Zhang wins China's first UFC title in stunning style - CNA

SHENZHEN: Zhang Weili thrilled a Chinese home crowd with an upset knockout of UFC strawweight champion Jessica Andrade that took just 41 seconds Saturday (Aug 31), making her China's first champion in the world's biggest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion.

The experienced Andrade, who came into the fight tied for the most wins by a woman in UFC history with 11, charged the underdog Zhang from the start.

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But the Brazilian ran into a barrage of punches and knee kicks from Zhang that sent her staggering to the canvas as the referee waved the fight over.

"Last year in Beijing I vowed to become the first Chinese champion, and I did it!" Zhang, 30, declared afterwards at the UFC Fight Night event in a sports arena in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.

Zhang was the first Chinese fighter to even get a title shot from the UFC, which is pushing hard into a Chinese market where interest in MMA is growing rapidly.

The decision had raised some eyebrows as Zhang was only the sixth-ranked strawweight in the world, and given Andrade's reputation for brutally seeing off opponents.

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Andrade has six years' experience in the UFC and was coming off a crushing first-round title victory in May over then-champ Rose "Thug" Namajunas of the United States.

But Zhang, who is known for her ferocious buzzsaw attacking style, never allowed Andrade to get going.

"As a Chinese person, I feel so proud," she said.

"Today, I want to dedicate this victory to the 70th anniversary of the motherland," she added, referring to the approaching anniversary on October 1 of the founding of Communist-ruled China.

Zhang has now won all four of her UFC fights, and has a 20-fight winning streak in all competitions.

She moves to 20-1, with that single loss coming in her first MMA bout in 2013.

Zhang trained in martial arts as a child but was inspired to enter MMA by the success of pioneering former women's world champion Ronda Rousey, who dominated the sport for years.

The Zhang-Andrade bout was the third time this year that female fighters had topped the card at an event staged by the UFC, with one more on the horizon before the end of 2019.

Earlier this year, the UFC opened what it bills as the world's largest MMA training and development base in Shanghai.

The center is aimed at building the UFC brand in China and at nurturing the next generation of Chinese mixed martial arts fighters, who can now draw inspiration from Zhang's victory.

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2019-08-31 14:26:22Z
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Report: Bills cut six-time Pro Bowl running back LeSean McCoy - Yahoo Sports

The Bills are releasing six-time Pro Bowler LeSean McCoy, according to reports. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Bills are saying goodbye to Shady.

In a stunning decision to kick off NFL cut day on Saturday, the Bills released six-time Pro Bowler LeSean McCoy, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Surprise cut: Bills are releasing LeSean McCoy, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 31, 2019

McCoy spent the last four seasons with the Bills after starting his career with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was in line to make a little over $6 million in his final year under contract with the Bills.

The move comes as a mild surprise, given that McCoy is still a durable running back and made five straight Pro Bowls from 2013-17. His production dipped last year, though, when he amassed 514 yards on 161 carries last season for three touchdowns, appearing in 14 games. It was the first time he failed to reach the 600-yard plateau in his 10-year career.

‘Out of left field’

According to ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio, the Bills did not ask McCoy to take a pay cut before pulling the trigger. The move “came out of left field,” according to Florio.

One theory may be that Buffalo wants to see what it has in rookie running back Devin Singletary, the third round pick who has impressed in training camp. The Bills may be turning to the youth strategy while also saving some money off a 31-year-old running back coming off his least productive season.

The Bills also signed 36-year-old running back Frank Gore this offseason, so perhaps the writing was on the wall for Shady.

Still, something changed over the last month, when GM Brandon Beane said he had no intention of cutting McCoy:

Bills G.M. Brandon Beane, just last month: "I think LeSean still can play. If not, we would have made the decision to move on."

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 31, 2019

It’s safe to assume McCoy will land on another team pretty soon. But this news surely had NFL fans waking up on Saturday morning doing a double take.

More from Yahoo Sports:

• Michigan State, Wisconsin roll on college football Friday

• UFC has its first Chinese champion as Weili KOs Andrade

• Report: Mix of opioids, alcohol led to death of Angels’ Skaggs

• Report: Rockets give Gordon a max contract extension

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2019-08-31 13:49:00Z
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UFC Shenzhen: Post-fight Press Conference - UFC - Ultimate Fighting Championship

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2019-08-31 13:32:58Z
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College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread for top 25 games Saturday in Week 1 - CBS Sports

We are technically two days into Week 1 already, but any real college football fan knows that Saturday is the day where all -- or this week, most of -- the action goes down. With games spanning the entire day, many of the best teams in the nation will be in action with SEC powers No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Georgia and No. 16 Auburn all in noteworthy matchups. No. 25 Stanford vs. Northwestern will also be an interesting affair, and No. 11 Oregon has a chance to make a statement for the Pac-12.

With action starting early in the day and continuing late into the night, let's take a look at the biggest games on the schedule Saturday along with our predictions for what will transpire in those contests. Our CBS Sports college football experts have picked every game both straight up and against the spread, giving you ample opportunity to decide how to make your picks ahead of kickoff.

What will go down Saturday afternoon? Let's take a look. And don't forget to subscribe to our Cover 3 college football podcast. Listen below for locks for the top games in Week 1.

All times Eastern

FAU at No. 5 Ohio State (-27.5) -- Noon on FOX:  This game won't be close, but picking which side of the massive 27.5 point spread is a tricky one. The fact this game is in Columbus, Ohio, under a new quarterback and the first game under coach Ryan Day, I'm expecting a motivated Buckeyes team to cover. Pick: Ohio State (-27.5) -- Kyle Boone

No. 2 Alabama (-35.5) vs. Duke in Atlanta -- 3:30 p.m. on ABC: Alabama games with massive spreads are always tough to pick because it really just depends on when Nick Saban wants to take his foot off the gas. After what we saw at Levi's Stadium in January, it'll stay to the floor for a while on Saturday. Tua Tagovailoa will get in a nice rhythm with his wide receivers, and the defense will have no problem slowing down the Blue Devils. Pick: Alabama (-35.5) -- Barrett Sallee

Get in the action this season by playing College Football Pick 'em for your shot to win $1,000* per week for picking college games. Terms apply.   

