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The VAR Review: Was Arsenal anger over Newcastle's goal justified?

Published in Soccer

Monday, 06 November 2023 05:52

Video Assistant Referee causes controversy every week in the Premier League, but how are decisions made, and are they correct?

After each weekend we take a look at the major incidents, to examine and explain the process in terms of VAR protocol and the Laws of the Game.

- How VAR decisions have affected every Prem club in 2023-24
- VAR in the Premier League: Ultimate guide

In this week's VAR Review: What happened with Newcastle United's winning goal against Arsenal, plus possible red cards for Kai Havertz and Bruno Guimarães. Why Scott McTominay's goal was ruled out for Manchester United against Fulham, and more VAR frustration for Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Newcastle 1-0 Arsenal

Possible ball out of play / foul / handball / offside: Gordon goal

What happened: Newcastle took the lead in the 64th minute when Anthony Gordon stabbed the ball home from close range. However, the VAR needed to check a series of incidents before deciding whether to clear the goal (watch here.)

VAR decision: Goal stands.

VAR review: This unique and complicated review took four minutes and six seconds and included three possible reasons to disallow the goal. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was fuming after the game, calling the decision "embarrassing," with Arsenal doubling down on that criticism as a club on Sunday.

It was a remarkable reaction and completely removed from the reality of the situation. You could understand Liverpool's anger when Luis Díaz's goal wasn't allowed against Tottenham, but this isn't remotely close to that. It's a series of situations that are fully explainable. There's no smoking gun over a VAR error. Arsenal's reaction was over the top and unnecessary, creating added pressure when unwarranted.

The Gunners have a fair argument about a possible foul, but it doesn't justify the reaction.

PGMOL's promise of greater transparency under chief refereeing officer Howard Webb since the start of the year has backfired to a degree, as now fans and clubs on the wrong side of 70-30 or 60-40 subjective decisions think they have been cheated. Yet truly egregious mistakes are rare, and in most cases a decision will always leave one side feeling aggrieved -- which is why this system of VAR is always going to have serious issues.

The Independent Key Match Incidents Panel has logged fewer VAR errors than last season, but debate around them has intensified. Errors like that for the Díaz goal cannot happen, and that has understandably added to the furore about refereeing standards. But Arsenal's statement adds nothing, and there will be no response from the Premier League or PGMOL

One incident outside of the three was straightforward: the claim that the ball touched the arm of Joelinton before Gordon scored. Accidental attacking handball before a goal now applies only to the scorer, so Joelinton would need to deliberately handle or have his arms in an unexpected position for his movement; neither applied, so the VAR would not consider the handball further.

The other situations are more contentious, but for two of them the only outcome for the VAR was to stay with the on-field decision.

The first concerns Joe Willock and whether he managed to keep the ball in play by the corner flag. As it happened so far away from the goal area, it was out of shot of the camera on the goal line, which is concentrated on the area around the goal.

When Rasmus Højlund's goal was disallowed for Manchester United against Brighton & Hove Albion in September, Marcus Rashford's attempt to keep the ball in play was in shot on that goal-line camera, allowing the VAR to take the decision that the ball was definitely out.

The VAR in this game, Andy Madley, has to take into account the angle of the camera and the curvature of the ball; it's impossible to say -- without doubt -- that the whole of the ball was out, so the decision stays with the on-field call. Remember the goal Japan scored against Spain at the World Cup, when it looked as if Kaoru Mitoma had failed to keep it in before Ao Tanaka scored? Initial television replays had viewers convinced it was out, but later angles proved the VAR was correct to allow the goal; the curvature from other angles had been deceptive.

There's no prospect, in the near future at least, of technology to track whether the ball stays in play outside of goal-line technology. There's too much space to cover.

Then there's the possible offside against Gordon. When Joelinton touches the ball, Gordon needs to be behind it to be onside. But there is no camera angle that shows both the ball and the whole of Gordon's body.

It's very possible that Gordon was marginally ahead of the ball, but the VAR cannot change the on-field call on a hunch -- so the decision of onside must stand.

Even with the increased number of cameras being used for offside this season, it will never be possible to completely rule out a situation like this. Indeed, it wouldn't be solved by semi-automated offside, as the system used by UEFA -- which was adopted by Serie A in January and will likely be added by the other top European leagues next season -- doesn't have a sensor to track the ball, only the players.

So while Gordon's position could be calculated, it wouldn't be possible to manually plot the front of the ball -- and create the offside line. UEFA had a similar problem last season when a lengthy offside review led to a late Harry Kane winner for Tottenham against Sporting CP being ruled out for offside. That decision needed a manual process to see the ball, but it was in view, which meant the decision could be made.

The only part of this decision that Arteta can have legitimate complaints about is the potential foul on Gabriel, when Joelinton appeared to push down on his back with extended arms. The freeze-frame images look damning, but in real time it doesn't look anywhere near as incriminating. Indeed, on the initial replays few people seemed to think there was even a foul to look at. It's a borderline decision for a VAR overturn; some will think this is definitely a foul, others that there's not enough in it. Is it clear and obvious? Arteta at least has a case on this, but the series of events on the goal didn't warrant the response from Arsenal.

Possible red card: Havertz challenge on Longstaff

What happened: Sean Longstaff had the ball by the touchline when Kai Havertz jumped into a challenge on the Newcastle United player. Referee Stuart Attwell produced a yellow card, but was it worthy of a red?

VAR decision: No red card.

VAR review: Havertz is fortunate, because he could easily have been sent off, but the caution from Attwell is just about an acceptable disciplinary outcome. As with Gabriel, if the referee gives this, the VAR wouldn't get involved.

The Arenal player leaves the floor to make the tackle -- but leads into the space in front of the ball rather than at Longstaff.

Earlier this season, Eddie Nketiah made a similar challenge on Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario in the North London derby. The striker led with his right foot in front of Vicario, but caught his opponent with his folded trailing leg as he landed into the tackle. The independent panel agreed that a yellow card for Nketiah was an acceptable on-field decision and will likely made the same judgement on Havertz.

Possible red card: Guimarães challenge on Jorginho

What happened: Just before half-time, Bruno Guimarães raced into a challenge on Jorginho and appeared to leave his arm up to make contact with his opponent's head. The referee had his back turned to the incident, with the VAR checking for a possible red card.

VAR decision: No red card.

VAR review: When does an arm to the head become violent conduct? It's a good question, because we've seen three incidents this season -- coincidentally all by Fulham players -- with different judgments reached by the independent panel.

It was said that Carlos Vinicius' actions towards Chelsea's Thiago Silva and Sheffield United's Auston Trusty did not cross the threshold for violent conduct, yet on a split vote, the panel felt João Palhinha should have been dismissed against Brighton last weekend.

As Attwell could not have a view, it came down to the opinion of the VAR, who has decided contact with the forearm rather than the elbow wasn't enough for a red card. Yet the Newcastle player runs in at speed and has no concern for the safety of his opponent when he leads with his forearm.

Guimarães is luckier than Havertz, and probably should have received a red card through a VAR intervention for a serious missed incident.

Fulham 0-1 Manchester United

Possible offside: Maguire on McTominay goal

What happened: Manchester United scored in the eighth minute when Christian Eriksen lofted a free kick into the area, Alejandro Garnacho helped the ball into the six-yard box, and Scott McTominay netted from close range. The VAR, Jarred Gillett, began a check on the goal for a possible offside.

VAR decision: Goal disallowed.

VAR review: This decision took too long, three minutes, 25 seconds in total from goal scored to the signal that it was disallowed, but it was the correct decision and a textbook example of a player "clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent."

The VAR first checked the position of Garnacho, as this would be a factual and a straightforward offside. Gillett then checked Harry Maguire, who did not touch the ball but had followed its flight towards Garnacho.

Maguire was shown to be in an offside position, which then makes it a subjective assessment of the player's impact on the play. As the ball went close to Maguire, and he attempted to play it, with Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz in close proximity, the United defender has to be having an impact on an opponent.

On all subjective offside overturns, the referee has to go to the monitor and make the decision himself. We saw it in September when Jonny Evans had a goal disallowed against Burnley with Rasmus Højlund interfering with goalkeeper James Trafford from an offside position.

Semi-automated offside would have reduced some of the time taken, although the subjective element around Maguire's offside offence took up the majority.

It's the kind of offence that often gets picked up only through a VAR review, which is why it tends to annoy and surprise supporters. That said, Brentford did have a goal disallowed against Burnley two weeks ago when the assistant identified a similar offence by Kristoffer Ajer, although in that case it happened in front of the official rather than in a crowd of players.

Sheffield United 2-1 Wolves

Possible penalty overturn: Silva foul on Baldock

What happened: Sheffield United were awarded a penalty in the seventh minute of added time when referee Robert Jones adjudged that Fábio Silva had tripped George Baldock. The VAR, Chris Kavanagh, began a check on the spot kick.

VAR decision: Penalty stands, scored by Oliver Norwood.

VAR review: It was "Groundhog Day" for Wolves boss Gary O'Neil, who saw his team on the wrong end of a controversial penalty decision for the second successive week.

Last week, Wolves conceded a spot kick against Newcastle for minimal contact from Hwang Hee-Chan on Fabian Schär, which the independent panel said was a missed VAR intervention.

There are similarities with the Silva incident, although the error to intervene here is not quite as clear as the Wolves player is challenging into his opponent. Evidence of lower-body contact will usually lead the VAR to stick with the on-field decision, as explained in last week's review. Think of the Marcus Rashford penalty decision against Nottingham Forest, when there was evidence of contact on the striker's thigh.

But both Wolves situations have similar levels of contact, with the attacker going to ground very easily. An intervention to cancel this penalty against Silva would have been the better outcome, as there really is negligible evidence of a foul having taken place from the available replays.

Luton Town 1-1 Liverpool

Possible penalty: Handball by Barkley

What happened: Luton Town took the lead in the 80 minute through Tahith Chong, but it came after Liverpool players had appealed for a penalty against Ross Barkley on the corner which the home team had broken from.

VAR decision: No penalty, goal stands.

VAR review: It would have been a dramatic moment, as Luton's goal would have been disallowed and Liverpool awarded a spot kick. It has happened on one previous occasion in the Premier League, when Bournemouth scored at Burnley but the play was pulled back for a penalty at the other end of the field. Bournemouth thought they had made it 1-1, and instead ended up trailing 2-0.

Virgil van Dijk headed towards goal, and the ball hit the elbow of Barkley from close range, As Barkley had his back to goal and his arm was in a position for jumping, the VAR should not get involved to award a penalty. If the ball had hit Barkley's raised hand, rather than his elbow, there would have been a much stronger case for a spot kick.

Since Eric Dier was penalised for handball against Newcastle United in September 2020 it will be taken into account that a player is not looking at the flight of the ball.

Everton 1-1 Brighton

Possible offside: Dunk when scoring

What happened: Brighton & Hove Albion thought they had equalised in the 14th minute when Lewis Dunk scored an acrobatic goal, but there was a VAR check for offside.

VAR decision: Goal disallowed.

VAR review: No one wants to see a wonder strike ruled out by the VAR, but Dunk was leaning in front of the last defender.

The offside line is drawn through to the upper part of his arm, where handball begins, and not to his lower arm; the line continues vertically.

