on the amount of minerals present. Over time, limescale forms on the heating element, encasing it and reducing its ability to heat the water. As well, mineral deposits settle at the bottom of the tank, sometimes a foot or more deep, decreasing the amount of available hot water. Mineral Buildup Around Faucets If the surface around your kitchen and bathroom sink faucets develops a white film or stubborn deposits that are difficult to scrub away, it s a sure sign your water is hard. This mineral buildup can often be removed by using a cleaner made for dissolving lime deposits, but it will continue to form as long as you're using hard water. Scummy Residue on Tubs and Showers The high level of calcium found in hard water prevents soap from dissolving and rinsing away. Instead, the soap forms an insoluble residue that sticks to tile, bathtub surrounds, and shower curtains. Even after cleaning with a product designed to dissolve soap scum, these surfaces often look dull and unattractive. Slow-Flushing Toilet Mineral deposits will form on any surface that comes into regular contact with hard water. Toilets tend to exhibit problems early on as impurities form inside the drainpipes, narrowing them, reducing water flow, and leading to clogs. Deposits can also form inside the tank and cause internal components to corrode, which reduces the life of the toilet. Spotty Glasses and Dishes No matter how much rinse aid you add to your dishwasher, your glasses, dishes, and flatware will end up with cloudy spots if you have hard water. Some homeowners report that adding distilled white vinegar to the machine helps cut down on spotting, but there's always the old-fashioned solution: Hand-wash your dishes and dry them by hand before they can air-dry. Dry, Itchy Skin It's not just your shower walls that retain soap scum after a steamy shower. Because hard water prevents soap from dissolving, it can also leave a film on your body, making your skin look dull and feel dry. If you have sensitive skin, the residue can make it feel itchy and exacerbate skin issues, such as psoriasis. Dingy Laundry No amount of bleach will make your white clothes sparkle if you have hard water. Not only does the high mineral content prevent the detergent from thoroughly cleaning your fabrics, but the mineral deposits also remain in your clothing, leaving everything looking yellowish-gray and dingy. Sluggish Sink Drains As the minerals in hard water build up inside your sinks' drainpipes, they reduce water flow, resulting in sluggish drainage. This also increases the risk of clogs forming when bits of food and other debris get stuck in the narrowed pipes. Reduced Appliance Lifespan Appliances that use water, such as the dishwasher, washing machine, or ice maker, won t last as long in a house with hard water as they would in a house with soft water. Mineral deposits can block small water supply lines, narrow drain lines, and build up on internal components, reducing an appliance s effectiveness and lifespan. Less-Than-Invigorating Showers The shower head is often one of the first fixtures in the house to suffer from hard water. The tiny holes that once produced a refreshing spray of water quickly clog, resulting in a dismal trickle or an errant spray that shoots out at an undesirable angle. Corroded Plumbing Connections A small leak in any plumbing joint can be a problem, but in a home with hard water, it s a much bigger problem. When hard water leaks from a plumbing connection, mineral deposits form in the joint itself, corroding the pipe and making it impossible to replace the joint without cutting away sections of the pipe. Rusty Toilet Rings Anywhere hard water stands, deposits will form. Not surprisingly, this tendency leads to rusty ring stains inside the toilet bowl. Keeping the toilet ring-free may require frequent scrubbing with powerful cleaners. Discoloration of Brick Siding It's usually not a big deal when water from your sprinklers hits your house, but if you have hard water and brick siding, you may end up with an unattractive white haze on the bricks. These mineral deposits can be removed only by using an acid-based brick cleaner. Latherless Shampoos Because the minerals in hard water prevent it from blending with soaps and shampoos, you won't get a full head of lather when you wash your hair. Depending on how hard the water is, you might not see any lather at all, and your hair may look and feel dull even after you rinse the shampoo out. Related: 10 Ways Your Home Is Telling You to Call a Plumber Disagreeable Drinking Water Nothing tastes better than a cold glass of iced tea on a hot summer afternoon, but if the tea is cloudy and murky, it will probably be much less enjoyable. The minerals in hard water can make water look cloudy and can also give it a disagreeable metallic taste, depending on the concentration and combination of minerals.


The Jacksonville Jaguars claimed former Arizona Cardinal offensive lineman Andrew Lauderdale off waivers Friday. To make room for the addition they also waived second-year tight end Pharaoh McKever. #Jaguars waived TE Pharoah McKever to clear a spot for OL Andrew Lauderdale. - Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) June 7, 2019 Lauderdale, 25, initially entered the league in 2017 as an undrafted free-agent from the University of New Hampshire with the New Orleans Saints, but has been a journeyman since. He made stops with the San Fransisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Hotshots (AAF) and Arizona Cardinals before being picked up by the Jags. Lauderdale has yet to register a start or play in a regular season NFL game so he's a bit of an unknown. He'll have an uphill battle to make the roster with tackle Josh Wells, Cedric Ogbuehi, Donnell Greene and Leonard Wester all currently on the depth chart, but practice squad could be a possibility if he impresses during mini-camp and training camp. According to Jaguars.com , he's listed at 6-foot-6, 294 pounds, but his number hasn't been determined. MORE: Why Kevin Durant is doing the right thing by not watching Finals games from the bench Report: New Orleans likely to trade Anthony Davis to Celtics Goldberg, Undertaker Nearly Killed Each Other With Botched Moves At Super ShowDown New York Knicks attending Game 4 of NBA Finals Packers seeing flashes in young TE Robert Tonyan


A little more than a year ago, moments after he fired former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson by tweet, President Donald Trump looked ahead optimistically to reshaping his Cabinet. Standing on the White House driveway, the president told reporters, "I'm really at a point where we're getting very close to having the Cabinet and other things that I want." It hasn't quite worked out that way. Instead, Trump has a Cabinet-by-default, many of whose members were simply the last man   or woman   standing after others pulled out of the running, declined the president's job offers or couldn't get through their nomination hearings. In just the latest instance of a Trump official going down amid the harsh glare of an invigorated Washington press corps, acting defense secretary Pat Shanahan withdrew from consideration for the top Pentagon job on Tuesday as news outlets published lurid accounts of his divorce. Shanahan was never even formally nominated by the White House, but at least he managed to serve in his post for several months. Others made it slightly farther before being ground up by Trump's Washington. Labor secretary nominee Andy Puzder saw his support evaporate in the Senate when POLITICO published allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-wife, and threw in the towel before he even sat for a hearing. Ronny Jackson, the White House physician Trump picked to run the VA, withdrew after accusations of misconduct on the job. If there's a thread running through them all, it's a president with a penchant for choosing many top appointees based on instinct   and without regard to prior government experience   plus a White House whose vetting operation is far from thorough and a thin Republican Senate majority with little room for error. The result is that the Trump administration's senior ranks are comprised largely of individuals who were not, in many cases, the president's first or even second choice to fill the post, but instead became the only logical choice after the competition evaporated. They include the acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, who accepted his position after several others bowed out, including Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie; the president's pick to be the ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Knight Craft, who was tapped after the former State Department spokeswoman, Heather Nauert, quietly pulled herself out of the running; and Attorney General Bill Barr, who turned down the White House before finally accepting the job after other candidates he himself had recommended said no. Add to these woes an administration with abnormally high turnover, as well as the usual churn in Washington, and Trump is presiding over a government run in many cases by acting officials from the Cabinet level on down. The president on Tuesday brushed aside those concerns, telling reporters before boarding Air Force One en route to Orlando, where he was set to kick off his 2020 re-election campaign, that he was pleased with the composition of his Cabinet. "We have a very good vetting process. You take a look at our Cabinet and our secretary it's very good," Trump said. "But we have a great vetting process." And he reiterated his oft-stated preference for appointing acting Cabinet chiefs and avoiding the Senate confirmation process. "As you know Pat was acting," he said. "Acting gives you much greater flexibility, a lot easier to do things." Others, however, said the composition of Trump's Cabinet was the logical result of the president's haphazard management style. "There are a lot of qualified people out there but not a lot who would want to work in this administration given the brevity of tenure that most of these folks face," said Jeremy Bash, who served as chief of staff to former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. "It's always a gamble when you select people for very senior jobs who have zero experience in government." Shanahan, a former Boeing executive, had not previously served in government before being tapped to run the Pentagon, a sprawling and notoriously difficult agency to manage. "Government service tends to weed out those who are unqualified and those who cannot pass vetting," Bash added. "When you reach for people who have no government service you are taking a huge risk." Trump, who likewise had no government experience before assuming the most powerful job in the world, gravitates toward nontraditional hires, compounding the risks. One Cabinet official, former Pentagon chief Jim Mattis, resigned in protest. Several   Tom Price, Scott Pruitt and Ryan Zinke   were effectively forced out amid scandal. A few, Kirstjen Nielsen, Jeff Sessions, David Shulkin and Rex Tillerson, fell afoul of a president accustomed to getting his own way. Just two, Nikki Haley and Linda McMahon, left the administration on their own terms. Shanahan wasn't the president's first choice for the Pentagon job. Trump said he would nominate him after the retired Army Gen. Jack Keane and former Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl said they were not interested in the position, POLITICO reported in January . Shanahan has served as acting secretary of defense since Mattis' departure in early January. Though the president has said repeatedly that he prefers cabinet members who are serving in an acting capacity, Trump had faced mounting pressure from lawmakers on Capitol Hill to nominate a permanent defense chief. Senate confirmation for the Pentagon post is considered particularly important because the secretary of Defense is a part of the chain of command and bears responsibility for deploying troops. "Since the SecDef is supposed to assert civilian control over the military and all the generals who report to SecDef are confirmed by the Senate, he is at a disadvantage exercising authority over them when their positions have more political grounding than his," said Paul Wolfowitz, who served as deputy secretary of defense in the George W. Bush administration. The calls for a nominee did not abate on Tuesday, when Trump announced that Army Secretary Mark Esper would replace Shanahan as the acting secretary of Defense. "I do think we'd be better off by far to have a secretary of defense who is actually confirmed by the Senate," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said it was "appalling" not to have the position filled in a permanent capacity and that "it shows the chaos in this administration." Former Sen. Chuck Hagel, a Republican who served as President Barack Obama's secretary of Defense, said it was in Esper's interest to go through the formal Senate process. "That really gives that position and that individual legitimacy going forward," he said. "When you are not confirmed you're just kind of swinging out there in the wind."


