PASADENA, Calif. - For three quarters and seven minutes, Bob Chesney's Rose Bowl debut was a dull affair, then just as quickly, the Bruins gave their faithful fans and historic stadium plenty to cheer about.
The SDSU Aztecs came to town looking to present a challenge and they certainly didn't make things easy on the Bruins, nor did the Bruins make things easy back. Both siders traded drives where they accomplished relatively nothing. So much nothing in fact the first play to go past the 50-yard line and into opposing territory didn't happen until Brian Rowe Jr. caught a pass with 11:47 left in the second quarter and both sides went into halftime tied 0-0.
Neither side particularly excelled with their passing, even if UCLA had the slight edge through the first half and finished with a much larger edge with 151 net passing yards to just 45 by SDSU and both sides were equally unsuccessful in their rushing attempts early on, but things started to change for UCLA in the second half.
"That is not the way we want to play football, obviously in the first half," Chesney said. "But at the same point in time, that's where we found ourselves. And I think every once in a while, it wasn't pretty, but it was gritty, and you need one of those."
UCLA struck first with a rushing touchdown courtesy of fifth-year running back Wayne Knight early in the third quarter, but UCLA could have scored far earlier than that if senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava made a different decision in a critical moment.

#first #things

Is it possible to build hype around a new professional sport franchise if it does not play in its home city?
Those behind the Belfast Wolves, founding members of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL), think 'yes it is' and they have ambitions to attract new audiences to the sport.
Stormont was packed during a summer of international cricket, but the Wolves are so-far playing exclusively on the road. Its owners hope Belfast will host matches next year.
Until it gets its ducks in a row, the franchise's backers are working hard to get the brand known and build a fanbase.
Large crowds enjoyed a summer of international cricket at Stormont [Getty Images]

#sport #summer #Cricket

BERLIN (AP) — Breanna Stewart was part of the U.S. Olympic team that beat France by one point in Paris two years ago.
The U.S. captain feels that victory has no barring on the rematch Sunday for the women's FIBA World Cup **** le.
"This is a completely new game and everybody has their own things that continue to motivate them," Stewart said after the U.S. topped Spain 76-66 in a semifinal Saturday. "I think that what I will continue to be preaching to this team is 'we're going to turn the page on everything.' This is one game to win the the gold medal at the World Cup in Berlin and that's our entire focus."
It's easy for Stewart to say that as more than half the U.S. roster in the World Cup wasn't on that Olympic team. Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers are playing for their first championship with the national team. Stewart's already won three World Cup **** les since making her debut in 2014.
Kahleah Copper was a huge reason the U.S. was able to beat France two years ago. She had 12 points in that game.

#stewart #team #olympic

SAN MARCOS - As UTSA quarterback Owen McCown was preparing for his final season, he felt a lingering weight on his shoulders.
He carried the burden of two straight losses to rival Texas State, of slow starts and road woes and missed opportunities in close losses. No matter what drills or exercises the Roadrunners devised, he knew he couldn't replicate those moments. He dove into the mental aspect as much as he could, searching for answers that might pay off when the situation finally arrived.
With UTSA trailing in the final two minutes against Texas State in a pivotal early season showdown Saturday in San Marcos, McCown delivered. The Roadrunners orchestrated a drive that ended in a 25-yard touchdown run by Brandon High with 14 seconds remaining, providing the final blow in a 30-26 win over the Bobcats.
"Obviously that's something we've been working on, and it showed today," McCown said. "To go out my last year against a rival here, a road win on a two-minute drill, it's big time. It says a lot about our team."
UTSA's Owen McCown, on the mindset entering his game-winning drive to beat Texas State: "Go win the game. And I think the last two years, you look at where we need to work the most with road games, was two-minute drill. … For this to happen the way it did is super special." pic.twitter.com/RFflc5dTIZ