Possible penalty: Veltman on McNeil

What happened: Dwight McNeil fell into the area after appearing to be pushed by Joël Veltman and looked around at referee Tim Robinson asking for a penalty, but play went on. VAR Michael Oliver checked the incident.

VAR decision: No penalty

VAR review: A quick and easy decision for the VAR, as the possible foul contact on McNeil took place outside the area. You couldn't blame McNeil for asking as he would have felt a big knock to the back.

In any case, Veltman was pushed into McNeil by Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and that would have been taken into consideration if the contact were inside the box.

Brentford 3-2 West Ham

Possible handball: Bowen when scoring

What happened: West Ham took a 2-1 lead in the 26th minute when Jarrod Bowen scored after the ball had come back off the post. But did the ball touch his arm?

VAR decision: Goal stands.

VAR review: A situation where the VAR is trying to find definitive evidence that the ball has hit the arm of the goal scorer.

The angle behind the goal appears to show it came off Bowen's chest rather than his left arm, so the VAR, Michael Salisbury, was right not to intervene.

Manchester City 6-1 Bournemouth

Possible handball: Akanji when scoring

What happened: Manchester City scored the third goal of their rout against AFC Bournemouth when Jérémy Doku's shot went in off Manuel Akanji. But should it have been ruled out for handball?

VAR decision: Goal stands.

VAR review: Much like with Bowen, the VAR needs to be sure the ball came off Akanji's back rather than his elbow.

Alexis Mac Allister had a goal chalked off for Brighton at Tottenham last season in similar circumstances. Then, the VAR felt he had the evidence that the ball had hit his arm, rather than just his hip.

The replays seem to show the ball did hit the elbow, so it's surprising there was no intervention from the VAR, Simon Hooper, to disallow this goal.

Some parts of this article include information provided by the Premier League and PGMOL.

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Sports minister looks to replace SLC officials with Ranatunga-led interim committee

Published in Cricket

Monday, 06 November 2023 03:01

Sri Lanka's sports minister Roshan Ranasinghe has sought to sack the Sri Lanka Cricket board, replacing officials with a government-appointed "interim committee" headed by Arjuna Ranatunga. It is unclear as yet what the ICC's response to this move is, given the ICC had taken a dim view of Sri Lanka's last government-appointed committee in 2014.

Under Sri Lanka's own Sports Law, however, the government has the power to dissolve the governing body of any sport - a power it has used several times on SLC in the last 20 years. But during the time of the most-recent interim committee, which presided for roughly a year between 2014 and 2015, the ICC had refused to disburse payments owed to SLC, and held those funds in escrow until a fresh board was elected by SLC's members. SLC was also demoted to observer status at ICC board meetings.

The dissolution was precipitated by Sri Lanka's exit from the ongoing men's World Cup, amidst public outcry at the team's being dismissed for 55 at the Wankhede against India. But trouble had been brewing for over a year, with the sports minister frequently accusing the board of financial misappropriation and mismanagement.

Ranatunga has also separately spoken publicly about what he would change if put in charge of cricket in the country.

He is the only former international cricketer in the interim committee, however. The others in the seven member committee are SI Imam, Rohini Marasinghe, and Irangani Perera (who are all retired judges of either the Supreme or High Court of Sri Lanka), Upali Dharmadasa, who has previously held top positions in SLC, and Rakitha Rajapakshe and Hisham Jamaldeen, who are sons of politicians belonging to the same ruling, political coalition as sports minister Ranasinghe. Rajapakshe and Jamaldeen work in law, and real estate respectively.

Soon after Sri Lanka's defeat to India last week, Ranasinghe had sent a letter to the other Full Member boards accusing SLC of "mismanagement" - a letter which he sought to essentially pave the way for his appointing his own committee.

The ICC's board is due to meet in the two weeks, and Ranatunga will expect to act as Sri Lanka's director (the ICC board is made up of directors from all full member nations) at that meeting.

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Afghanistan's spin the biggest challenge for Australia as both teams chase top-four finish

Published in Cricket

Monday, 06 November 2023 05:43

Big Picture: History no guide with the semis in sight

There was a time when facing Afghanistan in a World Cup held no fears for Australia. The five-time World Champions have been nothing short of ruthless in the two previous ODI World Cup meetings. In 2015, in Perth, Australia piled up 417 for 6 with David Warner cracking 178, on their way to a 275-run win. In 2019, in Bristol, Australia romped home to a seven-wicket win with 91 balls to spare having bowled Afghanistan out for 207 before Warner again made 89 not out.

But there is no chance the 2023 Australians are heading to the Wankhede Stadium assuming they will win again at a canter. Afghanistan poses an enormous threat, despite Australia's five-game winning streak. Afghanistan have won three in a row themselves and have already taken down England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Netherlands as they push for a maiden semi-final berth. And they possess the skill to expose Australia's major weakness, with the spin quartet of Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad capable of causing Australia's batting line-up no end of problems, while their batting throughout the tournament has been excellent. A similar attack almost upset Australia on home soil at the 2022 T20 World Cup, although it was the pace duo of Naveen-ul-Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi who did all the damage on that occasion.

One thing in Australia's favour is that Mumbai is a far cry from the spin-friendly conditions in Chennai and Delhi where Afghanistan's spun out Pakistan and England respectively. Wankhede has been the highest-scoring ground in first innings in the tournament so far and that plays to Australia's strength. Spin has also had next to no impact in Mumbai in the last 10 ODIs at the venue. And while facing spin has been Australia's weak point in ODI cricket in recent times, Australia's batting unit do have very good individual match-up records against Afghanistan's spinners in T20 cricket.

But while history and conditions are on Australia's side as they look to lock in their spot in the last four there is one other thing to consider. This game, like the one in last year's T20 World Cup has a slightly different undertone for Afghanistan than it does their opponents. Cricket Australia's decision to cancel a Test between the two nations in November 2021 and a three-match ODI series in March 2023 for political reasons remains front of mind for some of the Afghanistan players. Afghanistan has been fueled by a desire to prove a point in this World Cup, a point about their standing in global cricket, and some added motivation certainly won't hinder them.

Afghanistan - WWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)

In the spotlight: Rashid Khan and Mitchell Marsh

So long the talisman of Afghanistan's attack Rashid Khan has been below his best in this World Cup so far. He has just seven wickets at 43.85. Only Mujeeb has a worse average of all of Afghanistan's bowlers while Rashid's strike rate of 57 is the worst of the group. He has been building pressure though, as he always does, conceding just 4.61 per over with the likes of Nabi and Noor benefitting at the other end at times. But he only has one three-wicket haul, and that was against England. Against Australia, whose batters know him intimately as both team-mates and opponents in the BBL, he does not loom as a major threat. They have seen all his tricks so many times they are unlikely to be beaten by what they know. His wrong 'un has not been the weapon it once was during this World Cup and his legbreak does not seem to strike any fear. But England's Adil Rashid was a well-known foe in Australia's last game and he still had a huge impact taking 2 for 38 from 10 including the wickets of Steven Smith and Josh Inglis, with Smith falling to spin for the fifth time in the tournament. Rashid will need to have an impact for Afghanistan, especially as Australia's bevy of middle-order right-handers match up well to Mujeeb and Nabi.

Mitchell Marsh's innings against New Zealand and his absence against England did reveal a quirk of Australia's batting balance. He looked lost starting against spin in the 20th over. It was his latest entry point in an ODI this year having opened in 11 of his 15 matches and batted three in the other four. The only other time he entered after the 10th over was in Bloemfontein in September, also after a century stand from Warner and Travis Head, and he was out first ball to spin. But against England, the early losses of Head and Warner left Australia without another power-hitter in the powerplay, something they want to take advantage of. But Marsh's overall record at No. 3 in the last three years has been very poor. He's averaging just 17.60 there in 10 innings and striking at 73.06 with a highest score of 36 compared to his extraordinary record opening. Australia look more powerful on paper with him in the line-up, but they would like him to get comfortable at No. 3 heading towards the pointy end of the tournament.

Team news: Naveen or Noor, Smith or Labuschagne?

Afghanistan have been pretty settled and have mainly made changes to the attack depending on conditions. The challenge against Australia is the conditions in Mumbai suggest Naveen should play ahead of Noor Ahmad, and Naveen took 3 for 21 against Australia in the T20 World Cup last year. But Australia's kryptonite has been spin and playing four of them has to be tempting.

Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Azmatullah Omarzai, 6 Ikram Alikhil (wk), 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq/Noor Ahmad, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi

Marsh and Maxwell are expected to return. Marsh bowled and batted and measured his run up too on match eve, and Maxwell batted for a long time against some local spinners. Cameron Green has already conceded he will miss out for one of them. The big question is who is the other player to make way. Logic would suggest it's Marnus Labuschagne but he was Australia's top-scorer against England with 71 and has been one of Australia's best players of offspin, legspin and left-arm wrist spin in the tournament while Steven Smith has had his troubles against offspin and legspin in the tournament, and has also been suffering from vertigo. The other consideration is Marcus Stoinis' fitness given he has often been rested on short turnarounds between games due to his injury history. The same could be said for the three quicks given they have only had three days to recover.

Australia (probable): 1 David Warner, 2 Travis Head, 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Steven Smith/Marnus Labuschagne, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Marcus Stoinis, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood

The Wankhede has been a batting paradise in the World Cup so far with first innings scores of 399, 382 and 357 posted already in the tournament.

Mumbai is set to be very hot with temperatures touching 37 degrees, and the air quality will also be a concern.

The Wankhede has the highest average of sixes per match in the tournament so far. In three matches there has been an average of 18.3 sixes struck per game. Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi is the next highest with 17.5.

David Warner is 45 runs away from 18000 across all forms of international cricket as an opener. Sanath Jayasuriya and Chris Gayle are the only others have to scored 18000 runs as openers in international cricket.

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Vertigo casts doubt on Smith's participation against Afghanistan

Published in Cricket

Monday, 06 November 2023 05:52

There is doubt over Steven Smith's participation in Australia's game against Afghanistan tomorrow in Mumbai. Smith has been troubled by vertigo and said on match eve he was "not feeling great at present" but was hopeful he would be fit for the game.

"I've had a bit of vertigo stuff the last day or so, so it's just been a bit annoying," Smith said before training at the Wankhede. "Hopefully I can get through training today and be all good. But, yeah, it's not a nice place to be. Occasionally, I've had a few episodes [before], so I can tell you it's not the funnest space to be in, but yeah, I'll go out and have a hit [in the nets] and hopefully be okay and we'll see how we go."

When asked if the issue would put him in doubt for Australia's eighth game of the league stage with their semi-final berth still not confirmed, Smith said: "No, I think I'll be okay. Yeah, I'm not feeling great at present but I'll have a hit and see how we go so hopefully all good."

Soon after the press conference, Smith went on to bat in the nets without any visible discomfort initially. He started by facing a few throwdowns from the Australia support staff members before taking a short break, during which he shadow-batted behind the nets. He soon returned to face more throwdowns, while rotating in the nets with Glenn Maxwell, and displayed his trademark strokes that included the flicks and drives. He also stepped down the track while unleashing some lofted drives.

