ALISO VIEJO, Calif. – Jon Shakill has joined Performance Racing Industry as the company’s new Marketing Manager, where he will oversee strategic promotional and communications efforts for the PRI Trade Show, held annually in Indianapolis, Indiana, as well as its supporting publication and media channels.

Shakill brings with him nearly 15 years of marketing, content, and publishing experience, along with an entrepreneurial spirit that embodies today’s racing industry. Prior to serving as Marketing Manager for Experian, where he spearheaded marketing initiatives and partnered with Fortune 500 clients to build consultative relationships, Shakill held management and publishing positions in a variety of industries, including the financial, entertainment and consumer markets.

“Jon has a unique combination of B2B experience along with impressive publishing, creative, and strategic marketing credentials,” said PRI General Manager Bill Miller. “His passion and proven track record of serving and helping businesses thrive will be highly valuable for the PRI community.”

Shakill will play a key role in the PRI Trade Show’s growth both domestically and internationally. He will also help bring greater value to exhibitors through new initiatives and partnerships, while directing the organization’s strategies and messaging through PRI’s monthly magazine, weekly eNewsletter, social media, website, email campaigns, advertising and media outreach.

“For more than three decades, PRI has served as the voice of the motorsports community by showcasing the latest trends, ideas, products and strategies for racing businesses and entrepreneurs,” said Shakill. “I plan to build upon that success and deepen the engagement between PRI and the professionals who represent its core. I’m inspired and motivated by their passion, and I’m excited to be a part of such an innovative industry.”

Shakill, who graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a double major in mass communications and political science, will work out of the PRI offices in Aliso Viejo, Calif.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Advance Auto Parts Inc., a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider, will sponsor Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney as part of a multi-year agreement.

Advance Auto Parts will be featured as the primary sponsor on the No. 12 Ford Mustang driven by Blaney for four races in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Blaney will compete in the No. 12 Advance Auto Parts Ford for Team Penske at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 15, Richmond Raceway on April 19, Watkins Glen Int’l on Aug. 16 and the night race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 19. Advance also will be an associate sponsor on the No. 12 Ford Mustang for the full NASCAR Cup Series season.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be sponsoring Ryan Blaney, one of NASCAR’s top drivers, and partnering with one of the most prestigious teams in racing,” said Jason McDonell, Advance’s Chief Marketing Officer. “For years Team Penske has been known for executing with excellence in everything they do on and off the track. We are proud to be joining this successful team and look forward to a winning and productive partnership with Ryan and Team Penske.”

This year Blaney earned a spot in the Cup Series playoffs for the third-consecutive year and qualified for the Round of 8 by winning at Talladega Superspeedway in October – his third Cup Series victory. Blaney ended the year seventh in the Cup Series point standings with career-bests in both top-five (11) and top-10 (18) finishes.

“We welcome one of the most established and innovative companies in the automotive aftermarket parts industry to Team Penske,” said team owner Roger Penske. “Advance focuses on executing with excellence in their business and we bring those same goals and principles to the race track every weekend. We are excited to have Advance on board with Ryan and the No. 12 Ford team next season and look forward to growing our partnership for the future.”

DALLAS, Texas – AIM Vasser Sullivan announced Thursday that Parker Chase will join the team for the upcoming IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship full-season competing in the GT Daytona class.

“AIM Vasser Sullivan is pleased to announce that Parker (Chase) will be driving the full 2020 GTD season,” said AIM Vasser Sullivan co-owner Jimmy Vasser. “Parker is a young, up and coming driver, who showed good speed when he ran for us at the Petit Le Mans and in tests before and after that race. We look forward to helping him develop his career.”

AIM Vasser Sullivan will campaign two identically prepared Lexus RC F GT3s during the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona season.

Chase will join Jack Hawksworth behind the wheel of the No. 14 AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3. In 2019, the team’s first season, the No. 14 AVS Lexus competed in all 11 races during in the IMSA GT Daytona class season placing second in the inaugural IMSA GT Daytona Sprint Cup Team Manufacturer Championship and sixth in the overall championship on the strength of two wins (Mid-Ohio and Detroit), five top-five showings and eight top-10 finishes.

Chase, 18, a native of New Braunfels, Texas, began racing in Karts at the age of 10 winning multiple championships, is the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge Rookie of the Year and the 2018 World Challenge SprintX Pro/AM Champion.

“I’m honored and excited to be joining AIM Vasser Sullivan for the 2020 IMSA GTD season,” said Chase. I want to thank Sulli (James Sullivan), Jimmy (Vasser) and Andrew (Bordin) for this opportunity. The team had a lot of success in their first year in IMSA racing the Lexus RC F GT3, and I’m looking forward to helping them continue and improve on that success.”

The National Hockey League is offensive.

As in, there are a lot of goals being scored.

Why, what did you think we meant?

