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What the NHL can learn from the KHL's support of women's hockey
MOSCOW -- When U.S. national team defender Megan Bozek signed with the Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays of the Russian-based Women's Hockey League in November, she met the team in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, for an away game. Bozek and fellow American teammate Alex Carpenter dropped off their equipment at the hotel's front desk.
The next day, before the game, Bozek asked Carpenter: "Do we have to grab our bags?"
"What do you mean?" Carpenter replied. "They're already at the rink."
Bozek was taken aback: "Are you serious?"
Sure enough, when they arrived at the arena, the players went to the visitors locker room where their jerseys were pressed and hung in the stalls; their pads, skates, helmets and gloves were neatly waiting. And the visitors locker room was available to the team two hours before the game, something Carpenter last saw in college.
"When I think of this league, I think of little things like that -- what is normal for a professional athlete," Carpenter says. "But nobody had done them for us in the past, so it doesn't seem normal."
In 2015, the KHL -- Russia's top men's hockey league -- began backing women's professional hockey. There are eight teams in the WHL -- seven in Russian cities and one in China, which was absorbed from the now-defunct CWHL. The KHL shares its resources with the women, everything from arenas to trainers to promotion (for example, they discuss women's hockey often on KHL TV, which is the Russian equivalent of NHL Network). Earlier this month, the KHL put on an outdoor All-Star exhibition for women's hockey players and celebrities in Moscow's Red Square, a pricey endeavor that attracted some 3,000 spectators. There was no equivalent men's event.
"As long as I am the president, women's hockey will be in the budget of the KHL," KHL president Dmitry Chernyshenko said in an interview earlier this month. Shortly after, Chernyshenko accepted a job in the Kremlin as a deputy prime minister, so the KHL is searching for a replacement. Chernyshenko, however, noted that support of women's hockey is all part of the KHL's holistic approach. The KHL also sponsors junior teams, which is a talent feeder to their professional clubs.
"Few people are supporting women's hockey like this," says former Northeastern University forward Rachel Llanes, who played in both the NWHL and CWHL before joining the WHL this season. "That's what I've found being here. The KHL supporting each of their women's teams is awesome and great to see. I wish that the NHL would step in and do the same, and I'd like to be a part of that someday, but for now, I like the spot I'm at. I'm grateful it exists."
What's more: Carpenter and Llanes both said they are making a living wage in the WHL, and the salary would even be considered a living wage in America. The WHL does not disclose salary figures, and it is important to note that both Carpenter and Llanes are playing for the Chinese team, which is subsidized by the Chinese government to build hockey before the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. Nevertheless, Carpenter said she believes a "decent amount" of the Russian players make living wages too. "I think it depends on the team," she said. "But they are making more than you can [in America.]"
All Russian national team players currently play in the WHL, and Chernyshenko said the country views the WHL as a development model outside of world competitions. Yekaterina Lebedeva, a Russian national team player and captain for Agidel Ufa, has been in the WHL since its inception. "Growing up, I never imagined I could be able to make a salary playing this game," Lebedeva said through a translator. "But that is a real possibility now."
North America is a powerhouse in women's hockey. Either the United States or Canada has won every World Championship since 1990. Yet when it comes to professional women's hockey, both countries are in flux. The Canadian-based CWHL folded last year, citing an unsustainable business model. That left the American-based NWHL as the only pro league in North America. And although the NWHL is growing by many metrics this year, players still do not earn a living wage in that league, as most hold full-time jobs away from the rink. Roughly 200 women's players -- including most Olympians -- are boycotting the NWHL this season, hoping for something "more professional." And they've alluded to wanting the NHL to help back a new league.
It is Russia that is setting the model.
"We've said all along -- and you look at the history of women's startup leagues and where they've had success -- being associated and working with the male league has shown us that it can be very successful," said 2018 U.S. Olympic captain Meghan Duggan, one of the boycotting players. "Is that the only way? Of course not. But our relationship with the NHL is certainly important to us."
That's exactly what women in the WHL are finding.