Smith then switched to the other nets where he only faced several types of local spinners for a long duration to prepare for the possible threat Afghanistan's spin attack could pose. Later, though, he started to look pretty unwell and was down on all fours behind the nets while still padded up and was also seen holding his head in apparent pain when he lay down on the ground. He soon walked off the field with one of the support staff members while his team-mates continued to bat in the nets.*

Smith has spoken about his vertigo issues earlier too. Last year, when he was recovering from a concussion he had suffered while fielding against Sri Lanka in a T20I at the SCG, Smith had said he had had a "vertigo incident" as well which had made his recovery difficult.

In the seven innings of this World Cup so far, Smith hasn't really been at his best although he has been off to some starts. He has scored 205 runs, averaging 29.28 per innings while striking at just 86.13, with one half-century. Smith admitted his performance had been "a little bit disappointing at times".

"Yeah, it's been a little bit disappointing at times," he said. "I've been in the middle of a few partnerships that have helped build a foundation for sure, but yeah, definitely would have liked to have gone on with it a little bit more. I've got in on some tricky surfaces, obviously the first one against India was a tricky one, the South Africa one where I felt like I was batting nicely - questionable sort of lbw and then got a got a good one early I suppose against Sri Lanka.

"I was batting nicely against Netherlands and then was batting reasonably the other day against England. So yeah, a couple of starts where I would have liked to have gone on with it a little bit more, but it wasn't to be. But I still feel like I'm hitting the ball quite well, so hopefully some runs at the back-end of the tournament."

*This story was updated after Smith's late issues in the nets.

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Alfonso Thomas takes Leicestershire head coach job

Published in Cricket

Monday, 06 November 2023 07:03

Leicestershire have appointed Alfonso Thomas as their new head coach, having overseen the club's Metro Bank One-Day Cup success while doing the job on an interim basis. Thomas, who has signed a two-year contract, will be assisted by James Taylor after his promotion from batting coach.

Thomas took over after the departure of Paul Nixon in mid-season, having been Leicestershire's assistant/lead bowling coach since March 2022. The former fast bowler has previously held coaching positions with Kent, Surrey, Hampshire and West Indies.

With Taylor as his assistant, Thomas helped guide the Foxes to a dramatic, last-ball victory over Hampshire in the One-Day Cup final at Trent Bridge in September, bringing Leicestershire their first piece of List A silverware since 1985.

"It wasn't something that was planned, but after conversations with people close to me and seeing what we started to build last season I thought it'd be a real shame if I didn't give it a go," Thomas said. "James and I complemented each other really well. We communicated strongly and created an environment for the guys to be the best version of themselves, but also one where they were willing to do it together.

"I'm very excited by the squad we've assembled. We have an opportunity for this club to play a brand of cricket that's exciting, one which the people of Leicester can be proud of and that will see people queuing up to watch us play."

As well as their One-Day Cup success, Leicestershire were also in the hunt for promotion from Division Two until the penultimate round of the season - having finished bottom of the pile in six of the preceding nine seasons.

The club has also buoyed by the recent emergence of talented youngsters such as legspinner Rehan Ahmed - the youngest man to be capped by England in all three formats - and tall left-arm seamer Josh Hull.

Claude Henderson, Leicestershire's director of cricket, said: "Alfonso has shown his capabilities as a head coach, and turned a tough time for the club into a successful summer. Along with James and the backroom team, he got the changing room together and organised a high-performance culture.

"Alfonso and James have built a solid partnership and we look forward to seeing what they can achieve together with an exciting group of players."

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Mathews becomes the first to be dismissed timed out in international cricket

Published in Cricket

Monday, 06 November 2023 07:03

Angelo Mathews became the first player ever to be timed out in international cricket after he asked for a helmet change after walking onto the pitch, subsequently not being ready to face his first ball within the two minutes the ICC Playing Conditions allow.

The strap of Mathews' helmet broke just as he was tightening it around his chin, during his final preparations before taking strike against Shakib Al Hasan. By this stage, about a minute and 55 seconds had already passed since the previous batter Sadeera Samarawickrama had been dismissed.

Mathews soon called for a replacement helmet, which was run out to him by Chamika Karunaratne. Shakib Al Hasan then appeared to initiate a discussion with umpire Marais Erasmus, however, after which Mathews was informed he was timed out.

During the innings break reserve umpire Adrian Holdstock told broadcaster Star Sports: "The fielding captain initiated the appeal to Marais Erasmus, who was the standing umpire, that he wanted to appeal for timed out."

Should Mathews have been timed out?

65.3K votes

Yes, them's the rules

No, it was equipment malfunction

Mathews was yet to put on the new helmet, and Karunaratne was still standing near the pitch when the news of his dismissal was relayed to him. At this stage, at least three minutes and twenty seconds had elapsed since Samarawickrama's dismissal.

Mathews initially seemed to think the umpire was joking, but quickly wore a worried expression, and began to engage in a long discussion with both Erasmus and square-leg umpire Richard Illingworth.

Angelo made his crease then his helmet strap broke. How is that timed out? I'm all for timed out if he doesn't make his crease but this is ridic. No different then a batsman getting to the crease then taking 3 minutes to face up #cricketworldcup
Usman Khawaja (@Uz_Khawaja) November 6, 2023

Erasmus then approached Shakib and had a quick discussion (the second between the two), following which Mathews also spoke briefly to Shakib, the Bangladesh captain offering a consoling tap on Mathews' shoulder. But ultimately the decision to rule him timed out was upheld, prompting more animated and visibly upset gesturing from Mathews at his broken helmet strap.

At the time of Mathews' being given out, Bangladesh had long since broken their huddle, and had taken their places in the field, with Shakib at the top of his mark, ready to bowl.

"As a batsman I think you need to make sure that you have all your equipment in place in order to make sure you get here, because you actually have to be ready to receive the ball within two minutes - not ready to prepare or take your guard," Holdstock told Ian Bishop during the innings break. He also said two minutes had already elapsed between the dismissal of Samarawickrama and the strap "becoming an issue" for Mathews. However, Mathews still had about five seconds to be ready to face the ball when his strap broke.

The ICC Playing Conditions stipulate that the batter must be ready to receive the ball within two minutes, which Mathews clearly was not.

"40.1 Out Timed out 40.1.1 After the fall of a wicket or the retirement of a batter, the incoming batter must, unless Time has been called, be ready to receive the ball or for the other batter to be ready to receive the next ball within two minutes of the dismissal or retirement. If this requirement is not met, the incoming batter will be out, Timed Out."

Mathews was visibly annoyed by the mode of dismissal as he left the field. He kicked the helmet in frustration as he passed out of the playing area and chucked his bat away.

His dismissal left Sri Lanka in significant trouble, at 135 for 5. Charaith Asalanka then scored a hundred though, to help his side recover to 279.

Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent. @afidelf

Tagged under

Most Power 5 schools sell alcohol inside stadiums

Published in Breaking News

Monday, 06 November 2023 05:10

For many years, the booze flowed only outside of stadiums. Not anymore: Selling beer and wine inside college football stadiums has become the norm over the past decade, a way for schools to bring in more revenue and attract fans who might otherwise be inclined to stay home.

According to a survey by The Associated Press of Power 5 conference schools and Notre Dame, 55 of 69 of them -- 80% -- now sell alcohol in the public areas of their stadiums on game days. Of the remaining schools, some sell alcoholic drinks in nonpublic areas of the venue such as suites; others do not sell booze at all.

The University of Wisconsin is one of the institutions that do not sell alcohol to the general public at football games, but it will begin selling booze at basketball and hockey games this season.

"If our fan experience metrics increase, then it certainly warrants a conversation," said Mitchell Pinta, Wisconsin's deputy athletic director. "'Hey, we did this at Kohl Center (and) LaBahn Arena. What would it take? What will it look like? Is that something we want to do at Camp Randall?'"

The number of schools willing to sell alcohol in football stadiums picked up dramatically in the late 2010s.

"Since the SEC made that decision, other Power 5 conferences followed suit, and we've seen an exponential rise," said Adam Barry, a health behavioral social scientist at Texas A&M .

The AP survey found that 19 schools that currently are in Power 5 conferences began selling alcohol to the public during football games in 2019. Before that, just 20 such schools permitted the practice.

Since 2019, another 16 schools have come on board, including Michigan State, Kentucky and Stanford, all of which started selling booze in their football stadiums during the current season.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation in July lifting the state's ban on alcohol being sold at college sporting events. Michigan State made moves relatively quickly in response.

"I didn't have much trepidation because we're not the first," said Marlon Lynch, Michigan State's chief safety officer. "It's been done for years."

The University of Michigan, meanwhile, did not make alcohol available at the Big House this fall, waiting to see how it goes at basketball and hockey games later this winter. The school has also conducted community surveys.

"We have to take slow steps in order to implement this, because it hasn't been a part of our culture," athletic director Warde Manuel said. "This is a way to phase that in, see what the data says and then talk to the regents and the president again."

University of Michigan Regent Paul Brown said he was not sure about the idea.

"One of the things that makes us unique is a collegiate atmosphere," Brown said last month as the board approved applying for liquor licenses at the school's football, basketball and hockey venues. "It is different than the pro sports that always serve alcohol. I think that difference is one thing that creates value for our institution. And so, I don't want to destroy that value."

The University of North Carolina, meanwhile, is in its fifth season of selling alcohol, which has helped the bottom line with about $4 million in sales. After having $320,213 in net sales during the 2019-20 athletic year, the school quadrupled that number last year and will see an increase again after this season.

"Athletic departments typically are not profitable," Barry said. "So, selling alcohol has simply become a new revenue stream."

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Tagged under

Best, worst of NFL Week 9: Eagles win thriller, Jackson and Stroud go off

Published in Breaking News

Monday, 06 November 2023 06:28

The Pittsburgh Steelers kicked off Week 9 of the NFL season on Thursday night with a comeback win over the Tennessee Titans.

On Sunday morning, the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins played the first-ever regular-season game in Frankfurt, Germany, with the Chiefs jumping out to a 21-point lead and hanging on to win by seven.

Later, quarterback Joshua Dobbs made his Vikings debut after rookie Jaren Hall was ruled out early, Ravens RB Gus Edwards and Texans QB C.J. Stroud powered their teams to wins and Deshaun Watson returned as the Browns' defense posted a shutout.

On Sunday evening, interim coach Antonio Pierce led the Raiders to a blowout win over the Giants, and Jalen Hurts and the Eagles held off the Cowboys to move to 8-1 on the season.

In the final game Sunday, Joe Burrow led the Bengals over the Bills as Cincinnati is beginning to build momentum.

Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and picking out who -- or what -- is rising and falling for every team. Let's get to it.

Sunday

Cincinnati 24, Buffalo 18

Bengals

Does Joe Burrow belong in the MVP conversation? It may seem early, but the answer is a resounding yes. Now that he's back to full strength following his right calf injury, Burrow has steered the offense to two quality performances and helped the Bengals beat two division winners in back-to-back weeks (San Francisco and Buffalo). Burrow was 31-of-44 for 348 yards and two touchdowns against the Bills. Burrow and the Bengals have now won four straight and are building momentum as they enter the back half of the regular season. If the success continues, he'll continue to garner MVP buzz.

Stock up after the win: Bengals tight ends. After being criticized for a lack of production this season, Irv Smith Jr., Drew Sample and Tanner Hudson combined for 10 catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns.