Through the quarter mark of the 2019-20 season, about 317 games, scoring has continued to surge. There have been 529 different skaters with at least one goal, 72% of all skaters. That's the highest percentage of skaters since the 1992-93 season, when Teemu Selanne had 76 goals and Mario Lemieux scored 160 points.

Around 44% of all games have featured a team coming back to win. There have been 66 third-period comeback wins, the most ever at this stage of the season. There have been 45 multi-goal comeback wins, second-most ever, behind only last season's pace.

The 1,956 goals scored and the 6.2 goals per game on average are the second-highest in 23 years, ranking only behind the anomalous 2005-06 post-lockout season, which gave us a Carolina Hurricanes vs. Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup Final about 14 years before it was plausible.

That cancelled season remains a point of frustration, and more than a little embarrassment, for the league. They cringe when you bring it up. But the "NHL 2.0" rule changes that were born from it laid the groundwork for what we're seeing today.

"We took an extended holiday," said vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell, with a slight sigh. "It's never worth it, but we tried to make something out of it at the time. We came out of ... what did they call it? The dead-puck era."

Yes, that's what they called it. The offensive nadir of the sport. As of Thursday, NHL teams are averaging 3.08 goals per game. Twenty years ago, in the middle of that dead-puck era? The goals per game stood at 2.64.

"Two things I heard at the time scared me. First, was the players saying they weren't having any fun playing the game. And that the fans would shut it down after a one-goal lead. Now, teams are overcoming four-goal leads in the third period," said Campbell. "The adjustments that we keep making every year, without making major rule changes, that's been our theme since 2004 or 2005. To reward as much offense as you can."

So why can't they reward it even more?

Why can't the NHL get really offensive?

That the NHL sends out a press release touting goal totals is indicative of two things: Decades of guilt over the dead-puck era framing hockey as a tedious, trap-happy sport; and an acknowledgement that offense is a narcotic for mainstream North American sports fans. We like having our ticket expenditures rewarded with the cathartic thrill of a score. We like betting the over. We like the thrill of a record-breaking chase. Offense saved baseball after 1994. Offense rescued football from a quagmire of attacks on its morality.

But go back to that Campbell quote: Scoring has increased "without making major rule changes." Which is very much in keeping with the NHL's track under Gary Bettman: Incremental increases rather than dramatic gains, because the league is imprisoned by its devotion to tradition.

I believe it was the great philosopher Kylo Ren who said: "Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to. That's the only way to become what you are meant to be."

The NHL was meant to be an offensive league. Here are a few radical ways to get it there:

Get rid of offside

Enough already. The annual debates over what constitutes it are tedious. We've even gone back to "breaking the plane" of the blue line with a skate that's not on the ice. Here's something much tidier: Get rid of offside altogether.

I wasn't always in favor of this. There was a time when I felt it was too radical. But in discussing it through the years, I'm attracted to its reinvention of the game. Would you defend with four players and position one down the ice? Would the stretch pass become more beautiful than it already is? Could a player like Connor McDavid become even more wizardly without the confines of the blue line? I'd like to see it.

Go 4-on-4 all the time

This is an obvious one. The ice is too crowded. Taking one player off of each side opens it up and ratchets up the pace. It would also present a heck of a challenge for coaches insofar as figuring out line combinations and who goes over the boards and when. Scoring would increase. Speed would increase. Maybe the NHLPA would go for it if the rosters expanded to additional players to aid in the track meet.

Two-minute majors go the full length

I'm with Lou Lamoriello on this one. Every minor penalty goes for the full two minutes, even if the attacking team scores. Maybe you throw in a little caveat that the only way to kill it is with a short-handed goal, for extra offensive incentive. Go ahead, we dare you to take a penalty. Please note this might be born of our desire to see Alex Ovechkin break Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal-scoring record by next February.

The NHL should be happy with its offensive upswing. The on-ice product is better than it's been in decades. But this should just be a precursor to an offensive era that could transform the game.

Just don't cancel another season to do it.

Spitting mad

When I heard Washington Capitals forward Garnet Hathaway was getting an NHL hearing for spitting on Anaheim Ducks defenseman Erik Gudbranson, I figured he might get suspended for a game. They usually don't schedule hearings for fines, after all.

(Here's the incident, for those who missed it):

Garnet Hathaway gets a match penalty for spitting in Erik Gudbranson's face pic.twitter.com/KfjjkBMtVC

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) November 19, 2019

And then he got three games.

What an absolute joke on the part of the NHL.

The suspension was handed down by the NHL hockey operations department, the crustiest of crusty old-school men in the league hierarchy. It was Colin Campbell specifically, who handles suspensions outside the realm of player safety issues. I figured Campbell might look at this incident as any rational person would, which is that Hathaway was sucker-punched in the face and then responded with an unfortunate loogie for which he was given a match penalty. He acknowledged it was unsportsmanlike conduct after the game. But Campbell took a different old-school tact, which is that spitting on another player is an ultimate sign of disrespect and warrants not one, not two, but three games banned from playing in the league.

