Soon after the end of an all-encompassing World Cup, Bangladesh are back in action. Having ended a three-day training camp in Dhaka today, the team will depart for Colombo tomorrow for a tour of Sri Lanka consisting of one practice match followed by three ODIs.

With so little time having elapsed since Bangladesh's eighth-place finish at the World Cup, the tour won't really feel like a fresh start. There aren't any fresh young faces in the squad, so building up to the next World Cup will have to wait. Still, this will be an important series, their captain Mashrafe Mortaza has said, emphasising the need to beat Sri Lanka to bring some positivity back into the dressing room.

"I don't think too much has changed between just before the World Cup and just after the World Cup," Mashrafe said. "If there was a good young player available, who performed exceptionally, we would have most likely taken him to the World Cup. I think we have to prepare at least some cricketers at the highest level, over the next two years. Give them enough opportunity, so that they can serve us well in the next World Cup.

"But this ODI series is important for Bangladesh cricket. Given our circumstances, we need to win this series, so we have to keep this in mind as well.

"There will be a big difference in intensity between a World Cup and a bilateral series. But we have to absorb it like a professional side. Our reality, given how we did at the World Cup, however doesn't allow us to have less intensity. This is an opportunity for us to take a positive turn, so I am sure everyone has the mindset to make a comeback."

Mashrafe, however, didn't ignore the need for long-term planning, pleading for more focus on the pipeline leading up to the senior team. He felt most of the current squad could still be part of the set-up in four years' time, but added that it would be crucial for Bangladesh to make the next rung of players ready for international cricket.

"Apart from me, the rest of the side is capable of playing in the next World Cup," he said. "But I think it is more important to focus on the Under-19s, HP (high performance) and A team, if we are to do well in the next four years. We must have players who become stable in international cricket during this time.

"Focusing on just one team of players makes life difficult at the highest level. We don't have Shakib [Al Hasan] for this tour so we have to look for two options. It is a great opportunity for those replacing him."

Although Sri Lanka hold an overwhelming 36-7 head-to-head record in matches between the two sides, recent history has been a lot closer, with Bangladesh winning three of the last six completed ODI meetings. There has been on-field friction too, exemplified by the 'Nagin' dance that both teams taunted each other with during last year's Nidahas Trophy. Mashrafe felt the upcoming series would continue the growth of the rivalry between the two teams.

"I think we will start on equal footing," he said. "They are playing at home where they always do well. They have been playing together for a while too. They are becoming a balanced side. They have some good memories from the World Cup, particularly beating England and pushing a few sides. There's been a bit of excitement between the two teams since the Nidahas Trophy and that will play a part too."

Mashrafe however said he was disappointed with his own performance at the World Cup, where he took just one wicket in eight matches. But he said that given his experience of playing at the highest level for two decades, he is equipped to deal with pressure and knows how to turn his form around.

"I have to take responsibility as a player and when I took over the captaincy four or five years ago, I had a similar feeling as well," he said. "I know it very well, having played for Bangladesh for 18 years, that our people raise questions quite quickly.

"I am personally disappointed with how I did at the World Cup and it will be a shame if I am not hurting. I am in a "nothing to lose" situation. But I also have the mentality to turn around, and coming towards the end of my career, there's no need to take pressure."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Thanks to a wild summer featuring a slew of superstars switching teams, the NBA is a very different place than it was just one year ago. Just ask the Las Vegas sportsbooks.

Last season, the top of the futures board included an odds-on favorite in the Golden State Warriors, plus outside contenders in the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets. But all of those teams have tumbled down the board, and the top of the list now includes the two teams from Los Angeles and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Not only are the teams at the top all different, but this is the first year since 2015-16 without an established odds-on favorite.

In other words, the Warriors have released their death grip on the NBA.

Evaluating the new contender class

Consider this trio of facts:

• The Warriors entered the 2018-19 season as the runaway favorites at -200 and the lone squad with odds better than +500.

• This season, three teams check that box. Heading into last season, only six teams' championship odds were listed at +2,000 or better. This year there are 10 such teams.

