MOORESVILLE, N.C. – DGR-Crosley announced Wednesday that Taylor Gray will rejoin the team for the upcoming season, driving the No. 17 Ford Fusion in the reformatted ARCA Menards Series.

Due to age restrictions, Gray will miss the start of the season, but after his 15th birthday on March 25, Gray will compete full-time in both the Sioux Chief Showdown Series and the ARCA Menards Series East in 2020.

In addition to his ARCA schedule, Gray will also pick up select late model races throughout the season.

The 14-year-old Denver, N.C., native will make the transition to the ARCA Menards Series after competing in several CARS Tour races, as well as additional late model stock car events for DGR-Crosley in 2019.

In his first season with DGR-Crosley, Gray captured five wins, including a wire-to-wire victory in the 200-lap Fall Brawl at Hickory Motor Speedway.

“I’m really excited for the opportunity to compete again with DGR Crosley in 2020,” said Gray. “We had a lot of success together this year in the late model stocks and were able to pick up several wins. It’s going to be a challenge competing in multiple series next year, but I’m confident that with our new relationship with Ford Performance, we will be a force to be reckoned with.”

As the 2020 driver line up continues to expand for DGR-Crosley, co-owner David Gilliland is eager to get the new season started.

“Taylor is a great asset within our driver line up at DGR-Crosley. I really enjoyed working with him last year as he developed his skills in late models. Taylor is absolutely ready to make the step up to the ARCA Menards Series,” said Gilliland. “I am super excited to see what we will be able to accomplish together in 2020.”

Gray’s full schedule is still being finalized, along with his team roster. Both will be released in the upcoming weeks.

A superb Cristiano Ronaldo header sent Juventus three points clear at the top of Serie A with a 2-1 victory at Sampdoria on Wednesday as Gianluigi Buffon matched the league appearance record.

Paulo Dybala's exquisite volley put the champions in front before Gianluca Caprari levelled, but a remarkable leap and towering header from Ronaldo on the brink of half-time proved decisive.

Ronaldo was denied his second goal by the offside flag late on, before Samp scorer Caprari was sent off in stoppage time when he was shown a second yellow card.

It was a special night for Buffon as the veteran goalkeeper equalled Paolo Maldini's record of 647 Serie A appearances and set a new Juventus Serie A appearance record of 479 games, one more than Alessandro Del Piero.

Juventus top the table with 42 points, although second-placed Inter (39) have a game in hand, while Sampdoria are 17th on 15 points.

South Carolina landed the top uncommitted prospect when five-star defensive end Jordan Burch committed to the Gamecocks on Wednesday.

Burch is the No. 5 overall recruit in the ESPN 300 out of Hammond School in Columbia, South Carolina. He chose South Carolina over Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and LSU.

Oregon also scored a commitment from a five-star recruit when ESPN 300 linebacker Justin Flowe chose the Ducks over USC and Miami.

With Burch on board, the Gamecocks have eight ESPN 300 commitments, including ESPN 300 running back Marshawn Lloyd, the No. 53-ranked recruit.

Burch is high school teammates with South Carolina coach Will Muschamp's son, Jackson, and will now play for the elder Muschamp in Burch's hometown.

Flowe, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound prospect from Upland High School in Upland, California, is the first five-star commit in this class for the Ducks and the seventh ESPN 300 commit to join the class.

Flowe is yet another top-ranked recruit from California who is headed out of state. Defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, the top-ranked recruit in California in 2019, also signed with Oregon. The top 13 recruits from California who have announced their commitments have chosen out-of-state schools.

Oregon has had quite a bit of success in California in recent years, landing six ESPN 300 recruits from the state in 2018, six in 2019 and currently three this year with Flowe, quarterback Jay Butterfield and athlete Jaden Navarrette.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Defensive end Terrell Suggs said he didn't need the hard sell from coach Andy Reid or other team officials after being claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Chiefs this week.

