"Take back control" has been a pretty loaded phrase in this part of the world ever since its co-option by Dominic Cummings and the Vote Leave campaign that successfully won Britain's EU referendum in 2016.

It is also a highly relevant one to Australia's Ashes campaign, which began so brilliantly at Edgbaston but was stifled somewhat at Lord's, not only by Jofra Archer and the concussion inflicted on Steven Smith, but also the inroads England made on the touring team's clear plan to cut down the flow of runs, build pressure and reap wickets from a home batting lineup always eager to impose themselves.

The Australian blueprint to maintain control over the scoring rates of the hosts, block off the boundaries and prosper through patience has been adhered to so rigorously as to rule out Mitchell Starc from selection so far. The coach Justin Langer's words two days out from the Headingley Test, about not getting caught up into a bouncer war begun by Archer, seemed to strongly indicate that this pattern of selection would continue. "What we're not going to do is get caught up in an emotional battle of who's going to bowl the quickest bouncers," Langer had said. "We're here to win the Test match, not to see how many helmets we can hit."

ALSO READ: Here to win Ashes, not engage in bouncer war - Langer

But this plan, of course, has two sides to it. England were not only better able to find scoring avenues off the likes of Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon at Lord's (both were taken for more than 3.5 runs per over), they also succeeded in keeping things exceedingly tight when Archer and Jack Leach had the ball. Where Australia's batting at Edgbaston had taken on an air of freedom, at Lord's it was always a slog, even without accounting for the short-pitched stuff from Archer that claimed most of the headlines.

"You look back at that period before the second new ball, Jack Leach bowled 10 overs for 12 runs at the other end to Jofra," England's captain Joe Root said. "It's important that you dovetail well as a bowling group and that you continue to keep applying pressure from one end if you're attacking at the other. I thought we got the balance of that exceptionally well and right last week."

Lyon's inability to put the clamp on England's scoring made for quite a contrast. In fact, in all the 20 Ashes matches he has played, Lyon has never been more expensive than the 3.76 an over he conceded at Lord's when bowling more than 25 overs in a Test. Root, certainly, was happy to see Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow find their ways into the series.

"The most pleasing thing from my part was seeing Ben, Jos and Jonny sending good time at the crease," Root said. "I feel like they really got themselves into the series in that Test match, and it's a big engine room for us that middle order, they're some high quality players who can go up and down the gears and really change the momentum of a game. To see them starting to hit some form at what seems like a really poignant time in the series is a really impressive thing for us and a huge confidence boost for the whole batting group."

Australia's captain Tim Paine, too, acknowledged the shift. "I think Ben Stokes played a pretty good innings as well, I think you've got to give him credit there," he said. "But Lord's can be a fast scoring ground and so can this one and it just happened to be that the rain pushed the game forward really quickly and almost turned day five into a one-day game, and we know that England are the best in the world at that game, so we thought that really suited them.

"We thought we could have handled things a little bit better, but at the same time we had them 6 for 130 in the first innings and 4 for 60 in the second so we still thought we had some opportunities there to break the game open. But as the game played out, we know when they're in that sort of mood particularly Stokes, Buttler and Bairstow, they're hard for anyone to stop. If we get in that situation again we'll do some things slightly differently."

So what must Australia do to improve on their control of proceedings at Headingley? Precise lines and lengths are a given, but so too is awareness that the ground an allow for quick scoring if bowlers are too attack-minded. Darren Lehmann's wildly successful stint as Yorkshire's overseas professional in the late 1990s and early 2000s was epitomised by how he often turned favourable bowling conditions on their head by going after the opposition, taking advantage of the quick, short square boundaries not a million miles removed from his Adelaide Oval home.

Additionally, the slope across the ground at Lord's has now been replaced by a gradient from the Kirkstall Lane End down to the Rugby Stand End. Plenty of rapid-fire spells have been delivered down that hill, from Bob Willis in 1981 to Jason Gillespie in 1997. A serviceable, accurate and uncomplaining seam and swing merchant pushing up the hill can also enjoy success: Peter Siddle claimed 5 for 21 here on the first day in 2009 when the Australians set the game up by rolling England for just 102.

"We've had a couple of days here now for the bowlers to come in and have a bit of a bowl," Paine said. "Granted it's not on the centre wicket, but out on the wicket block. You get guys playing in different conditions with different run ups and different surfaces all the time, that's part and parcel of being a professional cricketer and whatever lineup we pick, we expect that guys will be able to handle it or adapt to it really quickly."

Most capable and flexible for the Australians is Pat Cummins, who can be expected to turn out for the second of back-to-back Tests as the "ironman" of a bowling attack that is otherwise rested and rotated carefully. There will be times during this Test where Cummins may be asked to do either job, attacking down the hill or pushing tightly up it, and it will be critical that the Austrlaians are able to prevent England's middle order from getting as comfortable as they did at Lord's.

"He's pretty good. No complaints from him so far," Paine said. "I think in the last 12-18 months his body's really matured and he can handle a really big workload and not only do you see a high level of skill from Pat all the time but he's highly competitive as well. So he's a great weapon for us, and someone we certainly need to look after, but at this stage he's handling the workload really well, he's a super professional in the way he prepares himself, the way he looks after his body. So at the moment he's going really well."

As a county, by the way, Yorkshire voted to leave in 2016, though the city of Leeds was a remain hold-out, both by narrow margins. Taking back control has proven more complicated than the slogan suggested: Australia will hope their task at Headingley is a little more straightforward.

If Joe Root required any reminder - and he almost certainly doesn't - over the extent to which Ashes results tend to define careers in English cricket, he will have received it on Tuesday with the news of Mark Robinson's sacking as England's women's coach.

