Former NBA general manager Jeff Bower has agreed to a deal to become the senior vice president of basketball operations with the Phoenix Suns, league sources told ESPN.

Suns owner Robert Sarver had discussed with prospective job candidates a senior advising role that would allow interim GM James Jones to continue in a lead front-office capacity with decision-making power, league sources said. Jones had sat in on interviews, along with Arizona Cardinals All-Pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald, league sources said.

Bower was the Pistons' general manager under president of basketball operations and coach Stan Van Gundy for four seasons until a change was made in May.

Bower has been a well-respected executive in the league for two decades, earning praise for his organization and scouting acumen in 11 seasons as GM in Charlotte, New Orleans and Detroit. Van Gundy made final decisions on personnel in Detroit.

Bower helped lead Detroit back into the playoffs in 2015-16 for the first time in five years, and he helped engineer trades for All-Star Blake Griffin and point guard Reggie Jackson. Bower has led two NBA franchises -- New Orleans and Detroit -- out of the lottery and into the postseason as a GM.

He also worked in the NBA and college as a coach.

NEW YORK -- Forbes estimates that the New York Yankees are baseball's most valuable franchise at $4.6 billion, up 15 percent from last year's figure.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are second at $3.3 billion, followed by the World Series champion Boston Red Sox at $3.2 billion, the Chicago Cubs ($3.1 billion), the San Francisco Giants ($3 billion) and the New York Mets ($2.3 billion).

The Yankees' YES Network broadcasts Forbes' "SportsMoney" television show.

Forbes' franchise values list released Wednesday estimates that the Miami Marlins are the least valuable team at $1 billion, just behind the Tampa Bay Rays ($1.01 billion).

Jacob Stockdale says the backing of team-mates and opponents helped him bounce back from his fumble in Ulster's Champions Cup defeat by Leinster.

The Ireland wing, 23, dropped the ball while trying to score, which cost Ulster a possible semi-final place.

The support of team-mates and Leinster players helped ease his dismay.

"It was really important for me because I was in a pretty dark place and I was really upset, so it was good to have that," he said.

Early in the second half, with Ulster leading by two points, Stockdale weaved past three Leinster defenders and appeared certain to touch the ball down for a superb solo try - but he lost control at the crucial moment and the try was disallowed.

Leinster responded by scoring a try of their own and the European champions eventually held on to win 21-18, securing their place in the last four.

The winger spoke to his team-mates in the changing room at full time and the following day made an apology to the travelling supporters on social media.

"A lot of people said to me that I shouldn't have felt that way, but I just felt like I had cost us a semi-final," he said.

"If I get that ball down it's a one-try or two-try game and we're looking pretty comfortable. All of a sudden I drop it and Leinster get back into the game.

"I just felt that I had to [apologise] and I realised that we had an incredible amount of support there - a lot of people had paid a lot of money to come down and watch us and made a lot of effort, so I felt like I had to say sorry that they weren't getting to enjoy a semi-final."

Stockdale was a despondent figure on the pitch at full time at the Aviva Stadium. The mistake occurred in the same corner of the pitch where he scored his famous try against New Zealand last November, but Ireland and Ulster captain Rory Best was one of the first to offer some words of encouragement.

"Besty was really important. He just put an arm around me and said, 'You had a really good game and that one moment is not going to define you' - I think that was probably something I needed to hear at that point," added Stockdale.

"Afterwards in the changing room I asked Besty if I could take a minute to say to the lads, because I wanted to apologise to them as well because they worked incredibly hard to get there and to not be in a semi-final.

"So I started to speak and - I think Besty said it - it turned into the House of Commons with everyone [shouting at me to sit down]. So that was really nice to have their support and it just showed me how close-knit a team we are."

Stockdale also received some messages from his international team-mates in the Leinster camp: "One or two of them didn't actually mention the drop, which I appreciated!

"I suppose, that again made me realise that everybody just wants you to do well and everybody supports each other, which at that point a day or two after the game was really important for me."

Ulster are in second place in Conference B with just two rounds of regular-season matches remaining in the Pro14. A victory in Edinburgh on Friday would guarantee the Irish province a quarter-final spot and a place in next season's European Champions Cup.

Stockdale is determined not to allow the fumble to affect his confidence for the rest of the season and is confident the experience has taught him some valuable lessons.

