Saturday, 2 October 2021
Georgia Rolls, Building Its Playoff Hopes and Ending the Razorbacks’
Bulldogs Bulldoze Razorbacks in Second SEC Shutout of Season
Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett threw the ball just 11 times as the nation's No. 2 team ran for 273 yards.
Georgia was without starting quarterback JT Daniels against No. 8 Arkansas on Saturday. However, the No. 2 Bulldogs did not need much from their passing attack as they ran for 273 of their 345 total yards in a 37-0 shutout over the Razorbacks.
With the win, Georgia (5–0) earned consecutive shutouts for the first time since 2006 and back-to-back shutouts in SEC play for the first time since its national championship-winning season in 1980. The Bulldogs also improved to 12–6 against top 10 opponents under head coach Kirby Smart, including 4–0 at home.
Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett, who started in place of the injured Daniels, threw just 11 times for 72 yards in the win. Georgia's loaded backfield of James Cook, Zamir White, Kenny McIntosh and Kendall Milton accounted for 260 yards and three scores.
Cook led the stable of running backs with 87 yards followed by White, who finished with two touchdowns on 68 yards.
Entering Saturday's game, the Razorbacks had not allowed any points in the first quarter, outscoring their opponents 34–0. Georgia led 21-0 after the first quarter and never looked back holding onto the ball for nearly 37 minutes of game time.
Georgia leads the country in scoring defense, allowing just 4.6 points per game.
The Bulldogs have yet to see Daniels shine against top competition this season. But if Saturday is any indicator, they may not need him to.
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Wilton Jackson October 03, 2021 at 01:24AMUSMNT Hopeful Joe Scally Scores First Bundesliga Goal for Mönchengladbach
The U.S. international, 18, scored his first Bundesliga goal for Borussia Mönchengladbach in a 3–1 win over Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Borussia Mönchengladbach's Joe Scally may not have been called up to the U.S. men's national team for next week's World Cup qualifiers, but the 18-year-old has plenty to celebrate this weekend after scoring his first Bundesliga goal.
In the final minute of stoppage time against third-place Wolfsburg, Scally chased down a goal kick and headed the ball downfield. The right back, as if assisting on his own goal, chased down the header with breakaway speed, took two touches to corral the ball and then coolly tucked his shot away into the bottom left corner to seal the 3–1 victory.
The goal is the first of Scally's professional career split between NYCFC and Mönchengladbach, who he joined at the end of the 2020 MLS season. Scally, who has often played at left back for Mönchengladbach, became the second-youngest signing in MLS history behind Freddy Adu when he signed a contract with NYCFC at 15 years (and 80 days) old in 2018.
Scally has yet to make his senior debut for the USMNT and was a surprise omission from USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter's upcoming squad for World Cup qualifiers against Jamaica, Panama and Costa Rica.
"I was explaining to [Scally] the reasoning but also letting him know that he's really close. He’s a guy we’re excited about," Berhalter said on Thursday. "He’s been playing in the Bundesliga as a wingback, sometimes a fullback and doing a decent job. Most impressive is that at his age he’s been able to compete at that level.
"I think he is gonna be a key contributor in the future. What we’re talking about right now is guys who have somewhat been through it before. If you look at fullbacks on the roster, these are guys that all know what Concacaf is about."
Scally's former USMNT U17 teammate Gianluca Busio, who was called up to the USMNT team, also scored his first league goal this weekend for Venezia against Cagliari in Serie A.
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Andrew Gastelum October 03, 2021 at 12:34AMReport: Bucs' Rob Gronkowski Ruled Out for Game vs Patriots
Tom Brady will be without one of his favorite weapons against the Patriots on Sunday.
Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady will be without his partner in crime, Rob Gronkowski, when the Buccaneers take the field against the Patriots on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
Gronkowski did not make trip to New England due to ongoing complications from his rib injury he suffered and has been ruled out, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The five-time Pro Bowler suffered the injury when he caught a pass and was hit in the midsection by Rams' Terrell Lewis early in the third quarter. He left the game before returning later on in the quarter, finishing with four catches and 55 yards in the Buccaneers' loss to the Rams.
Gronkowski spent nine seasons (2010-18) with the Patriots where he recorded 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns. His 79 scores are the most receiving touchdowns in the franchise history.
He also recorded 81 receptions for 1,163 yards in 16 postseason games with the Patriots. Gronkowski is 15 yards shy from surpassing Greg Olsen for the fifth most receiving yards by a tight end in NFL history.
The Buccaneers will square off against the Patriots at 8:20 p.m. on Sunday.
More NFL Coverage:
- MMQB Staff Week 4 NFL Picks
- GamePlan: What Past Patriots Quarterbacks Can Teach Us About Tom Brady Vs. Bill Belichick
- Why Rookie QBs Should Consider Trade Demands
- 8 Things to Know: NFL Is Wide Open (NFC East Isn't)
- Mailbag: What Should We Make of Surprising Starts?
- Power Rankings: Rams for Real, Chiefs Still in Top 10
Kershaw's Postseason Hopes 'Not Looking Great' After Leaving Start With Forearm Injury
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw left Friday's 8-6 win against the Brewers in the second inning with a recurrence of his left forearm injury.
It is widely known that Friday's game against the Brewers could have been Clayton Kershaw's last home game at Dodger Stadium. But the start went far from expected with the three-time Cy Young Award winner leaving the 8-6 win in the second inning due to forearm and elbow discomfort.
