Daily Archives: September 7, 2022

Nobody is sounding the trumpets this week.

The Atlanta Braves are on a roll and have tied the New York Mets in the NL East, setting up a pretty fun September. The Braves have won six in a row. The Mets have lost three in a row. The Mets' reasonably comfortable lead is gone. Both teams sit at 85-51.

The Mets are still -185 to win the NL East at BetMGM as of Wednesday morning. There's value on the Braves at +150. They came back to win the division last season. Then they won the World Series.

The Mets' offense has been in a slump. That's why they're in danger of losing first place in the NL East for the first time since taking the lead all the way back on April 12.

Both teams play on Wednesday afternoon, and the Mets have a doubleheader. The Mets are -250 favorites in the first game over the Pittsburgh Pirates, but maybe nothing should be assumed during this slump. Jacob deGrom is starting the second game and the Mets should be an even bigger favorite for that game. The Braves are also favorites, at -275 over the Oakland A's.

The best reason the Mets are still favored to win the division is their top-end pitching, and that could end up carrying them home to the NL East title. But the Braves have a really good roster, bolstered after last season's World Series win by some exciting rookies. They also have the momentum.

There are sure to be some nervous moments in New York over the last 26 games of the season. You knew it wouldn't be easy for the Mets.

Brandon Nimmo of the New York Mets comes up short on a catch attempt against the Pirates. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)

Here's a first look at the sports betting slate on Wednesday?

Well, there is some Champions League soccer. Yahoo Sportsbook's Nick Bromberg talked about that earlier this week. But other than that, it's mostly just MLB.

It's OK. We all know what's coming on Thursday night.

Due to a couple doubleheaders, we have 17 games in total. The New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins are the other doubleheader on the schedule. The Yankees are favored in both games, -160 in the first game and -200 in the second.

Story continues

The Twins are part of a fun race in the AL Central. They're 1.5 games behind the Cleveland Guardians, who are -140 favorites at the Kansas City Royals. If the odds are an indication, the Guardians could lead the division by three games after Wednesday.

We'll go off the board a bit and take the Braves to win the division as the best bet. Lock that in now while you're getting a good number. There's no great reason the Braves should be +150 after tying up the NL East on Tuesday night. They're a good team with a championship pedigree now, and there's going to be a lot of pressure on the Mets.

Go here to see the original:

The Daily Sweat: The Mets need some wins to hold off hard-charging Braves - Yahoo Sports

This is not a rebuild

I repeat: This is not a rebuild.

Thats effectively what New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis has said for the past two offseasons despite losing Drew Brees to retirement after the 2020 season and then losing head coach Sean Payton after the 2021 season.

"I think our team feels confident in our ability, but there's so many variables that go into a season, Loomis said at the start of training camp this year. But we're not a rebuild. This isn't a rebuild, I guess is the best way to describe it. Yeah, we think we can win now."

He proved that this offseason by circumventing the traditional teardown roster strategy.

Instead of trading away key assets to bolster draft capital, Loomis traded up twice in the 2022 draft to select Ohio State receiver Chris Olave with the 11th overall pick and then grab Northern Iowa offensive tackle Trevor Penning with the 19th overall pick. Instead of pinching pennies in free agency, Loomis paid for veteran players like receiver Jarvis Landry and safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye, all while clearing $110 million in cap space primarily by pushing big cap hits to future years.

And finally, Loomis didnt go out and mortgage the future by acquiring a new quarterback even though there were many available this offseason. He re-signed Jameis Winston to give the position some semblance of continuity with the majority of the offensive coaching staff returning under new head coach Dennis Allen, who was promoted from defensive coordinator.

With all of these moves, Loomis and the Saints are trying to pull off one of the hardest things in the NFL: a soft reboot of the roster without a succession plan at quarterback.

And it just might work.

The New Orleans Saints aren't rebuilding despite the retirement of Drew Brees and the stepping away of Sean Payton the last two years. (Amber Matsumoto/Yahoo Sports)

One of the tenets of Loomis roster-building strategy, according to his former boss, colleague and ex-Saints GM Randy Mueller, is to never get rid of good players. The idea is simple enough because it guarantees some level of consistency across your roster and keeps the team at least as competitive as in years past, barring injury or decline in production.

Story continues

He's seen the work that they've done to get these players. Why would we change course now? Mueller told Yahoo Sports. He just wants to add to it that, that's why you see some of these signings. And that's always been our philosophy.

