Conference USA fined Florida Atlantic coach Lane Kiffin $5,000 and publicly reprimanded him on Sunday for violating the league's sportsmanship policy, one day after he tweeted a photograph that depicted on-field officials as being blind.

Kiffin was upset about the officiating in the Owls' 36-31 loss to Marshall on Saturday, which dropped FAU's record to 4-3, 2-1 in Conference USA. The lead changed four times in the final 10:09, with the Thundering Herd taking the lead for good on Brenden Knox's 17-yard run with 36 seconds to go.

@ConferenceUSA pic.twitter.com/C1B3GT9ODz

— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) October 20, 2019

"I just lost $5000 for a tweet," Kiffin told ESPN on Sunday. "We have freedom of speech, but I guess around here there's no such thing as freedom to tweet. Maybe LeBron James will come out and comment about it tomorrow."

Kiffin also told ESPN he spoke with the Conference USA office, and they agreed there were "inconsistencies" in the game's officiating, and they planned to look further into the matter.

"Conference USA has specific rules and standards regarding sportsmanship which have been adopted by our membership," commissioner Judy MacLeod said in a statement. "We have an obligation to enforce our rules, including the prohibition of public criticism of officiating."

The Owls were penalized nine times for 90 yards in the loss. After the game, Kiffin was hesitant to criticize officials when asked about officiating by reporters.

"I already made the decision I'm not going to get into officiating," Kiffin said. "I don't know if we lose money in this conference -- we probably do -- and I don't have a lot anymore. I'm not going to lose any. I'm about to say what I want to say, but I'm not going to. The assistant AD is back there shaking his head like, 'Hey, don't say what you want to say.' I'm not gonna say anything."

In the end, however, Kiffin couldn't resist sharing his opinion with reporters.

"The game might've taken five hours because every call took 10 minutes to figure out how to explain it," Kiffin said. "I can't get fined for that."

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma has been ruled out of the season opener against the LA Clippers, Lakers coach Frank Vogel said Sunday.

It is unknown just how much of the start to the regular season Kuzma, who was cleared for noncontact practice last week after suffering a stress reaction in his left foot during USA Basketball training camp in August, will miss.

"Right now, we're just talking about ramping up his activity, and we're not going to look past two days from now," Vogel said after his team's second-to-last tune-up before the season opens. "We're going to try to increase his workload and activities this week, and we'll see where we're at."

After practice was finished Sunday, Kuzma stayed late for extra work with assistant coach Phil Handy. One drill involved Kuzma catching a pass on the wing, driving into the lane for a dunk and then darting out to the 3-point line to spot up and receive another pass for the shot.

Kuzma told ESPN he was "a little more optimistic" about his injury after being able to get back on the court this past week.

"I haven't really been doing too much, really, for the last two months, so just being able to shoot jump shots and being around the team a little bit more, it's optimistic, for sure," Kuzma said before L.A.'s preseason finale against the Golden State Warriors on Friday.

Kuzma said he has graduated from pool workouts to running on an altered-gravity treadmill to running on the court.

"There's a progression," Vogel said. "He's on no-contact, half court now. I'm sure we'll build up to no-contact, full court with sprinting or potentially half court with contact. I'm not sure which direction they're going to take it next, but there will be a progression this week building him up."

Without Kuzma available, Vogel could go with a starting lineup of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, JaVale McGee, Avery Bradley and Danny Green against the Clippers -- the only starting unit he tried out twice in L.A.'s six-game preseason slate -- however the coach said he would not finalize that decision until Tuesday.

Kuzma averaged 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists last season, his second in the NBA. Vogel called him "probably our third-best player" and said Kuzma's addition whenever he is cleared to play will tempt Vogel to supersize the Lakers' lineup.

"We can go a lot of different directions," Vogel said. "It probably gets more enticing to play Anthony at the 5 with Kuz out there and LeBron and a couple guards. But our 5s have been great. So, we'll have what we like to call 'good problems' when he's back to full activity."