It did not matter that, just two years ago, Robinson oversaw his side's World Cup success. And it did not matter that, in all likelihood, no coach in history could have led his England side to victory over that Australian side in the recently-concluded women's Ashes series; there was simply a chasm of quality between them.

What mattered was that England lost the Ashes and that they lost it by some distance. All the promise of recent times was forgotten.

Root's England side could soon be in a similar position. Put simply, having won none (and lost six) of the previous eight Tests between the sides, they have to win two and lose none of the remaining three Tests if they are to reclaim the Ashes. And if they fail to do so, it will be Root's second successive series loss following the defeat in the Caribbean. Perhaps more importantly, it would be Root's second successive Ashes series loss as captain and England's first at home since 2001.

It may be that Trevor Bayliss' impending departure - his contract ends in September - buys Root some time. Bayliss could be, in effect, the sacrificial offering required should Australia retain the Ashes. But the stain on Root's captaincy record would be lasting. As Robinson discovered, you can go from tomorrow's man to yesterday's in the blink of an eye.

There are two significant areas for optimism for England and for Root. The first is that, in Leeds, Australia will be without Steve Smith. He is, quite clearly, the best batsman involved in the series so his absence is a serious blow for Australia and a huge opportunity for England.

The second is that, in Jofra Archer, England have a special asset: a genuinely fast bowler with the skill, body, action and ambition to suggest he should have a long and successful career. Young people don't come with guarantees, but Archer really does appear to have the world at his feet.

Archer is a lottery win of a cricketer. He offers masses and changes much. But English cricket would be deluding themselves if they took much credit for him. That's not to decry Sussex's contribution. The club made Archer feel valued and have, no doubt, aided his development. But the fact is he arrived in the UK as an outrageously talented young man who had developed through the Barbadian cricket scene. His availability to England is an enormous slice of good fortune that should not be allowed to hide the faults - the broken fast bowlers, the absence of top-order batsmen, the paucity of spinners - in the English game.

For the reality of Root's reign as captain - 30 Tests and counting - is that England have made almost no progress. They remain dangerous, certainly, and victory in Sri Lanka was an admirable achievement. But the search for an opening batsman to replace Andrew Strauss - let along Alastair Cook - goes on; the search for a No. 3 or No. 4 to replace Jonathan Trott goes on.

And while Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler have enjoyed fine moments, their scores of late hardly offer the return their promise suggests we should expect. Put simply, it seems reasonable to expect a side blessed with the likes of Root, Buttler, Anderson, Ben Stokes et al. to be placed higher than No. 4 (and it may be No. 5 if they lose this series) in the Test rankings.

Let's be clear: this is not entirely Root's fault. He is not responsible for the lop-sided county schedule, the embrace of all things white-ball or the absence of the basic red-ball skills - the patience, the denial, the technical ability - that used to proliferate in the county game.

But he does have to take some responsibility. He is England captain. This is his team. If he is unhappy with any aspect of the preparation, selection, coaching or ethos, it is within his remit to change it. And the fact is that, on his watch, the batting order might as well be picked out of a hat and his side are persisting with an opening batsman who everyone knows would be better suited to the middle order.

For while England ended their Caribbean tour with the coach insisting they had learned valuable lessons - notably that the spine of the team, from No. 4 to No. 8, was a strength that should not be tinkered with - they have done almost nothing but tinker ever since. The No. 8 has gone, the No. 4 is a No. 3, the No. 6 is a No. 5 and the No. 7 might well be at No. 6. The England management insist it's not chaos, but it's starting to look as if it might be.

ALSO READ: Miller: England's batting maelstrom squanders another opportunity

Furthermore, Root has been one of those advocating the "positive" mindset that all too often veers into recklessness - remember him saying "you don't win games by batting long periods of time" in the Caribbean? - and increasingly appears to be a cover for a lack of defensive technique.

Most of all, Eoin Morgan's shadow is starting to loom over Root. For while Morgan seized a failing team and, with a combination of vision, bravery, consistency and unwavering determination, moulded them into world champions, Root has taken charge of an exciting group of cricketers and allowed them to drift. They should be two years better; most of them are simply two years older.

That lack of progress applies to Root as much as anyone. He hasn't made a first-innings century as captain since August 2017 in just his fifth game at the helm. Since then, he has only made one - the second-innings century in Kandy - in a live rubber. England cannot afford such decline in the returns of their best batsman. If the evidence suggests the captaincy is compromising his run-scoring ability - and it is starting to do so - England may have to consider the possibility of a change.

All of which makes this a vital game for Root's England. He remains the natural leader of this side and a man with many positive qualities. And alternatives aren't especially obvious. But as Robinson's demise has reminded us, Ashes results tend to bookend the careers of captains and coaches. England really do need a victory in Leeds.

The ECB have advertised for a new assistant coach for the senior England men's team.

While the role is, in effect, currently occupied by Paul Collingwood, he is employed on a consultancy basis and his contract expires after the final Test of the Ashes. He will be obliged to apply for the role if he wishes to continue.

Ashley Giles, the director of England men's cricket, has previously outlined his vision for an England coaching set-up featuring a head coach and three assistants of equal seniority to share the burden. Each of those three assistants may, from time to time, take charge of the side in order to provide the head coach with time to watch other cricket, take a break or attend to other matters.

While Collingwood would be a strong candidate if he chooses, as expected, to apply, he should not be considered a certainty for the role. There are certain to be many applicants and the ECB insist the process will be open and rigorous. The successful candidate will be a full-time employee of the ECB.

The other two assistant positions have, in effect, already been filled. Graham Thorpe, the ECB's lead batting coach, is one, while Chris Silverwood, the team's bowling coach, is the other. Both men have indicated their desire to apply for the head coach role when it becomes available in a few weeks.