"When it started five years ago, the interest was nothing," Lebedeva said. "Nobody wrote about it. Nobody took pictures of the game. Nobody knew about me playing in it besides maybe three neighbors. Now there is great progress. Because of the internet -- Instagram, Facebook, all the networks -- plus support of the KHL, so many more people know about women's hockey and the interest is huge."
One way the WHL has achieved growth is through cross promotion. And one of the women's biggest allies is Daria Mironova, a broadcaster who works for KHL TV and Match TV. Quite frankly, she is one of the faces of the league.
"Every time I have to work in the KHL studios, I talk about the girls," Mironova said. "Everywhere I go I bring the girls up."
Mironova is constantly asking the women to send them TikToks or videos she can share on her social feed, the league's social feed, or something she can incorporate into her television coverage. While she's seeing results, it hasn't always been easy to promote the women's game.
"It's still very hard, especially in Russia," Mironova said. "I don't want to say that people feel that it's inappropriate for the girls to play hockey, but you can feel it. All of the girls who play hockey here are extremely strong, because you have to beat the stereotypes. People either say to me, 'Wow, we admire you for pushing women's hockey', or they're saying, 'why are you doing that? Nobody cares. Nobody needs that.'"
American players note other cultural differences in Russia. For example, Llanes was one of several women invited to demonstrate skills at the KHL All Star Game, but she was told she had to get her hair and makeup done before going on the ice. The KHL put out a promotional calendar for the WHL -- which featured players posing naked, covered only by plants.
"Part of being over here, you have to accept culture, even though there are some things you don't agree with," Llanes said. "The calendar, for example, I definitely don't want to be in that. But it's just the culture. Some things you can fight, some things you just go with. I'm playing hockey for a living. I don't need to complain."
Lebedeva and Mironova both said that the increase in North American-born players is a positive thing and helps ramp up the competition. "We want to play against the best, because it will help us get better," Lebedeva said. When asked about the competition level, Llanes says the game is a little slower than what she was used to last year in the CWHL, "but it has allowed me to work on a few things, individually, to improve my game."
"There are a few teams that are really good, then a couple teams that aren't very good," Carpenter said. "But it's getting better, and any team beats any team on any given day."
As the future of women's professional hockey in North America remains murky, both players said they can see a situation where more players will sign with WHL teams next season.
"I think people in North America don't take it as serious," Llanes said. "People go to Europe to play in the Swedish league or stuff like that, because they don't know about the WHL. Before signing here, I didn't really know about it, either. But I'd recommend it to anyone -- especially if you can get a full-time salary, why not come over here and have the experience?"
Adds Carpenter: "We're in this gap year now, and with the possibility of having another gap year next year, I'd expect more North Americans to sign in Russia or China if the word gets out. When teammates ask me about my experience, I just say: This is probably the most put-together league I've been a part of."
Bryson: Slow-play warning had no impact on my play; there was no reason to speed up
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Although he continues to be linked to the growing global crack down on slow play, Bryson DeChambeau shared that the warning he received Sunday at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic had no impact on his sputtering finish.
DeChambeau was looking to successfully defend his title in Dubai, and he held a share of the lead with four holes to go. But he closed with bogeys on each of his final four holes to finish in a tie for eighth, four shots out of a playoff.
Television cameras caught DeChambeau receiving a slow play warning from officials during the closing stretch, and the American told GolfChannel.com on Wednesday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open that the warning stemmed from a slow time on the greens.
“They let me know on 12, I think, that it took me 86 seconds to hit a putt,” DeChambeau said. “But we were in position, so there was no reason for me – I mean, we would have waited on the next tee had I gone 15 seconds faster. We were pretty much almost waiting on the next tee anyway.”
DeChambeau has been a frequent target of slow play discussion, notably when a viral video circulated last year that showed him taking more than 2 minutes to hit a putt at The Northern Trust. He has shared at times that his quick pace in between shots should afford him more time once he arrives at the ball, and his playing partner Sunday in Dubai, Eddie Pepperell, tweeted that “he’s sped up.”
While the pace warning and string of bogeys were separated by only a few minutes, DeChambeau was adamant that the two were not related.
“Hell no,” he said. “I mean, everybody thinks that, but it’s a lie. It’s perception.”