Vogel said Kuzma has been "impatient" with the injury but has been "on board with the plan" the Lakers training staff has implemented to get him back to full capacity.

"The main thing is just making sure I'm healthy and (ready to) go," Kuzma said. "It's a long season, so (missing opening night) won't affect me mentally or anything."

Logic pointed to nothing other than a Wales win - but logic does not often apply to Wales at the World Cup.

Their hearts had been broken too many times to be overly confident, even if form, world ranking and all other measurable factors suggested they would beat France comfortably.

History's pain kept Welsh complacency at bay, the most agonising episode of all being the 2011 semi-final loss to France.

Despite having to play almost an entire match with 14 men because of Sam Warburton's red card, Wales still could have won, and to lose by a single point only deepened their grief in New Zealand.

Eight years on in Japan, they exorcised those demons with a near mirror image of events in Auckland.

This time it was France who saw red - Sebastien Vahaamahina inexplicably elbowing Aaron Wainwright - and now it was Les Bleus who had to suffer the anguish of a one-point defeat.

Captain Alun Wyn Jones and George North were the only Wales players to play in both matches, while Maxime Medard was France's sole survivor.

But despite the changes in personnel, Wales head coach Warren Gatland said in the build-up to this rematch that his players were using the hurt of 2011 as a source of inspiration.

"I think for the players and coaches that were involved in 2011, that is an advantage in terms of preparation and remembering about that," he said afterwards.

"It is ironic the last time we were in a World Cup there was a red card and it was a one-point game as well.

"We did not play our best but we showed some character, and that is testament to this group of men - we can be excited about looking forward to a semi-final."

Gatland avoids an early end to his reign

That excitement is justified. For all the pre-tournament talk of this being Wales' best chance yet to win a first World Cup, this will only be their third semi-final.

Wales lost the other two - in 1987 and 2011 - so they will savour next Sunday's meeting with South Africa, and nobody more so than Gatland.

The New Zealander will step down as head coach at the end of this World Cup and, for 75 minutes in Oita, it looked like his glittering 12-year reign would come to an early and ignominious end.

"You start going through a lot of different emotions," Gatland said, admitting that he thought this might be it.

"What I am going to be saying in here [to the media at his post-match conference], what I am going to be saying on the television - you are thinking on those potential scenarios.

"France played exceptionally well and they have made a lot of progress over the last five months.

"I definitely went through a lot of emotions today but coming in at half-time and getting some clear messages to the players about what we were going to do in the second half [was important].

"I am proud of the players and how we hung in there."

Those players were not going to allow Gatland - arguably Wales' greatest coach - to leave on such a flat note.

Having trailed 12-0 early on, Wales were 19-10 down at half-time but, despite continuing to play poorly by their own recent high standards, they found a way to win.

This is what Wales do under Gatland.

They were 16-0 down away against France at half-time in their opening Six Nations fixture in February, and yet they fought back to win 24-19 and set the ball rolling for a third Grand Slam of the Gatland era.

In Paris that evening, Gatland said his team had "forgotten how to lose".

That fortitude was evident in another comeback victory during that campaign at home to England, and it has been there for the world to see in Japan as Wales withstood a fierce Australian revival in Tokyo and then overcame an explosive start from Fiji to prevail in Oita.

They had to delve into that deep well of resolve once more upon their return to Oita to face France.

Wales were not once in the lead until Dan Biggar's match-winning conversion from Ross Moriarty's try in the 75th minute, itself a play within a play, a tale of redemption for Moriarty, whose first-half sin-binning had cost his side seven points.

Even if their form had deserted them, Wales never lacked belief.

They stuck to their task unerringly. Although France had not played for two weeks, they were tiring after Vahaamahina's red card.

By contrast, Wales, who pride themselves on being one of the fittest teams in the world, seemed to get stronger as time wore on.

"We've prepared for this. We've been to some dark places in the preparation for these moments and games," captain Alun Wyn Jones said.

