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WEST ALLIS, Wis. – Tickets are now available online for next year’s racing event at The Milwaukee Mile at Wisconsin State Fair Park.
The event on June 14 will feature the ARCA Midwest Tour super late models in a 100-lap event in addition to at least three other classes of racing.
Track Enterprises, a racing promotion company based in Central Illinois, brought racing back to the Milwaukee Mile in 2019 after a five-year hiatus. The show brought thousands of race fans to the track on a chilly Father’s Day afternoon.
In addition to the super late models, the Midwest Trucks, Mid-American Stock Cars and the Upper Midwest Vintage Series are also slated to be on track. Racing will start at 1 p.m. with the 100-lap main event estimated to take the green around 3 p.m.
Advance sale reserved tickets are available for $25, while kids aged 0-11 tickets are $5. Tickets may be purchased online at www.etix.com/ticket/v/14438, over the phone at 414-266-7100, or by stopping by the Wisconsin State Fair Park box office during regular business hours.
WARRNAMBOOL, Australia – Dickson Motorsport has announced that American sprint car driver Shane Stewart will pilot the No. V3 entry during the South West Conveyancing Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic at Premier Speedway.
Stewart is a key signing for the Classic with a great record at Premier Speedway. He finished on the podium in 2005, ’07 and ’09 before finally winning the event in 2010.
Stewart, who has a busy schedule of sprint car racing in New Zealand and Australia leading up to the Classic, will be a welcome addition for car owner David Dickson. Dickson has previously fielded cars for Kevin Swindell, Ian Loudoun and Shaun Dobson during the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic.
Stewart and Dickson Motorsport will carry sponsorship from South West Conveyancing, Brighton Volkswagen, Barwon Valley Steel, Road & River, Castrol, Demolition Man and Oval Express Magazine.
Other recent entries for the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic include Ben Atkinson, Dennis Jones, Alex Orr, Grant Stansfield, James Aranyosi and Ryan McNamara.
The Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic is scheduled for Jan. 24-26.
Transfer window preview: Man United to land Haaland? Chelsea to spend £150m?
The transfer window is nearly upon us, but clubs across Europe have already been planning for their January business. Who will come in? Who will depart?
ESPN's writers bring you everything you need to know about the top teams' hopes and delve into the deals which might be on the cards.
Premier League
Budget: £100m
What does the team need in January?
Top of the league by some distance and through the Champions League knockout stages, Liverpool are flying under Jurgen Klopp and hardly in need of strengthening. However, reliable cover for left-back Andy Robertson would make Klopp's squad even stronger.
Who are the major targets?
A £7.25m deal has been done for FC Salzburg forward Takumi Minamino, and the Japan international has already arrived at Anfield. Beyond that, Liverpool are interested in Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho, but a move is unlikely next month unless a deal can be agreed ahead of the summer.
Who could be leaving?
Dejan Lovren almost left for Roma in the summer, but the Croatia international rejected the move. And while he is likely to be offloaded at the end of the season, Klopp is not expected to weaken his squad by selling Lovren in January.
Any new contracts coming?
All of Liverpool's big players are tied up to long-term deals, leaving them with no urgency to do any renewals in January. Georginio Wijnaldum has yet to be offered a new deal, despite having just 18 months to run on his current contract. -- Mark Ogden
Budget: £60m
What does the team need in January?
Leicester need reliable cover for top scorer Jamie Vardy and could move for reinforcements. And having failed to signed a replacement for Harry Maguire following his world record £85m summer move to Manchester United, Leicester are keen to sign a new centre-back.
Who are the major targets?
Manager Brendan Rodgers and director of football Lee Congerton are keeping their targets close to their chest, with Hull's Jarrod Bowen linked. Leicester have money to spend and ambitious owners, so they will be competitive in the market next month.
Who could be leaving?
Nobody. Rodgers has made it clear that none of his players will be leaving in January. While another Premier League title might be beyond them, Leicester will keep the squad together to ensure a successful challenge for Champions League qualification.
Any new contracts coming?
Left-back Ben Chilwell and midfielder James Maddison have both emerged as leading targets for Chelsea and Man United, meaning efforts will be made to tie both players down to new deals. -- Mark Ogden
Guardiola: When the team doesn't follow me I will leave
Pep Guardiola says he is committed to Manchester City as long as the players are behind him.
Budget: Unlimited
What does the team need in January?