Take a look at what the Saints will look like in 2022. They return most of the key contributors to their 2021 defense, which finished third in Football Outsiders defensive DVOA but replaced safety Marcus Williams with Mathieu and Maye. Running back Alvin Kamara is back. Receiver Michael Thomas is back and healthy. The offensive line is mostly intact save for Terron Armstead, who earned a lucrative deal with the Miami Dolphins in free agency. And Winston is recovered from his Week 8 ACL tear.

Loomis then added a good possession receiver in Landry and injected the dynamic Olave to supercharge Winstons receiving corps.

I think they're gonna be one of the better teams in the league, in my opinion, Mueller said, if they get some consistent play from the quarterback. I think they're better this year than they were last year.

Loomis has done the complete teardown before. When he replaced Mueller in 2002, Loomis traded star running back Ricky Williams to the Miami Dolphins for four picks, including two first-rounders, sent Pro Bowl tackle Willie Roaf to the Kansas City Chiefs, and let defensive tackle LaRoi Glover walk in free agency. All in one offseason.

And It didnt work.

The Saints toiled in mediocrity for years before Loomis hired Payton and traded for Brees in 2006. That year, the Saints immediately won the division and made it to the divisional round of the playoffs. Loomis' previous team, the Seattle Seahawks, went to the postseason just four times during his 15-year tenure before he followed Mueller to New Orleans in 2000.

So forgive Loomis if he doesnt want to go back to being a bottom-half NFL franchise again.

The Saints didnt have a firm quarterback plan in place for a post-Brees world (despite Paytons Taysom Hill experience), so Loomis is once again banking on the former No. 1 overall pick in Winston to play well enough to keep the Saints afloat in 2022.

Thats a risky decision when you consider the successful succession strategies with the Green Bay Packers (from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers) and Kansas City Chiefs (from Alex Smith to Patrick Mahomes), but Winston proved to be a more-than-serviceable quarterback for the Saints before his season-ending ACL tear in Week 8.

He had the highest touchdown percentage of any quarterback through the first seven weeks of the season and only threw three interceptions up to that point. His 102.4 passer rating ranked 11th and his yards per competition ranked eighth. Winstons completion percentage and passing yards were below average, but the Saints still held a 5-2 record before his injury.

I don't think they're expecting Jameis to elevate everybody else, Mueller said. They just want him to be functional and understand the system and make the plays that come his way. They don't need a hero.

[It's fantasy football season: Create or join a league now!]

Winston initially only signed a one-year deal in 2021, so that left a possible opening for the Saints to go out and upgrade their quarterback in the draft, free agency or in a trade this offseason. Even though the Saints were at one point among the suitors for Deshaun Watson (who ended up being suspended 11 games anyway), Loomis eventually determined that Winston was their best option and re-signed him to a two-year deal. They didnt target a quarterback in a draft class perceived to be weak or sign any else in free agency like Mitchell Trubisky or Marcus Mariota.

They put the best spin on what they had available right now, Mueller said. I don't think the Saints are turning their back on the future of the quarterback. They just think Jameis gives him the best chance this year and they'll figure it out next year if he doesn't for whatever reason.

There are effectively three different methods of moving your team forward after losing a franchise-level player, depending on ownership: a complete teardown, where a brand new GM and coaching staff jettison expensive or aging players for draft picks and salary cap relief; a partial teardown, where certain players are traded away but the front office and coaches remain mostly intact (think the Seahawks right now); and then the Saints reboot, with the same front office, roster and most of the coaching staff.

Once the Saints opted to keep Loomis and promote Allen to head coach in lieu of making an outside hire, they decided on a direction that would ultimately lean into aggressive roster construction.

Trading up to draft Olave helped the Saints find what they believe to be the missing piece of their offense. They also brought in veterans to round out the shaky depth spots across the roster. And they didn't trade away key pieces that have fueled their recent history.

The other issue with a true rebuild? You never know when youll get out of one. Look at the New York Jets, whove missed the playoffs a league-leading 11 consecutive seasons. Or the Detroit Lions, who finally embraced a true teardown by trading away long-time quarterback Matthew Stafford for a bevy of picks in 2021.

For the Saints, they felt this was the best path forward.

It's the only way I ever would've thought of doing it, Mueller said. I'm not surprised that they're trying to put the best team forward this year as they can. And I think every year you should be all in.

Read more:

The Saints lost Drew Brees and Sean Payton and still opted not to rebuild. Will it work? - Yahoo Sports

Bronny James is entering his senior year of high school, coming off a great summer and European tour with his high school team, Sierra Canyon, last month. LeBron James' oldest son has kept his recruitment under wraps his entire high school career, but a few schools are starting to emerge as viable options and official visits are being scheduled for the fall.