Northwestern at No. 25 Stanford (-6.5) -- 4 p.m. on FOX: You can bet against Shaw and Stanford, but in this scenario, you'd be foolish to do so. They have the edge at quarterback, home-field advantage and more weapons at their disposal. The Cardinal should cruise here and cover as they kick their season off in style. Pick: Stanford (-6.5) -- Kyle Boone

No. 11 Oregon at No. 16 Auburn (-3.5) in Dallas -- 7:30 p.m. on ABC: It's hard to go against the Heisman Trophy hopeful QB in a matchup against a true freshman, but it's also hard to pick a Pac-12 team against an SEC squad. Since Auburn last beat Oregon, the Pac-12 and SEC have crossed paths 14 times. The SEC is 10-4 ATS in those games, and that includes a record of 6-0 ATS in neutral site games like this one. Until the Pac-12 proves its capable of not only winning but covering these games, I have a hard time picking it to do so. Pick: Auburn (-3.5) -- Tom Fornelli

No. 3 Georgia (-21.5) at Vanderbilt -- 7:30 p.m. on SEC Network: Give me the Bulldogs, and give them to me big. The wide receivers will show that they are a strength, not a liability, against the Commodores secondary. After getting Fromm into rhythm, coach Kirby Smart and coordinator James Coley will work in Zamir White, Brian Herrien and the rest of the reserve running backs in an effort to build depth behind D'AandreSwift. On the other side of the ball, Georgia will bring the heat on the Vanderbilt quarterback (likely Riley Neal), and the secondary will capitalize on multiple mistakes. This one will get sideways in the second half. Pick: Georgia (-21.5) -- Barrett Sallee

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2019-08-31 12:50:00Z
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UFC Shenzhen Results - The Official Website of the Ultimate Fighting Championship

Song Kenan def. Derrick Krantz by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

The first of two welterweight contests on the main card, Chinese staple Song aimed to rebound from his loss to Alex Morono late last year when he took on Krantz, an American regional veteran who dropped his short-notice debut May.

With their right hands cocked and ready to fire, these two power punchers spent the first two minutes of the fight getting a feel for one another, each landing a smattering of kicks with the odd punch finding a home as well, but neither really offering much in the way of sustained offense. They started opening up more in the final two minutes, each man landing a couple clean shots, with Song sporting a little redness and swelling around his left eye when the horn sounded.

A minute into the second, Krantz ducked under for a takedown, scooping Song into the air and dumping him to the canvas, landing in side control as the Chinese fighter continued to hold onto a guillotine choke attempt. Although Song recovered half guard and tried to attack a kimura off his back, Krantz defended well and looked to climb into mount, only to have Song hit a perfectly timed sweep and briefly take the back.

Unfazed, Krantz slipped out the back door and put Song back on the canvas straight away, grabbing onto a seated guillotine choke along the fence, but losing it as Song rose to his feet. As they battled back-and-forth, Krantz ultimately landed on top again, finishing the frame in half guard.

Song started the third like a man possessed, pressing forward and taking the fight to Krantz, connecting with several of his best strikes of the contest. Unfortunately for the Chinese fan favorite, Krantz was able to stem the tide with a takedown. But Song quickly got back to his feet, with the American sporting a noticeable cut over the eyebrow. To his credit, Krantz continued to grind, dragging Song to the canvas and controlling him on the floor, losing the position as he was too eager trying to take the back.

Standing in the center of the cage exhausted with 90 seconds remaining, both took big, deep breathes, but rather than go for broke, the tired twosome ended the fight by waiting for the other to throw, leaving the outcome in the hands of the judges. In the end, it was Song who came away with the victory, earning a clean sweep of the scorecards.

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2019-08-31 12:45:00Z
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UFC Shenzhen Results - The Official Website of the Ultimate Fighting Championship

Karol Rosa def. Lara Procopio by split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)

An all-Brazilian affair in the women’s bantamweight division kicked off the night in Shenzhen, as newcomers Rosa and Procopio shared the stage in their joint debuts.

A training partner of strawweight champ and UFC Shenzhen headliner Jessica Andrade, Rosa started this one aggressively, marching forward behind a sharp, steady jab. The clean shots turned into combinations finished with strong leg kicks by Rosa, but despite getting wobbled, Procopio stood tall, returned fire and ended the first round by shifting the momentum in her favor.

The second round began much like the first, with Rosa getting the better of the exchanges in space as Procopio countered, ducking in with tepid takedown attempts that were easily denied. Again like the opening frame, Procopio had her best success in the second half of the round, connecting flush with several clean right hands, keeping things close heading into the third and final round.

Procopio started a little quicker in the third, pressing forward behind her own jab, landing right hands behind it, only to have Rosa counter with a big right of her own, dropping the Nova Uniao product. Procopio got back to her feet and resumed marching forward, but she clearly looked slowed, as Rosa continued to crash home right hands, mixing in knees to the midsection into the final two minutes of the fight.

Down the stretch, Rosa continued to control the action, easily sprawling out on a pair of late takedown attempts, avoiding much of what Procopio had to offer and continuing to distance herself from her countrywoman in the final round.

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2019-08-31 09:11:15Z
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Flores: 'There's no trade in place' for Tunsil - NFL.com

As we press towards the start of the regular season, rumors surrounding Jadeveon Clowney continue to spin.

The latest iterations of the Clowney-to-Miami rumors include Dolphins starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil, high draft picks and perhaps more.