Instead, DeChambeau explained that his difficult close was the result of “a couple unlucky things” and an effort to “press” to get back into the lead. He’ll look to work his way back into contention this week at TPC Scottsdale, where he was a shot off the 54-hole lead en route to a T-5 finish in 2018.
DeChambeau skipped this event last year to play in the inaugural Saudi International, but after a two-week stretch in the Middle East he’s eager to get back to play on his home circuit.
“I haven’t played on the PGA Tour for a while now, and for me FedExCup points are very important. And that’s what I’m looking forward to accruing here,” he said. “I mean, Saudi’s a great place, they were really nice to me, and I had a fantastic time over there. I’m sure down the road I’ll be back.”
Pablo Mari becomes Arteta's first Arsenal signing
Flamengo centre-back Pablo Mari has agreed a move to Arsenal on loan until the end of the season,with the option to make the deal permanent in the summer.
The move ends what turned out to be a topsy-turvy transfer deal that initally stalled and saw the defender return to Brazil.
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The clubs seemingly agreed to the deal last weekend, with Mari traveling from Rio de Janeiro to London to undergo a medical and sign with the Premier League side.
However, negotiations suffered a setback on Monday with Mari then returning to Brazil.
Mari put pressure on the Flamengo's hierarchy to accept Arsenal's offer and sources told ESPN the deal was never dead despite Flamengo putting out a statement criticising Arsenal's attitude.
Nonetheless, the deal now sees Mari reunite with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. Mari, 26, was on Manchester City's books between 2016 and 2019 -- where Arteta served as an assistant for Pep Guardiola -- but never actually played for the first team.
He is due to return to London now that the deal is agreed and become Arteta's first signing at Arsenal.
"Pablo is an experienced player who will provide us with additional defensive quality," Arsenal technical director Edu said.
"We have been monitoring Pablo's career for a while and we are very pleased to have reached agreement with Flamengo for him to join us initially until the end of our season.
"Together with Mikel and his coaching team, we are all looking forward to seeing Pablo in an Arsenal shirt."
Tigres UANL and Mexico defender Diego Reyes isn't buying into LA Galaxy striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez's assertions that MLS is catching up with Liga MX and that people in Mexico don't want to accept it.
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The topic has sparked debate after Hernandez's comments that his move from Sevilla to LA Galaxy was the "beginning of retirement," which was criticized in some quarters in Mexico and the United States.
"This league [Major League Soccer] is growing so much and my country doesn't want to see it and doesn't want to learn from it," said Hernandez in an interview with Fox Sports. "In this period of time MLS has grown so much compared to what the Mexican league has grown in the same period of time, so I understand what the word [retirement] means, I completely understand, but I didn't come to retire."
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Javier Hernandez tells ESPN's Herculez Gomez the deeper meaning of his comments about joining LA Galaxy.
Mexico international Reyes was asked whether he agreed with Hernandez that MLS is catching up during a press conference and gave a blunt response referring to Liga MX clubs' 14-year winning streak in the CONCACAF Champions League.
"I think the recent CONCACAF champions have been Mexican and with that I answer the question," stated 27-year-old Reyes.
Galaxy isn't in the 2019-2020 edition of the CONCACAF Champions League, but Hernandez was adamant in his presentation that the tournament is on his list of goals while at the club.
Hernandez's comments in his first press conference as a Galaxy player about him returning to North America as a "Mexican football legend" also led to discussions and some criticism in the Mexican press.
Cruz Azul's Elias Hernandez jumped to Hernandez's defense on Wednesday, indicating that if former Galaxy striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic had said the same it would've been seen differently.
"I think that this [type of criticism] only happens in Mexico," said Hernandez in a press conference. "How many times have we heard Zlatan say a lot of things and it makes us laugh? Now Chicharito says it and it causes a commotion."
U.S. defender Miazga out for 'significant' spell
Reading and U.S. international defender Matt Miazga is looking at a significant spell on the sidelines after suffering a torn ankle ligament, according to Reading manager Mark Bowen.