His first visit took place over the weekend as Bronny, LeBron and agent Rich Paul traveled to Columbus, Ohio, and were seen on the sideline ahead of the Ohio State-Notre Dame football game. Ohio State's student section started chanting, "We want Bronny," after spotting them.

Where else will Bronny potentially visit this fall and where will he end up playing next season? Yahoo Sports takes a look at the teams known to be in on James, how he would fit within the program and other high school recruits who could be joining him.

If there's a preconceived favored program, Ohio State is it.

Bronny was born in Columbus, LeBron was born and raised in Akron, and has said in the past that if he didn't play basketball, he would have been a wide receiver and played at Ohio State. The university is sponsored by LeBron's Nike division, with athletes on the men's and women's basketball teams wearing LeBron-designed shoes and the football team outfitted in his designed cleats. LeBron has been to multiple sporting events at Ohio State over the years and it would be a bit of a homecoming if Bronny chose to play for Chris Holtmann and his staff.

The Buckeyes do a great job developing guards and have a handful of notable alumni currently in the NBA: D'Angelo Russell, Mike Conley Jr., Duane Washington Jr. and most recently, the No. 20 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, Malaki Branham. The Buckeyes finished last season 20-12 and fourth in the Big Ten.

Ohio State already has two commitments in the 2023 high school class: four-star power forward Devin Royal and center Austin Parks. There's availability and room for Bronny to come in and compete for early playing time. He's one of the best on-ball defenders in his class and has a solid jumper. He's a plug-and-play guard who is getting more comfortable as the primary ball-handler.

Story continues

LeBron James, left, poses with his Bronny James after a Sierra Canyon High School basketball game in 2019. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

There was a report from On3 Sports that named Oregon as the front-runner. LeBron quickly shut down that speculation stating in a tweet, "He hasnt taken 1 visit yet and has only had a few calls with coaches and universities. When Bronny makes his choice youll hear it from him."

Oregon is the flagship school for the Nike brand and head coach Dana Altman has already landed top players in the 2023 high school class. Five-star Kwame Evans and four-star Mookie Cook have already committed to the Ducks along with four-star guard Jackson Shelstad. Cook was actually cast to play a young LeBron in the feature film about his childhood and high school career coming out next year and filmed the movie this past summer.

"It's kind of hard to play LeBron because he's literally one of one," Cook told Yahoo Sports. "Of course I watched a ton of film and just the way he saw the game at that young of an age, man, he's something else."

Bronny teaming up with the player who played his father in a movie would be fun to watch on the court, but LeBron made it very clear they're still early in the process and reports that Oregon is the early leader appear to be false.

Head coach Juwan Howard and LeBron have had a great relationship for years. Howard has made back-to-back trips to the Sweet 16 in his first two seasons as head coach and has turned around the program.

There are always a handful of things to consider when choosing a college program. Howard played in the NBA for 19 seasons and was an assistant coach when LeBron played for the Miami Heat and won two championships in South Florida. Trusting a coach and his staff to push Bronny each day at practice could give Michigan a slight edge.

The only thing that could hurt Michigan's chances of landing Bronny is Michigan is a Jordan Brand-sponsored school. This might not seem like a big deal, but to put things in perspective, all Bronny's other potential college programs are sponsored by Nike. Bronny has played on Nike-sponsored teams his entire high school career. LeBron is one of Nike's biggest athletes and the name, image and likeness opportunities that could surround Bronny will undoubtedly be considered.

The Wolverines don't have a commitment from any player in the 2023 high school recruiting class yet but are in a good spot with five-star Isaiah Collier and four-star center Papa Kante. Bronny has played alongside top guards his entire high school career; he played with NBA guards Brandon Boston Jr. and Ziaire Williams, and played off the ball last year alongside UCLA freshman Amari Bailey.

Head coach Andy Enfield and two assistants sat courtside at every one of Bronny's games at Nike's Peach Jam in July. USC is the hometown school and would be relatively easy for LeBron and the rest of the family to be at home games when schedules permit. Bronny's little brother, Bryce, is only a sophomore and will be playing varsity this season with his older brother. Bryce is starting to come into his own game, listed at 6-foot-5 and Bronny would be only an hour away and could still be close to family.

USC finished last season 26-8 and third in the Pac-12. The Trojans don't have a commitment for the 2023 high school class yet but are in a good spot with James, and five-star prospects A.J. Johnson and Isaiah Collier.