If only Hathaway had utilized one of the alternatives instead:

Punching Gudbranson in the face. While he might have still gotten a misconduct penalty, he would have avoided a match penalty and there's a reasonable chance that he might have only gotten two minutes for roughing. Because the NHL is a league where punching someone in the face after the whistle isn't worse than spitting at them.

Spearing Gudbranson in the groin. Hathaway could have taken his stick, looked Gudbranson straight in the face and stuck it right in the how-do-you-do. It was only two years ago that there was an "epidemic" of sticks to the store in the NHL, and the punishments ranged from misconduct penalties to NHL fines to a two-game suspension for repeat offender Brad Marchand. Because the NHL is a league where spearing someone in the groin isn't worse than spitting at them.

Licking Gudbranson on the cheek. Hathaway's biggest failure was projecting his saliva at the Ducks defenseman, rather than delivering it via his tongue, and slathering it on an opposing player. He could actually do that, and then do that again, and the NHL would only say it's somewhat concerned, but would not actually levy any punishment. Even if it's a playoff game! Because the NHL is a league where licking someone -- or multiple someones -- on the face isn't worse than spitting at them.

Fake sneezing on Gudbranson. Perhaps the best course of action for Hathaway. Campbell said he's legislated incidents in which players have spit at referees, which set a quasi-precedence for players spitting on players, one imagines. But a well-masked fake sneeze could not only deliver the payload on Gudbranson, but avoid any comparable actions. Because the NHL is a league where ... well, we assume it can be hood-winked by an expertly placed fake sneeze.

The people this suspension hurts most are the ones in the Department of Player Safety. First, because most fans believe they're the ones who hand out these kinds of suspensions, which isn't true, as it's not their jurisdiction.

Second, because all suspensions -- boarding, stickwork, hits to the head, drugs, attacking a ref, spitting -- inevitably get compared to each other, fairly or unfairly. So, going forward, the department will have to hear things like, "Oh sure, two games for an elbow to the skull but spitting gets three games?!" And that stinks.

Spitting is gross. Spitting should be discouraged. A fine would have sufficed. A three-game suspension for it, within any context, doesn't make a lick of sense.

Jersey Fouls

From Hollywood:

Got a chance to visit Staples Center for the first time last weekend. Still torn if this kids jersey is awesome or a #JerseyFoul pic.twitter.com/QKC1Lmzx6a

— Adam Forsythe (@adamforsythe) November 20, 2019

We're all for repping your favorite game system, and frankly this is a much better decision than, say, a "PS 3" jersey. But it remains a Foul, unless it was hand-delivered by the company as a promotional tie-in for an NHL title. Frankly, we're sad for poor Matt Luff, a.k.a. the player who has worn No. 64 for the Los Angeles Kings for 37 games over the last two seasons.

From the Island:

@wyshynski live in game jerseys foul.
I like the #CUJO jersey but you can't tuck an #NHL Jersey into your pantalones !#Isles #Leafs #JerseyFoul #LeafsForever #IslesTwitter pic.twitter.com/xqst3JQCcF

— Jay Dugan (@jaydugan) November 14, 2019

Jay is correct here. Tucking one's sweater into their jeans is like taking an original copy of the U.S. Constitution and folding it into a bookmark: Practical, but utterly blasphemous.

Winners and Losers of the Week: Mike Babcock firing edition

Loser: Mike Babcock

Obviously. He put his reputation on the line in doing the unthinkable, i.e. being an Ontario-born free agent who came to the Toronto Maple Leafs to break the championship drought that's festered there since 1967. He was given the largest contract ever given to an NHL coach. He was given brilliant young talent in Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, as well as a two-time Hart Trophy finalist in John Tavares, who signed as a free agent. He had five years to help mold and shape this roster into something to his liking, both from a systems standpoint and a personnel standpoint. And he won eight out of 20 playoffs games, never advancing past the first round. Any coach with these expectations and these results would justifiably have his bag packed. It's just that not many of them have the reputation and brand awareness of a Mike Babcock.

Winner: Sheldon Keefe

There are precisely five coaches hired before Keefe took over the Marlies in June 2015 that are still in their NHL jobs. Which is to say that there have been opportunities for him to make the leap to a head coaching gig while Babcock was in the midst of an eight-year contract and clogging the pipeline to the Toronto bench. But he remained in the AHL, waiting, winning and learning. And now he's exactly where he wanted to be: Behind the bench with the Leafs, not as an interim coach, but as The Man.

Loser: Brendan Shanahan

"Seeing as I had been the one that hired Mike, I thought it was important to get on a plane and fly out here and face Mike and tell him that we made a decision together that we thought was in the best interests of our club," said Shanahan. Babcock was Shanahan's signature move as Leafs president, made even before he hired a general manager. That he made the announcement, and spoke on behalf of the team, made it clear: 'I bought him into this world, and I'm taking him out.'

