Chris Berman and Tom Jackson, who teamed up to co-host ESPN's NFL PrimeTime for 19 seasons, will reunite as the show returns, beginning Sunday, on ESPN+, it was announced Friday.

From 1987 to 2005, Berman and Jackson helped redefine NFL highlights with their back-and-forth banter, Berman's signature player nicknames and delivery, and Jackson's analysis. They will be joined on NFL PrimeTime by SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt and Monday Night Football play-by-play voice Joe Tessitore.

"ESPN just celebrated its 40th birthday and the NFL is celebrating its 100th season," Berman said in a statement. "What better way to commemorate both occasions than by bringing back NFL PrimeTime, now on ESPN+. I hope everyone is as excited about this as we are."

? Chris Berman has exciting news for @ESPNNFL fans...he and @TomJackson57 will be reuniting on ESPN+ ?

More: https://t.co/L7Wh5XilvG#NFL100 pic.twitter.com/XeVwSXa6ui

— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 13, 2019

The 60-minute show will stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET each Sunday during the 2019 season and will be updated with highlights from the Sunday night and Monday night games. The show will be available on-demand each week until late Wednesday night.

"Chris Berman and Tom Jackson's return to NFL PrimeTime on ESPN+ combines one of ESPN's most beloved franchises and signature voices with our most exciting new platform for fans," said Russell Wolff, general manager of ESPN+. "Chris and Tom are the best to ever call NFL highlights and now a whole new generation of fans will be able to watch them each week as ESPN+ showcases all the best plays and key moments from the week's action in the National Football League."

Added Stephanie Druley, ESPN executive vice president, event and studio production: "NFL PrimeTime is about more than highlights; it's about telling a deeper story of the game. It's not just about what happened; it's about why and how it happened. This is a passion project for Chris Berman and Tom Jackson. It is incredibly exciting to have the show return on ESPN+ where fans can stream and watch on demand."

Running back Melvin Gordon does not believe the Los Angeles Chargers are trading him and will continue his holdout to "protect himself," but he will report to the team in 2019, a source told ESPN.

"This is not a Le'Veon Bell situation," the source said. "He still wants to be a Charger. But he's got to protect himself."

The belief is the Chargers have shown little-to-no flexibility in moving off a high asking price to facilitate a trade, the source said.

After Gordon did not report to training camp in hopes of a new contract, the Chargers never came close to his asking price and shut down any hopes for an extension once the regular season began.

Gordon's agent, Damarius Bilbo, told ESPN's Josina Anderson in early August that he requested the Chargers trade his client after the team remained at its initial offer of approximately $10 million per season. Gordon's fifth-year option was set to pay $5.605 million in 2019.

ESPN also reported in August that Gordon was considering sitting out until midseason, returning in time to accrue an NFL season toward free agency. That appears to be the play here. The top of the running back market begins at around $13 million per year, and discussions about bridging the gap with incentives didn't work.

Gordon has subjected himself to fines during his absence.

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said he was "pulling for" Gordon but has to progress with the team's current offense, which put up 435 yards in a 30-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

Gordon has made two Pro Bowls since the Chargers drafted him 15th overall in 2015. His 28 rushing touchdowns over the past three years tied for the league lead with Dallas Cowboys back Ezekiel Elliott, who held out in the preseason before signing a six-year, $90 million extension.

In 12 games last year, Gordon recorded 885 rushing yards on 175 carries (5.1 yards per carry) along with 14 total touchdowns (10 rushing) and 50 receptions for 490 yards.

Bell, now with the New York Jets, sat out the entire 2018 season rather than play for the Pittsburgh Steelers under the franchise tag.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- New Jersey's governor has signed a bill allowing Atlantic City's Golden Nugget casino to accept bets on most National Basketball Association games.

Texas billionaire Tilman Fertitta owns the casino -- and also owns the NBA's Houston Rockets.

When New Jersey lawmakers legalized sports betting last year, a provision in the law banned team owners from placing or accepting bets on any games involving their sport.

It was directly aimed at the Golden Nugget and enacted over protests that Nevada regulators allow Fertitta's casinos to take bets on pro basketball games as long as they don't involve the Rockets.

The bill Phil Murphy signed Friday brings New Jersey in line with regulations in Nevada and Mississippi, which also allow Fertitta's casinos to handle NBA bets that don't involve the Rockets.

"We're grateful, and appreciative that people eventually realized this was an overreaction," said Steve Scheinthal, general counsel for the Golden Nugget's parent company, Houston-based Landry's Inc. "It allows us to compete."

The ban on all NBA bets cut badly into the Golden Nugget's New Jersey sports betting business, given heavy bettor interest on basketball games. That's because customers are typically not willing to visit two different casinos to place their sports bets.

