MANCHESTER, England -- Frank Lampard has hit back at Jose Mourinho's criticism of his team selection against Manchester United by insisting that he doesn't care what pundits say.

Mourinho, working for Sky Sports, said Lampard could have picked a team with more "know how" instead of selecting youngsters Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham for the 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford.

But Lampard rejected his former manager's claim by insisting more experienced players like N'Golo Kante, Olivier Giroud and Willian were not available to start.

"I can't drag people out of the medical room, whether they're experienced or not," said Lampard after his first competitive game as Chelsea boss.

"The players we played today, and on the bench, are the players we have. We were clearly the better team for 45 or even 60 minutes but we made individual errors that led to four goals from five shots. That's the harsh reality.

"I don't have to be too concerned about what anyone else says -- the pundits -- but what is clear is the squad is the squad we've got and I believe in it.

"Had we gone in at half-time 2-1 or 3-1 up, which we should have done, the game would have been completely different."

Lampard's team hit the post twice during an impressive first-half display but went in at the break a goal down thanks to Marcus Rashford's 18th-minute penalty.

United were clinical after the break and scored three times in 16 minutes through Rashford, Anthony Martial and Dan James prompting Mourinho, who also said Man City's "B Team" could beat United, to suggest that Chelsea had been hurt by a lack of experience.

"My feeling is that today they had a possibility to play with more know-how," Mourinho said. "[Marcos] Alonso was on the bench, Kante was on the bench, Giroud was on the bench, and to come to Old Trafford, even if this is not the huge Manchester United that used to scare people, it's Manchester United.

"It's the first match at home, the first match of the season, people are excited, the stadium is on fire waiting for something positive.

"A little bit of experience [from Chelsea] would fit well with the team. You look to the performance of Mason Mount, the performance of Tammy Abraham, you look to the performance even of [Andreas] Christensen and for matches of this dimension you need a little bit more."

Lampard admitted that the match had been a "reality check" for his young team, but refused to make excuses over missing international stars as the reason for the result.

"We are missing internationals and big players but I don't want that excuse," said Lampard.

"The team we put out today was clearly competing in the game for long periods but we made four mistakes and they were clinical in the way they put them away. There's a reality check for us all."

Abraham and Emerson struck the frame of the goal before half-time and Chelsea played some attractive football until United's powerful counter-attacking play exposed the away side's defensive weaknesses.

"They are a counter-attacking team, it's a big strength, they have pace and if you turn over the ball or give them opportunities they will counter," said Lampard.

"For massive parts of the game we didn't allow them to do that. We were the ones winning the ball back, but our final ball wasn't great. We were so comfortable in the first half, so loads of lessons for us.

"We can't make unforced errors and mistakes at this level. At the same time, it was nowhere near a 4-0."

Lampard was reluctant to dwell on the positives for his team but was justified in his view that the scoreline did not reflect his team's performance with the ball.

"Four mistakes for the goals, but we controlled major parts of the first half. We hit the woodwork, poor decisions in the final third when we should be able to get shots away, we should be in the lead at half-time," he said.

"Early in the second half I didn't mind it -- and then two mistakes for their second and third goals -- it's much easier for them to play at 3-0 up. At 1-0, we were the better team, but I can't stand here and look happy with that."

Information from Reuters was used in this story.

Real Madrid players have been talking to Neymar to persuade the Paris Saint-Germain star to join them at the Bernabeu, sources have told ESPN FC.

PSG sporting director Leonardo has confirmed that his club would sell the Brazil forward for the right price this summer, and officials at both Madrid and Barcelona are trying to negotiate a deal.

- When does the 2019-20 La Liga season start?

Meanwhile, anti-Neymar banners were flown during the Ligue 1 champions' 3-0 win over Nimes at the weekend, demonstrating some fans' lack of patience with the player.

A return to Barca appeared to be Neymar's most likely move earlier in the summer, but Madrid are increasingly confident they can take advantage of a strained relationship between the Barca and PSG hierarchies, following the 27-year-old's controversial switch to Paris two summers ago.

Barca defender Gerard Pique last week called on his former teammate to publicly speak out and push through his "complicated" return to the Camp Nou, with the Blaugrana board unable to match PSG's asking price and hoping to make a player-swap deal instead.