Penny Hardaway is the most recent head coach to get involved in Bronny's recruitment. Similar to Howard and Michigan, Hardaway brings pro experience to the college level and has landed top players in the past. James Wiseman, Precious Achiuwa and Jalen Duren all played under Hardaway and were first-round NBA draft picks. Last year, Hardaway landed the top recruit in the nation, Emoni Bates, but due to injuries, Bates didn't play a ton his freshman year and ended up transferring to Eastern Michigan in his hometown.

Last season, Hardaway added Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown to his coaching staff. The knowledge and depth the pair bring will be intriguing for the James family and an option to explore. Right now, Memphis is in a good spot with one of the top point guards in the class, D.J. Wagner Jr., but has yet to land a player in the 2023 high school class.

Read more:

Where will Bronny James play next year? A breakdown of his top schools - Yahoo Sports

AEW owner Tony Khan gestures to the crowd. (Photo Credit: AEW)

A year ago, Tony Khan and AEW were in the midst of a pro wrestling revolution. Sure, the company had been around since 2019, but last summer Khans promotion was able to sign and debut three massive talents all wildly popular with fans in a matter of weeks.

The debuts of Adam Cole, Bryan Danielson and CM Punk should have represented the start of one of the most exciting times in the companys brief history, unlocking myriad potential matchups most enthusiasts had only dreamed of. Instead, AEW was forced to scramble somewhat over the past 10 months due to several health issues among its three new signings as well as three of the company stalwarts in Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega.

Looking back at a year with these wrestlers, its been the strangest thing because of the availability, Khan told Yahoo Sports. We had the first three champions in the history of AEW Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega and then we added these three stars in the summer of last year. Within a couple of months, Omega, due to a variety of injuries, had to step away in November. Moxley, for his personal health, had to step away in November and right after that, Jericho had a blood clot. All of a sudden we went from having these six huge stars on top of the talent up and down the card to having our first three champions need to take time for their health.

The absence of three foundational stars forced Khan to adapt, quickly crafting programs involving Cole, Danielson and Punk against other talent in MJF, then-champion Adam Hangman Page, and Orange Cassidy. As AEW continued to march along during the first half of the year, leading up to one of the companies signature events, Double or Nothing, it seemed as if the roster had finally turned a corner health-wise.

Although Omega, one of AEWs executive vice presidents, was still recuperating, Jericho and Moxley returned in peak physical form and provided an extra level of star power.

Story continues

Once again, however, the injury bug struck and AEW would lose newly crowned champion Punk to a foot injury, Cole to a torn labrum and concussion, and Danielson to a concussion.

We felt like things were really clicking and then boom, we lose Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson on the same night to injury and CM Punk gets hurt not long after, Khan said. It all happened in the matter of about a week. The summer was way different than what we had planned, but thankfully we had Jericho and Mox back.

Complicating matters was the fact that Khan and AEW were on the cusp of launching an entirely new tentpole pay-per-view event, Forbidden Door, where AEW talent would compete against overseas stars from New Japan Pro Wrestling. All of a sudden, AEW needed to crown a new, interim, world champion, setting the stage for a reinvigorated Moxley and Japanese wrestling legend Hiroshi Tanahashi to square off.

I think Forbidden Door was the most challenging pay-per-view weve ever put together, Khan said. People dont know half of the stories about the challenges. It was really pushing and pulling to get the wrestlers from New Japan sooner than they were originally scheduled to arrive. New Japan worked with me and we got Will Ospreay and Tanahashi in a little earlier than planned. Nobody will know the full plans, but Ive publicly admitted there were some really cool matches that had to change in the build to Forbidden Door and that changed the rest of the summer.

Moxley versus Tanahashi lived up to the hype, with the former AEW champion emerging as the winner and essentially becoming the driving force behind the company for a summer that looked to be uncertain at best.

It was a fitting, full-circle moment for Moxley, who stepped away from the company last November to seek treatment for an admitted alcohol addiction.

CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 26: Jon Moxley in the ring during the AEW Dynamite - Beach Break taping on January 26, 2022, at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

[Since hes been back] His mind is clearer, his body is healthier, hes leaner, hes more fun, hes having a better time, Khan said. Jons always been a great professional and great to work with, but honestly hes been better than ever since he got himself totally clean and sober. A total breath of fresh air since his return. Its fitting that he had this great run throughout the summer and is the AEW champion. Hes been one of the driving forces that has helped us beat this injury bug.