City's biggest concern is getting Leroy Sane and Aymeric Laporte back to full fitness, but they also need reinforcements. Vincent Kompany, who left in the summer, has not been replaced, and a new centre-back is the top priority. Maguire might have arrived at the Etihad Stadium had City not been outbid by Manchester United, but now they need another option. Pep Guardiola has been been adamant there will be no new players arriving in January, but there is always the caveat that if a long-term target becomes available for a reasonable price, City are prepared to move.
Who are the major targets?
City are monitoring Sancho at Borussia Dortmund, Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake and Hearts full-back Aaron Hickey, but the bulk of transfer business will be done in the summer. Sancho is wanted by a host of Europe's top clubs, including Manchester United, while Chelsea have been linked with a move for Ake after their transfer ban was lifted.
Who could be leaving?
David Silva has already confirmed he will leave the Etihad Stadium in the summer and Nicolas Otamendi is also likely to depart at the end of the season, but City's squad is stretched enough as it is because of injuries and it's unlikely anyone will leave in January. Bayern Munich want Sane, but City do not want to sell him.
Any new contracts?
Fernandinho is the one to watch, while tentative talks have started with Raheem Sterling. Fernandinho is approaching his 35th birthday and is out of contract in the summer, but he's still a key player for Guardiola and City will need to decide what to do. Guardiola says the club won't make a decision until the end of the season, and in the past that has usually been a precursor to a player leaving; that said, there's still a question mark over whether, even at Fernandinho's age, they can do without him. -- Rob Dawson
Budget: £150m
What does the team need in January?
After being forced out of the summer market because of a worldwide transfer ban, Chelsea need to add in all departments now that they're clear to spend again. The priorities for manager Frank Lampard are a centre-forward and experienced centre-back. New full-backs are also on the shopping list.
Who are the major targets?
Leipzig forward Timo Werner and Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha are potential January recruits, with Chelsea aiming to consolidate a top-four spot and ensure Champions League qualification. They have also been linked with Leicester left-back Chilwell but will struggle to land him.
Who could be leaving?
Olivier Giroud has fallen out of favour under Lampard and will be allowed to leave if the club can find a new striker.
Any new contracts coming?
Having made a big impact this season, Chelsea's young stars could be set for pay rises and longer deals. Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori have all surpassed expectations this season, with Tomori the first to pen new terms already. -- Mark Ogden
Solskjaer remains coy on Haaland to Man United rumours
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer downplayed the rumours around Erling Haaland and outlines Man United's transfer strategy.
Budget: Unlimited
What does the team need in January?
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out where the gaps are in his squad, and he's right. United are short of numbers and quality. They need at least one midfielder and a forward, whether that's a right winger or a central striker. After that, they could probably do with another left-back, but sources have told ESPN FC that has been put on hold because of the emergence of young Brandon Williams.
Who are the major targets?
Sources have told ESPN that FC Salzburg striker Erling Braut Haaland and Leicester midfielder James Maddison are two key targets. Haaland is a possible January addition, but it's likely United will have to wait until the summer to bid for Maddison. Leicester are set to demand close to the £85m they got for Maguire in the summer, and the valuation could prove to be a stumbling block. Other targets include Declan Rice and Jack Grealish for depth and grit in midfield.
Who could be leaving?
Marcos Rojo was close to leaving for Everton in the summer, and despite training well and impressing when he has been given a chance, he has found first-team opportunities limited. There was a lot of interest in the summer and there will be again in January. Phil Jones is in the same boat, having one made one Premier League appearance so far this season. It is also possible some of the younger players, including Tahith Chong and Angel Gomes, could head out on loan. Paul Pogba will be linked with Real Madrid and Juventus throughout the window, but don't expect any movement there.
Any new contracts?
United have tied down most of their key players with long-term contracts, including David De Gea and Marcus Rashford. The club are expected to trigger a two-year option in Eric Bailly's contract to prevent the defender from leaving for free in the summer. Pogba and Jesse Lingard are in the next cycle of contracts United would like to extend, but at this stage there is no rush to start serious talks. -- Rob Dawson
Budget: £50m
What does the team need in January?
Jose Mourinho has already said that he is not looking to strengthen his squad in January. However, there will be money available if he needs to add an attacking midfielder or a left-back.
Who are the major targets?
Sporting CP midfielder Bruno Fernandes has been followed by Spurs for a while and though he signed a new contract recently, only his pay went up and his release clause is still €100m. Layvin Kurzawa, out of contract in Paris Saint-Germain next June, could also be an option at left-back.