#state #utsa #owen #season

Well, that was fun until it wasn't.
Ohio State was up and in control of what would have been a massive win for its College Football Playoff résumé, but then the game plan turned into a grinding of gears instead of the team popping the clutch and continuing to go out on the open road and run away into the night.
The result? The Texas Longhorns scored 21 unanswered points to enjoy what they will no doubt consider an epic comeback. Buckeye fans will think the opposite, and for good reason. A game profile that should never go in the loss column did just that because of some curious decisions and gameplay in the second half.
After each game, we like to look back and see what kind of lessons we might have learned about Ohio State, and things tend to be a little more negative after a loss, but that's life in the big city.
Here are five things we think we learned after Ohio State's collapse in the Texas night.

#state #texas #night #learned

PASADENA -- San Diego State's defense did practically everything they could to keep the Aztecs in the game against UCLA. They just needed the offense to come along for the ride.
Despite the defense largely holding UCLA's offense in check, SDSU's offense managed just 189 yards and one touchdown — coming effectively in garbage time — in a 28-10 loss to the Bruins at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
"Inefficiency on offense led to a bunch of snaps for the defense," head coach Sean Lewis said. "Starting three and out there constantly, we were behind in the field position game. So I think just the culmination of snaps, the inefficiency on offense. It starts with the play calling, with myself, the leadership throughout the course of the week, so that we can have more success and flip the field."
Nowhere was SDSU's offensive struggle more apparent than in the passing game. The Aztecs completed just six passes for 45 yards, and several deep shots by quarterback Jayden Denegal were wildly off-target.
"[We] felt like we had good matchups on the edge," Lewis said. "There was a lot of single-high coverage. Again, those are good, calculated shots downrange. We got ***** on hands that we didn't catch. We had other guys wide open that we missed."

#yards #shots

Colorado State is 2-0 and has scored nearly 100 points in eight quarters.
Jim Mora was happy after CSU's 58-24 win over Southern Utah on Sept. 12, but already looking for growth.
"I think there's just so much more out there for us," Mora said. "We have a ton of improvement we can make and we will make."
Here's a look at what Mora said after the win:
"I thought it was another step in the right direction. I thought we were explosive on offense. Unfortunately, they were explosive on offense as well, so there's some disappointment there but things we can correct. We will correct. Positives on defense are we held them to three points in the second half. We had the four takeaways again. Those are things we can build on. But I was not happy with the way they split our defense a couple times for big gainers. When you have a good staff, which we do defensively, and you have players that are willing, you can get that fixed. It's going to have to get fixed quick because BYU is a really good football team. "

#correct

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- LAFC spent the first half of Saturday night looking like a team that had forgotten what was at stake.
Sporting Kansas City came into the match with the worst goal difference in MLS and 58 goals conceded through 23 games, yet it was LAFC that looked overwhelmed for long stretches at Sporting Park. By halftime, Sporting had built a 2-0 lead, and although LAFC fought its way back into the match after the break, a late defensive mistake turned what briefly looked like a comeback into a 3-1 loss.
Marc Dos Santos did not have a complicated explanation for what went wrong.
"The problem is in the first half we stayed in the plane," Dos Santos said. "I think in the first half we were still in LA, maybe very disappointing. We defended far from each other, passive. We didn't win any duels in the first half."
It was a startling opening from an LAFC team that had just set a club record with its 13th clean sheet against the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday. Five days later, the Black & Gold were repeatedly exposed by a Sporting attack that had been among the league's least productive.