Miazga was stretchered off in the 66th minute of Saturday's 2-2 FA Cup draw with Cardiff City. Bowen disclosed the extent of Miazga's injury following Tuesday's 1-0 league defeat to Bristol City.
"Miazga has a grade two tear -- he'll be out for a significant amount of time," Bowen said.
The injury puts Miazga's participation for the U.S. during the March international window in jeopardy. The U.S. is scheduled to play the Netherlands on March 26 (live on ESPN2 at 3:45 p.m. ET), followed by a match with Wales four days later.
Miazga, 24, is in his second season with the Royals while on loan from Premier League side Chelsea. He's made 19 league and cup appearances during the current campaign, scoring one goal.
Rangnick fumes at Leipzig stars over barber visit
Former RB Leipzig head coach Ralf Rangnick has hit out at the club's players after they flew in a celebrity hairdresser from London ahead of their 2-0 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend.
Nine Leipzig players, including Chelsea loanee Ethan Ampadu, had their hair cut by English hairdresser Sheldon Edwards at their Frankfurt hotel before the game. The barber, whose previous clients include Olivier Giroud, Jadon Sancho and Raheem Sterling, later published images of his work on social media.
When asked about the barber's visit, Rangnick, who is now Red Bull's head of sport and development, was scathing, branding the team's players as "decadent."
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"I would have bet €100,000 on our players not flying in a star barber from England to have their cut in the hotel," Rangnick told Leipziger Volkszeitung. "I would have lost that €100,000."
"The 2-0 defeat was annoying enough, but that hairdresser leaves me in disbelief. That's decadent."
"It's not far off the golden steak," Rangnick added, in reference to Bundesliga players visiting the Nusr-et restaurant during the league's winter break.
Defeat to Frankfurt allowed Bayern Munich to close the gap at the top of the Bundesliga to one point and left Rangnick's successor, Julian Nagelsmann, questioning his player's desire to win the league.
"We need to decide whether or not we push towards the title, or whether we stay here, have something to eat and drink, and fall back into the pack," Nagelsmann said after the match.
"We do not have the quality of Bayern or Dortmund. That means we have to use every minute of training better than them. I don't always see that."
Leipzig captain Marcel Sabitzer, however, insisted the team's defeat was not down to the visit of Edwards.
"It wasn't the reason for our defeat," Sabitzer told Bild. "We've talked about it in the dressing room and that's it. Our full focus now is on winning our home match against Gladbach at the weekend."
Last year, several Borussia Dortmund players were visited by a hairdresser before their 3-0 Champions League defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, though BVB CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke insisted that it had "no influence" on his team's performance.
Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Portugal international Bruno Fernandes from Sporting CP in a transfer which could cost up to €80 million subject to a medical, the Premier League club have announced..
Once the deal is completed, Fernandes will become their first signing in the January transfer window.
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Sporting posted that the figures of the deal included an initial €55m payment with a further €25m in variables. Of those, €5m were related to the player's appearances, another €5m subject to United's achievements and a further €15m based on individual awards.
"Manchester United are delighted to announce it has reached agreement with Sporting Clube de Portugal for the transfer of Bruno Fernandes," a United statement read. "The deal is subject to a medical and the agreement of personal terms."
Sources told ESPN Sporting had offered Fernandes to United at the start of the month in an attempt to ease their financial difficulties, but the two sides encountered difficulties once the 25-year-old had agreed personal terms with the Old Trafford club.
Sources told ESPN United were even prepared to walk away from the deal should Sporting have refused to lower their demands. Barcelona then appeared close to signing Fernandes as part of deal which would see Valencia forward Rodrigo also move to Camp Nou.
However, on Tuesday, United made a breakthrough in negotiations with Sporting for the midfielder.
United monitored the midfielder last summer before deciding against making an offer but injuries to Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay, and Sporting's desire to sell the player, have seen the club strike a deal.
Fernandes, ranked the No. 10 attacking midfielder in ESPN FC 100, has scored 13 goals and provided 13 assists in all competitions so far this season.
"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them".