Kershaw was making his fourth start since returning from a nearly three-month layoff due to the forearm injury. But after making 42 pitches and giving up three runs in 1 2/3 innings, Kershaw left the field in "shock."
"Kinda the same thing I’ve been dealing with and [it] just got bad enough to where I couldn’t keep going tonight," Kershaw said after the game. "Haven’t quite wrapped my head around that yet. The biggest thing was I just wanted to be a part of this team through October. That’s the hardest part for me right now, just knowing that chances are that it’s not looking good for October right now.
"... I've known that. I know that we're gonna do something special this year, and I wanted to be a part of that. That's the hardest part for me right now is just knowing that chances are it's not looking great for October right now."
Kershaw, who will be a free agent at the end of the season, is 10-8 with a 3.38 ERA this season. Manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw will have further tests on Saturday to determine the extent of the injury.
"Obviously when Clayton has to come out of a game, it doesn't bode well," Roberts said. "What that means, we just don't know enough right now. But where we're at in the schedule, with what's left of the season, just not too optimistic right now."
With the Giants' magic number at one and the Dodgers two games back in the NL West, Los Angeles is expected to host the red-hot Cardinals, who have won 19 of their last 20 games, in Wednesday's wild-card game.
More MLB Coverage:
• Will the Cardinals' Hot Streak Matter in the Playoffs?
• Ready for Chaos? Your Guide to MLB’s Wild Final Weekend
• Trade Deadline Review: Which Moves Made a Difference?
• Will This Mariners Rebuild Be Any Different?
Friday, 1 October 2021
Taulia Tagovailoa Throws Five INTs as Terps Unravel Against Hawkeyes
The Hawkeyes' defense made a statement Friday night in Iowa's 51–14 rout against the Terrapins.
Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa will not want to remember the first Friday of October 2021. In a battle of undefeated teams, the junior quarterback threw five interceptions and two touchdowns as the Hawkeyes destroyed the Terps 51–14.
Tagovailoa, who finished with 157 yards in the lopsided defeat, entered one of Week 5's most most anticipated matchups averaging 355 passing yards per game (ranked eighth in the country).
With the win, Iowa (5–0) has recorded its best start since 2015. The Hawkeyes have won their last 11 games, including eight Big Ten wins. Iowa—which held Maryland to 14 points—entered Friday's game ranked third in the country in scoring defense, surrendering only 11 points per game.
In shutting down a Terrapins' offense, the Hawkeyes have gone 27 consecutive games where they've only allowed their opponents 24 points or fewer. That streak is the longest active streak in FBS and tied for the second-longest streak by an FBS team since 1990, according to Big Ten Network research.
Hawkeyes quarterback Spencer Petras threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns in Iowa's victory. Iowa's defense has had a knack for scoring points off turnovers this season. Through the first five weeks, the Hawkeyes have earned 82 points off of their opponents turnovers.
Maryland (4–1) returns to action next Saturday on the road against Ohio State. Iowa prepares for another highly-anticipated matchup against Penn State.
More College Football Coverage:
Wilton Jackson October 02, 2021 at 09:59AMRecapping A Busy Media Day 2021 | The Crossover
NBA Media day, Vaccine mandates, holdouts, trades and everything in between
Chris Mannix and Howard Beck run through the top stories from the NBA’s Media Day, from Kyrie Irving’s vaccination status—and how the vaccine holdouts will be impacted this season —the Sixers brass’s response to Ben Simmons, Damian Lillard’s future in Portland, Zion’s injury, Porzingis at power forward and more.
The following transcript is an excerpt from The Crossover NBA podcast. Listen to the full episode on podcast players everywhere or on SI.com.
Chris Mannix: So I've talked to a few people within the league and within the Nets, and there's some optimism I would say, that Kyrie is going to get the vaccine. And the Nets have a little bit of a runway here to get him set up because they're in San Diego right now for the start of their training camp, there is no vaccine mandate in California, they play their first exhibition game in Los Angeles on October 3rd, Kyrie can play in that game. They don't play back at the Barclays Center until October 8th. So they've got a little bit of wiggle room here. And from what I gather the inability to play in the home games, the potential inability to play in a key playoff game will resonate with Kyrie Irving. There's also some hope among people I've talked to, that Kevin Durant can get through to Kyrie Irving and say, look, I understand your beliefs, you don't want to do this, but it's a big year here, right? I mean, this is a a championship season. Can you just put it aside and do what I've done, what James Harden has done, what most of our team has done? So there's some optimism there.
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Chris Mannix,Howard Beck October 02, 2021 at 05:46AMReport: NWSL Commissioner, General Counsel Removed After Riley Sexual Coercion Allegations
NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird, general counsel Lisa Levine have been ousted by the league's board of directors after sexual coercion allegations against Paul Riley.
National Women's Soccer League commissioner Lisa Baird and general counsel Lisa Levine have been removed by the league's board of directors, according to The Athletic's Meg Linehan.
The move comes hours after the NWSL called off this weekend's games in the wake of a report from The Athletic detailing former players' accusations of sexual coercion by now-former North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley.
Former players said Riley made inappropriate comments about players' weight and sexual orientations, with allegations spanning multiple teams and leagues over a decade. But, he is not the first NWSL coach this season to be fired for sexual misconduct or abusive behavior. Ex–Washington Spirit coach Richie Burke was fired for cause several days ago after he was suspended over allegations of verbal and emotional abuse in August.