#first #half

If you are looking for yield today, rising interest rates have increased your options. For example, the 30-year Treasury bond's yield is around 5.3% as of this writing. By comparison, the S&P 500 index (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) is only yielding around 1%. But there are still two big reasons why investors may want to buy a high-yield dividend stock like Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), even though its 2.4% yield isn't even close to the 30-year Treasury yield.
A bond is an agreement between the lender and the borrower. The lender provides a fixed amount of cash, while the borrower pays interest at a fixed rate until the loan matures. When the loan matures, the borrower repays the bond's principal. Everything is fixed, and both the value of the interest collected and the bond's principal are slowly eroded by inflation. It doesn't matter that 30-year Treasuries are considered safe because they are backed by the U.S. government. The big inflation risk is still the same.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
If you have a short investment time horizon, inflation may not be a big issue for you. In which case, the 5.3% yield of a 30-year Treasury would probably be more attractive than Coca-Cola's 2.4% yield. However, if you have a long time horizon, Coca-Cola's yield comes with something that a Treasury doesn't: Growth.
Coca-Cola is one of the world's largest consumer staples companies. It has an incredible history of growth, highlighted by 64 annual dividend increases. That makes the company a Dividend King. But think about that for a second, you can collect 30 years of the same income from a bond or 30 years of increasing income from Coca-Cola. Since the start of 1996, roughly 30 years ago, the company's dividend has increased by nearly 750%. That dividend growth was driven by the company's growth, which also led to an over 300% increase in the stock price. If you hold a bond to maturity, all you get back is the principal.

#coca

Ravens news: Lamar Jackson, the NFL's first $70 million QB? Insider thinks it's possible appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Plenty of superstar quarterbacks garner massive contracts as some of the best players in the NFL. Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson may be on pace to make history with his next contract later down the line.
Jackson is starting the ninth year of his career with the Ravens. He dominates on the field as one of the best players in the league, often having Baltimore in serious playoff contention.
Jackson is secure under his current contract, ending after the 2027 season concludes. NFL insider Jeremy Fowler discussed Jackson's contract situation, bringing up the idea that a $70 million contract will be on the table for the superstar quarterback.
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#Ravens #lamar #clutchpoints

When it rains, it pours.
In the literal sense, UCF waited more than an hour before taking the field as thunderstorms hovered over and rolled through Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium. In a figurative one, just about everything went wrong for the Knights' offense on a dreary day in Western Pennsylvania, resulting in a 10th consecutive road defeat.
The Knights mustered less than one yard per carry and went scoreless for nearly 58 minutes in a 12-7 loss to Pitt. Alonza Barnett III busted up the Panthers' shutout bid with a 19-yard pass to Waden Charles, the first touchdown of the sophomore receiver's college career.
UCF (1-1) was limited to 206 yards of offense, going 4 of 13 on third down and 0 for 3 on fourth down — including a final sack of backup quarterback Keyone Jenkins with 1:22 left in regulation. Barnett limped off the field with an apparent right leg injury following the previous play.
"I think that there's a lot we have to look at and reconsider," Knights coach Scott Frost said. "We've got to play better on offense. That starts with me and the offensive staff. I just didn't think we clicked.

#knights #acrisure

Facing 4th-and-1 with a four-point lead and 1:54 left on the clock, Duke decided to go for the jugular and clinch the game.
The 60,000-plus people in Gies Memorial Stadium knew where the ball was going. Illinois' defense knew who was getting the ball. Duke's offense definitely knew who they trusted.
Nate Sheppard, who had already scored three touchdowns on the day, ran up the middle for two yards, and the Blue Devils were able to run out the clock for a massive 31-27 victory in Champaign against the Fighting Illini.
"I think everybody knew right there where the ball was going," Sheppard said. "I think the whole stadium knew where the ball was going. It was just a matter of could we execute."
It was the 24th carry of Sheppard's day, with the sophomore running for 147 yards and a touchdown while also catching five passes for 41 yards and two scores. Despite the three trips to the end zone, his most impressive run might have been the one that set up his first touchdown of the game: a 19-yard run where he continued to evade would-be tacklers somehow and keep his balance.