"I was really uncertain about my future last week, but I talked to Coach and it was a brief conversation and I was like, 'OK,''' Suggs said Wednesday as he joined the Chiefs for his first practice session. "I asked Coach, 'I just learned the hard way that a player like me just [doesn't] fit in anywhere.' He was like, 'Trust me, you'll fit in here.'

"It's hard to turn down [playing with] the reigning MVP [Patrick Mahomes] and a playoff team and just the exciting things they're doing, this atmosphere.''

The Chiefs recently lost defensive ends Emmanuel Ogbah and Alex Okafor for the season with injuries, so the timing was perfect for them late last week when the Arizona Cardinals placed Suggs, a seven-time Pro Bowler, on waivers.

"You've got to make sure he can still play,'' Reid said. "That's important. And then, how do they fit in your locker room? We've got a good locker room and a strong locker room. We have some very good leaders in this team, so how do they fit into that? You don't want to bring somebody in that's going to disrupt things. That's not where we're at right now.''

To that end, general manager Brett Veach approached defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who helped coached Suggs as an assistant with the Baltimore Ravens in 2013 and 2014.

"Steve goes, 'The guy loves football, he's a great teammate,''' Reid said. "That's all Brett needed to hear. The rest was Brett making it happen.''

Reid also said that Suggs didn't need much convincing to report to the Chiefs.

"He's not familiar with this, so did I tell him about what's going on here and did he want to hear it?'' Reid said. "Sure. He wanted to know what was going on. He's a thorough guy. But did I have to put the hammer down on him or anything? No. He had some questions, which guys do when they've been around. I think he liked what he heard. It wasn't a recruiting-type situation.''

The Chiefs have Suggs, 37, listed on this week's depth chart as the top reserve at left defensive end behind Tanoh Kpassagnon.

"Hopefully I can come in and contribute right off the bat,'' Suggs said. "This was a team that was a penalty away from the Super Bowl last year, so they're not missing much. Hopefully I can add that extra addition that we can kind of potentially do something special.''

The Oklahoma Sooners will be without at least three players for their College Football Playoff semifinal game against LSU at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Dec. 28 because of suspensions, sources confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.

It wasn't immediately clear if the players -- starting defensive end Ronnie Perkins, running back Rhamondre Stevenson and receiver Trejan Bridges -- would also miss the CFP National Championship on Jan. 13 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App) if the No. 4 Sooners defeat the No. 1 Tigers in their semifinal game.

SoonerScoop.com first reported the suspended players' identities on Wednesday.

Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley wouldn't address the suspensions during a national signing day news conference in Norman, Oklahoma, on Wednesday.

"I'm aware of the report that is out there," Riley said. "Unfortunately at this time, I cannot comment on it."

Riley didn't say when he would be able to address the suspensions. He isn't scheduled to meet with the media again until the Sooners arrive in Atlanta next week for the Peach Bowl (4 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App).

"I don't know if there's an exact timetable," Riley said. "But when I can, you'll know."

Riley did confirm that tailback Kennedy Brooks, the team's second-leading rusher with 976 yards and five touchdowns, would be available to play against LSU. Brooks suffered an upper-body injury during the fourth quarter of a 30-23 victory in overtime against Baylor in the Big 12 championship game on Dec. 7.

When Riley was asked whether Stevenson would be available, he replied: "Kennedy Brooks will play."

Riley also declined to confirm if Perkins would be available to play against LSU.

Perkins, a sophomore from St. Louis, has been Oklahoma's most consistent pass-rusher this season with 38 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and six quarterback hurries in 13 starts.

Stevenson, a junior from Las Vegas, emerged as the Sooners' No. 2 tailback after Trey Sermon suffered a season-ending injury. Stevenson had 48 yards with one touchdown on eight carries against Baylor in the Big 12 title game. He also ran for 50 yards on three attempts in a 34-16 win at rival Oklahoma State on Nov. 30.

Bridges, a freshman from Carrollton, Texas, has seven catches for 82 yards with one touchdown. He has just one catch in the past eight games.

