Welsh Athletics is campaigning for more athletes to be allowed to use sports facilities but the problem affects athletes of all ages and abilities in every part of the UK

Amid fears of a ‘lost generation’ of athletes there is growing frustration over track and field facilities being out of bounds to most runners, jumpers and throwers during lockdown. A campaign has started in Wales, for example, for the rules to be relaxed so that more competitors and coaches can use specialist sports venues.

The story has been covered on BBC Wales and their report says only 16 athletes in Wales currently hold an elite athlete exception to allow them to use facilities. However this is a problem in the rest of the UK too.

At my local track in the south-west of England the athletes are advised by the guardians of the facility to stay in shape during lockdown by running on a muddy and relatively narrow path on the fields outside the track. Yet this means running close to elderly dog walkers, whereas everyone would be far safer if they were allowed to hop over the waist-high fence to use an empty track which, even at the best of times, has the proverbial tumbleweed blowing across it.

Meanwhile, little more than a javelin throw distance away, there is a small skate park which is also, in theory, out of bounds during lockdown. But while athletes have been warned they face a life ban from the track if they dare to use it, there are dozens of kids every day not just blatantly ignoring the skate park rules but vandalising signs saying the area is closed.

Only one local athlete has an exception to use the track, the teenage high jump talent Sam Brereton, although ironically he has been training a few hundred miles away in Loughborough recently. In the last couple of years the same track has been used on one-off occasions by international athletes Elliot Giles and Chris Thompson when they have visited the area. Lately, though, the only people to use it are the occasional kids or middle-aged joggers who choose to ignore the warning signs.

To be fair to the people who oversee the track and skate park, they are merely following Government guidelines. The area is also almost impossible to ‘police’.

Critics are also quick to take their frustration out on governing bodies like UK Athletics, but the situation is complicated with track and field facilities across the nation run by a variety of local councils or schools or, in the case of my local track, a volunteer group. Some tracks are easy to stroll on to as well, whereas others are behind walls or fences as part of a leisure centre complex, for instance.

There is little comparison, for example, between the Olympic Stadium in London and a quiet track in one of the rural corners of the country. Yet the Government guidelines make no allowance for these differences. They are all simply labelled no-go zones. Period.

Welsh Athletics chief executive James Williams told BBC Wales: “There’s a very real risk of us losing a generation of very talented elite athletes due to the fact that they simply can’t access the facilities they normally would be able to.”

Williams has been joined by fellow CEOs from triathlon, cycling and swimming in their campaign. “There are huge spaces with just a handful of athletes on there,” adds Williams. “There is scope to expand the list (of elite athlete exceptions) while maintaining reasonable Covid restrictions.”

Governing bodies in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland are doubtless similarly frustrated, not just in athletics either. Jack Buckner, the 1986 European 5000m champion and currently the chief executive of British Swimming, has been critical of the Government’s decisions in the past to keep swimming pools closed.

This whole thing is a madness, there’s legit like 3 of us running round the track at any one time if that, then you can stand in lidl looking at baked beans with about 20 strangers, doesn’t make sense? well done @tombrownsport @WelshAthletics @HannahBrier98 for pushing this https://t.co/nOcblFcvMP

— Joe Brier (@joebrier99) February 5, 2021

Sprinter Hannah Brier was at the forefront of the BBC Wales report and says she is supported by Welsh Athletics but doesn’t classify as elite. Consequently she has been forced to do her sessions on playing fields and roads where, some of the time, she has not felt safe after being subjected to jeers and catcalls from passing drivers.

This is not a sudden problem either. It has been creeping up on the sport for most of the past year.

In March last year and shortly before the first English lockdown I wrote a piece for the editorial leader column of AW entitled: ‘Will we see another lost generation?’

On social media this week, one AW reader, Grace Hough, said: “Something is definitely not right. Our track is deserted but there are athletes who would be safer in there than in footpaths.”

Another, Ian Halliday, said: “At mine, I am a key holder, our club has sole control over access, trained Covid officers, robust procedures. Instead of being trusted to run those procedures in line with 1-1 or 2+0 guidance we are forced into a park where we are in proximity to 500+ people at any one time.”

Chris Tomlinson, three-time Olympic long jumper, also tweeted recently: “When are the non-funded athletes meant to find competitions to qualify for Tokyo yet alone find training facilities?”

Sadly, nothing is likely to change during the current lockdown. In the near future, though, if the pandemic persists then solutions involve widening the number of athletes with exceptions to use facilities.

Or how about simply allowing athletics clubs to use their own common sense and to apply safety procedures according to their own unique set-up and facilities? After building a reputation for acting super-responsibly and safely in the past year, haven’t they earned that right?

Welcome to our live report of the final day of the first India-England Test from Chennai. Join us for updates, analysis and colour. You can find our traditional ball-by-ball commentary here.

*Most recent entry will appear at the top, please refresh your page for the latest updates. All times are local.

1.35pm: Archer finishes it

No five-for for Leach, who picks up the No. 9, Shahbaz Nadeem, via a deflection off the keeper to slip in over after Kohli's dismissal; Root then went back to Archer for the final wicket, Jasprit Bumrah nicking behind to seal victory by 227 runs for England. This is England's sixth win in a row away from home, and their first in India since 2012. It's only India's second defeat in that timeframe - but it has set the series up beautifully, the tourists 1-0 up with three to play.

1.15pm: Stokes gets Kohli

That's the big one! This emphasises just how difficult the pitch has become. Kohli had been almost faultless in this innings, barely playing a false shot, but is deceived by one which shoots through from a length, with a big puff of dust coming off the surface in the process. It pings back his off stump, and England are on the cusp of their sixth consecutive away Test win.