• The last time the Warriors weren't the preseason favorites: 2015.

The Toronto Raptors entered 2018-19 at +1,400 but still walked away with the title. Heading into this season, seven contenders boast odds at least that strong. (Apologies to the Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers and teams that just missed the cut.)

Who are they and what are their big questions? Let's start at the top.

The top three

Los Angeles Lakers (+300)

There's no question the Lakers have the star power needed to win a title, but even if LeBron James and Anthony Davis have monster seasons, the real questions are about the supporting cast and the team's overall ability to play defense and make 3-point shots.

As the Raptors just demonstrated, championship rosters are filled with complementary pieces that thrive alongside the superstars. The good news is that the Lakers landed a great one in Danny Green, who not only provides the Lakers with great wing defense but also represents a huge addition to their shooting arsenal.

Green should be a near perfect fit next to James. Last season, Green made almost 46% of his 3s in Toronto and more than 91% of his 3s were assisted. Nobody has created more 3-point assists this decade than James, who is especially adept at creating clean looks in the corners, where Green is particularly nasty.

That said, it's still fair to question the rest of the Lakers supporting cast. Can DeMarcus Cousins regain some semblance of his athleticism? Can Avery Bradley rediscover his jumper? Will Kyle Kuzma's new shooting stroke work?

If the answers to those questions are yes, the Lakers will be ferocious. If not, AD and LeBron can only take this roster so far.

LA Clippers (+400)

No team in the league had a better offseason than the Clippers, adding two incredible two-way superstars to an already solid group. The case for the Clippers is easy: They have the reigning finals MVP in Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, a great coach and some decent role players. If it all clicks, they could replace the Warriors as the best two-way squad in the Western Conference.

The big concern is that it won't. The frontcourt looks particularly questionable. Can JaMychal Green, Ivica Zubac and Montrezl Harrell really be rotation bigs on a championship team? Bigs may be less important than ever in the NBA, but that doesn't mean they're irrelevant, and looking across the group of Western contenders, you don't see many other frontcourts this weak. You see Anthony Davis, Clint Capela, Draymond Green, Rudy Gobert and Nikola Jokic.

Milwaukee Bucks (+450)

The Bucks deserve to be the favorites in the East, and they arguably have the easiest path to the Finals of any team in the league. In Mike Budenholzer's first year, they quickly became the analytics darling of the NBA -- not only did they hoist up a ton of 3s, but they also led the NBA in net rating. Milwaukee was the only regular-season team that notched both a top-five offense and a top-five defense in the regular season. If there was a regular-season championship, they would've won it. But when it mattered most, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks sputtered against Kawhi Leonard and the Raptors.

Still, there's room for optimism. Leonard is out West now, the Celtics are weaker and Antetokounmpo is still only 24 years old. Losing Malcolm Brogdon hurts, but the acquisition of Wesley Matthews and Robin Lopez helps.

The key question in Milwaukee is how will this team match up against the new-look Sixers? The Raptors solved the Bucks in part because they figured out ways to keep Giannis away from the rim. Well, this Philly frontcourt featuring Al Horford and Joel Embiid seems tailor-made to do the same.

The middle

Houston Rockets (+800)

Despite all the drama surrounding the blockbuster Chris Paul trade, the Rockets still deserve to be slotted as a contender. After all, they now boast two of the last three MVP winners in their backcourt. Still, it's fair to question just how well the reunion of Russell Westbrook and James Harden will actually work. In some respects, Westbrook represents everything that Daryl Morey's Rockets hate: poor shot selection and poor scoring efficiency.

The skeptics are quick to point out that there's only one basketball, and Westbrook and Harden are two of the most ball-dominant players of our era. But if this refrain sounds familiar, it's because many of those same skeptics raised a similar concern when Houston acquired Chris Paul two years ago. Morey, Mike D'Antoni and Harden made that work, so why can't they repeat their success?