Virat Kohli has indicated that India will go into the Antigua Test with the same combination that helped them pull off their first-ever Test-series win in Australia at the turn of the year. If this is the case, Rohit Sharma and Hanuma Vihari will most likely be contesting the No. 6 role.

Having played five batsmen, a keeper, an allrounder and four bowlers through most of their tours of South Africa and England in 2018, India switched to playing six specialist batsmen in the fifth and final Test in England, at The Oval. They stuck with six batsmen through the tour of Australia as well.

With Hardik Pandya rested for the West Indies tour, India don't have a seam-bowling allrounder in their squad. The only way they can play five bowlers would be to pick two spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin - both of whom can bat - and three fast bowlers.

At his pre-match press conference, Kohli said he hadn't yet looked at the pitch.

"Still thinking about the combination," he said. "We haven't had a look at the wicket. It's more or less a choice between three quicks and a spinner or two quicks and two spinners. Last time England played here the wicket had a bit of variable bounce so all those factors come into play. We're flexible at the moment about what the combination should be."

India playing only four bowlers - variable bounce might also necessitate the extra batsman - would probably mean a straight shootout between Rohit and Vihari for the No. 6 role. Kohli did not reveal whom India would pick, between the two, but he hinted that Vihari's part-time offspin could be a factor in his favour.

"It all depends on the type of combination we want to go in with," Kohli said. "Vihari has done so well since the time he's come in. Two difficult tours. Rohit's also done well in Melbourne. It all depends on the kind of combination we want to go with.

"Vihari gives you a few overs with the ball as well. He's a solid player. Rohit, we've been seeing it for years, so it's about who provides the best balance in terms of the XI we want to choose."

Both Vihari and Rohit come into the West Indies tour with form behind them. Rohit is fresh off a World Cup campaign in which he made a record five centuries, while Vihari toured the Caribbean with the India A team, scoring 55 and 118* in the second unofficial Test. Both enjoyed productive outings with the bat during India's warm-up match in Coolidge. Rohit made 68 in his only innings, while Vihari batted twice, scoring an unbeaten 37 in the first innings and 64 in the second. Vihari did not bowl in either of West Indies A's innings.

In Australia, Rohit only played two of the four Tests, missing the Perth Test with a back injury and the Sydney Test on paternity leave. He scored 106 runs at 35.33, including an unbeaten 63 in the third Test in Melbourne.

Vihari played three Tests, scoring 111 runs at an average of only 22.20, and picking up two wickets while bowling 35 overs. The numbers might not look hugely impressive on the surface, but Kohli praised him for the stickability he showed, particularly in Melbourne where he opened the batting, and batted for a combined 133 minutes across the two innings while scoring 8 and 13.

"In the Melbourne Test if you look at how Vihari and Mayank [Agarwal] opened, Vihari scored just 18-20 runs but he batted around 85 balls, [which] tells you it's all about the team. He handed the situation so well that [Cheteshwar] Pujara and myself could go out there and play the way we did and Pujara went on to get the century for us. So the small contributions are not recognised or spoken about so much."

There is a widely accepted theory that, in the wake of a traumatic or painful event, it is helpful to face a similar experience as soon as possible. Get caught in a rip while swimming in the ocean? Go to the beach the next day. Thrown from a horse? Hop back in the saddle as soon as possible. Suffer a miserable break up? Swipe right often and jump back in that dating pool.

The thinking is that turning on the light and facing what was a monster in the dark can reveal it is merely an awkwardly draped coat stand. To avoid confronting it allows it to grow and gnaw persistently at any lingering insecurity.

In Australia's case the monster is Jofra Archer's rapid and deceptive bouncer: it has already cost them the presence of Steve Smith at Headingley, it threatened to do similar damage to Marnus Labuschagne, and Matthew Wade has reason to be thankful for his diminutive stature - the ball merely grazed the top of his helmet as he tried to duck under it.

Also read: Australia yearn to take back control at Leeds

Of course, batters cop hits and bruises all the time and being able to handle fast, short-pitched bowling is just part of the game; several England players likely have Pat Cummins to thank for any tattoos appearing after the Lord's Test. Thankfully, blows to the head are less common, although Jason Roy's concussion scare in the build-up to the third Test is another reminder of the danger. But the serious sort can have a lasting impact and any perceived hesitation is exploited by opposition bowlers who have the necessary arsenal. Stuart Broad's battle with the short ball after a bouncer rearranged his nose was obvious and Chris Rogers has spoken openly about the lasting effects of multiple concussions on his batting. In other cases, the lingering mental effects may only be minor or short-lived.

Sometimes, according to Joe Root, the greatest injury is to a player's pride.

"The thing that hurts the most is your ego," said Root, speaking to the media at Headingley. "You're stood out there in front of 35,000 people and someone has mugged you off a bit. That's how it feels when I've been hit. You pride yourself on being able to either get out of the way or take it on and you make sure, first and foremost, you stay in and keep batting. You don't want to be in that position again and let them get one up on you.

"I've never had a blow as serious as that, so hard to comment in Steve's case but you could see the concern on the guys out in the field. Jofra and Jos [Buttler] were straight over. I think everyone relaxed a bit when he got up and the doc was having conversations with him. But as a batter you pride yourself on being able to manage those deliveries but it's like anything, it's a psychological battle. When they go to that plan it's like, can you play it well like you would play the top of off stump? If you get out in that fashion, it's seen as a good ball but, if you're caught at deep square leg because someone has got a bouncer right on the money, it looks like a rash shot."

When time comes for Smith's return, Tim Paine believes that the seemingly impermeable mental bubble that has encased him throughout this series will be firmly back in place.