Stock down after the win: Joe Mixon. After a great week in San Francisco, Mixon gained 28 yards on his first 10 carries and had minus-25 rush yards over expectation, per NFL Next Gen Stats. He finished with 37 yards on 14 carries and a TD. -- Ben Baby

Next game: vs. Texans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Bills

What's wrong with the Bills' offense? The Bills don't seem to have an answer. While getting off to a hot start wasn't the issue vs. the Bengals -- the Bills averaged 12.1 yards per play on the first drive that ended in a touchdown -- that quickly fizzled with four straight drives that lasted five plays or fewer. The Bills tried to establish the run game, but that was quickly abandoned with James Cook averaging 3.3 yards on six carries. While quarterback Josh Allen is dealing with an injured right shoulder, this is an offense that doesn't have answers and isn't able to get into rhythm consistently.

Stock up after the loss: Dalton Kincaid. While his fourth-quarter fumble as he was flipped in the air ended a big drive, Kincaid continues to flash and show why the Bills traded up to select him in the first round. He had 10 receptions for 81 yards on 11 targets, becoming the first rookie tight end with 10 or more receptions in a game since Jace Amaro in 2014. Kincaid has 23 receptions the past three games, tied for the most in NFL history by a rookie tight end in a three-game span.

Stock down after the loss: Defensive backfield. After leading the lead in takeaways from Weeks 1-4 with 11, the Bills now have three since Week 5 and zero in the last two games, including against the Bengals. And while the Bills have a variety of injuries at linebacker and in the secondary, including starting corner Christian Benford not playing in the second half due to a right hamstring injury, being able to take the ball away was key to the defensive success early in the year. -- Alaina Getzenberg

Next game: vs. Broncos (Monday, Nov. 13, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Philadelphia 28, Dallas 23

Eagles

Do the Eagles have a legitimate challenger in the NFC? The Eagles (8-1) head into their bye with breathing room over the Cowboys (5-3) in the NFC East, and to this point, look like the class of the conference, with Detroit, San Francisco and Dallas bunched in a tier right below them. It's no time to get comfortable -- their next five games are against the Chiefs, Bills, 49ers, Cowboys (in Dallas) and Seahawks -- but if they can get through that gauntlet with minimum damage, they'll be in good position to secure the NFC's top seed.

Stock up after the win: The QB Jalen Hurts to WRs DeVonta Smith/A.J. Brown connection. Over the past two weeks, Hurts is 24-of-25 for 343 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions when targeting Brown and Smith. Hurts threw a touchdown to each receiver Sunday.

Stock down after the win: S Kevin Byard. He gave up a team-high 71 yards on three catches when targeted, per NFL Next Gen Stats, and committed a personal foul in the fourth quarter when Dallas was in the red zone that could have proved costly. -- Tim McManus

Next game: at Chiefs (Monday, Nov. 20, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Cowboys

Should the Cowboys be considered a viable threat in the NFC? The loss puts the Cowboys 2.5 games back in the division, but only two teams have more wins than Dallas (Philadelphia and Detroit), and they play four of their next five games at AT&T Stadium where they have won 11 straight games. The loss has minimized the Cowboys' margin for error, and they will need Philadelphia to help them in the final nine games in order to compete for the division title. It might be a wild card-only path now.

Stock up after the loss: K Brandon Aubrey. The kicker set an NFL record with his 19th consecutive made field goal to open his career, a 51-yarder late in the second quarter. And to think Aubrey missed his first kick of his career, an extra point against the Giants. He's been perfect since.

Stock down after the loss: The Cowboys' "elite" defense. The Cowboys want to believe they have one of the best defenses in the NFL, but in the second half, the Eagles had touchdown drives of 60 and 87 yards, and the defense committed three penalties that saw Philadelphia take control of the game. -- Todd Archer

Next game: vs. Giants (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Las Vegas 30, N.Y. Giants 6

Raiders

Was this a one-off performance, or is this sustainable? No doubt the Raiders rode the emotional wave created by this week's firings of general manager Dave Ziegler, coach Josh McDaniels and offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi. The key, then, for interim coach Antonio Pierce is to harness that fire -- without letting it burn out or burn them -- going forward, especially with another national television game coming up against the Jets on Sunday night. Quality offensive playcalling, proper game management, a return of running back Josh Jacobs to his All-Pro form (he rushed for a season-high 98 yards on 26 carries with two TDs) and a stingy defense are the keys to making it sustainable.

Stock up after the win: QB Aidan O'Connell. The rookie made his regular-season home debut and was more than up to the task. He didn't have to win the game by himself; he just had to play error-free. In completing 16 of 25 passes for 209 yards without an interception, the fourth-round draft pick, who was named by Pierce as the QB going forward, was confident, comfortable and in control.

Stock down after the win: The run defense. Yeah, we're picking nits here in a game dominated by the Raiders in all three phases. But Giants running back Saquon Barkley gashing the Raiders' base nickel defense to the tune of 90 yards on 16 carries could provide a blueprint for run-heavy teams going forward, as the Giants rushed for 121 yards as a team. -- Paul Gutierrez

Next game: vs. Jets (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

Giants

How bad can this get for the Giants? The Giants are now 2-7 after getting blown out by a Raiders team with an interim coach and a rookie quarterback. New York's quarterback, Daniel Jones, also appears to be out long-term (knee injury). It's likely only going to get worse from here. What that means is this team could be headed for a really high draft pick, and a quarterback has to be in the mix, especially if Jones' injury is serious. We're going to find out a lot about coach Brian Daboll, and if he's capable of keeping this team from completely falling apart in the second half of this season.

Stock up after the loss: The offensive line. We always point out when the Giants' offensive line is a liability. With Andrew Thomas back at left tackle, Justin Pugh now at left guard and Ben Bredeson at right guard, this is the best version of the line they've had this season. No wonder Barkley averaged 5.6 yards per carry Sunday.

Stock down after the loss: CB Deonte Banks. He was having a solid rookie season ... until Sunday. The first-rounder was picked apart in the first half, allowing big plays to Raiders receivers Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker. Overall, he allowed three receptions on five targets for 83 yards as the nearest defender in the first half alone, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. -- Jordan Raanan

Next game: at Cowboys (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

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0:31

Dolphins' mishandled snap seals win for Chiefs

Tua Tagovailoa has trouble with the snap on fourth down, giving the Chiefs the win in Germany.

Indianapolis 27, Carolina 13

Colts

Was this a turning point for the Indianapolis defense? The Colts have been on a particularly disconcerting defensive streak, giving up point totals of 37, 39 and 38 in their three previous games -- all losses. The New Orleans Saints compiled a stunning 511 yards in Week 8, defeating the Colts 38-27. On Sunday, Indianapolis showed moments of dominance in their pass rush and limited the Carolina Panthers' receivers -- two areas they had grossly underperformed in recent weeks. They forced Carolina QB Bryce Young into three interceptions and harassed him throughout. But whether a commanding performance against one of the NFL's worst offenses is a sign of a turnaround remains to be seen.

Stock up after the win: CB Kenny Moore II. He had a franchise-record two pick-sixes, returning interceptions 49 and 66 yards for scores. Moore had just one such touchdown in his career before Sunday, but the 2021 Pro Bowl selection made history in Charlotte.

Stock down after the win: OT Blake Freeland. He had some rough moments against Carolina's star edge rusher Brian Burns. Freeland committed two false starts with Burns lined up across from him, undoubtedly feeling the pressure of Burns' fast get off. -- Stephen Holder

Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET in Germany)

Panthers

Did the Panthers make the right move trading to No. 1 with the Chicago Bears, up next in a Thursday night game, for QB Bryce Young? It's still too early to make that case -- understanding the dreadful first-season history of quarterbacks taken No. 1 -- but Sunday's performance by Young was a bad look for him and the organization. His two interceptions returned for touchdowns, and three overall were a huge reason for the loss, Carolina's seventh in eight games. He had only 35 yards passing at halftime and continued to dink and dunk his way to mediocrity that has defined this offense. Obviously, the protection and lack of talent around Young is a factor, but opponents now have 45 points scored off turnovers against him.

Stock up after the loss: RB Miles Sanders. He lost his starting job to Chuba Hubbard a few weeks ago, but he started a case to get it back in the second half with four solid gains in a six-play stretch to help the Panthers score a touchdown. He finished with six rushes for 39 yards and three catches for 22 yards.

Stock down after the loss: OC Thomas Brown. He got a game ball last week after calling his first game, a 15-13 victory. But in two games with Brown calling plays, Carolina has only two touchdowns. While you can't blame Brown for poor decision-making, turnovers and penalties, Sunday's effort was particularly lackadaisical against a Colts defense that had given up an average of 38 points the past three games. -- David Newton

Next game: at Bears (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Houston 39, Tampa Bay 37

Texans

Has the passing offense snapped out of its funk? The Texans' offense averaged 24 points (15th) and 368.5 yards per game through the first four weeks. In the past three games, the offense averaged 17.3 points and 279.7 yards. On Sunday against the Buccaneers, quarterback C.J. Stroud produced his best game as a pro. Stroud threw for 470 yards with five touchdowns for a 147 passer rating. If Stroud can continue this performance, the playoffs are possible.

Stock up after the win: Stroud. He is the sixth player in NFL history to record at least 450 passing yards, five passing touchdowns and zero interceptions in a game, and his 470 passing yards are the most for a rookie in a single game.

Stock down after the win: RB Devin Singletary. He had 13 carries for 26 yards, while the Texans as a whole finished with 53 yards, their second-lowest total of the season. -- DJ Bien-Aime

Next game: at Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Buccaneers

Is this the way the rest of the season goes? The Bucs' offense finally managed to put up 30 points for the first time this season, but the defense blew a 20-10 lead in the second half and then a late lead with 10 seconds left as Tampa Bay lost its fourth straight game. Even with Vita Vea back and the defense generating three sacks, the Bucs weren't affecting quarterback C.J. Stroud, defenders were getting beaten and there were too many missed tackles.

Stock up after the loss: TE Cade Otton. He hauled in a 14-yard grab over the middle with 49 seconds to go -- his second touchdown of the game -- as the Bucs took a 37-33 lead, although it would be short-lived.

Stock down after the loss: First-down defense. They tried something new with their third-down defense Sunday by inserting Dee Delaney for Ryan Neal, but four of Stroud's five touchdown passes (14-, 75-, 29- and the 15-yard game winner) came on first down against the Buccaneers. -- Jenna Laine

Next game: vs. Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Minnesota 31, Atlanta 28

Vikings

How were the Vikings even competitive today? By the end of the first quarter, the Vikings were down to their No. 4 quarterback in Joshua Dobbs. They were playing without two of their top three receivers, Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn. Running back Cam Akers left because of an ankle injury, and left tackle Christian Darrisaw was inactive because of a groin injury. To have scored 31 points and have a fourth-quarter comeback in that scenario is one of the most impressive moments in coach Kevin O'Connell's tenure. Dobbs accounted for three touchdowns and the Vikings' defense forced consecutive turnovers in the third quarter that accounted for 10 points.

Stock up after the win: QB Dobbs. He started last Sunday for the Cardinals, was traded Tuesday to the Vikings, participated in his first full practice Thursday and managed to keep the Vikings within striking distance Sunday. He is the first player in Vikings history to throw for and score a touchdown in his debut with the team. Entering the game, Dobbs was 1-9 in his career as a starter.

