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Who is the GOAT of GOATs? The greatest of the greatests? An answer to the question: Who is the greatest athlete of all time?

Weve asked you to vote, and now were down to the final two: Wayne Gretzky vs. Michael Jordan.

When you vote, keep this in mind: Its impossible to compare players of different sports. What we can attempt to determine is this: Who dominated their competition the most? Thats ultimately the question were trying to answer here.

So lets get to it to determine who is The GOAT of GOATS.

(Amber Matsumoto/Yahoo Sports illustration)

The case for Wayne Gretzky

The Great One racked up 2,857 points in his 20-year career and would own the NHLs all-time scoring record even if you took away his career goals (894) and counted only his assists (1,963). A nine-time MVP, Gretzky was so brilliant he cast a shadow on three men who would otherwise have great NHL GOAT cases: Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr and Mario Lemieux.

Kevin Kaduk

The case for Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan was so good his claim to the NBAs GOAT throne is still gaining momentum almost a quarter-century after his retirement from theChicago Bulls. The Last Dance documentary reminded us how thoroughly he eviscerated the league. Jordan went 6-for-6 when a title was on the line, winning Finals MVP each time. He added five regular-season MVPs, three more scoring titles than anyone else in history and a Defensive Player of the Year award. No amount of honors or statistics can properly calculate how much fear Jordans blend of skill, athleticism and confidence struck into opponents hearts when the game mattered most.

Ben Rohrbach

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GOAT of GOATs Final: Who is the Greatest Athlete Of All Time Wayne Gretzky or Michael Jordan? - Yahoo Sports

The age of the NBA super team seems to have faded when Kevin Durant left the dynastic Golden State Warriors last summer, but the NBAs unique restart has presented an opportunity for a revival for star players looking to join up in the future.

In fact, one coach inside the NBAs Disney campus believes it will happen.

The next super team will come out of this, he told Yahoo Sports. I believe its inevitable.

The coach doesnt believe players are coming into the campus with the mindset of recruiting players from other teams. In fact, he said the superstar players are providing the example of keeping everything on track to ensure the restart can be completed for the financial sake of the players.

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Guys wanna play in the now, but theyre also looking ahead, he said. They know its a lot of money at stake for the immediate future and for way down the line.

But in the present, theres so much down time on the Disney campus, there are opportunities for players to fraternize with each other and plan their next moves. Its not dissimilar from the USA Basketball setup that produced the entertaining and polarizing Miami Heat trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, who joined forces in 2010.

The three took the unprecedented path of signing shorter extensions following their third seasons, with many believing they discussed it with each other during the summers spent together with USA Basketball leading to the 2008 Olympic Games.

It was also the setting that birthed the relationship between Brooklyn Nets players Durant, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan, sources said, when they were all on the 2016 Olympic Team in Rio, which took place weeks after Durant left Oklahoma City to join the Golden State Warriors.

Its not as if clusters of stars dont exist already, with James and Anthony Davis on the Lakers, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the Clippers, and James Harden teaming up with Russell Westbrook in Houston.

All those are established stars, and even they have taken shorter-term deals to ensure flexibility, as in the case of Leonard and George having outs after two years. But theres a younger group of players looking to make their mark in the future, and the so-called bubble will not only show guys how far they have to go to be a contender but also put like-minded players in their faces every day.

The coach believes history will repeat itself, merely due to the proximity of players sharing the same space and being in the same hotels for an extended period of time. It could take years to bear fruit, as in the case of the Miami Heat Big Three, but this could be the root of the future.

I walk into my hotel, I see [All-Star player] in the lobby, he said. Were on the elevator, I get off on one floor, hes on another. If I knew him like that and wanted to meet up with him, I could. We could golf, we could fish. Theres so much to do in the downtime, the league cant police that stuff.

The NBA has much at stake in this ambitious venture. The strict rules about social distancing and keeping players safe from the coronavirus are top priority. Monitoring natural fraternization between players on opposing teams doesnt register on the leagues radar, all things considered.

They have the snitch hotline, but thats for players violating the rules concerning social distancing, the boundaries of the campus and mask wearing not communication or potential tampering.

An owner of a team outside of the campus doesnt think recruitment is a huge concern, telling Yahoo Sports, Its a concern about those playing getting advantages when it comes to visibility, conditioning and playing time, but this is such an uncharted terrain with uncertain conditions ahead, I dont think its something anyone is ringing alarm bells about, at least not at this point.