Paul and Westbrook are wildly different players. Paul is a great shooter, and Westbrook, well, just look at this:

Perhaps nobody in the NBA blends volume and inefficiency as much as Westbrook. Among the most fascinating subplots in this upcoming season will be watching Westbrook attempt to assimilate in an offensive environment built upon analytical correctness. Westbrook is a lot of things, but analytically correct has never been one of them.

But the Rockets deserve some benefit of the doubt. After all, this is the organization that turned Josh Smith into a respectable rotation piece in the 2015 playoffs. That's some Copperfield stuff.

Philadelphia 76ers (+800)

Speaking of shooting issues, Ben Simmons and the Sixers come into the season as the biggest threats to the Bucks in the East. If it all clicks in Philly, they're going to be an incredible defensive squad, with Simmons and Josh Richardson patrolling the perimeter while Embiid and Horford protect the paint.

The questions will be on the other side of the floor. Can the Sixers score? Of course. Can they score efficiently and can they shoot 3s? Those are the real questions.

Last season, Philly ranked 19th in the NBA by sinking just 10.8 3s per game. Even if Richardson can replace most of JJ Redick's perimeter production, it's very hard to see how this squad becomes even an average 3-point-shooting team. Without adequate floor spacing, Philly's opponents will be better able to pack the paint to slow down the interior scoring of Embiid, Simmons and Horford.

The 76ers will only go as far as their offensive efficiency and 3-point productivity take them.

The Dark Horses (AKA the next Raptors)

Golden State Warriors (+1,400)

Folks, the Warriors are a dark horse in the race for the 2020 NBA title. Does that mean their dynasty is over? Not so fast! At +1,400, they have the same odds of winning the 2020 title that the Raptors had entering 2018-19.

I'm not a betting man, but if I were, I'd be all over this bet. Why? Call me crazy, but if Klay Thompson returns to action by March or April, and the Warriors are in the playoffs, they're terrifying. They still feature the best backcourt in the league, contract-year Draymond Green and a pretty good head coach. In a league teeming with unproven contenders, I'll ride with these guys when it matters, assuming they're healthy.

The X factor in San Francisco will be the new guy, D'Angelo Russell, who provides the Warriors with yet another talented guard who can create shots for himself and others. He averaged 21 points and 7 assists per game last year in Brooklyn, but can he take another leap? Why not? Kerr has a knack for turning promising guards into superstars. When he first coached Curry and Thompson, those fellas were 26 and 24, respectively. Russell is still 23.

The limiting factors are depth and defense. Even with the loss of Durant, it's hard to imagine Golden State not logging solid offensive markers. Stephen Curry will be the centerpiece of their offense, and he's still one of the scariest offensive players in the league.

The challenge will be on the other side of the court. Can this team get stops without Durant, Iguodala and Thompson? Doubtful.

Utah Jazz (+1,400)

You know who's not going to have trouble getting stops? The 2019-20 Utah Jazz, that's who. Thanks to Rudy Gobert, their defense has become one of the most dependable groups in the league, and if Mike Conley can stay healthy, this is a team that now includes a phenomenal defensive point guard, too.

Utah's issues have always been on offense. Last year, they had the second-best defense in the league but just the 14th-best offense. Conley also helps with that. Oh, and so does the acquisition of Bojan Bogdanovic, who is simply one of the most reliable 3-point shooters in the NBA.

Folks, Bojan can shoot the lights out pic.twitter.com/rrFzzr1hhl

— Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) June 30, 2019

Utah needs Donovan Mitchell to take another step forward in his development, and it needs to find ways to create clean looks for Bogdanovic. That will make this offense much better than last year's. While this roster may not include any huge superstars, it's chock full of two-way talents intent on crashing the top of the West.

Following an unprecedented torrent of player movement this summer, the NBA is entering a new world of parity. Just 12 months ago, the Warriors had won their second-straight title and looked poised to win for years to come. Man, that seems like light-years ago. Heading into next season, the Dubs are now just another contender in a very crowded field. The only safe bet is on chaos.

BARRE, Vt. — Brooks Clark took advantage of a late restart to grab the biggest win of his career at the 40th VP Racing Fuels Vermont Governor’s Cup late model race Thursday night at Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl.