The Indianapolis Colts backfield will be an intriguing position to watch during the 2019 season and while the top of the depth chart might be solidified, there is still a battle to keep an eye on. The starter's role will belong to Marlon Mack following his quasi-breakout during the second half of the regular season in 2018. The pass-catching role will belong to Nyheim Hines after recording 66 receptions during his rookie season. This leaves three players left to battle for the depth role in the backfield. Those three players are Jordan Wilkins, Spencer Ware and Jonathan Williams. Out of the three, the players with the best chances to earn the final spots on the roster are likely Wilkins and Ware. Though the Colts like the talent that Williams has, the best bet would be to go with either of the former two. Jordan Wilkins A fifth-round pick out of Ole Miss in 2018, Wilkins stepped into the starter's role to begin his rookie season as Mack dealt with a hamstring injury. He was inefficient to begin the year but got better as the season went on working sparingly in a depth role. However, he flashed talent during the second half of the season. The promise shown during his rookie campaign could be enough for him to grab one of the final spots. He should be considered a front runner in this competition. Spencer Ware The veteran and newest addition to the room, Ware was signed by the Colts shortly following the 2019 NFL Draft. Though his roster spot is far from guaranteed, he has a skill set as a short-yardage back and pass protector that could help him land a role. Ware has always been an efficient back during his time with the Kansas City Chiefs. Colts general manager Chris Ballard got to see that first-hand-a possible reason why Ware was brought in. Like Wilkins, Ware should be considered in the running for a roster spot. Jonathan Williams Since joining the Colts as a waiver claim in Nov. 2018, Williams has been working as a depth piece. That could come to an end depending on how many running backs the Colts wind up keeping. Among these three, Williams probably has the longest odds to make the roster. MORE: Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson share rehab photos 5 possible landing spots for former Cowboys WR Dez Bryant Phil Simms: 'Multiple' teams were set to take Daniel Jones before No. 17 Excitement surrounding Derrius Guice returns to the surface Jags nearly crack a top-10 spot in Touchdown Wire's NFL power rankings


One thing that Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is known for is his uncanny arm strength. We've since learned that Mahomes is more than just a QB with a good arm, but it's still fun to watch him throw the ball deep. Mahomes has casually said that he can throw the ball about 80 yards. Ahead of the Chiefs' regular-season matchup with the Patriots in 2018, Bill Belichick said that Mahomes can "throw the ball out of the stadium." It's just something to say to praise a player's arm strength, right? Apparently Belichick wasn't kidding. From their news helicopter, 41 Action News captured footage of Mahomes throwing the football practically all the way out of Arrowhead Stadium. Take a look: That's some serious arm strength right there. @Chiefs @PatrickMahomes #OurQuarterback #ChiefsKingdom #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/YN7CUNSFCS - 41 Action News (@41actionnews) July 12, 2019 Serious arm strength might be an understatement on this one. He didn't make it to the parking lot, but to throw it over the video board of Arrowhead Stadium and onto the walkway, well, that is insane. At Arrowhead's tallest point, it's listed at 260 feet . Where Mahomes threw the ball isn't exactly the tallest point of the stadium, but Mahomes didn't even take that many steps before he threw the ball. He gave it a solid one, two, three, plant and throw. It's unclear whether this was for a commercial that Mahomes was filming or if this is simply some folks messing around, but it's a cool feat the reigning NFL MVP can add to a growing list of accomplishments. MORE: Poker player loses brutal 31 million chip hand with pocket aces at 2019 WSOP Main Event The perfect storm: Andre Iguodala a possible return to the Warriors Three Potential Landing Spots for Chris Paul News: Major trade target at safety, levels to Cowboys WRs, NFL's best RB WATCH: Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes throws a football out of Arrowhead Stadium


At least for now, the fight amongst a handful of Power Five heavyweights for one of the most prized uncommitted 2020 prospects has come to an end. On his personal Twitter account Monday night, Kendall Milton announced that he has given a verbal commitment to play his college football at the University of Georgia. The highly-touted running back had taken official visits to UGA, Alabama, LSU and Ohio State earlier this offseason prior to committing to Kirby Smart's Bulldogs. Committed. ❤ pic.twitter.com/rqp7xiCINy   Kendall Milton (@therealkmilt) July 30, 2019 According to 247Sports.com , the 6'1½", 229-pound recruit   6'1½", 229-pound RB entering his senior year in high school!!!   is rated as the No. 4 running back in the country; the No. 3 player at any position in the state of California; and the No. 22 player overall on its composite board. With Milton's commitment, nine of the 29 five-star 2020 prospects on 247Sports.com 's composite remain uncommitted a little less than five months before the Early Signing Period kicks off: Strongside defensive end Jordan Burch (No. 1 overall) Inside linebacker Justin Flowe (No. 3) Running back Zachary Evans (No. 6) Cornerback Kelee Ringo (No. 8) Outside linebacker Sav'ell Smalls (No. 9) Athlete Darnell Washington (No. 10) Weakside defensive end Desmond Evans (No.18) Running back Bijan Robinson (No. 20) Inside linebacker Noah Sewell (No. 23)


The Colfax Marathon is on Sunday, and that means there will be road closures and light rail service disruptions as more than 20,000 runners are expected to descend on the streets of Denver, Lakewood and Aurora. The marathon, now in it's 14th year, will have full and partial closures along westbound and eastbound Colfax Avenue from Aurora to Lakewood starting as early as 3 a.m. and ending as late as 1 p.m. Marathon organizers say the easiest places to cross Colfax will be at Interstate 25, Federal Boulevard and Interstate 225. And drivers are asked to avoid Speer and Colfax altogether during the race, if possible. The marathon is also expected to impact RTD routes that run on or cross Colfax. Dozens of bus routes and the D, F and H light rail lines will be detoured or delayed from 3 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Riders can get full details on delays and detour routes by calling 303-299-6000 or by visiting this link . Good luck to all the runners! Here's a full recap of the closures from the Colfax Marathon: Colfax Ave in Aurora: The half-marathon course starts at Denver's City Park, heads east on Montview Avenue to Yosemite Street in Aurora, continues south to East 17th Avenue, then East to Galena Street, then south to 16th Avenue, west to Del Mar Parkway, north to East 17th Avenue, then returns west to Dayton, south to Colfax, west on Colfax to Oneida, north to East 17th Avenue, west on 17th back to Denver's City Park. - Westbound Colfax Avenue will be closed from Havana Street to Yosemite Street at 5:40 a.m. - East 17th Avenue will be closed to all eastbound traffic from Colorado Boulevard to Yosemite Street at 7 a.m. until 11 a.m. - East 16th Avenue will be closed to all east and westbound traffic from Havana Street to Chester Street at 6 a.m. - Yosemite Street will be closed to all north and southbound traffic from Montview Ave. to Colfax Ave from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Colfax Avenue in Denver: - Westbound Colfax will be closed from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. from Esplanade to Speer. - Colorado Boulevard between Colfax Avenue and East 23rd Avenue will be closed from 5 a.m. to noon. - Southbound off-ramp to I-25 at Colfax Avenue will be closed until noon. - Speer Boulevard at Colfax Avenue in both directions will have very long delays from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. - The only places to cross Colfax Avenue will be at I-25 or Federal Boulevard. - Seventeenth Street will be open as the runners will be in the far north lanes only. Some cross traffic and turns will be limited. - The last runner will cross westbound Colfax Avenue at Speer Boulevard at approximately 7:30 a.m. and the road will open shortly after. - The last runner will leave Raleigh and Colfax (they will go north and south on Raleigh to Sloan's Lake, encircling it) at approximately 8:45 a.m. - The last runner will cross westbound Colfax Avenue at Sheridan Boulevard at approximately 10 a.m. - The last marathon runners will pass through downtown at 11:15 a.m. - The last marathon runners will cross eastbound East 17th Avenue at Vine Street at approximately 11:25 a.m. - The last marathon runners will enter City Park at East 21st Avenue & York Street at approximately 11:55 a.m. Colfax Avenue in Lakewood: This year's marathon route in Lakewood will take runners along West Colfax, turning north on Pierce Street, traveling through Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, returning to Pierce Street and heading north to West 20th Avenue. The runners return to Colfax Avenue at Glen Moor Drive, heading east, remaining in the westbound lanes of Colfax Avenue. - North to south streets that cross Colfax from Sheridan Boulevard to Garrison Street will be closed to through traffic from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. - To move traffic north and south through the area, motorists will be funneled on detour routes to Interstate 70 and Federal Boulevard, using West Sixth, West 26th and West 32nd Avenues. - Kipling Street is open to north/south traffic crossing W. Colfax. - Traffic traveling east on W. Colfax will be diverted south on Garrison Street, then continue east on W. 14th Ave. - Traffic will be allowed to proceed westbound on Colfax from Garrison. - Traffic will be allowed limited access to local only traffic across W. 20th Avenue at signaled intersections, expect delays. - Local traffic and marathon spectators will be permitted access. - Access to Colfax businesses open on May 20th will be allowed from side streets either through limited-access lanes on Colfax Avenue marked with cones or through police escorts. - Access to and from residences and churches adjacent to Colfax Avenue will be allowed through the use of side streets. - The last runner will be off of Colfax Avenue in Lakewood at approximately 10:30 a.m. - Colfax Avenue will be cleaned and swept immediately following the passage of runners. SUGGESTED VIDEOS | Local stories from 9NEWS