Stock down after the win: The running game. We've been here before, but never has the Vikings' running game been more sorely missed than Sunday. With three quarterbacks injured, Vikings running backs Alexander Mattison and Cam Akers combined for 69 yards on 23 carries. Fortunately for the Vikings, Dobbs managed 66 rushing yards on his own. -- Kevin Seifert

Next game: vs. Saints (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Falcons

Should the Falcons stick with Taylor Heinicke next week? Heinicke, the veteran quarterback who made his first Falcons start Sunday, did enough to earn a second start next week against Arizona. He ran the offense well, although there were fits and starts, and he threw a bad interception in the third quarter. But Heinicke -- who completed 21 of 38 passes (55.3%) for 268 yards with a touchdown -- provided stability and appeared to get more comfortable as the game went along.

Stock up after the loss: TE Jonnu Smith. His continued production hit another level Sunday when he took a screen pass 60 yards -- the longest play from scrimmage for Atlanta this season -- and had five catches for 100 yards, his first 100-yard day.

Stock down after the loss: CB Mike Hughes. A week ago, Hughes' decisions as a punt returner caused Atlanta massive field position issues and he lost his job. On Sunday, when forced into the game after an injury to Dee Alford, Hughes appeared to lose Brandon Powell in coverage on what ended up being Minnesota's game-winning touchdown. -- Michael Rothstein

Next game: at Cardinals (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

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0:25

Cowboys come up short on potential winning drive

Dak Prescott and the Cowboys are unable to pull off the comeback as CeeDee Lamb is tackled before the end zone on third-and-26.

Washington 20, New England 17

Commanders

Have the Commanders really found their quarterback? Washington coach Ron Rivera said they have, and Sam Howell has provided plenty of signs lately to believe him. Howell threw for 325 yards and a touchdown one week after 397 yards and four TDs against the Eagles. He made plays with his legs, both running and throwing. Howell made a bad decision on a late first-half throw that was intercepted. But his poise and playmaking ability are why the Commanders are sold on him.

Stock up after the win: The offensive line. The group functions better with center Tyler Larsen; it handled New England's blitzes and stunts, and the running backs powered their way to a combined 97 yards rushing.

Stock down after the win: The linebackers. They allowed one touchdown pass in coverage and a botched run blitz led to a big hole and Rhamondre Stevenson's 64-yard touchdown. -- John Keim

Next game: at Seahawks (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Patriots

What does a second straight loss with a positive turnover differential mean? With two takeaways and one giveaway, the Patriots cleaned up an area that has been giving them trouble. But their inability to drive the field on offense and score points showed up once again. Major special teams miscues in critical situations and defending against the big play were also issues Sunday. At 2-7 and with a game against the Colts in Germany next Sunday, the Patriots enter the second half of the season essentially playing for pride.

Stock up after the loss: RB Rhamondre Stevenson. His 64-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was a career high and the team's longest rushing TD since Damien Harris had a 64-yarder on Dec. 6, 2021, against the Bills.

Stock down after the loss: The defensive backs. Commanders QB Sam Howell threw for 325 yards and it seemed like it could have been more. The pass rush wasn't consistent, but the Commanders receivers created separation on a regular basis -- especially on big plays down the field -- and tackling by defensive backs was shaky for extended stretches. -- Mike Reiss

Next game: vs. Colts (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET in Germany)

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0:23

Josh Dobbs finds Brandon Powell for a TD with 22 seconds remaining

The Vikings take the lead with 22 seconds left as Josh Dobbs hits Brandon Powell for a touchdown.

Baltimore 37, Seattle 3

Ravens

Why are the Ravens the most dominant defense in the NFL? The Ravens lead the NFL in fewest points allowed (13.8 per game), Baltimore's best mark in that category in the first nine weeks of a season since its historic 2000 defense. Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald has Baltimore attacking from all angles. Baltimore finished with more sacks (four) than points given up, and defensive tackle Justin Madubuike now has 7.5 sacks, setting a team record with at least a half-sack in six straight games. Safety Geno Stone made his NFL-leading sixth interception.

Stock up after the win: RB Gus Edwards. In scoring two touchdowns, Edwards continues to be a touchdown machine, tying a Ravens record with six touchdowns in his last three games.

Stock down after the win: LT Ronnie Stanley. Struggling against Seahawks outside linebacker Boye Mafe, Stanley missed a block on him in the second quarter, which led to a strip-sack of Lamar Jackson (his ninth fumble of the season). -- Jamison Hensley

Next game: vs. Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Seahawks

What's wrong with Geno Smith? In what may have been his worst game since he became the Seattle Seahawks' starter last season, Smith completed fewer than 50% of his passes (13 of 28) and threw another interception, his sixth pick in the past four games, compared to four touchdowns in that span. He also lost a fumble, had another errant pass that was nearly picked and finished with only 157 passing yards. The Baltimore Ravens may have the best defense in the NFL, and Smith's O-line did him no favors, but his play of late has to be a concern. It isn't time to turn to Drew Lock, but Smith has to play better or that will soon become a move that Pete Carroll would have to strongly consider.

Stock up after the loss: LB Boye Mafe. Mafe's strip-sack was one of the few bright moments for a Seahawks defense that couldn't stop any facet of Baltimore's offense. He now has at least a full sack in six straight games, tying Michael Sinclair's franchise record. Mafe also recovered the fumble, but Smith and Seattle's offense couldn't do anything with it.

Stock down after the loss: The O-line. It has fared remarkably well this season under tough circumstances, with several injuries forcing different combinations of starters nearly every week. But it got manhandled by Baltimore, which sacked Smith four times -- three coming via standard four-man rushes -- and pressured him into several hurried throws. Charles Cross and Jason Peters were flagged for false starts, while Evan Brown was penalized for a hold. -- Brady Henderson

Next game: vs. Commanders (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

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0:21

Sam Howell converts ridiculous third-and-23 with legs

Sam Howell runs through the Patriots' defense for 23 yards and a first down.

Green Bay 20, L.A. Rams 3

Packers

Did the Packers show enough on offense to turn this into a winning streak? It might be a reach, but there are a few reasons to be optimistic: They finally got Christian Watson the ball on a deep route with a 37-yard catch in the fourth quarter (although he got banged up on the play) after Jordan Love badly underthrew him, and Love was a little better on deeper throws (6-of-8 on passes with 10-plus air yards after entering the game with a league-worst 36% rate on such throws). Then, rookie tight end Luke Musgrave, who was supposed to be a big part of this offense, caught his first NFL touchdown. Oh, they also rushed for a whopping 184 yards. It was enough to end a four-game losing streak, but let's not talk about a winning streak yet with the Steelers, Chargers, Lions and Chiefs coming in their next four games. None of them have Brett Rypien playing quarterback.

Stock up after the win: WR Dontayvion Wicks. The Packers need more playmakers, and perhaps the rookie (four catches for 49 yards) has some potential as long as he doesn't have another fumble like he did in the third quarter, when the ball popped free while he was trying to reach out for extra yards.

Stock down after the win: G Jon Runyan. He was flagged twice for offsides on fourth-and-1 plays in the first half (although one was incorrectly called on Yosh Nijman), for lining up with his head past the football on what would've been successful conversions. -- Rob Demovsky

Next game: at Steelers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Rams

Will be the Rams be competitive if quarterback Matthew Stafford misses more time? It has been only two games (and one start) but it hasn't been pretty for backup quarterback Brett Rypien. In Sunday's loss to the Packers, he completed 13 of 28 passes for 130 yards and an interception. Rypien went three straight drives without a completion in the first half, and the Rams' offense was held under 100 yards in each half (91 in the first, 96 in the second). According to ESPN Stats & Information, it was the 11th and 12th times the Rams have been held under 100 yards in a half since 2022, the second most in the NFL in that span. The good news for the Rams? They have a bye in Week 10 before they host the Seahawks in Week 11, giving Stafford more time to recover from a UCL sprain in his right thumb.

Stock up after the loss: OLB Byron Young. The rookie third-round pick had two sacks Sunday, the first multisack game of his young career.

Stock down after the loss: The offense. Rams coach Sean McVay has been preaching complementary football for weeks, but it wasn't executed Sunday. The Rams opened the second half with two takeaways and did not score a point off either turnover. -- Sarah Barshop

Next game: vs. Seahawks (Sunday, Nov. 19, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Cleveland 27, Arizona 0

Browns

With Deshaun Watson back, can Cleveland make a run? After essentially missing the past four games with a rotator cuff strain in his throwing shoulder, Watson finally returned. The passing game mostly sputtered, but Watson saved his best throw for the final quarter: a 49-yard strike to Amari Cooper in stride. Watson's return comes in time for a critical two-game stretch against AFC North foes Baltimore and Pittsburgh. If the Browns can somehow sweep both, they could take command of the division. Watson had plenty of rust to shake off, but he gives the Browns the upside to make such a run.

Stock up after the win: The defense. After giving up the game-winning touchdown to Seattle last week, the Browns responded with an overpowering outing, pitching their first shutout since 2007.

Stock down after the win: Offensive tackle. The Browns lost left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. to what appears to be a serious right knee injury. -- Jake Trotter

Next game: at Ravens (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Cardinals

When is Kyler Murray coming back? The Cardinals' quarterback position is in a state of uncertainty. Rookie Clayton Tune struggled, but he isn't to blame. He made his first NFL start in Cleveland and was shut out. With Murray's window to be activated to the 53-man roster closing Wednesday, it looks like next week could be the week he's back. There's always the possibility that Murray is activated but doesn't play for another week or two, but with three straight winnable games that happen to all be indoors, the stars could be aligning.

Stock up after the loss: The defensive front seven. This unit, especially the defensive line, did everything it could to keep the Cardinals in the game, holding the Browns to 113 yards rushing, far below their 148.6-yard average coming into Week 9.

Stock down after the loss: The offensive line. It struggled to open holes for the run game, with eight of the Cardinals' ball carriers getting hit at or behind the line of scrimmage. Tune was also sacked seven times. -- Josh Weinfuss

Next game: vs. Falcons (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

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0:27

OBJ scores 1st Ravens TD on his birthday

Odell Beckham Jr. dances in the fourth quarter after scoring his first touchdown as a Raven.

New Orleans 24, Chicago 17

Saints

Can the Saints' defense keep up this turnover streak? The defense has forced a turnover in every game this season, and it was especially needed against the Bears with both the run defense and offense struggling. Cornerback Paulson Adebo had two interceptions, a forced fumble and recovery, safety Marcus Maye had a pick and linebacker Demario Davis had a fourth-quarter sack/fumble.

Stock up after the win: CB Adebo. He was the star of the show against the Bears with first- and fourth-quarter interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. And the Saints needed every one of his impact plays.

Stock down after the win: The run defense. The Saints allowed 156 net rushing yards against the Bears (after giving up 164 to the Colts) and struggled to contain quarterback Tyson Bagent, who scrambled at will. -- Katherine Terrell

Next game: at Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Bears

Can the Bears win with Tyson Bagent at QB? Starting quarterback Justin Fields began throwing at practice 19 days after dislocating his right thumb, and the Bears say there's a possibility he can play against the Carolina Panthers for their Thursday night game in Week 10, but with the short turnaround, Bagent may start again. The rookie QB had good moments (two touchdown throws to TE Cole Kmet, along with 70 yards rushing) and some really bad ones (two of his three interceptions were the result of throwing behind his intended receivers), and he's now 1-2 as a starter.