“This week, and much of this season, has been incredibly traumatic for our players and staff, and I take full responsibility for the role I have played. I am so sorry for the pain so many are feeling," NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird said in a statement earlier Friday."Recognizing that trauma, we have decided not to take the field this weekend to give everyone some space to reflect. Business as usual isn’t our concern right now. Our entire league has a great deal of healing to do, and our players deserve so much better. We have made this decision in collaboration with our players association and this pause will be the first step as we collectively work to transform the culture of this league, something that is long overdue.”
Additionally, FIFA announced it will be conducting its own investigation into the Riley allegations "due to the severity and seriousness of the allegations being made by players."
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Madeline Coleman October 02, 2021 at 04:37AMESPN's Stephen A. Smith | SI Media Podcast
Episode 358 of the "Sports Illustrated Media Podcast" hosted by Jimmy Traina features an interview with ESPN's Stephen A. Smith
The First Take host talks about why he felt like this was the time to remove Max Kellerman from the show, all that went into the decision and whether Kellerman agreed with the decision. Smith also talks about whether the show will eventually hire one co-host or if they will keep a rotating cast of characters.
Smith also shares his philosophy on what makes a good sports debate, on criticizing athletes and on what the sports media business is all about. The energetic personality also discusses the importance of credibility and why his resume is important for what he does.
Smith also reveals that when his contract with ESPN is up in four-years, his goal will be to host a late-night talk show. Does this mean he'll leave the sports world? He answers that question and many more.
Following Smith is the weekly Traina Thoughts segment. This week, Jimmy and Sal Licata from WFAN and SNY read the latest SI Media Podcast reviews on Apple, talk about the highly anticipated Brady vs. Belichick matchup, Week 3 of the Peyton and Eli Show, the upcoming Sopranos movie, the best Curb Your Enthusiasm scenes and more.
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Jimmy Traina October 02, 2021 at 03:59AMThe Day That Kickers Ruled the World | NFL Deep Dive
Rams running the NFC already? Arron Rodgers doing Aaron Rodgers things, concussion protocol and more.
Week 3 brought the usual surprises, along with some of the wackiest moments of the early season.
Jenny, Conor and Gary start with the Sunday night thriller in Santa Clara, how in the end it came easy for Aaron Rodgers, why continuity matters and Davante Adams’s uncomfortably brief time in concussion protocol.
Also, a discussion of the Rams asserting their superiority in the NFC behind Matthew Stafford and Raheem Morris’s defense against his former team, how the Raiders got to 3–0, why the Dolphins had a fighting chance behind Jacoby Brissett, the formula that has beaten the Chiefs and how the Chargers are treating Justin Herbert as a superstar quarterback.
They also dive into Justin Tucker heroics and the pleasures of being a Lions fan, what went so very wrong for the Bears in Justin Fields’s first career start, what exactly went down on Ben Roethlisberger’s long day and strange final play, dueling Jason Garrett food metaphors, and much more!
Have a question for the show? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI, @JennyVrentas or @ConorOrr
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Conor Orr,Jenny Vrentas,Gary Gramling October 02, 2021 at 03:33AMTrickery, Shenanigans and Officiating, with Monty McCutchen | The Crossover
NBA’s head of officiating, Monty McCutchen breaks down the new rules for the upcoming season
On the Friday edition, Howard Beck welcomes the NBA’s head of officiating, Monty McCutchen, to discuss all the rules tweaks for the 2021–22 season. The biggest change? A crackdown on offensive players drawing cheap fouls—with leg kicks, sideways leaps and other shenanigans.
The following transcript is an excerpt from the Open Floor podcast. Listen to the full episode on podcast players everywhere or on SI.com.
Howard Beck: The new NBA season is nearly upon us folks. And a new season, of course, means some new rules or interpretations or various tweaks and adjustments and points of emphasis for the game referees. The biggest one this season, a crackdown on offensive players drawing fouls in various cheap and nefarious ways. You know, the leg kicks and the side leg kicks and the sideways leaps and the forward leaps and the back flips and all these other forms of trickery and shenanigans and dark magic. Refs are being instructed and trained this season to reign-in that stuff. They've heard all the complaints from other players and coaches and you the fans, who hate a lot of this—unless one of those guys happens to be your favorite player. Some of those plays are going to be offensive fouls now and some will just be non calls. So what's what? What's a foul? What's a non-call? How do they decide? Here to explain it all today, the ever gracious head of officiating for the NBA, Monty McCutchen.
Monty of course, one of the NBA's best refs throughout his own career, now serves as, Senior Vice President and Head of Referee Development and Training ... That's a long title. Monty is always great in explaining this stuff point by point. So we discussed the crack down on the foul drawing shenanigans. Also the likely change in replay rules on out of bounds plays for the last two minutes. All reports indicate that coaches challenges will be able to review out of bounds plays for the last two minutes. But it will no longer be one of those automatic triggers or something generated by the referees. A few other points that we'll get into also about refereeing the season; for that discussion about offensive fouls, you can watch alone. There are four videos from last season that illustrate the new emphasis on these offensive fouls and which I will reference in our conversation. Those plays are on the NBA's Twitter feed, @NBAofficial. So go there first folks. Go to Twitter @NBAofficial. They were posted on August 8th, but they're very close to the top of the feed, go check that out. You can follow along and see what Monty and I are talking about.
