The Texas Rangers fired manager Chris Woodward on Monday with less than 50 games to go in a season that will almost certainly end with the team missing the playoffs for a sixth year in a row.
Expectations were raised in Texas this past offseason after the team spent more than $500million in free agency – most notably the additions of All-Star infielders Corey Seager and Marcus Semien – but at 51-63 the team is headed towards a sixth straight sub-.500 season.
The third-place Rangers begin play on Monday 23 games back of the first-place Houston Astros in the AL West and 9.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the league's final wild card spot.
The 46-year-old Woodward was in his fourth season as manager of the Rangers and received a contract extension last November, which ran through the 2023 season and included a club option for 2024.
He is expected to be replaced by an interim manager.
Despite falling short of their lofty expectations, the Rangers' offense has seen some improvement this season – ranking fourth in the AL in runs per game (4.48) after finishing last a year ago (3.86) – and the team has only been outscored by two runs on the season after owning a dreadful minus 190 run differential in 2021.
The inability to close out close games, however, has been their ultimate undoing as they are 6-24 in games decided by a single run. In the live-ball era, the only team to finish a season with a lower winning percentage in one-run games than Texas' .200 was the 1935 Boston Braves at 7-31 (.184).
Jamaica School of Gymnastics (JSG) won the top prize at the Yamilet Pena Classic held in the Dominican Republic from August 13-14.
The Jamaican gymnasts edged out the hosts while making the highest All-Around score of the competition. More than 300 gymnasts from 19 clubs from more than14 countries including Mexico, Aruba, Panama and the United States.
Two clubs from Jamaica participated in the tournament.
The Jamaica School of Gymnastics fielded 29 gymnasts who competed at Recreational, USAG Compulsory level 1 to 4 as well as USAG Advance Level 6-8. The other club, Westmoreland Gymnastics, was represented by five gymnasts who competed at Recreational, USAG level 1 and 2.
JSG’s Level Four team of Leah-Paige Phillips, Alayna Wilson, and Jade-Ann James topped their category while the Level Six team of Jurn’e Davis, Kamaria Smith, Janay Howel and Jesanique Scott finished third.
The Level Seven team of Leanna Blake, Arianna Richardson, Savanna Adams, Danique Meek and Sukhuri-Shay Smith finished first while the Level Eight team of Zuri-Matandara-Clarke, Mariah Gordon, Elyssa Alexander and Natashley Prehay was third.
Not to be outdone, Westmoreland Gymnastics’ gymnast Lowaynia Myers was third on Vault (9.85) and fifth in the All Around with a score of 37.7 at the Recreational Level.
Meanwhile, also at the Recreational Level, JSG’s Kalyssa Campbell was second on Floor with a 9.4 and eighth in the All Around with a score of 37.0; Lenessa Whyte was fourth on Vault with a 9.8 and 10th in the All Around with a score of 37.0
At Level 3, Elissa Ennis was fifth on vault with a score of 9.25 and sixth in the All Around with a score of 34.1.
At Level 4, Leah-Paige Phillips was first on Bars with a 9.6 and fourth in the All Around with a score of 35.65.
At Level 6, Kamaria Smith was second on Bars with a 9.25 and sixth in the All Around with a score of 35.7 and Jesanique Scott was third on Bars and seventh in the All Around with a score of 35.7.
At Level 7 in the 12-plus age group, Leanna Blake was first in the Bars with 9.6 and first in the All Around.
In the 9-11 age group, Danique Meek was first on Floor (9.1) and first on Beam (8.4). She was also top of the All Around with a score of 35.9.
And at Level 8, Zuri Matandara- Clarke was first on Beam and Bars with a 9.1 and 9.35, respectively, and second in the All Around with a score of 35.35.
President of the Jamaica Gymnastics Association, Nicole Grant, believe the performances of the gymnasts demonstrate the continued growth of the sport at the local level.
“Jamaica School of Gymnastics has transitioned since 2019 when we first built a state-of-the-art gymnasium which serves the gymnastics community well,” Grant said.
“The club has grown and has used much of the time during the Covid-19 pandemic to train our coaches to be more vigilant when it comes to technique and the gymnasts' physical and mental preparation.