Couldn't catch the latest high school softball clashes in and around Saint Paul? Here are local girls varsity softball results from the past week, powered by data from high school sports leader MaxPreps . (Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Details like game dates, times, scores and team records are based on data provided by MaxPreps and may be subject to change; the latest up-to-date information is available at the links below.) St. Agnes strikes out Brooklyn Center The St. Paul St. Agnes team traveled to Brooklyn Center this week to face off against the Brooklyn Center Centaurs on Thursday. The Aggies walked away with the 25-0 win . The loss brought Brooklyn Center's conference record to 3-7, while St. Agnes' record rose to 6-2. St. Paul Central smothers Harding Friday saw the St. Paul Central Minutemen unseat Saint Paul's Harding Knights by a score of 22-0. The win brought St. Paul Central's conference record to 5-1, while Harding's record fell to 2-4. Spring Lake Park prevails over St. Agnes The Spring Lake Park Panthers triumphed over the St. Agnes Aggies 12-4 on Friday. The win brought Spring Lake Park's record to 7-11, while St. Agnes' record fell to 9-3. White Bear Lake triumphs over Cretin-Derham Hall Also on Friday, the White Bear Lake Bears traveled to St. Paul to face off against the Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders . The Bears outsmarted the Raiders 6-0, to walk away with the victory . The loss brought Cretin-Derham Hall's conference record to 5-8, while White Bear Lake's record rose to 8-9. Highland Park triumphs over Washburn The St. Paul Highland Park Scots defeated the Minneapolis Washburn Millers 7-3 on Saturday. The loss brought Washburn's record to 4-8, while Highland Park's record rose to 7-2. Highland Park hangs on against DeLaSalle The St. Paul Highland Park team traveled to Minneapolis this week to face off against the DeLaSalle Islanders on Saturday. It was a close one: The Highland Park Scots barely bested the Islanders in a 6-5 victory. The loss brought DeLaSalle's record to 2-11, while Highland Park's record rose to 8-2. Highland Park bests Como Park On Monday, May 13, the St. Paul Como Park Cougars visited the Highland Park Scots . The Scots ultimately defeated the Cougars in a 17-14 win. The win brought Highland Park's conference record to 6-1, while Como Park's record fell to 3-3. St. Paul Central triumphs over Humboldt Also on Monday, St. Paul's Humboldt Hawks visited the St. Paul Central Minutemen . The St. Paul Central Minutemen outsmarted the Hawks 7-1, to walk away with the win . The win brought St. Paul Central's conference record to 6-1, while Humboldt's record fell to 2-3. St. Paul Central cruises past Johnson On Tuesday, the St. Paul Johnson Governors visited the St. Paul Central Minutemen . They drove home empty-handed: the Governors lost to the Minutemen by a score of 21-1. This continues an eight-game losing streak for the Governors, whose record fell this week to 0-8. St. Paul Central's record rose to 7-1. Minnesota North Star Academy hangs on against Sibley On Tuesday, the St. Paul Minnesota North Star Academy girls team hosted the Mendota Heights Sibley Warriors for a varsity face-off. The Minnesota North Star Academy girls snuck past the Warriors for a 1-0 victory . This story was created automatically using local sports data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


All eyes are on New York Giants rookie quarterback Daniel Jones this offseason, a pick in the draft that left many fans up in arms. Yet after his first workouts with the team, it looks as if Jones is settling into his new role well in New York. Jones had jumped right in and was taking every snap with the second-team offense by the end of last week's mandatory minicamp, according to NJ.com , and caught the eye of tight end Evan Engram. "You can see him getting confident," Engram, who didn't participate in the minicamp, said Saturday, via NJ.com. "Anytime you're coming in as a rookie, you're going to be a little shaky or a little nervous. You kind of see him starting to brush that off, get into his groove and take advantage of everything he's given." [Join or create a 2019 Yahoo Fantasy Football league for free today] The former Duke quarterback threw for nearly 2,700 yards and 22 touchdowns last season for the Blue Devils, and is widely expected to take over for Eli Manning in the starting role in the near future. He's also picked up an endorsement from running back Saquon Barkley, who fully expects Jones to lead the Giants to a pair of Super Bowl wins. While it can take rookies at any position an adjustment period upon arrival in the NFL, Jones can already tell that he's starting to get the hang of the pace in the NFL. "I think just thinking quicker," Jones said, via NJ.com. "That's the challenge for young guys to be able of react and just play. It's about thinking as quick as you can and making the right decision as quick as you can. I'm just working on that. "I think that's the challenge. That's the biggest part of playing the position, making the right decision as quick as you can. I'm just trying to do that." Head coach Pat Shurmur has noticed that about Jones, too   and is extremely impressed. "His head is swimming much less than most rookies for a couple reasons," Shurmur said last week, via NJ.com. "He's very smart, he was coached extremely well in college, he's been around it. He's been coached by one of the best in college. "He understands the process. Again, we call it a cat, they call it a dog, it doesn't matter. He's been around the process enough to know. [He's] very perceptive, he doesn't make the same mistake twice." More from Yahoo Sports: Raptors aren't relaxing despite 3-1 lead in NBA Finals Hope Solo criticizes USWNT coach: 'Cracks under pressure' LaMelo Ball returns home and wows crowd at Drew League Vanderbilt freshman throws epic 19-K no-hitter


The Patriots are signing linebacker Brandon King to a two-year extension, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter ). King is a core special teamer for the Patriots and   if this is a new two years   this deal will keep him in place through the 2021 season. King is a hybrid defensive back and outside linebacker, but hasn't seen much time at either position. Instead, he has been a key cog in the third facet of the game for the Patriots since joining them as an undrafted free agent out of Auburn in 2015. King has appeared in 57 career games for the Patriots and has already won two Super Bowl rings in his young career. Last year, King recorded 13 special teams tackles, good for ninth in the NFL. On the Patriots, he was third behind Nate Ebner (15) and Matthew Slater (14). Related slideshow: 2019 NFL draft: The top picks (Provided by imagn)


The Federal Reserve's investor-friendly stance on interest rates has infused this market with a another dose of optimism. While trading action Monday didn't really reflect that, we're still tracking toward one of the best Junes on record for the Dow Jones Industrial Average. In the spirit of the market axiom, "Don't fight the tape," Sam Dogen of the Financial Samurai blog laid out a bull-market checklist to "living your best life," as indexes continue to flirt with record highs. "I haven't felt this good about the current state of the markets since 2007," he wrote in a Monday post . "Sure, everything went to hell the next couple of years and mass carnage ensued. But that's neither here nor there." Here's how he says to play it this time around: 1. Take advantage of lower rates: 10-year bond yields are at two-year lows, and other costs of borrowing money are also at enticing levels. "You should take advantage by refinancing your mortgage and your student loans if you have any," Dogen said. 2. Stay exposed to risk assets : This one's rather obvious. Buy when the buying's good. "Stocks, bonds, and real estate are your friends in a declining interest rate environment," he wrote. "Lower interest rates make owning other assets with higher interest rates or potentially higher returns more attractive." 3. Ask for a raise or change jobs: With unemployment at 3.6%, has there ever been a better time to look for a new job? "The general rule of thumb is that you can get at least 20% more if you put yourself on the open market tomorrow," Dogen said. "Depending on performance and industry, after about three years on the job in a hot labor market, you could conceivably get 50% or more." 4. Take a sabbatical: Time for a break. You earned it. Maybe. "Yes, it's tough to get off the grid when so much money is to be made," he said. "But it may be now or never as it might be career suicide to take a sabbatical during a downturn." 5. Start strategically living it up: This is really just an extension of number 4. "If you can't live it up when times are good,"he wrote, "you certainly won't be able to live it up when times are bad." 6. Hunt for unicorns: Get your bubble on! There are some home runs to be hit. "I would set aside 10% of your cash flow (not existing investments) in search of the next great speculative investment," he said, adding that you should expect to lose 100% of your 10% with the chance of making a 1,000%+ return. Dogen explained how a $3,000 in Vertical Computer Systems (VCSY) in 2000 allowed him to make a $120,000 down payment on his first San Francisco property. "All you need is one lucky break to supercharge your wealth," he said. "But in order to get your lucky break you need to take extra risk with some of your funds." 7. Shop your business around: Assuming you have a business to shop around, of course. Valuations tend to be at their highest during a bull market because expectations are so high for future earnings growth," Dogen wrote. "To create next level wealth is all about growing the equity component." 8. Become a charlatan: The sad-but-true section of his checklist. With so much money floating around out there, the snake oil flies off the shelf. "It doesn't matter if you're a failed political consultant trying to position yourself as a financial expert or a company founder with no pertinent experience," he said. "If you fake it, chances are higher you will make it during a bull market." 9. Calculate your financial independence number: FIRE (financial independence, retire early) becomes   or appears to become   a realistic option in a climate like this. But just make sure you set an achievable goal. "It's fun to calculate how much you'll have if the bull market lasts for X years," Dogen wrote. "It's also very dangerous to extrapolate massive gains for a long period of time." There you have it. All your bull-market dreams can come true. In theory. "Nobody knows how long this bull market will last," Dogen said. "All I know is that for the foreseeable future, the Fed is on our side, interest rates are low, and there's a presidential election coming up promising us lots of freebies." Shawn Langlois is an editor and writer for MarketWatch in Los Angeles. Follow him on Twitter @slangwise.


