PITTSBURGH -- Steelers coach Mike Tomlin made official what seemed clear after Sunday's win against the Browns: Devlin "Duck" Hodges will continue to be the starting quarterback for this week's matchup in Arizona.

"Going on the road is something we respect, especially when you're working with a young QB," Tomlin said Tuesday. "Duck will continue to be our quarterback again this week. He's performed well in hostile environments, but he just doesn't have a big sample size.

"Like what I saw in L.A. I liked what I saw in the second half in Cincinnati, but he'll be moving now into roughly his seventh quarter of road work. We respect it, we've got to prepare that way in preparation for our offensive unit."

Hodges made his first career start against the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 13, playing for a concussed Mason Rudolph, but the crowd at Dignity Health Sports Park was overwhelmingly pro-Pittsburgh. Hodges then took over for Rudolph on the road in Cincinnati two weeks ago, but the crowd for the then-winless Bengals wasn't very hostile. His first true road test, then, figures to be this weekend at State Farm Stadium against the Cardinals.

By giving him the start yet again, Tomlin continues to show confidence in his rookie undrafted quarterback. Tomlin didn't treat Hodges any differently in the week leading up to his second career start, and he doesn't plan to change that anytime soon.

"I told Duck I had a lot of confidence in his abilities and his preparation and his talent, so I wanted to display that confidence by not talking him to death, not having a bunch of additional meetings and things of that nature," Tomlin said. "I wanted to display that confidence by going about our routine. Not only confidence in him, but confidence in our preparation process, how we go about our business of game prep.

"He's the starting quarterback. We're interacting with him in the ways that we interact with a starting quarterback in preparation for a game."

Hodges comes into this week's game after a solid performance against the Browns. He competed 14 of 21 attempts for 212 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Tomlin specifically pointed to a sequence just before halftime, including the two-minute drive Hodges orchestrated just before the half, as a pivotal point in the 20-13 win against the Browns. Hodges threw the ball five times, capped with a perfectly placed touchdown throw to James Washington to tie the score at halftime after starting out in a 10-0 hole.

"Largely, I thought Duck did an awesome job of taking care of the football," Tomlin said, "but that was one instance where he needed to be aggressive and work the ball down the field and he did and was able to take care of the ball and we were able to score."

Hodges helped the team to another touchdown after halftime, including the completion of a 44-yard pass to Washington.

"I thought that sequence of events, 17 points or what have you," Tomlin said, "was significant in terms of how the game unfolded and really was pivotal in terms of the overall trajectory of the second half."

The Carolina Panthers have parted ways with coach Ron Rivera, the team announced Tuesday.

Rivera has been the Panthers coach since 2011, and earned a 76-63-1 regular season record and a 3-4 postseason mark. In nine seasons, Rivera guided the team to a Super Bowl appearance, an NFC Championship and three NFC South titles.

NEW YORK -- The Brooklyn Nets will continue to play without All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving for at least the next two games, coach Kenny Atkinson said after practice on Tuesday.

Atkinson said Irving, who has missed the past nine games because of a right shoulder impingement, will stay behind and continue to rehab while the team travels to Atlanta and Charlotte this week.

"I think I used to get frustrated more," Atkinson said of Irving's slow recovery. "I've had my moments of frustration because I want him back so bad. But you hear our performance staff and then you talk to Kyrie and then you get your mind to a place where that's the smartest thing to do."

Irving has been able to resume on-court activities. He has not been able to do any contact drills -- a necessary hurdle to clear before he is able to play in a game.

Spencer Dinwiddie, who had been the Nets' sixth man, has averaged 25 points per game while starting in Irving's absence. When he was coming off the bench earlier this season, Dinwiddie averaged 17 points.

The Nets are 6-3 without Irving and have an overall record of 10-10. Their first game after their road trip is Dec. 8 against the Nuggets in Brooklyn.

Carmelo Anthony says he was prepared to walk away from the NBA if the Portland Trail Blazers hadn't called and offered him a roster spot last month.

"I was preparin' myself," Anthony told ESPN's Rachel Nichols in a conversation that aired on Tuesday. "And I had prepared myself to kinda just walk away from the game -- if the right situation didn't come about."