“As coach of the Level 7s and 8s along with coaches Nadeen Whyte (Recreational, 4 and 6) and Kerieon Grant (1-3) at the JSG club, we are elated that all the girls went out and did the best they could, knowing that they were competing internationally for the first time in two years as a club.
“They were up against more seasoned competitors and this made them very nervous but they went out and gave their best and for that, we are super proud of them.”
Grant said club managers Nadeen Whyte and Kerieon Grant have put in place a new and technical program for the girls and it showed in their execution. They also put in a lot of work to make this tour a success, she said.
“We must thank the parents, who helped to fund this competition as without their input it would not have been possible,” Grant said. “Shantel Jackson-Blake and Christina Francis, who manages the team, have done a wonderful job and we can’t thank them enough.
“We are also grateful to parents who chip in and help financially fund others and ensure that they do whatever they can to assist whether they are on the tour or at home.”
She also expressed pride at the performance of the gymnasts from Westmoreland Gymnastics.
“Westmoreland Gymnastics is our sister club and we would like to really congratulate Coach Natanja Morris for the hard work put into the preparation of the 5 girls who have done very well,” the JGA president said.
The team is expected to arrive in Jamaica late Monday afternoon.
Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte have been charged by The Football Association (FA) after their heated confrontation at the end of Chelsea's 2-2 draw with Tottenham on Sunday.
The two head coaches appeared to be antagonising one another during the second half of the dramatic Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge.
On the final whistle, shortly after Harry Kane headed in Spurs' equaliser, Tuchel and Conte shook hands, with the Chelsea boss pulling the Italian back when he did not make eye contact.
This sparked further words being said and several backroom staff from both teams having to separate the two, which resulted in Tuchel and Conte being shown red cards by referee Anthony Taylor.
The FA said in a statement on Monday: "Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte have both been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3, following the Premier League fixture between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC on Sunday 14 August 2022.
"It is alleged that the behaviour of both managers was improper following the end of the fixture.
"Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte have until Thursday 18 August 2022 to provide their respective responses."
Spurs boss Conte appeared to fan the flames further on Sunday when he took to Instagram to post a story of Tuchel running down the sideline in front of him while celebrating Reece James' goal to make it 2-1 to Chelsea, captioning it: "Lucky I didn't see you… making you trip over would have been well deserved" followed by three laughing emojis.
Stats Perform also understands The FA is looking into Tuchel's post-game comments about referee Taylor, whose performance he criticised.
The FA's investigation will focus on whether Tuchel has brought the game into "disrepute" by implying bias or attacking the integrity of a referee.
The New York Jets have bolstered their offensive line, officially agreeing to terms with veteran left tackle Duane Brown on Monday.
The two sides reportedly agreed to a two-year deal worth up to $22million last week after right tackle Mekhi Becton sustained a season-ending injury at practice.
Brown earned his fifth Pro Bowl selection last season with the Seattle Seahawks and is expected to start at left tackle with his former Seattle team-mate George Fant moving to the right side.
Fant was projected to start at left tackle this season with Becton on the right side but after the latter's injury, Fant will move to the right side keeping Brown in his familiar spot on the left.
Brown, who turns 37 later this month, has played in every game in three of the past four seasons and missed just four over that span. His 203 career starts – all at left tackle – are the most of any active offensive lineman.
A first-round pick of the Houston Texans in 2008, Brown earned first-team All-Pro honours with the Texans in 2012. He spent nine-plus seasons in Houston before being traded to Seattle during the 2017 campaign following a contract dispute.
The Jets begin the season on September 11 against the Baltimore Ravens and are hopeful of having Zach Wilson at quarterback for the opener.
Wilson suffered a bone bruise and torn meniscus in Friday's preseason opener and is undergoing surgery on Tuesday.
He is expected to be sidelined two to four weeks, but the team will have a better idea of his recovery time after the procedure.
Elite 1 Horizon and Elite 1 Storm both moved to 2-0 in the P.H.A.S.E 1 Elite 1 Caribbean Basketball League as action continued on day two at the National Arena in Kingston on Sunday.