Obrigado Capitão. Para sempre Leão ? pic.twitter.com/L7JqXs6RbT
— Sporting Clube de Portugal (@Sporting_CP) January 29, 2020
He helped Sporting win the Portuguese Cup and the Portuguese League Cup last season and put pen to paper on a new deal with the club in November, but has decided to continue his career in Manchester.
The midfielder is the fourth signing under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with Daniel James, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire joining United last summer.
Ian Smith might as well author a book on New Zealand's tryst with Super Overs. Kane Williamson's men have featured in three Super Overs in the last year including the historic 2019 World Cup final. On each occasion New Zealand have lost, the last two coming in T20I series at home against England and India. So imagine the state of Smith's heart, having commentated on each of the games, including the close finish in Hamilton on Wednesday.
For those whose nerves are too frayed to relive the finishes all over again, ESPNcricinfo has spared you the gory details and put together handy summaries instead.
January 29 2020, Hamilton, v India
To begin with India did not even know there would be a Super Over. Defending nine off the final over in regulation time, Mohammed Shami started it watching Ross Taylor bludgeon a full toss high over midwicket for six and then finished it slinging in a pitch-perfect yorker that bowled Taylor, which meant the scores were tied. Indian captain Virat Kohli walked up to the umpires to shake hands, only to be told there would be a Super Over.
Then Jasprit Bumrah, who had bowled the second-most expensive spell in his T20 career, struggled to find the precision he is known for giving away 17 runs. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, experienced hands at handling pressure situations, were at the crease. Tim Southee, New Zealand's most experienced fast bowler was once again entrusted by Williamson to bowl it, despite his mixed history with Super Overs.
New Zealand have played seven Super Overs in T20is and Southee has bowled the last five of those. But only once before today did he have to defend. It was in a group match of the 2012 World T20 in Pallekele, where New Zealand needed to defend 17 again and to do that he had to keep Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels quiet. Southee started with a no ball, Gayle crashed him for a six. He finished the over with a full toss, Samuels lobbed him high over a leaping Martin Guptill to seal the match with another six.
Today, Southee started strongly, giving away only three runs off his first two balls to Rohit. But Rahul then smartly moved outside his off stump and lapped him for an easy four, putting the pressure back on Southee. Rohit returned strongly, whacking an in-the-slot ball and a length ball for consecutive sixes, leaving Southee and New Zealand shaking in disbelief. Again.
November 10, 2019, Auckland, v England
The Super Over was nowhere in sight when Jimmy Neesham, defending 16 runs off the final over against England, had just given three runs off his first three balls including a wicket. Then Chris Jordan walloped a six, ran a two, and lapped a four leaving Neesham smiling in disbelief.
Southee failed twice in executing the yorker and both went sailing over the straight boundary as Eoin Morgan and Johnny Bairstow set a target of 18 for New Zealand, two more than the World Cup final. This time, however, New Zealand were not so far behind on boundary countback, needing just one more to level things up.
Unfortunately for the hosts, Martin Guptill was tied down at the non-striker's end as Tim Seifert attempted to negotiate the variations of Jordan. Although Seifert did get a four, off the second legitimate delivery, the next was a dot followed by his dismissal, courtesy of a brilliant lunging catch from Morgan running back at cover. Guptill could then only run a single against a perfect yorker, as Jordan wrapped up the match with another dot ball.
July 14 2019, Lord's, v England
You haven't really forgotten how this one played out have you?
'Super Overs certainly haven't been our friend' - Kane Williamson
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson kept his sense of humour after his side went down in yet another Super Over, but said that upon looking back, they should have closed the game out in their regular batting innings. New Zealand needed two off four balls in the last over with their most experienced batsmen in Williamson and Ross Taylor at the crease, before Mohammed Shami dismissed both of them and forced a Super Over.
"My opinion we shouldn't have them...No!" Williamson said in jest about the Super Over. "It is what it is. It's good fun, isnt' it? It's a full house at midnight or whatever time it is. That's pretty cool. It's good entertainment. I'm probably not the best person to ask because we came second in the Super Over tonight like a few other times. So yeah, not ideal. But I guess if people enjoyed that to decide the match, then that's fun.
