Rugby: Rieko Ioane to keep winging it for all blacks.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has named a formidable and near full-strength squad So it doesn't really count as the opposition in the second outing weren't up to much, but Rieko Ioane has scored consecutive hat-tricks in his last two All Blacks appearances. 

The fact the second was against the provincial opposition in a knockabout game over the weekend prevents this from being any kind of record, but shouldn't prevent anyone from being more than curious about what the youngster is going to deliver in the Rugby Championship.

Regardless of who he plays against, Ioane has proven he can score tries from almost nothing. He's proven that he's the most potent attacking weapon in world rugby and that all the All Blacks have to do is give him the ball with just a fraction of pace. 

That's all he needed in the first test against the Lions last year. That's all he needed in the North Harbour clash against South Africa and in final outing of 2017 to score two crucial tries against Wales. 

And that's all he needed to score a hat-trick against France in Dunedin and another in the 'Game of Three Halves' on Friday night.

What's also becoming more apparent with Ioane is that he's at his most lethal when he attacks through the midfield. That doesn't mean he's best suited to playing in the midfield, rather than when he comes off his wing and attacks in that channel off the center's shoulder, he's just about untouchable. 

That's where he damaged Wales and France and it's because when he pops up there, he's usually at full tilt against a defender that can't match his pace.

When he makes such a good job of demolishing defenders in that space and is so deadly when he comes off his wing, inevitably the question becomes whether the All Blacks should shift him to center. 

That's where he played most of his schoolboy rugby and is his stated preference. The Blues used him there and at second-five for most of this year and barely had him on the wing at all. 

Rieko Ioane of the All Blacks scores a try during the Game of 3 Halves. It's also where the All Blacks used him in the 'Game of Three Halves', but it's not a position he's likely to be used in again by the national team. 

Not from the start of a game anyway. Maybe, depending on the configuration of the bench, he could be asked to fill in at center in the latter stages of some tests, but the prospect of him starting a test there this year, unless there is a long and significant injury drama, is slim to non-existent.

"He was all right but we have got enough of them," said All Blacks coach Steve Hansen after the 'Game of Three Halves' in regard to how he felt Ioane played at center."To give everyone a run the logical thing was to put him at center. We didn't really care where people played we just wanted them to play and experience burning lungs.

"The All Blacks already have a midfield log jam without Ioane adding to it. Hansen knows that Ioane has the ability to play at No 13 and play well there for the All Blacks, but that he's better suited to being on the left wing. As to who will be at center for the All Blacks in Sydney, that question is not so easy to answer.

With Sonny Bill Williams unavailable, Ryan Crotty will revert to second-five and that will create a straight choice between Anton Lienert-Brown and Jack Goodhue. 

The former has more experience and was starting to produce his best form for the Chiefs in the closing stages of Super Rugby. But Crotty and Goodhue have been the Crusaders preferred combination for the past two seasons and while the latter only has the one cap, the temptation of keeping the club mates together might be too hard for Hansen to resist. 

That also paves the way for Lienert-Brown to come off the bench where he has shown an ability to be a high contributing impact player. The other added attraction of picking Goodhue at the center is that he's rated one of the best distributors in the country, particularly his ability to exploit a two-on-one.

SummerSlam 2018: Seth Rollins feels reborn in WWE – and he says nobody can hold a candle to him other than AJ Styles

Every time Seth Rollins walks out into a WWE arena to perform, thousands of fans scream “burn it down!” but it was an unfortunate injury to tag team partner Dean Ambrose that he admits reignited his career. 

Being part of the Shield is a special thing,” Rollins told the South China Morning Post via a phone call from China, where he was promoting WWE’s September 1 show in Shanghai at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. 

“Any time the three of us are healthy and in the same place we can get into some trouble."Not that I would wish injury on Ambrose at all, but that was something that lit a fire underneath me. 

It’s definitely been a blessing in disguise for my singles career.”Rollins and Ambrose, two-thirds of fan-favorite faction “The Shield” along with Roman Reigns, reunited last year and had a run with the tag team titles.

But Ambrose underwent triceps tendon surgery in December, leaving former two-time world champion Rollins in limbo. 

It was like OK, I’ve got to kind of refocus, reset my priorities and move forward,” Rollins added. “I was presented with some cool opportunities early in the year.

”Rollins went on to claim the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 34 in an acclaimed triple threat match against Finn Balor and The Miz.“Yeah, it’s been a really good year for me,” Rollins said. 

“Honestly, you look at my body of work from SummerSlam last year to SummerSlam this year – I really don’t think there’s anybody on the main roster, aside from an AJ Styles give or take, that can compare with what I’ve done.

“From winning the tag team titles to winning the Intercontinental title at Mania, to the gauntlet match performance on Raw, to some of the matches I’ve been a part of the last six months, nobody can hold a candle to what I’ve done in the ring.

“I definitely feel I’m back on top for sure.”Rollins has gone on to bring a level of prestige back to the Intercontinental championship that has been missing in recent years.

“The Intercontinental title has meant a lot to me this year, it’s kinda been the cornerstone of my rebirth as an in-ring performer,” the 32-year-old said.

“It’s really been a fantastic experience, a lot of credit is due to my opponents and the people that have helped make that championship as important as it was. 