"The weeks and days do feel a little bit longer obviously because of the magnitude of the occasion coming up.

"Physically, this is what we've prepared for and we're ready to go for the next one."

A World Cup a decade in the making

Wales have been planning for this World Cup for years, and those preparations have been particularly focused over the past 18 months.

Last year's summer tour of the United States and Argentina helped build strength in depth, with debuts for players such as Wainwright, man of the match against France and now a first-team regular.

Then there was the clean sweep of last autumn's Tests - including victories over Australia and South Africa - and this year's Six Nations Grand Slam, all of which contributed to a record winning run of 14 matches.

Wales' players then started convening for World Cup training as far back as May, before embarking on gruelling training camps at altitude in the Swiss Alps and then in the searing heat of Turkey.

The planning has been meticulous, a World Cup years in the making.

When Jones was asked about the extent of Welsh preparations, he said Gatland had probably been mapping out this campaign for the past 10 years.

Now that decade boils down to two matches: a semi-final followed by what everyone involved hopes will be a final, rather than a third-place play-off.

"We're excited about being where we are. We're in a semi-final of a World Cup," Gatland said.

"Alun Wyn has been saying that we have 240 minutes to do something you'll remember for the rest of your life.

"We're down to 160 now, if you can't get excited about that, nothing will excite you."

SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France - Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium ended more than seven years without a victory when he closed with a 1-over 72 and survived a wild back nine at Le Golf National to win the French Open on Sunday.

It was Colsaerts first victory since the Volvo World Match Play in 2012, when he was No. 32 in the world and played a role in Europe's record comeback to win the Ryder Cup at Medinah.

Colsaerts played 214 tournaments worldwide since that last victory.

This one wasn't easy, even after he stretched his lead to five shots early in the final round.

He had to chip in for eagle on the par-5 14th to regain the lead. Colsaerts gave it right back with a double bogey on the next hole. Joachim Hansen then made double bogey on the 17th hole that allowed Colsaerts to take the lead again.

Colsaerts closed with three pars for a one-shot victory over Hansen, who closed with a 68. George Coetzee, who led by two shots with six holes to play, made triple bogey on the 15th hole and shot 71 to finish two shots behind.

"It's very, very special – the French Open for me is very special, because I'm French-speaking," said Colsaerts. "I've been coming here for I don't know how many years, it's been a long road. So many people have supported me over the years, that's why I get so emotional. I went through up and downs for so many years now.

"We knew the last four holes are always pretty dramatic, I proved it with hitting it in the water on 15. I don't know what happened on 17 ... but it was a bit of a surprise when I got on to the green. I thought I was still going to be one behind."

Colsaerts began the week trying to keep his full European Tour card. He was No. 424 in the world ranking, and his third European Tour victory moves him back into the top 200 at No. 195.

AS Roma have vowed to ban the fans responsible for aiming racist abuse at Sampdoria midfielder Ronaldo Vieira during a 0-0 Serie A draw on Sunday and took to social media to apologise for the incident.

Italian news network ANSA reported that the 21-year-old was targeted with monkey chants by travelling supporters at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

Roma's official Twitter account said: "AS Roma would like to apologise to Ronaldo Vieira for the racist boos he was subjected to.

"Roma does not tolerate racism of any kind and the club will support the authorities in identifying and subsequently banning any individuals found guilty of racially abusing the midfielder."

AS Roma would like to apologise to Ronaldo Vieira for the racist boos he was subjected to. Roma does not tolerate racism of any kind and the club will support the authorities in identifying and subsequently banning any individuals found guilty of racially abusing the midfielder.

— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) October 20, 2019

The chants were heard coming from the away end, occupied by around 2,000 Roma fans, during the first half. The abuse continued and was noted by fourth official Antonio Giua.

"I heard it but I don't want to talk about it. This happens too often, it shouldn't be this way," Vieira told Rai Sport.

Corriere dello Sport reported that an announcement was made on the stadium loudspeaker warning fans that the match would be suspended if the chants continued.