After Thursday's preseason game versus the New Orleans Saints, coach Brian Flores brushed aside the gossip.

"There's no trade in place for him," Flores said following the game regarding the Tunsil trade rumors, via the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Flores' response isn't exactly an emphatic 'Not a chance.'

One of the best young left tackles in football, it's not a surprise that the Houston Texans would try to pry Tunsil from the Dolphins in any potential trade for Clowney. How the Dolphins would cope by trading away its most talented player remains a question without a good answer.

The Dolphins' offensive line is already a disaster. Take away the best player, and it collapses onto itself like a baby star that never got to blast light into the cold darkness of space.

Trading Tunsil would also further signal to the locker room that the Dolphins are in full-on rebuild mode and are playing out the string in 2019. Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald went so far as to cite an unnamed player who said Dolphins players "would revolt" if Tunsil were traded.

Brace for a potential uprising in South Beach.

The Dolphins have the 25-year-old under contract for the next two seasons at a bargain rate. With the dearth of left tackles throughout the NFL, would Miami be willing to part with one of the rising young studs? Trade Tunsil and they could find themselves in the exact same situation Houston sits in a couple years. Also, how would the Dolphins expect to evaluate their quarterback situation behind a Tunsil-less offensive line?

Even if there is "no trade in place," as Flores said, and none ever materializes, it can't be good for the relationship between Miami's brass and its best young player that the team's willingness to consider moving on has become public.

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2019-08-30 12:34:00Z
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US Open 28th seed Suarez Navarro fined $40G after quitting - Fox News

Carla Suarez Navarro, of Spain, reacts after losing a point to Timea Babos, of Hungary, during the first round of the US Open tennis tournament Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

In the latest example of a player fined thousands of dollars at a Grand Slam tournament for what tennis officials deem a lack of effort, 28th-seeded Carla Suárez Navarro of Spain was docked $40,000 at the U.S. Open on Thursday, two days after retiring from her first-round match with a lower-back injury.

She was due to collect $58,000 as a first-round loser in singles at Flushing Meadows.

But tournament referee Soeren Friemel said Suárez Navarro, who can appeal the decision, "did not perform to the required professional standards" and so was punished for violating the first-round performance rule. She stopped playing after losing the first set of her match against Timea Babos by a 6-2 score.

The Grand Slam Board introduced the rule before the 2018 season to deter players who enter tournaments while injured from retiring during first-round matches.

Suárez Navarro also retired from a match at the hard-court tournament in Toronto earlier this month.

"Not the easiest weeks for me dealing with some back pain," she tweeted Thursday. "We made our best effort to be ready and play our heart out, but it got really worse during my opening match in New York."

In July, American player Anna Tatishvili was awarded her French Open prize money when the Grand Slam Board reversed her fine of about $50,000 for a 6-0, 6-1 loss at the French Open. That was her first tournament since October 2017.

Bernard Tomic was fined his full prize money of about $55,000 at Wimbledon last month after a three-set loss in the first round that lasted only 58 minutes.

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DOUBLE TROUBLE

Naomi Osaka would be happy to play mixed doubles with Kei Nishikori for Japan at the 2020 Toyko Olympics.

Just one problem: The reigning U.S. Open singles champion apparently isn't much of a doubles player.

After Osaka's victory in singles Thursday — with Colin Kaepernick and Kobe Bryant watching from her courtside box — she said that "anyone that knows my doubles track record" knows she's not exactly an expert.

She hasn't played a tour-level women's doubles match since 2017 ... and she went 0-5 that season.

Nishikori said last week he was planning to play singles and men's doubles in Tokyo but wasn't sure about mixed, because it might mean too much tennis in the hot and humid weather. But, he added he would talk to Osaka at some point.

They are friends, and Osaka said their pairing in Tokyo would be "historic."

"I would definitely play with him," Osaka said. "I just would actually need to practice doubles for the first time in my life. Because you cannot play mixed doubles with Kei Nishikori and lose in the first round of the Olympics in Tokyo. That would be the biggest — like, I would cry. I would actually cry for losing a doubles match."

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SET-DOWN SERENA

That Serena Williams came back to beat 17-year-old Caty McNally at the U.S. Open after dropping their opening set shouldn't have come as a surprise: No one in the history of professional tennis has been as good as Williams at that sort of turnaround.

Turns out Williams actually wins more Grand Slam matches than she loses after trailing by a set.

Her 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 victory over McNally in the second round at Flushing Meadows improved Williams' career record at major tournaments to 42-40 after being down a set — the only woman in the 50-year Open era who can boast of a winning record in such situations, according to the WTA.

The only other active player with more than 25 such victories is her older sister, Venus, who has 28.

In all tour-level main-draw matches, Williams is 97-107 after ceding the opening set, a .475 winning percentage that leads active players. Next on the list? Maria Sharapova at .390, 83-130.

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2019-08-30 10:03:48Z
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Coco Gauff shakes off Naomi Osaka preview, appreciative of fan support | 2019 US Open - ESPN

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2019-08-30 05:41:27Z
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Which NFL Teams Should Consider Trading for Jadeveon Clowney? - Bleacher Report NFL

Matt Patterson/Associated Press

As rumors of a potential Jadeveon Clowney trade swirl, potential suitors for the Pro Bowl defensive end are trying to answer the important questions. Can Clowney help our organization? Can we afford to trade for him? Which of the Texans general-managers-by-committee are we supposed to call? Does that person have the authority to make a deal, or must everyone wait until coach Bill O'Brien is in a good mood? Wait, why is our call going straight to voicemail? No, we don't know our party's extension!