It is also unlikely Madrid can match the world record €222 million fee paid by PSG two years ago, having been unable to find the £180m that Manchester United wanted for Paul Pogba before the Premier League transfer window shut last week.

Sources say that Madrid are now "going hard" to try and sign Neymar before Spain's summer market closes on Sept. 2, and squad members have also been calling Neymar directly to tell him that he would be welcome at the Bernabeu.

Neymar is a long-time target of Madrid president Florentino Perez, who has tried on numerous occasions to sign the highly marketable star, both before and after he joined Barca from Santos back in 2013.

Zinedine Zidane would like to move on highly paid Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez before the window shuts, but Madrid have yet to receive sufficient bids for either player.

After Madrid's final preseason game at Roma on Sunday, Zidane was asked if he would like Neymar in his team next season. He said: "We are here with the team we have, the players we have.

"We just think about that. Next week our league begins and our minds are just thinking about Saturday."

The MLS secondary transfer window slammed shut last Wednesday, ending a brief and intense barrage of moves as clubs worked to solidify their rosters for the stretch run of the season. The Galaxy finally got their man, Cristian Pavon, LAFC added a young star in Brian Fernandez, and a handful of teams feverishly worked the trade market in a bid to get better.

What does it all mean? It's too early to tell. The impact the new players will have is yet to be seen, though there are several clubs expected to shake up their XIs with playoffs (and playoff seeding) on the line.

Previous rankings: Week 22 | Week 21 | Week 20 | Week 19 | Week 18 | Week 17 | Week 16 | Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1

1. LAFC (17 wins, 4 draws, 3 losses)

Previous ranking: 1

Next MLS match: August 17 at Real Salt Lake, stream live on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET

The best remain the best. LAFC didn't play a perfect defensive game against the Red Bulls but the attack is so good it didn't matter. With his goal in the win, Carlos Vela remained on pace to break the MLS single-season goal-scoring record.

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2. Philadelphia Union (13-6-7)

Previous ranking: 3

Next MLS match: August 17 at Chicago, stream live on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET

A keeper gaffe and... whatever you call what Jack Elliot did... helped the Union to a second consecutive win against Houston Dynamo. This was an important one, since it kept Philadelphia atop the Eastern Conference in front of hard-charging Atlanta United. Gotta win those home games.

3. Atlanta United (13-3-9)

Previous ranking: 5

Next MLS match: August 18 at Portland, 10 p.m. ET

Josef Martinez's adductor seems to be fine in the win over New York City. The same can't be said for his hair, which seems to be a strange chrome color now. Maybe it's a message about the defending champions hunting silverware? Atlanta has to be considered an MLS Cup contender and they'll play for the Open Cup title later this month.

4. San Jose Earthquakes (11-5-8)

Previous ranking: 2

Next MLS match: August 17 at Sporting KC, stream live on ESPN+ at 8:30 p.m. ET

You can't lose to Colorado and not slip in the rankings. Again, the Quakes lost a game not because they played poorly, but because they didn't finish their chances. Matias Almeyda's effort-heavy system was always going to be pushed to its limits in the altitude of Commerce City.

5. Minnesota United (11-5-8)

Previous ranking: 4

Next MLS match: August 14 vs. Colorado, stream live on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET

Just in case we all forgot that Minnesota United played (and won) a massive Open Cup semifinal in midweek and didn't put everything they had into a trip to FC Dallas, the team's game recap press release made sure to remind us: HEAVILY ROTATED MNUFC FALLS 5-3 TO DALLAS. In case you missed it, the Loons were HEAVILY ROTATED.

6. New England Revolution (9-7-9)

Previous ranking: 7

Next MLS match: August 17 at Red Bulls, stream live on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET

The Revs played a wild game full of twists and turns and VAR and penalty kicks and goalmouth scrambles against the Sounders and left Seattle with a single point. Disappointed or not, the Revs showed that they have the quality and the fight to be very dangerous when October comes around.

7. New York City FC (10-8-5)

Previous ranking: 6

Next MLS match: August 17 at FC Cincinnati, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

Dome Torrent's team didn't rise to the moment in Atlanta and the NYCFC coach said as much after the game. "What is the reason you play different against Atlanta? You have to be brave in Atlanta. If you want to play here you have to be brave. If you are scared here, forget about it. Stay in New York. You have to play."