Stock up after the loss: OC Luke Getsy. Getsy's game plan kept his rookie quarterback on schedule and looking efficient, and it gave the Bears a chance -- despite Bagent's four turnovers -- with a healthy balance of run and pass calls. The Bears' 156 rushing yards marked the second most the Saints gave up this season.

Stock down after the loss: CB Tyrique Stevenson. The first nine games of the season have been boom-or-bust for the rookie, who appeared to be benched late in the third quarter. Stevenson was the nearest defender on four receptions, including a touchdown, against the Saints and entered Week 9 having allowed 42 receptions on 62 targets (69%), six touchdowns and zero interceptions. -- Courtney Cronin

Next game: vs. Panthers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Kansas City 21, Miami 14

Chiefs

What does the Chiefs' victory over the Dolphins mean in the big picture? The Chiefs are 7-2, which guarantees they will be no worse than tied at the end of the day for the best record in the AFC. They also have wins over two of the other top contenders in the Jaguars and Dolphins. Tough games remain, including matchups against the Eagles, Bills and Bengals, so they still don't have much wiggle room.

Stock up after the win: CB Trent McDuffie. His strip vs. Tyreek Hill late in the first half resulted in what was eventually the winning TD when Bryan Cook ran the fumble back for a touchdown.

Stock down after the win: DT Chris Jones. His roughing penalty after the Chiefs appeared to have stopped Miami on a key third down led to a Dolphins TD. He also didn't have a pressure, though he was double-teamed frequently. -- Adam Teicher

Next game: vs. Eagles (Monday, Nov. 20, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Dolphins

How much stock should go into the Dolphins' performance against teams with winning records? In their third game against a team with a winning record this season, the Dolphins suffered their third loss. Their offense looked jet-lagged (despite being in Germany since Tuesday) and took far too long to get going. It might've been Miami's best defensive performance of the season, which was critical as it attempted to mount a 21-point comeback. The end result proved the Dolphins can compete against good teams; losing to the Bills, Eagles and Chiefs is far from embarrassing. Miami still has games ahead against the Bills, Ravens and Cowboys to turn the narrative around.

Stock up after the loss: The Dolphins' front seven pressured Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes 11 times and had a strip-sack, forcing a turnover for the third straight game.

Stock down after the loss: The offensive line. This is mostly from a health standpoint; already playing without starting right guard Rob Hunt, fill-in Robert Jones went down with a knee injury late in the fourth quarter and was carted to the locker room. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

Next game: vs. Raiders (Sunday, Nov. 19, 1 p.m. ET)

play

0:22

Browns sack Clayton Tune for seventh time

The Browns' defense comes up big again as it sacks Clayton Tune for the seventh time.

Thursday

Pittsburgh 20, Tennessee 16

Steelers

Is winning this way sustainable? The Steelers have gotten comfortable playing in uncomfortable moments. For the fourth time this season, the Steelers eked out a win despite trailing after three quarters, this time thanks to a game-saving interception by inside linebacker Kwon Alexander. The offense was also outgained 340-326, making them the only team in the NFL that still hasn't outgained an opponent this season. And according to the Elias Sports Bureau and ESPN Stats & Info, the Steelers are the 34th team in NFL history to be outgained in their first eight games, and they're the only one out of that group to have a winning record in that stretch. Of those 33 other teams, only one ended the season with a winning record: the 2022 Steelers. This time around, the Steelers are 5-3 and second in the AFC North with wins against the Browns and the Ravens. They're not winning pretty -- or easily -- but they are winning.

Stock up after the win: Wide receiver Diontae Johnson. After 22 regular-season games, Johnson finally found the end zone again, and he picked a great time to make his return with the fourth-quarter go-ahead touchdown. Days after several drops and slips in the Steelers' loss to Jacksonville, Johnson finished with seven catches, 90 yards and the score.

Stock down after the win: Wide receiver George Pickens. Not only did the Steelers receiver not get his second foot down on what would've been the go-ahead touchdown, but he also finished with just two catches for minus-1 yards on five targets. -- Brooke Pryor

Next game: vs. Packers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Titans

How can the Titans' offensive line continue to hold up despite injuries? Center Aaron Brewer was the only Titans offensive lineman to play all 68 snaps. The lineup was shuffled due to injuries to Nicholas Petit-Frere, Daniel Brunskill, Andre Dillard and Peter Skoronski; right tackle Chris Hubbard was already out this week due to a concussion. Rookie tackle Jaelyn Duncan got his first NFL snaps and center Corey Levin had to play left guard. The extended time off after a Thursday game will be much needed.

Stock up after the loss: Defensive back Kristian Fulton. His play has quietly been solid over the past three games, with five tackles (one for a loss), one pass defended and sticky coverage throughout.

Stock down after the loss: Andre Dillard. He got a second chance to start at left tackle and allowed two sacks along with multiple quarterback hits. -- Turron Davenport

Next game: at Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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'We have to finish our breakfast': Why OKC is playing the long game

Published in Basketball

Monday, 06 November 2023 04:50

SAM PRESTI WAS in no hurry.

Presti, the Oklahoma City Thunder's executive vice president and general manager since the franchise's final season in Seattle, settled into his chair at the front of the Paycom Center interview room the morning of Sept. 27, the week before training camp.

He was dressed for comfort, wearing a plain, dark blue T-shirt, knowing that he'd be in that chair for quite some time. Presti's semiannual news conferences -- occurring immediately before and after each season -- have become known for their marathon length. This occasion certainly followed suit.

Talking points were scribbled on a notecard placed on the table in front of him, but Presti rarely glanced down during his 34-minute opening monologue or throughout the 77-minute Q-and-A session that followed. Presti offered franchise history lessons, pontificated on his basketball and team-building philosophies and incorporated offbeat examples ranging from "Spinal Tap" to a jazz piano concert in Cologne, Germany, to illustrate his points.

The throughline was Presti, the architect of a massive rebuilding job he refuses to expedite, preaching patience.

The "pivot," in Presti's parlance, started with the Paul George trade in the summer of 2019. Presti was able to capitalize on Kawhi Leonard's decision to sign with the LA Clippers in free agency, which hinged on the acquisition of George, his chosen co-star. George's exit delivered first-team All-NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and first-team All-Rookie forward Jalen Williams to OKC, with more first-round picks and swaps on the way.

It continued weeks later with the Russell Westbrook deal -- for which the Houston Rockets owe OKC top-four-protected picks in the 2024 and 2026 drafts -- and remains an ongoing process. It has provided the Thunder a historic stockpile of draft capital and has already paid dividends, producing arguably the NBA's best young core.

Led by Gilgeous-Alexander, the eldest statesman in Oklahoma City's starting lineup at 25 years old, the Thunder made a 16-win leap last season, finishing 40-42 to qualify for the play-in tournament despite No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren taking a rookie redshirt year due to a Lisfranc injury to his right foot.

But Bricktown is buzzing again. The 7-foot-1 Holmgren is healthy now, instantly addressing the Thunder's glaring needs for rim protection and perimeter shooting. The optimism about the Thunder isn't limited to Oklahoma City; some rival scouts and executives believe the Thunder can be a top-four seed in the Western Conference this season and are on a path to title contention in the not-too-distant future.

Presti tempered immediate expectations. He repeatedly stressed the statistical improbability of the Thunder's drastic improvement last season, stating that Oklahoma City hit the "7% high-end bandwidth" of possibilities with its jump up the standings. He emphasized regression is a normal, healthy part of a young team's evolution. He fretted about how the young Thunder will handle the "silent force" of social media -- "now the fifth major sport in North America," Presti bemoaned -- as hype hums around this team.

"I'd rather not be in the business of predictions," Presti said, "but I think with where we are, it's mostly about observations. And we're good with that. ...

"I'm not trying to dismiss everyone's excitement, but we're not a .500 team. We have to finish our breakfast before we start acting like we're on the cusp of something."

IT WAS SUGGESTED to Presti that the Thunder, armed with such a deep stockpile of draft picks to dangle, will be in the conversation every time a superstar becomes available in the trade market.

"We will be in the conversation," Presti interrupted, "or people will put us in the conversation?"

The Thunder aren't by any means desperate to add a big name to the roster. Quite the opposite, actually. "To do that would be almost performative. I don't think you can make a rational case for it now," Presti said.

Oklahoma City was involved in the most recent blockbuster deal, but only on the periphery. The Thunder helped facilitate the James Harden trade, agreeing to send the least favorable of their three 2026 first-round picks to Philadelphia in exchange for 2027 swap rights with the Clippers. In essence, the Thunder gave up a bit of quantity for yet another potential swing at lottery quality.

Oklahoma City's pick count over the next seven drafts: 14 first-rounders, 22 second-rounders and enough picks swaps to make your head spin.

"When you simulate the GM mode in [NBA]2K, I tend to take the Sam Presti route and stack up picks," Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant, the face of the franchise during Oklahoma City's previous stretch as a contender, said last month. "You got so many assets in this league, you can do so much with a team."

The Thunder have the luxury of such extreme patience in part because their superstar buys into the big picture. Gilgeous-Alexander signed a five-year maximum contract extension in the summer of 2021 when Oklahoma City was coming off a 22-50 season, a deal that notably does not include a player option. He doesn't spend any time worrying about the Thunder's timeline, trusting Presti to figure out the best path toward "sustained high performance over a long period of time," as the GM put it.

"I just control what I can control," Gilgeous-Alexander said after the Thunder's home opener. "I work hard. I try to be the best me every night. The group of guys around me try to do the same thing, so it makes it easier to play.

"But I honestly don't even focus on that."

The most aggressive transaction Presti made this offseason was moving up two spots from No. 12 in the draft to select Kentucky guard Cason Wallace with the No. 10 overall pick. The Thunder paid a premium to prevent a team from leapfrogging them, allowing the Dallas Mavericks to dump Davis Bertans' $17 million salary on OKC. Acquiring Bertans, who has $5 million guaranteed of his $16 million salary in 2024-25, assured that the Thunder wouldn't be high-end shoppers in free agency. But that was never the plan.

Presti, who used the bulk of the Thunder's remaining cap space this season to add a total of five future second-round picks in a series of salary-dump acquisitions of players who didn't make the regular-season roster, considered future luxury tax bills and restrictions for expensive rosters in the new collective bargaining agreement as he proceeded with caution. Maintaining a "functional payroll over time if our players turn out to be as good as some people are projecting" is on his mind.

So is giving the young core room to grow, as well as providing the coaching staff and front office opportunities to determine how well the group fits together or where gaps exist. "Discovery" is a priority this season that Presti shares with coach Mark Daigneault, the 38-year-old former coach of Oklahoma City's G League team who replaced Billy Donovan as the Thunder committed to a roster teardown.

"It's not looking for anything," Daigneault told ESPN of the discovery process. "It's more staying open to everything and understanding that even [with] your own team, as well as you know them, you can have your best guess at what that's going to look like, and it'll still surprise you. Players will still surprise you, especially young players when you give them opportunities.

"How it actually fits together, we have to unpack and peel back."

The Thunder are certain that they have a superstar in Gilgeous-Alexander, who earned that status in part by averaging an efficient 31.4 points per game last season. They are intrigued by the possibility that some of their recent lottery picks -- specifically Holmgren, Williams and 21-year-old, 6-foot-8 playmaker Josh Giddey, the No. 6 overall pick in 2021 -- will ascend to that level.