From waiting past the July 15 deadline to sign or trade franchise players (eliminating the sign-and-trade option, which would have made a trade easier and more lucrative for the Texans) to turning their org chart into one of those webs spun by spiders given LSD in a laboratory, O'Brien (who wields the real power in the organization; the electoral college of other executives are just functionaries) and the Texans have irrevocably screwed up the Clowney situation. But their loss is some trade partner's gain: The Texans lack the leverage to ask for much compensation for one of the league's best defenders, and while Clowney must play for the $15.97 million franchise tender this season, his new employer may be able to secure a longer commitment come January.

Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle listed three potential suitors for Clowney. Let's break down the pluses and minuses of a Clowney trade for each of these teams. Then, let's look at three other teams that should be in the trade conversation. 

The likely destinations...

   

Seattle Seahawks

The upside: The Seahawks defense is now a shadow of its Legion of Boom glory. Clowney would provide both an immediate upgrade and a jolt of personality.

The downside: Trading for Clowney runs counter to the Seahawks' organizational philosophy.

Compensation situation (Texans): The Seahawks have two second-round picks next year as a result of the Frank Clark trade, giving them flexibility when assembling a package for Clowney.

Compensation situation (Clowney): The Seahawks have the future cap space to sign Clowney to a long-term deal. They freed up that future cap space by parting with lots of big-name defensive veterans, which goes back to the "downside" of a Texans-Seahawks deal.

Bottom line: Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune recently detailed the issues that stand in the way of a Texans-Seahawks deal at length. To summarize: The Seahawks helped the Texans out of a similar situation when they traded for franchise-tagged tackle Duane Brown in 2017 but then felt they gave up too many picks in subsequent drafts. Meanwhile, the Seahawks judiciously avoided their own Clowney situation by signing and trading Clark to the Chiefs. Trading for Clowney would run counter to much of what the Seahawks are trying to do.

That said, the Seahawks released defender Jay-Tee Tiuli on Wednesday, freeing a roster spot, and Clowney could really help make the Seahawks more than a fringe playoff team this year. Clowney could well be in Seattle for opening day but only if the price is right. 

   

Miami Dolphins

The upside: Clowney would give a rebuilding team an important 26-year-old building block and instantly become the Dolphins' best player. (Sorry, Xavien Howard).

The downside: Per Wilson, Clowney would prefer to play for other teams.

Compensation situation (Texans): The Dolphins are a lock to finish the year with one of the league's worst records. A likely top-five pick would be far too much for a needy team to part with, but a high second-rounder might sway the Texans. The Dolphins also lack the talent to package players in a trade.

Compensation situation (Clowney): The Dolphins have plenty of future cap space available, perhaps enough to overcome Clowney's reluctance to play for them.

Bottom line: Clowney is useless to the Dolphins as a one-year rental, so all three parties must agree to a one-year agreement on paper, which is really a nod-wink long-term deal. That makes negotiations touchy on all three sides, especially now that Clowney is working without an agent. Don't be surprised if everyone decides they are better off letting this bus pass and waiting for the next one.

   

Philadelphia Eagles

The upside: Clowney's arrival would turn the Eagles from mere contenders into prohibitive favorites to at least reach the Super Bowl.

The downside: Clowney is more of a luxury than a necessity for a team that is scraping the ceiling of the salary cap for the next few years.

Compensation situation (Texans): The Eagles have players on their bench and the roster bubble that could help the Texans immediately, like offensive lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai or running back Corey Clement. With all of the assets the Eagles have, they could pry Clowney away with a mix of immediate help and a mid-round draft pick.

Compensation situation (Clowney): The Eagles lack the long-term cap space to easily fit Clowney into their budget. But general manager Howie Roseman is a contract ninja, and both sides may be amenable to a one-year lease while trying to win a Super Bowl.

Bottom line: If this deal doesn't happen, it will be because a) careful long-range planning has paid dividends for the Eagles, making them reluctant to make big, sudden moves or b) the Texans realize how weak they will look if they trade Clowney for another team's spare parts and quash the deal for face-saving reasons.

     

The Long Shots...

   

Buffalo Bills

The upside: Clowney could be the Bills' Khalil Mack, transforming a team with a good defense and a boom-or-bust young quarterback into a team with an outstanding defense that can win with (or despite) a boom-or-bust young quarterback.

The downside: Buffalo may not be an appealing landing spot for Clowney, and the Bills wouldn't benefit from a one-year rental. At least Miami has great weather and low taxes.

Compensation situation (Texans): In addition to picks, the Bills could ship running back LeSean McCoy to the Texans. McCoy is in the final year of his contract and is now part of a crowded backfield featuring fellow old-timer Frank Gore, rookie Devin Singletary and others.

Compensation situation (Clowney): The Bills have plenty of future cap space.

Bottom line: Clowney-to-Bills speculation has circulated since deposed Texans general manager Brian Gaine joined Brandon Beane's staff in Buffalo, and Clowney for Shady and picks makes for an easy game of connect the dots in the wake of Lamar Miller's injury. Don't rule anything out, but if Gaine had some back-channel way to cut to the front of the line for Clowney, he probably would have done it by now.

   

Indianapolis Colts

The upside: The Colts get another impact defender along the defensive front and an instant narrative changer, two things they really need.

The downside: All sides would be highly reluctant to make this deal.

Compensation situation (Texans): The Colts, like the Seahawks, have an extra second-round pick next year, making it easier for them to assemble a package if they choose to.

Compensation situation (Clowney): The Colts have a league-high $85 million in cap space to shower some lucky player(s) with next year.

Bottom line: The Colts are unlikely to lurch in a sudden new direction just days after Andrew Luck's retirement, the Texans won't want to strengthen a division rival that's on the ropes, and Clowney might not be gung-ho about joining an organization with an uncertain future. Otherwise, from a needs-and-dollars standpoint, this makes sense. 

   

Houston Texans

The upside: The Texans are a playoff team that could use an All-Pro-caliber defender like Clowney.