"Steve loves batting," said Paine. "I don't think that's going to change. Marnus is strange, he seems to enjoy getting hit on the head, so he's a different kettle of fish altogether, but I think it has happened at times. Marnus has handled himself exceptionally, his innings was unbelievable after that happened. Steve Smith's the best player in the world, he will come back in the next Test, if it's next Test, or the tour game and we're expecting him to be the same old Steve Smith. He's a high-quality player and he'll adapt as he always has."

(Let's just pause for a moment to say, what the hell, Marnus?)

The Australians know what is coming at the end of Archer's laconic run up and there will be plenty of it in Leeds. They looked to attack and get on top of England's shiny new toy at Lord's but, as Paine admits, all the preparation and planning and net sessions can only do so much.

"Obviously we copped some short-pitched bowling, I think guys prepared for it last week but it's another thing facing it," said Paine. "Guys have got plans in place and we've prepared really well for it. It's about going out and executing it. We think the Lord's wicket was quite a difficult one to face short-pitched bowling on, so we're interested to see how this wicket plays. But it's about adapting to the situation, the wicket and what any of their bowlers are trying to do. We've got to have a plan to counter that and I know our boys will."

And how do the Australians turn on the light and demystify the monster?

"You put all the gear on and you get in there. It's as simple as it is."

The XFL revealed the names and logos for its eight teams Wednesday, a long-awaited step toward its February 2020 debut.

The names will be:

• Dallas Renegades

• Houston Roughnecks

• Los Angeles Wildcats

• New York Guardians

• St. Louis BattleHawks

• Seattle Dragons

• Tampa Bay Vipers

• Washington Defenders

Squad. #XFLTeams pic.twitter.com/Og4yKW07c4

— XFL (@xfl2020) August 21, 2019

The XFL has spent the past two years determining team locations, signing stadium agreements and hiring head coaches. Its teams will play in a combination of NFL, MLB and MLS facilities. The league office has sent hundreds of draft pool invitations to prospective players and last month announced its first signing: veteran quarterback Landry Jones.

Next up will be finalizing and publicizing a rulebook that the league says will offer a reimagined game of football, including unique extra points, a modified setup for overtime and a shorter play clock to accelerate game tempo.

A draft is scheduled for October, followed by a minicamp in December and training camp in January 2020.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy defended the manner in which his team conducted its offseason kicker search after multiple kickers who attended the rookie minicamp in May on a tryout basis and left without a contract were highly critical of the process.

"I understand -- we brought in a lot of kickers that came in here," Nagy said Wednesday. "To me, I look at it as a positive, in the fact that we said we're going to turn over every stone to find whoever's out there. We felt like we, at that point in time, when we brought in a bunch of kickers, we're going to test them all out and see what they can do.

"And then, within that time frame, we also put in some situations with the Augusta silence early on to see how they could handle it. Is it exactly the perfect science? I don't know that, maybe not ... I just really like how we're going through this thing. [Bears general manager] Ryan [Pace] and I talk about no regrets, right?"

Sports Illustrated published a story Wednesday that quoted several of the nine kickers -- some of them anonymously -- whom the Bears brought in for an audition at rookie camp. The kickers' range of complaints included Nagy's obsession with Cody Parkey's missed 43-yard field goal attempt in Chicago's playoff loss to the Eagles (the infamous double-doink), the way the Bears used metrics to evaluate the kickers, the overall negative mood in the special-teams room and a perceived bias that involved kicker consultant Jamie Kohl, whom the Bears hired to aid them in their search.

Many, but not all, of the kickers invited to Halas Hall had at one time kicked at one of Kohl's camps.

"All of Jamie's guys, they could have shanked the kick, and it was like, 'Oh, you have really good rotation, your foot is wrapping around the ball,'" one kicker told SI. "I don't think this situation will be solved or will be what the team needs to be until Jamie Kohl is gone. The way he very much tries to control a room, tries to be the alpha."

Another kicker added: "All the vibes they gave us during the specialists meetings just did not seem positive whatsoever. It didn't seem like anyone did well. The vibe and the energy was off."

Former Notre Dame kicker Justin Yoon took issue with Nagy harping on Parkey's 43-yard miss. The Bears repeatedly in the offseason program called for their kickers to attempt field goals from 43 yards.

"It's not efficient for the team to continuously beat that one dead horse the whole time," Yoon said. "You have to build a system of confidence for your kicker. I don't think that's how the Bears are running it."

The Bears eventually whittled their list of kickers down to two at the beginning of training camp, but on Sunday, they waived Elliott Fry, which left Eddy Pineiro -- acquired from the Raiders via a trade -- as the lone kicker left on Chicago's current 90-man offseason roster.

The Bears want Pineiro to handle all kicks in the final two preseason games, but he has not been assured of the job. Pineiro, who spent last year on injured reserve in Oakland, has never attempted a kick in an NFL regular-season game.

"I really don't believe there's a kicker out there that never misses in practice and in the games," Nagy said. "It's how you respond to it ... so we keep that in mind.

"Remember what I told you before, it's really easy in Chicago as a head coach of the Chicago Bears, as a fan of the Chicago Bears, as the media of the Chicago Bears, as the team of the Chicago Bears, it's really easy for us to just destroy every missed kick. And I think we have to keep those things in a little perspective and not get too crazy over a missed kick here or there."

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets linebacker Brandon Copeland, coming off his best NFL season, was suspended without pay for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, the league announced Wednesday.

Copeland is allowed to practice and play in the final two preseason games. After that, he can't return to the roster until Oct. 7, the day after the Jets' Week 5 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. Their bye falls in Week 4.

This has been a tough week for the Jets' linebacking corps, as starter Avery Williamson suffered a season-ending knee injury in the second preseason game.

Copeland, 28, playing with his fourth team, emerged as a regular on defense last season for the Jets. He finished with a career-high five sacks. He didn't attract a lot of interest in free agency and wound up re-signing with the Jets for one year at $1.75 million, including a $250,000 signing bonus.