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Howard Beck October 02, 2021 at 03:07AMReport: 76ers Withholding $8.25M Paycheck As Ben Simmons's Holdout Continues
The second 25% of Ben Simmons's salary was due Friday, but the franchise won't pay as the three-time All-Star's holdout continues.
The latest payment of Ben Simmons's salary was due Friday, and the 76ers reportedly will not be paying it as the three-time All-Star continues his holdout, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
The missed paycheck, which is the second 25% of his salary, amounts to $8.25 million. And although both Doc Rivers and Daryl Morey said Monday that they would like to have Simmons back with the franchise, he is still not showing up to Philadelphia as he awaits a trade, according to The Athletic's Sam Amick.
76ers training camp opened Tuesday.
Simmons is reportedly no longer interested in playing with Joel Embiid, and his frustration with the team's decision to build around Embiid and his playing style comes as the duo ranked No. 4 in net rating of pairs who had played at least 1,100 minutes together.
Embiid, however, echoed Rivers and Morey about wanting Simmons to return.
"Of course we want him back, he's a big piece of what we've been building the past few years,” Embiid said.
The franchise has been pulling out all the stops to try to prevent a trade from happening as some players reportedly wanted to travel to Los Angeles to meet with Simmons in hopes of getting the All-Star to stay with the team. According to Charania, Simmons chose not to meet with his teammates and they did not make the trip to the West Coast.
Embiid said Monday that he was among the group who planned to go visit Simmons, who has four years and $147 million remaining on his max contract.
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Madeline Coleman October 02, 2021 at 01:12AMCareer Night for Diana Taurasi Gets the Mercury Back on Track
The Winless Jaguars Are About to Enter a Stretch More Important than Urban Meyer May Like to Admit
It's a bit early to panic, but the pressure is still on at the start of a window with cap flexibility, draft equity and a generational quarterback on his rookie deal.
The Jaguars are 0–4, closing in on a dubious 20-game franchise losing streak. Their head coach, Urban Meyer, has lost only four or more games in a season twice in a lengthy coaching career that has spanned more than two decades.
There are times this season when Jacksonville has looked completely adrift on the field. Week 1 against the Texans was, unquestionably, the product of a collegiate head coach’s underestimating the extreme intricacy and perfection necessary to defeat even one of the worst teams in the NFL (one that, in some ways, seems to be actively trying to lose). While I don’t think Broncos head coach Vic Fangio, who defeated Meyer in Week 2, was being malicious when he revealed that Meyer told him “Every week it’s like playing Alabama in the NFL,” I do think that having the quote exist in a public space provided a bit of schadenfreude for the hordes of NFL coaches who likely felt a little chapped by Meyer’s methodical entry into the professional football space. It seemed like a fitting slip from a coach who entered big-time football with the Baltimore Stars in 1984 and took more than 30 years to get a head coaching gig.
Yeah, buddy. It’s tough out here!
Joseph Maiorana/USA TODAY Sports
The Jaguars’ early season has traversed a path to this fascinating point where a team we thought might have been better—possibly a fringe playoff team like Andrew Luck’s rookie-year Colts—has already lost games to some of the worst opponents on its schedule and now faces a brutal slate in which it’ll encounter the Titans, Bills, Seahawks and 49ers before Thanksgiving, as well as some less intimidating but equally perilous matchups against defensive masterminds like Brian Flores and a Colts team that is winless for now but may not stay dormant for long. If Meyer had a difficult time matching schematic acumen with the likes of David Culley and Zac Taylor, then Frank Reich, Sean McDermott and Kyle Shanahan will cause some problems.
Meyer coaches for one of the most pragmatic ownership groups in football, but failing to show any significant improvement over the course of this next stretch of games should challenge the Khan philosophy, even after it brought the team to the brink of Super Bowl contention. I’ll go as far as to say that this next stretch of games might be one of the most important in the history of the franchise from a developmental standpoint.
This is not some hyperbole; it’s just a recognition that Meyer should be given more of a runway if the Jaguars play well against their next few opponents and should, rightfully, seriously, be considered a one-and-done candidate if the team flounders. Thursday night’s loss to the Bengals was complicated in that the performance was Jacksonville’s best of the season. If the Jags were able to sustain their scripted first half, we’d be talking about a coach with far less pressure on his back.
The problem with a sober evaluation of Meyer at this point is that Jacksonville’s struggles are almost everyone’s fault, creating a bit of a cyclical chart of blame. The Jags are also battling the ingrained perceptions we have of both Lawrence and Meyer in the collegiate space, where they have been immediate, undeniable winners.
Lawrence has completed some of the most beautiful throws of the season, which obscures the moments when he’s missed an open read on a well-designed play, like most rookies will do from time to time. Darrell Bevell has called some bad football this year and has put Lawrence in disadvantageous spots, along with the time he has spent gobbling route concepts due to Lawrence’s high football acumen and obvious arm talent. But Bevell is also nowhere near the worst play-caller a rookie quarterback has inherited this year and has actually drawn up some inventive concepts to win matchups against some of the better defenses in the league right now. Jacksonville’s defense, which was starved this offseason in order to suit Meyer’s needs for an offense befitting of Lawrence, went into Thursday night’s game as the second-worst in the NFL, according to Football Outsiders’ DVOA projections, which makes it difficult to provide the offense with any additional edge.
Meyer, obviously, sits atop this organizational chart and will inherit a majority of the blame. This is especially true with a quarterback like Lawrence, who, unlike other rookies who may find themselves smeared by a coach unable to develop them, is so obviously talented and pro-ready that he possesses an unshakable position of power within the franchise.