The downside: O'Brien would have to swallow his pride and delegate some meaningful authority to make it happen.

Compensation situation (Texans and Clowney): The Texans have more than $79 million in cap space for next year; that was the most 2020 cap space of any team in the NFL before Luck's retirement yielded a big chunk of space for the Colts. That's right, folks: The team with the most money to pay Clowney and one of the most pressing needs for Clowney is the one that is now trying to get rid of Clowney.

Clowney's addition to the Bills could make Buffalo a contender even as quarterback Josh Allen continues to develop.Brian Blanco/Associated Press

Bottom line: Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Clowney was about to sign the franchise tender and return to the Texans until he discovered the Texans were preparing to trade him; he then decided to continue his holdout so he had some leverage to select his own destination.

In other words, the Texans are now so dysfunctional that they even get in the way when their problems try to solve themselves. Whatever they decide to do, it will leave them both without a potential All-Pro and the type of trade compensation they should get in exchange for an All-Pro. The next time the Texans fire a general manager, they may want to aim for the one who actually makes the decisions.

    

Mike Tanier covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter:@MikeTanier.

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2019-08-29 13:08:47Z
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5 possible cuts the Dallas Cowboys could regret - The Landry Hat

The Dallas Cowboys will trim down their 90-man roster to just 53 players in the coming days. Here are five possible cuts they could end up regretting.

The Dallas Cowboys face the difficult task of reducing their 90-man roster to just 53 players by this Saturday afternoon. Many of the league required cuts will take place immediately following the Cowboys’ preseason matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night.

There are several promising players who appear to be on the roster bubble in Dallas. Below, we’ve included five potential cuts the Cowboys might regret making if these players are allowed to hit the waiver wire.

Jalen Jelks, DE

The talent at defensive end is massive this year. There are so many promising defenders on the defensive line that Jelks, a drafted rookie that recorded a sack in his preseason debut and four tackles versus the Houston Texans, is now a likely roster cut. There is hope he makes it through waivers and to the practice squad.

It’s not unusual for a seventh-rounder not to make the final-53, but Jelks was touted as a possible instant impact player by DallasCowboys.com’s Nick Eatman early on. If the long-time Cowboys’ staff writer is correct, Dallas might regret putting him on the waiver wire for another team to develop.

Mike Jackson, CB

It seems illogical that the Cowboys would part ways with a fifth-round selection before the regular season has even started. But like the defensive end group, the cornerback position in Dallas is highly-competitive. And I believe most would agree that second-year defensive back Donovan Olumba has outperformed Jackson.

Still, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound corner prospect out of Florida possessed traits the Cowboys coveted to make him one of their two fifth rounders in April. Allowing Jackson to get away could be costly as Dallas has several veteran cornerbacks scheduled to hit free agency within the next two years.

Daniel Wise, DT

The undrafted rookie out of Kansas has shown promise throughout the offseason, training camp, and into the preseason. And that would have probably been enough in most years. Unfortunately, the Cowboys will likely be forced to go heavier at other areas along their final roster with equally intriguing prospects. That leaves a solid prospect with good tape like Wise up for grabs.

Ricky Walker, DT

No one was talking about Walker prior to the start of the preseason. But a breakout performance against the San Francisco 49ers in the Cowboys’ preseason opener made him a hot name to watch. There’s no doubt the undrafted defensive tackle out of Virginia Tech’s momentum has slowed since then, but the 23-year has shown enough to earn consideration elsewhere.

Next: Top 10 Undrafted Free Agents in Dallas Cowboys History

Justin Phillips, LB

The most-talked about linebacker not named Leighton, Jaylon or Sean in the offseason was Luke Gifford, an undrafted rookie out of Nebraska. But a significant ankle injury sidelined Gifford after a terrific showing against the Niners. And it’s been fellow rookie Justin Phillips that has taken his place in the spotlight. Racking up 17 total tackles, a pass defend, and one spectacular interception in three preseason games; the undrafted linebacker out of Oklahoma State deserves to find a place on someone’s final-53.

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2019-08-29 11:00:00Z
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Serena Williams, on the Way to a Tough Win, Gets a Look at Tennis’s Future - The New York Times

It has been quite a Grand Slam season for American teenagers on the women’s tennis tour, and though autumn is on the horizon, they continue to make a deep impression.

After the 15-year-old Coco Gauff defeated Venus Williams in her first match at Wimbledon last month, Gauff’s doubles partner, the 17-year-old Caty McNally, made a run at an even bigger upset in her first United States Open.

McNally won the opening set in style against Serena Williams before Williams rallied to prevail, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, in the second round on Wednesday night.

“I think the young American girls are inspiring each other,” said Kathy Rinaldi, the United States Fed Cup captain who has known McNally’s mother, Lynn, since they played junior tennis against each other. “When one of the girls has a good result it kind of lifts the other. It’s a healthy competition.”

The Williams sisters have of course provided no shortage of inspiration themselves. The American youngsters emerging now were all born after the Williamses turned professional. They include the 17-year-old Amanda Anisimova, who reached the semifinals of the French Open in June, and the 20-year-old Sofia Kenin, who beat Serena Williams on her way to the quarterfinals of the same tournament and is up to No. 20 in the rankings.

A Williams-infused women’s tennis world is all the new arrivals have ever known.

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Caty McNally was playing in only her second Grand Slam tournament.CreditUli Seit for The New York Times

“I’ve watched her so many times,” McNally said of Serena, whom she had never faced. “I know how well she can play. I was just really impressed with the way she was serving towards the end of the match, how well she was returning. Hats off to her.”

Hats off to McNally, too, for bear-hugging the moment in her first match of this magnitude and pushing the greatest player of the era to three sets.

Williams is a more formidable opponent now than when Kenin toppled her in Paris. She is in better shape and form, and her movement and serving have improved considerably since she resolved the persistent knee pain that spoiled much of her early season.