Anthony, who was named the Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday, is averaging 17.7 points a game since joining the Blazers on Nov. 19.

"I say that because I know what I can do," Anthony said. "So if I were just to go to a team and to a situation just to be on the team, and it didn't work out, it was gonna come back on me anyway. Like, the blame is gonna be on me anyway. So, a situation like Portland, where I could just come in and just play my game and have a group of guys that really want me, and the organization that want me.

"There's no better feelin' than when you feel wanted. And I think that's what kinda keeps me motivated and understandin', like, this situation is -- it is and was the best situation for me."

The Blazers are 3-3 since Anthony's arrival, but have won three in a row heading into Tuesday's game at Staples Center against the Los Angeles Clippers. Anthony, who played in just 10 games last season as a member of the Houston Rockets, could not find a job until the struggling Blazers came calling two weeks ago.

Throughout his sabbatical from the league, Anthony was outspoken in his belief he could still play. But he acknowledges there was a point he thought about retirement after so many teams passed on his services.

"I was ready to walk away, yeah," Anthony said. "It was hard. But there came a point when I was, like, 'You know what? I've given a lot to this game. I played 15, 16 years in this game. I'm ready to give it up, because I just knew that, at that point in time from a basketball standpoint, that narrative that it -- it was already out there. So I'd been fightin' an uphill battle anyway if I didn't go to the right situation."

Anthony says he is not viewing his second chance in the league as a retirement tour. One of his close friends, former Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, received accolades from throughout the league in his final season a year ago, but Anthony said he didn't sign with the Blazers for that kind of treatment.

He said his body is in a solid place after a year off from the grind of an NBA season.

"I feel good," he said. "Just because I'm 35 years old, and I'm supposed to be, you know, the book says you're supposed to be about to retire around this time? Like -- like, no, I've always been against all odds ... I just had a year off ... I had a year off restin' my body.

"The most important part about that is I rested my mind, right. I got my mind right. And I don't think people understand how strong that is. When you're able to get your mind right, everything else flows."

Anthony is looking forward to Friday's matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers and close friend LeBron James, but says he would never put James in a situation where he pushed his friend to call on his behalf for a job.

"I never called him and said, 'What're we doin'?' Or 'I need you to do this for me,' " Anthony said. "I would never do that. I would never put him in that situation. I don't know what he's doin' on his side, but I would never put him, as a friend, as a brother, in that situation. Right, and I know for a fact, he would go to bat for me, but I don't feel comfortable putting people in that situation, whether you're my friend or not."

James and Anthony have been playing against each other for almost two decades now -- with another chapter set to be written this week in Portland.

"Those are fun games though, right?" Anthony said. "I mean, we've been -- we're 17 years in. I remember sitting in New Jersey in high school [talking] about playing for the first time, like, we're -- we're here 17 years later still doin' what we do, and what we love."

Left-handed reliever Jake Diekman and the Oakland Athletics are in agreement on a two-year deal with a club option.

A source familiar with the deal told ESPN's Jeff Passan that the contract is for $7.5 million.

The move comes a day after the A's decided not to tender a contract to another member of the team's bullpen, reliever Blake Treinen, making him a free agent. Treinen, a right-hander, posted a 0.78 ERA and saved 38 games as the A's closer in 2018 but his ERA rose to 4.91 in 2019 as he lost his closer's job to Liam Hendriks.

Diekman, 32, was acquired by the A's in a trade with the Kansas City Royals in July. He became a free agent after the season.

After joining Oakland, he went 1-1 with a 4.43 ERA in 28 appearances. The eight-year veteran has a 3.90 ERA in his career in 441 appearances for five major league teams.

British 10,000m champion’s successful year has laid the groundwork ahead of her Tokyo targets

Steph Twell describes her year in three words: ‘Organic, intuitive and liberating’. “I had to go a lot more with the flow, be very intuitive with what I know about myself and it was just quite liberating, being quite free.”