A gambler wanting to place bets on football at the Golden Nugget had to go somewhere else to bet on basketball, making it much less likely he or she would visit the Golden Nugget at all for sports betting.

"It was like going into a boxing ring with one arm tied behind your back," Scheinthal said. "You just can't compete that way. It gave everyone a year's head start on us."

New Jersey won a U.S. Supreme Court case in May 2018 clearing the way for all 50 states to offer sports betting should they so choose.

Since then, more than $3.7 billion worth of sports bets have been made in New Jersey, which is challenging Nevada for leadership of the national sports betting market.

The New Orleans Pelicans have named Jeff Bzdelik an associate coach for defense and promoted Chris Finch to associate head coach for the offense, the team announced Friday.

Bzdelik, 66, worked the past three seasons with the Houston Rockets and received credit for the team's defensive turnaround. He began a stint as associate head coach in 2016, then briefly retired in 2018. He was persuaded to come out of retirement in November after the Rockets got off to a rocky start.

His contract was not renewed following Houston's second-round exit in the playoffs.

Bzdelik started in the NBA 30 years ago as a scout, eventually working for Pat Riley with the New York Knicks and becoming head coach of the Denver Nuggets from 2002 to 2004. He was a college head coach with Air Force, Colorado and Wake Forest.

The Pelicans also hired former Suns assistant Jamelle McMillan as an assistant coach, promoted Joe Boylan to assistant coach/director of player development and promoted Michael Ruffin to an assistant coach/player development position.

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Friday that Gary Sánchez's groin strain is similar to the one he had earlier this year and "hopes" the catcher can return before the end of the regular season.

Sanchez left the second game of New York's doubleheader at Detroit on Thursday because of the injury.

He was thrown out trying to steal second base in the top of the third inning -- his first stolen base attempt of the year. Sanchez is hitting .233 with 34 home runs and 77 RBIs this year.

Edwin Encarnacion was hurt in the first game of the doubleheader and further tests revealed the slugger has an internal oblique strain, Boone said Friday, and the Yankees are hopeful it's not too serious.

The Yankees start a series in Toronto on Friday and Aaron Judge will be out of the lineup Friday as he's getting a regular day off.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

CHICAGO -- Joe Maddon on Friday pushed back on any notion the Cubs are playing uninspired baseball, but the manager admitted they might be playing tight.

The Cubs begin a 10-game homestand tied for the second wild card position in the National League and coming off yet another losing road trip (3-5), as their record dropped to 31-44 away from Wrigley Field on the season.

"I can see why that would be said, but I don't think it's true," Maddon said Friday morning. "I want us to loosen up and play baseball.

"My biggest concern is that I think we're playing tight."

Though Maddon often talks about September baseball bringing an energy of its own, he wasn't seeing it as much in San Diego, where the team just split a four-game series. He even compared the midweek atmosphere in the less-than-full Petco Park to that of a theater.

Instead of team meetings to combat the "uptight" notion, Maddon is handling it more one-on-one.

"I've been infiltrating the group in my own ways," he said. "I've seen it before, in other places."

Maddon's boss, team president Theo Epstein, first used the word "uninspired" on his weekly appearance on the team's flagship radio outlet but understood where Maddon was coming from when he spoke of the team being uptight.

"Because they care," Epstein said. "The guys are really frustrated. They look around at the other names and how they feel about themselves and the refrain I here is, 'We have so much talent. How come we're not winning?'"

Both Maddon and Epstein deflected talk of the manager's expiring contract, instead focusing on the task at hand: securing a fifth consecutive playoff appearance. But both know that Maddon's future hangs in the balance.

"The whole year was going to be speculation," Maddon said. "I'm fine with it. I have no issues with it whatsoever. It's a natural part of the landscape."

Epstein added: "He's done a great job of not letting his contract be a distraction."

One thing all parties agree on is leaving first baseman Anthony Rizzo at the top of the batting order. Cubs leadoff hitters have been abysmal at getting on base this season. It's now Rizzo's job by default. It also means when Ben Zobrist starts, he'll hit in the middle of the order just as he did in 2016, the year the Cubs won the World Series.

"I don't want to keep moving Anthony around," Maddon said. "Let's see how it plays."

Rizzo has a career .410 on-base percentage in 48 starts batting leadoff, including in Thursday's win over the Padres. He was asked if he was all-in on batting first.

"I'm all-in on winning," Rizzo said.

Wilson Ramos will indeed be behind the plate when Noah Syndergaard and the Mets take on Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight in New York.

It will be Syndergaard's first start since the New York Post reported Monday that he and his agents have lobbied to let the right-hander pitch to backup catchers Tomas Nido or Rene Rivera instead.

Syndergaard later said the Post was wrong in saying he was "livid" in a meeting he had with Mets manager Mickey Callaway and general manager Brodie Van Wagenen to talk about the catching situation.