1.05pm: Ashwin goes

England are into the tail now. Leach finds extra bounce from a length again, just as he did on the fourth morning to remove Ashwin. The ball kisses the glove as Ashwin shapes to play him off the back foot, and Buttler completes the catch. Kohli is standing firm, playing the sort of innings that will leave the rest of India's top six wondering what might have been if they had managed to show a little more application, but it will take a minor miracle for him to save the game from this situation.

1.00pm: Awesome Anderson

Another record for Anderson: he has surpassed Courtney Walsh in this innings in the list of seamers with most wickets after the age of 30, which is testament to his longevity.

England will have a dilemma going into the second Test: they seemed to have planned to alternate between Broad and Anderson, rather than picking them together, but it will be difficult to leave Anderson out in this sort of form. The counter-argument is that Anderson might not have been able to perform as he has in this Test if he had played both of the Tests in Sri Lanka, so England will see it as vindication for their rotation policy.

Alan Gardner analysed Anderson's record in Asia - and in India in particular - before this series, and Andrew Miller has been musing on his spell this morning:

The method may have been subtly different but the impact was every bit as spectacular, he writes. Just as Andrew Flintoff ripped open the 2005 Edgbaston Test with two wickets in a sensational and never-to-be-forgotten display of high-class reverse-swing bowling, so James Anderson did likewise on the final day in Chennai - to set up a victory chance that could prove every bit as impressive.

As was the case with Flintoff, all those years ago, the stage had been set by the time he entered the fray in the second hour of the morning, and if the jeopardy wasn't quite comparable given England's weighty cushion of runs in this contest, the stage was set for India, at 92 for 2, to build themselves towards a position whereby stalemate might be possible.

The old ball, after all, had been England's Achilles heel in overseas conditions in recent years - not least on their last tour of India in 2016-17, when their spinners were all too easily neutralised once the leather began to soften, and when Anderson himself was only semi-fit having battled back from a shoulder fracture that might have persuaded a less dogged combatant from boarding the plane in the first place.

This time, however, he arrived at the top of his mark at the top of his game - and at the age of 38 as well, of all the preposterous postscripts. It had been more than a decade, since Lord's 2009 in fact, since Anderson had last been shunted off the new ball in a Test match, but the logic was utterly sound on this occasion. In his stead, Jack Leach benefitted from the hard bounce and rip to prise out two priceless scalps in alliance with the menacing Jofra Archer, leaving Anderson to focus on the swing as the shine began to dissipate.

And just like Flintoff in 2005, Anderson needed just a single sighter before hurtling into the game. Shubman Gill had caressed his way to a wonderfully serene half-century - but even his fast hands and keen eye had no answer for a stunning off-stump heat-seeker that screeched back through the gate to send the stump cartwheeling and the contest ablaze.

Anderson's is a different brand of reverse-swing to the bruising, deck-hitting menace that Flintoff made his trademark during his early-2000s pomp. He is lighter through the crease and skiddier off the pitch, but it's the relentlessness that sets his game apart from any other contemporary practitioner. When every ball is demanding a decision, regardless of its misbehaviour through the air or off the pitch, that makes his magic balls all the more devastating, as Rahane discovered before he could lay bat on ball.

Not unlike Ponting in 2005, Rahane's immediate awareness of the dangers did little to mitigate the challenge he faced. He might have been dismissed by his very first delivery, another wickedly zippy inswinger that smashed him on the shin but was adjudged umpire's call on review, but undeterred, Anderson simply returned to the top of his mark and did it all over again - producing such a pinpoint reload that Rahane's leg bail was left unruffled as his off stump tumbled gleefully towards the keeper.

And by the time Rishabh Pant was unseated with a more cerebral but no less skilful piece of bowling - drawn hard-handedly into a punch to short cover after being challenged to keep playing his natural stroke-filled game - Anderson had snaffled three wickets for seven runs in six overs, to take his tally for the winter to 11 wickets for 99 runs in 54 overs. Average 9.00, economy-rate 1.83. Incision and parsimony combined to extraordinary effect.

12.50pm: Stokes into the attack

Root turns to Ben Stokes, looking to get the ball reversing. England have often used him to bowl short bursts of bumpers, so that may be another ploy they go for soon. Kohli, meanwhile, looks in superb touch in this innings, despite his lack of cricket over the past two months. According to our ball-by-ball data, he has been in control for 98% of his innings, playing only two out-of-control shots in his first 89 balls.

12.30pm: India solid

It's been an assured start to the afternoon session for India, with both Ashwin and Kohli digging in. Anderson has beaten Ashwin's edge a couple of times, with puffs of dust coming up off the surface from a length, but both batsmen are defending watchfully for the time being. The problem for India is that Ashwin is - more or less - the last recognised batsman in their line-up. Nadeem, the No. 9, has a first-class hundred to his name, but averages a shade below 15 overall.

Root has had to be creative with his fielding placements, and is in tight at silly mid-on himself, with his left boot almost touching the strip. Just the one slip at the moment for Anderson, as he comes towards the end of this spell. Perhaps the biggest question hanging over England is whether Dom Bess will be able to land the ball better this afternoon: he came in for some rough treatment in the morning session, bowling a number of full tosses which were dutifully put away.

11.30am: Lunch - India 144 for 6 (Kohli 45*, Ashwin 2*)

Five wickets in the session for England, with three of them in a remarkable spell from the evergreen James Anderson. "Everything Joe Root touched turned to gold," says Alastair Cook on Channel 4 in the UK. India will be asking questions about their batting line-up - not something anyone expected to hear after their performance in Australia - with Rahane and Gill's defensive techniques exposed by Anderson's booming reverse-swing, and while Pant played a thrilling innings on Sunday, his dismissal was fairly tame today.

Ashwin has taken another peppering from Archer in the over before lunch, struck first on the wrist and then on the badge of the helmet as Archer finds some lift from back-of-a-length, but he reaches the interval unbeaten. Kohli has played exceptionally well so far, scoring at a strike rate of 88 without playing particularly aggressively: he has rotated the strike against the spinners and put away every bad ball that has come his way. If he is still there at tea, India might fancy their chances of saving the game, but England are clear favourites regardless.