Who could be leaving?
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has admitted that Christian Eriksen could leave in January, six months before the end of his contract, with sources telling ESPN that Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are keen. Danny Rose, also free in June 2021, could also be sold, while Kenya midfielder Victor Wanyama is on the transfer list, too.
Any new contracts?
A new deal for Toby Alderweireld until 2023 was announced last week while his defensive partner Jan Vertonghen is out of contract in June. Eriksen remains unlikely to pen new terms -- Julien Laurens
Budget: £30m
What does the team need in January?
New manager Mikel Arteta has already identified what he needs to make his squad better in January: Sources have told ESPN that the club want a centre-back and an attacking midfielder.
Who are the major targets?
Merih Demiral, who has not played much this season at Juventus, is on Arsenal's radar. Dejan Kulusevski, the 19-year-old winger on loan at Parma from Atalanta, has also impressed the Arsenal scouts. Thomas Lemar's name has also been mentioned as another attacking option given his struggles at Atletico Madrid, while 17-year-old Sevilla prodigy Antonio Zarzana is another target fitting the profile of a young talent in midfield.
Who could be leaving?
Mesut Ozil and Shkodran Mustafi could be placed on the transfer list this winter as the club begins the task of rebuilding.
Any new contracts?
When he has the time, Arteta will sit down with Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to discuss their futures at the Emirates. They have only 18 months left on their respective contracts and despite links to Chelsea. sources said they are keen to stay. -- Julien Laurens
Europe
Moreno: Griezmann needs to stick with it at Barca
Ale Moreno says it's too soon to consider Antoine Griezmann a bust at Barcelona.
Budget: Nothing, unless in exceptional circumstances. Sources have told ESPN that Barcelona need to bring in €124m before the end of June to balance the books.
What does the team need in January?
Barca feel their squad is well balanced and that no new signings are needed this winter except in the event of any unexpected injuries or departures. Their bad experiences with Jeison Murillo and Kevin-Prince Boateng last January has turned them off to seeking stopgap solutions. Instead, they hope that summer signings Frenkie de Jong, Antoine Griezmann and Junior Firpo, as well as youngsters Ansu Fati and Carles Perez, will keep improving. Ivan Rakitic's return to the team has been seen as a positive, too.
Who are the major targets?
Barca's main priority at the moment is finding a long-term replacement for Luis Suarez. Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez is one option, but sources have told ESPN that his €100m-plus price tag is a problem at the moment. However, there are no January targets as things stand.
Who could be leaving?
Two players who will almost certainly leave are Carles Alena and Jean-Clair Todibo. Sources said that Alena is likely to go out on loan, with Real Betis leading Getafe in the battle for his signature. Defender Todibo is drawing interest from Bayer Leverkusen, AC Milan, Southampton and Watford. Rakitic and Arturo Vidal are also wanted men. Inter are among the clubs keen on the two midfielders, but a source at the Catalan club insists they won't leave in midseason unless a cash offer that "is too good to turn down" arrives.
Any new contracts coming?
Lionel Messi is into the final 18 months of his deal and president Josep Maria Bartomeu wants to offer him new terms. That's a priority at the moment. Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is then next in line after the Argentine. Vidal and Rakitic are both into the final 18 months of their deals, too, but neither is expected to be offered a new contract. -- Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens
Budget: The club's most recent accounts, published in June this year, showed they had €156m in the bank.
What does the team need in January?
Madrid are well-covered in most departments, with last summer's arrivals largely meant to provide competition to established first-team players -- Luka Jovic for Karim Benzema, Ferland Mendy for Marcelo and Eder Militao for Raphael Varane, etc. The one truly irreplaceable player is Casemiro in defensive midfield, a fact demonstrated by just how much the Brazilian has featured already this season. The explosion of 21-year-old Fede Valverde, while more of a box-to-box player, has gone some way to mitigating that.
Who are the major targets?
Pogba and Eriksen. While next summer might see moves for Napoli's Fabian Ruiz and even long-term target Kylian Mbappe from PSG, these are the two possible January arrivals -- and neither is likely. Pogba is a player ESPN has been told Zinedine Zidane is desperate to sign, but club president Florentino Perez believes he is overpriced. Eriksen is available on the cheap with his Spurs contract running out, but Zidane is not entirely convinced and it's hard to see where there's room for another creative player in the squad.
Who could be leaving?