"We have a great group of young dudes, extremely talented, and we have a lot of room to grow, even with how talented we are," Holmgren told ESPN in July during Team USA camp in Las Vegas, where he joined Williams on the select team that featured some of the league's most promising young players.

"I don't want to obviously give us any limitations on what we can and can't do," Williams told ESPN, "but I think everybody's just kind of excited."

Daigneault has settled on a consistent starting five -- 24-year-old defensive stopper Lu Dort joining Gilgeous-Alexander, Giddey, Holmgren and Williams -- but is known to tinker with lineups and schemes.

For example, Daigneault intends to give second-year big man Jaylin Williams significant minutes alongside Holmgren. The Thunder want to put the prized 7-footer in situations as a weakside defender in addition to his primary role as a more traditional defensive anchor. Holmgren, who possesses shooting and ballhandling skills that are rare for his height, will also be given freedom to spread his wings offensively while always playing alongside at least two, if not three, playmakers.

"The development goals are because we want to win," Daigneault said. "I think sometimes it gets presented as a binary thing, like you have to choose between the two. ...

"The reason we're so hell-bent on developing the roster is because we want to have a lot of success for a long time. We're not quiet about that, but we're willing to be measured in that process and we're willing to be patient in that process if it's going to yield a longer runway or a higher ceiling."

NOT THAT ANY regular-season result is worthy of too strong a reaction, much less one in October, but Oklahoma City's home opener -- a 128-95 loss to the defending champion Denver Nuggets -- could be perceived as a symbolic indication of just how far the Thunder must still travel.

Nikola Jokic's Nuggets, who first qualified for the playoffs in the two-time MVP's fourth season and broke through with a title run in his eighth, also serve as an excellent example of the potential benefit of taking a patient, measured approach with a talented core and coach.

"There is a lot of players who were coming and going, but they believe in us," Jokic said postgame, referring to the Denver front office's faith in the foundational duo of guard Jamal Murray and himself.

"Success cannot come overnight in one [or] two seasons. Maybe some people don't think that way. I think that way. You need to have a little bit of struggle and you still need to keep believing in the guys, and they need to figure it out."

Jokic, who praised Holmgren as a "unique talent" and half-jokingly advised him to "eat bad" to add some bulk to his slender frame, sees the Thunder's potential to mature into a legitimate contender. It's possible that the Thunder, like the Nuggets, won't need to make splashy deals for stars to get there.

The two critical trades Denver made -- deals to acquire power forward Aaron Gordon in 2021 and shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in 2022 -- were for high-level complementary players who fit phenomenally with the Nuggets' core of Jokic, Murray and Michael Porter Jr.

"These guys are coming," four-time champion Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after a razor-thin 141-139 win in Oklahoma City on Friday, when Gilgeous-Alexander was sidelined by a sprained knee. "Everyone can feel it. You could feel it last year, and now they have Chet back healthy and obviously playing at a high level. He's really added a different dimension. So OKC's coming."

But there remains no rush for Oklahoma City, with assets that make countless options possible, to figure out moves to help get the Thunder to the summit.

"For us, we can't be emotional or impulsive, because if we do that, all the progress that we've made and all the investment that we've made will get multiplied by zero," Presti said. "If you become impatient, irrational or give into those defaults, you can end up either stuck on the mountain or at the very bottom of the mountain again."

ESPN's Tim Bontemps contributed to this story.

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Bellinger to Yankees? Ohtani to Dodgers? Best fits for the top 7 free agents

Published in Baseball

Monday, 06 November 2023 04:40

The day after the Texas Rangers won their first World Series title in franchise history, 130 players became free agents as baseball's offseason season began.

While this year's free-agent class doesn't have as many big names as last year's -- when players such as Aaron Judge, Jacob deGrom, Justin Verlander, Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson were on the market -- one of the best, and most coveted, players in the game, Shohei Ohtani, headlines this year's group.

Who are the other free agents to watch as the hot stove season begins? We asked ESPN MLB experts Bradford Doolittle, Buster Olney, Jeff Passan and David Schoenfield to give their best fits -- or the pairings they would most want to see -- for the biggest free agents this season.

Shohei Ohtani, SP/DH (29 years old)

Doolittle: Los Angeles Dodgers. All along I've thought he's going to sign with the Dodgers, and I suspect that is the strongest possibility. The Dodgers went a little light on maximizing their roster last year in order to stay flexible enough for this pursuit. So I'm going to go with them, though I could see the San Francisco Giants or Seattle Mariners, or even the Rangers, leaping into this race. But I just think the Dodgers are the perfect fit for Ohtani, with their history of working with starting pitchers, the availability that they have at the designated hitter slot and the fact they always win -- not to mention the continued visibility for Ohtani in the L.A. market. In terms of money, there isn't an offer that the Dodgers can't match.

Olney: Dodgers. A friend of Ohtani said he believes Ohtani already knows where he wants to sign. He'll go through the process -- standing back as his agent negotiates and works to goose the final numbers -- but in the end, Ohtani will drive this thing. So maybe the bidding doesn't matter that much, so long as the team he wants to play for steps up with a decent offer. And my guess is that'll be the Dodgers. One person in the Dodgers' organization said president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is "obsessed" with Ohtani and that Friedman will put L.A. in position to land him. Ohtani would make the most sense, at this moment, for the Rangers -- they have a blank checkbook and the time to let him heal as a pitcher -- but I think Ohtani picks Southern California, again.

Passan: Dodgers. If there is a chalk pick to make, this is it, though I offer it with a low degree of confidence because there are plenty of viable suitors for Ohtani. The New York Mets have the owner most willing to spend money. The Giants have the greatest need for a franchise player. The Boston Red Sox are looking to overhaul their roster, and adding the best player in baseball certainly would do that. The Rangers would love to add to their championship squad. The Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs have the money and the need. Even though Ohtani won't pitch in 2024 because of elbow surgery, the sheer number of options will make him the first $500 million player in North American professional sports history.

Schoenfield: Rangers. Look, we don't know yet if Ray Davis is the type of owner to push the pedal to the metal and go even higher on his payroll, but I just wanted to type out this potential lineup:

2B Marcus Semien
SS Corey Seager
DH Shohei Ohtani
RF Adolis Garcia
CF Evan Carter
3B Josh Jung
1B Nathaniel Lowe
C Jonah Heim
LF Wyatt Langford

That could be the first 1,000-run lineup since Cleveland in 1999. The Rangers would soar past the luxury tax in 2024, but Martin Perez ($19.65 million), Brad Miller ($4 million), Mitch Garver ($3.9 million), Ian Kennedy ($2.25 million), Robbie Grossman ($2 million) and Jake Odorizzi ($2 million) are off the books. That's almost $34 million. Max Scherzer (they're responsible for $23 million of his salary), Nathan Eovaldi ($17 million) and Andrew Heaney ($13 million) are free agents after 2024 (Eovaldi has a vesting option), so the Rangers will be looking for rotation options anyway for 2025, when Ohtani would pitch again. But that lineup would be absolutely spectacular.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, SP (25)

Doolittle: Red Sox. Yamamoto is picking a perfect time to come over. Everyone got to see him in the World Baseball Classic, and that was impressive enough, but then he put up a 1.16 ERA over 171 innings in Japan this season while allowing just two home runs. He played in a league with a much lower homer rate than MLB, but that's still sick. On top of all that, there are a lot of teams in need of a top-of-the-rotation starter. One of those teams is the Red Sox, whose new GM, Craig Breslow, is a former MLB hurler and whose rookie left fielder last season was Masataka Yoshida. As recently as 2022, Yoshida was the top hitter on the Orix Buffaloes. The top pitcher on that team? Yamamoto, of course.

Olney: New York Yankees. You might have heard that they had a down year in 2023, and if you look back at GM Brian Cashman's history, whenever he gets into trouble, he has the same reflex -- he grabs for pitching, perhaps believing it provides the best and quickest jolt. After a rough 2008, he coaxed Hal Steinbrenner into paying record-setting money for CC Sabathia, and then he did the same after the Red Sox won in 2018, landing Gerrit Cole. And my bet is that with the back end of the rotation thinned out, New York will make a move on Yamamoto.

Passan: Yankees. While it's true the Yankees have a full rotation already, with Cole, Carlos Rodon, Nestor Cortes, Michael King and Clark Schmidt, the prospect of adding Yamamoto is too tempting to pass up. It's not just that they've had great success with Japanese pitchers -- such as Hiroki Kuroda and Masahiro Tanaka, the latter of whom is perhaps the most comparable to Yamamoto in age and success when he came to MLB -- but the Yankees need to get younger, and they would be getting a prime-aged player without having to trade away any talent. Building around starting pitching is not the sort of strategy most modern teams embrace, but with a weak class of bats, it's the best option for the Yankees.

Schoenfield: Mets. New president of baseball operations David Stearns played it down the middle in his introductory news conference, saying the goal is to make the team as competitive as possible in 2024 "while understanding that the long-term goal and the way to win a World Series is to have a truly sustainable competitiveness." Yamamoto fits both criteria: He can help immediately -- and the Mets need starters after trading Verlander and Max Scherzer -- and he's young enough to anchor the rotation for years to come. The Mets had great success with Kodai Senga in 2023, and Yamamoto is even better.

Cody Bellinger, OF (28)

Doolittle: Yankees. They are the perfect fit, both for Bellinger's swing and in terms of positional need. Bellinger is a lefty-swinging pull hitter, too aggressive to be called a pure take-and-rake guy, but the Yankees need some of that. He very much fits their mold, except that he also happens to be an exceptional athlete. You start an outfield with Bellinger and Judge, you're most of the way there to an elite, two-way outfield (one eventually bolstered by the return of Jasson Dominguez, though perhaps not next season). Someday, when needed, Bellinger can shift back full time to first base and remain the right two-way player in the right ballpark. And on top of everything, Bellinger's father, Clay, played for the Yankees during the Joe Torre era. Nothing but fit in this pairing.

Olney: Giants. He makes a ton of sense for the Yankees, for sure, as a left-handed hitter who has played and thrived in big markets, in L.A. and Chicago. They wouldn't have to worry about whether he could handle the pressure of New York, and whether he'll turn into another version of Joey Gallo. But he has had such a long history of peaks and valleys, and if the Yankees choose to dole out one big contract, my guess is it'll go to a pitcher -- their investment in a left-handed hitter will be more short term. The Giants want a star and are prepared to go above and beyond to make that happen, and they could sell Bellinger to their fans as a headliner, a former MVP taken away from their division rival. Bellinger goes for the biggest dollar here and in the end, that could be the team that has had trouble getting stars to take its money.

Passan: Giants. Farhan Zaidi, San Francisco's president of baseball operations, has a history with Bellinger: He was the Dodgers' general manager when Bellinger debuted and won Rookie of the Year. But this is less about shared experience than pure need. One look at the Giants' offensive production last year and it's clear they could use as much help as possible. After two brutal seasons, Bellinger spent this past season with the Cubs looking like his 2019 MVP self. Most telling: His strikeout rate dropped from 27.6% to a career-low 15.6%. In addition to his home runs, stolen bases and solid defense in center field and first base, Bellinger is the sort of all-around player around whom the Giants can build if they don't win the Ohtani sweepstakes.