11.15am: Ashwin takes a blow

Anderson's spell is done: 5-3-6-3. Not bad for a 38-year-old seamer on the fifth day of a Chepauk Test. Archer returns, and is chipped effortlessly down the ground by Kohli, but he strikes back straight after, rapping Ashwin on the glove. It looks like the middle finger of his right hand is the one causing him some pain, which will concern India with three Tests to come in quick succession, but he's comfortable enough to bat on.

11.00am: Bess gets Sundar

It's hard to imagine how this session could have gone better for England. Sundar is rooted to the crease, defending Bess with a straight bat, and gets a thin edge through to Buttler who takes a sharp catch. Given not out, but England overturn it on review. Five wickets inside 90 minutes: India's only hope is that Kohli can bat for two more sessions.

10.55am: England halfway there

A leading edge from Pant loops up into the hands of short cover, and India are five down. What a spell from Anderson, whose Test bowling average in India has dropped below 30 with that dismissal. Anderson ran his fingers down the side of the ball, not looking to reverse it, Pant was looking to work to leg, and it skewed up off the outside of the bat to Root, in tight. An incredible effort from Anderson at the ripe old age of 38, with his figures on the fifth day reading: 4-3-5-3.

10.40am: Leach vs Pant, Round Two

Pant nudges the first ball he faces from Leach into the covers, and then misses out looking to reverse-sweep the second. He's not going to die wondering. Jon Lewis, England's seam-bowling consultant, was asked about their first-innings battle last night. "Jack was asked to do a really specific job for the team and I thought Pant's options were really high risk," Lewis said. "Obviously he got more runs than we would have wanted him to, but the percentages were still very much in [Leach's] favour.

"Jack showed his character with the way he came back after Pant got after him [on Sunday]. He's bowled an absolutely beauty to get out Rohit - who is obviously a class, class player - and looks a real threat on this pitch. He could walk away with four or five wickets tomorrow and we could win a Test match - I'm pretty sure people won't be talking about Rishabh Pant's first-innings runs if he does that."

10.25am: Two in the over

Amazing start from Anderson and England are buoyant. Plenty of reverse-swing on offer and who better to extract it than the man with 600 Test wickets? Rahane is struck on the pad second ball by another shooter, which would have crashed into the base of middle stump but umpire Menon's not out decision was upheld because the impact was 'umpire's call' according to ball-tracking. And Rahane's third ball cleans him up. It jags back in from wide on the crease, squeezing through the gap between bat and pad, and off stump is sent cartwheeling once more.

Rishabh Pant strides out at No. 6, and it will take a Pant special for India from this position.

10.20am: Cleaned up

Anderson comes into the attack for his first over of the day, and Gill's off stump has gone flying. Gill had just reached fifty, again looking a million dollars and timing the ball sweetly, but this one flies through him with the ball reversing. Anderson pitches on a fullish length outside off stump, and this shoots through low off the surface and sends the stump cartwheeling. Two for England within the first hour.

10.10am: Gill attacks Bess

Shubman Gill has decided that Bess is the man to target today. He threads his first ball of the morning through mid-off for four, then swings him just out of reach of the man running round from deep midwicket in the same over. In Bess' next, he skips down the pitch and nails a sweet six over mid-on.

I think this is a calculated decision from Gill, who is determined to through Bess off his length, but perhaps he doesn't need to be overly aggressive against him: since his spell on the third afternoon, Bess has bowled one bad ball in most overs, so it is easy enough to take him for four or five runs while playing in a fairly restrained manner.

9.55am: Pujara goes

That's a huge wicket for England and a blow to India's hopes on the final day. Leach gets one to turn sharply again, spinning away from the bat with extra bounce as Pujara closes the face, looking to work him into the leg side. The ball takes the outside edge and lobs up to slip, where Stokes snaffles it. India lose Pujara within half an hour.

It was always likely to take a good ball from Leach. That was only the sixth time Pujara had been dismissed by a left-arm orthodox spinner in Tests, having faced 1898 balls from them. He's still averaging 138.83 against SLA bowlers.

9.50am: Variable bounce

A mixed bag for Jack Leach this morning, with Shubman Gill getting his second ball of the day away to the boundary, but there have already been signs of turn and bounce from a fullish length. Gill did well to jam him bat down on a shooter, and another turned sharply away from the outside edge.

"We saw a lot of India's fight and character in the tour of Australia just recently," James Anderson said before the start. "We know that they're not going to roll over easily. We're going to have to put a lot of hard work in, and we might have to be clever at times with fields and the way we bowl. We're in a good position but we know it's going to be a day of hard work."

"There was a good amount of turn and bounce yesterday," Washington Sundar said. "Given the scenario we'd like to take one session at a time and stay positive. We've got a lot of depth so let's stay positive."

9.15am: All results possible

A reminder of the match situation ahead of the final day. England need to take nine wickets in 90 overs, after Jack Leach dismissed Rohit Sharma on the fourth evening. If they fail to do so, we're heading for a draw - unless India can pull off another remarkable heist by scoring 381 fifth-day runs on a wearing Chepauk surface.

There was plenty of discussion yesterday about England's go-slow after tea as they looked to set up a declaration, but George Dobell wrote that after they had dominated large swathes of the match, their caution was understandable. In the India camp, R Ashwin and Ishant Sharma were bullish about their chances of pulling off the win.

LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James, now 36 years old and in his 18th NBA season, said that seeing a 43-year-old Tom Brady win his seventh Super Bowl title in his 21st season was "inspiring" but not necessarily informative. The Los Angeles Lakers star won't be planning the final stage of his playing career based off anything that Brady is doing on the football field.