In the first game of the day, Elite 1 Horizon tackled Elite 1 Waves in an exciting encounter. Contrary to the Horizons’ first game on Saturday where they secured a dominant victory over the Rivers, they went into the half against the Waves facing a 34-40 deficit.
The third quarter proved pivotal, however, as they outscored the Waves 20-9 to go into the final period with a 54-49 lead, a lead they held until the end, securing a 76-61 victory. Rasheed Maynard was man-of-the-match with 16 points, three assists and five steals.
The second game of the day between the Storm and the Rivers was exciting to say the least, with only four points separating the teams in the end.
The Storm got off to a strong start in the opening quarter, closing with a 31-24 lead before having an even more dominant second quarter to lead 63-44 at halftime.
Something clicked in the second half for the Rivers, however, and they outscored their opponents 29-23 in the third quarter to set up an intriguing final 12 minutes.
The Rivers also won those final 12 minutes 32-23 but, unfortunately for them, the lead the Storm built in the first half proved too much in the end, the final score being 109-105.
Drelan Tripplett was the man-of-the-match after scoring 23 points on an efficient 7-8 from the field with two assists and four rebounds.
Day three takes place on Wednesday with the Rivers and Waves opening the show trying to get in the win column while the undefeated Storm and Horizon will square off in the second game.
Cameron Smith has withdrawn from this week's BMW Championship, the penultimate event of the 2021-22 PGA Tour season, amid reports he is set to defect to LIV Golf.
The Australian, who claimed his first major at The Open Championship last month at St Andrew's, has pulled out citing discomfort in his hip.
It means Smith, currently number three in the FedEx Cup rankings, will miss out on the final event before the season-concluding Tour Championship at East Lake.
"Unfortunately, Cam will be unable to compete in the BMW Championship this week in Wilmington," agent Bud Martin said. "He has been dealing with some on-and-off hip discomfort for several months and thought it best to rest this week in his pursuit of the FedExCup."
The Brisbane native struggled last week at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he was handed a two-stroke penalty for playing from the wrong place and, having challenged for the lead at one stage, finished tied for 13th.
Now, he will likely drop further away from the chance to dethrone Scottie Scheffler, particularly if the rumblings about a switch to the breakaway LIV Golf series prove well-founded.
Uncapped utility back Canan Moodie has been called up to the South Africa squad for the first time for the tour of Australia.
Moodie was included in a 34-man squad on Monday for two Rugby Championship encounters with the Wallabies.
The 19-year-old gets the nod in the absence of suspended wing Kurt-Lee Arendse and fellow flyer Cheslin Kolbe, who is recovering from a broken jaw.
Deon Fourie has also been selected, with hooker Bongi Mbonambi facing four weeks on the sidelines due to a knee injury sustained in training last week.
The world champions are smarting from a 35-23 defeat to New Zealand at Ellis Park on Saturday and will get an opportunity to respond at Adelaide Oval on August 27, with Australia also licking their wounds following a 48-17 drubbing at the hands of Argentina.
Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber said: "Bongi has been ruled out for four weeks, but Deon, who is an experienced hooker and flank, has been practising his lineout throws with us, so we are confident that he will be able to fill that void for us in these matches.
"We are also excited to see how Canan slots in during the next few weeks and to see how he adapts to our structures and systems, and we believe he has the skills to slot in for Kurt-Lee and Cheslin.
"This is a settled group of players and includes a wide spread of experience and young players who have made their presence felt, and we believe that they have what it takes to guide us back on track in the Rugby Championship in the matches against Australia."
South Africa squad to tour Australia:
Forwards: Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Frans Malherbe, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Joseph Dweba, Malcolm Marx, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Salmaan Moerat, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Jasper Wiese, Duane Vermeulen, Deon Fourie, Franco Mostert.
Backs: Faf de Klerk, Jaden Hendrikse, Herschel Jantjies, Cobus Reinach, Elton Jantjies, Handre Pollard, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie, Warrick Gelant, Damian Willemse, Jesse Kriel, Frans Steyn.