#ball #three

EAST LANSING — Michigan State coach Pat Fitzgerald thinks he may have his most important defensive player back for next week's game against Notre Dame.
In his postgame press conference after a 35-7 win over Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 12, Fitzgerald said that starting middle linebacker Jordan Hall was not cleared for the game by medical personnel but could be available for Week 3's rivalry game in South Bend.
"Jordan was really close playing today," Fitzgerald said. "Medical team told us that he was not cleared here late in the week. We made that decision collectively together to make sure that we think about his health, safety, and well-being. And I expect if we practice tomorrow that he'll be ready to go."
Hall made 88 tackles last season to lead Michigan State's defense and is a two-time captain. The senior made four tackles in 25 snaps in Week 1's win over Toledo but came on and off the field with a right elbow injury sustained on the second drive of the season. He walked into Spartan Stadium on Saturday with a brace on that right arm.
MSU LB Jordan Hall with a brace on his right elbow as he takes the Spartan Walk.

Saw him wince on a couple of handshakes. We’ll see how he looks in warmups.detroitnews pic.twitter.com/qklOKEfVbs

#game #spartan

Toward the end of the lightning round on September 8, when a caller inquired about AstraZeneca PLC (NYSE:AZN), Mad Money host Jim Cramer commented:
Alright, now, AstraZeneca reminds me of a company, it's not unlike Novartis. I'm a little nervous about it. It's been missing some of its trials. I don't think COPD is enough to change my mind… I am not going to put my money on AstraZeneca.
AstraZeneca PLC (NYSE:AZN) maintains a solid financial foundation supported by steady top-line growth and disciplined cost management. In its second-quarter report, the company generated total revenue of $15.38 billion, marking a 6.4% increase compared to the same period last year. Adjusted earnings per share reached $2.63, outperforming ****** yst consensus estimates.
The profitability was driven by strong global demand for core oncology and rare disease treatments, which successfully offset revenue headwinds from generic competition affecting older blockbusters like Farxiga and Brilinta. With a net margin hovering around 17.02% and management reiterating its full-year guidance for mid-to-high single-digit revenue growth along with low double-digit core EPS expansion, the core business continues to demonstrate commercial resilience.
The primary driver behind the skepticism could be based on tangible execution risks and regulatory hurdles that threaten AstraZeneca PLC's (NYSE:AZN) long-term top line. A significant blow to the rare disease division came when anselamimab failed to achieve statistical significance for the primary endpoint in the overall AL amyloidosis population in the Phase III CARES program, although AstraZeneca reported encouraging results in a prespecified subgroup of patients with kappa light-chain amyloidosis.

#management

It's halftime in Austin with Ohio State and Texas engaging in one of the most anticipated nonconference games of the college football season. The Buckeyes used some Longhorn mistakes and some excellent play on both sides of the ball to take a 20-3 lead into the locker room, which is banking the national narrative in this one.
We like to look back on the first half and take three observations and takeaways from what we saw through the first 30 minutes of action, and in this case, there's plenty to talk about. Here are three observations from what we saw from the Buckeyes and Longhorns in the first half of what should be one whale of a second half to finish this thing out.
Ohio State forces a fumble against Texas on the first play of the game😤

(via ESPN) pic.twitter.com/kxvE7F9D0B
The defense hasn't been very stingy in stopping the run through the middle, but it has been very opportunistic in forcing two turnovers. Both of them led to two scores and have really been the difference in the game so far. You have to think that the turnovers aren't going to continue, so Ohio State will have to continue to make plays while getting equal possessions.
Jeremiah Smith: Freakshow

(Via: ABC)pic.twitter.com/jQuJSiQ1A4

#state #half

You don't put up 60+ points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1915 without a total team effort. But even then some Bulldogs are bound to distinguish themselves. Those valiant warriors in Red and Black are your MVDs, the Most Valuable Dawgs from Georgia's 70-20 victory over Western Kentucky.
Offense: Gunner Stockton. There's no point in overthinking this one. Gunner finished 13 of 16 for 234 yards passing and 5 touchdowns in a shade under two quarters of work. That's downright surgical in its efficiency. If he can continue to carve up defenses that way in the SEC schedule, the Bulldog offense is heading for a big year.
Defense:Chris Cole. Like most of the Bulldog starters Cole took limited snaps, but while he was in he was all over the Hilltopper offense. Cole finished with 3 tackles, 2 of them solo stops, and got consistent pass rush pressure both inside and outside. It was a really solid, consistent effort for the physically gifted linebacker.