"I've been watching him for quite a while now, and just to see him go out and do the things that he's done in his career, for him to win another one yesterday in the fashion that he won, it was pretty cool," James said Monday after putting up 28 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists in L.A.'s 119-112 overtime win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. "It was very inspiring for a guy like myself. But two different sports, two different positions.

"I don't know how long I'm going to play the game. I don't know how much more I'll be able to give to the game. The way I feel right now, we'll see what happens. But I have no timetable on it. I have no year of, 'OK, do I want to play until 30-this or 40-that?' The game will let me know when it's time, and we'll figure it out then."

James' answer echoes previous statements he has made about when he will retire. After signing a two-year, $85 million contract extension that will keep him signed with the Lakers through the 2022-23 season, when he'll be 38, James said he didn't know what would happen with his career after that.

"I haven't [thought about it]," James said in December. "The bottom line is I'm going to stick around this game. I've never taken for granted every time I get an opportunity to play another season. I try to prepare my mind and my body and my spirit for a season, and see where it takes it me. ... At the end of this contract, I'll be in year 20. The best thing about it is the year I'll be a free agent will be the same year my oldest son graduates high school. So I'll have some options to see, for me personally, what I want to do forward, being around my family, being around my son more or continue to play this game I love with great health and great spirits. We'll see."

James' triple-double on Monday was his ninth since turning 35 years old, passing Jason Kidd's previous record of eight for a player aged 35 or older.

Despite goofing around by laying on a video board along the baseline during overtime -- as if he was going to get in a quick nap -- James, as the clock neared 11 p.m. local time after the game, claimed he was prepared to play even more if there was competition to be had.

"S---, if we have more time to play, I'm ready to go," he said. "I can play right now if I need to go. All I need is a warm-up. I can go into the weight room, get warmed up, and I can go right now."

World number two Rafael Nadal began his bid for a men's record 21st Grand Slam title with a straight-set victory over Laslo Djere at the Australian Open.

He will play Viktor Troicki or Michael Mmoh in the second round.

Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev and compatriot Andrey Rublev also advanced on the second day at Melbourne Park.

However, 13th seed David Goffin squandered four match points as he was stunned in five sets by Australian wildcard Alexei Popyrin.

Popyrin, who was one of the 72 players to undergo 'hard' quarantine before the Grand Slam began, fought back to beat the Belgian 3-6 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (8-6) 6-3.

Nadal, who reached the final in Melbourne in 2019, did not have to exert himself too much in his win over Djere.

His only troubles came when serving for the set - he was broken to love at 5-2 in the first and was forced to stave off break point at 5-4 in the second.

Meanwhile, Medvedev extended his winning streak to 15 matches with a 6-2 6-2 6-4 win over Canada's Vasek Pospisil.

Eighth seed Rublev beat Yannick Hanfmann of Germany 6-3 6-4 6-4 to continue his own good form.

Russia's Karen Khachanov overcame a second-set dip to beat Australian Aleksandar Vukic 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-2) 6-4.

Now that Super Bowl LV is in the books and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the champions, we can move on from a challenging 2020 season and look forward to 2021. That's exactly what we're seeking to do with these way-too-early NFL Power Rankings. How does our panel view Tom Brady and the Bucs in 2021? Where will the Kansas City Chiefs rank? And what about the Houston Texans, whose quarterback wants to be traded?

There's no rest for the weary, and NFL teams will spend the next six or so months trying to bolster their rosters and make it to the top of the heap when games resume in the fall. The new league year (and free agency) starts on March 17, with the first round of the 2021 NFL draft set for April 29.

Here's how we see next season now -- from 1 to 32 -- with our NFL Nation writers describing the offseason for the teams they cover in three or fewer words.

How we rank: Our power panel -- a group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities -- evaluated how teams stack up throughout the season.

Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

1. Kansas City Chiefs

2020 record: 14-2

Offseason in three or fewer words: Draft well again

Despite a Super Bowl loss, the offseason will be a success for the Chiefs if they can surround their many high-priced players with good, young, inexpensive players, as they did last year. Despite drafting at or near the end of many rounds and having just six picks, the Chiefs hit on many of their choices, most notably fourth-round cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, and they found a couple of keepers after the draft, as well. -- Adam Teicher

2. Buffalo Bills

2020 record: 13-3

Offseason in three or fewer words: We'll be back

They were perhaps the three words uttered most often by Bills players and staff following a loss to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. Buffalo is equipped to make another run in the AFC but will require some tweaks to do so. The Bills will need to hit in this year's draft as they do gymnastics with a diminishing salary cap. But with so many core players either on rookie deals or already locked in, they are built to make another run to the AFC title game. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

3. Green Bay Packers

2020 record: 13-3

Offseason in three or fewer words: Get Rodgers help

That doesn't necessarily mean a receiver in the first round -- or any round for that matter. But if the Packers can take some of the week-in, week-out burden off Aaron Rodgers, that might help in the long run. Perhaps it's why coach Matt LaFleur made changes with two of his three coordinators (defense and special teams). Another offensive weapon wouldn't have helped Rodgers in the NFC Championship Game loss as much as an offensive tackle or another shutdown cornerback -- or better in-game decisions and playcalls by the coaches -- would have. -- Rob Demovsky

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2020 record: 11-5

Offseason in three or fewer words: What offseason?