Two players will depart: striker Mariano and playmaker Brahim Diaz. Both have barely featured; Mariano not playing a single minute and Brahim has been restricted to substitute appearances. Both refused offers to leave on loan in the summer, but loan deals are likely in January. James Rodriguez has not been as involved as he would have liked since returning from his Bayern Munich loan spell, although injuries have played their part. Gareth Bale is "not ecstatic" at Real Madrid, according to agent Jonathan Barnett, but a January exit would be complicated given his wage demands and the club's reluctance to let him go without a significant transfer fee.
Any new contracts coming?
Captain Sergio Ramos is one to keep an eye on as his contract expires in 2021; Luka Modric extended his terms to the same year recently. Valverde is understood to have already agreed a new long-term deal earlier this season before his emergence as a first-team regular, but it is yet to be announced by the club. -- Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez
Budget: N/A
What does the team need in January?
Manager Maurizio Sarri claims he is bored by the transfer window and says he'll either work on new solutions -- such as Juan Cuadrado covering at right-back and in midfield -- or just settle for getting Douglas Costa and Aaron Ramsey back from injury. Juventus have a huge squad and missed out on some sales last summer. They definitely don't need to buy.
Who are the major targets?
Juventus are unlikely to move for anyone in January. They tend to use this period to beat the competition for summer targets, and are following Sandro Tonali and Federico Chiesa instead.
Who could be leaving?
Mario Mandzukic has been frozen out entirely this season. Emre Can didn't take being left out of Juve's Champions League squad well. One of Demiral and Daniele Rugani could leave on loan with a view to regular game time ahead of Euro 2020. Then there's the less-spotted Marko Pjaca, too.
Any new contracts coming?
Juventus have already locked down Leonardo Bonucci (2024) and Juan Cuadrado (2022) to new deals; next up is goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. Also on the agenda are talks with Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain, the latter of whom is entering the final 18 months of his current deal. -- James Horncastle
Kylian Mbappe 'ripe and ready' to leave PSG
Craig Burley feels it's best for Kylian Mbappe to leave PSG sooner rather than later.
Budget: Unlimited. But PSG will sell before they buy.
What does the team need in January?
Although the Ligue 1 giants are not short of cash, there will be no lavish spending in January, nor is it needed. PSG's main areas of improvement are at full-back (with the right side being of higher priority than the left) and central midfield. While depth would be useful in those areas, the starting right-back role would be up for grabs with any potential arrival.
Who are the major targets?
With Leonardo back at the helm, PSG are mostly targeting Italian business this January. Juventus pair Mattia De Sciglio and Emre Can are both of interest, while the Brazilian transfer guru also remains keen on Brescia's in-demand Tonali. De Sciglio's versatility makes him particularly appealing as he can play on either side at full-back.
Who could be leaving?
Numerous contracts, including captain Thiago Silva and Edinson Cavani, are entering their final six months. However, the likes of Thomas Meunier, Kurzawa and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting could find themselves moved on first. The unconvincing midfielder Leandro Paredes could be sacrificed just one year after joining to help PSG land a target, with Milan keen, as could Germany winger Julian Draxler.
Any new contracts?
Silva will likely earn an extension, but Cavani looks unlikely to get one. PSG have hesitated over Meunier's future, while Kurzawa will not be retained past his current deal. Marquinhos and Mbappe are PSG's priorities, as is a permanent deal for Mauro Icardi following his remarkable form on loan from Inter. -- Jonathan Johnson
Budget: €100m or so available for a big transfer.
What does the team need in January?
Bayern are a bit slim at the back. Germany international Niklas Sule will not return before the run-in following his second ACL tear, but record signing Lucas Hernandez is set to be ready for the winter training camp. Young Canadian Alphonso Davies' rise at left-back has allowed Bayern to play David Alaba in central defence. Right now, Bayern feel they do not need to add to their team but rather make use of their current quality.
Who are the major targets?
Manchester City and Germany winger Sane remains top of the list. Close to a move to the Allianz Arena in the summer, the 23-year-old suffered a knee injury days before what looked to be the Bundesliga's biggest ever transfer. Having not committed to a new deal at the Etihad, Sane could return to Germany this winter or after Euro 2020 at the latest, with Bayern hoping to pay no more than €100m.
Who could be leaving?
Following Sule's knee injury, which has all but ended his season, Bayern won't let Javi Martinez or Jerome Boateng leave. Both had been candidates to depart the Allianz Arena but, as things stand, the German champions will not offload any player. However, things could change if Bayern decide against finishing the season with interim coach Hansi Flick.