Vieira was born in Guinea-Bissau but has represented England at youth level, having moved to the country at a young age.

He joined Sampdoria from Leeds United in 2018.

Last month, Roma banned a fan for life for sending racist insults to defender Juan Jesus on social media.

There have already been several incidents of racism in Serie A this season.

Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku received abuse from Cagliari fans in September and a game was briefly suspended when Fiorentina defender Dalbert said he had been racially abused by Atalanta supporters.

MANCHESTER, England -- Jose Mourinho goaded Jurgen Klopp after Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Manchester United by saying the German manager "did not like the menu" at Old Trafford.

Liverpool needed a late equaliser to salvage a point against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side and afterward Mourinho was quick to remind Klopp that he has failed to win at United in five attempts as his team dropped points for the first time this season.

"He didn't like the menu," Mourinho told Sky Sports. "He likes meat and he got fish. United, with the limitations they have at the moment, they played with five at the back, were solid and didn't give the chance of transition. Jurgen Klopp didn't like the menu.

- ESPN Premier League fantasy: Sign up now!
- VAR in the Premier League: Ultimate guide
- When does the transfer window reopen?
- Premier League winter break: All you need to know

"They [Liverpool] missed quality to play against a team with a low block. They have a fantastic record of so many victories. But they have limitations against teams with low blocks. They can smash opponents that play the way they want to play against.

"Jurgen clearly has frustrations. It's a fantastic situation for his team. But at Old Trafford -- which is a special place to win -- he [Klopp] never did it."

Klopp admitted after the match that he was indeed left frustrated at what he believed was a foul on Divock Origi in the build-up to Marcus Rashford's first-half opener.

Liverpool would have gone in at half-time level had VAR not chalked off a Sadio Mane goal before Adam Lallana came off the bench to score an equaliser five minutes from time.

"We were good enough for a point," said Klopp. "The first goal I think everyone can agree it was a foul, but with VAR it is not a clear foul. That is the situation. We didn't lose but it was an obvious foul.

"Then we got a disallowed goal. I didn't see it back but it was probably handball but everything just seemed to go against us."

Klopp also seemed to disagree with Mourinho's assessment that his team don't play well against defences that sit back and accused Man United of always playing that way in his experience in the Premier League.

"We always play against the wall. We need to do better but it is how it is," Klopp added. "We play very often against a team like this. Maybe we can do better. One point is completely fine. We carry on."

Klopp's annoyance focused on Victor Lindelof's challenge on Origi before Dan James raced away to cross for Rashford to score on 36 minutes.

The goal was checked by VAR after referee Martin Atkinson had allowed the game to continue and Solskjaer insisted the right outcome had been reached.

"No chance [that it was a foul], we're not playing basketball," said the United boss. "He touched him, but it's not a clear and obvious error."

MANCHESTER -- Sometimes, a team's prospects cannot be boiled down to the outcome of one game. As tempting as it is to assess Liverpool's title credentials or Manchester United's ability to kick-start their faltering season after Sunday's 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, sometimes the outcome is nothing more than what it is: the result at the end of 90 minutes.

When asked whether his team had dropped two points or gained one, courtesy of substitute Adam Lallana's 85th minute equaliser following Marcus Rashford's first-half opener, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was direct in his assessment.

"It's just a point," Klopp said. "It's not two dropped points or one gained. It's just a point, but one point is completely fine.

"Everyone builds it up like a mountain, but only one team has to defend and the other team has to make the game. It's not the feeling that we won something today: it's just a point."

- Mourinho: Liverpool 'didn't like the menu' at Man United
- Man United ratings: Rashford, James, Pereira earn 8/10
- Liverpool ratings: 'Super sub' Lallana gets 7/10

Liverpool dropped points in the Premier League for the first time this season and fell one game short of equalling Manchester City's record of 18 consecutive league victories, by failing to make it nine wins out of nine since the start of the campaign. But this wasn't a day when the cracks began to appear in Liverpool's title bid. It's true that Klopp's team produced arguably their worst performance of the season and suffered some bad luck for a change -- despite the Luck Index working largely in their favour this season -- but they did it all without the injured Mohamed Salah and still managed to remain unbeaten, six points clear of City at the top of table.