Special teams: AJ Kruah. Kruah also led the team in tackles, by the way, but his forced fumble on the game's opening play set the tone for the day. On a day when Kirby Smart specifically called out his second and third teamers for not being prepared to play, Kruah absolutely came ready to work.
Go 'Dawgs!!!

#team #effort

Opening statement
Give all the credit to Duke. They're able to get out of here with a W. Obviously, one of the things that we've really prided ourselves on over the last five years, going to year six, is more games are lost than won. Something that we try to get right from day one since we got here. And I'm not diminishing anything Duke did. I just think that we did enough things to cause us to fail. Obviously, turnover a little bit, but I think it was more the penalties and the mental errors that just caused us to self-implode a couple times on really all three phases. So that's all on me. I got to clean up the details, just simple things from the way we communicate, the way we execute in critical moments, some things that could have easily been avoided. And just a shame, I apologize.
Obviously to get a sell out here and to have a crowd the way we did, winning is addictive. For players, coaches, and fans, you get used to having success in those moments. And when it doesn't happen, you're upset, you're ***** , you're mad, you're angry. And I definitely fall into that category. My Saturday's always a lot better. I got two girls at home that love to have a fun time. And when you don't have success, it just sits with you for seven days. So the part that you got to learn is you'll learn more and more. The more you go through these moments, you just learn so much more in moments of adversity than you do in moments of success. So this is definitely an adverse moment that we got to take advantage of. I ask them to have big eyes and ears tomorrow. As coaches, we need to set the standard early on in the meetings to accept the things that we need to do better and hopefully put ourselves in a position to get back on track sooner than later.
So I don't know anything about injuries. I know TJ went out there at the end. We had a couple guys go out that came back, but he's the only one that I was told wasn't going to return to the game after he went out.
On miscommunication

#moments #here #success #learn

VICTORIA, British Columbia (AP) — Kyle Cottam set a PGA Tour Americas record Saturday when he holed out from 108 yards for eagle on the 16th hole on his way to a 12-under 58 in the Digital Commerce Group Open.
It was the second straight year for a sub-60 round at Uplands Golf Club. A.J. Ewart shot 59 a year ago in the Victoria Open.
Cottam had six birdies in a seven-hole stretch for a 29 on the front nine, and he played the final four holes in 4 under with the eagle on the 16th He got up-and-down for par from just off the green on the 18th hole.
"I was absolutely surprised," Cottam said. "Obviously, you don't wake up in the morning and think you're going to shoot 58."
Cottam had the sixth sub-60 round on the PGA Tour Americas since 2024. There were two sub-60 rounds on the Canadian Tour, including a 58 by Jason Bohn in 2001.

#hole

On September 8, a caller inquired if Trinity Industries, Inc. (NYSE:TRN) is worth looking at after its recent pullback. Mad Money host Jim Cramer replied:
Yes, Railcar, shouldn't be down this much. I like your thinking. You waited for the big hit. Now, it's in a good place. I would pull the trigger.
Trinity Industries, Inc. (NYSE:TRN) has faced a sharp correction, pulling back significantly from its 52-week high of $38.31. Despite this downward pressure, the company's fundamental **** et base remains exceptionally stable. In its second-quarter earnings report, the company posted total revenues of $485 million and diluted earnings per share from continuing operations of $1.25, with earnings benefiting from a $132 million non-cash pre-tax gain tied to the Napier Park railcar partnership transaction.
The leasing and services segment continues to support the business, posting a robust fleet utilization rate of 97.3% and an improved lease renewal success rate of 75%. In addition, the Future Lease Rate Differential improved to +3.5%, showing healthy pricing power on expiring contracts. Management reaffirmed its full-year EPS guidance of $2.20 to $2.40, supported by a solid railcar backlog standing at $1.6 billion.
The primary catalyst for Trinity Industries, Inc.'s (NYSE:TRN) recent sell-off stems from margin compression within the Rail Products manufacturing division. Operating margins in manufacturing faced pressure from an unplanned production interruption at the Longview manufacturing facility and temporary realignment expenses tied to the company's Mexican footprint. These localized execution issues overshadowed a strong quarterly performance in leasing, causing the stock to drift below both its 50-day and 200-day moving average.