The new coaching staff changed his position, making him an off-ball linebacker in certain packages. His playing time has been inconsistent in the preseason, leading to speculation about his roster status.

Copeland was used in the fourth quarter last week against the Atlanta Falcons, fueling talk about him being on the bubble. But in two practices this week, he was spotted in certain first-team packages.

The Jets, perhaps anticipating the suspension, signed linebacker Stephone Anthony on Tuesday night. Anthony, a 2015 first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints, played the past two seasons under coach Adam Gase on the Miami Dolphins.

Without Copeland, the Jets' top outside linebackers are starter Jordan Jenkins, plus backups Frankie Luvu and Tarell Basham. Rookie Jachai Polite, a third-round pick from Florida, has been a non-factor.

Copeland will join tight end Chris Herndon on the suspended list to start the season. Herndon will sit four games because of a substance-abuse violation.

Copeland gained a measure of celebrity in the offseason as a co-professor at his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania. He taught a course called "Life 101," which supplied students with financial information. He was featured by ESPN, the Wall Street Journal and the "Today" show, among other media outlets.

As the NFL's 100th season is set to begin, we start the ultimate debate: Who would be a part of the all-time best starting lineup? That means a player for every position on the field and special teams.

Sounds simple enough, right?

Or nearly impossible.

To put the task another way, a longtime NFL coach I've known for more than 20 years said: "Are you f---ing nuts?"

Knowing there aren't any totally right answers but separating 100 years of Hall of Famers and elevating the truly elite takes some work.

Honestly, this is a project more than 30 years in the making. The research includes surveying more than 250 people through those years, including players, coaches, scouts, general managers, Hall of Famers and Hall of Fame voters.

Who's the best they ever saw, best they ever played with, best they ever faced, best they ever heard about? I asked those questions, evaluated the statistical data available, then did what longtime scout C.O. Brocato told me oh so long ago: I trusted my eyes.

Then I picked a team with a strongside and weakside presence on offense and defense.

So there is a left tackle and a right tackle, a weakside linebacker and a strongside linebacker, a free safety and a strong safety.

Although this team spans decades, lack of video and a statistical disadvantage limits players from the game's formative years. I gave a shout out to those players, who were great in an era without the benefit of groundskeepers, trainers, medical staffs, personal chefs or, in many cases, anything resembling equipment that would provide much more protection than the average jersey.

The arguments are coming, so have at it.

Here's the team. It is filled with the best the game has ever seen and a ridiculously enormous list of those left off.

OFFENSE

QB: Tom Brady
Career: New England Patriots, 2000-present
Stats that matter: 207 career regular-season wins; 517 career TD passes
This is, unsurprisingly, the most difficult position to pick just one player. But Brady is a 14-time Pro Bowl selection and a six-time Super Bowl winner on teams that will feature far fewer Hall of Famers than those of many of the other marquee quarterbacks. He threw for 4,355 yards and won a Super Bowl at age 41, played his best in the biggest moments and has been the driving on-field force for teams that have won at least 12 games 11 times.
Remember when? Sammy Baugh (Washington Redskins)
Start the argument with: Johnny Unitas (Baltimore Colts), John Elway (Denver Broncos), Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos), Joe Montana (San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs)

WR: Jerry Rice
Career: San Francisco 49ers, 1985-2000; Oakland Raiders, 2001-04; Seattle Seahawks, 2004
Hall of Fame class: 2010
Stats that matter: Eight Super Bowl touchdown catches
Rice was a 13-time Pro Bowl selection who led the league in receiving yards six times and receiving touchdowns six times. He is the NFL's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and yards from scrimmage. He played in 29 playoffs games and had 22 touchdown receptions in those games.
Remember when? Tom Fears (Los Angeles Rams), Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch (Chicago Rockets, Los Angeles Rams)
Start the argument with: Nobody

WR: Don Hutson
Career: Green Bay Packers, 1935-45
Hall of Fame class: 1963
Stat that matters: Five consecutive seasons leading the league in receptions
In the context of history, no player might have outshone his contemporaries more than Hutson. He held 18 NFL records when he retired and had 200 more receptions than his nearest competitor. Hutson's record of 99 career touchdown receptions stood for almost 40 years after his last game. He created much of what the modern receiver does on the field, including many routes that have been staples for decades. He also had 30 career interceptions at safety and kicked extra points.
Remember when? Raymond Berry (Baltimore Colts)
Start the argument with: Randy Moss (Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers), Lance Alworth (San Diego Chargers, Dallas Cowboys)

RB: Jim Brown
Career: Cleveland Browns, 1957-65
Hall of Fame class: 1971
Stat that matters: Seven seasons averaging more than 100 yards rushing per game
Brown was the only universal selection among all of the people who were polled and offered a can't-miss pick. He averaged more than five yards a carry in five of his seasons, including 5.9 yards a carry in 1958 and 6.4 yards a carry in 1963, and averaged 5.2 yards a carry in his career. He led the league in rushing in eight of his nine seasons, was the league MVP three times and retired as the league's all-time leading rusher with 12,312 yards. He scored three touchdowns in his final game -- the 1966 Pro Bowl -- and retired at age 30.
Remember when? John Henry Johnson (San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Oilers), Marion Motley (Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers)
Start the argument with: Nobody

RB: Walter Payton
Career: Chicago Bears, 1975-87
Hall of Fame class: 1993
Stat that matters: 10 seasons with more than 320 touches
Payton retired as the league's all-time rushing leader. Payton had 321 carries, for 1,333 yards, at age 32. Payton's on-field philosophy, given to him by a former coach, was "never die easy." A nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a five-time first-team All-Pro, Payton had eight seasons of at least 1,390 yards rushing. He was the first back in league history with at least 10 1,000-yard rushing seasons in a career.
Remember when? Joe Perry (San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Colts), Ollie Matson (Chicago Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles)
Start the argument with: Barry Sanders (Detroit Lions), Emmitt Smith (Dallas Cowboys)