Any new contracts coming?
Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller, Thiago Alcantara, Alaba, Martinez and Boateng are all set to enter the final 18 months of their contracts. While Martinez and Boateng are coming to the end of their Bayern careers, and Thiago might return to Spain in the near future, Muller's future hinges on the new manager. Alaba has flirted with leaving Bayern for a long time, so it will be interesting to see how negotiations go for him, while Neuer seems set for a new deal even at age 33. -- Stephan Uersfeld
Ireland consider hosting Bangladesh T20Is in England
Ireland are exploring the possibility of hosting their T20Is against Bangladesh next year at neutral venues in England. With the redevelopment of Clontarf, Ireland's capacity to host international matches has been reduced and Warren Deutrom, the Cricket Ireland chief executive, said the board was looking at various temporary options.
After last week's announcement that the scheduled Test against Bangladesh would be converted into a T20I due to the "financial headwinds" being faced by Cricket Ireland, fixtures for next summer's home schedule have now been confirmed. Bangladesh will arrive for three ODIs at Stormont in May; New Zealand's tour will encompass three T20Is at Bready and three ODIs at Stormont; and Pakistan are due for two T20Is at Malahide in July.
"There is no doubt that this will remain one of the biggest home seasons for Ireland, with the hosting of the number one T20I side in the world, and the runners-up at the most recent 50-over World Cup," Deutrom said. "However, this has also undoubtedly been our most complex match allocation process ever, given the multiple challenges we are working through. Chief among these is the loss of access to one of our international grounds for at least 2020, with Clontarf undergoing extensive renovations.
"With this venue loss, we have been reduced to 12 pitches available across our three remaining international grounds that need to cater for 15 matches. Given the ICC's high standards of expectation regarding pitch quality, this has influenced several of the match allocations. Also key to our deliberations has been the need to provide a high volume of white-ball cricket given the T20 World Cup in October and the start of the World Cup Super League."
The four T20Is scheduled to be played against Bangladesh in the second half of May could end up being hosted outside of Ireland, according to Deutrom.
"The outstanding fixtures that remain unallocated at this stage are the T20 Internationals against Bangladesh," he said. "We are currently investigating venue options that will fit with our limited scheduling windows and fresh pitch availability - this includes looking at an option of hosting the Bangladesh T20Is in neutral venues in England as a temporary option until our venue and pitch capacity is back at full strength."
Deutrom also confirmed that Cricket Ireland is still planning to play its part in hosting the Euro T20 Slam, which was postponed in 2019 over a lack of financing. "We stated last week that we were still hopeful of staging the inaugural season of the Euro T20 Slam and we have put plans in motion to facilitate that should our discussions with the organisers progress positively," he said. "We shall be providing further information on that in due course."
Hardik Pandya, Prithvi Shaw to tour New Zealand with India A
Hardik Pandya and Prithvi Shaw are part of strong India A squads for the shadow tour of New Zealand in January 2020.
While Hardik is part of just the one-day leg of the tour, Shaw has been named in both the 50-overs and four-day squads, and will be in the race to be India's back-up Test opener with former India Under-19 team-mate Shubman Gill. While Mayank Agarwal and Rohit Sharma opened in all five Tests of India's home season, against South Africa and Bangladesh, Gill was part of the reserves as the third opener.
ALSO READ: Bumrah, Dhawan return for home series against Sri Lanka and Australia
Gill will captain India A's one-day squad, while middle-order batsman Hanuma Vihari will lead a strong four-day contingent. Test regulars Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, R Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha are all expected to feature in the second four-dayer, ahead of the two-Test series starting on February 21 in Wellington.
Hardik hasn't played international cricket since September, and underwent back surgery in London in October when he decided that "managing the injury" - he recently said he had done this for five years - was no longer an option.
On Monday, chief selector MSK Prasad confirmed to journalists after the selection meeting that "Hardik would be looked at in the third week of January", which is around the time the one-day leg of India A's tour is scheduled. The three-match ODI series against New Zealand is slated to begin on February 5.
Meanwhile, Shaw returned to competitive cricket in November after the completion of a backdated eight-month suspension for a doping violation. He struck form immediately, scoring 240 runs in five innings, including three half-centuries, for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He followed that up with scores of 66 and 202, his maiden first-class double century, in Mumbai's 309-run win over Baroda in their Ranji Trophy opener earlier this month.