The burden on Moxley and Jericho would be lifted as the summer went on, as Danielson returned to action in July and then Punk and Omega in August at two of AEWs bigger shows, Quake at the Lake and House of the Dragon a direct tie-in to one of the most coveted and successful intellectual properties in entertainment, requested by Warner Bros. Discovery, AEW and HBOs parent company.

It was great to get Danielson back at the end of July after he had been gone for a few months and he has been a huge part of the show since he returned, Khan said. He had a great comeback match with Daniel Garcia it was more than a great match, I believe it was a star-making bout for Garcia. We built something really cool around The American Dragon versus the Dragon Slayer. It was a classic and one of my favorite matches we ever had on Dynamite. I think it showed that we can adapt and work to be a really good partner for Warner Bros. Discovery and promote their projects.

Now, this Sunday, AEW is holding its signature event, All Out, with as close to a full-strength roster as it has had in a calendar year. Moxley is set to face Punk again for the AEW World Championship and in what is Khans most-anticipated match, Jericho against Danielson Lionheart versus The American Dragon.

I was sitting in an audience wearing a Tazz shirt holding a Chris Jericho sign as a 13-year-old at Jerichos last two matches in ECW, Khan said. His second-to-last match against Sabu and his match the very next night against 2 Cold Scorpio. When he came back in this kind of condition [having lost 30-plus pounds], where he looked like Lionheart again, it was very fitting for him to bring it back.

CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 26: Chris Jericho is introduced during the AEW Dynamite - Beach Break taping on January 26, 2022, at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Sundays card represents somewhat of a reset for AEW and the start of a new season hopefully for Khan, one that comes with fewer curveballs and less treacherous waters to navigate than the past 12 months have provided him.

The goal is to strike a balance between having happy fans, good stories and a happy locker room, Khan said. I think for the most part we do have that. I think the really exciting thing about All Out and this week for AEW is that we are approaching a full-strength roster again.

It felt like last year we kicked off a season it was a wild, tumultuous, one but we had some of our greatest business heights. It has been challenging but I do believe this will wind up being one of our greatest pay-per-views.

Continue reading here:

AEW All Out: Tony Khan excited about nearly full-strength roster - Yahoo Sports

Small business owner Nesha Pai says it took a year to find a solid bookkeeper for her accounting business based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"If you're a big company you might have a bigger pool, but for the small business for me for example it's been very difficult," said Pai. "It took me a whole year to find this person that I'm now hiring."

Pai reviewed more than 150 resumes and interviewed about 10 people for the part-time position, which offered $25-35K a year, benefits, and a 401K plan matching contributions.

"It's just been hard to find good talent," she said.

Pai CPA already has five employees, serving about 80 small businesses accounting needs across different industries. Demand boomed during the pandemic, as small companies asked for accounting services to apply for PPP loans and survive the lockdowns.

My demand is growing way past my capacity," said Pai. "All of a sudden the floodgates are open for me. I have the demand, I don't have the capacity."

Kayla Marx places an order outside the door of Day's Espresso and Coffee Shop (REUTERS/Bryan Woolston)

'It's something that I have never witnessed in my 30 years of business'

Al Cediel, the owner of ALFA Driving school in Atlanta, faces the same issue.

Cediel says business spiked once classes went online during the lockdowns. However, his $20/hour job openings for drivers haven't attracted many applicants over the last two years.

In those two years Ive only been able to hire 2 qualified people and Im looking for at least 3 more, Cediel said.

Its very difficult. Its something that I have never witnessed in my 30 years of business, he added. Ive had to put myself as an owner, in the position of do-it-all."

'Humans are the fossil fuel of the growth engine'

Hiring is one of the biggest challenges facing businesses, according to WSJ/Vistage polling of small and midsize firms.

"Humans are the fossil fuel of the growth engine, and there simply aren't enough humans out there for the amount of jobs, Joe Galvin, Chief Research Officer of Vistage told Yahoo Finance. We still see 54% of our members say that their inability to hire is impacting their ability to operate a full capacity."

Story continues

Galvin added, "52% of our community still plan to increase headcount in the year ahead."

Katherine Anderson and Zach Lucido plan a delivery schedule as part of an effort organized by The London Plane restaurant. (REUTERS/David Ryder)

The survey shows economic conditions have led one-in-five small businesses to slow their pace of hiring, with only 8% instituting a hiring freeze, layoffs, or rescinded job offers.

Compared to their hiring plans at the start of 2022, the plans of most small businesses (70%) have not changed. Small businesses say the biggest factors that help attract talent are higher salaries, benefits, and bonuses.

"Myself included, and even my restaurant clients and retail clients are facing this. In order to attract that higher talent pool, we need to offer a higher compensation," said Pai. "There's desperation almost."