LT: Anthony Munoz
Career: Cincinnati Bengals, 1980-92
Hall of Fame class: 1998
Athleticism was his calling card -- Munoz pitched for USC's baseball team in college and finished his career with four touchdown receptions. He was an 11-time All-Pro and was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team and the All-Decade team for the 1980s, all after having three surgeries on his knees during his college career.
Remember when? Duke Slater (Milwaukee Badgers, Rock Island Independents, Chicago Cardinals)
Start the argument with: Jonathan Ogden (Baltimore Ravens), Walter Jones (Seattle Seahawks), Ron Yary (Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams), Willie Roaf (New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs)

G: John Hannah
Career: New England Patriots, 1973-85
Hall of Fame class: 1991
Hannah was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and seven-time All-Pro. Alabama coach Bear Bryant called Hannah the greatest lineman he ever coached. Former Patriots coach Ron Erhardt once said, "I used to see people all the time who just would dive to get out of his way."
Remember when? Dick Stanfel (Detroit Lions, Washington Redskins)
Start the argument with: Gene Upshaw (Oakland Raiders), Bruce Matthews (Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans), Randall McDaniel (Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

C: Jim Otto
Career: Oakland Raiders, 1960-74
Hall Fame of class: 1990
Otto played 10 of his 15 seasons before the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 but was a 10-time AFL All-Pro selection and a 12-time selection in either the AFL All-Star game or the Pro Bowl. Otto never missed a game in his career -- 210 total in the regular season. His rare football durability came with a price. He has had an estimated 70 surgeries in his lifetime, including the amputation of his right leg.
Remember when? Mel Hein (New York Giants), Chuck Bednarik (Philadelphia Eagles)
Start the argument with: Dwight Stephenson (Miami Dolphins), Mike Webster (Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs)

G: Jim Parker
Career: Baltimore Colts 1957-67
Hall of Fame class: 1973
Parker, who was the first full-time offensive lineman to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, might be the only player in this storied group who could have been the pick at two positions. He split his career at guard and tackle for the Colts and earned multiple All-Pro designations at both positions. In 1962, when he was moved from tackle to guard during the season, he was named All-Pro at left tackle and left guard at season's end. Hall of Famer Andy Robustelli once said, "He was just too strong, too good and too smart."
Remember when? Dan Fortman (Chicago Bears)
Start the argument with: Tom Mack (Los Angeles Rams), Larry Allen (Dallas Cowboys), Mike Munchak (Houston Oilers)

RT: Forrest Gregg
Career: Green Bay Packers 1956, 1958-70; Dallas Cowboys, 1971
Hall of Fame class: 1977
Gregg was an All-NFL pick for eight consecutive seasons and was one of three tackles selected for the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team. A fixture at right tackle for Vince Lombardi's Packers, he also filled in at left and right guard on occasion. He missed the 1957 season when he was in the Army and returned to the Packers in 1958.
Remember when? Joe Stydahar (Chicago Bears), Mike McCormack (Cleveland Browns)
Start the argument with: Rayfield Wright (Dallas Cowboys), Jackie Slater (Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams)

TE Tony Gonzalez
Career: Kansas City Chiefs, 1997-2008; Atlanta 2009-13
Hall of Fame class: 2019
Stat that matters: More career receptions than Hall of Fame receivers Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Marvin Harrison
This was one of the closest decisions in a sea of close decisions. While John Mackey defined the position, he also played long before a tight end was targeted at least 100 times in the passing game a season -- as Gonzalez was during 15 of his seasons. Gonzalez was a 14-time Pro Bowl selection and led the league in receptions (102) in 2004. He finished among the league's top 10 in receptions five times and is No. 2 all time in receptions with 1,325.
Remember when? Mike Ditka (Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys)
Start the argument with: John Mackey (Baltimore Colts), Kellen Winslow (San Diego Chargers)

DEFENSE

DE: Reggie White
Career: Philadelphia Eagles, 1985-92; Green Bay Packers, 1993-98; Carolina Panthers, 2000
Hall of Fame class: 2006
Stat that matters: Three sacks in Super Bowl XXXI
White was a 13-time Pro Bowl selection, eight-time first-team All-Pro and two-time Defensive Player of the Year. From 1986 to 1988, White had 57 sacks, and he had five seasons with at least 15 sacks. His offseason recruitment by several teams in 1993, including the Packers, largely opened modern free agency.
Remember when? Gino Marchetti (Dallas Texans, Baltimore Colts)
Start the argument with: Bruce Smith (Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins), J.J. Watt (Houston Texans)

DE: Deacon Jones
Career: Los Angeles Rams, 1961-71; San Diego Chargers, 1972-73; Washington Redskins, 1974
Hall of Fame class: 1980
Stat that matters: Unofficially credited with 21½ sacks in 1967
Jones was a 14th-round draft pick who was a member of the Rams' Fearsome Foursome and is generally given credit for inventing the term "sack." Though he played long before the sack was an official statistic, he is generally believed to have had 173.5 for his career, 159.5 of those in his 11 seasons with the Rams. He was a member of the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team, and as his former teammate Merlin Olsen once said: "There has never been a better football player than Deacon Jones."
Remember when? Len Ford (Los Angeles Dons, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers)
Start the argument with: Lee Roy Selmon (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Jack Youngblood (Los Angeles Rams)