"Super Overs certainly haven't been our friend, but I think if we're being brutally honest we would've liked to have perhaps got across the line before requiring a win in the Super Over. But I guess if we reflect on the match altogether, it was a brilliant game."
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New Zealand produced a vastly improved performance compared to the second T20I, with a bowling show that made Williamson particularly proud after he had decided to bowl for a change. India flew to 89 in the first nine overs, but made only 90 in the last 11. Having applied the brakes in that manner, Williamson said it was disappointing to end up on the result. It was a reflection of India's experience as a team in this format, he said.
"I think India had a very good first-innings total on that surface and we knew they'd bowl well on it as well because it was taking a bit of turn as well. The guys fought back nicely after the start India got with the bat and then we were able to build partnerships and take the game deep. Yeah, pretty disappointing to be on the wrong side of the result after doing a lot of hard work to get so close but certainly a much improved effort from the first two games.
"We've seen in the last two as well, even the second one in Auckland, it certainly wasn't our best performance but it was a tough surface and the T20 format is a game of small margins as we've seen this evening. But even throughout the other couple of games as well, the experience that India have, I think, saw them come through in some crunch moments in this game. But it is a game of small margins and we do need to learn from this and use this experience to be a better side."
Williamson also said that New Zealand stitching together partnerships was the biggest positive to come out of the game on a pitch he said was difficult to start on, although he himself knocked off more than half the target. In partnerships of 36, 49, and 41 for the third, fourth, and fifth wickets respectively, Williamson was the dominant scorer. The next highest scorer in the innings was Martin Guptill at the top of the order with 31. But the team was largely non-fussed and happy with the improvement, he said, and the focus was already on Wellington for the fourth T20I on Friday. Provided that the high of this match subsided.
"It's always very tough to get to sleep after such late games, adrenaline's sort of going regardless of the result," he said. "But you move on to another game. Yes it was close, and an emotional roller coaster perhaps, certainly as we got so close to the end, but we have to keep moving our focus forward and that's to Wellington. We know the quality of the Indian side but for us it's just to keep improving as a group and we did that today and we need to keep demanding that of ourselves moving forward as well."
Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Munaf dies at 84
Mohammad Munaf, the former Pakistan fast bowler, has died. He was 84 years old.
Munaf played only four Tests for Pakistan, from the late 50s to the early 60s, but hovered around national team selection for a number of years. He toured, without playing a Test, with the Pakistan side on their famous first tour of the Caribbean in 1957-58, in which Gary Sobers made his then world-record 365 and Hanif Mohammad played one of the great rearguard innings of all time, the 337 at Bridgetown.
Munaf was born in Bombay (as it was known then) but settled in Karachi and it was there, as a strapping young fast bowler, that he first made his name in the famous Rubie Shield school tournament. At that time, he was good enough with the bat to have opened the batting with Hanif for Sind Madrassah. The late historian Khadim H Baloch wrote in his Encyclopaedia of Pakistan Cricket that Munaf delivered off a short run-up and had a slingy, round-arm action and some reports had him, at his peak, as one of the fastest bowlers in the country at the time.
But his career coincided with early riches in Pakistan's pace resources. Fazal Mahmood, Khan Mohammad and Mahmood Hussain were all starters for the national side ahead of him; in fact, his debut Test against Australia in 1959-60 only happened because Hussain was unavailable. He would go on to play only three more matches, all in Pakistan, with a best of 4 for 42 against England in Lahore in 1961-62.
Munaf's potential was never in doubt, though, as evidenced by two trips he made to England as part of the Pakistan Eaglets squad - which was essentially an A team back then. His career-best figures - 8-84 - came on an Eaglets tour in 1963, against Kent. England may have been a good place for his bowling and though he was picked for what turned out to be a disastrous tour in 1962, he had to withdraw with a leg injury.
Munaf was also part of Pakistan's squad to India on the 1960-61 tour, though once again he didn't play a single Test.
"The PCB is saddened by the news of Munaf's passing away," Ehsan Mani, the chairman of the PCB, said. "Munaf was one of those respected cricketers who made their name at the first-class level in the early days of Pakistan cricket. We share the grief of his friends and friendly and express our deepest sympathies."
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