"I'm learning every time I step on to the pitch and some lessons are easy to learn and some are harder to learn - unfortunately this was one of the hard ones," he said.

NAPLES, Maine – Oxford Plains Speedway owner and Pro All Stars Series President Tom Mayberry has announced the continuation of the Road to the Oxford 250 program.

Celebrating its sixth year in 2019, the Road to the Oxford 250 will continue to give racers across the continent the chance to compete in short track asphalt racing’s biggest event.

Competitors from Canada and the United States will have opportunity to race for guaranteed Oxford 250 starting spots in six additional events, while keeping the focus on the 250 throughout the season.

“Our goal is to keep the focus on the 250 throughout the year.  While there will be several spots offered through the program, many of these will not have to be used since most of those competitors will advance through the famed heat and consolation races,” said Mayberry. “Competitors need to remember that this program will not reduce the number of starting positions that will be earned through the normal 250 qualifying procedures but will allow those who may be having a bad day to use the provisional if necessary, to guarantee their starting spot in this prestigious race.”

The first event to be featured in the Road to the Oxford 250 will be the previously-announced Leonard Evans 150 on April 27 at Wenatchee Valley Super Oval in Wenatchee Valley, Wash.

The winner of this event, along with the second and third place finishers, if PASS licensed and their Oxford 250 entry is received by June 1, will be guaranteed a provisional starting spot. The race winner will receive a full pay provisional, and second and third will receive a half-start provisional.

The Road then continues to the season opener at Oxford Plains Speedway on April 28; Thunder Road in Barre, Vt., on May 26; Speedway 95 in Bangor, Maine, on June 16; Star Speedway in Epping, N.H., on July 30; and finishes at Spud Speedway in Caribou, Maine on Aug. 4.

The top two finishing drivers each from Canada and the United States will earn provisionals to the 250. As with the Wenatchee Valley race, to be eligible to use the provisionals, drivers must be PASS Licensed and have their entries submitted for the Oxford 250.

The top U.S. and top Canadian driver will each receive a full start provisional, with the second place finishing U.S. and Canadian driver each earning a half-start provisional.

The final race as part of the Road to the Oxford 250 will be a special 100-lap open race at Oxford Plains Speedway on July 6. This will not be a points race for PASS.

The Independence Weekend race will see the top two Oxford Plains and top two PASS licensed finishing drivers earn a guaranteed spot in the Oxford 250.

Additionally, the top licensed drivers in points from PASS North, Oxford Plains Speedway, and the PASS National Championship Series, will have a provisional available if needed, as long as they have attempted to qualify for every race in their chosen series.

All drivers that will have guaranteed spots through the Road to the Oxford 250 or via championship points provisionals have to compete in their heat races and in their consolation race, but will not have to compete in the last chance race if they have not already qualified.

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The Masters has given us big-name winners. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson all have multiple green jackets. There have been some surprises, too, with Mike Weir, Danny Willett and Charl Schwartzel. So who walks away with the green jacket this time? Our crew of experts weighs in. And it won't take long to notice one name coming up over and over.

Curtis Strange, ESPN
Winner: Justin Rose
Why he'll win the green jacket: He has finished in the top 14 in eight of the past 11 years. He's been runner-up twice in the past four years. He's No. 2 in world rankings and a terrific ball striker with enormous confidence.

Scott Van Pelt, ESPN
Winner: Tony Finau
Why he'll win the green jacket: This year he won't jump in the air during the Par 3 Contest. Plus, he's got the goods.

Andy North, ESPN
Winner: Francesco Molinari
Why he'll win the green jacket: His confidence is high, great ball striker, great putter and has learned to love the big stage.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com
Winner: Dustin Johnson
Why he'll win the green jacket: One of these times, Dustin Johnson is going to find the formula at Augusta National, so why not now? His form might not be quite to the level it was two years ago, when he rode his No. 1 ranking coming off of three straight victories into tournament week -- only to be felled by a freak mishap in his rental home that caused a back injury. Johnson says he is close to the same level of play -- and has consecutive top-10s in his past three appearances at the Masters.

Ian O'Connor, ESPN.com
Winner: Rory McIlroy
Why he'll win the green jacket: I picked him to win the Players, so I might as well try to go 2-for-2 at Augusta. McIlroy has been at or near top form all year. His disheartening loss to Tiger Woods at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play should light a new fire under him. Rory is simply too good to never win the Masters. His time is now to complete the career Grand Slam.