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The league has also loosened restrictions for teams outside of the campus to send representatives inside to scout games, and although it doesnt create a natural opening for Facetime, it allows them to see and be seen in an exclusive environment.

A prominent agent said the next generation of players doesnt have the natural familiarity that James, Wade and Bosh had because they were in the 2003 draft together. But he said the recent pandemic has brought several star players closer due to the players union Zoom calls and widespread discussions about the plan to play and how to use their voices for social justice.

All these guys, theyve been forced to have all these conversations about social justice, racism. What it means to be Black. And now its snowballed to where these guys have developed significant bonds with one another, when before, they only knew each other in passing, he told Yahoo Sports.

And now, youre on this campus, it feels like an AAU thing. Misery loves company. You see these guys every day. Theres only so many people you can talk to.

Young stars like Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum and Bam Adebayo were on calls together before the restart was finalized, discussing insurance policies with National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts and senior counsel Ron Klempner, sources said. The young players are in line to cash in through restricted free agency when their rookie scale contracts are up, but wanted to get policies in case of injury or illness (it was revealed Mitchell contracted COVID-19 after being tested in March).

If they didnt have familiarity before then, its not a stretch to believe they have some now.

Im not saying its far-fetched. I could definitely see it, the agent said. Anybody would be naive to believe those conversations werent happening or arent happening. When you have 22 teams and so many of the powerful players in the world in a confined space for an extended period of time, youre going to talk to each other about things. Not just basketball, but business, too."

Could a young player like Jayson Tatum hatch plans to form a super team? (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Giannis Antetokounmpo, the reigning MVP and favorite to repeat, is atop everyones list, even though the Milwaukee Bucks star has routinely shot down questions about hitting unrestricted free agency following the 2020-21 season, when his four-year, $100 million deal expires.

I think hes focused on winning right now and he wants to win it all, not just get to the Finals, a league source said. But it wont stop people from reaching out.

Devin Bookers name has been uttered by talking heads, even though hes given no outward indication of unhappiness in Phoenix and his contract isnt up until 2024.

Theres also the significant hurdle of what the NBA landscape will look like in the future, assuming this experiment goes off smoothly. Several NBA figures believe the owners will open up the collective bargaining agreement this offseason regardless, because there doesnt appear to be certainty surrounding fans being in the stands next season and they could want to recalculate the basketball related income (which affects the salary cap).

Chicago Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who also owns Major League Baseballs Chicago White Sox, recently told USA Today that his losses are in the nine-figure range. Its not difficult to see other owners claiming financial losses and wanting the players to give something back.

The owners want to turn red into black, an agent said. Its a business for the players, too. But its personal. They realize their power, theyre emboldened now. With social justice and the climate of the world, they know their power. And theyre gonna stick together.

The unusual circumstances can produce some strange bedfellows and unlikely partnerships. Its happened before, and the next couple months could plant the seeds for it to happen again.

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A possible Disney campus byproduct: The rebirth of the NBA super team - Yahoo Sports

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

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Positive news surrounding the development of a vaccine for COVID-19 continues.

On Monday, The Lancet published promising results of a COVID-19 vaccine study by the University of Oxford and AstraZenaca. Pfizer and BioNTech also reportedpositive early data from their own COVID-19 vaccine study on Monday.

The markets reaction to the news was muted, though a massive rally in tech stocks dragged all three major indexes to gains to start the week.

And the results of a recent survey from Deutsche Bank perhaps explain why investors did not take this news as a meaningful new catalyst for the market. Seeing these headlines instead as the kind of interim vaccine news that has increasingly been priced into stocks over the last few weeks.

In its latest monthly sentiment survey of 500 market professionals from around the globe, Deutsche Bank found that some 56% of respondents believe a vaccine will be available within a year.

More than half of respondents to Deutsche Bank's monthly investor sentiment survey think a vaccine will be available within a year, up sharply from expectations back in June. (Source: Deutsche Bank)

Just one month ago, 37% of respondents believed a vaccine would be available within a year.

The results of Julys survey also show investors have a near-universal view that a vaccine will be available by the end of next year, with 87% of respondents believing a vaccine would be available within 18 months.