8. Portland Timbers (10-4-9)

Previous ranking: 10

Next MLS match: August 14 vs. Chicago, stream live on ESPN+ at 11 p.m. ET

The Timbers put a lesser team in the Whitecaps to the sword at home, something that hasn't come easily to them since Providence Park reopened. That's a good first step on the way -- they hope -- to making all their upcoming home games count towards a playoff spot.

9. Seattle Sounders (11-6-7)

Previous ranking: 8

Next MLS match: August 14 at Real Salt Lake, stream live on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET

The Sounders moved into second place in the West with a point against New England, but that won't make the sting of points dropped at home hurt any less. The way those points got dropped -- via a penalty kick given because the ball jumped up and hit Jordy Delem's hand -- was excruciating.

10. New York Red Bulls (11-4-11)

Previous ranking: 9

Next MLS match: August 17 vs. New England, stream live on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET

The Red Bulls gave it a shot out in LA, but the quality of LAFC was too much for the visitors to handle at Banc of California Stadium. Glimpses of the vintage (read: Jesse Marsch) era Red Bulls emerged in the loss, but it could only delay the inevitable.

11. FC Dallas (10-6-9)

Previous ranking: 12

Next MLS match: August 14 at LA Galaxy, stream live on ESPN+ at 10.30 p.m. ET

Paxton Pomykal had a hat trick of assists, Brandon Servania scored his first two MLS goals off the bench, and the Hoops bounced back multiple times to secure a win over Minnesota United in Frisco. FC Dallas put six shots on goal in the game and only failed to score with one of them.

12. Real Salt Lake (11-4-9)

Previous ranking: 13

Next MLS match: August 14 vs. Seattle, stream live on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET

In normal circumstances, the focus would be on RSL's win against Sporting Kansas City and what it might mean for the playoff push. With news that the club fired Mike Petke on Sunday night, the circumstances have changed dramatically. Freddy Juarez, this is your squad now.

13. LA Galaxy (12-1-11)

Previous ranking: 11

Next MLS match: August 14 vs. FC Dallas, stream live on ESPN+ at 10.30 p.m. ET

That's not the way it was supposed to go for the Galaxy on the road in DC. United didn't have Wayne Rooney and benched Luciano Acosta and still managed to do a smash-and-grab job on Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Co. Cristian Pavon's debut was a mixed bag on bad turf.

14. Orlando City (8-6-11)

Previous ranking: 14

Next MLS match: August 14 vs. Sporting KC, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

One point in Toronto is better than no points, especially coming off of the emotional loss to Atlanta midweek in the Open Cup semis. The Lions are hovering -- not clearly a playoff team, but not clearly an also-ran -- and it may take the full balance of the regular season to suss out where they'll end up.

15. D.C. United (10-9-7)

Previous ranking: 16

Next MLS match: August 17 at Vancouver, stream live on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET

A throwback to the "Benny Ball" of yore earned the Black and Red a 2-1 win over the Galaxy at Audi Field on Sunday. Wayne Rooney was ill after flitting back-and-forth across the Atlantic and Luciano Acosta was rooted on the bench. It's hard to see DCU making a deep playoff run without those players.

16. Chicago Fire (7-9-10)

Previous ranking: 21

Next MLS match: August 14 at Portland, stream live on ESPN+ at 11 p.m. ET

The Fire have themselves a winning streak and a three-game unbeaten run thanks to a goal from Bastian Schweinsteiger that lifted them over the Impact on Saturday. It was Schweinsteiger's first goal of the year -- a tally that not only won the game but pushed Chicago to within three points of a playoff spot in the East.

17. Sporting Kansas City (7-7-10)

Previous ranking: 15

Next MLS match: August 14 at Orlando, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

Sporting has lost more games at home than it has won, which tells you just about all you need to know about how this season has gone for Peter Vermes and his team. The narrowing window for Sporting to climb back into the playoff picture narrowed further with a loss to RSL on Saturday.

18. Colorado Rapids (7-5-12)

Previous ranking: 19

Next MLS match: August 14 at Minnesota, stream live on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET

Just when it looked like the Rapids' ascension under Conor Casey was crashing back to earth, Colorado goes back-to-back with wins over playoff-contending teams. Saturday's victory over San Jose probably doesn't do much for their playoff chances, but it renews the recent good feelings.