The fear is that pouring blind faith into his operation with this season rapidly hurdling down the tubes will result in a dangerous game of I alone can fix this heading into the trade deadline. Jacksonville already traded its 2020 first-round pick, C.J. Henderson. Meyer could easily pass off the inherited blame on the state of the roster and receive a carte blanche on dealing some of the team’s underperforming assets in an effort to accumulate more draft capital.
Doing so would push Jacksonville further down a path that could end up yielding great results, or sinking the entirety of Lawrence’s rookie contract, which would be a devastating blow to the franchise. The Jaguars’ window of contention and relevance as a franchise opens next year, when Lawrence enters the second year of his team-friendly, five-year deal with a year of NFL experience and wisdom under his belt. The team should again be approaching $100 million in salary cap space and, at least at the moment, it possesses the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft; a class that seems to be ripe with franchise-altering defensive talent.
While there are no guarantees in life, Jaguars ownership could receive a window into the future over the coming weeks by looking closely enough. If the gradual improvement continues—and there should be plenty of neutral resources at their disposal to provide an assessment on Meyer’s in-game coaching ability, as well as the performance of his assistants against outmatched competition without obscuring the facts—they can fall back on their default mode and extend Meyer’s runway.
If, when met with a whiff of defeatism or dysfunction, power-grabbing or blame shedding, the first signs of something other than a humbled coach learning the ropes, they may have to do something that felt unthinkable a few months ago to save themselves in the long-term.
More NFL Coverage:
• Why Rookie QBs Should Consider Trade Demands
• 8 Things to Know: NFL Is Wide Open (NFC East Isn't)
• Mailbag: What Should We Make of Surprising Starts?
• Power Rankings: Rams for Real, Chiefs Still in Top 10
Report: Adam Wainwright, Cardinals Agree on Deal for His Return in 2022
The 40-year-old pitcher is 17–7 with a team-best 3.05 ERA this season.
Cardinals righthander Adam Wainwright has more than one reason to celebrate this week.
Not only will Wainwright, 40, start in the National League wild-card game Wednesday, but he and St. Louis have reportedly agreed to a deal for his return in 2022, according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick S. Goold. It's expected to be finalized and announced in a press conference Friday afternoon.
"He gets better as the game goes, he goes deep in games, he's a big-game pitcher," manager Mike Shildt said before the Cardinals' game Thursday, per ESPN.
Wainwright (17–7, 3.05 ERA) is having his best season since 2014, and his renaissance is one of the main reasons for his team's success. His consistency and workload (206 1/3 innings) held St. Louis together during its struggles this summer while some of its other pitchers were out with injuries. The Cardinals beat the Brewers 6–2 Tuesday night to clinch the second wild-card berth. It was the 17th straight win for St. Louis, and Wainwright was the game's winning pitcher.
Wainwright, who has spent his entire 16-year MLB career with the Cardinals, isn't a stranger to the postseason. In 28 playoff appearances, he has a 2.89 ERA.
More MLB Coverage:
• Will the Cardinals' Hot Streak Matter in the Playoffs?
• Ready for Chaos? Your Guide to MLB’s Wild Final Weekend
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Louisville's Problems Grow With New NCAA Allegations Following Chris Mack–Dino Gaudio Tiff
The school released an updated NCAA Notice of Allegations that includes three new Level II claims stemming from the audiotape Mack made of his former assistant.
The University of Louisville on Friday released an updated NCAA Notice of Allegations stemming from its involvement in the 2017 federal investigation of corruption in college basketball, and it contains more problems for the school and its men’s program.
The case, which has been diverted to the NCAA’s Independent Accountability Review Process, now contains three new allegations. All of them are Level II, which is considered major. The most severe violations are Level I. The amended Notice of Allegations (NOA) now contains one Level I charge and six Level II.
Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal /USA TODAY NETWORK
And the NOA now names head coach Chris Mack as having committed a Level II violation for a lack of head-coach responsibility. Mack’s contract with Louisville contains language stating that he can be fired for cause if found to have committed a “serious violation” (which would be Level I or II).
The new charges arise from the audiotape made by Mack of former assistant coach Dino Gaudio threatening to expose NCAA violations if he is not paid until September 2022. Gaudio was informed in March that his contract was not being renewed, and his extortion attempt of Mack ensued from that meeting.
FORDE: Mack Caught in Crosshairs of Ongoing Scandal Fallout
Gaudio pleaded guilty to a federal extortion charge in August and was sentenced to a one-year probation and a fine. The university also suspended Mack for the first six games of the 2021–22 season for his handling of the Gaudio situation. The school said that disciplinary action was not intended as damage control in terms of lessening additional potential NCAA sanctions, but it could be construed as helpful to Louisville’s argument for leniency.
However, that argument is now even more difficult with another layer of scandal added to the case. The amended NOA, which is now in the hands of the IARP’s Complex Case Unit, adds charges against Louisville for the following:
- Allowing graduate assistants, managers and non-coaching staff members to participate in impermissible on-court activities with current players.
- Producing and showing, playing, or providing personalized recruiting videos and recruiting aids to recruits containing their names, pictures and/or likenesses. In addition, staff members created personalized pamphlets and itineraries for recruits to be used on both official and unofficial visits.
It’s a borderline call whether those should be classified as Level II or III violations, but the CCU opted for Level II because they “were not isolated or limited, [and] provided or were intended to provide more than a minimal competitive advantage.”