KL Rahul is a notable absentee from the four-day India A squad, with the selectors seemingly happy to look at the next generation of talent. Rahul lost his Test berth to Rohit after the tour of West Indies in July-August, but has been in prolific white-ball form for Karnataka and India since.
Two other prolific domestic openers, Priyank Panchal and Abhimanyu Easwaran, will be part of the squad for the first four-dayer, which will also feature the promising fast bowlers Sandeep Warrier, Ishan Porel, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj and Avesh Khan.
India A squad for two tour matches and three one-day games: Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill (capt), Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Axar Patel, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Warrier, Ishan Porel, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj
India A squad for 1st four-day game: Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Panchal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari (capt), KS Bharat (wk), Shivam Dube, Shahbaz Nadeem, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Warrier, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Ishan Porel, Ishan Kishan
India A squad for 2nd four-day game: Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Hanuma Vihari (capt), KS Bharat (wk), Shivam Dube, R Ashwin, Shahbaz Nadeem, Sandeep Warrier, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Ishan Porel
Pitino settles federal lawsuit against Adidas
Rick Pitino and Adidas have settled the federal lawsuit the former Louisville coach filed against the apparel company following his dismissal in 2018, per his attorney Steve Pence.
Louisville fired Pitino after he was tied to an alleged scheme to pay the family of former five-star recruit Brian Bowen II a six-figure sum to entice him to sign with the Cardinals, uncovered during the FBI's bribery investigation that rocked the sport. In the lawsuit against Adidas, Pitino's attorneys said the apparel company "knowingly or recklessly caused him emotional distress when its employees conspired to bribe University of Louisville basketball recruits."
"Adidas and Coach Pitino have entered into a confidential settlement agreement resolving all matters between them," said the joint statement by Pitino and the apparel company. "Over sixteen years working with Adidas, Coach Pitino demonstrated his passion for the game of basketball and his commitment to excellence both on and off the court. We wish Coach Pitino the best in his new role as head coach of Panathinaikos, the Greek national team and any future endeavors."
A federal judge dismissed Pitino's lawsuit last year and ruled that Pitino and Adidas would have to settle their case in arbitration.
Pitino was the most noteworthy name to fall in the FBI's probe of college basketball, which led to the arrests of four Division I assistant coaches. At the time of Pitino's firing, Louisville's expiring deal had given the former coach about $1.5 million per year, 98% of the cash in the school's deal. A new deal worth $160 million over 10 years restructured the pay scale following Pitino's dismissal.
Pitino accused Adidas of "outrageous conduct" that caused him "extreme embarrassment" when Adidas executive James Gatto, Adidas employee Merl Code and agent Christian Dawkins allegedly executed a pay-for-play scheme for Bowen and other recruits.
He sought unspecified damages in his lawsuit.
"[Pitino] has never authorized, tolerated, participated in or otherwise condoned giving improper benefits to recruits or players, or to their families, especially as an inducement to have recruits join the University of Louisville men's basketball program," the lawsuit said.
The settlement between Pitino and Adidas does not end the potential drama for Louisville. Kansas and USC, schools tied to the FBI's bribery investigation, recently received notices of allegation from the NCAA. Louisville is also expected to receive a notice of allegation in the coming months.
Reports: Seahawks mulling reunion with Lynch
The Seattle Seahawks, ravaged by injuries at running back, are considering a reunion with Marshawn Lynch, who plans to travel Monday to Seattle to discuss rejoining the team, according to multiple reports.
The news was first reported by NFL Network.
Lynch spent parts of six seasons with the Seahawks from 2010 to 2015. The five-time Pro Bowler played for the Oakland Raiders each of the past two seasons before reportedly retiring this past April.
It is unclear if Lynch officially filed retirement paperwork with the league, but he has not been linked with any team this season.
Despite Lynch's time away from the NFL, the Seahawks (11-4) are desperate for help at running back as they prepare for their showdown next Sunday night against the San Francisco 49ers (12-3) in a game that will determine the NFC West champion.
The Seahawks fear that starting running back Chris Carson suffered a season-ending hip injury in Sunday's loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Seattle also is without backup running backs C.J. Prosise (arm) and Rashaad Penny (knee), who are both out for the rest of the season.
Free agent Robert Turbin, another former Seattle running back, also is expected to meet with the Seahawks on Monday to discuss a return, a source confirmed to ESPN. NFL Network first reported the possibility of Turbin's return to the Seahawks.
Lynch, 33, rushed for 376 yards and three touchdowns in six games with the Raiders last season. He eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in four consecutive seasons with the Seahawks from 2011-2014 and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 2013 and 2014.