Winner: Kyle Dubas

The 33-year-old Maple Leafs GM has now survived two dragon battles in this Ontarian Game of Thrones. He out-maneuvered respected hockey man (and media source) Mark Hunter to become general manager of the Leafs. Now, he's not only outlasted the Stanley Cup-winning coach with whom he reportedly clashed behind the scenes, but replaced him with a coach he's hired twice -- in the OHL with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, and then while with the Leafs to run the Marlies. Kyle Dubas runs the Leafs and has his hand-picked guy behind the bench. Hail to the king, baby.

Loser: Also Kyle Dubas

Alas, heavy hangs the head that wears the crown. One undeniable aspect of Babcock's firing is that it removes a lightning rod that collected the heat for the Leafs. If this team still can't defend, still can't score at a clip to overcome that defense and still looks like a group of freelancers rather than a cohesive unit under a new coach, that's not going to fall on Sheldon Keefe. That's going to be a verdict of "construction, not coaching" passed on Dubas, who already has a curmudgeonly contingent of the hockey media with their knives out.

Winner: Seattle

Mike Babcock's contract runs through 2023 and he is owed $23.25 million, according to TSN. The NHL's expansion franchise in Seattle begins play in the 2021-22 season, with the expansion draft scheduled for June 2021. Perhaps after his experiences in Detroit and Toronto, Babcock would like the chance to lower the bar and take on a team with no baggage. If so, he's got some pretty solid petty cash coming his way to bridge the next two years, if he's willing to wait and Seattle is eager to have him.

Loser: Coaches on Nov. 20

Mike Yeo was fired on Nov. 20, 2018, by the St. Louis Blues. It helped turn their season around and they captured the Stanley Cup. Mike Babcock was fired on Nov. 20, 2019, by the Toronto Maple Leafs. If it turns their season around and they win the Stanley Cup, you might as well just start carving the date on future headstones. Here we thought the NHL being a copycat league meant teams trying to size up to the Blues; turns out it's actually when to fire your coach.

Winner: Toronto media

The Raptors were really bringing way too much positive energy to the city. Gladly, the Leafs have decided to balance the equation, and we imagine that's going to be really good for business.

Loser: Patience

Is anyone else a little surprised that Babcock got turfed at the start of a long road trip and without having the benefit of a healthy Marner to play with Tavares and Matthews? You know, just to see how that looked?

Winner: Mike Commodore

The former NHL defenseman has been the most vocal Babcock critic for years, after having played for him in Detroit. "I have been dreaming about this moment for years," he said. And his reaction underscored that.

Listen To ESPN On Ice

Well, we talked a lot about the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mike Babcock ... and then he got fired. So there's that. But we also talked about blood, spitting and silly hockey media controversies, and checked in with former Ranger and Lightning defenseman -- and current podcaster -- Dan Girardi about a great many things. Listen to it here.

Puck Headlines

Alex Ovechkin, watch model.

The Icehogs react to the sudden departure of captain Kris Versteeg. "For him to leave like that... I mean he's got to do what he's got to do. It's just part of the game. It sucks that it happened, but that's the way it goes."

Michigan is challenging Minnesota's high school hockey hair supremacy.

No more Canadian hockey midgets, going forward.

Steve Dangle on the firing of Mike Babcock. He's not dancing on his grave. Just sort of shuffling optimistically.

Zach Kassian on being, like, a hockey player. "I've done the fighting, I've done the whole (tough guy) aspect," Kassian explained. "Now, I'm playing hockey. If something happens on the ice, I don't mind (fighting). But I'm not just fighting for no reason now."

Looking back at the nightmare free-agent class of 2016. "It's a lesson that the league should remember for a long time, if only because it's going to take years more for the clock to finally run out on these nightmare contracts."

Another women's player says the quiet part loudly about the NWHL. "What's happening right now can't go on forever," said former player and PWPHA consultant Chelsea Purcell. "The NWHL doesn't look like it's going to fold and that's the worrisome part. If the NHL never steps up then we need to find a different route and what that is and who is leading that I don't even know"

Hockey tl;dr (too long; didn't read)

Inside the NHL officials combine. "The best golfer in the world is the one that recovers the quickest from the bad shot. ... In hockey, you make mistakes, and you recover quickly. You need that mindset as a ref."

In case you missed this from your friends at ESPN

Mike Babcock has been fired. What comes next?

So there you have it: the 2019 edition of the ESPN FC 100 -- our annual ranking of the best players in the world -- was dominated by Liverpool off the back of one of their best seasons in the modern era.

Winning the Champions League and finishing just a point behind Manchester City for the 2018-19 Premier League title resulted in five Reds finishing No. 1 in their respective categories, with Jurgen Klopp toppling Pep Guardiola for best manager, Alisson soaring to No.1 goalkeeper and a clean sweep of the right-back, centre-back and left-back awards.