Clark rode the outside around Barre’s Nick Sweet with just seven laps remaining in the 150-lap event to beat a stout field, which included NASCAR star Christopher Bell, for a career-defining victory.

While Clark started on the pole and led the first 43 laps, his road to victory lane was anything but clear sailing. Even while pulling away from most of the field early, the veteran had to hold off several early charges from outside polesitter Marcel J. Gravel. The fiercest came following the third caution of the event on lap 36 after Bell spun while dueling with Kyle Pembroke for the ninth spot.

Clark was able to hold the lead each time while Sweet got underneath Gravel for the second spot on lap 41. When Stephen Donahue pounded the frontstretch wall two laps later and collected Scott Dragon in the process, Sweet got the chance to work the outside on Clark. Sweet, who was a last-minute replacement for Eric Chase in the No. 40VT for the second straight week, made it work up high to move to the point.

Both Sweet and Clark pulled away from the field on a long green-flag run that followed with Sweet slightly faster. When the fifth caution flew on lap 96 after Jason Corliss cut a right-front tire, the lead duo embarked on a torrid duel that lasted more than 25 laps.

Except for one circuit, Clark was able to use the outside momentum to stay ahead, until Sweet finally got back in front on lap 121 and cleared Clark two laps later. The four-time Governor’s Cup champion again began to pull away and seemed primed for a record-setting fifth victory in the event.

But Corliss shut down again to bring out the sixth and final caution on lap 143, setting up a seven-lap dash for the Cup. Clark seized his opportunity, letting it ride on the outside groove and going back to the front. Sweet was unable to mount a counter-attack in the final circuits as Clark captured his fifth career victory at Thunder Road.

Sweet finished second for the second straight week. Trampas Demers held off Cody Blake for third, padding his points lead in the process thanks to the misfortune of Corliss and Dragon. Jimmy Hebert, Pembroke, Matt White, Phil Scott, Bell, and Josh Masterson completed the top 10.

Jason Pelkey also got the maximum from a late caution to score his second career Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger win. Pelkey was running a distant second to first-year Tiger racer Danny Doyle when Kevin Streeter blew a right-rear tire and spun in turn one to bring out the caution with three laps left in the 40-lap feature.

The restart put Pelkey alongside Doyle, and Pelkey had the nose in front as the field took the two-to-go. At almost the same time, Mike Martin and Brandon Lanphear got into the wall while fighting for the third spot, and they eventually came to a halt on the backstretch.

The lap was ruled completed, putting Pelkey on the inside for the green-white-checkered finish. Pelkey scooted away for the victory as Doyle got shuffled in the final corners and caused a scramble throughout the pack.
Brett Wood ended up a career-best second after running in the top-five all night. Joe Steffen snuck through the final-lap scrum to take third.

Cooper French became a first-time Thunder Road winner in the Allen Lumber Street Stock feature. The rookie went wire-to-wire in the 25-lap main event, holding off challenges from veteran Dean Switser Jr. and sophomore Kasey Beattie. The trio duked it out under a blanket following the second and final caution on lap 18, but French held strong to grab the breakthrough victory.

Beattie got underneath Switser on the final restart to take second with Switser finishing third.

GREENWOOD, Neb. — For the second consecutive year, Jonathan Davenport claimed a thrilling victory in the Malvern Bank Go 50 at I-80 Speedway.

The race saw five different drivers grab the lead at one point. Davenport became the last of the five, as he took the point on lap 34 from Brandon Sheppard and cruised on to his 10th Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season.

Davenport and Sheppard were followed to the finish line by Devin Moran, Mason Zeigler and Shannon Babb.

Tyler Bruening led the first lap until Tyler Erb took over the top spot just one lap later. Erb held his lead until Zeigler; last year’s Lucas Oil Rookie-of-the-Year; grabbed the lead away from him. Zeigler held on to the point until Sheppard went by him on lap 21.

Sheppard and Davenport ran one-two using the top groove for several circuits, until Davenport caught Sheppard on lap 34 to gain the lead and held it to the finish line.