Michael Collins, ESPN.com
Winner: Rory McIlroy
Why he'll win the green jacket: McIlroy has made it over every mental hurdle -- except the Tiger Woods pairing. So as long as he's not paired with the Big Cat this week, the tournament is his to lose. And yes, it is weird that Rory is ready to complete the career Grand Slam but not ready to win when paired with TW. But golf and life don't have to make sense.

Trey Wingo, ESPN
Winner: Rory McIlroy
Why he'll win the green jacket: If the putter is working, he joins the most exclusive club in golf.

Mike Golic, ESPN
Winner: Dustin Johnson
Why he'll win the green jacket: This is a tough field to call, but this feels like it is going to be Dustin Johnson's year.

Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com
Winner: Rickie Fowler
Why he'll win the green jacket: Fowler has way too much talent to still be without a major championship. His drought ends this week, as it all comes together for the best player to never win a major. Fowler figured out how to handle his nerves and the ins and outs of Augusta National last year, when he fired 65-67 on the weekend to finish one shot behind winner Patrick Reed.

Sage Steele, ESPN
Winner: Brooks Koepka
Why he'll win the green jacket: He's back after missing last year's Masters with a wrist injury. He plays extremely well in majors -- winning three of the past five in which he's played -- and has improved significantly each of the three times he's played here.

Kevin Van Valkenburg, ESPN The Magazine
Winner: Matt Kuchar
Why he'll win the green jacket: It's been a while since we've had a surprising winner at Augusta, and I think we're due one. Kuchar would fit the bill. Everyone assumes the bombers have an advantage at Augusta National, but other than Bubba Watson, it doesn't seem to translate into wins the past 10 years. Augusta is a second-shot golf course, and Kuchar is one of the best iron players in the game right now. It's time for his Mark O'Meara moment.

Matt Barrie, ESPN
Winner: Rory McIlroy
Why he'll win the green jacket: For the fifth time, Rory is going for the career Grand Slam. This time he gets it. Coming off a win at the Players last month, it's clear his game is in top form. If the putter cooperates, this is his week.

Michael Eaves, ESPN
Winner: Rory McIlroy
Why he'll win the green jacket: He's never come to Augusta in better position to win. His play all season has prepared him for this very moment. That's why I see him completing the career Slam and joining Tiger Woods as the only players to win the Players Championship and the Masters in the same year.

Chris Fallica, ESPN Stats & Information
Winner: Jon Rahm
Why he'll win the green jacket: Rahm was in contention to win both the Masters and PGA last year but came up short. After an opening-round 75 last year at Augusta, his Friday-Saturday-Sunday score was two shots better than anyone else in the field. He's contended before. Now it's time to take the next step. He'll pummel the par-5s, and his third trip to the Masters will result in him wearing the green jacket on Sunday.

Nick Pietruszkiewicz, ESPN.com
Winner: Justin Thomas
Why he'll win the green jacket: There's a lure to say this is Tiger's week, but instead I'm leaning toward the guy who played a practice round with Tiger on Monday and joked that Tiger was a bit stingy with any advice about playing Augusta National. Aside from the motivation of sticking it to Tiger, Thomas has all the tools -- to win here or anywhere. He's proved that. He's got three top-5 finishes this year, but no wins. He changes that in a big way this week.

Charlotte Gibson, ESPN The Magazine
Winner: Rory McIlroy
Why he'll win the green jacket: Last year, Rory's performance on Sunday at the Masters was less than ideal. And yet, it's hard to ignore Rory's history at the Masters. Not to mention, he has six straight top-10 finishes on tour this year, including his win at the Players (not including his T-9 at Match Play). With Rory's knowledge of Augusta and his current form on point, I think we will see him wearing the green jacket on Sunday.

Peter Lawrence-Riddell, ESPN.com
Winner: Justin Rose
Why he'll win the green jacket: Part of me wants to pick Rory McIlroy -- he's playing well, and it would be a great story -- but I'm just not ready to totally go all in on him. Instead, I'm going with another European. Rose's track record at the Masters is great -- he's been no worse than T-14 the past five years, including two second-place finishes (2017 and 2015). He's off to a good start in 2019, with a win (Farmers Insurance) and four other top-10s in seven events (including the Hero World Challenge). Even if he doesn't end up winning, Rose's history at Augusta says he'll be somewhere near the top of the leaderboard with a chance come Sunday.