Schoenfield: Seattle Mariners. This is a long shot given their reluctance to sign free agents under president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto, but they have to be looking at the Rangers and thinking, "We have to spend some money if we want to compete with them" (and the Houston Astros). The Mariners need a left-handed, middle-of-the-order bat and, after ranking second in the majors in strikeouts, perhaps one that puts the ball in play. Bellinger did that in 2023, striking out just 15.7% of the time. He could replace Teoscar Hernandez in right, giving the Mariners a stellar defensive outfield, or play first base, allowing Ty France to slide into a DH role the Mariners have had trouble filling in recent years. Obviously, he comes with a large degree of risk given what he hit in 2021 and 2022, but some mechanical tweaks certainly helped, and that contact rate is a good sign for future productivity.

Aaron Nola, SP (30)

Doolittle: Philadelphia Phillies. Nola didn't have the best platform season, though he did perform well enough in the playoffs. His track record remains top of the charts in terms of durability and volume, qualities that should attract plenty of attention in the market. His numbers were worse in 2021 than they were in 2023 but, in between, he enjoyed a 2022 season that was pretty close to Cy Young-caliber. So he has some variance in results even as the metrics on his pitches remain steady, meaning I think you pay him to be more a 2-3 pitcher than a 1-2, staff-saver type. And it's hard to see a team where he fits better than the one with which he has been since being drafted seventh overall by the Phillies in 2014. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has said retaining Nola is a priority, and that's a big reason I think he eventually stays put after a little spin around the free agent market.

Olney: Phillies. Owner John Middleton has demonstrated he'll go above and beyond for the Phillies family, and Nola is family. Knowing that Zack Wheeler will be a free agent after next season will also nudge the Phillies' offer to Nola, and I don't think he's worth more to any team than he is to the team that drafted him. I don't think the offers in free agency will be as robust as maybe some expect, and in the end, the Phillies will pay him well to stay home.

Passan: Atlanta Braves. Atlanta will prioritize starting pitching in free agency -- as it should, with Kyle Wright out for 2024 following shoulder surgery and Charlie Morton's team option declined. Adding Nola to a rotation with Spencer Strider and Max Fried would make for a 1-2-3 punch worthy of the Braves' lineup. Nola certainly fits what the Braves prioritize in starting pitchers: low walks, high strikeouts, lots of innings. And while his 2023 left plenty to be desired, his expected numbers weren't nearly as rough as his 4.46 ERA. Nola has never been a stuff guy, so in order for him to age gracefully, he'll have to rely on control and command. And going from a catcher with some of the worst framing numbers in baseball in J.T. Realmuto to a team with two elite framers in Sean Murphy and Travis d'Arnaud will only behoove him.

Schoenfield: Cubs. We know that when players reach free agency, the vast majority of them end up signing with a new team. It's hard to imagine the Phillies not finding a way to re-sign Nola, but maybe they believe they have enough rotation depth with the emergence of Cristopher Sanchez -- and they might be looking to pour big money into re-signing Zack Wheeler after 2024. The Cubs, meanwhile, are ready to make a big push for a division title after just missing a wild-card spot. Their rotation was 14th in the majors in ERA, and Marcus Stroman exercised his opt-out clause, so they have to replace him. Nola's track record of health, durability and results makes him a pretty safe bet, even if he didn't have his best season in 2023. That was mostly due to a spike in home run rate, and his strikeout-to-walk rate remains exceptional.

Matt Chapman, 3B (30)

Doolittle: Milwaukee Brewers. Chapman is a fit for a lot of teams -- the Cubs, Mariners, Blue Jays, perhaps Yankees. Because of that and a relative scarcity of top position players in this year's free-agent class, he should make out well. Milwaukee is an upset pick, but I love the fit. Chapman would give the Brewers someone capable of hitting in the middle of the order while actually improving an already-airtight defense. The Brewers are rich in young position players, but Chapman wouldn't really be blocking anyone in the system. I could see him playing across from Christian Yelich at some point if Yeli is moved to first base to make space for the Brewers' surfeit of outfielders. As for the money, obviously there is a price point to which the Brewers aren't likely to go. But a few years ago, they were ready to make a dual splash when they acquired (and paid) Yelich and Lorenzo Cain at the same time. This is a team trying to get over the hump, and landing Chapman is a good way to move in that direction.

Olney: Cubs. There is a ton of concern in the industry about Chapman's slide after a hot start and his struggles against fastballs, so it'll be interesting to see if he gets any big, big offers. Rival executives predicted Kris Bryant would get under $100 million, and he wound up getting more than double that number from the Colorado Rockies, making you wonder if there's some team that'll bet really big that Chapman's offense comes back. His defense provides a strong baseline of performance, and if you added him to an infield with Swanson and Nico Hoerner, that would make free agent pitchers dream of taking the mound for the Cubs. I'm guessing Chicago.

Passan: Mets. Third base has been a bugaboo for New York since David Wright's retirement, and with Brett Baty perhaps not the solution and no third basemen in the Mets' system near big league-ready, Chapman solves an immediate and clear problem. Further, Stearns long prioritized infield defense in his previous job with Milwaukee, and for all of the warranted concerns about Chapman's bat, his glove remains tip-top. The Mets have plenty of holes to fill, yes, and they're not likely to go on a spending spree like they did last offseason. Chapman would provide a solid addition to a team that's far closer to being good than its record last season indicated.

Schoenfield: Arizona Diamondbacks. I'd be wary of Chapman given his second-half slide (.663 OPS), concerns about declining bat speed (he had only one extra-base hit to the pull side against pitches 95 mph or faster) and defensive metrics that, while still above average, aren't as elite as a few years ago. The one contending team with an obvious hole at third base is the Diamondbacks. They ranked 27th in the majors in OPS at third base and got little from Evan Longoria or backup Emmanuel Rivera in their postseason run (.200/.237/.255). They could slide top prospect Jordan Lawlar over there, but I don't know why you would move him off shortstop (a trade of Geraldo Perdomo seems more likely if Lawlar is ready). Chapman fills a need and has averaged 3.8 WAR the past three seasons.

Blake Snell, SP (30)

Doolittle: St. Louis Cardinals. I'm fascinated by the comparison of free agents Snell and Jordan Montgomery, two lefties who are almost the same age (Monty is 23 days younger) and go about things very differently. The Cardinals have said that landing veteran starting pitching is an offseason priority. While going after Montgomery, with whom they are so familiar, makes sense, Snell might be the better pursuit because he's a pure power pitcher with the kind of strikeout rate the St. Louis staff desperately needs. Snell, coming off a likely Cy Young Award win, will have a robust market, and perhaps the Cardinals are something of an upset pick here. But I'm going with it.

Olney: Yeah, I agree with Brad: Cardinals. St. Louis is desperate for help and seems to be more likely to overpay and overlook possible concerns, like Snell's walk rate. Other teams will be scared away by some of the peripheral numbers, but the Cardinals aren't really in position to turn their noses up at a left-hander who has won one Cy Young Award and will soon win another -- not when there are so many empty slots in their rotation.

Passan: Phillies. If Nola leaves, the Phillies are unlikely to go into next season without addressing their rotation. And while they could do so via the trade market -- Tyler Glasnow would be a pretty great fit, as would Shane Bieber -- getting someone like Snell, whose strikeout and weak-contact rates align well with the Phillies' below-average defense, fits quite well. Add in the fact that the Phillies boast a deep bullpen, and it allays fears that Snell not going deep into games is problematic. Philadelphia isn't scared of high-walk pitchers -- especially if they have the stuff and the ability to limit damage like Snell does, with the second-highest strikeout rate and fourth-lowest homer rate among starters in 2023.

Schoenfield: Dodgers. They have seen plenty of Snell in recent years, and he has a 2.59 ERA against them in 13 regular-season starts -- and that doesn't include his infamous World Series start in 2020. With the news that Clayton Kershaw will undergo shoulder surgery and be sidelined until next summer (he's a free agent but said he wants to keep pitching), the Dodgers' rotation is in even more disarray than it was in the postseason. They need starters. Snell's year-to-year inconsistency and durability can be frustrating, but the upside -- one Cy Young Award with a second on the way -- is so high that the Dodgers should be willing to take the gamble. Sure, Ohtani would be the dream, but you can make the case that with Ohtani's pitching future uncertain, maybe they should spread their money out to a couple of starting pitchers this offseason.

Jordan Montgomery, SP (30)

Doolittle: Rangers. Montgomery fit so well with Texas, and developed such a quick and close relationship with catcher Jonah Heim, it's really hard to envision him wanting to leave the world champions. But of course, free agents do leave good spots all the time because it usually comes down to the best offer. The Rangers are willing to spend but the thing is, by next October they could have a rotation that has Scherzer, deGrom and Nate Eovaldi. That could push someone even as good as Montgomery, who pitched so well in this year's postseason, into the fourth role. Also, even with the Mets picking up a sizable chunk of Scherzer's tab, Texas is already committed to a lot of money in its rotation. But keeping Monty is too good to pass up. Let's say the Rangers get back to October. They could have Scherzer, deGrom and Eovaldi lined up, with Monty and Jon Gray in hybrid roles behind them and -- just maybe -- Josh Hader waiting at the back of the bullpen. Get used to those parades, Arlington.

Olney: Rangers. For many years, the owner who was most willing to spend from his personal fortune -- rather than within the revenue constraints of the team -- was the Detroit Tigers' Mike Ilitch, and then in recent years, that has been the San Diego Padres' Peter Seidler and the Mets' Steve Cohen. Quietly, the Rangers' Ray Davis has joined that group. At 81 years old, he has decided he wants to win baseball championships, and he's doing everything he can to make that happen. Like signing Marcus Semien and Corey Seager for a half-billion dollars. Like outbidding the rest of the industry for deGrom by about 80%. Like giving up a top prospect to deal for a future Hall of Famer in Scherzer at the deadline. Montgomery thrived with Texas after joining them from the Cardinals, and he seemed to really enjoy working with pitching coach Mike Maddux and manager Bruce Bochy, winning a championship. It seems inevitable that the Rangers will give the lefty whatever he needs to re-sign.

Passan: Red Sox. They want to win now, and while they have spent some in free agency in recent years -- Masataka Yoshida and Trevor Story were nine-figure signings -- they have no money committed to starting pitching beyond this season. Not only is Montgomery a veteran of the AL East, having come up with the Yankees, he more than proved himself a playoff-capable pitcher, helping lead the Rangers to a World Series title this year. Boston's new chief baseball officer, Breslow, made his mark with the Cubs as their director of pitching, and he knows if the Red Sox are to improve, complementing their strong bullpen with an equally robust rotation is a good place to begin.

Schoenfield: Cincinnati Reds. I'd put the Rangers as the favorite here, too, but file this one under the category of, "They could really use him and it would be fun to see." Yes, the Reds never spend in free agency (except for that one offseason when they signed Nick Castellanos and Mike Moustakas), but they have an exciting young core and a super inexpensive roster -- one in need of a veteran guy like Montgomery who can chew up innings. Hunter Greene, Brandon Williamson, Andrew Abbott, Graham Ashcraft and Nick Lodolo all have intriguing upside, but none of those players have proven they can make it through a full season and remain effective at the same time. The Reds ranked 25th in rotation ERA and could use a stabilizing presence on the mound. Do I expect the Castellini family to spend? Of course not. But Reds fans can hope for a surprise.

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