BEREA, Ohio -- Odell Beckham Jr. pushed back Wednesday on reports that he wants out of Cleveland and said he's planning to be with the Browns in 2020.

"I'm not going anywhere," the star wide receiver said. "I'll be here. We'll figure this thing out. It's just too special to leave."

Two weeks ago, Beckham was curiously vague about his future in Cleveland, saying that "no one knows what the future holds, like tomorrow." Then on Dec. 8, before the Browns played the Cincinnati Bengals, Fox Sports reported during its NFL pregame show that Beckham had been telling opposing players and coaches to "come get me" out of Cleveland.

Beckham initially declined to talk about that report, and others, fueling more speculation. But Wednesday, he finally quashed it.

"Yeah, we're going to be here," Beckham said when asked about returning in 2020 specifically. "We're going to do it again, and we're going to be what we felt like we should've been and correct all the little mistakes and all the if-we-would've-did-this games. It's just too good."

In his first year with the Browns, Beckham is having the worst statistical season of his career, excluding his injury-riddled 2017 with the New York Giants. At 6-8, the Browns are on the verge of being mathematically eliminated from the playoff picture going into Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Beckham has been battling hip and groin injuries all year, limiting him in games and in how much he can practice. He has now gone eight consecutive games without topping 100 receiving yards, the longest such streak of his career.

Yet despite the tough year, Beckham said he is committed to Cleveland beyond this season and that he "didn't buy a house to sell it."

"I know people have said I didn't sign him to trade him before, but I didn't really buy a house here to up and leave it, and do renovations on the house and build a doghouse," said Beckham, presumably alluding to comments by Giants general manager Dave Gettleman in January that he didn't sign Beckham to trade him, and then trading him two months later. "It's just done. It's time to just put it to bed. I'm going to be here. Nothing more to talk about."

Beckham wasn't the only Cleveland wide receiver to make strong comments Wednesday.

Teammate Jarvis Landry fired back on an NFL Network report that he was telling Arizona players to "come get me" during a 38-24 loss to the Cardinals.

"I would never say nothing like that," said Landry, who Tuesday was voted to the Pro Bowl. "I would never look to another team during a game especially that we're losing and say 'come get me' with a worse record than we have. It's all about clicks now, and I get it, but at the end of the day, don't try to slander my name."

The New York Knicks announced that they hired David Blatt as a basketball operations consultant.

"I look forward to the next step in my career as I officially retire from coaching," Blatt said, in part, in a statement released by the Knicks. "I've long been intrigued by working in a front office."

Blatt was personal friends with Knicks president Steve Mills when the two were in college at Princeton. Blatt is also close with Craig Robinson, who also working in the Knicks' front office. Blatt, Robinson and Mills all played on the basketball team at Princeton together.

"David Blatt is a great basketball mind and we look forward to adding him to the organization," Mills said in a statement.

Blatt was hired as the Cleveland Cavaliers coach in 2014 after an extensive search before the franchise knew that LeBron James would be leaving the Miami Heat to return to Cleveland.

After coaching the team to an NBA Finals berth in 2015, the Cavs were in first place in the Eastern Conference (30-11) the following season when Blatt was fired in January 2016. Tyronn Lue replaced Blatt as coach of the Cavaliers and that group went on to win the NBA championship.

After leaving the NBA, Blatt went to Europe and coached in the Turkish Super League and then coached in the Greek Basket League. Blatt left his post as coach of Olympiakos in October, two months after announcing he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Blatt announced in August he had been diagnosed with MS, which attacks the central nervous system, a few months earlier.

Blatt was in attendance at Knicks practice on Wednesday.

When we last saw Gerrit Cole on the mound, he was sporting a beard and long curly locks. Today, he showed up at his New York Yankees introduction with a new clean-shaven look.