Of course, there is a distinct difference between the plain availability of a vaccine for COVID-19 and the widespread, effectively distributed presence of a vaccine for the virus.

But even the existence of a working vaccine that could come over some kind of timeline be rolled out to the broader public would be a game changer for the pandemic. Though perhaps not a narrative-changer for the stock market.

Back in May, we looked at a number of factors driving stocks higher, and in subsequent issues of the Morning Brief have come back to this theme, which has been top of mind for investors for months. Indeed it is the pressing concern of the moment Why are stocks higher if the economy is in the tank?

Economic data including retail sales suggests this question is misguided, as the market has indeed been following the economys better-than-feared path back towards pre-pandemic levels. And it also seems that optimism around a vaccine for the virus is increasingly part of the markets base case for the next several quarters.

Good news for average citizens. But perhaps a caution flag for bullish investors who think theyre unique in betting on a more optimistic scenario for the pandemic.

ByMyles Udland, reporter and co-anchor ofThe Final Round. Follow him at@MylesUdland

Economy

Earnings

Pre-market

5:55 a.m. ET: The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is expected to report adjusted earnings of 40 cents per share on revenue of $7.24 billion

6:30 a.m. ET: Synchrony Financial (SYF) is expected to report adjusted earnings of 18 cents per share on revenue of $3.02 billion

6:35 a.m. ET: Comerica Incorporated (CMA) is expected to report adjusted earnings of 22 cents per share on revenue of $696.2 million

7:00 a.m. ET: Philip Morris International (PM) is expected to report adjusted earnings of $1.10 per share on revenue of $6.54 billion

7:30 a.m. ET: Lockheed Martin (LMT) is expected to report adjusted earnings of $5.70 per share on revenue of $15.18 billion

Post-market

4:00 p.m. ET: Texas Instruments (TXN) is expected to report adjusted earnings of 86 cents per share on revenue of $2.94 billion

4:00 p.m. ET: Robot(IRB) is expected to report adjusted earnings of 29 cents per share on revenue of $265 million

4:05 p.m. ET: Capital One Financial (COF) is expected to report an adjusted loss of $1.53 per share on revenue of $6.82 billion

4:10 p.m. ET: Snap (SNAP) is expected to report an adjusted loss of 10 cents per share on revenue of $440.42 million

4:15 p.m. ET: Navient Corporation (NAVI) is expected to report adjusted earnings of 42 cents per share on revenue of $454 million

4:15 p.m. ET: Avangrid (AGR) is expected to report adjusted earnings of 34 cents per share on revenue of $1.45 billion

4:20 p.m. ET: United Airlines (UAL) is expected to report an adjusted loss of $9.18 per share on revenue of $1.27 billion

EU agrees on 'historic'$829 billion recovery package [Yahoo Finance UK]

Jack Mas Ant seeks $200 billion value in landmark dual IPO [Bloomberg]

Coronavirus clouds Novartis's 2020 outlook [Reuters]

IBM earnings beat estimates on cloud strength [Reuters]

Tesla earnings: Why one bullish analyst has been dragging his feet on his price target

How to waste $1 trillion

More businesses implement required mask policies: Home Depot, Lowe's, Gap, and more

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More than 50% of market pros think a vaccine will be ready within a year: Morning Brief - Yahoo Finance

The debate over the Washington football teams moniker has been a divisive issue within the Native American community for decades. Its standard to find families of indigenous descent with members on both sides of the fight.

The family of the man who created the Washington Redskins logo is no different.

In 1971, Walter "Blackie" Wetzel, a well-respected former chairman of the Blackfeet Tribe who dedicated much of his life to advancing Native American civil rights, met with executives from the Washington football team and persuaded them to dropthe teams R logoin favor of an image of a Native American warrior.

In the past week, as the franchise has announced its doing away with the logo and nickname, a handful of Blackies children and grandchildren have expressed conflicting feelings over the change. To some, the logo was a longstanding point of cultural pride for their family and the Blackfeet Tribe. To others, the logo was a divisive image that threatened to obscure Blackie's more significant accomplishments.

Walter Wetzel, middle, speaks with Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. Wetzel, former president of the National Congress of American Indians, is responsible for the now retired Washington Redskins logo. (Francis Miller/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images)

The story of Walter Blackie Wetzel begins near Cut Bank Creek on the Blackfeet Reservation in Northwest Montana. It was there that Wetzel was born in 1915, there that he came of age as a young man, there that he began raising a family soon after the Great Depression.