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The long wait for another season of golf majors is about to be over. And the first one of the year, the Masters, comes complete with a wide variety of intriguing possibilities. Of course, there's always the Tiger factor. But he's not the only name -- big, small or interesting -- who could be a factor this week at Augusta National. So we gathered our experts to weigh in on questions ranging from Tiger to sleepers, surprises and disappointments.

Is this Tiger's week? If not, where does he finish? In the hunt? Irrelevant weekend player? Missed cut?

Bob Harig: It's not his week to win, but he could very well be a factor into the weekend, with a top-10 finish more realistic. For all of Woods' progress, he has not finished among the top 10 in a stroke-play event this year, nor has he been closer to the winner than 8 shots.

Michael Collins: Expect a backdoor top-5 for TW. I expect him to be in a relevant position on Saturday, but his putter will fail him. That being said, remember how great The Open was last year on Sunday!

Ian O'Connor: Irrelevant weekend player? Tiger should be offended this is one of the options. If he's playing, the most relevant golfer of all time is never irrelevant. He will wake up Sunday with a shot, but no, he won't close the deal this time.

Mark Schlabach: I don't think Tiger will be in contention, but I think he'll be around for the weekend. People might get tired of hearing about Tiger, especially when he's not among the leaders, but he sure as heck makes any tournament more exciting, especially a major championship. He hasn't been great in majors since 2008, but he's been pretty good at Augusta.

Nick Pietruszkiewicz: There is a temptation to say it's going to happen this week. What evidence is there? Well, not really a ton. But there's just that feeling. So I am not saying he wins, but I am saying that he is a factor on the weekend and that he finishes in the top 5. Keep this in mind: If Tiger wins, it'll be a 14-year gap between that and his last Masters victory. It would make it the longest gap between green jackets since Gary Player went 13 years between his 1961 and 1974 triumphs.

Rory McIlroy is a popular pick to win his first Masters. Which big name not named Rory McIlroy could walk away with his first Masters title?

Harig: I like Dustin Johnson because he's been slowly getting better at Augusta National after several years of struggling. He's been in the top 10 in his last three appearances. Who knows what might have happened two years ago when he entered as the prohibitive favorite and was injured the day before the first round. Johnson's form is similar to that period.

Collins: Jon Rahm would have been my pick, but the fact that he's paired with Tiger for two days ruins him. Watch out for Jason Day this week. This may be the least amount of fanfare he's ever had coming into a major week. I expect he will make a charge, especially playing in a group with Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau.

O'Connor: DJ. He gave away one Masters by supposedly falling on a staircase. At some point, he is going to get that one back. No excuse for this physical freak to never win a green jacket.

Schlabach: Justin Rose has 11 top-25 finishes and five top-10s at Augusta, including runners-up in 2015 and '17. His regular caddy, Mark "Fooch" Fulcher, is back on his bag, which might give him an emotional boost. He's going to win a green jacket sooner or later.

Pietruszkiewicz: I took Justin Thomas to win. While Rickie Fowler was in the mix last year and Dustin Johnson clearly has the game -- he's convinced a few others on this panel to take him -- Thomas has the right mix of game and mind to stare everyone down come Sunday evening.

Which player outside the top 25 could pull a Danny Willett or Charl Schwartzel and steal a green jacket?

Harig: Hideki Matsuyama. The Japanese star is far better than his world ranking of 26. He has three top-11 finishes as well as low amateur honors eight years ago. It's all about the putter for Hideki.

Collins: I bet you didn't know Jordan Spieth was ranked 33rd in the world! Jordan wouldn't be stealing the green jacket, he'd just be taking the one he already owns off the property for a second time. Because he's "been there, done that" he will use the Sunday pressure like a comfy old sweatshirt.

O'Connor: Jordan Spieth. I know, I know, you can't lump him in with the Willetts and Schwartzels. But he is outside the top 25, and even when his putter has filed for divorce, you can't count him out at Augusta.

Schlabach: Few people noticed that Cameron Smith quietly finished tied for fifth here in 2018 after firing a 66 on Sunday. The 25-year-old Australian has a boatload of talent, and he's going to put it all together at some point. My only concern is that he hasn't been exceptionally long off the tee and has sprayed his driver a bit, which isn't a great recipe here. He also missed the cut in three of his past six majors and was tied for 56th or worse in the other two.