Her methods have clearly worked. When we meet for coffee and cake in the historic market town of Farnham in Surrey, Twell is enjoying a well-deserved break and the chance to reflect on a series of successes. It has been a busy year and she is expecting more of the same in 2020, so the Aldershot, Farnham & District athlete is making the most of time with family and friends before her focus fully turns to Tokyo.

When it comes to what would be her third Olympic Games, Twell’s ambition to double up in the 10,000m and marathon has been complicated by plans to move the road events to Sapporo 800km away due to heat concerns. But while the finer details are yet to be decided, the 30-year-old knows that her foundations have been well laid this year, with confidence that there is much more to come, too.

Self-coached since spring, Twell guided herself to victory at the Highgate Night of the 10,000m PBs, clocking 31:08.13 for a PB which ranks her sixth on the UK all-time list. She then ran a half-marathon PB of 70:51 at the Simplyhealth Great North Run. Making her international debut over 10,000m, she finished 15th at the IAAF World Championships in Doha before returning to the roads and setting a Scottish marathon record in Frankfurt just one month later.

Her time of 2:26:40 in only her second ever marathon was also an Olympic qualifying mark as she improved on the 2:30:11 run on her debut in Valencia last December. It took 12 seconds off Liz McColgan’s 22-year-old Scottish record and moved her from 23rd to then fifth on the British all-time rankings, behind only Paula Radcliffe, Mara Yamauchi, Charlie Purdue and Veronique Marot.

With Britain’s female marathoners currently enjoying great success, Twell now sits sixth on that all-time list, following Jess Piasecki’s 2:25:28 in Florence a month later.

Twell’s performance in Germany helped to build belief in her marathon ability and confirmed that the work she had done had been right for her.

“It was super fun, a relaxed environment and a solid performance – I think there’s more to come” – Steph Twell on her 2:26:40 marathon

“Before I might have thought ‘is this the event for me?’ or ‘is this the distance that I want to continue to sign myself up to?’ Because it’s a big investment!” says Twell.

“Some people told me it was a distraction to have Doha and I still decided I don’t believe what you think, I believe this is right for me.

“People said if I did more mileage maybe I could have had a bigger performance. But for me, my marathon career is still in its infancy and I feel that’s the right way to be about marathon training.

“It was super fun, a relaxed environment and a solid performance – I think there’s more to come.”

On racing the Doha 10,000m just a month before the Frankfurt Marathon, she adds: “I always saw that as quite a feasible option, after seeing the likes of Americans such as Emily Sisson and Molly Huddle doing that in Stanford and then London. I was really inspired by that. I couldn’t quite shift that out of my mindset.

“In the back of my head it was definitely a niggling unknown as to what my potential over 10km would be. I haven’t necessarily fully concentrated on thinking I’m a 10km runner yet but there was that unknown niggling in the background, thinking ‘what if’?”

Twell was a teenager when she made her Olympic debut in the 1500m at the 2008 Beijing Games, with that performance coming the month after her world junior gold.

She always knew that she would end up as a marathoner, however, thanks in part to her first coach, Mick Woods.

“I think the really good thing when I was coached by Mick was that he always planted that seed in my mind that I could one day be a good marathon runner, so I’m really grateful to him for letting me believe that,” she says.

“The early years of his coaching probably have stood me in good stead for being the athlete that can tolerate training. Because that’s the hardest bit – it’s not the actual race, it’s tolerating the repeated load of the week-to-week mileage.

If you can get through that then you can get through the race. The race is the most enjoyable part.”

After working with Woods, Twell was guided by Geoff Wightman – father and coach to European and Commonwealth medallist Jake – before deciding to take matters into her own hands.

Now she has support from a small group, including physiologist Charlie Pedlar, physio Alex O’Gorman and her husband Joe Morwood, a 2:20:52 marathoner who paced her in Frankfurt (“I’d give him about a seven out of 10!”), but she enjoys being her own boss.

“I have turned ‘me’ into ‘we’,” she says. “Because at first it did feel like I was starting from scratch, just me going with my gut. I thought, who can I bring along on this journey with me because I’m going to need to tap into some knowledge?