Those violations led to the umbrella charge against Mack, who was cited because he “did not demonstrate that he promoted an atmosphere for compliance due to his personal involvement in the violations and/or the impermissible conduct being done at his direction.”
The context in which these violations occurred is the largest complication for Louisville. The school has been in the throes of NCAA investigation for years due to violations allegedly committed in the recruitment of five-star prospect Brian Bowen. That blew up very shortly after the previous scandal: a Louisville staffer paying escorts and strippers to perform sex acts for recruits and players.
In other words, the succession of violations has barely paused—and certainly hasn’t stopped—for the better part of a decade. Among the many men’s basketball programs caught up in the Southern District of New York investigation four years ago, none brings the baggage that Louisville has. And now it has added to it, risking enhanced penalties as a repeat violator.
At the far end of the NCAA penalty matrix, Louisville could be looking at a four-year postseason ban that would decimate the program. However, the NCAA hasn’t thrown that heavy a book at any program in a long time, and the current state of limbo over bylaws related to compensating players may further complicate an attempt to do so now.
In addition, Louisville has at least attempted to clean up its myriad messes. It administered its own postseason ban during the 2015–16 season. It fired Hall of Fame basketball coach Rick Pitino and entrenched athletic director Tom Jurich in '17, shortly after the SDNY scandal came to light. And it handed Mack a significant suspension that will impact the start of this season.
Louisville may not want to dismiss Mack, but the new NOA does hand it the means to do so inexpensively. The suspension indicates administrative displeasure with Mack’s handling of the Gaudio affair, and there was disappointment among the fan base with missing the NCAA tournament in 2020–21. But Mack has at least maintained the program’s competitiveness following Pitino, when things could have fallen apart. (And, of course, still may, depending on what sanctions may come.)
Louisville’s release announcing the updated NOA said that the case is expected to “continue through spring 2022.” Sources told Sports Illustrated that the same could be true for most (if not all) of the several pending SDNY cases, due to a reluctance to announce season-altering penalties during the season, which starts in early November. In other words, Louisville and most others working through the IARP’s meandering process could have something of a Stay Out of Jail Free card for the '21–22 season.
But the bills will come due eventually. And Louisville’s already lengthy tab just became that much more expensive.
Pat Forde October 02, 2021 at 12:13AMCincinnati, Even if Perfect, Could Miss the Playoff. Luke Fickell Has Notre Dame First.
There’s No Hiding for NWSL’s Culpable Leadership
NWSL players have had enough, and while Paul Riley’s alleged acts are not the only improper ones in recent months and years, they make for a tipping point.
Alex Morgan brought the receipts.
NWSL, commissioner Lisa Baird and other team executives can be sympathetic. Their sentiments can even be genuine. But what’s done can’t be erased by a crafted statement. Especially when those statements are effectively rendered inaccurate or incomplete by the receipts.
The Athletic shed light Thursday on a history of alleged sexual coercion on the part of Paul Riley, who is now the former coach of the North Carolina Courage and who has had his coaching license suspended by U.S. Soccer and been reported to the U.S. Center for SafeSport as a result. But those reactionary disciplinary moves are all part of the same systemic failure that has led to the players’ simply not being able to take it anymore. There will be no standing by silently, and there will be no deference to league leadership, especially a culpable selection of it that has nowhere to hide after a tipping-point moment, which was preceded by plenty of other incidents of alleged abuse that should have sounded the alarms at the highest level far sooner.
A number of players across the league spoke out following the revelations brought forward by Mana Shim and Sinead Farrelly in Thursday's investigative piece. Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn, Crystal Dunn, Christine Sinclair, Samantha Mewis and Lynn Williams and Nadia Nadim (the latter of whom lifted the lid on a whole slew of other alleged league improprieties) were among the many to voice their support for the players and anger at the league for allowing a culture where abuse could go either unpunished, unchecked or not fully investigated.
“We refuse to be silent any longer,” the NWSL players association said in a statement Thursday. “Our commitment as players is to speak truth to power. We will no longer be complicit in a culture of silence that has enabled abuse and exploitation in our league and in our sport.”
Morgan showed to what lengths the players are prepared to go. In response to Baird’s statement Thursday that she was “shocked and disgusted to read the new allegations” that were reported, Morgan shared a screen-shotted email exchange between Farrelly and Baird in which the former was attempting to discuss those very allegations back in April 2021. According to Baird, at the time, “the initial complaint was investigated to conclusion” in ’15, long before she became commissioner. That’s that.
As for Morgan, she said, “The league was informed of these allegations multiple times and refused multiple times to investigate the allegations. The league must accept responsibility for a process that failed to protect its own players from this abuse.”
Riley’s story is just the latest in a series of black marks on the league’s operations. And Baird’s referring Farrelly to the league’s current “commitment to creating and maintaining a safe and respectful work environment” doesn’t exactly hold up well. The current culture evidently is how OL Reign hired a coach, Farid Benstiti, who had a history of verbal abuse involving U.S. women's national team midfielder Lindsey Horan while the two were at PSG, was then hired by the club and then promptly forced to resign—but allowed to do so amid flowery language and well wishes—due to another similar incident. That was according to The Washington Post, whose reporting Thursday was confirmed by Reign CEO Bill Predmore at a Friday press conference.