19. Columbus Crew (7-5-14)

Previous ranking: 17

Next MLS match: August 17 vs. Toronto, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

Gyasi Zardes, at point blank range, had a chance to win the first MLS edition of the "Hell Is Real" derby in the closing seconds. He blazed over an open net and the points were shared.

20. Toronto FC (9-6-10)

Previous ranking: 18

Next MLS match: August 17 at Columbus, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

It's hard not to see Saturday's draw with Orlando as a missed opportunity for the Reds. At home against a team battling with them for a playoff spot, all Toronto could manage was a single point. For a team that was once the league's elite team, the mediocrity is calcifying quickly.

21. Montreal Impact (10-3-13)

Previous ranking: 20

Next MLS match: August 17 vs. FC Dallas, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

Remi Garde left some big names on the bench in Chicago, a move that might come back to haunt him and the Impact as their grip on the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference begins to slip. Both of the clubs chasing the Impact have played one fewer game than Montreal.

22. Houston Dynamo (9-3-12)

Previous ranking: 21

Next MLS match: August 17 vs. Colorado, stream live on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET

Recently acquired striker Christian Ramirez scored on his Dynamo debut in Philadelphia, a positive sign for a team need of goals. But the Dynamo's rapidly sinking stone means the playoffs are getting further and further away with each passing week. It was a rough week with two losses in the span of four days.

23. Vancouver Whitecaps (5-9-12)

Previous ranking: 23

Next MLS match: August 17 v. DC United, stream live on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET

Last week the 'Caps won a game against the worst team in the league. This week, they lost a game to a team decidedly better than that. The bright spot in Portland was 19-year old homegrown signing Theo Blair's stunning first MLS tally. It's all about the future in B.C.

24. FC Cincinnati (5-3-17)

Previous ranking: 24

Next MLS match: August 17 v. NYCFC, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

Saturday was big for FC Cincinnati: It was head coach coach Ron Jans' debut, representing a new start to life in MLS for FCC. It was the first game against their built-in, in-state rival Columbus and the chance to claim Ohio MLS supremacy. In that light, the 2-2 draw was disappointing and encouraging all at once.

The ECB has confirmed two more coaching appointments for The Hundred, with Gary Kirsten and Matthew Mott taking charge of the Cardiff-based men's and women's teams respectively.

Kirsten, the former South Africa opener, coached India to World Cup victory in 2011 and then oversaw South Africa's rise to the No. 1 Test ranking. He has had extensive experience in the world of franchise T20, working with Bangalore Royal Challengers in the IPL and Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash.

"To be involved in English and Welsh cricket from a coaching perspective is something that I have never done," Kirsten said. "It's great to be given that opportunity and to come to Cardiff.

"This is a new format that I am sure will grow and grow. The real win is that it will grab the attention of families and expose the game of cricket to as many environments and communities as possible."

Mott knows Cardiff well from his time in charge of Glamorgan between 2011 and 2013. He has previously coached in the Sheffield Shield, and took charge of the Australia women's team in 2015, leading them to the title at last year's T20 World Cup, and overseeing their successful recent defence of the Ashes in the UK.

"Cardiff is a special place for me and my family and that was a big part in my decision to return," Mott said.

"I've got no doubt The Hundred will be a success for the women's game. I've got a young son who is a Sydney Sixers fan and he doesn't see gender - he just sees the team. The Hundred will provide that sort of platform in England and Wales and I can't speak highly enough of what that can mean for the game."

Real Madrid players have been talking to Neymar to persuade the Paris Saint-Germain star to join them at the Bernabeu, sources have told ESPN FC.

PSG sporting director Leonardo has confirmed that his club would sell the Brazil forward for the right price this summer, and officials at both Madrid and Barcelona are trying to negotiate a deal.

- When does the 2019-20 La Liga season start?

Meanwhile, anti-Neymar banners were flown during the Ligue 1 champions' 3-0 win over Nimes at the weekend, demonstrating some fans' lack of patience with the player.

A return to Barca appeared to be Neymar's most likely move earlier in the summer, but Madrid are increasingly confident they can take advantage of a strained relationship between the Barca and PSG hierarchies, following the 27-year-old's controversial switch to Paris two summers ago.