Davenport was able to pull away on the final lap to pick up the victory and extend his series points lead over Josh Richards and Tyler Erb.

“It was a little shaky at the end,” Davenport said. “But once we got passed traffic, we were good to go. I knew he [Sheppard] would probably be on the top. We had a little problem with the car after the heat, but Jason and the crew got it fixed. We took off pretty good and then started to pick up the pace around the halfway mark when we got in to second. Brandon and I rode that top groove for a long time until I was finally able to catch him and pass him. I am sure that was a heck of a race to watch.”

Sheppard, who has one LOLMDS win this season, led 13 laps and came home in second place. “We had a really good car,” Sheppard said. “I want to thank Mark Richards, Steve Baker and my whole crew. We were right there at the end. I thought maybe with two to go we had another shot at him. That one caution hurt us because we had a run up top on the restart and I think we might have cleared him [Davenport], but we will come back tomorrow night and hope for a good racetrack like they gave us tonight.”

Moran, who earned the Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race, came home third.

“We finally got it rolling after a while,” Moran said. “Tyler [Erb] and I had a great race for a long time, we were throwing sliders on each other. I think we touched maybe once but it was good hard racing. I didn’t need those last cautions because we were moving good on the bottom through the middle. Congrats to JD and Sheppy. This is our first-time here and it has quickly become one of my favorite tracks to race on.”

The finish:

Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Sheppard, Devin Moran, Mason Zeigler, Shannon Babb, Chase Junghans, Scott Bloomquist, Josh Richards, Dennis Erb Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Dale McDowell, Chris Madden, Tim McCreadie, Kyle Bronson, Tyler Erb, Tyler Bruening, Billy Moyer Jr., Stormy Scott, Earl Pearson Jr., Shanon Buckingham, Chris Simpson, Cody Laney, Terry Phillips, Jimmy Owens.

TUSTIN, Calif. — Chevrolet has officially introduced the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, the brands first production mid-engine Corvette.

“Corvette has always represented the pinnacle of innovation and boundary-pushing at GM. The traditional front-engine vehicle reached its limits of performance, necessitating the new layout,” said GM President Mark Reuss. “In terms of comfort and fun, it still looks and feels like a Corvette, but drives better than any vehicle in Corvette history. Customers are going to be thrilled with our focus on details and performance across the board.”

The 2020 Stingray’s exterior has a bold, futuristic expression with mid-engine exotic proportions, but it is still unmistakably Corvette. It’s lean and muscular, with an athletic sculptural shape conveying a sense of motion and power from every angle.

“As America’s most iconic performance nameplate, redesigning the Corvette Stingray from the ground up presented the team a historic opportunity, something Chevrolet designers have desired for over 60 years,” said Michael Simcoe, vice president of Global Design, General Motors. “It is now the best of America, a new arrival in the mid-engine sports car class. We know Corvette can stand tall with the best the world has to offer.”

A supercar level of craftsmanship, premium materials and attention to detail were critical in designing every component of the Stingray. The new location of the engine is truly the focal point for the car’s design. It’s the heart of this next generation Corvette and it sits like a jewel in a showcase, visible through the large rear hatch window.

The added attention to detail optimized the appearance of every wire, tube, bolt and fastener, similar to those found in modern track and all-road motorcycle design.

True to its aeronautical and racing roots, the 2020 Stingray’s canopy-forward stance was inspired by F22s, F35s and other modern fighter jets and Formula One racing. Other classic Corvette signatures adapted to the Stingray include a distinctive face that communicates the purpose of the vehicle’s mission, a classic horizontal crease, aggressive front fenders and familiar positioning of the dual-element headlamps.

Corvette’s structure is built around its backbone: the center tunnel. This enables a light, stiff structure to serve as the foundation for the suspension system to perform in an optimized manner. By removing unwanted body compliance, Corvette customers will experience the ultimate in ride performance with outstanding lateral grip capabilities. The car has a solid, connected-to-the-road feel with minimal vibrations at high speeds or on long road trips.