Trey Lance has the belief of Kyle Shanahan, but the San Francisco 49ers' head coach does not believe his starting quarterback will "make or break" their 2022 season.
Lance will be the Niners' starter in 2022, replacing Jimmy Garoppolo, who is likely to be released when rosters are trimmed to 53 players if San Francisco cannot find a trade partner.
San Francisco reached Super Bowl LIV with Garoppolo as the starter in the 2019 campaign and narrowly lost last season's NFC Championship Game with the former New England Patriot under center.
However, the Niners traded three first-round picks to move up to the third overall pick in the 2021 draft and select Lance out of North Dakota State, believing him to have the physical gifts and the mental attributes to take their offense to the next level.
They will now see their assessment of Lance put to the test across a full season. Lance started two games in relief of an injured Garoppolo last year and, prior to that, had only one full season of college football under his belt. That came in 2019 when he threw for 28 touchdowns and ran for a further 14 without throwing a single interception as Lance led North Dakota State to an FCS National Championship.
That lack of seasoning makes Lance one of the biggest unknowns of the 2022 season, but head coach Shanahan does not think his performance will be the defining factor for an extremely well-rounded team harbouring Super Bowl aspirations.
"Is Trey ready to take it on his shoulders?" Shanahan told Peter King's Football Morning in America. "He shouldn't be. He hasn't gone through it enough.
"I believe in him as a man, as a person. I believe in his talent. I don't think he is going to make or break our season, just like in 2019 and last year, I didn't think Jimmy was going to make or break our season."
Shanahan, though, suggested attempting to deliver for a team under pressure to win a sixth Super Bowl title after going agonisingly close in two of the last three seasons could negatively impact Lance.
"But what sucks is when you're learning how to play and you're not there yet, how do you not get worse sometimes when that pressure's on you and you need to go through the growing pains?" Shanahan added.
Lance went 1-1 as a starter last year, throwing for 603 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions in his brief time on the field. He also ran for 168 yards and a touchdown.
According to Stats Perform data, Lance was the second-most aggressive quarterback in the NFL in terms of pushing the ball downfield. Among quarterbacks with at least 50 pass attempts, only Drew Lock (10.20) averaged more air yards than Lance (10.10).
Lance was still accurate despite regularly attempting low-percentage throws. No player to average at least 9.0 air yards had a better well-thrown rate than Lance, who delivered an accurate, well-thrown ball on 77.1 per cent of his attempts.
In his first preseason game of 2022, Lance played two offensive series, completing four of his five passes for 92 yards including a 76-yard touchdown to rookie wide receiver Danny Gray in a 28-21 win over the Green Bay Packers.
Lance will take part in joint practices between the 49ers and Minnesota Vikings this week but will not play in Saturday's second preseason game.
Two-time Grand Tour winner Egan Bernal will make his return to racing on Tuesday after seven months out of action following a serious training crash.
The INEOS Grenadiers rider was training near his home city of Bogota in January when he struck a parked bus while riding at high speed.
The collision left Bernal requiring surgery on his spine, while he also suffered two collapsed lungs, fractures in his right leg and kneecap, a broken thumb and a lost tooth.
Bernal spent several days in intensive care and later said the crash nearly killed him, while he believed there was a 95 per cent likelihood "of becoming a paraplegic".
In February, he had a second operation on his spine before eventually returning to the bike a month later.
Now, his team confirmed he will make his comeback to racing in the Tour of Denmark – which begins on Tuesday – after this final step of his rehabilitation was approved by medical staff.
Bernal said: "After what happened to me in January this has been the moment I've been waiting for – to race with my team-mates again.
"I can't emphasise enough how hard the last eight months have been for me, both physically and mentally. That day, and the journey that I have been on since will be a part of me forever, it's something you never forget, as is the support that I have received from my family, my girlfriend, the team, INEOS as well as my fans.
"As humans we really rely on each other in our times of need, and this year has been a time of need for me – I can't thank everyone who has been there for me enough.
"That support has been invaluable in motivating me every day to work hard to be able to race again. To you all, a heartfelt thank you."
Deputy team principal, Rod Ellingworth, added: "When you think back to where Egan was only eight months ago, it's incredible the progress he has made.