There has been plenty of speculation about Maurizio Sarri's Chelsea future, but the boss turned all that into stone-cold fact by confessing he wanted to return home . It's nice that the trigger-happy Blues are not completely to blame here, but it's clear that something hasn't been right in this relationship from the get-go. If and when he heads to Juventus, Chelsea will need to replace him. Here are six candidates to become the next Chelsea manager, and whether or not a move for them is likely. Jose Mourinho As Chelsea 's greatest ever manager, it should come as no surprise that Jose Mourinho finds himself linked with the club again. He won trophy after trophy with Chelsea, so his resume speaks for itself. However, there are plenty of stumbling blocks here. Firstly, the way his last spell at Stamford Bridge ended will not do him any favours. Many players and fans became tired of his antics and his mannerisms as they realised that, when he is not winning, he's actually quite tough to support. Joining Manchester United will not have gone down well with club officials, and the way that the Red Devils collapsed towards the start of last season left many fans doubting his management ability. Time may have proven that that wasn't entirely his fault, but there are just too many concerns for this deal to go through. Likelihood rating: 2/10 Emma Hayes When you talk about success at Chelsea, you cannot forget Emma Hayes, the manager of Chelsea Women. Since joining the Blues in 2012, Hayes has led them to to Women's Super League titles and two FA Cup triumphs, whilst they have enjoyed plenty of deep runs in the Champions League . Her influence in helping to grow the women's game is huge, and her success has led many to suggest that she could make the jump to the men's team to replace Sarri. She certainly has all the qualifications, whilst she has proven to be a popular, successful figure across her seven years at the club. Even before joining Chelsea, Hayes enjoyed plenty of trophy-laden seasons in both England and the USA, and she even has experience of working as part of the boardroom staff. She quite clearly has enough about her to take this job. Hayes deserves the opportunity to impress in an interview, but there could be a few other candidates ahead of her on Chelsea's wish list. Likelihood rating: 3/10 Erik ten Hag Before Erik ten Hag joined Ajax, and even during the early stages of his reign at the Johan Cruijff Arena, most outside the Netherlands did not know who he was. However, after his exploits with De Godenzonen in last season's Champions League, his name is on everyone's lips. Not only did Ten Hag mastermind some incredible results against Juventus and Real Madrid , but he did so in style. Ajax played a stunning brand of football, dominating possession and attacking with the sort of fluidity that causes nightmares for even the best defenders. That's the kind of thing Chelsea wanted from Sarri, but things never went exactly to plan for the Italian who, for whatever reason, struggled to implement his style at Stamford Bridge for a large part of the season. Ajax will be desperate to keep Ten Hag around, so signing him is probably easier said than done. They're already set to lose so many key players, so keeping the manager will be a must for them. This wouldn't be impossible for Chelsea, but there are plenty of simpler options. Likelihood rating: 5/10 Javi Gracia As one of the latest candidates for the gig, Watford boss Javi Gracia certainly is an intriguing option. At times last season the Hornets were electric. They fought to reach the FA Cup final, overturning a 2-0 deficit in the semi-final against Wolves. Even in the Premier League , there were plenty of times when Watford looked like they could win the race for seventh place. Having said that, it wasn't always plain sailing. They were thumped 6-0 by Manchester City in the FA Cup final (although Chelsea themselves didn't even manage better than that), and their form was horribly inconsistent throughout the year. They ended up 11th, which isn't exactly the most impressive result. He wouldn't be the worst appointment, but there will surely be some other, more appealing alternatives. Likelihood rating: 6/10 Nuno Espirito Santo Wolverhampton Wanderers earned a huge amount of praise last season, and plenty of credit has to go to Nuno Espirito Santo. Yes, they spent a lot of money but, as we've seen in the past, putting the pieces together is not always as easy as it sounds. Guiding a newly promoted team to seventh in the Premier League is nothing short of extraordinary. Nuno had his side playing exciting football, whilst also ensuring that they were resolute defensively against even the best opponents. He knows how to win games and, more importantly, he knows how to translate that into results on the pitch. He's also a beloved figure amongst players and fans, which will be appealing to Chelsea after Sarri didn't exactly win any popularity contests at Stamford Bridge last season. The only downside is his lack of experience in charge of an elite Premier League side, but there are more than enough reasons for Chelsea to consider Nuno this summer. Likelihood rating: 7/10 Frank Lampard For Chelsea, it feels like Frank Lampard is walking around with a giant neon arrow pointing to his head, and a huge badge that reads "You Should Hire Me". Ever since he entered the world of management with Derby County last summer, the Blues legend has seemed destined to return to Stamford Bridge. If club officials want to hire someone who would make fans happy, they need look no further than Lampard. Fans can still be heard singing his name during games, and that would only continue if he returned to the dugout. Whilst one impressive season with Derby isn't exactly the greatest CV for a potential Chelsea manager, he has definitely done enough to catch the eye. His willingness to play young players like Jayden Bogle, as well as Chelsea starlets Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount, is exactly what the Blues need as they prepare for life under a transfer ban. Chelsea will have wanted this day to come a few years down the line, once Lampard had more experience under his belt. However, they will likely need to act now, and accelerating their pursuit of Lampard seems like the best way forward. Likelihood rating: 8/10


WASHINGTON (AP)   U.S. employers sharply stepped up their hiring in June, adding a robust 224,000 jobs, an indication of the economy's durability after more than a decade of expansion. The strength of the jobs report the government issued Friday could complicate a decision for the Federal Reserve late this month on whether to cut interest rates to help support the economy. Most investors have anticipated a rate cut in July and perhaps one or two additional Fed cuts later in the year. That scenario may be less likely now. Stocks sold off early Friday before paring their losses later. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down a modest 43 points. But the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note climbed to 2.04% from just under 2% before the jobs report was released, reflecting a view that the Fed might now be less inclined to cut rates multiple times. June's solid job growth followed a tepid gain of 72,000 jobs in May, a result that had fueled concerns about the economy's health. But with June's pace of hiring, employers have now added, on average, a solid 171,000 jobs for the past three months. Last month's burst of hiring suggests that many employers have shrugged off concerns about weaker growth, President Donald Trump's trade wars and the waning benefits from U.S. tax cuts. "Although there are drags on the economy in 2019, the expansion should continue through this year," said Gus Faucher, chief economist at PNC Financial Services. "The doom and gloom was overblown." The unemployment rate ticked up to 3.7% in June from 3.6% for the previous two months, reflecting an influx of people seeking jobs who were initially counted as unemployed. Average hourly wages rose 3.1% from a year ago. Trump responded to Friday's jobs report by tweeting, "JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!" But the strong hiring gains have lessened the case, at least for now, for the Fed to slash rates as Trump has repeatedly and aggressively pressed the central bank to do. "If we had a Fed that would lower interest rates, we'd be like a rocket ship," the president asserted to reporters in an appearance Friday. "But we're paying a lot of interest, and it's unnecessary. But we don't have a Fed that knows what they're doing." Last year, Fed officials raised rates four times, in part to stave off the risk of high inflation and in part to try to ensure that they would have room to cut rates if the economy stumbled. On Friday, the Fed reiterated that it would act as necessary sustain the economic expansion, while noting that most Fed officials have lowered their expectations for the course of rates. The Fed's statement came in its semiannual report on monetary policy. In Friday's jobs report for June, the hiring gains were broad. Construction companies added 21,000 workers after having increased their payrolls by only 5,000 in May. Manufacturers hired 17,000, up from just 3,000 in May. Health care and social assistance added 50,500 jobs. Hiring by transportation and warehousing companies increased 23,900. The government sector was a major source of hiring, adding 33,000 jobs in June. Nearly all those gains were at the local level. For Todd Leff, CEO of Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, the resilience of the U.S. job market has provided both an opportunity and a challenge. With more Americans earning steady paychecks, demand for massages and facials has increased, and the company plans to add 60 locations this year and roughly 1,800 jobs. But the low unemployment rate has also made it hard to find and retain workers. "We could hire 1,000 more employees today   if they were available," said Leff, whose company has about 430 locations and is based in Trevose, Pennsylvania. Investors have been turning their attention to the Fed, which has expressed concern about threats to the economy, especially the uncertainties from Trump's trade wars, and about inflation remaining persistently below its 2% target level. A Fed rate cut, whenever it happens, would be its first in more than a decade. Joshua Shapiro, chief U.S. economist for the consultancy MFR, said the likelihood of a Fed rate cut late this month is now slightly lower, though he still estimates that the federal funds rate   what banks charge each other   will be sharply lower by the end of next year. Ryan Wang, U.S. economist at HSBC Bank, suggested that the solid jobs report might create a communications challenge for Fed Chairman Jerome Powell when he testifies Wednesday and Thursday to congressional committees. The financial markets still foresee a rate cut of 25 points this month, Wang said, adding, "It will be important to see if Chair Powell lays out on a strong case for near-term monetary easing in his testimony next week." The sluggish pace of hiring in May had signaled that employers might have grown more cautious because of global economic weakness and, perhaps, some difficulty in finding enough qualified workers at the wages that companies are willing to pay. The pace of the overall economy is widely thought to be slowing from annual growth that neared a healthy 3% last year. Consumer spending has solidified. Home sales are rebounding. But America's manufacturing sector is weakening along with construction spending. Growth in the services sector, which includes such varied industries as restaurants, finance and recreation, slowed in June. Overall, though, employers have been adding jobs faster than new workers are flowing into the economy. That suggests that the unemployment rate will remain near its five-decade low and that the economy will keep growing, even if only modestly.