Pietruszkiewicz: Matthew Fitzpatrick. He doesn't have a win on the PGA Tour, but he has won five times on the European Tour. He nearly pulled off his first PGA win earlier this year with a runner-up finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He's 24. A major is going to happen at some point. No reason it can't be here.

What big name is headed for a disappointing week?

Harig: Patrick Reed. Bringing in David Leadbetter for a look at the swing a few weeks ago was not a suggestion that things were going well. Reed has barely contended anywhere since winning the green jacket.

Collins: Brooks Koepka. I hate the fact that he lost so much weight and is now struggling to get back where he was physically and, more importantly, where his golf game was. This ain't the week to "figure it out." That stinks because we've still never seen the best Brooks take a shot at this venue.

O'Connor: Brooks Koepka. He's lost weight; he's lost distance off the tee; and maybe he's lost a little of that big-man-on-campus swagger along the way.

Schlabach: Tommy Fleetwood. I think it's only a matter of time before the exceptionally talented Englishman wins a PGA Tour event, but it's not going to happen at Augusta. I think it happens at one of the three other U.S. majors this year.

Pietruszkiewicz: Jordan Spieth. I was going to say Koepka, but saw his name here twice already. And if he sees it -- since he takes slights very seriously -- you just know he's going to make a run. So I am going with Spieth. Sure, his history here is remarkable -- he's finished top-3 four times and T-11 the other time. Even if he is around on the weekend -- he's missed three cuts this year -- his Saturdays have been a nightmare. He's got as many rounds in the 80s (1) as he does in the 60s (1).

Which old guy -- 45 or older -- could be a contender?

Harig: The easy answer here is Phil Mickelson. His form has fallen off since winning at Pebble Beach in February -- but the bottom line is he won a PGA Tour event at age 48. He loves Augusta, knows the course, has been aiming toward this week. Nobody would be surprised to see him contend.

Collins: Did we already forget what Vijay Singh almost did at the Honda Classic? Vijay is the one "old guy" with the power to still deal with Augusta National's length for four days. While I don't think he'll win or even contend by Sunday late afternoon, I do think he'll have the best finish of the "senior crowd" participating this week.

O'Connor: The cop-out answer is Phil (see Harig, Bob). Of course, it's Phil. But what the hell, I'll go with 61-year-old Bernhard Langer for the hell of it. He can't win, but would you bet the ranch against him being in the mix Saturday afternoon?

Schlabach: To avoid choosing Phil like all of the other sheep, I'm going to go with Jose Maria Olazabal for no other reason than I like hearing his name slip off my tongue. He hasn't made a cut since finishing T-34 in 2014. So, yeah, I'll go with Phil, too.

Pietruszkiewicz: Fred Couples. There's one more run left in that old back. His love of the place is clear. His record at the place is undeniable. Is he going to walk away with another green jacket? No. But will his name slide up the leaderboard and have people daydreaming about one more run? Yes, indeed.

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – Joe Gibbs Racing has entered into an agreement with the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society to serve as an associate sponsor on Martin Truex Jr.’s No. 19 Toyota Camry.

“B.A.S.S. is thrilled to enter into this partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing and the Bass Pro Shops No. 19 car,” said Bruce Akin, CEO of B.A.S.S. “As an avid outdoorsman and fisherman, Martin Truex Jr. is a great fit as an ambassador for our sport. This partnership also amplifies our common partnerships with Toyota and Bass Pro Shops. Most importantly, in a year where we are celebrating the fans of B.A.S.S., it connects our organization with racing fans who are also fans of fishing.”

B.A.S.S. is the world’s largest fishing organization with a growing membership that has now reached 510,000.

A media-and-events company that celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, B.A.S.S. conducts the world’s most prestigious professional bass fishing tournaments and reaches millions of fans each month through its flagship magazine Bassmaster, Bassmaster.com, and the highly rated The Bassmasters television program.

“It’s great to have B.A.S.S. come on board as an associate sponsor with our No. 19 Toyota Camry,” said Truex. “It’s no secret that I love fishing so this is obviously a great fit. B.A.S.S. has done a lot to advance the sport and I look forward to working with them and through their partnerships with Toyota and Bass Pro Shops.”