He used to get up in the mornings at his place out in the country on the reservation, walk a mile to a well to get water and walk back, grandson Bill Wetzel told Yahoo Sports. Then he would walk to the highway and hitchhike as much as 30 miles to work and back. He would do this in the dead of winter, which in Montana gets as cold as minus-40 degrees.

Being surrounded by poverty on the reservation motivated Wetzel to enter politics. He worked to help the Blackfeet tribe and indigenous people throughout the country by advocating for housing and job training and fighting policies that terminated tribal governments and reservations.

As Wetzel served as chairman of the Blackfeet Nation and president of the National Congress of American Indians, he befriended President John F. Kennedy, Montana senator Mike Mansfield and others within government circles. Those connections gave Wetzel the clout to approach the NFL team in Washington with a proposal in 1971.

Wetzel urged ownership to remove the R from the teams helmets and replace it with an image of a Native American. At a time when Native American activists sought to protect their legal rights and religious freedoms, and to restore tribal lands, Wetzel viewed the helmet design as a way to promote his people and shine a spotlight on those causes

From what I understand, my grandfather wanted honor and representation for the native community, grandson Justin Wetzel told Yahoo Sports. His intent was to bring some recognition to the Native community in a positive manner.

There are several theories about the identity of the Native American depicted in the logo that Wetzel helped design. Some insist the logo is inspired by a 1912 photo of Blackfeet chief Two Guns White Calf, also the model for the Indian Head nickel. Others say its an amalgam of White Calf and images of other Native Americans.

Regardless, Wetzel was happy to honor a Blackfeet chief who fought to hold the federal government accountable for unmet treaty agreements. Over the next 30 years, Wetzel and his Redskins cap were often inseparable.

In an interview with the Washington Post the year before his 2003 death, Wetzel said, It made us all so proud to have an Indian on a big-time team. When asked about the opposition to the Redskins name and logo, Wetzel said, Its only a small group of radicals.

Imagine how surprised Wetzel would have been to learn that one day some of his grandsons would be at the forefront of the opposition.

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In 2014, the decades-old debate over the name of Washingtons NFL team had reached a new level of intensity. A New York tribe launched a national ad campaign targeting the franchise. A lawsuit threatened the teams trademark protection. Prominent sports journalists vowed not to use the Redskins name. Even President Barack Obama called on Snyder to think about changing it.

It was about this time that one of Blackie Wetzels sons offered a vehement defense of the Redskins name and logo. In a Feb. 19, 2014, story in the Great Falls Tribune, Don Wetzel Sr. said, It needs to be said that an Indian from the state of Montana created that logo, and he did it the right way. It represents the Red Nation and its something to be proud of.

To the embattled Washington football team, that quote was a godsend. Team president Bruce Allen cited Don Wetzel Sr.s statement in a May 2014 letter defending the Redskins name to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The organization also began working to strengthen its association with the descendants of Blackie Wetzel by reaching out to Don Sr. and offering to arrange visits and recognition for him and other family members.

For the next six years, many members of the Wetzel family seized the chance to pay homage to Blackie and see firsthand the logo he helped develop. They posed for pictures at FedEx field, often draped in team gear and showing off autographed footballs.

In at least one instance, the team even invited members of the Wetzel family onto the field during a game to honor them on the video board.

Bill and Justin Wetzel saw right through Snyders supposed generosity. They suspected the team owners newfound interest in his grandfather was more self-serving than it first seemed.

As the franchise encountered mounting pressure to change its name during the past decade, the organization frequently used its association with Blackie to its advantage. Team officials trumpeted that a man of indigenous descent created and approved their logo to defend the name against criticism.

I always felt it was quite disgraceful that the team hid behind my grandfather's association with the logo as a way to justify keeping the team name, Bill Wetzel said.

The name is clearly a racial slur. If you look in historical accounts from newspapers and other records you will see it continually used as a pejorative. Anybody still trying to argue that it isn't is like one of those World War II soldiers on an island still fighting a war that was already over with decades before.

Bill Wetzel made it a point to never seek nor accept invitations to attend Washington football games. His brother Justin did the same.