Pai says she's still looking for more bookkeepers for her growing business.

"I know it's out there because pre 2020, when I was hiring, I had many applicants to choose from back then," she said. "I'm always looking cuz it could take me another year."

Ines Ferre is a reporter for Yahoo Finance covering the US stock market from the floor of the New York Exchange.

Click here for the latest economic news and economic indicators to help you in your investing decisions

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance

Download the Yahoo Finance app for Apple or Android

Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, and YouTube

Read more:

It took 'a whole year to find the person I'm hiring': Small biz owner - Yahoo Finance

Are you ready to get in the game? Make your first bet today.

Yahoo Sports may receive compensation from BetMGM in connection with the wagers you make on the BetMGM platforms.

BetMGM is offering a special promotion for football fans! New customers in AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, NJ, TN, VA, WV or WY who bet $10 or more on any event will win $100 in free bets.*

Its easy to sign up and get started:

Thats it! You dont need to win your bet to receive the bonus.

*New customers only. Must be 21+. AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, NJ, TN, VA, WV, or WY only. Paid in free bets that expire 7 days from issuance. Minimum deposit required. Visit BetMGM.com/YahooSpecial for terms and conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO, KS, LA, WY & VA), 1-800-270-7117 (MI), 1-800-GAMBLER (IL, IN, NJ, PA & WV), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or 1-800-889-9789 (TN).

GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL (877-8-HOPENY) OR TEXT HOPENY (467369) (NY)

See the rest here:

Bet $10 on any football game and win $100 in free bets - Yahoo Sports

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has yet to announce which quarterback will start in Week 1, but the team's social media account may have ruined that surprise. Mitchell Trubisky was named a team captain Monday, a sign he will get the start when the team takes the field Sunday.

It's fantasy football season: Create or join a league n

If this news came out in early August, it would not have come as a surprise. Trubisky signed with the Steelers in free agency and prepared all offseason to be the team's starter. While the Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, Pickett received third-string reps early on in camp. Barring a tremendous preseason, it appeared Pickett wasn't a threat to win the job.

Well, Pickett delivered a strong preseason, showing timing and precision with the Steelers' offense. He finished the preseason with 261 passing yards and three touchdowns. Pickett did not throw an interception in three games. Trubisky did not perform poorly in the preseason, throwing two touchdowns with no interceptions.

The Steelers gave another indication Trubisky would start Sunday. He's listed as the team's No. 1 option on a depth chart released by the club Monday.

The Steelers released an updated depth chart on Tuesday, which still had Trubisky as QB1, but there was an important change. Pickett, who had originally been listed as No. 3 on the depth chart, was named as Trubisky's main backup, with Mason Rudolph serving as the third-stringer.

Though Pickett will likely start the year on the bench, he should have an opportunity to jump into the starting lineup soon. Pickett impressed enough to put pressure on Rudolph and Trubisky. Given how great Pickett looked in the preseason, Trubisky likely doesn't have a lot of room for error. If he gets off to a slow start, Pickett could see significant playing time before the Steelers' Week 9 bye.

It's up to Trubisky to prove he deserves to remain in the starting lineup. Trubisky has put up solid numbers in the past, but has not developed in line with his No. 2 overall draft status. After leaving the Chicago Bears, Trubisky opted to sit behind Josh Allen on the Buffalo Bills last season and develop.

Story continues

It's possible Trubisky is a new man after leaving Matt Nagy behind and operating albeit in a backup role with a functional offense in Buffalo. If that's the case, Pickett will stay on the bench longer, but the Steelers will probably be winning games.

But if Trubisky hasn't progressed during his year as a backup, it's only a matter of time before Pickett hops into the starting role. Pickett put the pressure on Trubisky with an excellent preseason, so it's up to Trubisky to come out early and play mistake-free football if he wants to keep the job.

Mitchell Trubisky was named a captain with the Steelers. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Original post:

Mitchell Trubisky named one of the Steelers' captains, a sign he will start in Week 1 - Yahoo Sports

Earnie Shavers died Thursday, one day after his 78th birthday. (Getty Images)

Earnie Shavers, who earned a reputation as the hardest puncher in the game during a golden era of heavyweight boxing in the 1970s, died Thursday, a day after he turned 78. The cause of death is unknown.

Shavers fought primarily during the '70s, though his career stretched from 1969 through 1995. He was 74-14-1 with 68 knockouts in his career.

He fought both Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes for the heavyweight title. He fought Ali for the title on Sept. 29, 1977 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Ali won a 15-round unanimous decision.