To compile our latest countdown, more than 40 ESPN FC experts from around the world were given a list of about 250 players and managers to make their selections. Here, four of our experts review the final list and offer their main takeaways.

What was your biggest takeaway from the ranking?

Mark Ogden (@MarkOgden_): That Liverpool had a very good year. They topped five of the categories, including the No. 1 manager with Klopp, even though Manchester City completed a domestic treble in England.

Gab Marcotti (@Marcotti): Somewhat predictably, folks react to the Champions League and big tournaments and who played well in games everybody watched. But it's pretty telling how many Ajax players were in there as opposed to PSV players when you consider Ajax only won the Eredivisie by three points... I think it's also interesting how some positions (central defender, forward) are so much deeper than others (left-back, central striker).

Julien Laurens (@LaurensJulien): The biggest takeaway for me is the heavy presence of players over 30 in the rankings. The likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Fabio Quagliarella, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, of course, but also Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Sergio Ramos, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, David Silva and others, not to mention the goalkeepers!

Equally, it's good to see a few "smaller" clubs away from the big European superpowers, like Everton, Gremio, Atalanta, LA Galaxy, Sporting CP and Bayer Leverkusen, represented. The same goes for countries like Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Scotland, Austria and Algeria.

James Horncastle (@JamesHorncastle): Aside from Messi, no Barcelona or Real Madrid player tops a category. It's a time for both to reflect. Barcelona resemble more and more Messi's Argentina in that they're propped up by him instead of helping him soar even higher.

Which player gets you most excited to watch each week, and why?

Ogden: Cristiano Ronaldo. No surprises here: Ronaldo and Messi are almost impossible to separate, but Ronaldo just edges it.

Marcotti: Messi, obviously. But maybe that's too obvious. So I'll say Kylian Mbappe. He moves with a fluidity and looks to be such a "natural" player. And he's smart, too. Very smart.

Laurens: For the next decade, I think, the player I'm most thrilled by is Mbappe. His cameo entrance for PSG against Club Brugge in the Champions League at the end of October was breathtaking. He is breathtaking and has no limits.

Horncastle: Mbappe. Flashes of the original Ronaldo in him take me back.

Who were the most surprising omissions from the 2019 FC 100?

Ogden: Daley Blind had a great year at Ajax and should have squeezed into the top 10 centre-backs as a result.

Marcotti: I had Fabian Ruiz very high [in my ranking] but I guess not everybody enjoys watching Napoli so maybe that's not surprising. I am surprised that Gerard Pique failed to make the cut. I would have thought he would have made it on reputation alone, despite not having the greatest of seasons for Barcelona.

Laurens: We debated a lot over this ranking. Yet I didn't always have my way and I would have liked to see Barcelona centre-back Clement Lenglet, Ajax attacking midfielder Hakim Ziyech, Bayern winger Serge Gnabry, Napoli forward Dries Mertens and Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini in the final 100 given their form in 2019. Gasperini deserves particular credit and Gnabry has been a revelation for club and country since establishing himself in the Bavarians' first XI.

Horncastle: First of all, it's a joke that Gasperini's name is not on here. Atalanta get broken up every year (apart from last summer) and he qualified a team with a mid-table wage bill to the Champions League, reached the Coppa Italia final and finished top scorers in the same year Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Serie A. I add Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and Atalanta's all-action forward Alejandro "Papu" Gomez to the roll call of jaw-dropping omissions. Take a look at yourselves, panelists.

Who were the most surprising inclusions?

Ogden: Neymar. A lucky boy to make it after a distinctly dour year.

Marcotti: I wouldn't have guys like Ferland Mendy in there, at least not yet, while Sergio Busquets at No. 3 for central midfielders is a bit of a stretch. Nor did I expect Bernardo Silva to be No. 1. I get why Quagliarella and Ibrahimovic got votes, but ... seriously?

Laurens: On the other hand, how on earth did Man City winger Leroy Sane, Real Madrid's midfielder Casemiro, Man City right-back Joao Cancelo, Roma's Aleksandar Kolarov, Copa America star Everton or Diego Simeone make it in the mix?

Horncastle: David De Gea is in the top 10 on reputation, not performance. Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti is fortunate to make the list, particularly in 2019 given the chaos around the club. Maurizio Sarri won a European trophy and somehow finds himself behind him! I'm guessing other members of the judging panel follow Dani Alves on Instagram and enjoy his singing and fashion sense rather than his footballing contributions these days.

BREAKING DOWN THE FC 100

Which clubs and countries were represented in this year's list?