The Bucs not only reached the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and won their first postseason game since 2002 -- they won the Super Bowl with Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski & Co. Considering they had no offseason last year to build an offense around Brady due to COVID-19 and still got to the Super Bowl, 2021 offers them a chance to grow even more together and build more chemistry. -- Jenna Laine

5. Los Angeles Rams

2020 record: 10-6

Offseason in three or fewer words: Blockbuster moves

At the end of the season, Rams coach Sean McVay vowed to evaluate every position on the roster, including quarterback. McVay made no guarantees when asked if Jared Goff would be on the roster in 2021, adding another layer to what had become a murky situation following an inconsistent season by Goff and McVay's decision to start backup John Wolford in a wild-card playoff despite Goff's insisting he could play 12 days removed from thumb surgery. Two weeks after the Rams' season ended in a divisional playoff, Goff was gone. The Rams traded him to the Lions, along with a 2022 and 2023 first-round pick and a 2021 third-round pick, in exchange for quarterback Matthew Stafford. It's Super Bowl or Bust 2.0. -- Lindsey Thiry

6. Baltimore Ravens

2020 record: 11-5

Offseason in three or fewer words: Help out Lamar

The Ravens spent most of their resources last offseason fixing the defensive front seven. This year, the focus has to be upgrading the supporting cast around Lamar Jackson and helping him progress throwing the ball. To improve the NFL's 32nd-ranked passing attack, Baltimore has to bolster the offensive line, add a proven wide receiver and bring in another pass-catching tight end. The Ravens really didn't replace the losses from last year after Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda retired and tight end Hayden Hurst was traded. The lack of a consistent passing game has hurt Baltimore, particularly in the playoffs. -- Jamison Hensley

7. Cleveland Browns

2020 record: 11-5

Offseason in three or fewer words: Keep it going

After years of futility, the Browns finally had a breakout season in 2020, winning a playoff game for the first time in 26 years. Now, to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history, the key will be building off last season's success. The good news is that the winning looks sustainable, with Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, Denzel Ward and Baker Mayfield all currently age 25 or under. But the Browns still have work to do, particularly on the defensive side. After extending Garrett last offseason, they need to lock in their other young stars for the future, as well. -- Jake Trotter

8. Seattle Seahawks

2020 record: 12-4

Offseason in three or fewer words: Waldron and Adams

The Seahawks' new offensive coordinator and Pro Bowl strong safety share the billing given everything that lies ahead for both. Shane Waldron will be tasked with installing a new (or perhaps partially new) scheme and building a rapport with Russell Wilson in what might be another condensed offseason. Jamal Adams, meanwhile, is recovering from shoulder and finger surgeries while heading toward a contract negotiation that would presumably make him the NFL's highest-paid safety. When the Seahawks acquired Adams last summer, they figured they could trade him this offseason as a last resort if they couldn't get a deal done. That means they have lots of incentive to figure out his future before the draft. -- Brady Henderson

9. San Francisco 49ers

2020 record: 6-10

Offseason in three or fewer words: Extend the window

The 49ers took a big step back in 2020 after a run to the Super Bowl the previous year. But most of that drop-off can be attributed to an unprecedented rash of injuries. Now, the Niners will spend the offseason working on getting healthy and answering a variety of difficult roster questions. The pieces are still in place to surge right back into contention if the 49ers can have better injury luck and keep the roster deep enough to fill holes when the inevitable health issues strike again. -- Nick Wagoner

10. Tennessee Titans

2020 record: 11-5

Offseason in three or fewer words: Continuity with coaching

Mike Vrabel promoted tight ends coach Todd Downing to replace offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who is now the Falcons coach. Vrabel chose Downing to avoid a total change in terminology and scheme. The Titans are also giving Shane Bowen a chance to "run it back" as the defensive playcaller, this time with the defensive coordinator title attached to his name. Tennessee finished with an 11-5 record last season and won the AFC South division title but suffered a disappointing first-round playoff loss. We'll see how the coordinator decisions impact the Titans taking the next step. -- Turron Davenport

11. Pittsburgh Steelers

2020 record: 12-4

Offseason in three or fewer words: Is Ben back?

It's all about the Ben(jamin) Roethlisberger. The Steelers' future hinges on what they do with the veteran quarterback. It's clear that he can't play for the $41.2M his contract says he's owed in 2021. Roethlisberger appears to be leaning toward returning, but the Steelers can't get anything done this offseason until Roethlisberger makes up his mind and agrees to whatever pay cut the Steelers ask him to take. And they'll need him to take a major one to relieve some of the cap pressure and re-sign any free agents. Art Rooney II said the team is in a win-now mode, but the Steelers have significant work to do to field a team that can do that in 2021. -- Brooke Pryor

12. Miami Dolphins

2020 record: 10-6

Offseason in three or fewer words: Believe in Tua?

The Dolphins have given a strong public commitment to Tua Tagovailoa early in the offseason, naming him their 2021 starter, expressing confidence in his development and stating they expect him to take a Year 2 jump after an up-and-down rookie season. All of the Dolphins' early moves signal being all-in on Tagovailoa, but Miami is going to be in the thick of the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes and draft speculation for the next three months. So we are truly going to learn through the Dolphins' actions how much they believe in Tagovailoa as their franchise QB. -- Cameron Wolfe

13. New Orleans Saints

2020 record: 12-4

Offseason in three or fewer words: Life after Brees

Drew Brees is widely expected to retire after 15 seasons in New Orleans, and the Saints are projected to be nearly $100 million over the salary cap to start the league year. Unfortunately, their roster is still too loaded to consider a total rebuild. So they'll have to roll up their sleeves, identify the next QB (most likely Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill) and decide which players they can't live without. Their biggest decisions will include 2021 free agents Marcus Williams, Trey Hendrickson and Winston -- and 2022 free agents Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyk and Terron Armstead. -- Mike Triplett

14. Arizona Cardinals

2020 record: 8-8

Offseason in three or fewer words: Figuring it out

After Week 7, the Cardinals were 5-2 and poised not just for a playoff berth but potentially a deep run in the postseason. Then, they went 3-6 to finish the year, including a loss to the Rams in a battle of backup quarterbacks in Week 17 with a postseason berth on the line, and were left watching the playoffs on the couch. What went wrong, and how do they keep it from happening again? That's what the Cardinals need to figure out this offseason. -- Josh Weinfuss

15. Indianapolis Colts

2020 record: 11-5

Offseason in three or fewer words: Who plays QB?