Join KING 5 and WestSide Baby to collect diapers for families in need. You can help stuff WestSide Baby's van with diapers on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 12 outside the U Village QFC. In King County, 23% of families struggle to afford diaper s WestSide Baby believes all babies should have the diaper s they need. The need for diapers ignores boundaries of income level, racial background, and neighborhood; diaper need is complex   but your actions can be simple. Stuff the Bus is Seattle's largest diaper drive and this is your opportunity to ensure all babies have diaper s to be healthy and happy. #diapersforallbabies WestSide Baby's 19th Annual Stuff the Bus is presented by QFC At QFC, you can buy a pack of diaper s to support Zero Hunger, Zero Waste. With 23% of King County families unable to afford diaper s, parents are making difficult choices between getting healthy food on the table and buying diaper s. Caregivers are keeping their children in wet diaper s until children are irritable, putting them at risk for infection. These choices have long-term impacts on the health and well-being of a child and put stress on a family. Prevent diaper need in your community by donating diaper s to WestSide Baby, who will make sure all babies are safe, warm and dry. With our QFC partnership, we are asking folks to purchase diaper s at QFC in our most needed sizes of 5 & 6. These diaper donations will go directly to babies and children at WestSide Baby so that no parent in our community has to make difficult decisions between healthy food and diaper s. Also, individuals, businesses and other groups can sign up to host a diaper drive here or donate dollars for diaper s. Why Diaper s? Diaper Need: The lack of a sufficient supply of diaper s to keep a baby clean, dry and healthy. 1 in 3 families nationwide struggle to afford diaper s 23% of King County families experience diaper need. Diapers cannot be obtained with EBT, WIC, food stamps or other state or federal support for low-income working families. Newborns require 12-14 diaper s a day, and toddlers 8-10 a day. Diapers are expensive, costing families with small children between $75-$100 per month, per baby. Without transportation or the ability to save up, families buying diaper s at a convenience store rather than a "big box" store or subscription service spend significantly more on diaper s per month. WestSide Baby distributes diaper s in bundles of 45   to fill a gap in the need of families in our community. These diaper s go into the hands of social service providers from our distribution warehouse and they bring them to the families they work directly with.


The Vikings have been checking out veteran cornerbacks, and they signed one Saturday. The team announced the addition of cornerback Bene Benwikere . To make room for him on the roster, they waived rookie cornerback Terrence Alexander . Benwikere has bounced around nearly a quarter of the league in his five seasons. Originally a fifth-round pick of the Panthers, he has also been with the Dolphins, Packers, Bengals, Cowboys, Cardinals, and Raiders. The Vikings have been checking out depth at the position, working out veterans Morris Claiborne and Orlando Scandrick . Mike Hughes began camp on the physically unable to perform list, and Holton Hill will be suspended for eight games, keeping them interested in available options.


For the past four seasons, college football has been dominated by Alabama and Clemson, which have consistently looked a step above other teams. While the two are favorites to again make it back to the College Football Playoff, a new season brings hope to teams across the nation. Ahead of the 2019 season, there are a number of key matchups that could help determine which teams can truly challenge Alabama and Clemson. Auburn vs. Oregon : The most exciting matchup in Week 1, the two teams will meet for the first time since Auburn's victory in the 2011 National Championship Game. Hot seat: Auburn will have a new starting quarterback this season, and it could be a make-or-break season for head coach Gus Malzahn, who has won 10 or more games just twice in six seasons. Best of the West: For Oregon, a victory could help launch a playoff campaign. Led by Heisman favorite Justin Herbert, the Ducks are favored to come out of the Pac-12. A victory over a potential top-15 team in Auburn could go a long way for their hopes. Texas A&M vs. Clemson : Last year's matchup was nearly an early stumbling block for the Tigers as they narrowly escaped with a 28-26 victory. Former Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant led the team at that time, but it's all about QB Trevor Lawrence now. Mond's the man : Second-year head coach Jimbo Fisher inherited an uncertain quarterback situation last year, but there's no question about this year's starter: Kellen Mond. After throwing for more than 3,000 yards and adding 474 on the ground, there's talk of an outside shot at the Heisman, but Mond will need improvements in completion percentage (57.3 percent) and interceptions (nine) for that to happen. The real Heisman candidate: Even more so a favorite than Mond, Lawrence burst onto the college football scene as a true freshman and immediately looked the part of a national title-winning quarterback. He threw for more than 3,000 yards and had only four interceptions, compared to 30 touchdowns. Lawrence appears to be pro-ready , and he's in line to light up the nation once again. Notre Dame vs. Georgia : With appearances from both teams in the College Football Playoff in the past two seasons, this Sept. 21 game has major postseason implications. Georgia narrowly squeaked out a 20-19 victory in 2017, and now the Irish must travel to Athens, Georgia. Pressure on the Irish: This could be a statement victory for Notre Dame, which mastered a difficult schedule last season but was steamrolled by Clemson in the national semifinals. Quarterback Ian Book will have to play his best. A loss could be deadly for the team's playoff chances, given road trips to Michigan and Stanford await later in the season. No room for error: With quarterback Jake Fromm and running back D'Andre Swift leading the way, the Bulldogs have big-play ability on offense . Georgia's SEC schedule is a gauntlet, and similar to Notre Dame, a loss here would leave no room for slip-ups the rest of the way. Texas vs. Oklahoma : The bitter rivals met twice in 2018 as Texas pulled off an upset in the regular season, but Oklahoma claimed its revenge in the conference championship game. A similar story could repeat itself this year as both teams are top-10 caliber and a notch above the rest of the Big 12. Horns up: Texas head coach Tom Herman has the best team of his coaching career and will need to build off a Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger continues to grow, but the Longhorn defense will need to do the same to compete against high-octane Oklahoma. New QB, same quality: The Sooners may have had their Heisman-winning quarterback go first overall in the NFL Draft for the second straight season, but there is no drop-off in quality this year with Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts. There is talent all over the field for Oklahoma. If Hurts can maintain his previous form, a three-peat isn't out of the question. LSU vs. Alabama: Often an important game in the SEC West, last year's Alabama-LSU matchup fell flat of some of the historic clashes of the past. The Crimson Tide steamrolled the Tigers, 29-0, but LSU did end the season with an important victory in the Fiesta Bowl. Burrow's bunch: LSU quarterback Joe Burrow was dreadful in that loss (18-of-35 for 184 yards, one interception), but showed his true quality in the team's final four games of the season. A 394-yard, four-touchdown effort against UCF to close the season has given the Tigers hope that Burrow may make a big jump as a senior. No stopping Saban: As is always the case with Alabama, a wealth of talent left for the NFL. But a new group of hungry players will replace it. The Crimson Tide have lost just one regular-season game in the past three seasons, and will need to get past a tough LSU team to continue that dominance. Michigan vs. Ohio State : The Wolverines have had talented teams in the past four seasons, but coach Jim Harbaugh was never able to defeat Urban Meyer in the rivalry game. Both teams have playoff aspirations, and "The Game" could once again determine which Big Ten team makes it to the playoff. It's Patterson's team now: The Wolverines lost considerable talent to the NFL Draft (Devin Bush, Rashan Gary, Chase Winovich), but returns their most important piece: Quarterback Shea Patterson. Unknowns abound: Meanwhile, Ohio State got an explosive quarterback of its own in Georgia transfer Justin Fields. First-year head coach Ryan Day can immediately slot the talented QB into his high-powered offense, presenting an opportunity for the Buckeyes to return to the postseason. The bottom line: While the 2019 college football season may once again come down to Alabama and Clemson, teams across the country are vying for their shot at the title. The season kicks off with a top-15 matchup, and the best games of the year will continue all the way to rivalry weekend with "The Game." Related slideshow: Early Top 25 college football teams for 2019 (Provided by USA Today Sports)