Clubs of the FC 100

- 13: Manchester City
- 9: Liverpool
- 8: Juventus
- 7: Atletico Madrid, Barcelona
- 6: Ajax, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid
- 5: Bayern Munich
- 4: Tottenham
- 3: Chelsea, Manchester United, Unattached/free agent
- 2: Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli
- 1: Algeria, AS Roma, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Benfica, Everton, Gremio, Inter Milan, Leicester City, River Plate, Sampdoria, Sao Paulo, Sevilla, Sporting CP

Leagues of the FC 100

- 36: English Premier League
- 21: Spanish Primera Division
- 15: Other
- 14: Italian Serie A
- 8: German Bundesliga
- 6: French Ligue 1

Countries of the FC 100

Note: this is only focused on the players, not managers, so the final tally adds to 90.

- 12: Brazil, Spain
- 10: France
- 7: England, Portugal
- 6: Germany
- 5: Argentina
- 4: Italy, Netherlands
- 3: Uruguay
- 2: Belgium, Poland, Senegal, Serbia
- 1: Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cameroon, Colombia, Denmark, Egypt, Gabon, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Sweden

Which players do you expect to debut in the 2020 FC 100?

Ogden: Erling Haaland is a certainty thanks to his remarkable form in the Champions League for FC Salzburg. In England, a pair of youngsters -- Chelsea's Mason Mount and Man United's Daniel James -- are making strong claims. Looking a little further ahead, it's worth keeping an eye for United's 19-year-old left-back Brandon Williams and Partizan Belgrade centre-back Strahinja Pavlovic.

Marcotti: That Eduardo Camavinga kid at Rennes looks special. Inter loanee Stefano Sensi too -- if he keeps it up. Martin Odegaard has arguably been player of the year in La Liga with Real Sociedad, and Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi might just be ready to break out...

Laurens: The next edition of FC 100 is a long way away but some newcomers have already emerged to watch out for in 2020. Schalke goalkeeper Alexander Nubel, Chelsea's Jorginho and Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz have been excellent this year. Inter midfielder Sensi has been a revelation on loan from Sassuolo; the same is true of Atletico's box-to-box dynamo Thomas Partey.

Elsewhere, Kingsley Coman, Gnabry, Rodrigo and Lautaro Martinez have been brilliant for Juventus, Bayern, Valencia and Inter respectively. But if I had to put money on one sure-fire addition in 2020, it would be Odegaard. If the rest of Odegaard's season is like the first three months of it as the fulcrum of Sociedad's first team, he will definitely be there.

Horncastle: Haaland has already captured the imagination with Salzburg but needs to be on the big stage every week in order to be worthy of a spot in the FC 100. Therefore I'll go for Sensi.

Does the Premier League's dominance settle the debate about it being the world's best league?

Ogden: Not yet. After all, the world's biggest stars -- Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar and Mbappe -- still play elsewhere.

Marcotti: Well, that and the fact that all four European finalists came from the Premier League in 2019.

Laurens: The Premier League has earned top spot in so many positions this year, and rightly so. After all, Liverpool and Manchester City are the two best teams in the world right now and their players are No. 1 or No. 2 in seven positions as well as the top two managers! The rest of the Premier League is well represented too, which definitely strengthens the position of the league as the best in the world at the moment. That said, these things are cyclical so don't expect the same next year.

Horncastle: Not necessarily. For now, it merely reflects the fact that both European competitions had all-English finals. And besides two of those finalists (Arsenal and Tottenham) now look broken while Man City and Liverpool are so far ahead of everyone else. It's as stratified as all the other top five leagues, apart from the Bundesliga.

Pick your ideal starting XI and formation from the 2019 FC 100

Ogden: (4-3-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Laporte, Robertson; Kante, Fabinho, Bernardo Silva; Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe

Marcotti: (4-3-3) Oblak; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Koulibaly, Jordi Alba; Pogba, Kante, David Silva; Messi, Lewandowski, Ronaldo

Laurens: (4-2-2-2) Oblak; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Laporte, Robertson; Fabinho, Kante; Mane, De Bruyne; Messi, Mbappe.

Horncastle: (4-4-2) Ter Stegen; Alexander-Arnold, Chiellini, Van Dijk, Kolarov; Raheem Sterling, De Jong, Pjanic, Sancho; Messi, Zapata.

Steven Croft, Lancashire's long-serving allrounder, has signed a new two-year contract that will keep him at the club until the eve of his 37th birthday.

Croft's extension was secured after a productive 2019 season in which he was the second-highest run-scorer in the Royal London One-Day Cup, with 516 runs at 73.71, and helped Lancashire secure promotion back to Specsavers County Championship Division One.

In 2011, he had the honour of hitting the winning runs in Lancashire's County Championship win and he also led the side to a maiden T20 title as captain back in 2015.

He was awarded a testimonial in 2018, and was a fixture in the 2019 Vitality Blast, equalling his career-best in scoring 94 against Worcestershire Rapids at New Road.

Croft will begin his 16th season at Lancashire in 2020, having made his first-class debut as a 20-year-old against Oxford University in 2005. He joined the club's Academy in 2003 and was among the first players to graduate through to professional cricket.