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Dan Snyder and the organization used my grandfathers story of developing the logo as a PR cover, Justin Wetzel said. That never sat well with me. I could see their intent and it wasnt to educate. It was simply business for them.

Don Wetzel Jr. was skeptical of Snyders motives, too. He joked, You dont hear from folks unless theyre in hot water.

Whereas his cousins Justin and Bill refused to engage with the Washington football team, Don Jr. worked with the organization to educate its employees and fans about indigenous people. It was partially a result of Don Jr.s efforts that stereotypical headdresses and war paint became less prevalent at FedEx Field and members of Blackfeet Nation received the chance to perform traditional music during games.

Ninety-five percent of America knows nothing about our indigenous tribes and I always looked at that NFL platform as an opportunity to change that, Don Jr. told Yahoo Sports. There were little steps made. It was not as fast or as much as I wanted, but I also knew they were a business. They were not in the job of educating.

Donald Wetzel Sr., holds an autographed Washington Redskins football. Wetzel, a member of the Blackfeet nation, is proud of the Washington Redskins logo that his father Walter designed in the 1960s. (Larry Beckner/Getty Images)

In the seven days since Washington announced plans to rebrand, the Wetzel family has been bombarded with interview requests.

Lance Wetzel, Blackies youngest son, did a TV interview in which he called the removal of the logo disheartening and lamented a lost educational opportunity. Bill and Don Jr. both wrote heartfelt first-person pieces for a Montana newspaper. One of the youngest of Blackies grandchildren, Kylee Wetzel, made a TikTok video highlighting her grandfathers connection to the Redskins.

As a Native American, Im proud of the logo, she said. It brought attention to my people and our culture. And although the name may be offensive to some, Im sad to see the logo go.

Justin Wetzel for years declined interview requests about the Washington football teams name, but he now feels that he can no longer stay silent. It angers him that the teams purported support for Native Americans has turned out to be lip service.

Particularly galling to Justin were recent reports that Snyders Original Americans Foundation had gone dark. The nonprofit organization got off to a splashy start in 2014, but experienced a steep decline in grants and donations to Native American causes thereafter and contributed nothing at all in 2019.

I get asked all the time now, What would your grandfather think of the name change and the logo? Justin Wetzel said. I cant answer that question. I dont think anyone can. But I can in full confidence tell you it would upset him that in 2019 zero dollars were distributed from this Original Americans Foundation. That would definitely upset him.

Bill Wetzel was eager to abolish the familys ties with the Washington football team, so its no surprise he experienced a sense of relief when the team announced its desire to rebrand. Its Bills hope that the Wetzel family can now reclaim his grandfathers legacy after years of the team usurping it for its own purposes.

Of course, Bill is careful to point out he speaks only for himself. He knows that some of his elder family members feel differently about the logo than he does.

If I felt any sadness it was for my dad, aunts and uncles and those in the family who had pride in it, Bill Wetzel said. My grandfather was a living legend. They all loved him, and were extremely proud of everything he did, so I understand how much these things mean to all of them.

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Family of Walter Wetzel, Native American who created Redskins logo, mixed on its retirement - Yahoo Sports

Following an explosive report from the Washington Post on the NFLs Washington franchise, it appears possible under league bylaws that team owner Dan Snyder could be forced out.

Fifteen women came forth and described a culture in the organization, spanning all the way up to management, of sexual harassment and misconduct that reached upper management.

Whether Snyder will be forced out is entirely another matter.

Although Snyder himself was not accused of any direct wrongdoing in the report against any women, he was accused in the report of belittling Dennis Greene, the teams former president of business operations, who also happened to be among his former employees named as being abusive.

Additionally, Snyders team failed to provide any kind of reporting system for accusations of harassment. The team has employed one full-time human resources manager and hadnt implemented any formal reporting protocol at what was described as a workplace that harbored relentless sexual harassment and verbal abuse.

The one accuser named in the report, Emily Applegate, said it was implied to her and other women that reporting any type of malfeasance could result in them losing their job.

It was the most miserable experience of my life, Applegate, now 31, said of her year working as a marketing coordinator for the club, which she left in 2015. And we all tolerated it, because we knew if we complained and they reminded us of this there were 1,000 people out there who would take our job in a heartbeat.

The NFL issued a statement early Friday, which in part indicated that the league would base its discipline on the findings of outside counsel, D.C.-based lawyer attorney Beth Wilkinson from Wilkinson Walsh, the team hired to review the matter.