#trinity

Rafael Devers' recent tear, especially when the San Francisco Giants slugger is driving ****** out to right at Oracle Park, makes it impossible not to think of Barry Bonds.
The at-bats share that don't-go-to-concessions-yet vibe. Opposing pitchers are handling Devers as carefully as they can - All-Star closer Mason Miller walked him in the ninth inning Friday - and there's a general buzz when Devers is up with men on base. Saturday, he lasered a low 1-1 sweeper from Michael King out in the first, a two-run shot in the Giants' 7-6 loss to the Padres.
San Francisco again demonstrated some mettle with a late push after Devers' grand slam the previous night cut the deficit to two and the Giants mounted a two-out rally against Miller that came up just short. Saturday, power was the key: rookie catcher Drew Cavanaugh went deep to right in the eighth, the first of his career, 50 games in. Two batters later, Drew Gilbert crushed a two-run shot to cut the deficit to one before lefty Adrian Morejon entered and struck out Devers and Bryce Eldridge.
Earlier in the day, Shay Whitcomb also went deep for San Francisco, which recorded all its runs via homers.
With 13 games remaining, Devers has 37 homers, one shy of his career high. He has a realistic shot at 40, something no Giants hitter has done since Bonds belted 45 in 2004. Devers has 98 RBIs, too, so 100 is well within reach. The last San Francisco player with 100 RBIs was Buster Posey, the man who traded for Devers last year; Posey recorded 103 RBIs in 2012.

#francisco #rbis #shot #drew

By Lucia Mutikani
WASHINGTON, Sept 11 (Reuters) - U.S. consumer prices accelerated in August, while a key measure of underlying inflation posted its largest increase in four months, reinforcing expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next week.
The Labor Department's Consumer Price Index report on Friday followed strong readings in several components of the Producer Price Index released on Thursday that feed into the Personal Consumption Expenditures price indexes, the ‌inflation measures the U.S. central bank tracks for its 2% target. The two reports led economists to think that PCE inflation excluding the volatile food and energy categories picked up in August.
Financial markets initially priced in a 91% ‌chance of a quarter-point rate hike at the Fed's meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday, before settling back to 87%, CME's FedWatch tool showed. That was up from 72% on Thursday. The Fed's benchmark overnight interest rate is currently in a 3.50%-3.75% range.
Most economists said the firmer inflation readings, combined with signs of the labor market regaining its footing in August, would compel Fed officials to raise borrowing costs not only next Wednesday, but possibly again in October or December.

#Consumer

To summarize my investment approach, I prefer to buy companies with long histories of dividend increases and historically high yields. Those two traits don't come around all that often, and sometimes I find clusters of stocks in specific sectors. I need to think specifically about diversification, one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce risk. Here's how I've done it as I've built my portfolio of around 34 investments.
The Motley Fool recommends that investors own 50 stocks. That's a perfectly fine number, but also a lot of work. And just owning 50 stocks doesn't actually mean you are diversified. You could own 50 technology stocks, for example, which would leave you with exposure to just a single sector. That's not diversification. Diversification is really about owning a reasonable number of investments across a wide range of sectors and ****** et classes.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
My first step toward diversification was to take an honest look at what I want to achieve and what I'm capable of. My goal is a mixture of income and capital appreciation. I am fairly confident in my ability to select dividend stocks, though every investor makes mistakes from time to time, and I know I can only juggle so many stocks at once. In other words, 50 stocks are too many for me, so a core part of my diversification strategy is to outsource some of my work.
For example, I own two Baron mutual funds to gain exposure to growth stocks and smaller companies. I own several closed-end funds: one focused on healthcare stocks with an option income overlay, one investing in convertible securities, and one with a broadly diversified dividend portfolio. And I own three exchange-traded funds: one with an option income focus and two that use very different screening approaches to pick dividend stocks.