“Our mission was to develop a new type of sports car, combining the successful attributes of Corvette with the performance and driving experience of mid-engine supercars,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette executive chief engineer.

SINGAPORE -- Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte has said he wants to sign Romelu Lukaku from Manchester United.

The two clubs have held talks about the Belgium striker but a deal is yet to be agreed. Inter are willing to offer around £60 million with £15m in add-ons but United value the 26-year-old at between £80m and £90m.

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Conte also said Mauro Icardi and Radja Nainggolan will not be part of his "project" at the Serie A and suggested that he will play against United in Singapore on Saturday without a striker while the pursuit of Lukaku continues.

"Lukaku is a United player," Conte told a news conference at Singapore's National Stadium on Friday. "This is the reality.

"You know very well I like this player. In the past when I was Chelsea coach I tried to bring him to Chelsea. But I repeat, today Lukaku is a player of Man United. This is the reality and this is the truth.

"I think that in this moment, we are talking about player of another club. For this reason it's right I don't talk about Lukaku. I have great respect for United. As I said before for sure I consider this player. I like this player.

"I consider him an important player for us to improve. There is a market. We know our situation. We'll see what happens. Now Lukaku is United's player."

Speaking earlier in the day, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said there was no update on Lukaku's situation but that the former Everton forward would not be available to face Inter because of injury.

Sources have told ESPN FC there are no meetings scheduled while the two clubs are in Singapore because Ed Woodward and chief negotiator Matt Judge are in London.

United are willing to sell Lukaku, who is keen to move to Italy, if they receive an acceptable offer. At a meeting in London last week, Inter were informed that a loan bid, or a bid involving players moving in the opposite direction, would not be considered.

It's the most complicated time of the year for MLS teams, with the weather steamy, the transfer window open and nothing yet secure when it comes to playoff places. This week the intrigue kicks up just a small notch more with a United vs. United showdown in Atlanta, a chance for another United to prove their postseason bona-fides versus Real Salt Lake and the latest installment in Matias Almeyda's man-marking revolution in San Jose.

United vs. United

There's drama in Atlanta following Gonzalo "Pity" Martinez's comments to an Argentine media outlet that he wasn't happy with United head coach Frank de Boer's decision to speak to the media about subbing off Martinez in a game against the Montreal Impact on June 29. The club says the air is "cleared," but there's a real concern that the 25-year-old just doesn't fit with the Dutchman's system.

Atlanta earned an important confidence-boosting 5-0 win over the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday without Martinez in the starting lineup. De Boer's decision to use Martinez as late substitute made sense with a hectic schedule, but it means that the player missed out on the mental boost from the goal party against Houston. Will De Boer turn back to Martinez against D.C. on Sunday (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)?

It seems like a lifetime ago, but these two teams opened the season against each other. DCU got the better of the champs on that day, ruining De Boer's MLS debut with a 2-0 win at Audi Field.

D.C. has its own issues with a creative Argentine player. Luciano Acosta was Robin to Wayne Rooney's Batman during a run to the playoffs in 2018, but his production has dropped off dramatically this season. The simplest explanation for the dip is that a failed move to Paris Saint-Germain during the offseason changed the alchemy in D.C. and put Acosta off his game.

There's no indication that Acosta is a problem child. He's not Martinez. There are no interviews on Argentine television. The problem for D.C. is that as long as he's not creating goals, it's all the same.

Minnesota playoff credentials to be tested in Utah

The longest active winning streak in Major League Soccer belongs to Minnesota United. One more win and the Loons will tie the longest winning run in the league this season of five, reached by both LAFC and Atlanta.

Does that mean they've turned the corner? Minnesota's three-year plan was always aimed at the first year playing in Allianz Field, and so far in 2019, the plan seems to be working. The additions of Darwin Quintero, Angelo Rodriguez and Jan Gregus in the past year not only filled up Minnesota's quota of Designated Players, it has brought a swagger to the club that was much needed.