But after the 37-year-old Williams overwhelmed Maria Sharapova, her longtime punching bag, in the first round on Tuesday, she had to solve a much less familiar tennis riddle on Thursday.

McNally, who comes from the Cincinnati suburb of Madeira, has a taste for old-school tennis. And in only her second US Open singles match she marched onto Arthur Ashe Stadium for the final duel of the night session with a big grin on her face.

She made it clear very quickly that Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, was in for a serious challenge.

“I felt really good out there on the big stage; I wasn’t too nervous,” McNally said. “For me, I just try to take it as another match and not really worry about who’s across the net. I know if I did that it might affect the way I play, and I might become more emotionally attached to the match. That’s not good for me.”

McNally’s tennis role model has long been the most successful men’s player of this era: Roger Federer. Rinaldi teasingly calls her “Mrs. Fed,” and McNally has tried to mimic not only Federer’s cool on-court demeanor but his attacking style and versatility as well.

“I really like the way he plays, mixes in the slice, the drop shot, volleys really well,” McNally said. “There’s so many things I like from his game. Hopefully I can keep working on those and become just like him.”

That is, of course, a tall order, but McNally showed plenty of poise and potential under the closed roof in Ashe Stadium after reaching the semifinals at the WTA event in Washington this summer.

A powerful athlete, McNally likes to serve and volley: a tactic now rare enough to elicit gasps from a savvy tennis crowd. Like Federer, she has a particularly crisp one-handed slice backhand and unlike Federer, she also can drive her backhand with two hands. She used that two-hander to try another rare ploy on Wednesday: attacking Williams’s second serve immediately after the bounce and following the return to net.

The results were mixed but the approach was destabilizing.

“It was definitely something to get used to,” Williams said of McNally’s style. “You don’t play players like her who have such full games. I just think she overall played really well.”

Mixing speeds and spins and coming up with big serves when she needed them, McNally applied and absorbed pressure and was able to convert her only break point of the match to take a 6-5 lead in the first set.

She won it by rallying from 0-40 to hold serve, waving her arms to pump up the crowd as she arrived at her seat with a swagger in her step.

Seemingly rattled by McNally’s shifting tactics and forays to net, Williams was far from her sharpest in the opening set: making 15 unforced errors.

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Williams seemed out of sorts early in the match but gathered herself to  defeat a player 20 years her junior.CreditUli Seit for The New York Times

But though she shouted and winced in frustration as her groundstrokes smacked into the net, she did not let the frustration seep into her game for long on a court where she has won six United States Open singles titles but has also experienced meltdowns and demoralizing defeats.

“I just had to stop making errors,” Williams said. “I just made so many errors in the first two sets, and I mean it was just too many. You can’t win tournaments making that many errors, so I knew I had to play better, and I knew I could.”

She broke McNally’s serve for the first time in the sixth game of the second set, hitting a forehand return winner as McNally tried again to serve and volley.

After winning the set on her fifth set point, Williams hit the accelerator pedal in the third, attacking returns with intimidating precision and losing only five points in total: none on her serve.

It was a classic Williams performance. She has turned so many tricky matches her way through the decades: first against her elders and now against new arrivals not even half her age.

“Serena is the best in the world at turning a match around,” her coach Patrick Mouratoglou said.

“I definitely treasure it,” Williams said of that ability. “I’ve won so many Grand Slams because of it. I also won a lot of Grand Slams not having to use it.”

Her next challenge if she wants to win this one again is a third-round match against either the crafty Hsieh Su-wei or Karolina Muchová, another attack-minded newcomer who will face Hsieh on Thursday.

As for the American teenagers, Gauff is into the second round in singles and ready to team up with McNally in the doubles.

Unlike Williams, their Grand Slam days are just beginning, and they are off to a fine start.

The next generation in women’s tennis

Coco Gauff’s Tennis Haven Happens to Be Her Hometown

Aug. 27, 2019

It’s Not Just Coco Gauff: American Teens Swarm Into Pro Tennis

Aug. 2, 2019

At the U.S. Open, Naomi Osaka Has a Different Coach and Mentality

Aug. 26, 2019

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2019-08-29 06:07:00Z
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Novak Djokovic pushes past shoulder pain to advance to US Open 3rd round - CNN

But despite the scoreline of 6-4, 7-6(3), 6-1, there could be major concerns for the world No. 1 and defending champion.

Djokovic, with pain in his left shoulder, was in initial trouble against the Argentine.

The 16-time major champion, who had visits from the trainer multiple times, could be seen grimacing early and was shaking out his left arm during the match.

Djokovic said to ESPN on court after the match that the shoulder was affecting his serve and backhand, but he didn't want to elaborate further on the extent of the injury.

"I was definitely tested," Djokovic said to ESPN. "This is something I've been carrying for quite a while now."

'I didn't know if I would be able to finish the match'

In his post-match press conference, Djokovic said the injury has bothered him now for almost a couple of weeks.

"I've been experiencing some days of higher intensity of pain, some days less," he said. "It has been really fluctuating a lot, going up and down."

He also admitted he wasn't sure if he would make it through the match.

"It was not easy to play with this kind of sensation, to be honest," Djokovic said. "I did not experience that too many times in my career.

"I was also lucky to find my way back in the second set and to win in the straight sets. I had obviously, you saw, a medical timeout. At changeovers, I tried to use within the rules as much as I can physiotherapy and medical help. That has definitely helped me stay in the match.

"The way it has started for me, especially midway through the first set, I didn't know if I would be able to finish the match. I'm really glad I have.

"I'm going to assess this injury tomorrow even more with further consultations with experts in sports medicine. I'm hoping that in two days' time I will be able to play pain-free, if that is possible."

