Posts

Local rivals Espanyol were able to secure a 1-0 victory over the Blaugrana in the first leg of their recent Copa del Rey quarter-final. Ernesto Valverde’s side were able to turn the tie on its ahead back at Camp Nou to secure a place in the last four, and now they will be looking to avoid a further slip-up at the RCDE Stadium. The home side have not won any of their last 10 league matches on their own patch, and Barca will be hopeful of taking another step towards the Primera Division title....

Luis Suarez is currently sidelined with a knee injury, while Neymar has been sold to PSG for a world-record €222 million fee. As such, Alcacer leads the line and will be flanked by both Deulofeu and Messi. Gerard Pique, meanwhile, is on the bench after suffering a groin strain, with Javier Mascherano and Samuel Umtiti at centre-back. Barca have struggled for form in recent weeks, losing comprehensively to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup prior to the resumption of La Liga....

Appearing on Fox News on Thursday night, Barr said mail-in voting plans were “grossly irresponsible” and threatened the integrity of the coming presidential and congressional races, despite research showing little voter fraud takes place among voters using mail-in ballots. The attorney general also told Fox News host Sean Hannity that it was “reckless and wrong” to conduct elections solely through mail-in ballots. “To do this when we’re a closely divided country as we are is playing with fire in my view,” Barr told Hannity last night....

After the game, teammates showered the 37-year-old Zito with beer and champagne, according to CBS Sports. MORE: MLB’s worst contracts | Cal Ripken Jr. was more than just an iron man The former Cy Young winner with the A’s won’t be promoted this month to finish the season for the team on which he rose to stardom. It’s possible Zito won’t pitch again as a professional. For the season, the lefty finished with a 3....

One baseball sails over the outfield wall, then two. MORE: Opening day 2016 schedule | Baseball politics getting ugly too Ichiro Suzuki then steps in, peppering baseballs across the outfield. It’s just another routine day at camp — a place where Stanton, Suzuki, ace pitcher Jose Fernandez share the same parking lot with baseball legends Barry Bonds, Don Mattingly, Andre Dawson, Tony Perez, Jeff Conine and Jack McKeon. In a 50-square-foot radius are seven current and former stars who combined for 2,309 home runs, 9,175 RBIs, 16,204 hits and 2,927 doubles....

Former linebacker Bart Scott used to play in Ryan’s system, and he doesn’t agree with Dareus – at all. The current radio personality spoke on CBS Sports Radio’s “DA Show” and couldn’t understand the nose tackle’s perspective. “That might sum the whole thing up — because that’s the guy that you gave $100 million,” Scott said about Dareus’ comments. “Instead of reading his playbook, he was too busy lighting up....

That warm sense of everything going well is usually the body temperature at the center of the herd. Invariably, the majority is wildly bullish and fully invested at the top of a market and are gloomy and have a lot of cash and short positions at the bottom. The trouble with being a contrarian these days is figuring out which way the crowd is going. I’m very bullish on U....

The midfielder is said to be in negotiations with the Glasgow club regarding an exit payoff following a training ground bust-up which led to a six-week suspension. Barton, 34, was at the center of a fracas with teammates including Andy Halliday after the Ibrox side had fallen to a 5-1 defeat to Old Firm rival Celtic in September. The one-time capped Englishman had been ordered to return to training with the development squad after his ban had been lifted, but the drama has taken a fresh twist....

That message? Getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame is hard. The committee considered 10 candidates whose greatest contributions to baseball came between 1947 and 1972, and decided that none of those contributions were deserving of baseball’s highest honor. Dick Allen and Tony Oliva each earned 11 votes — one shy of the necessary 12 to be voted in — while Jim Kaat (10), Maury Wills (9) and Minnie Minosa (8) each got 50 percent or more of the necessary votes....

Piazza’s entry to the Hall means that he is no longer the best catcher on the outside looking in. So who is? And what about the other positions. Let’s take a look. MORE: Ranking the 25 worst Baseball Hall of Famers Catcher: Ted Simmons An eight-time All-Star in his career with the Cardinals, Brewers and Braves, Simmons got support from just 3.7 percent of the voters in the 1994 Hall of Fame election, and was bounced off the ballot after one year....

If you’ve followed baseball’s Hall of Fame process at all over the past several years, you’ve no doubt heard voters — including myself (often) — complain about a crowded ballot. And you’re probably annoyed by now, either at us grumbling voters or at the Hall, which has long limited eligible BBWAA voters to 10 check marks on a ballot that includes 30-something players who made the cut. MORE: Derek Jeter tops list of newcomers on 2020 HOF ballot...

The problem is money. It’s always money. Without fans in the stands, owners reportedly want players to accept a revenue-sharing plan for whatever form the 2020 season takes. The MLBPA sees that as a defacto salary cap, and to the union, that’s a nonstarter. The posturing has begun. Both sides are digging in their heels, prepared for a fight. That’s a horrible, horrible idea. A strike/lockout is never going to sit well with anyone, but right now, when the coronavirus pandemic has shut down the nation?...

The Kalamazoo Growlers clearly watched the Oscars, because they're breaking out a #SaluteToSelfie jersey. Details for how to submit your selfie can be found here. — SN’s ultimate MLB jersey-buying guide

For 22 years now, Dan McLaughlin has not only worked from Busch Stadium, he’s been the play-by-play voice for the Cardinals on Fox Sports Midwest TV broadcasts. Safe to say, it’s a dream come true. McLaughlin spent a half-hour on the phone with Sporting News earlier this week, talking about his job, his life and his favorite moments in the booth. MORE VOICES: Gary Cohen | Jessica Mendoza | Victor Rojas | Len Kasper | Jim Powell...

Although Christian ministers say their congregations aren’t shrinking–and black evangelical numbers are growing slightly–some leaders are worrying about the church’s ability to attract young people in the country’s toughest neighborhoods. About one third of the 4 million to 5 million Muslims in the United States are African-Americans, and at its current rapid rate of growth, Islam will become the second largest religion in the United States by the year 2000....

The France international became the most expensive player in the world when he left Juventus in favour of a return to Old Trafford ahead of the 2016-17 campaign, but many expect Pogba to lose that title as transfer fees continue to rise. Nevertheless, Reschke predicts there will be now be fewer deals of such value as the best players are already at the top clubs, and they are unwilling to sell their stars....

The right-back was set to remain in Munich instead of making the trip to Dortmund as he had been suffering from stomach problems. Dortmund 5/2 to beat Bayern The Germany international was kept out of the starting XI for the Champions League game against Celtic in midweek, but came on in the late stages. Jerome Boateng was also a doubt but takes a place on the bench, while Niklas Sule lines up in defence alongside Mats Hummels....

The newly crowned Bundesliga champions have already completed deals for Germany internationals Sebastian Rudy and Niklas Sule from fellow Bundesliga top-four side Hoffenheim. Madrid beat Barca to Vinicius Jr. While Schalke have warned Bayern off moving for midfielder Leon Goretzka, Alexis Sanchez has been strongly linked with a switch to the Allianz Arena and Rummenigge said talks with Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti have produced a list of players to pursue....

Maybe now people will start to believe the fifth-ranked Bears are really good. MORE: Oregon loses | Week 11 photos | Who we picked They're still undefeated after a 41-12 victory over 12th-ranked Oklahoma on Thursday night in their first big test of the season. "We're just talented, man. We're committed. I think that's all you can say about it," Petty said. "It's a very special team." Baylor (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) scored twice in the final minute before halftime and stretched its school-record winning streak to 12 games since a loss at Oklahoma last November....