The Colts are on their way to their fifth different Week 1 starting quarterback in as many seasons. They're in this position because Jacoby Brissett couldn't hold down the job in 2019 and Philip Rivers despite leading the Colts to the playoffs this past season, decided to retire. One name you can cross off the Colts' QB list is Matthew Stafford, who was traded from Detroit to the Rams. -- Mike Wells

16. Minnesota Vikings

2020 record: 7-9

Offseason in three or fewer words: Return to contention

Although the Vikings' offense was the most explosive unit Mike Zimmer has had in seven seasons, the defense soured in 2020. Minnesota needs to find some balance so the defense can carry its weight. That'll require more pass-rushers, more defensive backs and carrying this year's experience forward. The cap-strapped Vikings don't look like a team that can make a big splash in free agency, but now's the time to get creative (i.e., with a trade) if they want a serious upgrade at any position -- whether it's on defense or even quarterback. With all the movement going on across the league, why wouldn't Minnesota consider all possible moves, no matter how aggressive, to get back in contention? -- Courtney Cronin

17. Las Vegas Raiders

2020 record: 8-8

Offseason in three or fewer words: Whither Derek Carr?

Welcome to the annual offseason tradition in Raider Nation in which the most polarizing figure in franchise history is either getting more firmly entrenched or being shipped out of town. Last year, it was Tom Brady who was going to replace Carr -- allegedly -- and now it's Aaron Rodgers and/or Deshaun Watson. Never mind that it's the Raiders' defense that needs a major overhaul. When it comes to the Raiders and Carr, he is the franchise QB ... until he isn't. And nothing, shy of an actual move, will squelch that speculation. -- Paul Gutierrez

18. Los Angeles Chargers

2020 record: 7-9

Offseason in three or fewer words: Build a staff

The Chargers hired a head coach in Brandon Staley (their first defensive-minded coach since Marty Schottenheimer in 2002) and two coordinators -- offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill. They appear confident and in charge. They just need assistants who are the same. That might be all a talented roster that includes the likes of Justin Herbert, Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen and Joey Bosa needs to get over the hump. -- Shelley Smith

19. Dallas Cowboys

2020 record: 6-10

Offseason in three or fewer words: All about Dak

It's been this way since the 2018 season ended. Twice Dak Prescott and the Cowboys' front office have had negotiations on long-term deals and were unable to get a contract done. Now, they face a third set of talks, with the hopes of getting it worked out or facing the possibility of finding another quarterback, either for this upcoming season or 2022. If the Cowboys tag Prescott for a second season, it would cost them $37.7 million and chew up a significant part of their salary cap. A long-term deal would do the same, but they would have their quarterback for at least the next four years. -- Todd Archer

20. New England Patriots

2020 record: 7-9

Offseason in three or fewer words: Belichick's Revenge Tour

It's time for the Patriots, who went 7-9 in their first year post-Tom Brady and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008, to get aggressive in improving the talent across the roster -- especially at quarterback, receiver and tight end. Just as Bill Belichick took an aggressive approach in the 2007 offseason, adding receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker, he's expected to be aggressive in that area this offseason, as well. -- Mike Reiss

21. Washington Football Team

2020 record: 7-9

Offseason in three or fewer words: Wanted: QB help

Washington has had major questions surrounding this position for decades. It has a world-class defensive line that makes the defense ready to compete for titles now. It missed on quarterback Matthew Stafford, but the quest will continue. In the end, though, if Washington can't get one of a handful of QBs it likes, it could roll it back with Alex Smith, perhaps adding yet another young QB to groom (to its already young backup group), and bolstering two areas on offense: line and wide receiver. Then resume the quest in 2022. -- John Keim

22. Atlanta Falcons

2020 record: 4-12

Offseason in three or fewer words: Matt and Julio

The biggest question facing new GM Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith is what to do with QB Matt Ryan and WR Julio Jones. Both have high cap figures ($40.9 million for Ryan, $23 million for Jones) and the Falcons are $41.7 million over the projected 2021 cap. Both Ryan and Jones are still playing at a high level, but would it be better for the new regime to trade one or both players (it might be hard to find a team willing to absorb their contracts), try to restructure those deals, or figure out another way to cut salary and try to patchwork the roster in order to attempt one more playoff push before eventually starting over? -- Michael DiRocco

23. Carolina Panthers

2020 record: 5-11

Offseason in three or fewer words: Upgrade at quarterback

That Carolina made a run at Matthew Stafford is the latest indication the team is looking to upgrade from Teddy Bridgewater, either through the draft or in a trade. Next up in trade interest will be Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. If there's not a path for a deal, look for the Panthers to take a quarterback at No. 8 or possibly trade down and take somebody like Alabama's Mac Jones, who impressed the staff at the Senior Bowl. -- David Newton

24. Chicago Bears

2020 record: 8-8

Offseason in three or fewer words: Save our jobs

The Bears are in a precarious position without a franchise quarterback on the roster. General manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy have been tasked with solving Chicago's 70-year quarterback conundrum. The Bears are expected to exhaust every quarterback avenue in the coming weeks and months. The pressure on the duo is enormous. If Pace and Nagy fail to properly address the issue, the Bears are likely headed toward large-scale changes in 2022. -- Jeff Dickerson

25. New York Giants

2020 record: 6-10

Offseason in three or fewer words: Find some playmakers

Wide receiver. Tight end. Edge rusher. Cornerback. The Giants need help at all those premium positions, whether it be in free agency or the draft. Owner John Mara and general manager Dave Gettleman even admitted after the season they needed to find "playmakers" this offseason. Let the hunt begin. -- Jordan Raanan