'It wasn't easy, obviously, playing with the pain'

Trailing with Londero up a break at 3-2, Djokovic was able to break back and then saw the trainer. He was able to close out the set, but he sought the trainer again right after doing so.

The Serbian's struggles continued, with Djokovic down a double break to start the second set. Things started looking up when he rattled off five straight games, but a shaky service game put Londero back in it and led to a tiebreak. After Djokovic came out on top, the trainer came back out on court to work on his shoulder again.

After trading breaks to open the third set, Djokovic pulled away.

With the win Wednesday, Djokovic ties his childhood idol, Pete Sampras, for the fifth-most US Open wins (71) in the Open era.

"It wasn't easy, obviously, playing with the pain, but you have to find a way to fight and hope that you'll get some lucky shots," Djokovic said to ESPN. "You get some opportunities when they're presented, you have to step in and take them. That was the case. I had some luck, as I said, in the second set, to come back.

"I'll move on. It's not the first time that I'm facing this kind of adversity so to say, or a challenge. It is what it is, and I'm just grateful to be on the court."

In February 2018, Djokovic underwent surgery for an elbow injury that had troubled him for two years.

Djokovic, who will have the day off Thursday, will next face either American Denis Kudla or fellow Serbian and No. 27 seed Dusan Lajovic. Those two won't have the luxury of rest like Djokovic; their match, as so many others on Wednesday, got washed away by rain. They're scheduled to now play in what will be a busy Thursday, with the winner to face Djokovic on Friday.

"I'll probably freeze my arm for 48 hours, not do anything with it, and see what happens," Djokovic said to ESPN with a laugh.

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2019-08-29 04:52:00Z
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Is There Much Hope For The Colts With Jacoby Brissett As QB? - FiveThirtyEight

It surprised everyone. The news that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck was retiring Saturday night set Twitter on tilt and was met with skepticism from grizzled beat reporters, boos from the Lucas Oil Stadium crowd and even disbelief from new starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett:

The only person who appeared unmoved by the announcement was — unsurprisingly — Bill Belichick.

When the rest of the football world recovered, the consensus outlook for the Colts under Brissett wasn’t particularly good. On Sunday, Las Vegas dropped the line on the Colts win total from 9.5 to 6.5 wins. Our FiveThirtyEight Elo system dropped the Colts from a 9.2 win team to 7.5 wins. And as seen on Sunday Night Football, the model developed by Pro Football Focus put the new Colts win total at 7.1, down from nine wins.

Looking at Brissett’s performance over his career, it’s easy to see why the math and the markets are bearish on the Colts’ prospects. Indianapolis has a 4-11 record in games Brissett started, and the quarterback has averaged 6.6 yards per attempt over his career, below the league average of 7.2 for the years Brissett has been active. Brissett averaged just more than 200 yards passing per game in his only full season as a starter — a season in which he compiled a QBR of 41.5 — and his career completion percentage is just 59.1 percent. These numbers are not good.

We can try to find a silver lining. Completion percentage can sometimes be misleading. Quarterbacks who attempt deeper passes at a higher rate than their peers will see their stat line punished despite the fact that they are helping their team by attempting more valuable throws. If we account for how deep Brissett’s passing attempts have been over his career, however, we find that there aren’t many depths where he’s above league average — although the sample sizes at some depths aren’t large enough for us to conclude this with certainty.

Among active QBs, Brisset ranks in the bottom 10 percent in completion percentage over expected. His poor performance is exacerbated by the fact that Brissett also doesn’t attack downfield as often as Luck did. Brissett’s average depth of target — a measure of the distance downfield a quarterback throws — is just 7.2 yards, 1.4 less than Luck’s 8.6. The Colts will need Brissett to target star wideout T.Y. Hilton often to compete offensively, and Hilton’s average depth of target is located well downfield at 12.4 yards. This is a legitimate cause for concern. In 2017 — the only full season Hilton and Brissett have played together — Hilton saw his targets drop to just 109 after 155 in 2016.¹

There’s really no sugar-coating the Colts’ 2019 prospects. Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard has been widely praised for the work he’s done since taking over from Ryan Grigson in 2017. But losing a franchise quarterback when you’ve built a team around the idea that you’re currently in a championship window will stress the skills of even the most competent GMs. Ballard’s options are unpalatable but clear: Try to win now with the team he’s assembled and risk being trapped in a purgatory of mediocrity while the cheap talent ages out of their early contracts, or front-load the pain and tank this season in an attempt to secure a high pick in what looks to be a promising quarterback draft class.

In a league where having a franchise quarterback is damn near everything, Brissett’s value to the Colts might be highest as air cover for a front office and coaching staff trying to lose as many games as possible.

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2019-08-28 13:49:00Z
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Projecting Raiders' 53-man roster entering preseason finale - NBCSports.com

Antonio Brown is no longer fighting to wear the helmet he has always worn. The Raiders receiver said uncle on after losing a second grievance to wear the Schutt AiR Advantage, an outdated model that is essentially banned after recently failing a safety test.

“We’re going to move on,” Brown’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL radio. “That door is closed.”

Brown certainly is disappointed in the independent arbitrator’s ruling and the resounding victory for the NFL and NFLPA, but comes out of the entire ordeal sporting a thousand-watt smile.

That’s because all this helmet drama has created a bidding war for his endorsement. Helmet companies are competing to build him a model designed to his specifications, and are willing to pay handsomely for that right.

“As a result of all the publicity accrued from our efforts to get him to wear that helmet, he has multiple offers on the table right now from various companies to custom-make a helmet for him and pay him quite a bit of money,” Rosenhaus said. “We have found, without getting into specifics, some very suitable alternatives. We’re very excited. Antonio will be wearing a helmet. He won’t be missing any time, and he’ll be getting paid a lot of money to do so. It’s sort of a happy ending, even though he won’t be able to wear the old helmet.”