#Diversification #funds

Dodgers news: What impressed Dave Roberts most about Josue De Paula's MLB debut appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
While the Los Angeles Dodgers will be without Shohei Ohtani for at least the next few games, Dave Roberts and company have found a way to replace his spot in the lineup in a must-watch way, calling up star prospect Josue De Paula from Double-A to DH in his place.
Discussing what he saw from De Paula's debut against the Miami Marlins, Roberts noted that he was really impressed with the 21-year-old's pitch selection, as he looked like a professional hitter despite his inexperience.
"I was very impressed. I'm not sure or certain 100%, but I don't think he swung at a ball out of the hitting zone, and so that's really impressive," Roberts said. "So to offer at ***** in the strike zone, not chase at all, earn a walk, get behind and line the ball to left field, get count leverage, hit a ball hard to the first baseman, I thought it was a fantastic night for him."
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#impressed

New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel doesn't have any regrets about his decision to rest the starters during the three-game preseason slate.
However, it was clear that the team showed rust in Wednesday's 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Vrabel opted to use the preseason to focus on the roster depth and preserve the health of the starters.
That's a decision that he continued to defend after the disappointing loss in the season opener.
"Playing the backups for the Eagles or the Colts for eight plays, I don't think was going to prepare us for what we saw last night," Vrabel told media members. "I thought we handled the environment; I thought we did. I know the execution wasn't good enough, but the line of scrimmage, penalties, the operation, those things gave us a chance. Some other things didn't give us a chance."
Mike Vrabel on if he regrets not playing any Patriots starters in the preseason.

"Playing the backups of the Eagles or Colts for eight plays I don't think was going to prepare us for what we saw last night." pic.twitter.com/L1efdmrmsk

#starters #colts #regrets

Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris to BBC Match of the Day: "Frustrating result. Good game, especially in the second half. I think we went toe to toe with them and they are flying at the moment. We had the opportunity to score, I think it was deserved, [we] didn't score and thirty second after we conceded the goal. This is the level. I think they are relentless. When you don't seize your opportunities it's hard.
"The first half we were a bit reserved, respectful, knowing their threat and the way they play. The way they can damage your defence. So we were really well-organised, but we agreed at half-time it was important to show our quality with the ball. And that we did really well managing long ***** at times and short ***** when it was possible to play and we created chances.
"[David] Raya was one of the best players on the pitch today. It shows we are dangerous but not enough to score. We are really close. Winning is a process. They are at the top level right now. We were close this evening, it wasn't enough, but it was a good experience for us and our fans. We are getting better game after every game, it's hard to take but we need to go again.
"We have to believe and then it's a question of fine margins. Those fine margins are so hard to improve because it is the last percent and you need to work hard to get this one. We are in a good place. It's important to digest quickly because we have an impressive week ahead."
Did you know?