Ali had dubbed Shavers The Acorn before the fight because of his shaved bald head. But Ali had to fight a brilliant 15th round to get the decision and afterward uttered one of his greatest lines when talking about Shavers punching power.

Earnie hit me so hard, it shook my kinfolk in Africa, Ali said after the fight.

Former heavyweight champion George Foreman said in an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman that the hardest punchers he fought were Gerry Cooney, Ron Lyle and Cleveland Williams. When Letterman asked Foreman about Shavers, Foreman had a telling response.

I never fought Earnie Shavers, thank goodness, Foreman said.

Shavers fought Holmes twice, the first time being a non-title bout on March 25, 1978 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in his first bout after losing to Ali. Holmes won a 12-round decision over Shavers in that match and, in his next fight, beat Ken Norton to win the vacant WBC title.

Shavers and Holmes fought for the WBC belt at Caesars on Sept. 28, 1979. In the seventh, Shavers knocked Holmes down. Holmes got up and proceeded to stop Shavers in the 11th.

After the fight, Holmes said the punch Shavers hit him with to drop him was the hardest hed ever been hit.

Shavers wasnt a big man for a heavyweight at 6 feet tall and around 210 pounds. In todays game, hed be encouraged to compete at cruiserweight, which has a 200-pound limit.

But he was feared by all of his peers, who routinely raved about his power.

Story continues

Shavers made several comebacks but was done for good in 1995 after losing by knockout in the second round at 51 years old.

He was an easy-going, fun-loving guy who made a habit of showing up at major boxing events after his retirement. He was always in demand by fans for pictures and autographs and reveled in the attention he received.

The biggest win of his career was clearly on March 23, 1979, when he knocked out Norton in the first round at the then-Las Vegas Hilton. He also had a win over former heavyweight champion Jimmy Ellis as well as Jimmy Young.

He lost a shootout to Lyle in Denver in 1975. Lyle went on from that victory to a fight with Foreman, which would be one of the greatest slugfests in boxing history. But Lyle had no doubt which of the two was the bigger puncher.

Hey man, thats the hardest Ive ever been hit in my life, Lyle said of Shavers. And George Foreman could punch, but none of them could hit like Earnie Shavers did. When he hit you, the lights went out. I can laugh about it now, but at the time, it wasn't funny.

Related video:

Here is the original post:

Earnie Shavers, regarded as one of the hardest punchers in boxing history, dies at 78 - Yahoo Sports

Kanye West has pleaded with his followers not to attack Adidas creative director Alasdhair Willis, despite criticizing him on social media only hours earlier in one of a slew of posts related to West's ongoing feud with the retailer.

The rappers feud with Adidas and his other retail partner Gap has escalated in recent days; West accused the brands of copying his designs, and he has made it clear that he thinks Adidas new Adilette slides are a rip-off of his Yeezy slides.

He has also attacked the retailers for not adhering to his desires regarding the promotion of his Yeezys line, and for making decisions without his permission. Last week, he even claimed that he would start his own independent Yeezy store starting in Atlanta, ending his decade-long deal with Gap and long-term partnership with Adidas.

West called out the Adidas CCO on Instagram Tuesday, posting a picture of Willis and writing: To the creative director of Adidas Alasdhair Willis Ive done songs with your father in law. How can you watch Adidas do what theyve done to a fellow creative and not say anything and never even meet me or call me? Why did I have to do this in public?

In another post shortly after, he pulled back on his attack: To all the Ye fans, please take down any meme of Alasdhair. I believe this is a good guy and he will actually call me and actually help.

He captioned the second post: Lets see if we can speak to him first. Me and Paul McCartney have made a lot of great music, Im cool with the family, referring to Willis wife Stella McCartney, daughter of the veteran musician.

Kanye West and Paul McCartney have collaborated four times, most notably on their hit song FourFiveSeconds with singer Rihanna.

In April this year, Willis became the chief creative officer of Adidas after he helped push forward the collaboration between the brand and designer Stella McCartney in 2005he has been married to McCartney since 2003, and they have four children together.

Story continues

Willis is in charge of leading Adidas design team and heads up its Performance, Originals, and Sportswear labels.

Aside from Adidas, he is also creative director of British fashion heritage brand Hunter and cofounder of Wallpaper magazine.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

Read this article:

Kanye West pleads with fans to cease online attacks on Adidas creative directorhours after calling him out on Instagram - Yahoo Finance

Jake Pauls critics will moan, and note that the You Tube sensation turned boxing prodigy pro boxer is again taking the easy way out. Hes facing Anderson Silva 47-year-old man on Oct. 29 at Gila River Arena in Phoenix, Arizona in the main event of a Showtime Pay-Per-View card. That 47-year-old man only has four boxing matches, theyll moan.