Washington has engaged outside counsel to conduct a thorough investigation into these allegations, the statement reads. The club has pledged that it will give its full cooperation to the investigator and we expect the club and all employees to do so. We will meet with the attorneys upon the conclusion of their investigation and take any action based on the findings.

The question now becomes whether there are enough grounds to force Snyder, who has owned the franchise since 1999, of his ownership post. Or whether there is enough support within the league to do so.

Those are two different matters.

Could the NFL force out Dan Snyder as owner of the Washington franchise? The short answer is yes, but Roger Goodell would hold much of the power. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

Expelling a team owner isnt simple. But theoretically, could it happen?

The short answer appears to be yes. The long answer: Any attempt at removing Snyder from the post he has held since 1999 might result in a protracted legal battle.

There is no precedent for an NFL team owner being removed, like the way the NBA did with former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling.

Former Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson put the team up for sale in December 2017 when Sports Illustrated reported on some of Richardsons alleged poor treatment of female and minority employees. Its unclear if there was behind-the-scenes pressure from the league office, other franchise owners or even NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, but shortly after the report came out Richardson sold his team willingly, landing a massive profit in the process.

Is Snyders reported lack of oversight serious enough to warrant removal from the league? That will be the NFLs acid test, as the move would be unprecedented, and the team owner was not directly implicated by any of the 15 women for his actions against them.

There are mechanisms and avenues for the league to pursue that path if there is enough support.

According to the NFLs Constitution and Bylaws, Article 8.6, Goodell as commissioner has the power to hire legal counsel and take or adopt appropriate legal action or such other steps or procedures as he deems necessary and proper in the best interests of either the League or professional football.

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Additionally, in Article 8.13 (Disciplinary Powers of Commissioner), the bylaws state that if Goodell decides that an owner ... has either violated the Constitution and Bylaws of the League or has been or is guilty of conduct detrimental to the welfare of the League or professional football, then the Commissioner shall have complete authority to take one of several courses ofaction against them.

Among the disciplinary options include fines (up to $500,000) and/or a suspension.

Theres additional power for Goodell to go above and beyond those measures in exceptional cases. It would require Goodell referring the matter to the leagues executive committee, which is made up of one representative either a team owner or a top officer from each of the leagues 32 clubs.

From there, assuming at least three-quarters of the membership (24 or more teams) concurs, the committee theoretically could mandate that Snyders interest in the team be canceled or forfeited and order that his shares in the team be sold within 120 days of that decision of his expulsion.

Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, left, and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, right, greet each other before a game on Nov. 24, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

This is where it gets tricky.

Theres no way to downplay the report. If accurate, it paints a picture of a culture that needs massive changing. This is a terrible look for the franchise and also for the NFL.

The league has had a spotty record on directly handling matters in this sphere in the past, and we dont know how the NFL might have conducted the Richardson situation had the former Panthers owner refused to sell or attempted to dig in while defending himself.

In essence, Richardson quickly announcing he was selling the team nearly three years ago saved the league from having to publicly force his hand. So we dont know what Goodell or other franchise owners were prepared to do to remedy that situation.

Those events occurred near the peak of the Me Too movement, one that appears to have permanently left its positive mark on how businesses even the NFL consider such matters. The grounds for firing or forcing out people for their sexual mistreatment has shifted.

But the NFL likely would have to be firm in its belief that Snyder was the driving force behind Washingtons day-to-day operations, that he was fully aware of what the women have claimed and that he allowed it to go unchecked.

Some might argue a culture change in Washington wont completely happen. But thats going to be a steep climb for some of the people in power to take.

The burden of proof appears reasonable for Snyder to suggest that the team firing two scouts and the teams announcer prior to the Post story dropping is an indication that Snyder or some other current members of his leadership were not aware (or not fully aware) of the workplace conditions described. At the very least, the teams proactive approach appears to work slightly in his favor.

And then theres the NFLs club owners, who might not be as tightly knit a group as they once were, but its still an elite collection of mega-rich and powerful men who often will scratch each others backs or look the other way when it comes to matters that dont affect, say, competitive balance.

It might not be right, but that doesnt mean it doesnt happen.