DT: Joe Greene
Career: Pittsburgh Steelers, 1969-81
Hall of Fame class: 1987
Stat that matters: Started 181 of 190 career games
The Steelers' first-round pick in the 1969 draft was named the league's Defensive Rookie of the Year and received the first of 10 Pro Bowl selections. He is the only Steelers player from the team's run of four Super Bowl wins in six years to have his jersey number retired by the team. Many with the team, including the late owner Dan Rooney, called Greene's arrival a pivotal moment for the franchise and the foundation for the winning that followed.
Remember when? Bill Willis (Cleveland Browns)
Start the argument with: Bob Lilly (Dallas Cowboys), Cortez Kennedy (Seattle Seahawks), Aaron Donald (Los Angeles Rams)

DT: Merlin Olsen
Career: Los Angeles Rams, 1962-76
Hall of Fame class: 1982
Stat that matters: Returned his lone interception for a TD
The 14-time Pro Bowl selection was named to the All-Decade teams for both the 1960s and 1970s and was a first-team All-Pro five times, second-team All-Pro five more times. Olsen didn't miss a game in his final 14 years in the league. Like Jones, a member of the Fearsome Foursome, Olsen is credited by the Rams as their career leader in tackles.
Remember when? Arnie Weinmeister (New York Yanks, New York Giants)
Start the argument with: Randy White (Dallas Cowboys), Buck Buchanan (Kansas City Chiefs), Alan Page (Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears)

LB: Lawrence Taylor
Career: New York Giants, 1981-93
Hall of Fame class: 1999
Stat that matters: One of two defensive players to win league MVP
When you start a career with 133 tackles, 9.5 sacks, eight pass knockdowns, two forced fumbles and an interception to win the league's Defensive Player of the Year, as Taylor did as rookie, it might be a preview of some amazing things to come. In many ways he changed what people thought of edge players and how they could be used in defenses. Taylor was a 10-time Pro Bowl selection, three-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time Super Bowl winner and member of the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team.
Remember when? Chuck Bednarik (Philadelphia Eagles)
Start the argument with: Derrick Thomas (Kansas City Chiefs)

LB: Dick Butkus
Career: Chicago Bears, 1965-73
Hall of Fame class: 1979
Stat that matters: 12 takeaways in his rookie season
Butkus, whose career was cut short by knee troubles, was a fierce presence in the middle of the field whose actual exploits in the game almost match the stories told about him. The Bears great was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and selected to the All-Decade team of the 1960s and 1970s. From a football perspective, his ability to get off blocks and take the correct angle to the ball rarely has been matched. He recovered a record 27 fumbles in his career.
Remember when? Les Richter (Los Angeles Rams)
Start the argument with: Ray Lewis (Baltimore Ravens), Joe Schmidt (Detroit Lions), Willie Lanier (Kansas City Chiefs), Jack Lambert (Pittsburgh Steelers)

LB: Bobby Bell
Career: Kansas City Chiefs, 1963-74
Hall of Fame class: 1983
Stat that matters: NFL record six interceptions for TDs by a linebacker
Hall of Fame coach Hank Stram once said Bell could have played any position on the field except for quarterback and was athletic enough to have scored on his only kickoff return -- a 53-yard return of an onside kick. Bell is considered by many to simply be the best traditional strongside linebacker the game has had to offer. Had Bell played two decades later, he likely would have found himself in an edge-rushing mode. He was credited with 40 career sacks -- long before it was an official statistic -- and scored eight defensive touchdowns.
Remember when? Joe Fortunato (Chicago Bears)
Start the argument with: Jack Ham (Pittsburgh Steelers), Dave Robinson (Green Bay Packers, Washington Redskins), Dave Wilcox (San Francisco 49ers)

CB: Deion Sanders
Career: Atlanta Falcons, 1989-93; San Francisco 49ers, 1994; Dallas Cowboys, 1995-99; Washington Redskins, 2000; Baltimore Ravens, 2004-05
Hall of Fame class: 2011
Stat that matters: Scored TDs on interception returns, on punt returns, as a receiver and rushing for a TD in a playoff game
Prime Time was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and six-time first-team All-Pro selection. Sanders scored career touchdowns by interception, fumble return, kickoff return, punt return and reception. Many quibbled about his willingness to tackle, but over and over again, those who faced him, played alongside him and simply watched him say he is the best ever at the position. He wasn't consistently challenged by opposing quarterbacks but still finished his career with 53 interceptions, including two in his final season, at 38 years old -- a total that would have been higher had he not retired for three seasons before signing with Baltimore in 2004.
Remember when? Abe Woodson (San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Cardinals)
Start the argument with: Dick "Night Train'' Lane (Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Cardinals, Detroit Lions), Mike Haynes (New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders)

CB: Rod Woodson
Career: Pittsburgh Steelers, 1987-96; San Francisco 49ers, 1997; Baltimore Ravens, 1998-2003
Hall of Fame class: 2009
Stat that matters: NFL-record 12 interceptions returned for TDs
He started games at left cornerback, right cornerback and free safety over a career in which he finished with 71 interceptions and retired as the league's all-time leader for interception return yardage. He was an All-Pro selection at cornerback, safety and kick returner. An 11-time Pro Bowl selection, Woodson had 14 seasons with at least three interceptions and six seasons of at least five interceptions. He led the league with eight in 2002 when he was 37 years old. When the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team was selected, Woodson was one of five active players named to that team (Rice, White, Lott and Montana were the others).
Remember when? Jack Butler (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Start the argument with: Mel Blount (Pittsburgh Steelers), Charles Woodson (Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers), Willie Brown (Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders), Champ Bailey (Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos)