The good fortune they had in defeating Sheffield United recently, when Blades goalkeeper Dean Henderson's error gifted Liverpool a 1-0 win, did not come to their rescue at Old Trafford as two VAR reviews -- one for a foul in the build-up to Rashford's close-range finish, the other for a handball against Sadio Mane before he scored what looked to be the equaliser -- went in favour of the home side. But Liverpool still found a way to dig out an equaliser through Lallana on a day when United came so close to turning a corner after their dismal start to the campaign.

Some will suggest that Liverpool displayed the hallmark of champions by getting a 1-1 draw on a bad day, but that's an easy cliché to trot out. As Klopp said, Liverpool grabbed a point and nothing more. And just as this result does not offer a crystal ball into Liverpool's future, the performance produced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's players should not be used as a yardstick for the rest of their season either.

If Sunday's draw was compared to United's performance when losing 1-0 at Newcastle in their last Premier League outing, the difference was like night and day. But such is the rivalry and the battle for supremacy between English football's two biggest clubs, Solskjaer was always going to get a performance from whichever 11 players he put out on the pitch. A truer gauge of this team's prospects will come at Carrow Road next Sunday, when United face a Norwich team that has beaten City on home turf this season but also lost 5-1 at home to Aston Villa. It's easy to raise your game against Liverpool, but much harder to produce a 9 out of 10 performance away to Norwich.

It would be foolish to draw conclusions about the likes of Andreas Pereira, Marcos Rojo and Fred after their exploits against the European champions. If those players, and others, can be as effective when they are expected to win, like at Norwich next week, then United might just be on the road to recovery. But right now, they are still in the bottom half of the table, two points above the relegation zone, and without a win in six games in all competitions.

If anything, this game exposed the limitations of the two sides, who have vastly different objectives to pursue this season.

If Pep Guardiola was watching, he will have noted Liverpool's inability to carve an opponent open as easily as his City side can. Liverpool have many qualities but their midfield often lacks creativity and, speaking in his role as a television pundit at the game, former United manager Jose Mourinho highlighted this shortcoming.

"[Liverpool] missed quality to play against a team with a low block," said Mourinho. "They have a fantastic record of so many victories, but they have limitations against teams with low blocks. They can smash opponents that play the way they want to play against, though."

United have similar problems, but theirs run much deeper than Liverpool's. Defensively, United kept Liverpool relatively quiet, so there are signs of improvement at the back. In midfield, Pereira, Fred and Scott McTominay were industrious but lack the game-changing quality that might -- might -- be offered by Paul Pogba once he returns from a foot injury. Solskjaer was happy to take the positives out of this game -- and rightly so -- by talking about his players' improved "fitness, aggression, attitude and desire," but they still only managed two shots on target and troubled Liverpool through their industry rather than quality.

Maybe this game will prove to be a turning point for United. Perhaps the hard-fought point will be the one which wins Liverpool the title next May. But it may mean nothing more than a point for both sides. Sometimes that happens: not every game or result is decisive over the course of a long, tough season.

There were big-name omissions, surprise picks and several bumper paydays for local players as the draft for the Hundred took place in London. Rashid Khan, the Afghanistan legspinner, was the first name selected in what is a ground-breaking exercise in British sport, while Chris Gayle and Lasith Malinga were among the top-bracket overseas stars to be overlooked in the opening round.

With England Test players and a pair of 'local icons' already selected earlier this month, the eight teams each had to fill 12 more spots in their squads for next year's inaugural competition. The format allowed 100 seconds for the team management to settle on their choices, with the Trent Rockets kicking things off by taking Rashid.