His supporters will point out that 47-year-old is arguably the greatest fighter in UFC history and that he is, by far, the toughest test of Pauls fledgling boxing career.

Showtime made the Silva-Paul bout official on Tuesday.

It should be pointed out that both points of view are correct. Since he turned professional on Jan. 30, 2020, Paul has fought: AnEsonGib, a social media influencer; Nate Robinson, a former NBA player; Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley (twice with Woodley), ex-MMA fighters; and now Silva. MMA and boxing are similar sports but not the same, and both Askren and Woodley had wrestling as their base in MMA.

Yes, Silva is 47 and yes, his win over ex-middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is hardly something to brag about. Chavez battled drug and alcohol issues throughout his career and by the point he fought Silva, he was no longer interested in fighting, barely trained and was spotted throughout his camp partying.

Silvas boxing debut came on May 22, 1998, when Paul was 16 months old. He didnt box again until 2005 and then not again until 2021 after hed finished his MMA career.

But even at 47, Silva is a vastly superior striker to both Askren and Woodley (and, it goes without saying, to Robinson and AnEsonGib). Hell be by orders of magnitude the finest fighter that Paul has faced.

Paul is still a developing boxer, and if he didnt have a widely recognizable name, hed either not be boxing at all or would be facing boxers the world has and never will have heard of.

[It's fantasy football season: Create or join a league now!]

His name is big enough, though, to sell tickets and pay-per-views, though he seems much more popular in the MMA space than he does in the boxing community.

Story continues

A bout with a 47-year-old Silva is a fairly matched fight, though a bout with a 37-year-old Silva would have been a gross mismatch.

Anderson Silva will face Jake Paul on Oct. 29 at Gila River Arena in Phoenix, Arizona (Getty Images)

The only bad thing here is that Paul is treading on Silvas name and stellar reputation to boost his own reputation, and Silva may be at a point in his career where hes not able to do anything about it.

What the success of these boxer-versus-MMA fighter shows prove and theres a wide range from amazingly good to very poor is the gullibility of the public. I remain amazed five years later that there were more than a handful of people who figured Conor McGregor had a chance to defeat Floyd Mayweather. He didnt, and the fact that McGregor won a couple of rounds was simply due to Mayweather playing and carrying McGregor to build up drama before he got to work.

Yet, even despite that outcome, there are plenty who still believe an MMA fighter would have a chance in a boxing match against a similarly situated boxer. An MMA fighter would beat a boxer easily and every time if they fought MMA instead of boxing. But when they box, the boxer is going to win going away.

The only difference is in a case like this, where Silva is 22 years older than Paul, clearly years past his prime and not really a boxer.

If Silva wins, it says a lot more about Paul than it does Silva. And if Paul wins, well, given Silvas age and recent track record, it doesnt prove anything other than that Silva was well beyond his sell-by date. Silva, remember, was 1-7 with a no-contest over the last seven years of his UFC career. He was hardly the guy who dominated the sport for nearly 2,500 days.

Paul, though, is a master salesman and none of that matters to him.

Anderson The Spider Silva is the most versatile fighter the world has ever seen, Paul said in a statement. Just a year ago, he outclassed boxing champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and showed the world why he is often referred to as the greatest fighter of all time. Every expert, from MMA to boxing, has said Jake Paul wont fight Anderson Silva. They said Jake Paul is afraid of Anderson Silva, and Jake Paul would lose to Anderson Silva.

Well, to all the non-believers Jake Paul is fighting Anderson Silva. Its an honor to have the opportunity to share the ring with the greatest UFC striker of all-time. On Saturday, October 29, I will walk humbly into the ring, touch gloves with a living legend and do my best to exterminate The Spider.

Of course, Chavez was hardly a boxing champion when Silva defeated him. It had been more than nine years since he was a champion on the night he fought Silva, but hey, Paul is a salesman and he has PPVs to sell.

The result will come down to Silvas legs. If hes got his legs under him, hell win the fight. If he doesnt, Paul will probably take him by decision.

Either way, the result will prove very little. But it will do business and those who criticize it should remember that fact. The fight game is a business, and at the end of the day, thats really all that matters.

Originally posted here:

UFC legend Anderson Silva will face Jake Paul in boxing match on Oct. 29 in Arizona - Yahoo Sports