“The decision to hire Farid was mine and I accept responsibility for that, and I think in hindsight I got it wrong. How people wish to hold me accountable, I don’t think it’s for me to decide,” Predmore said.
It goes beyond what’s happened in Portland, North Carolina and Tacoma as well. It’s how the Utah Royals had to be sold and pop up as a new franchise in Kansas City due to a toxic culture perpetuated by former owner Dell Loy Hansen. It's how the Washington Spirit employed coach Richie Burke and continue to be owned by Stephen Baldwin amid reports of a toxic, abusive culture within that club. It’s how Alyse LaHue, now former general manager of NJ/NY Gotham FC, was fired for reportedly and vaguely violating anti-harrassment protocols. It’s how Christy Holly was fired by Racing Louisville FC “for cause,” though the reasons for that have not been divulged. Even Angel City FC, whose entry to the league along with San Diego next season is cause for excitement and eager anticipation, hasn't been immune, with one of its many investors facing serious allegations of sexual improprieties before the club ultimately distanced itself from him. It’s been an absolutely brutal period for the league when it comes to its own HQ and its franchises around the U.S. either vetting people hired to positions of power or holding them accountable when they do harm.
NWSL took the extraordinary measure of calling off the matches slated to be played this weekend, “given the gravity of the events of the last week,” while releasing a statement from Baird that alluded to the previous infractions.
Andrea Vilchez/SPP/Sipa USA
“This week, and much of this season, has been incredibly traumatic for our players and staff, and I take full responsibility for the role I have played,” Baird wrote. “I am so sorry for the pain so many are feeling. Recognizing that trauma, we have decided not to take the field this weekend to give everyone some space to reflect. Business as usual isn’t our concern right now. Our entire league has a great deal of healing to do, and our players deserve so much better. We have made this decision in collaboration with our players association and this pause will be the first step as we collectively work to transform the culture of this league, something that is long overdue.”
Baird, for all of the praise she deserves for taking over the league at the onset of the pandemic, guiding it through the early throes with a successfully executed bubble tournament, bringing on additional sponsorship and broadcast exposure and then overseeing the addition of further expansion, deserves to be held accountable for all that's transpired, and her saying, “I take full responsibility” really carries weight only if she resigns. She’s not the first organization head to “take full responsibility,” only to carry on in her role in the immediate aftermath of scandal, and she certainly won’t be the last, but if she does indeed see this out, there’s a league full of players with whom she has to rebuild a whole lot of trust. And beyond that, the league and all its clubs need to be exponentially more mindful of who is hired in leadership positions and how any and all malfeasance is handled. Those who have enabled and empowered this toxic environment over the last number of years need more than just a serious rethink. The workforce won’t settle for anything less.
“I think we need to be asking questions of ourselves,” Predmore added in his press conference. “Everybody involved in the league needs to be looking at the things that we’ve done in the past and figure out a better way forward.”
It's another well-crafted statement, even if his came in direct response to a question. Whether the proper actions will follow is all that matters.
More Soccer Coverage:
Avi Creditor October 01, 2021 at 11:59PMCollege Football Week 5 Bets: Odds, Lines, Spreads, Analysis & Picks
A closer look at several key Week 5 NCAAF games for bettors to target among Saturday's college football slate.
As the calendar flips to October, college football fans are gearing up for a fantastic Saturday slate. SI Betting has targeted three tremendous matchups bettors should look to exploit.
Week 5 Betting Breakdown
Indiana Hoosiers at Penn State Nittany Lions
•Spread: Indiana +12.5 (-110) | Penn State -12.5 (-110)
•Moneyline: Indiana (+400) | Penn State (-500)
•Total: 52.5– Over (-110) | Under 52.5 (-110)
•Public (Spread) Betting Percentages: IND 36% | PSU: 64%
•Game Info: Saturday October 2, 2021 7:30 pm ET | ABC
The line has risen since No. 6 Penn State opened as a -9.5-point favorite as money continues to arrive backing the Nittany Lions over Indiana (2-2 SU; 1-3 ATS) with a line currently displaying Penn State as 12.5-point favorites at SI Sportsbook.
Penn State (4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS) has outscored its four opponents by a combined score of 126-60. Senior quarterback Sean Clifford ranks third in the Big Ten through four games throwing for 1,158 yards and eight touchdowns.
While earning wins over Idaho and Western Kentucky that fail to move the needle, Indiana has lost by a wide margin when they have faced ranked competition. The Hoosiers have lost to Iowa and Cincinnati by a combined 42 points. Although Penn State has won eight of the last 10 matchups against Indiana, the Nittany Lions will have revenge on their mind after seeing their six-game winning streak over Indiana snapped when they lost last season 36-35 in overtime.
Happy Valley, at night, bettors should expect a “white-out” in the stands and domination on the field.
SI BET: Penn State -12.5 (-110)
By The Data
Gary Cosby, Marvin Gentry/USA TODAY Sports
Mississippi Rebels vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
•Spread: Mississippi +14.5 (-110) | Alabama -14.5 (-110)
•Moneyline: Mississippi (+475) | Alabama (-600)
•Total: 79.5– Over (-110) | Under 779.5 (-110)
•Public (Spread) Betting Percentages: MISS: 48% | ALA: 52%
•Game Info: Saturday October 2, 2021 3:30 pm EST | CBS
The line has slightly ticked up since its opening in favor of No. 1 Alabama (4-0; 2-2 ATS) as 14-point favorites over No. 12 Mississippi (3-0 SU; 2-0-1 ATS) at SI Sportsbook to a line now standing at 14.5-points in favor of the Crimson Tide.