“Early on I actually decided to look on The Power of 10 at all of our British history. I looked at Paula Radcliffe’s data, Mara Yamauchi’s data, Jo Pavey’s data. I looked at Callum Hawkins’ data for some male reflections as well and just tried to join the dots – what was their natural progression?”

General conversations with the likes of Yamauchi and Robert Hawkins, coach and father to Callum, followed.

“I tapped into a bit of informal knowledge and very broad, general questions like ‘what’s a typical marathon mileage?’ That sounds crazy but when you’re already in a coaching relationship you automatically fall into the belief system of that coach and I wasn’t able to question other people’s views which would align more with my own.”

On the lessons she has learned about the 26.2-mile event so far, she says: “Not to predict pain. To have an open mind as your body can do amazing things.

“I was expecting to feel tired at certain points but I had already planned that I was going to be tired rather than actually feeling tired, because your body responds to the fitness.

“There’s so much to learn about it but it can also be very simple as well. It’s that beauty of the juxtaposition of overthinking and learning everything but also keeping it very simple.”

“Have an open mind as your body can do amazing things”

Her advice to those considering self-coaching is to not be afraid to ask questions but also to listen to your own body and mind. “Try to stay balanced in taking advice but also knowing what works for you because deep down I think you know,” she adds.

While Twell’s development in athletics has seen her step up in distance, her career away from the track and road has also evolved. She qualified as a teacher after the Rio Olympics, where she raced the 5000m, and was later headhunted by her local council to devise a family fun running club.

“We’re trying to maintain healthy weights in our borough,” she says. “I think I’m an example of someone who understands the importance of physical literacy from a young age and to try and create an aspirational intervention for the community is so important.

“Running is the most simplistic entry to any sport. For me, it’s huge. I get to design the programme, I get to engage in my local community and now I’m evaluating it on behalf of the council for Public Health England, which is fantastic and I’m feeling so proud of it.”

When it comes to her own next steps in athletics, Twell intends to return to competition with some low-key cross country races before deciding on her Tokyo plan.

“I would love to double,” she says. “If it was a possibility, I absolutely think that we should. We only have a history of Paula Radcliffe trying it in Athens but many European athletes do it. I actually do believe people are probably in the shape of their lives after the marathon, if they recover and come out of it with a positive experience.

“People might say that might sacrifice your ultimate performance but I’ve also got to be realistic about my competition. Maybe I might not be one of the top three but I’d like to have the best impact I can for Britain, that’s my key aim. If I can then be top European that would be fantastic, and then as close as I can to winning a race would be amazing.

“I’ve just got to be realistic about what impact I can have but I’ll only really find that out closer to the time and that will be based on the world rankings and people’s performances. I’m going to have to keep my cards close to my chest.”

For now, Twell knows what she needs to do.

“It’s really enormous actually that I’ve laid these foundations so well,” she says. “I’m feeling super pleased with the position I’m in at the moment. I’m where I want to be, really.

“I’ve just got to get my head down this year and stay happy and healthy – that’s the foundations for a big year.

“A fast runner is a happy runner so that’s what I’ve got to do.”

Worcester forward Nick Schonert has signed a new undisclosed-length deal with the Premiership club.

The 28-year-old South Africa-born prop, who has been knocking on England's door for the last two years, is back to full fitness after missing the start of this season with a medial ligament injury.

"I am really happy a lot of the other guys are re-signing too," he said.

"This is the first time since I've been here that a lot of established players are staying. It shows where we're at."

Alan Solomons' side are currently fourth in the Premiership, having won three of their first five games - the Warriors' best start to a season in the top flight since first being promoted in 2004.

And Schonert, whose current deal was due to expire at the end of the current season, has opted to follow the lead of England flanker Ted Hill, lock Andrew Kitchener and South African centre Francois Venter in signing a new deal.

"Trust can be a hard thing to find in sport especially when it comes to coaches and players," the tight-head added. "But I have full trust in Solly and I have signed for that reason.

"I have been here for six years and I owe a lot to the club. They have made me into the player I am but I don't think that over that period we have given the fans what they deserve.

"I would like to look back in 30 years and say that I practised what I preach and that I helped to give the fans a top six club.