"He's shown the world the true strength of his character, and demonstrated remarkable grit in returning to race-readiness. We're still on a journey with Egan, but lining up at the Tour of Denmark is a significant and hard-earned milestone.
"Egan's long-term recovery has and continues to guide our medical and physical programme of support – our targets have always been performance-led not race-led, and the entire INEOS Grenadiers family is proud and delighted for Egan that his determination and application will now see him return to the race environment he has craved for so long."
Primoz Roglic has been passed fit to go in search of a fourth consecutive Vuelta a Espana title.
Roglic abandoned the Tour de France last month after suffering a dislocated shoulder and a back injury when he crashed on stage five.
The Slovenian battled on despite those injuries before withdrawing ahead of stage 15.
Roglic will be Jumbo-Visma's main man in the Vuelta, though, having recovered to ensure he will be on the start line in Utrecht on Friday.
Jumbo-Visma sports director Merijn Zeeman said: "We are delighted that Primoz can start in the Vuelta after his serious injury in the Tour de France.
"Logically, he didn't have the best preparation, but we greatly respect him for how he managed to get ready.
"We have a good and balanced team at the start that can optimally support Primoz in all areas. It is a pity that Koen Bouwman will not make it to the start due to his injury. We would have loved to see him in the Vuelta in the great form he displayed during the last Giro d'Italia."
American climber Sepp Kuss and double time trial world champion Rohan Dennis from Australia are among Roglic's team-mates in the Vuelta.
Thomas Tuchel's post-match comments about referee Anthony Taylor following Chelsea's 2-2 draw with Tottenham are under investigation by the Football Association (FA).
Tuchel was furious at some of the decisions made by Taylor during the feisty stalemate at Stamford Bridge, a game that saw tensions boil over.
The German suggested Spurs' first goal should have been disallowed due to the offside Richarlison standing in Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy's line of sight, and then he felt aggrieved over the visitors' second equaliser due to two incidents.
Firstly, he felt Kai Havertz was fouled by Rodrigo Bentancur in the build-up to the corner that Harry Kane ultimately headed home from, and at the same set-piece Cristian Romero avoided being penalised for pulling Marc Cucurella to the ground by his hair.
Tuchel and Spurs coach Antonio Conte clashed during and after the game, with their second confrontation resulting in both bosses being shown red cards.
This was a particular bone of contention for Tuchel, who sarcastically said: "I cannot coach but the referee can whistle the next game? Good."
Chelsea fans have voiced their displeasure with Taylor before, but Tuchel went even further when asked about the supporters' concerns, as he suggested "the whole dressing room of us, every person thinks that."
He was then pushed on whether the players are worried when Taylor is the official in charge, and he added: "Yeah, of course."
Stats Perform understands the FA is already looking into Tuchel's comments, meaning disciplinary action could be forthcoming.
The FA's investigation will focus on whether Tuchel has brought the game into "disrepute" by implying bias or attacking the integrity of a referee.
Dean Elgar is determined to "throw a bit more respect into the badge" when South Africa face "beatable" England in a three-match Test series.
The Proteas have won three and drawn one of their past four series in the longest format, including a 2-1 victory over India.
South Africa are also sitting pretty at the top of the World Test Championship table and are third in the rankings ahead of an opening match against Ben Stokes' side that starts at Lord's on Wednesday.
England have enjoyed a dream start to a new era with Stokes as captain and Brendon McCullum head coach, whitewashing New Zealand 3-0 and beating India in a rearranged Test to draw the series 2-2.
Yet visiting captain Elgar is backing the tourists to maintain the momentum and bring England back down to earth.
The opening batter said: "I don't play to lose. I absolutely despise losing. And if we play an average brand [of cricket], or we're not putting our best foot forward, and we don't have results going our way, then that affects me quite a bit.
"This is a massive series for all of us. I think we've got 17 players and it's massive for all 17 of us to go out there, play a brand of cricket that appeals to South Africans and ultimately gives us the best chance of winning in England. We've seen it happen in the past before, so we know it can be done."