European and UK age-group 800m record-holder says lots of lessons have been learned in 2019
The number of end-of-year awards and nominations Max Burgin has received reinforces just how impressive his 2019 has been, despite injury interruptions, and the 17-year-old is now eager to build on his breakthrough.
After clocking a UK under-18 800m best of 1:46.80 in Loughborough in June, the Halifax runner went on to set a British under-20 and European under-18 record of 1:45.36 just one week later at the England Athletics Championships in Bedford, improving on the 33-year-old UK junior mark of 1:45.64 held by David Sharpe.
Injury prevented him from racing at the European U20 Championships but he returned to the track to make his Diamond League debut in Birmingham and ended the summer ranked No.6 on the UK senior 800m list for 2019, as well as second on the world under-20 list and top ahead of five other British athletes on the European under-20 list.
It has been a year of ups and downs, Burgin says, but one which has provided plenty of lessons to learn from.
“It started off very well and the way I was running early season was just exactly how I wanted to run, it couldn’t have gone better,” says Burgin, recently voted the winner of the under-20 male honour in the AW Readers’ Choice Awards. “But then I got injured and I missed the (European) under-20s, so from my point of view, from June onwards, it was very frustrating.
“I sort of got back for the Birmingham Diamond League but I didn’t do very well in it,” he adds. “It has been a season of ups and downs, but now it’s over and I can look back on the good parts, I’m happy with it.”
The Yorkshire athlete, who is coached by his grandfather and father, can also see the positives in addressing his injury issues now.
“The injury that I got was a weakness that needed sorting at some point, so I’m glad it came up now rather than in the future at a more important time,” he says.
“There were also a lot of lessons that I learned from that Diamond League, getting into the more senior side of the sport. It has been a very informative year.”
Max ★Burgin??★ 1'45"36 con ➊➐ años y ➌➍ días
Equivalencia (Jakob Ingebrigtsen?? a esa edad)
● 1.500 ➜ 3'35"94 (3'39"92)
● Milla ➜ 3'53"05 (3'56"29)
● 3.000 ➜ 7'42"40 (8'00"01)
● 5.000 ➜ 13'13"24 (13'35"84)
● 3.000 obst. ➜ 8'21"12 (8'26"81)pic.twitter.com/088BYBnIqQ— | Joaquín Carmona | (@Jokin4318) June 25, 2019
Burgin’s performances, which led to him retaining his British Milers’ Club junior male athlete of the year crown and winning the Jim Coote Memorial Award for under-20 male at the British Athletics Writers’ Association lunch in London, also leave him feeling encouraged by what could still be to come.
“I was expecting improvement from last year, though maybe not that much!” smiles Burgin, who has been breaking age-group records for the past few years and ran a world age-15 best in 2018.
“But once I had done it and I knew that I could do it, I felt why couldn’t I go faster? I didn’t get the chance to but hopefully next year I can improve again as much as I did this year.”
Burgin, who is studying geography, history and economics at sixth form, will also have his A-level exams to contend with next summer and while he has an eye on senior championships, his focus is on showing improvement.
Short-term, his goal is running well in 5km road races. “To try and get a respectable time in that,” he says. “I’ll get back into training in preparation for the track season, get some speed back in, and then next year I’d like to improve on my time and maybe competing for the senior championships.”
Although the 2018 European under-18 champion had to sit out the under-20 continental championships, a British trio still managed to sweep the men’s 800m medals in Sweden and Burgin believes it is an exciting time to be a British junior athlete.
“The strength of British junior 800m running and not even just that, the strength of British junior athletics in general, is really encouraging,” he says. “Hopefully in the future we’ll all be going to senior championships together. It’s exciting.”
The course consisted of lectures on a variety of topics, both theory and practice being addressed; a detailed itinerary included such elements as technical skills, psychology, practice routines, multi-ball demonstrations and interactive ways of learning.
Most importantly the students were encouraged to exchange opinions and ideas on a wide range of topics.
Locally matters were organised by Anders Thunström, the Course Director and Mikael Andersson, Director of High Performance for the Swedish Table Tennis Association.
Present on behalf of the International Table Tennis Federation and one of the guest speakers was Massimo Costantini, ITTF High Performance Elite Coach.
Feedback from the coaches in mind, we are looking forward to the next edition of this forward thinking activity. Our thanks go to the Swedish Table Tennis Association, Halmstad University, the lecturers and of course, all the participants for making this project a success.