26. Philadelphia Eagles

2020 record: 4-11-1

Offseason in three or fewer words: Life after Wentz

Carson Wentz is expected to be traded as early as this week. Their long-term plan at quarterback was ripped up and thrown out following a disastrous 2020 season in which Wentz lost trust in the organization. Now it's time to pick up the pieces. Jalen Hurts, the team's second-round pick last April, showed promise over the last quarter of the season in place of Wentz. New coach Nick Sirianni, who replaces Super Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson, is charged with building out a system for Hurts, or whomever his QB1 is, while trying to help get this franchise back on track. -- Tim McManus

27. Cincinnati Bengals

2020 record: 4-11-1

Offseason in three or fewer words: Give Burrow help

This shouldn't be complicated. The Bengals lost their franchise quarterback for the season because of shaky offensive line play. Cincinnati needs to strengthen that unit through the draft and free agency. Joe Burrow could also use another quality receiving option to join Tyler Boyd and breakout rookie Tee Higgins. Helping Burrow also means being better defensively and putting less of a burden on the offense and the young quarterback. Cincinnati could use a quality edge rusher, regardless of what happens once Carl Lawson hits free agency. -- Ben Baby

28. Denver Broncos

2020 record: 5-11

Offseason in three or fewer words: Make a call

What the Broncos do at quarterback dictates much of their offseason plan. They thought about dipping their toe in the Matthew Stafford trade waters, but if the plan is to go with Drew Lock and find the best veteran possible to push him, then do that. If it's to go with Lock and pick the best quarterback available at No. 9 or in the second round in April, then do that. If it's to move on from Lock, then do that. But make a definitive call and roll. The "consider every option" approach makes for nice conversation, but without a traditional offseason schedule and with the salary cap expected to go down, the sooner the Broncos choose a plan, the better. -- Jeff Legwold

29. New York Jets

2020 record: 2-14

Offseason in three or fewer words: Deshaun or de-picks?

The Jets have two paths back to respectability: (1) Trade for Deshaun Watson, who would be their best quarterback since Joe Namath. (2) Use their draft capital (four of the first 66 picks) to improve the roster, building around incumbent QB Sam Darnold. They can't do both because the price to get Watson could clean them out of premium draft picks. They could throw a curve and draft a quarterback with the second overall pick, but the early sense is that it will be Watson or option 2. If it's the latter, GM Joe Douglas needs to make the picks count. -- Rich Cimini

30. Detroit Lions

After a 105-100 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night that again saw Stephen Curry on the bench for half of the fourth quarter, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he will not extend the star guard's minutes to "chase wins" this season.

Kerr noted coming into the season that his target for Curry was around 34 minutes per game, as the former two-time MVP finds his rhythm again after playing just five games last season while recovering from a broken hand. The questions surrounding Curry's minutes have resurfaced in recent weeks, given how dominant Curry has been offensively throughout the season. Curry, who finished with 32 points in 36 minutes Monday night, is averaging 29.4 points in 33.7 minutes.

"I'm into the long game," Kerr said during a video conference with reporters following Monday's loss. "We're counting on having Steph here a long time, many years ahead. And I'm not interested in grinding through this season, which is already a difficult season given the COVID regulations, just the nature of the games themselves, these eerie, empty stadiums.

"For me, for our organization, we're not throwing Steph out there for 40 minutes to chase wins. We got another game (Tuesday). We want Steph to be playing at a high level for many years, so we're going to stay very disciplined and try to keep him at that 34-, 35-minute mark."

Kerr has held to his usual substitution patterns with Curry throughout the season, letting the guard play all of the first and third quarters and bringing him back around the six-minute mark in the second and fourth quarters. Curry, who will be 33 in March, has said repeatedly throughout the season that he is always trying to push to play more minutes, but he understands Kerr's reasoning and is on board with the plan the Warriors' training staff has devised.

"It's a topic that comes up a lot," Curry said. "Of course I want to play as many minutes as possible. Of course I want to keep subtly letting them know how I feel based on a night-to-night basis. We got to be in a position where we do things throughout 48 minutes that that plan of attack works more nights than not."

Curry tweaked his ankle in the first half, but it didn't affect his game much as he still went 10-for-17 from the field, just two nights after scoring 57 points in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.

"I feel great," Curry said with a smile. "I feel great."

Kerr said he didn't feel he needed to say anything about keeping Curry's spirits up in the wake of several losses already this season in which Curry has played well but his teammates haven't been able to help him close out a win.

"I don't need to do anything," Kerr said. "Steph's a grown up. He's an incredible teammate. He has full awareness of what we're doing right now and what this season is about, bringing along young players and trying to be a playoff team and make a push, trying to do all that at once. Steph's all-in and he never gets down, that's part of his brilliance is just his overall attitude and approach and joy for the game. So Steph's not frustrated. He doesn't like to lose, he's a big-time competitor, but he'll hang in."

Despite Kerr's words, Curry acknowledged it has been a little frustrating not being able to help his team close games. With Monday's loss, the Warriors are 12-12 on the year and currently sit in ninth place in the Western Conference.

"Losing sucks," Curry said. "We all know that, no matter what the reason is ... we don't want to be in a situation where we get used to a losing feeling. That's not who we are, that's not what we're about. We're playing well enough, as of late, to be in most games, and down the stretch we just haven't been able to get it done for a myriad of reasons, so it is frustrating. There's obviously no secret about that. You don't like walking off the court without a win."

The Warriors had plenty of chances to win Monday's game but turned the ball over 20 times and blew a 14-point first-half lead. Down 103-100 with 8.7 seconds left, Warriors forward Draymond Green took an out-of-bounds pass from Warriors guard Damion Lee and hurriedly fired up a long 3-pointer, thinking he would be fouled by Spurs guard Derrick White. But White never committed the foul and the shot never came close.

"Probably should have held onto it and just took the foul," Green said. "It would have turned into a free throw game, but it is what it is ... I felt like that was the smartest dumb play in history ... A very smart play that ended up being dumb as hell."