Barca defender Gerard Pique last week called on his former teammate to publicly speak out and push through his "complicated" return to the Camp Nou, with the Blaugrana board unable to match PSG's asking price and hoping to make a player-swap deal instead.

It is also unlikely Madrid can match the world record €222 million fee paid by PSG two years ago, having been unable to find the £180m that Manchester United wanted for Paul Pogba before the Premier League transfer window shut last week.

Sources say that Madrid are now "going hard" to try and sign Neymar before Spain's summer market closes on Sept. 2, and squad members have also been calling Neymar directly to tell him that he would be welcome at the Bernabeu.

Neymar is a long-time target of Madrid president Florentino Perez, who has tried on numerous occasions to sign the highly marketable star, both before and after he joined Barca from Santos back in 2013.

Zinedine Zidane would like to move on highly paid Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez before the window shuts, but Madrid have yet to receive sufficient bids for either player.

After Madrid's final preseason game at Roma on Sunday, Zidane was asked if he would like Neymar in his team next season. He said: "We are here with the team we have, the players we have.

"We just think about that. Next week our league begins and our minds are just thinking about Saturday."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's new contract makes him a free agent after the 2019 season, and it comes at the same time he and wife Gisele Bundchen are attempting to sell their Massachusetts home, which Brady addressed on Monday morning.

"You shouldn't read into anything. I think it takes a long time to sell a house. My house is a little bit of an expensive one, so it doesn't fly off the shelf in a couple weeks," Brady said in his first appearance of the season on WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show."

"I think I'm at a point in my life where there's a lot of considerations that go into playing. I have a very busy professional life, I have a very busy personal life. Any decision that's made has to consider everything. I'm certainly at a place where I've been in the same place for a long time, and I love playing for the Patriots. I have such a great relationship with Mr. [Robert] Kraft, Coach [Bill] Belichick and our team. We'll just worry about that when that happens. This isn't the time to worry about it."

Brady, who said he loves building houses and would consider a career as an architectural designer after his playing career, fielded several questions about his football future in the radio interview, including if he has allowed himself to consider the possibility of not finishing his career as a Patriot. He repeated multiple times that his focus is on 2019 and controlling the things he can control.

"I think I'm in a great mental, emotional place to approach the season," Brady said on the program. "There is no point in worrying about things like that. There are so many hypotheticals -- this and that -- and if you spend time all your time and energy on those things, you [lose] track of what's most important, which is what's happening right now. This is where I want to be. This is the team I want to be a part of, and leading. I'm really excited about doing that. There's really not much to read into it than that."

As part of Brady's new contract, the Patriots agreed not to place the franchise tag on him after the season. Brady, who repeated in the interview that he hopes to play until he's 45, was asked why that was important to him in the contract.

"Those are some personal feelings, and there's a lot of personal conversations I've had that really aren't for other people's knowledge," he said on the program. "I think what this is about is this season and dealing with this year. Beyond this year, whether it's signing five more years, or signing a franchise tag, or not playing, none of those things needed to be decided this year. I'm just focused on this season and being in the right mental, emotional frame of mind to go out there and perform at the highest level.

"Like I said, I have such a great relationship with the team. I've had 20 years of success with Mr. Kraft and Jonathan [Kraft], and with Coach Belichick, with the whole organization. All the coaches. They know how I feel about them. We've just done some great things. We're going to try to go do it again this year. It takes a lot to get from now to March, and I don't want to overlook the big challenge that we're facing. I don't want my mind convoluted with thoughts that are premature, and ones that I'm worried about beyond what the current situation is -- which is us trying to go achieve what we all hope we can achieve. That's where my focus is and that's what I'm excited about. So let's go baby! Put me in, Coach. I'm ready to go play."

Brady, 42, was asked if he'd be open to continuing contract negotiations during the season, and he said he didn't want to address any hypothetical situations because his focus was on the present.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- While Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown says he won't play football unless he can wear his old helmet that is now banned by the NFL, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady acknowledged that it's been an adjustment for him to get used to a new helmet.

"I've been experimenting with a couple different ones, and I don't really love the one that I'm in, but I don't really have much of a choice," Brady said Monday on the "The Greg Hill Show" on sports radio WEEI. "So I'm just trying to do the best I can to work with it."