In all, he has amassed 168 first-class, 145 List A and 168 T20 appearances for Lancashire, and is their all-time leading appearance-maker in T20 cricket since debuting in 2006.

He is also a Level 4 coach, and will continue to work with the Lancashire Academy and age-group sides in a coaching role.

"I am over the moon to have signed another contract with Lancashire," said Croft. "It is an incredibly special place for me and I can't wait for the new season to come round, my 16th as a professional.

"It means everything to represent the Red Rose. I still get a huge sense of pride whenever I play and I know I have plenty left to give on the field. The desire to perform for this Club remains as strong as ever.

"At this stage of my career, whilst I feel like I've still got a lot to offer as a player, to have the chance to further my coaching experience by working with the Club's Academy and age-group sides, is something that is very important to me."

Lancashire Director of Cricket, Paul Allott, said: "We are thrilled to have Steven on board for another two years. His performances last season more than merited another contract and he was a central part of our squad in all formats. He is an extremely versatile player and responded well last year when called upon in different roles within the team."

"There is no one more passionate about the Red Rose, and his extensive experience will help to guide the younger lads in the changing room as well as working with our Academy and age-group players, as he continues to gain further coaching experience."

Fielding, rather than batting, could be the biggest challenge faced with the pink ball, according to Virat Kohli. The India captain spoke about adjusting to how quickly the ball travelled, and getting used to its feel on the eve of India's first day-night Test, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

ALSO READ: 'Wanted to play in our own conditions first' - Kohli on pink-ball change of heart

"Catching the ball, we felt like how you feel like with the white ball in the afternoon," Kohli said of India's fielding session on Thursday. "You don't know how far the ball is and then it hits your hand very quickly. In the slips, the ball hits your hand so hard it almost felt like a heavy hockey ball, or those synthetic balls we've played with when we were younger. It really felt like that on the hand, and it's definitely because of the extra glaze of the ball.

"It's definitely much harder, and it felt a little heavier. Obviously, it can't be a difference of weight, but for some reason it felt heavier. Even the throws took a lot more effort than the red ball to reach the keeper. And again, the dip perception was very difficult when the ball went up in the air. During the day, high catches will be very difficult. We had to watch the balls straight into our palms more often than not. With red ball and white ball, you catch with the idea of how fast the ball is coming down, but this time if you don't look down at the ball in your palms, it's gone. So, I think the fielding session for me was far more challenging than batting. People are going to be surprised by how challenging fielding with this ball can be."

ALSO READ - Fashionably late, India and Bangladesh join the pink parade

As for batting, Kohli said earlier practice sessions had helped tune up the batsmen, and the ploy against the pink ball was merely to keep things tight.

"I think in general, if you haven't played with the pink ball before, it's going to be challenging throughout the game," Kohli said. "It'll require more concentration, more solid technique. A more compact game compared to the red ball, purely because anyway in the longer format, the ball does a lot more than the white ball. Add not having great visibility or the ability to pick that colour, and it makes it even more difficult. As you can imagine, decision-making will have to be very precise. Your idea of off stump… I think that's going to be the most crucial thing. Because even yesterday when we practiced, we felt that the ball could be closer to you but it's not actually that close to the off stump. So I think that channel, one will have to be careful.

"Batting is something we were focussing on. As a batsman, invariably you end up thinking a lot more about cutting down those errors when you're playing with a different coloured ball. As batsmen, we were in the mindset of solidifying our games and our techniques. It's going be a challenge, it's going to be something which should excite everyone. Sometimes you need to change the template and be excited for new things and new challenges that you're going to try out. I think we'll have to be very precise and our skills will be tested."

Kohli also said that India were particularly excited about playing in front of a packed Eden Gardens and described their first pink-ball Test as a "landmark occasion".

"It's a nice occasion. We were already excited about this Test, like I said, it's a challenge for us," he said. "I think before this, we had this much excitement and buzz in Eden when we played against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup. Even then there had been big names and there was a felicitation ceremony and there was a packed stadium. So, I think that type it'll be that kind of atmosphere. It can be daunting or intimidating, but it's also very exciting.

"When a batsman goes out, he'll have a lot of support. When a bowler is standing at his mark and 80,000 people are cheering for him with the new ball, which is not easy to play with, he will be boosted. The first session, the first hour, I think will be very exciting, because the energy will be high. And the people will enjoy it a lot. So, obviously this is a landmark occasion and like I said before, we're lucky that we're starting this new trend. It's a matter of honour."

In an appeal hearing with the NFL on Wednesday, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett alleged that Mason Rudolph called him a racial slur just prior to last week's brawl on "Thursday Night Football," sources told ESPN's Josina Anderson and Adam Schefter, an accusation the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback strongly denies.

"Mason vehemently denies the report of being accused of using a racial slur during the incident Thursday night in Cleveland," Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten said in a statement. "He will not discuss this accusation any further and his focus remains on preparation for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals."