Pay attention to the massive line movement in this matchup involving the total points in this matchup. The total opened at 76.5 and has since risen three points to a total now displaying a demand of 79.5.
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Mississippi will be looking to end Alabama’s dominance in the series as the Tide has won five straight games dating back to 2016. The Vegas steam believes the efficiency of Matt Corral and the Mississippi No. 5 SEC passing attack will make this a back-and-forth matchup. Corral has completed 72.7 % of his passes, producing 997 yards and nine touchdowns with zero interceptions.
Last season’s matchup produced 15 touchdowns in a 63-38 win by Alabama. Look for this game to be close between these two high-powered SEC rivals with plenty of points scored. Back the over on the total on Saturday.
By The Data
- The two teams combine to average 99.2 points per game, 20.2 more than the total in this contest.
- The 73.3 PPG average total in Rebels games this season is only 5.7 points fewer than this game's over/under.
SI BET: OVER 79.5 (-110)
Washington Huskies vs. Oregon State Beavers
•Spread: Washington +1.5 (-110) | Oregon St -1.5(-110)
•Moneyline: Washington (+105) | Oregon St (-120)
•Total: 57– Over (-110) | Under 57 (-110)
•Public (Spread) Betting Percentages: WSH: 41% | OGST: 59%
•Game Info: Saturday October 2, 2021 9:00 pm EST | Pac-12 Network
The line has flipped from its opening of Washington as 2.5-point road favorites to a spread displaying Oregon State as a 1.5-point home favorite over the Huskies. Money continues to arrive on the Beavers at SI Sportsbook.
Oregon State (3-1 SU; 3-1 ATS) will be looking for their second straight Pac-12 win after defeating USC 45-27 as 10-point road underdogs. On the flip side, Washington (2-2 SU; 1-3 ATS) will be looking to extend their winning streak to three games after wins over California and Arizona State.
Oregon State’s B.J. Baylor (442), who leads the conference averaging 105.5 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, will now face a Washington run defense that ranks second to last in the conference allowing 101.8 rushing yards per game and six touchdowns through four games. Baylor is likely the key to an Oregon State victory on Saturday.
By The Data
- Washington is 8-0 SU in its last eight games against Oregon State dating back to 2012
- Oregon State is 3-1 against the spread and overall this season when the team notches more than 17.8 points.
SI BET: Oregon State ML (-120)
SI BET REVIEW
2021 SI Betting NCAA Football: 6-7 ATS
2020 SI Betting NCAA Football: 31-21 ATS
2020 SI Betting Bowl Selections: 7-2 ATS
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help: Call 1-800-522-4700
Frankie Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program ever offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Frankie is SI Betting's Senior Analyst and provides his significant experience and resources in the sports betting scene. You can follow Frankie on Twitter @Frankie_Fantasy for his latest betting and fantasy insights from Las Vegas.
Frankie Taddeo October 01, 2021 at 11:41PM‘It Will Be Good to See Our Dad Come Home’: Kofi Kingston Welcomes Tom Brady Back to New England
As a devoted Patriots fan, the wrestler is still coming to terms with Brady’s departure after watching him play for nearly two decades.
Tom Brady returns to Gillette Stadium this Sunday and it promises to be a peculiar sight: Brady will wear the orange and pewter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as he plays against the New England Patriots, the team with whom he won his first six Super Bowl titles.
In wrestling parlance, Brady leaving the Pats was not a heel turn—if anything, it was an opportunity for him to turn face in the eyes of the rest of the nation. But for football fans in New England, it was devastating to see Brady leave what had been his only NFL franchise, further compounded when he teamed up with another ex-Patriot (and former WWE 24/7 champion) Rob Gronkowski in Tampa to win yet another Super Bowl.
Courtesy of WWE
Kofi Kingston is a proud native of New England. As a devoted Patriots fan, he is still coming to terms with Brady’s departure after watching him play with New England for nearly two decades.
“I’ll never cheer against the Patriots, but I’ll always cheer for Tom Brady,” says Kingston. “But I’m excited for the game. It will be good to see our dad come home.”
The Patriots and Bucs are coming off defeats, and both teams could benefit from a victory on Sunday. But there is a lot more at stake than one game in the win-loss column as Brady and his defending Super Bowl champion Bucs meet Bill Belichick’s Patriots.
“It’s going to be a really interesting game,” says Kingston. “There’s obviously the rivalry between Brady and Belichick, all about who was the main one responsible for all the Super Bowls. And the Bucs are very, very good. The Patriots are very clearly the underdogs in this situation with such a young team, but we’ll see. Hopefully Belichick can scheme something up to confuse Brady out there.”
After a year with Cam Newton starting under center, the Patriots are now led by rookie quarterback Mac Jones, who has shown glimpses of a bright future in the first three games of the season.
“It’s a different kind of year for us,” says Kingston. “I don’t want to say it’s a rebuilding year, but we have Mac as our quarterback and he’s a rookie. He’s trying to find himself and get his feet wet, and that’s going to take some time.”
Even with all his appreciation for all that Brady has accomplished, Kingston would like to see the Patriots pull off the victory.
“I think it’s going to be a great game,” says Kingston. “Brady’s going to be in ‘Psycho Tom’ mode, as Skip Bayless likes to say. It will be great to see him in Foxborough again, but I’m pulling for the Pats.”
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
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