Brady's old helmet, the Riddell VSR-4, was among those prohibited by the NFL this year, as part of a joint venture with the players' association to help improve player safety.

Brady previously said he understands the reason for the change, even as he struggles to adapt to it.

"You get used to the same helmet for a long period of time. My last helmet, I wore it the last four Super Bowls, so it was a pretty great helmet for me. I hated to put it on the shelf," he said on the radio program. "It's kind of what I'm dealing with."

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy noted that NFL policy states that helmets have to be certified by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) and that it doesn't clear equipment that is older than 10 years.

McCarthy explained that players can't practice or play in games until they wear an approved helmet.

Rich Paul, founder and CEO of Klutch Sports Group, said that while it's "flattering" that the NCAA's new agent provisions are being called the "Rich Paul Rule," he's more concerned about the greater impact the new criteria will have.

Colloquially dubbed the "Rich Paul Rule," the memo, obtained by ESPN, outlines new criteria for agents interested in representing players testing the NBA draft waters: a bachelor's degree, NBPA certification for at least three consecutive years, professional liability insurance and completion of an in-person exam taken in early November at the NCAA office in Indianapolis.

"The harmful consequences of this decision will ricochet onto others who are trying to break in," Paul said in an op-ed for The Athletic. "NCAA executives are once again preventing young people from less prestigious backgrounds, and often people of color, from working in the system they continue to control. In this case, the people being locked out are kids who aspire to be an agent and work in the NBA and do not have the resources, opportunity, or desire to get a four-year degree.

"I actually support requiring three years of experience before representing a kid testing the market. I can even get behind passing a test. However, requiring a four-year degree accomplishes only one thing -- systematically excluding those who come from a world where college is unrealistic.

"Does anyone really believe a four-year degree is what separates an ethical person from a con artist?"

Though he does not have a bachelor's degree, Paul's Klutch Sports represents LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons, Draymond Green, John Wall and other NBA players.

Last year, Paul began representing Darius Bazley after the No. 13 prospect in the Class of 2018 decommitted from Syracuse. The plan had been for Bazley to play in the G League, but instead, under Paul's direction, he landed a $1 million internship at New Balance and spent the year training for the NBA draft.

Bazley went No. 23 overall to the Utah Jazz but has since landed on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"To be honest, I have no idea whether the NCAA adopted the new rule specifically because of my work with Darius Bazley, as people have speculated, or if it is because they know there are more and more people like me fighting for their chance and challenging this antiquated system," Paul said.

Paul said he's worried the new stipulations will present a road block for people like himself, who come from more challenging backgrounds, to get to his level of success in the field.

"When I travel back to neighborhoods like the inner city of Greater Cleveland where I'm from, young black kids tell me that they see my career as another path for them out of their troubled surroundings," Paul said. "They want to grow up to do what I do. That inspires me."

In the op-ed, Paul offered suggestions to how the NCAA could still reach its stated goals while being less exclusionary with its policies.

"Why [doesn't the NCAA] partner with universities on a one-year program for agents who don't meet their requirements but want to learn the business? Or work with existing agents who play by the rules to help mentor those who are trying to 'break in,'" Paul suggested.

He ended his op-ed with his own take on a hashtag popularized by friend and client James: "#MoreThanAnAgent."

The San Francisco Giants announced Sunday during a pregame ceremony honoring the 1989 National League championship team that Will Clark's No. 22 will be retired next year.

Clark, now a special assistant with the team, was joined on the field for the announcement by several other former Giants from the team that lost to the Oakland Athletics in the '89 World Series.

"To be forever linked with the greatest who have ever played this sport here in San Francisco, it's absolutely amazing,'' Clark told the crowd.

Clark will become just the second former Giants player to have his number retired without being in the Hall of Fame. Barry Bonds is the other.

"To know I'm going to be out on that wall with Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Barry Bonds ... is absolutely unbelievable.

"It's something I'll never forget. This is my hall of fame. Thank you, thank you, thank you," Clark told the crowd.

Clark was a five-time All-Star in his eight seasons with the Giants and finished second in NL MVP voting in 1989. The former first baseman also won a Gold Glove in 1991. He hit .299 with 176 home runs and 709 RBIs in 1,160 games for San Francisco. He retired from baseball in 2000 with a career batting average of .303 in 15 seasons.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.