Brown and Rosenhaus are excellent at turning an undesirable situation into something better, as they did by working a trade from Pittsburgh to the Raiders while securing a fat raise.

The receiver’s desire to wear his preferred helmet went on for a while, and though he didn’t win that battle, an endorsement deal’s a nice consolation prize.

And that should do it.

[RELATED: Gruden not shocked by Luck retiring]

Brown should just be focused on football at this point. His frostbitten feet have healed and his helmet fight is now over, with two weeks to practice and prep for the regular season opener against Denver.

“The helmet and the foot, all that is behind him now,” Rosenhaus said. “He’s entirely focused on football and is ready to have another prototype Antonio Brown season. He’s going to flourish with Jon Gruden and Derek Carr. I’m very excited for him moving forward.”

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2019-08-26 16:45:47Z
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Tom Brady reacts to Andrew Luck's retirement - NFL.com

Tom Brady outlasted Peyton Manning. Now the GOAT also survived Manning's successor in Indianapolis following the stunning retirement of Andrew Luck over the weekend.

Appearing on WEEI's The Greg Hill Show Monday morning, Brady understood Luck's reason for walking away.

"It is his life. Everyone has the right to choose what he wants to do," Brady said. "He had a great career, and he was a great player. Everybody wishes they could be healthy all the time. It is a contact sport, and he's certainly had his fair share of injuries, so guys retire at different times. Some at the end of the season, and I have seen a lot of guys retire before the season gets going and this is just one of those examples."

Brady is going into his 20th season and just turned 42. That longevity sits in juxtaposition to Luck who retired less than a month before his 30th birthday. Brady has been fortunate that besides his ACL tear in 2008 the New England Patriots' quarterback has been healthy for the most part. Luck meanwhile has dealt with a litany of injury from a lacerated kidney, shoulder injury that wiped out an entire season, and the latest calf/ankle issue.

Brady pointed to his support system to explain how he's been able to play at a high level for so long.

"I think it's everything. There's definitely a physical element," Brady said. "There's definitely an emotional element. I think there is a mental element. Everything in my view really has to come together for you to be the best version of yourself as a player, and it takes a lot of support. It takes a lot of people. You see, certainly, you can see me as an individual doing that. I have the support of my teammates, my coaches, my family, my friends, Alex (Guerrero), my training system. All those things really need to come together in order to continue to achieve.

"It feels great when you have that support because a football season is like a marathon. There's moments where it is very challenging whether it's physically, emotionally, or mentally.... you need somebody to help you push through the hard parts because it's not all easy. It's a great challenge, but it is very rewarding when you meet the challenge, too."

As for the Colts fans who booed Luck while coming off the field, Brady said the emotions of that moment will pass, and memories of the quarterback will be rosier in Indy.

"I think emotions are just that. They come and go," he said. "In the moment, I try and not make any decisions on emotion. We are emotional beings. They just ebb and flow. That is just part of life in my view."

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2019-08-26 11:41:00Z
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University of Florida band director says he was attacked after football game - CNN

The band was marching in uniform from the stadium to its buses following the game when a female Miami fan tried to cross the line of band students, University of Florida spokesman Steve Orlando told CNN, based on the director's account.

That's when the band director, Jay Watkins, said he put his arm out to stop her and when he did, another person grabbed him from behind in a choke hold and threw him to the pavement, Orlando said.

"Jay suffered bumps and scrapes to his head and elbow," Orlando said. The director was doing "OK" Sunday, the spokesman added.

No students were injured and a report has been filed with the Orlando Police Department, Orlando said, but no arrests have been made.

Orlando police told CNN affiliate WKMG the department is investigating the incident and may release more information on Monday. No charges had been filed as of Sunday night, the affiliate said.

Watkins has been the director of the UF Gator Marching Band since 2006.

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2019-08-26 06:51:00Z
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Could Andrew Luck land in the XFL? - NBCSports.com

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Of the many layers and levels to the sudden decision by Colts quarterback Andrew Luck to retire from the NFL at age 29 is this: Could Andrew now go to work for his dad?

Oliver Luck serves as the Commissioner of the XFL, a spring league that launches in February and that simply will not survive if it can’t attract or create star players. If Oliver Luck could persuade his boss, Vince McMahon, to dangle the money that Andrew would have made in Indianapolis plus maybe more over the next few years for a 10-game season against a lower level of competition, would he bite?

It would be as shocking as his decision to retire from the NFL. But, then again, he decided to retire from the NFL.

Andrew Luck wouldn’t be able to play for the XFL without the blessing of the Colts. Paragraph 3 of the Standard Player Contract makes clear the ability of the team to go to court to block the effort of a football player to play football for a different league: “Without prior written consent of the Club, Player will not play football or engage in activities related to football otherwise than for Club or engage in any activity other than football which may involve a significant risk of personal injury. Player represents that he has special, exceptional and unique knowledge, skill, ability, and experience as a football player, the loss of which cannot be estimated with any certainty and cannot be fairly or adequately compensated by damages. Player therefore agrees that Club will have the right, in addition to any other right which Club may possess, to enjoin Player by appropriate proceedings from playing football or engaging in football-related activities other than for Club or from engaging in any activity other than football which may involve a significant risk of personal injury.”

In English, this means that, for as long as the Colts retain Luck’s rights (and they surely will not release him from the reserve/retired list anytime soon), they can quickly and easily go to court to get an order preventing him from playing for the XFL.

It’s entirely possible that the Colts secured a renewed commitment from Luck to the notion that he can’t play for the XFL as part of the negotiated financial settlement that reportedly has him owing the Colts none of the $24.8 million Luck has been paid but technically didn’t earn. Indeed, it would have been foolish for the Colts not to have sought that commitment before agreeing not to seek repayment.

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2019-08-25 16:54:00Z
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