ARCADIA, Calif.  They came in groups, some regulars, others first-timers. Scattered across the stands, they flipped through their newspaper print programs. They sipped on Golden Road draft beers and smacked hands in celebration when they picked a winner. For the bettors of Santa Anita Park, Saturday was just another day of horse racing. Sitting in the green stadium seats of the 85-year-old race track, you wouldn't know 29 horses had died here since late December. Outside it's more evident. Headlines have followed each death and protestors have expressed their concerns for weeks. Last Sunday, the California Horse Racing Board asked the park to shut down for the remainder of the season, which ends on June 23. California Governor Gavin Newsom said "enough is enough" and called for stricter regulations, including independent veterinarian inspections on each horse competing. The park issued new protocol . Before racing Saturday, each horse's racing, training and medical records were reviewed by a team of five medical experts. Santa Anita ran its nine races on Saturday, the bettors placed wagers totaling into the hundreds of thousands on a single race and no horses were euthanized. "These aren't pets," said Synthia Campos, who comes to Santa Anita several times a season. "These are machines. People spend a lot of money on these horses to win. It makes me sad that they have to put them down after. "I wish there was a way that they could put them out to pasture but I know that they're bred for that reason." 'The stigma doesn't affect horse people' Robert Cortez remembers hearing Joey Hernandez's famous call "And there they go!" countless times growing up near the racetrack. The historic catchphrase traces back to many moments in Santa Anita Park history, most notably Sea Biscuit's win in 1940, which was later turned into a novel and film. The location also hosted the equestrian events for the Summer Olympics in 1984. This November, the 2019 Breeders' Cup will be held at Santa Anita. "This is California," Cortez said. "This is Pasadena, Arcadia. And it's a good day, I just love the track." The track's not as crowded as it used to be, said Santa Anita gate attendant Joseph Giordano. He's worked here 48 years and remembers the track peaking at 60,000 people on Saturdays. Now it's down too around 10,000 he estimates , though he believes it's from people betting online rather than coming to the track. Cortez   who spent about $60 commuting round trip to the track   doesn't bet on horses for the money. He just likes the atmosphere. "I don't like what's happening to the horses," Cortez said, "but like I said, everybody wants to make the easy bucks." Plopped down on a bench between a brown wooden cane and a Miller Lite, Cortez turned to a friend to gamble. "Time for Suzie," he said. "Put five across." Perched up in the top row of the general admission seats, Wayne Handley comes to the track every Saturday. He's been into horse racing for 50 years and says the euthanization isn't any worse than it's ever been. He cited reports , that death totals were higher in year's past, though those years had more starts. Handley, like every bettor who spoke with Yahoo Sports on Saturday, isn't deterred by the deaths. He believes it's part of the sport. Always has been, always will be. On Sunday, Santa Anita will be open for the first of its final four race days. It'll be another day at the track. The horses will race. Maybe one will die. Maybe none will. It's all part of the gamble. "The stigma doesn't affect horse people," Handley said. "It doesn't affect bettors." More from Yahoo Sports: LeBron, Lakers put NBA on notice with Anthony Davis trade Report: L.A. will target Kemba Walker in free agency LaVar Ball on Davis deal: 'Worst move the Lakers ever did' Statue of Swedish defender, equal rights advocate defaced


Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Wednesday he will donate an amount of money that's equivalent to the contributions accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein made to his campaign in the 1990s. "While these campaign accounts closed about 20 years ago, and even then the campaign never controlled the two political action committees (PACs), Sen. Schumer is donating an equal sum to anti-sex trafficking and anti-violence against women groups," Schumer spokesperson Justin Goodman said in a statement to The Hill The donations will go to Safe Horizon, Sanctuary For Families, Crime Victims Treatment Center and John Jay College Foundation BuzzFeed News was the first to report the donations. Federal Election Commission filings compiled by OpenSecrets.org show that Schumer received seven $1,000 donations from Epstein between 1992 and 1997 through several PACs supporting his run for Senate. Epstein was a prominent campaign donor to both parties, giving money to politicians like former President Clinton, former Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), former Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.) and former Sen. Alfonse D'Amato (R-N.Y.). Federal prosecutors charged Epstein this week with sex trafficking that included underage girls in New York and Florida. He has pleaded not guilty. The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan said Epstein created "a network and operation enabling him to sexually exploit and abuse dozens of underage girls," and that he paid victims to recruit other girls. Schumer isn't the only lawmaker to funds tied to campaign contributions from Epstein. Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) announced Tuesday that she would donate campaign contributions she received from Epstein to Virgin Islands organizations that work with women and children. Schumer, along with several other prominent Democrats, have called on Labor Secretary Alex Acosta to resign over a controversial plea deal he gave Epstein when he was a prosecutor in 2008 to resolve multiple allegations of sexual molestation. The deal, which allowed the financier to avoid federal charges and leave prison on a daily basis to attend work, has been slammed as too lenient. Updated at 5:04 p.m.


The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense may have been a joke last year, but their offense was nothing to laugh about, finishing third overall in the league, averaging 415.5 yards per game. And, even though the Bucs finished just 5-11, the arrival of Bruce Arians has brought with it a wave of optimism and hope that hasn't been felt in ages. Fans, especially, are hoping the two-time NFL Coach of the Year can return this team back to the postseason for the first time since 2007, and help them get their first playoff win since ( gulp ) the 2002 season, when the Bucs won their one and only Super Bowl. With quarterback Jameis Winston looking to resurrect his career under Arians, Tampa Bay could have one of the most explosive offenses in the league come next season, especially when you factor in guys like wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin along with tight end O.J. Howard. But, according to Bill Barnwell of ESPN , he sees the Bucs as having only the 14th-best offensive arsenal in the league. He lauds the receiving corps (and rightfully so), but, as expected, blames the team's horrendous rushing offense for their placement in the standings. Take a look. "How high can you make it with the league's worst running back corps? Nobody seems to be very excited about a Bucs backfield paced by Peyton Barber, although it's too early to give up on Ronald Jones after Tampa took him in the second round a year ago. With a league-average running back room, the Bucs would be in the top five of these rankings." Tampa Bay finished 29th in the league in rushing in 2018, averaging 95.2 yards per game. If they can establish some semblance of a running game, that'll open up the field even more for Winston and his receivers. MORE: Poker player loses brutal 31 million chip hand with pocket aces at 2019 WSOP Main Event Three Potential Landing Spots for Chris Paul NBA Depth Charts News: Major trade target at safety, levels to Cowboys WRs, NFL's best RB The Ringer believes Raiders could trade SS Karl Joseph to Cowboys


DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - Officials at the Dallas Zoo say one of their African painted dogs has died after being attacked by two other members of the pack. All three dogs were brought to the zoo in June. The older female, named Ola, was the first to arrive from a zoo in Illinois. She was joined a few days later by two younger dogs who are brothers. They were brought in from Ohio. Zookeepers carefully managed the introductions of the animals and say Ola established herself as the leader of the new pack. However, this week, the two younger dogs attacked her. Zoo officials say that while there had not been any previous signs of aggression, it was part of the animals' normal behavior to establish dominance within their new social structure. Ola suffered injuries during the attack and died. Dallas zoo officials say the two remaining animals, named Mzingo and Jata, will continue to be in the zoo's habitat. The zoo will continue to work with experts on ways to expand the pack. "We all loved getting to know Ola, and she will be deeply missed," zoo officials said in a written statement. "Our animal care team is understandably shaken after this incident, so please send positive thoughts their way."


TAMPA   The Hillsborough State Attorney's Office has reversed 17 criminal convictions that hung on the testimony of three Tampa police officers who were fired last month amid accusations they repeatedly violated department policy. As concerns rose over the credibility of Officers Mark Landry, John Laratta and Algenis Maceo, the state attorney's conviction review unit examined all cases involving the three back to January 2018. They identified 17 cases in which a conviction was based on the word of the officers. "Those convictions cannot stand," State Attorney Andrew Warren said at a news conference Wednesday morning. Warren said his office is undoing the findings of guilt and notifying attorneys for the 17 defendants. The reversal is the first major finding from the conviction review unit, created by Warren in 2018. The unit reviews closed cases to root out cases of wrongful conviction. Warren was joined at the news conference by Tampa police Chief Brian Dugan. "It's obviously very awkward and embarrassing for me to be here today," Dugan said. "I apologize to the members of the court who have now wasted their time prosecuting these cases." In May, Dugan announced that he had fired officers Laratta, Landry and Maceo after a seven-month investigation revealed what the chief described as a pattern of bad behavior. He said the officers had failed to document detentions and searches and to properly dispose of seized drugs. The investigation began after a citizen complained that Laratta and Landry had threatened him with violence while they were investigating a suspicious vehicle. The officers denied it. Landry was equipped with one of the department's 60 body-worn cameras. But when investigators pulled the footage, they found he shut off the recording moments before the encounter, a violation of the department's camera policy. None of the officers were accused of committing a crime. But the investigation cast a shadow on their credibility, Dugan said. Such concerns made it impossible for them to testify in court, he said. As a result, at least five ongoing prosecutions were quickly dropped. Then came the examination by the conviction review unit. The 17 defendants had all decided against going to trial and pleaded guilty to crimes including narcotics and firearms offenses. Although they admitted guilt, Warren spoke of the importance of ensuring that the accused are "legally guilty" as well as "factually guilty." "The right thing to do is to vacate these convictions," Warren said. This is a developing story. Check back with TampaBay.com for updates. Contact Dan Sullivan at dsullivan@tampabay.com . Follow @TimesDan. ___ (c)2019 the Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.) Visit the Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.) at www.tampabay.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


Kyle Larson came oh so close to besting Alex Bowman in the closing laps at Chicagoland Speedway, but he was forced to settle for the runner-up spot for the second consecutive year. As was able to whittle away his three-second advantage and reach the rear bumper of the No. 88. With seven laps to go, he completed the pass, but Bowman was able to respond and take it back on Lap 262 of 267. "Yeah, I could see him struggle when I was getting to him, and when I got by him, I'm like, all right, good, he's going to be in my dirty air and get loose," said Larson. "He could get big runs on me down the straightaways, and I think that allowed him to get that run into 1 and he got to the main side and I got tight, I don't know if him getting air on my spoiler or something got him tight, but I had to kind of breathe it a little bit, and then we side drafted on the backstretch. "I wish I would have maybe done some things different into 3 instead of going all the way to wall, maybe chase him to bottom, just try to hang on his quarter, but he might have cleared me anyways down there." The final margin of victory was just over half a second, Larson's best result of the 2019 season. Read Also: Alex Bowman bests Larson, scores first Cup win at Chicagoland "Was actually surprised I even got to him," admitted Larson. "I thought when he came out about the same distance off pit road in front of me, I thought he was just going to check out. But like I said, he was struggling, and we were able to get to him and get by him, but he did a good job. He did a good job regrouping and figuring out how to make his car drive better and got the win. "Cool to see him get the win there. Would have liked for him to have to wait another week or so, but happy for him. He's an open‑wheel guy, so cool to see." The top-five was a great boost to Larson's playoff hopes as he now sits 35 points clear of the cut line. 13th in the championship standings.