West Indies allrounder Andre Russell was second out of the hat, selected by Southern Brave, followed by Aaron Finch going to the Northern Superchargers and Mitchell Starc to Welsh Fire. Australia players were popular - the Future Tours Programme leaves them available for the whole of the Hundred - with Steven Smith, David Warner, Steven Smith and D'Arcy Short all among those taken at £125,000 (USD161,000).

There were also eye-catching deals for domestic players, with Liam Livingstone picked up in the first round by Birmingham Phoenix - more than doubling his earnings after setting a £60,000 (USD78,000) reserve price - while the Manchester Originals went down the local route by taking Dane Vilas, Lancashire's captain, for £125,000.

The second round, with deals pegged at £100,000 (USD129,000), saw young English batsmen Phil Salt and Tom Abell make their way north to Manchester, while World Cup winner Liam Dawson was signed to play at his local ground, the Ageas Bowl, for Southern Brave. England wicketkeeper Sam Billings was picked up by the Oval Invincibles and experienced allrounder Ravi Bopara went to Birmingham Phoenix.

With overseas players unable to be purchased at below their base price, there were several notable omissions - perhaps influenced in part by availability. Alongside Gayle and Malinga, South Africa's Kagiso Rabada was overlooked in the £125,000 bracket, while the likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Trent Boult missed out on the £100,000 slots. Shakib had been touted as a popular pick but Bangladesh's programme of Tests against Sri Lanka and New Zealand in July and August next year rendered his availability uncertain.

The draft took place in Sky's west London complex, using a bespoke studio featuring eight three-man pods from which the teams could make their deliberations. The head coaches were all in attendance, accompanied in most cases by an assistant and the team's analyst, with the early rounds concluded relatively quickly - few picks took anywhere near 100 seconds as the top targets were snapped up.

More to follow...

Lou Palmer, ESPN's original on-air commentator, died Friday in Wellington, Florida. He was 83.

Palmer's death was confirmed by his daughter, Patty Puma-Conrad. She said he died after a battle with lung cancer.

Palmer was hired by ESPN in 1978, a year before the network officially was launched. He teamed with longtime WTIC Radio colleague Arnold Dean to broadcast ESPN's first live event in October 1978 - a "demonstration" feed of a basketball game between the University of Connecticut and Athletes in Action - for cable executives, according to the network's founder, Bill Rasmussen.

Palmer also served as an original anchor and reporter for the network's flagship "SportsCenter" shows. He remained at ESPN until 1985.

"He was a friend and major contributor to building the strong foundation on which ESPN stands today," Rasmussen said in a statement.

ESPN, in a statement, said Palmer brought "a professionalism to the network that help establish a rock-solid foundation for SportsCenter and our baseball coverage. ESPN extends its sympathy to Lou's family and the many people he touched during his accomplished career."

Two of Palmer's original colleagues at ESPN -- Chris Berman and Bob Ley -- also remembered Palmer's contributions.

Said Berman: "Lou Palmer was a wonderful radio and television professional, and an even finer gentleman. He was one of the few employees here at ESPN before we went on the air. His love for baseball jumped through the screen and became and early hallmark of SportsCenter. Those of us where were young anchors -- Bob Ley, Tom Mees and I -- will forever be indebted to Lou for his guidance by example."

Ley called Palmer a "true ESPN original."

"He brought much-needed experience at the very beginning, a deep love of baseball, and the ability to write, anchor and bring authority to anything he touched," Ley said in a statement. "Lou was a joy to work with, a fellow Seton Hall Pirate, and in a newsroom where everyone had their nickname, he was universally known and loved as 'Sweet Lou.'"

Palmer also was one of the original studio anchors at WFAN Radio in New York and later served as a public-address announcer for Florida State League baseball games and official scorer for the St. Louis Cardinals' spring training games.

He played baseball for Seton Hall University and later in the farm systems for the New York Giants and Chicago White Sox, where he was known by his given name, Lou Puma.

Funeral arrangements for Palmer are pending.