Syndergaard has a 5.09 ERA in 18 games throwing to Ramos and a 2.45 ERA in 10 games with Nido. The right-hander is 10-7 with a career-high 4.06 ERA overall in 28 starts this season.

Callaway had said Wednesday that Ramos was likely to catch Syndergaard on Friday night.

Also, the Mets are sitting NL home run leader Pete Alonso tonight for a routine off day.

WEEDSPORT, N.Y. – Weesdsport Kartway is set to host one of the biggest karting weekends in New York State on Sept. 28-29, with the running of Octoberfest II, featuring a 40-lap Clone Heavy 375 main event, paying $2,000 to the winner.

Octoberfest II will contend over two days of action with the finale of the Performance Manufacturing Super Kart Series, the $500 to win NYS Clone Heavy Invitational and PRO time trials taking place on Saturday, September 28.

The action on Sunday, Sept. 29 will see A-Qualifying races for all PRO classes as well as the weekend’s PRO A-Mains and trophy races for Jr. Red Clone, Jr. Green Clone and Jr. Purple Clone.

All of Sunday’s action will be covered by SPEED SPORT and MAVTV for air on national television.

PRO events on Sunday will be led by the $2,000 to win Clone Heavy finale as well as a $1,000 Clone Light main and $500 to win events for Clone Super Heavy, Jr. Unrestricted, Jr. Blue Clone and Winged Champs.

The majority of Saturday’s action will be dedicated to crowning Performance Manufacturing Super Kart Series champions, presented by Stirling Lubricants and Champion Racing Oil.

Current championship point leaders include Blake Banek (Jr. Red Clone), Connor Crane (Jr. Green Clone), Anthony Pollow (Jr. Purple Clone), Logan Crisafulli (Jr. Blue Clone), David Hackett Jr. (Clone Light) and Nick McGill (Clone Heavy and Clone Super Heavy).

Prelim events for Jr. Unrestricted and Winged Champ will also be conducted on Saturday.  Drivers competing in PRO on Sunday must also register for one points/prelim event as well.

GLENEAGLES, Scotland – U.S. captain Juli Inkster perhaps summed it up best Friday evening following a thrilling close to the opening day of the 16^th Solheim Cup.

“No one really ever talks about the half-point,” Inkster said after her side fought back for halves in each of the final two fourball matches. “And I have to say those two half-points at the end were huge.”

For a moment, the Americans were looking at a deflating finish – world No. 3 Lexi Thompson going 0-2 on Day 1, the plan to split up a winning Korda duo backfiring and a three-shot deficit entering the weekend at Gleneagles. Instead, Thompson is on the board, Jessica and Nelly Korda still have yet to lose and Team USA trails by just a single point.

“You have to dig deep for your partner, your country and your whole team,” said Thompson, who was the hero in her match with Jessica Korda, sinking an 18-footer for birdie at the par-4 finishing hole to avoid surrendering a full point to Bronte Law and Carlota Ciganda.

“There’s nothing like having a [deciding] putt on the last hole.”

Rookie Brittany Altomare now knows the feeling. Her 20-foot make for birdie at the last gave her and fellow first-timer Nelly Korda a half-point after being 3 down with three to play against Charley Hull and Azahara Munoz.

“We needed to make every putt,” said Altomare, who birdied four of her last six holes to pair with a near-ace by Korda at the par-3 17th. “We had nothing to lose.”

It seemed as if Inkster had much to lose by splitting up the Korda sisters after their dominant 6-and-4 foursomes victory and pairing each of them with partners, Thompson and Altomare, who looked less than stellar for much of a 2-and-1 foursomes loss to Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier.

But with fourballs requiring players to play their own ball, Inkster liked both of her new-look pairings. Inkster quipped that if the Kordas played three matches together, “they’d kill each other.” But in reality, Nelly Korda and Altomare had paired together during practice while Jessica Korda was likely just what Thompson needed to get going.

Thompson, who entered the week without usual partner Cristie Kerr (they had gone 4-0-2 together in the past two Solheim Cups), struggled mightily with the flatstick for much of both sessions. Until her clutch final roll, her biggest putt of significance was a 3-footer for par on the par-4 13^th on Friday afternoon that gave her and Korda a 1-up lead. That advantage stretched to 2 up a hole later before Law and Ciganda made a fierce charge, highlighted by Ciganda’s go-ahead birdie at No. 17, to take the lead with one hole to play.

But the Americans would not be denied at least something. Before striking her putt on the 18^th green, Thompson closed her eyes and said a little prayer.

It was answered. And the Americans, well, as the sun set on a blustery and downright cold day, they answered the bell not once but twice.

“You can't teach that,” Inkster said. “It's just in your belly.”