On Wednesday, Rudolph told reporters he didn't say anything to provoke Garrett or escalate the situation.

Garrett made the allegation as part of his initial comments during the appeal hearing in New York, sources said. It created an argumentative exchange between both sides about whether the allegation was permissible.

When the allegation was made, appeals officer James Thrash remained stoic and took copious notes, sources said. He did ask Garrett a question about how he might act differently in the future, and Garrett conveyed he would not let events escalate like that again in the future.

Garrett was suspended indefinitely for ripping off and swinging Rudolph's helmet, hitting the quarterback in the head with it, with seconds remaining in last Thursday's game. In announcing Garrett's suspension Friday, the NFL also said that Garrett would have to meet with the commissioner's office before being reinstated.

Rudolph hasn't been punished over the incident, but a source told ESPN that a fine is expected. Rudolph said he would comply with whatever the league hands out.

A source told ESPN's Dan Graziano that Garrett used a precedent-based argument during the appeal hearing, citing the NFL's punishment of former Houston Texans defensive end Antonio Smith, who was suspended in 2013 for two preseason games and one regular-season game for swinging his helmet at then-Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Richie Incognito.

Garrett and the NFLPA also argued that an indefinite suspension is not permitted under the league's collective bargaining agreement, according to the source.

Two other players were suspended from the brawl. Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey received a three-game suspension for punching and kicking Garrett, and Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi received a one-game suspension for shoving Rudolph.

Ogunjobi's ban was upheld by Thrash on Wednesday. A decision on appeals by Garrett and Pouncey are expected to be issued this week.

The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms on a four-year, $73 million contract with free-agent catcher Yasmani Grandal, the team announced Thursday.

It is the biggest contract in the history of the White Sox franchise. Grandal, 31, will receive $18.25 million per season through 2023.

"He's such a quality guy," White Sox president Ken Williams said of Grandal. "And for him to understand our messaging, our goals, our path, and to say, 'I want to be a part of that and I'm going to commit to it early so we can move on to the next thing heading into the winter meetings,' [it] just shows what kind of character we're talking about."

Grandal reportedly turned down a four-year, $60 million offer from the New York Mets last offseason and bet on himself to have a big year. It paid off.

After signing a one-year, $18.25 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, the switch-hitting Grandal posted career highs in homers (28) and RBIs (77) and earned his second All-Star appearance. He walked over 100 times to post a .380 OBP, which ranked first among major league catchers.

He also led all catchers in games played (153) and was second in extra-base hits (56), total bases (240) and RBIs.

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I wanted to thank the Milwaukee Brewers organization and the fans. You guys took my family and I in with open arms and made it a very special year. We are grateful for all the love you showed us. Thank you...???

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"My family and I are very excited and honored to be a part of the Chicago White Sox organization," Grandal said in a statement. "I loved their professionalism, preparation and vision towards the future. I want to thank them for allowing me to be a part of this process moving forward."

James McCann, 29, was the White Sox's starting catcher last season and was an All-Star for the first time, hitting .273 with 18 home runs and 60 RBIs. He is signed for the 2020 season with a contract that carries a base salary of $4.9 million.

"This was all planned, going back five years ago when we started this and started thinking about this," Williams said. "We get ourselves in position with our young core and we could augment it with guys like this.

"... Clearly, we're trying to put ourselves in a window that could very well start next year but extend to the next five to seven years."

Grandal, who leads all major league catchers with 117 homers since 2015, has a career .241 batting average with 141 home runs, 416 RBIs and 374 runs scored over eight seasons with the Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.

White Sox manager Rick Renteria was the bench coach for the Padres while Grandal was with San Diego.

"Yasmani ranks among the very elite catchers in Major League Baseball today, and we are extremely happy to add a durable and talented player of his caliber to our lineup," White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said in a statement. "His selectivity at the plate is a real plus offensively, and as a switch hitter, his combination of power and on-base percentage stand out. Yasmani's defensive abilities, pitch framing and other advanced catching metrics also separate him from others in the game.

"... We foresee him playing an integral role on both the further development of our young pitchers and the continued improvement of our offense as we reach our championship goals."

To make room on the roster, the White Sox designated outfielder Daniel Palka for assignment.

ESPN's Jeff Passan contributed to this report.

The White Sox have been saying for two years they were ready to spend, finishing as the runner-up in a few of the free agent sweepstakes last winter, but this winter seemed like the best opportunity for the team to add some significant talent from outside the organization. Enough of their prospects have become productive major leaguers that you can see a championship core forming, with more prospects either just arriving (Dylan Cease) or about to do so (Luis Robert), but it wasn't likely to be enough even in a division that's probably the least competitive one through five of any in baseball. Adding the best catcher on the market in Yasmani Grandal was probably the best move they could make short of landing one of the aces available in free agency - and that's not to say they couldn't do that too.