Reaction
“Firstly, we as ITTF welcomed this fantastic initiative which we were delighted to support. Gaining knowledge of great table tennis in the land of champions is something ever coach dreams of. My own lecture was based on my experience in the United States, enhanced with trends related to training youths. Besides that, I enjoyed talking to all 24 participants coming from all over the world. As often happens, table tennis talk went on all day long.
The course had a great atmosphere and brought many delightful moments. I hope this coaching course won’t be an isolated one but the first in a long series; many thanks to the Swedish Table Tennis Association for the great organisation of the activity.”
“I think the level of the lectures was on a very high level throughout the course. The subjects covered a wide range of important aspects in the sport of table tennis, so ideally the participants learned something for their future careers.
Trends among youth in the world was presented by Massimo Costantini, we had a psychology lecture on ”Performing under Pressure”, a multi-ball session with the Swedish men’s head coach, Mr. Peter Blomquist. He was assisted by former World Champion, Jörgen Persson; these are just a few of the different topics we had; the expertise was really there.
I hope that the coaches attending the course listened with a critical mind, using what they feel is useful to their situation by attending the course. I hope it has given them more ”tools” as a coach to ideally be more comfortable and be a better coach to their respective players.
It has to be applied within the situation you currently are in, and by doing so, best assist players to improve to the best of their ability”.
“I have been coaching at a high level for over 25 years and running Level Two and Level Three ITTF coaches courses for the last 10 years.
I also studied in Sweden, so this course was a very good opportunity to update myself on the latest techniques and learn how to implement them into my teaching back in Chile. I will do a national course to update for the high level coaches within the country”.
“I loved this course. Every single piece of information was valuable in that it helps us improve as coaches.
It is true that we have different realities back home, so as Anders said in his presentation, we need to adapt what was explained here to our own situation.”
“Here each of the lecturers explained a very good topic related to their strong background. Now I want to see the information received implemented and for all of us to meet again in a year to see the progress within everyone’s actual situation.”
”I am going to assist players and make sure that I’m going to give support and provide guidance to players to grow and to become better in order to reach their objectives.
It is equally important for coaches to practise multi-ball training, as it is for the players, to increase their feeling and control.
I will share the information I have gathered from this course along with pictures and video material and share it with the national association.
For future courses, I would like to see added material about women’s table tennis, coaches and educators”.
”I enjoyed the course a lot. I want to develop my coaching philosophy and aim to develop the game in order to beat China.
I liked the psychology lecture a lot, along with the information on leadership in sport and individual coaching, which I will implement and study more in depth to be able to help my players mature so they can search for solutions rather than be offered them.
I will also write a blog post about my time here which will go out nationally to all of our coaches”.
“We thank the Swedish Table Tennis Federation for the organisation of this course, Halmstad University for hosting us and for the good organisation.
Everything ran like clockwork; this was a pilot project, aiming to give high level coach education in a non-formal structure. The course was based on the experiences of professional full time, high level coaches from Sweden and the rest of the world, in addition to the combined efforts of the Continental Development and Educational units from the ITTF High Performance and Development department.
We had very high level lecturers and topics that we would like the coaches to implement in their regular work back home and to transmit in each one of their countries to other coaches, so the knowledge is shared and the level of the play will increase accordingly.
The final outcome is to have higher level coaches, thus players that will reach a better playing level and reduce the gap between the Chinese players and the rest of the World”.
Dragons: 'We want to control our own destiny' - chairman Buttress
Chairman David Buttress wants Dragons to return to private ownership and says talks are "ongoing" to achieve that aim.
Buttress became chairman after the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) took over the Welsh region in July, 2017.
Welsh rivals Cardiff Blues, Ospreys and Scarlets are privately owned, the WRU having stepped in at the Dragons after a long period of poor league finishes.
"We want to be able to control our own destiny," Buttress told S4C.
"With the model of professional rugby in Wales that we've agreed now, I think it's right that we are in private ownership, the same as the other regions.
"Those discussions are ongoing.
"Obviously it's a massive decision for me and my family, but hopefully we can work that out in the coming weeks and months."
After beating Scarlets in the first Pro14 festive derby of the season, Dragons are in the rare position of being above Ospreys in Pro14 Conference A with three wins from eight rounds.
Ospreys have won just once in the competition so far and they go to Scarlets on Boxing Day looking to upset the odds.
Dragons, meanwhile, are at Cardiff Blues on the same day.
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