Elgar says South Africa will not cross the line with the verbals, but expects words to be exchanged in the middle.
"In the heat of battle, there's always something that comes out," he said. "Let's put it that way. I just want to play three really, really hard Test matches and go out there and put the badge on the line and throw a bit more respect into the badge."
He added: "We played against the best in the world last year [India, who were top of the rankings at the time], and I think we did things that we didn't quite expect to do at that time.
"So the standard that we've set and the bar that we've raised since last year has happened pretty naturally just out of us doing good things on the field again.
"It's gonna be a tough series, no doubt. They are a proud cricketing nation and I respect that. But I know they are definitely beatable. I didn't come here to play second fiddle. I came here to win a series."
Brittney Griner's defence team has appealed against her nine-year prison sentence in Russia.
The WNBA star was this month jailed for drug possession and drug smuggling with criminal intent for bringing under a gram of cannabis oil into the country nearly six months ago.
Judge Anna Sotnikova rejected Griner's apology and plea for leniency. Griner said she had made an "honest mistake".
Griner was arrested in Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport on February 17 for carrying vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. She was returning to Russia, where she has played since 2014 during the WNBA offseason.
The eight-time WNBA All-Star was, her lawyers argued, using cannabis for medicinal purposes to treat chronic pain sustained over the course of her career.
The two-time Olympic champion said she accidentally packed the cartridges and was unaware cannabis oil was outlawed in Russia.
United States president Joe Biden slammed the sentence as "unacceptable" and Griner's lawyer Maria Blagovolina told Reuters on Monday that an appeal had been filed.
The US government and Russia are engaged in prisoner swap negotiations that, if successful, would see Griner released to return home.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp thinks it is "crazy" how quickly critics were on the backs of Darwin Nunez and Erling Haaland in pre-season.
Uruguay striker Nunez joined the Reds from Benfica in a transfer potentially worth £85million (€100m) in June, while Manchester City sealed a reported £51m (€60m) deal with Borussia Dortmund for Haaland a month earlier.
Both major investments were seen as deals that could widen the gap between them and the rest of the Premier League, though each player has courted criticism.
For Nunez, the flak arrived as early as his first pre-season game after missing a big chance in a 4-0 defeat to Manchester United.
Haaland was then ridiculed for a difficult day against the Reds as Klopp's side won the Community Shield at the end of July.
Nunez scored in that win over City before coming off the bench to find the back the net and provide an assist for Mohamed Salah in a 2-2 draw at Fulham, while Haaland marked his Premier League debut with a double in a win at West Ham.
For Klopp, the desperation tp write players off is unhelpful and unfair.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Monday's clash with Crystal Palace, Klopp said: "Five weeks ago, when we started pre-season and [Nunez] had his first game and it didn't look great from the outside world.
"Not for us, but it's crazy how quick we judge people… wow!
"Imagine if somebody did that to us and said, 'First day of work, it didn't work out. Go home, we never want to see you again! And you don't get a second chance by the way' – we would have all been long gone! No chance.
"Everybody can now see, 'Ah he's a proper striker' – so good for us and good for him.
"He's a handful and is a different type to what we had. He's very lively and very energetic. Physically he's really strong and technically he's really good, that obviously goes together with being more settled and confident and more secure in yourself in a new environment.
"You can't say, 'Come on, you have to give me 100 per cent immediately' – you have to develop it and that's what we're doing at the moment and in a good way.
"It's funny as well, we won against Manchester City the week before the season and everybody was asking, 'Will Haaland score this and that?'
"A week is like 10 years in football!"
Klopp has had to contend with the disruption of several injuries already, but he reiterated the Reds are not planning to go into the transfer market.
"If there was the right player and an opportunity, we would have done it, we would do it, but I don't see it because we had a lot of conversations already and it doesn't look like something will happen," he added.
"I'm happy with the strength, size and quality of my squad but we have injuries. There are plenty of solutions for it. One of them is the transfer market, but that only makes sense if you can bring in the right player.
"All the other solutions are inside the squad. We have too many injuries, that's clear. Naby [Keita] will be back for Monday and Kostas [Tsimikas] will train for the first time, so he might be back as well."
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