S: Ken Houston
Career: Houston Oilers, 1967-72; Washington Redskins, 1973-80
Hall of Fame class: 1986
Stat that matters: 49 career interceptions
He was a starter by the third game of his rookie year, and in the fifth game of his professional football career, he scored two touchdowns -- on a blocked field goal return and an interception return. Houston made either the AFL All-Star Game or the Pro Bowl in 12 consecutive seasons and was traded, for five players, from the Oilers to Washington in 1973. He had an expansive and versatile body of work as a high-impact tackler and ball hawk.
Remember when? Emlen Tunnell (New York Giants, Green Bay Packers)
Start the argument with: Tunnell, Kenny Easley (Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals)

S: Ronnie Lott
Career: San Francisco 49ers, 1981-90; Los Angeles Raiders, 1991-92; New York Jets, 1993-94
Hall of Fame class: 2000
Stat that matters: Nine playoff interceptions
Lott began his career as perhaps the hardest-hitting left cornerback to ever suit up before moving to safety, where he was a first-team All-Pro eight times, as well as a member of the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team. He finished his career with four Super Bowl rings, 63 interceptions, more than 1,100 tackles and 16 forced fumbles.
Remember when? Jack Christiansen (Detroit Lions)
Start the argument with: Ed Reed (Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, New York Jets), Brian Dawkins (Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos), Willie Wood (Green Bay Packers)

SPECIAL TEAMS

K: Adam Vinatieri
Career: New England Patriots, 1996-2005; Indianapolis Colts, 2006-present
Stat that matters: Made 56 playoff field goals
Accuracy isn't always a fair comparison through the eras for kickers because, long ago, they didn't have dedicated long snappers, and they weren't kicking off the glorified golf fairways they do now. But Vinatieri's body of work -- he'll eventually retire as the league's all-time scoring leader and was at his absolute, unshakable best in the biggest moments -- kicking the game winner in two Super Bowls.
Remember when? Lou Groza (Cleveland Browns)
Start the argument with: Morten Andersen (New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings), Justin Tucker (Baltimore Ravens), Jan Stenerud (Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings)

P: Ray Guy
Career: Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1973-86
Hall of Fame class: 2014
Again, like the place-kickers, punters in pre-1980s NFL often dealt with more bad snaps in a quarter than many today deal with in a season. Guy was more than just a catch-it-and-bomb-it punter and was selected to the All-Decade team for the 1970s. He had just three of his 1,049 career punts blocked and led the league in punting three times.
Remember when? Yale Lary (Detroit Lions), Sammy Baugh (Washington Redskins)
Start the argument with: Jerrel Wilson (Kansas City Chiefs), Sean Landeta (New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles)

Special teamer/returner: Gale Sayers
Career: Chicago Bears, 1965-1971
Hall of Fame class: 1977
Sayers needed the medical procedures of today so his knee troubles wouldn't have ended his remarkable career after 68 games. His six-touchdown game as a rookie against the 49ers included an 80-yard touchdown reception, a 77-yard punt return and a 93-yard kickoff return -- and is still must-see video. He averaged more than 31 yards per kickoff return in each of his first three years in the league, and in five seasons topped 14 yards per punt return three times.
Remember them? Ollie Matson (Chicago Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles)
Start the argument with: Devin Hester (Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks), Deion Sanders, Billy "White Shoes" Johnson (Houston Oilers, Atlanta Falcons, Washington Redskins)

Coach Bill Belichick
Career: Cleveland Browns, 1991-95; New England Patriots, 2000-present
There are others, such as Paul Brown, who defined and shaped how people have done the job for decades. And Don Shula, who has the most wins and oversaw the only undefeated season, is in the conversation. Yes, Belichick was fired from his first NFL head coaching job and has a losing record in games in which Tom Brady was not the starting quarterback, but in the end, six Super Bowl wins in nine Super Bowl trips trumps it all. He has amassed 31 postseason victories and did a ton of his tactical work as an assistant, long before he was a head coach. His ability to sustain success in the era of free agency and salary cap makes the Patriots' dynasty more impressive.
Remember him? Clark Shaughnessy (Los Angeles Rams)
Start the argument with: Paul Brown (Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals), Joe Gibbs (Washington Redskins), Bill Walsh (San Francisco 49ers), Don Shula (Baltimore Colts), Vince Lombardi (Green Bay Packers, Washington Redskins)

Former NBA first-round pick Royce White believes Carmelo Anthony has been "blackballed" by the league, and he thinks LeBron James is partly to blame.

"'Melo is absolutely being blackballed," White, who plays in the BIG3 league, told Fanatics View on Saturday. "He's one of the realest in [the league]. ... He's given too much to the game for them not to allow him to play or for them to kind of culturally just make an agreement that he's not good enough anymore. All of us here that played the game at the highest level know how good Melo is."

Earlier this month, Anthony told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith on First Take that he felt "the game didn't want me back" after he was released by the Houston Rockets early in the 2018-19 season.

Anthony, a 10-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA player, also said that his passion to play is back.

White, who was drafted with the 16th overall pick in the 2012 draft by the Rockets and went on to appear in only three NBA games with the Sacramento Kings, said he has wondered why the Los Angeles Lakers didn't come calling.

"We know that there's no way that the Lakers would go out and sign Jared Dudley and not sign Carmelo Anthony," said White, the No. 1 pick in this year's BIG3 draft. "And another question is, when a guy like LeBron is walking around out here like he's the face and voice of the players, how is he letting his banana boat brother hang out there in the wings and then go sign Jared Dudley and not Carmelo?

"If anybody watching this thinks that Jared Dudley can hold Carmelo's jock strap, I'll slap you."

In a tweet that has since been deleted, Dudley defended himself against White's comments.

"This isn't Melo vs. myself, That man is a 1st ballot HOFer," Dudley said in the since-deleted post. "We all want to see him back in the league. Royce seems uniformed when he speaks and this situation in calling my name out. This league is not about who's better then who it's what's players make for the best Team."