Just 21 of these 300Ds were produced during 1958. This car has just been restored to its former glory. Jay Leno's Garage is full of exciting, exotic, and very rare machinery on any given day, however, many were recently outdone by a visiting Chrysler. The car in question is far rarer than Jay's McLaren F1, special Corvettes, or Mercedes-Benz 300SL. Just 21 Chrysler 300Ds were given fuel injection. The fuel injected motor variant of the popular 300D wasn't very successful and was only produced for one year. It's owned by Per Blixt who actually works at Jay Leno's garage restoring cars, but this was his own out of hours project. It had all of the right serial numbers, but the car was something of a rusty hulk when it arrived. This was first ever model with electronic fuel injection, and so it had to be saved. More on American cars: - The Ford Starliner Was Built for 1 Year Only - A 1987 Buick Regal GNX This Clean Is An Extremely Rare Find When new, the injection system proved troublesome, so much so that this example was converted back to a carburetor. The extensive restoration took a very long time, but it was decided to make the switch to modern fuel injectors to get the car working as intended. Also, modern computer diagnostics can now be used on the 392 cubic inch HEMI engine. The restored bodywork looks fantastic, sporting design language that made the vehicles of 1950s America so recognizable. Its unblemished white paintwork was done by Per himself, who has done an incredible job to create what appears to be a concours quality finish. This restored 300D's interior is also pretty special, looking as immaculate as it did back in the late 1950s. A fascinating option on this Chrysler is the wheel-mounted clock that winds itself as the wheel moves. Per has added a modern speaker system to the car, but the cabin otherwise remains true to its original specification. Jay hits the road in the Chrysler and finds that the modern fuel injection has made a big difference to performance. 'It goes good' he exclaims with that glorious HEMI roaring in the background. The automatic transmission is a point of contention, but if you love your classic American car chat, you'll love hearing Per reminisce. Source: YouTube


A new brasserie and New American spot has debuted in the neighborhood. Called La Estacion American Brasserie , the newcomer is located inside Central Fare, the new food hall at the Brightline train station at 600 N.W. First Ave. in Downtown Miami. Courtesy of the Juvia Group, this restaurant boasts 10,000 square feet of space with an open kitchen, four private event areas and a bar offering cocktails, wine and local beers, reports Eater Miami . La Estacion American Brasserie offers a broad selection of burgers, barbecue ribs, soups, salads and some Japanese fare. According to the business' Facebook page , it aims to put out "American classics with a French twist." On the menu, expect to see items like steak frites, a frisée and poached egg salad, homemade falafel sliders and smoked fish dip with crostini. (Check out the opening menu here .) Open since May 1, La Estacion American Brasserie is getting good traction with clientele, and currently has a 4-star rating out of six reviews on Yelp. Michael S. wrote , "The food was amazing! I had pea soup to start and Branzino for the main course. I was very surprised how good it was." And Stefanie W. said , "Great food, great cocktail choices, and a great chef   the sliders are amazing." Swing on by to take a peek for yourself: La Estacion American Brasserie is open from 11:30 a.m. 8 p.m. on weekdays. (It's closed on weekends.) 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.


MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Napheesa Collier scored 27 points, the second most in WNBA history by a rookie in her debut, and the new-look Minnesota Lynx pulled away from the Chicago Sky in the second half for an 89-71 win in the season-opener for both teams Saturday night. Collier, who was the sixth pick in the draft this year, was short of Candace Parker's record 34-point effort in her first game with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2008. The Lynx hardly missed perennial MVP Maya Moore, who is sitting out this season, as Collier hit 8 of her 10 shots, including three 3-pointers. Minnesota is also adjusting to the retirement of long-time guard Lindsay Whalen, who will have her number retired later this season. Veteran Sylvia Fowles added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Lynx with Danielle Robinson scoring 13 points and Jessica Shepard grabbing 13 rebounds. Minnesota had a 46-29 advantage on the boards. Collier overshadowed her former UConn teammates Katie Lou Samuelson, the fourth overall pick in the draft. Samuelson made her only shot and both her free throws to score four points off the bench for Chicago. Gabby Williams and Kahleah Cooper had 11 points apiece for the Sky, who trailed 46-40 at the half but were outscored 24-10 in the third quarter.


A stepdad's allegedly "contradictory" statements are being investigated as police continue to look for a missing 4-year-old Texas girl who the man claimed was abducted by three men in the Houston area Friday night. A Houston police spokesperson declined to formally name the stepdad, Darion Vence, as a person of interest to PEOPLE and said the search for the missing girl is "still ongoing." But in Sugar Land, a suburb outside of Houston where Vence showed up Saturday night at a hospital claiming he'd been carjacked and knocked unconscious for 24 hours during which time he alleged Maleah Davis was kidnapped, police allege there were inconsistencies in his account. "During the course of that initial interview that he provided our officer, his story changed several times, and much of what he told us simply didn't add up," Sugar Land police spokesman Doug Adolph tells PEOPLE, describing those statements as "contradictory." Adolph declined to detail the inconsistencies, but added, "there were substantive parts of what he told us that changed during the course of the interview." Because Sugar Land police determined the alleged carjacking occurred within the Houston city limits, they turned the case over to the second agency. Maleah and her two brothers earlier were removed from the girl's home after allegations of abuse, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services told CNN. In February of this year, they were returned, but a judge called for child protective services to check on the family at least once a month. In an interview with CNN, Maleah's mother, Brittany Bowens, denied abusing Maleah, saying, "We're not those kinds of people." Houston police Sgt. Mark Holbrook said "there's a lot of blanks in [Vence's] story," when he spoke with reporters at a news conference on Sunday after an AMBER Alert had been issued for the missing girl. Bowens told CNN that Vence's story doesn't "make sense." RELATED: 4-Year-Old Texas Girl is Missing   and Stepdad Says She Was Abducted by 3 Men Vence told police that Maleah, who authorities said was recovering from a recent brain surgery, was riding in a silver 2011 Nissan Altima with him and his 2-year-old son about 6 p.m. on the way to the Houston airport to meet Maleah's mother. While traveling on the Southeast Freeway, Vence claimed he heard "a popping noise, like he has a flat tire," Holbrook said. When he pulled over to the side of the road to check, Vence told police a blue pickup pulled off behind him and two Hispanic men got out. As they approached, "one of them makes a comment saying that Maleah looks very nice, looks very sweet," Holbrook said, quoting Vence's claims to police. Media Briefing on Investigation into Missing Child Maleah Davis https://t.co/ce9ZdFrWUZ   Houston Police (@houstonpolice) May 5, 2019 That's when Vence claimed to police he was hit on the head and lost consciousness. When Vence initially woke up, he claimed he and the two children were in the back of the pickup, which now carried three Hispanic men. After slipping in and out of consciousness, Vence claimed he regained full awareness around 6 p.m on Saturday and discovered that he and the 2-year-old boy had been dropped off on the Highway 6 roadside in the Sugar Land area   with Maleah gone. His car allegedly was stolen as well. He claimed he walked with the boy to the nearby Sugar Land Methodist Hospital for help around 11 p.m., where he reported Maleah missing. The Houston Chronicle reports that on Thursday, the car Vence was driving was found in Missouri City, more than 10 miles from Sugar Land. • Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Maleah, who stands 3 feet tall and weighs 30 to 40 pounds with brown eyes, was last seen wearing a pink bow in her black hair, a light blue zip-up jacket, blue jeans and gray, white and pink sneakers, say police. Authorities still are searching for the pickup truck Vence described, which they identified as a "blue, crew-cab, Chevy pickup truck, possibly a 2010 year model." Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.