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The Loons are utilizing depth, and to excellent effect at the moment as well. The hottest Loon is Mason Toye, a second-year forward with four goals in his past four games despite playing understudy to Rodriguez. A packed schedule and a run to the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup forced head coach Adrian Heath to get creative with his personnel -- who duly responded.

An away date in Utah on Saturday (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+) is the next test for the Minnesota project. For their part, Mike Petke's men are flying high off a 4-0 trouncing of the Philadelphia Union last weekend. Jefferson Savarino dominated that game, scoring two goals and setting up a third. Real Salt Lake isn't among the league's best, but it won't be an easy out for Minnesota.

In fact, RSL could bolster its own playoff credentials with second consecutive home win against a team in the playoff places.

Almeyda's Quakes set example for Dos Santos' Caps

When you start to really understand what Matias Almeyda's particular brand of soccer philosophy entails and what it requires from his players, it's impossible not to be impressed by what's happening in San Jose. The Earthquakes were an abject disaster for the first month of the season. Since then, they've been one of the league's best teams.

Vancouver has ... not been one of the league's best teams. That sets up Saturday's showdown at BC Place as a match between a team grasping for consistency under a new head coach and one looking to consolidate its place among the league's elite.

One of the more fascinating elements of the Quakes' rise is that the roster isn't stocked with stars; players such as Valeri "Vako" Qazaishvili, Magnus Eriksson, Cristian Espinoza and Jackson Yueill (to name just the midfield) don't jump off the page. But together, working as a unit in Almeyda's man-marking system, they're incredibly effective. The Quakes added a few names (most recently Carlos Fierro) since the Argentine coach's arrival, but he's working largely with the same group that finished dead last in 2018.

Almeyda's early success stands in opposition to the struggles of Marc Dos Santos in Vancouver. The Whitecaps completely overhauled their roster, saying goodbye to some key figures and bringing in 15 new players for 2019. The results have been poor, with the Caps now sitting where the Quakes once were: at the bottom of the Western Conference.

Dos Santos will get a chance to make it work no matter what 2019 delivers. Still, beating the upstart Quakes on Saturday (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+) would be a good way to send a message a turnaround is on the horizon.

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh took a dig Thursday at former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, who retired last season in the wake of a scandal involving domestic violence allegations against a former assistant.

"Urban Meyer's had a winning record. Really phenomenal record everywhere he's been," Harbaugh said on The Athletic's "The TK Show" podcast. "But also, controversy follows everywhere he's been."

Harbaugh, who will speak Friday during Big Ten media days, went 0-4 against Meyer. He says those who criticize his inability to win the big one, and especially to beat Ohio State, have a right to complain.

"You welcome the accountability," Harbaugh said. "All you can be judged on is your record -- what your record is overall, what your record is in your conference, and what your record is in head-to-head matchups with other teams that you play. I think you'll find that right now Ohio State is the only team that has a better record than us, has a better conference record than us, has the better overall head-to-head matchup with us.

"Yeah, we are -- we talk about the goals that we have. We have two: win multiple championships and run a first-class program. That's what we aspire to. We're learning and we take accountability and we learn from it. Hope springs eternal, and we're fired up for this season going forward. It's been good, and now we're gonna take it over the top."

Harbaugh has a 38-14 record since taking over at Michigan in 2015. He has brought Michigan into the national conversation but has fallen short of taking the Wolverines to the next level. To do that, he will need to beat Ohio State.

Ryan Day has taken over in Columbus following Meyer's resignation.

Meyer, 55, will have a role as an analyst on FOX's college football show in the fall. He was the Buckeyes' coach for seven seasons and won a national title in 2014, but last season began with a three-game suspension following an investigation into his handling of allegations of domestic abuse against former assistant Zach Smith. Meyer returned and finished the regular season, then announced his retirement Dec. 4. He coached his final game in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.

He also experienced success and controversy as head coach at Florida. He won two titles with the Gators but was criticized for the number of off-the-field incidents involving his players. Over six seasons, 31 of his players were arrested, some on serious charges.

The Buckeyes will play the Wolverines in Ann Arbor on Nov. 30.