Snyder might not be the most respected owner in the lot, but hes amassed power in league spheres. He appears to have an unlikely ally, too, in the Dallas Cowboys Jerry Jones, as Jones and Snyder seemed to be on the same page when the league was discussing Goodells future in 2017 and whether his eventual lucrative contract extension would be completed duly.

Jones played the role of the hawkish team owner, taking on Goodell publicly and questioning his worth, with Snyder reportedly working the back channels to build support against the commissioners pricy contract. Some say the two rival franchise owners built their alliance up during that time. Jones still wields power and influence in this league.

The mechanisms are in place to remove Snyder. But it feels unlikely to happen given what were looking at.

So whether its a lack of a smoking gun against Snyder himself being directly responsible for the employee culture, or if there are not enough team owners to directly pin this on him, it feels most likely that Goodell will hand down the stiffest fine possible, perhaps with other discipline for the team.

Bad things reportedly have happened under Snyders roof. But his exit as franchise owner doesnt seem imminent, barring new information that more directly ties the allegations to Snyder personally.

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Roger Goodell and the NFL can legally force out Dan Snyder. But will they? - Yahoo Sports

Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus revealed on Sunday afternoon that he and his wife, Barbara, both contracted COVID-19 in March.

Speaking during a weather delay at the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village a course he designed, in Dublin, Ohio Nicklaus said Barbara was asymptomatic. He had minor symptoms, though the two have both since recovered.

It didnt last very long. We were very, very fortunate. We were very lucky, Nicklaus said on CBS. Barbara and I are both of the age, both of us 80 years old, that is an at-risk age. Our hearts go out to the people that did lose their lives and the families. We were just a couple of the lucky ones.

Nicklaus said he tested positive four different times for the coronavirus, and Barbara tested positive three times. The two were isolated in their home for about a month until they were finally recovered in mid-April.

[ Coronavirus: How the sports world is responding to the pandemic ]

Nicklaus won 73 times in his PGA Tour career, 18 of which came at major championships. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974 and the United States to six Ryder Cup wins one of which he captained the team. He also served as team captain for the Presidents Cup four times, securing three wins.

Jack Nicklaus remotely joins the CBS TV broadcast during the third round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, on July 18, 2020. (Stan Badz/PGA TOUR/Getty Images)

There were more than 3.7 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States as of Sunday afternoon, according to The New York Times, and more than 140,000 deaths attributed to it. The country set a single-day record on Thursday, recording more than 75,000 new cases, and has averaged more than 66,000 new cases a day over the past week.

He is the latest in the golf world to reveal that hes tested positive for the coronavirus, joining six golfers and several caddies since play resumed in June.

The fact that they got through it and theyre safe and here and healthy, its all good news for all of us who are a part of golf and who looked up to Jack and been around Barbara all these years, said Tiger Woods, who carded a 4-over 76 on Sunday to finish the week 6-over, via the Associated Press.

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Jack Nicklaus, wife Barbara reveal they have recovered after contracting coronavirus - Yahoo Sports

Shaquille ONeal did a good thing for a family that needed help. After witnessing a car stranded on the side of the road, ONeal pulled over, made sure the family was OK and stayed with them until sheriffs arrived.

No, really. That happened. Theres video of ONeal at the scene.

The footage which was captured via a Alachua County Sheriff dashcam shows an officer briefly chatting with ONeal. The officer thanks ONeal for stopping to make sure everyone was OK. The officer asks if everyone was alright, and a woman responds that a tire blew out. The video ends with ONeal still standing near the car as officers speak with the woman. The incident happened on I-75 in Florida. ONeal lives near Orlando.

ONeal, 48, isnt the first athlete to help a stranded motorist. In 2019, Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard pulled over to help a woman change her tire on Easter.

It appears everyone involved in the I-75 incident is OK, which is great. On top of that, they now have an entertaining Shaq story to share with their friends.

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Thousands of people in Barcelona are ignoring government advice to stay home despite coronavirus cases surging in recent days.

Alarming images over the weekend in the city, one of Spains worst-affected areas, show hordes of people socialising across the city, while many flocked to the beach with little social distancing in place despite a plea from authorities to avoid public spaces.

The growing crowds at several beaches in the city left police no choice but to shut them down.

Hundreds of people are seen sunbathing at the Barceloneta beach on Saturday despite the government's warning to stay home. Source: Getty Images

Spain is one of several countries now fearing a second wave after it eased restrictions when it successfully drove numbers down significantly by the end of May.