He has faced the Chicago Bulls as a Cleveland Cavalier in Cleveland. And he has faced the Bulls as a member of the Miami Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena. But Sunday at the United Center will be different. Luol Deng will be going back home. For the first time in an opposing uniform. "Obviously, I was there since I just turned 19. I left at 28, so I was there a long time. So there's definitely going to be emotion," the Heat forward said while looking ahead to Sunday's 1 p.m. nationally televised game against the Bulls. "I think it's more of seeing the people that really work at the United Center, more than anything. I've seen my teammates; I've seen the coaching staff. "The guys who used to park the cars, the security guards who where there since Day 1, the lady who takes care of the family room, that's going to be the emotional part." Perhaps not as emotional as the game's first timeout. That's when the Bulls plan to honor Deng with a video tribute. "I think that would be a special moment," he said. "Just to be there. It's a lot of fans, especially courtside, that I've seen forever. So that would be emotional." This is not LeBron James having his video moment at AmericanAirlines Arena on Christmas after four years with the Heat. This is one of just six players who have spent parts of 10 seasons with the Bulls, joining Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Jerry Sloan, Kirk Hinrich and Tom Boerwinkle. This is the player who ranks fourth on the Bulls all-time scoring list behind only Jordan, Pippen and Bob Love, and fourth in minutes, behind Jordan, Pippen and Sloan. "Every athlete," Deng said, "you wish you could play in one organization forever. At the end of the day, it's really business. I enjoyed my time there. I really understand, as a GM, it's your job to do what's best for the team. And if the GM really thought that's the best move for the team, then I, as a player, I've got to just deal with it. "But, definitely, I wish it would have ended at a better term. Not that it's really this bad taste between us, but I just wish I had more time." Decision time came last January, when the Bulls offered an ultimatum: take an extension on our terms or be dealt. On Jan. 7, 2014, Deng was dealt to the Cavaliers essentially in a salary dump, with the Bulls taking back the non-guaranteed contract of soon-to-be-released center Andrew Bynum. "I didn't have time to really make the decision," Deng said. "I really had like three days." Then came this past summer's free agency, conversations with Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, but ultimately the decision to sign with the Heat. "I felt like this was a better situation for me," he said, with the Bulls using their salary-cap space on Pau Gasol, who has emerged as an All-Star starter. "I'm close with Thibs and he would have liked me to go back, but I didn't really talk much to Gar [Forman, the Bulls' general manager]." It was during Deng's tenure that the Bulls began the climb from the post-Jordan era to a consistent playoff presence. "Going there, honestly I never thought I would be there for 10 years," he said. "But, at the same time, I never thought that I would be anywhere else. It's just one of those things, you're just locked in. And every year was just so much of, 'How much can I get better?' "And you go through different coaches and eventually we turned it around. We had great seasons with Scott Skiles. And then had great seasons with Thibs. Those I'll always remember." But he also has moved on. "I mean, you're competitive, but you also know it's your friends," he said. "You want them to do well and succeed. But at the same time, you're in a position, they're watching you, also, and you want to succeed. I mean, I wish 'em all the best, because I know how hard they work. But at the same time, I don't watch their games, to be honest with you. I really just try to focus on us. I see the standings in the East, and that's all." iwinderman@tribpub.com. Follow him at twitter.com/iraheatbeat or facebook.com/ira.winderman.


Zafar Iqbar, a doctor on staff at Premier League club Crystal Palace, was taking two of his kids to Palace's home match against Bournemouth on Sunday when he says a three-year-old child, walking nearby alongside his father, shouted a racist slur at Iqbar and his children. Iqbar's relayed his account of events on Twitter: I didn't know how to react. I couldn't tell off the 3 y old kid. Should I have said something to the dad while my 2 young kids were there?. Anyway game to prepare for and wonder if the kid and his parents will be in the crowd...   DrZaf (@sportsdrzaf) May 12, 2019 The thing that upsets me most is that my 12 year old daughter came to me to ask if I'd heard it and I didn't know what to say. Should I have told off the dad? I was just gobsmacked. Again I reiterate this is not because of football but a society issue. Anyway taking kids on pitch   DrZaf (@sportsdrzaf) May 12, 2019 Palace later released a statement saying they "utterly deplored the racist comments made to our club doctor," and that "this disgraceful incident shows that the scourge of racism remains in our society." On a happier note, Iqbar was able to take his kids who were attending their first ever home Crystal Palace match out onto the pitch after the match: ❤❤❤ pic.twitter.com/sxXEzo5mka   DrZaf (@sportsdrzaf) May 12, 2019 [ AP ] Related slideshow: Lionel Messi's greatest achievements (provided by photo services)


SEC Media Days begin next week, which marks the unofficial start of the upcoming college football season. The one guy reporters will be falling over themselves to talk to is Alabama head coach Nick Saban . Yes, Saban can be dismissive and intimidating, but you can bet he'll be bombarded with question after question, as the Crimson Tide are once again a favorite to win the national title. So, what should he be asked? Here are three questions Nick Saban must answer at SEC Media Days. 3. Does Alabama Have the Personnel to Replace DT Quinnen Williams? This isn't anything new for Alabama and Nick Saban. Year after year they lose impact players to the draft, but none bigger than defensive tackle Quinnen Williams , who was the third-overall pick by the New York Jets. Even though he was constantly double and triple teamed, Williams still tallied 71 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. Former 5-star recruit Phidarian Mathis will have a great shot, but true freshman DJ Dale turned heads at spring practice and could be the top guy. Either way, Williams won't be an easy player to replace, as he was arguably the best defensive player in college football last year. 2. Can Alabama Continue to Fend Off Georgia in the SEC? Several years ago this would've been a laughable question, but Kirby Smart has turned Georgia into a powerhouse. However, Alabama has been able to fend them off in recent years, including the 2018 national title and last year's SEC title game. But can they keep holding Georgia down, especially as they compete yearly with the Crimson Tide in recruiting? 1. How Will Alabama Overtake Clemson in 2019? The Clemson Tigers have won two of the last three national titles, both against Alabama. That included this past championship game where Clemson routed the Crimson Tide . So, how will Alabama overtake Clemson in 2019, especially with quarterback Trevor Lawrence under center?


WASHINGTON   China is in the midst of conducting a series of anti-ship ballistic missile tests in the hotly contested waters of the South China Sea, according to two U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter. The Chinese carried out the first test over the weekend, firing off at least one missile into the sea, one official said. The window for testing remains open until Wednesday, and the official expects the Chinese military to test again before it closes. While the U.S. military has ships in the South China Sea, they were not close to the weekend test and are not in danger, the official said. However, the official added that the test is "concerning." The official, who was not authorized to speak about the testing, could not say whether the anti-ship missiles being tested represent a new capability for the Chinese military. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to CNBC and NBC's requests for comment. The development comes as the United States and China have paused tensions in their ongoing trade battle. U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed over the weekend at the G-20 summit in Japan to restart negotiations and not impose new tariffs on each other's goods. A burgeoning trade deal between the two countries fell through in the beginning of May. The South China Sea, which is home to more than 200 specks of land, serves as a gateway to global sea routes where approximately $3.4 trillion of trade passes annually. The numerous overlapping sovereign claims to islands, reefs and rocks   many of which disappear under high tide   have turned the waters into an armed camp. Beijing holds the lion's share of these features with approximately 27 outposts peppered throughout. In May 2018, China quietly installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems on three of its fortified outposts west of the Philippines in the South China Sea, a move that allows Beijing to further project its power in the hotly disputed waters, according to sources with direct knowledge of U.S. intelligence reports. According to U.S. intelligence reports, the installations mark the first Chinese missile deployments to Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef and Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands. The Spratlys, to which six countries lay claim, are located approximately two-thirds of the way east from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines. By all accounts, the coastal defense systems represent a significant addition to Beijing's military portfolio in one of the most contested regions in the world. The United States has remained neutral   but expressed concern   about the overlapping sovereignty claims to the Spratlys. Still, the United States and China have disagreed over several issues regarding the South China Sea. "China does need to have necessary defense of these islands and rocks which we believe are Chinese territory," high-ranking Chinese Col. Zhou Bo told CNBC in June . His remarks came after then-acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said America would no longer "tiptoe" around Chinese behavior in the region. Amanda Macias covers the Pentagon for CNBC. Courtney Kube is an NBC News correspondent covering national security and the Pentagon.


Adam Silver is not opposed to change. The NBA commissioner is open to handing out another trophy aside from the Larry O'Brien and he's watching the European soccer leagues closely as he evaluates a possible plan to hand out another prize during the NBA's regular season, as Marc Stein of the New York Times relays. "It's incumbent on me to constantly be looking at other organizations and seeing what it is we can do better and learn from them," Silver told Stein. "In the case of European soccer, I think there is something we can learn from them." "I also recognize I'm up against some of the traditionalists who say no one will care about that other competition, that other trophy, you create. And my response to that is, 'Organizations have the ability to create new traditions.' It won't happen overnight." Both a midseason tournament and a play-in playoff tournament are concepts that the league is " studying fairly intensely." To make any change with the league's current 82-game format, Silver will have to have cooperation from the players and the owners. Stein writes that the league's TV partners would have "considerable input" as well. No formal proposal has been submitted at this time. "I'm looking at things from a fan standpoint," Silver said. "I'm looking at how to create the most exciting season and experience, especially in a rapidly changing media market where fans are in essence voting every day whether they want to watch your product." "Another marker for me is that we're a few seasons away from our 75th anniversary," Silver continued, referring to the 2021-22 campaign. "I think that milestone gives us a pillar around which to think about the history of the league and experiment   maybe just for the 75th anniversary   with some potential changes." The league "does not want to change the length of the season," Silver tells Stein. If the tournament is added to the 82-game schedule, teams may see a more condensed schedule than they had this past season. "The most watched league in the world is only 27 years old," Silver said. "So the idea that the N.B.A. can't create new traditions over time makes no sense to me." Phasing out the All-Star game could be another change that Silver brings. Adding a potential tournament during All-Star weekend alongside a 3-point and dunk contest is a possibility. Neither of the tournament options is definitely on the horizon, but Silver said: "change is inevitable." Should the NBA add a tournament during the regular season or a play-in tournament at season's end? Should it replace the All-Star game with a new-wave idea? Let us know your thoughts below. We look forward to what you have to say!