He's not the first to shave and/or get a haircut before joining the Bronx Bombers in adherence to an appearance policy the club has enforced for its players since owner George Steinbrenner instituted it in 1973.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Gerrit Cole

Gerrit Cole has been a Yankees fan for almost his entire life and sported facial hair going back to his days as a college ace at UCLA. This offseason, his desire to join his childhood favorite team -- and $324 million -- won out. Cole showed up at his introductory news conference with a fresh shave and trimmed hair, though it remains to be seen whether the still-lengthy flow meets Yankees standards for the upcoming season.

Andrew McCutchen

Cutch had already cut the trademark dreadlocks he sported during his MVP days with the Pirates long before being dealt from the Giants to the Yankees late in the 2018 season, but landing in the Bronx meant McCutchen also had to ditch his beard for a clean-shaven look for his 25-game stint in pinstripes. Upon signing with the Phillies for the 2019 season, the veteran outfielder grew out the beard again in Philadelphia.

Kevin Youkilis

Like Johnny Damon before him (see below), Youkilis won big in Boston before ultimately landing in New York. Though Youk's Yankees career lasted just 118 plate appearances over 28 games, it was still an unsettling sight for Boston fans to see their former third baseman wrap up his career without his signature goatee in the Bronx.

Nick Swisher

Before cleaning up to join the Yankees in 2009, Swisher was all-in on facial hair. During his time with the White Sox, he sported a beard with a dyed section on his chin and even went as far as turning all of his facial hair blue on Father's Day. In Oakland, where he started his career before spending 2008 with the White Sox, Swisher grew out his hair for almost an entire year before having it cut behind home plate for charity.

Johnny Damon

Damon defected to the Bronx from Boston before the 2006 season, leaving his beard and long-flowing locks behind. Going clean-cut was especially jarring from a member of the famed Red Sox "Idiots" squad -- a freewheeling group that prided itself on being everything the corporate Yankees weren't. In 2004, that team completed a historic rally -- beating the Bombers in the ALCS after trailing 3-0 -- en route to ending Boston's 86-year title drought.

Randy Johnson

The Hall of Famer and co-MVP of the Diamondbacks' 2001 World Series victory over the Yankees, the Big Unit arrived in New York via a blockbuster trade in January 2005. Besides being 6-foot-10 and one of the premier fireballers of his era, Johnson became famous for his mane early in his career, when he achieved superstardom in Seattle.

Jason Giambi

When Giambi joined the Yankees as a free agent 18 years ago, his Oakland goatee had to go. So too did the slugger's long locks, which had been prominently featured on the front page of Sports Illustrated in 2000 with the headline "The New Face of Baseball."

Honorable Mentions

Don Mattingly

Donnie Baseball came up with the Yankees, so he never had to change his locks to look right in pinstripes ... well, for the most part. Mattingly's mullet got him benched before a game in 1991 when he and three other players were told by manager Stump Merrill they were violating team rules by letting their hair down. Mattingly refused a trim, but soon acquiesced.

Goose Gossage

When Gossage's beard drew Steinbrenner's ire, Goose got creative. By taking liberties with the exception to the Yankees facial hair rule allowing mustaches, the reliever grew his 'stache all the way down to his chin and sported what became his signature look for the remainder of his career.

Romania Sevens international Stephen Hihetah has been banned from all sport for four years for breaching World Rugby's anti-doping regulations.

The 28-year-old winger failed a drugs test in February while playing for Hull RUFC in National League Two North.

Hihetah tested positive for metabolites Stanozolol, Metandienone and Tamoxifen.

At a Rugby Football Union hearing he argued he had ingested the drugs inadvertently, but the panel did not believe his account.

London-born Hihetah, whose mother is Romanian, was charged with a breach of World Rugby regulation 21.2.1 - "presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers in a player's sample".

He claimed he ingested the drugs from a pre-workout drink given to him by a friend during gym sessions in London over the Christmas period in 2018, and returned a positive urine sample following training two months later.

His ban is back-dated to 12 June, and he will therefore be suspended until 11 June 2023.

"All rugby players are subject to the anti-doping rules which are in place to protect players and the integrity of our sport," RFU anti-doping and illicit drugs programme manager Stephen Watkins said.