#hard #game #half

A week after losing to Tulsa and a year after losing by over 60 points to Oregon, the Cowboys shocked the No. 6 Ducks 39-31 on Saturday.
Oregon, a 24-point favorite, was somehow even sloppier than it was in its Week 1 win over Boise State. And the epitome of that adjective came just after the 2-minute warning. As Oregon needed a touchdown and a 2-point conversion to tie the game, RB Dierre Hill simply dropped a toss from QB Dante Moore and Oklahoma State recovered.
THE PITCH IS **** ED AND OKLAHOMA STATE HAS IT!!! pic.twitter.com/HAyEKGLIMM
Oregon had three timeouts after the fumble, but QB Drew Mestemaker kept the ball on a third-down read option to seal the game with a run for a first down.
"I don't know if I can top this," OSU coach Eric Morris told ESPN after the game. "I'm not going to retire but I might think about it tonight."

#week #cowboys

BERLIN (AP) — The U.S. women are in a familiar spot — playing for another FIBA World Cup championship.
Getting to a fifth consecutive ******* le game was a little harder then the previous few as they beat Spain 76-66 on Saturday in the semifinals. The Americans had averaged winning the previous four semifinals by 26 points, including a 40-point rout of Canada in 2022.
The Americans will face France in a rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympic gold-medal game that the U.S. won by a point.
"I think it's two great teams going to go head-to-head," said Kahleah Copper, who had 13 points in the win against Spain. "You know I'm excited for the matchup. I'm excited for us to be able to compete."
The U.S. has won 35 straight games in the World Cup going back to a loss to Russia in the semifinals in 2006. Now the Americans are one win away from a fifth consecutive tournament ******* le. That would match the former Soviet Union for the most consecutive championships.

#consecutive #fifth #title #points

Ryan Garcia's emotion in the ring was palpable as he had the green WBC welterweight ******* le wrapped around his waist following a one-sided unanimous decision win over Mario Barrios in February.
But the victory tour is long over now. A far more stoic Garcia arrived in Las Vegas this week for his first ******* le defense against Conor Benn, a boisterous British contender and son of Hall of Famer Nigel Benn.
Benn was fighting at 160 pounds last November as he avenged his lone career loss in a rematch against Chris Eubank Jr., but sucked himself down to the welterweight division's 147-pound limit to vie for Garcia's ******* le.
"I don't think he's mentally stronger than me," said Garcia at the final press conference. "I think that he knows how to take an (expletive) whooping, if that's mentally strong? ... Me, I'm just going to be focused and taking advantage of his inexperience."
Follow along below for The Tennessean's live updates throughout the Garcia vs. Benn fight card.

#title #february

Even though it's only Week 2, Florida State's (1-1, 0-1) bye week could not have come at a better time.
The Seminoles looked lethargic against New Mexico State in Week 0 before being clearly the worst team against SMU on Labor Day, with the Seminoles unable to capitalize on winning the turnover margin, essentially by a 4-0 margin.
"Just another close game," head coach Mike Norvell told the local Tallahassee media after the Noles' first defeat on Monday. "A lot of one plays, and you think back through it, some of the explosive plays that we had, that we gave up defensively, some missed opportunities there offensively."
Norvell's job status looms over the program, but the Seminoles have red flags all over the roster right now. Unfortunately for them, there will be no rest for the weary. After the bye week, FSU travels to Tuscaloosa to take on a 12th-ranked Alabama team looking for revenge after the Seminoles' stunning Week 1 upset last year in Tallahassee.
It might get worse before it gets better, as evidenced by these three concerning stats from the opening two weeks of Florida State's season.

#week #Florida #Margin #Mexico

The Pittsburgh Steelers are elevating defensive back Doneiko Slaughter to the active roster, the team announced on Saturday. Slaughter had a tremendous training camp and preseason with Pittsburgh and was one of the final cuts before being placed on the practice squad.
The only player to appear on the Steelers' injury report this week has been cornerback Joey Porter Jr, who continues to work his way back after missing all of training camp and preseason play. Porter was placed on the PUP list at the start of camp due to what the team said was a back injury, but the speculation is that it was a hold-in under the guise of an injury.
The Steelers will begin their season at 1:00 EST against the Atlanta Falcons.
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Steelers Week 1 game picks

#steelers #back #pittsburgh #training