"My parents have just moved over to Worcester too. There are a lot of good reasons to stay."

Schonert has made 104 Warriors appearances, scoring three tries, since first signing from South African side Cheetahs in 2014.

He was called up by Eddie Jones to play for an England XV at Twickenham in May 2018 against the Barbarians.

And he was part of Jones' training squad both for the 2018 Autumn Internationals and in the initial group for the Rugby World Cup.

Bath captain Charlie Ewels and back row Zach Mercer will miss two to three months with knee injuries, though neither will require surgery.

The England internationals suffered the injuries in Bath's Champions Cup games against Ulster and Harlequins.

Ewels, 24, and Mercer, 22, will wear knee braces before working with Bath's performance department as they recover.

"It's incredibly positive to hear Zach and Charlie will not need surgery," said director of rugby Stuart Hooper.

"I know that on top of their recovery they will take every opportunity to both improve themselves and contribute to the squad in every way that they can."

BENICIA, Calif. – Red Line Synthetic Oil has formed a partnership with the United Championship Racing Alliance.

With this new collaboration, Red Line Synthetic Oil will be on location at all upcoming UCRA racing events, providing attendees with firsthand product information, as well as samples.

“At Red Line Synthetic Oil we’re truly looking forward to joining the United Championship Racing Alliance family,” said Kit Szwarcburg, Marketing Director of Red Line Synthetic Oil. “Throughout our company history we’ve supported grassroots racing and we’re proud to be a part of local racing communities like the UCRA. Supporting the future of motorsports is extremely important to us as a company, it’s in our DNA.”

The UCRA was founded in 2014 by a group of like-minded track promoters in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee who sought to form a series that allowed racers to unite and compete in an economical touring series. GM 604 and Promax Ford 351 crate motors were selected and a points structure was devised for the tracks within a 300-mile radius. The series supports local racers as they participate in an exciting program and hone their skills.

“As we continue to bring the standards and practices of the United Championship Racing Alliance to new heights, welcoming Red Line Synthetic Oil as our partner was the perfect choice,” said Marvin Ford of UCRA. “Red Line uses their extensive knowledge of racing to create high performance products for everything from the racetrack to common street vehicles. We’re excited to make them a prominent part of our upcoming events as they support our racers with the best fluids available.”

Did you miss out on our Black Friday Digital Subscription deal? Worry not because we’ve got a Cyber Monday deal for you! Now through Friday, you can purchase a 12-month digital subscription to either SPEEDSPORT.com or SprintCarandMidget.com for $1 per month/$12 per year! Click the banner below to subscribe today!

YAS ISLAND, Abu Dhabi – Formula One’s annual post-season test at the Yas Island Circuit began on Tuesday with Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas pacing a busy day of on-track action.

Bottas spent most of the day testing tire compounds and set the fastest lap of the day on his 129th lap – 1:37.124. His fast lap left him a little more than .8 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel at the conclusion of the day.

“It’s been a very productive day today, we did more than 750 kilometers,” said Bottas. “We’ve been learning about the 2020 tires and how they compare to this year’s tires. We gathered a lot of data for the team to analyze over the coming weeks. I still have a few more team commitments before I eventually leave for the holidays and I’ll head off for the break with a positive mindset after a strong season and a good last day of testing with this year’s car.”

Vettel turned 136 laps and was involved in the only incident of the day, which saw the Ferrari driver make slight contact with the Racing Point of Sergio Perez in turn 11. The tap resulted in Vettel innocently spinning, though Vettel was easily able to continue.

Daniil Kvyat was third fastest after turning 72 laps, while Perez and Haas’ Romain Grosjean were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Esteban Ocon made his return to Formula One as a full-time driver for Renault, turning 77 laps and finishing the day eighth fastest.

Did you miss out on our Black Friday Digital Subscription deal? Worry not because we’ve got a Cyber Monday deal for you! Now through Friday, you can purchase a 12-month digital subscription to either SPEEDSPORT.com or SprintCarandMidget.com for $1 per month/$12 per year! Click the banner below to subscribe today!