Kerr took blame as well, saying he should have reminded his team that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich doesn't usually like to foul in situations where his team is up by three late in games. It was the latest in a long line of bad losses for the Warriors in San Antonio. The team is now 3-39 over its past 42 regular-season games on the road against the Spurs.

"Being that that's probably the best organization over the course of the last 20 years as far as consistency -- and being they play very well at home, and that is a group that no matter what, no matter who's on the floor, that team is never going to beat themselves," Green said. "That's just kind of what you know any time you're playing against a Pop-coached team. They're not going to beat themselves. And when you're at home and you're not going to beat yourself, that kind of gives you an upper leg."

Curry is optimistic the Warriors can get back on track on Tuesday in a rematch against the Spurs, but he kept brushing off the notion that he'll have to play more minutes right now in order to make that happen.

"We shouldn't have to play 40-plus minutes to win," Curry said. "We got to do things in the momentum of the game to put ourselves in position ... we have to make those adjustments as a group."

Defending champion Sofia Kenin made a nervous start to her Australian Open defence, while former winner Victoria Azarenka was knocked out after seeming to struggle with her breathing.

"I felt a little bit [of] pressure," the 22-year-old said. "I obviously am tight. I wasn't there 100% mentally."

Meanwhile, Azarenka needed an inhaler in a 7-5 6-4 defeat by Jessica Pegula.

The Belarussian, who won the title in 2012 and 2013 and was a US Open finalist in September, was one of the 72 players who went through a 'hard' quarantine after arriving in Australia where she was confined to a hotel room for 14 days.

The 12th seed had played only one match since coming out of quarantine, having pulled out of a warm-up event last week with a lower back issue.

She made a good start, racing to a 5-2 lead, before losing five games in a row and needing two medical timeouts in the second set as she looked uncomfortable and flushed.

Azarenka declined to discuss the medical issue after the match but said of her build-up: "Was that the best preparation for me? No.

"The biggest impact for me personally has been not being able to have fresh air. That really took a toll.

"I don't know how to prepare after two weeks in quarantine. I don't have a blueprint how to prepare. It's all about trying to figure it out and I didn't figure it out. Not this time."

Kenin found it hard for different reasons, frequently struggling to keep a lid on her emotions against world number 133 Inglis as she seemed closed to tears at various points in the match.

She was broken twice in the first set to trail 3-1 before recovering and she later double-faulted on match point before making it over the line.

She admits getting nervous before all her matches but said that having a title to defend had made it worse.

"I have to try to put my emotions aside for a match," added Kenin, who faces Estonia's Kaia Kanepi next.

"I have to somehow get better at that if I want to do well here."

Kenin is joined in the next round by Garbine Muguruza, whom she beat in last year's final, after the Spaniard's comfortable 6-4 6-0 win over Margarita Gasparyan, while 11th seed Belinda Bencic and former semi-finalist Elise Mertens also advanced.

American 16-year-old Coco Gauff, who had a stunning run to the fourth round here last year, won her opener against Jil Teichmann 6-3 6-2 to set up a meeting with Ukrainian fifth seed Elina Svitolina, who beat Marie Bouzkova 6-3 7-6 (7-5).

Britain's Heather Watson made a winning start at the Australian Open despite her preparations being limited by a 14-day quarantine in her hotel room.

Watson was one of 72 players who underwent a "hard quarantine" on their arrival in Australia, which left them unable to train outdoors for two weeks.

She will play either Anett Kontaveit or Aliaksandra Sasnovich next.

The Briton, ranked 60 in the world, had beaten Pliskova in the opening round of last year's Australian Open.

Watson, who had lost her sole warm-up match, hit 37 winners and overturned a 3-1 deficit in the second set to force a tie-break, before converting her first match point.

She previously said there was "nothing fun or easy" about the 14-day quarantine.

Players were provided with workout equipment, with Watson sharing videos of herself jokingly doing a hotel room triathlon during her isolation.

Watson has never gone beyond the third round at the Australian Open.

British number one Johanna Konta and Francesca Jones are also in action on the second day at Melbourne Park.

Dave Egerton, the former Bath and England back row, has died at the age of 59.

He made 163 appearances for Bath during a decade at The Rec.

The Premiership club called Egerton: "A wonderful gentleman and talented player, taken from us far too soon. Our thoughts and love go out to his family and friends."

Egerton's 10 years at The Rec coincided with a period of sustained success under Jack Rowell, with Bath winning five league titles and five domestic cups.

He also worked as a radio pundit for BBC Bristol.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A random draw has placed Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney on the pole for the NASCAR Cup Series Busch Clash, which is set to kickstart the NASCAR season on Tuesday at Daytona Int’l Speedway.

The race, which in previous years has taken place on the 2.5-mile Daytona Int’l Speedway oval, will take place on the track’s 3.56-mile infield road course for the first time.

The lineup for the Busch Clash was determined on Monday, Feb. with a drawing held virtually at Daytona Int’l Speedway. Crew chiefs for each of the teams competing in the race picked a Busch Beer can, which was then turned over to reveal a starting position.

Blaney will be joined on the front row by Alex Bowman, who will be making his debut in the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and William Byron will start third through fifth, respectively.

The race will be 35 laps, with a scheduled caution set for lap 15.

Busch Clash Starting Lineup:

1. Ryan Blaney
2. Alex Bowman
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Brad Keselowski
5. William Byron
6. Tyler Reddick
7. Chase Elliott
8. Cole Custer
9. Erik Jones
10. Joey Logano
11. Ryan Newman
12. Matt DiBenedetto
13. Chris Buescher
14. Ty Dillon
15. Kurt Busch
16. Kyle Busch
17. Kevin Harvick
18. Martin Truex Jr.
19. Austin Dillon
20. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
21. Aric Almirola