And like Melbourne, Barcelona from Friday was subject to new restrictions in a bid to curtail the viruss spread.

More than four million residents in the Catalan capital have been told to only leave home for essential reasons, avoid travel, and keep indoor and outdoor groups at no more than 10 people.

Yet while the Victorian government has implemented a mandatory six-week lockdown for Melburnians with a heavy police presence, three regions in Catalonia are subject to far less stringent measures, which authorities say are simply recommendations.

Large crowds forced police to close down several beaches. Source: Getty Images

Over the last week, Catalonia has recorded 7,007 cases. In the same period, Victoria had 2,010.

The situation is very worrying, Fernando Rodrguez-Artalejo, the director of the Preventive Medicine and Public Health Department at the Autonomous University of Madrid, told El Pais.

The virus rate has now tripled from late June to mid-July across Spain, deputy health emergency chief Maria Sierra told a news conference on Monday (local time).

The rate of COVID-19 has jumped from eight cases per 100,000 inhabitants at the end of June, when the country's state of emergency ended, to 27 per 100,000.

There are now more than 200 clusters with Health Minister Salvador Illa calling on residents to respect the health measures.

People have drinks and food as they enjoy the view over the city during the first day the new Catalan government recommendations. Source: Getty Images

With fears the rules could soon become enforced, a growing number of people have left the city to either enjoy their last days of free movement in nearby holiday towns or evade them completely.

We know that they recommended against leavingbecause there are outbreaks in Barcelona,but we decided to give ourselves a weekend of freedom precisely in case they confine us, one resident told El Pais.

Spanish authorities have identified hospitality venues as one of the main sources of infections.

Restaurants and bars have been told to only allow 50 per cent of capacity while several nightclubs across the nation have been shut after large clusters centred around the venues.

Nightclubs in metropolitan Barcelona were closed over the weekend as a preventative measure.

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The closed places, with many people, without a mask and without keeping them at a distance, is where the outbreaks are taking place, Ms Sierra said.

with Reuters

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New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson will leave the team and the Disney World bubble while he tends to an urgent family medical matter, the team announced Thursday.

Williamson, who was raised in South Carolina, will rejoin the team in Orlando at a later, unspecified date. He will need to go through league quarantine protocol again to return to the bubble in a safe manner.

We fully support Zions decision to leave the NBA campus to be with his family, Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin said in a statement. Out of respect for the Williamson family, we have no further comment at this time.

The league allows for excused absences in instances such as family emergencies or the birth of a child. Upon returning, players are required to spend four days in quarantine as long as the person tested negative for COVID-19 each day they were outside the campus, according to ESPN.

The Pelicans are scheduled to play the Utah Jazz on July 30 to open the restarted NBA season. Williamson could theoretically return July 25 and still be able to play some minutes as long as he tests negative throughout the process. The team will likely give their No. 1 draft pick all the time he needs to be with his family.

Williamson, 20, spent quarantine working with his stepfather, Lee Anderson, and told reporters he felt like I was 5 years old again going through the process. He played in only 19 games before the hiatus due to a knee injury that kept him from starting the season on time. He emerged from quarantine looking fit and ready to go, an exciting prospect for New Orleans fans, and has been practicing with the team since shortly after it arrived July 8.

Zion Williamson has left the NBA bubble to tend to a family medical matter. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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The West Virginia athletic department announced Saturday that 28 members of its football program have tested positive for COVID-19.

In total, 41 members of the department have reportedly tested positive out of 518 coronavirus tests since June. Five members of the mens basketball program have also reportedly tested positive.

West Virginia said that everyone who tested positive has self-isolated, with contact tracing also deployed.

The announcement is yet another wave in the tide threatening the college football season. Several programs have announced a concerning amount of coronavirus cases, highlighted by Clemsons total of 36 as of last month.

The Big Ten and Pac-12 have already announced their football teams will play only conference games in 2020, and the Big 12 is among the conferences trying to preserve their non-conference schedules. Now, 28 cases at one of the conferences own programs wont help, though its worth noting the Mountaineers didnt disclose the timing of the cases and how many players tested positive.

West Virginia remains scheduled to open its season against Florida State on Sept. 5.

West Virginia football has seen more than two dozen coronavirus cases. (Photo by Jay Anderson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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