To main event a pay-per-view with the Intercontinental title for first time since SummerSlam ’92 when Bret Hart faced the British Bulldog at Wembley Stadium, that’s a pretty incredible feat and shortlist to be on.

“I was always proud to wear the Intercontinental championship just based on the legacy of that title alone. To be able to be part of that history now is fantastic. It helped me, and I helped it.

”WWE heads to the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn for SummerSlam on August 19, with Rollins looking to reclaim the Intercontinental Championship from Dolph Ziggler. 

But since relinquishing the WWE championship in November 2015, with a knee injury keeping him out for nearly seven months, Rollins has only held the top title in WWE for a fleeting moment. 

He defeated then-champion Reigns on his return from injury in June 2016, only for Ambrose to cash in his “Money in the Bank” contract seconds later to snatch the title.

“Right now my focus is Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I want all the gold because I do,” Rollins said."I’m definitely focused on winning back the Intercontinental championship, but the Universal championship is in my sight some point in the future.

“I would love to ride that wave to maybe a champ versus champ match depending on who comes out on top between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns at SummerSlam.”“We’ll see. 

At the end of the day, it’s all about winning and building a legacy, and I’ve been a dual champion before,” he added, referring to his simultaneous run as WWE champion and the United States champion in 2015. 

Rollins came to Shanghai two years ago for WWE’s first live show on the mainland and has been in the city this week to promote next month’s show.
It’s been a busy couple of days, taking in a visit to Shanghai Shenhua’s training ground to meet Demba Ba and Co, as well as a traditional tai chi lesson. 

This time around it’s so much cooler for me, this week of media has been fantastic,” Rollins said.
“The sky is the limit over here, obviously it’s still a new market for us, we’re getting fresh eyes and ears every single time we come over here.

“But I think there’s an incredible upside to coming to this part of the world. Every time we come we’re better and better.“The experience has been fantastic. There’s no reason why we can’t keep cultivating it, there are so many people over here that maybe it can be even bigger than in the States.”

WWE has six Chinese talents in developmental at their Performance Centre in Orlando, with Xia Li set to compete in the all-female tournament the “Mae Young Classic” for the second year in a row. "She’s doing really well,” Rollins said. 

“It’s pretty cool to see the talent excelling in that way so quickly. It’s a new market for us, and we haven’t even broken the surface on what the talent possibilities are.

“To see a market not familiar with WWE, and we can come in progress so well, that’s fantastic. But it’s the tip of the iceberg.“Who knows what the future holds, there’s no reason we couldn’t see a Chinese women’s or men’s champion down the road.”

Hat-trick, a century on captaincy debut – Andre Russell’s perfect day

Andre Russell had one of those days that cricketers everywhere dream of – a hat-trick and a century in the' same match, and on his captaincy debut that too. 

Russell almost single-handedly ensured Jamaica Tallahwahs opened their CPL 2018 campaign with a four-wicket victory against Trinbago Knight Riders on Friday, 10 August, in a match that saw plenty of records tumble. 

Russell’s century, which came off 40 balls, was the fastest in CPL history, and the totals notched up – the Knight Riders’ 223/6 and the Tallahwahs’ 225/6 – were the highest in the tournament. All of 448 runs were scored between the two sides, of which Russell, incredibly, contributed a 49-ball 121*. 

What made Russell’s knock even more astonishing was that he rescued his side from the pits: the Tallahwahs were 41/5 at one stage, and given the Knight Riders had posted 223/6, victory looked extremely unlikely. 

But Russell cannot be discounted, especially when he’s given a lifeline – Ali Khan dropped him off the first ball he faced, and he teed off thereafter. 

With Kennar Lewis providing support, the two added 161 runs for the sixth-wicket, a stand that was the bedrock of the chase. Lewis scored a 35-ball 51. 

The stand was broken in the 18th over, with 22 runs still to get, but Russell took charge and finished things off in the final over, lifting a six – his 13th – off Sunil Narine. 

With Andre, it was pretty easy to bat,” Lewis later said. “I just rotated the strike. I played simple. He's my brother.”The feeling was mutual. “I believe in Kennar,” said Russell. “That's the reason he is in the lower order with me. 

He's there to back up. I'm happy for him. He's like a brother to me. I got emotional when he got to his fifty.”The Knight Riders could well have reached a total closer to 235 had it not been Russell’s hat-trick. Chris Lynn’s 27-ball 46 and half-centuries from Colin Munro (61 off 42) and Brendon McCullum (56 of 27) had set things up well and heading into the final over, they were 212/3.

McCullum then hammered a four off Russell, but Dre Russ fought back. McCullum miscued a full-toss and walked back the very next ball, Dwayne Bravo (29) was cleaned up by a yorker, and Denesh Ramdin holed out. Russell ended with 3/38. 

To think it all happened on the day he was made captain. “First game as a captain at this level, definitely it's a good start,” he said. “I am going to enjoy this till it lasts. 

The hard work has been paying off."I appreciate the drop catch. These things happen in the game. I'm happy that I can contribute to the team, I’m happy for the boys.”Bravo, the Knight Riders skipper, admitted Russell was an unstoppable force on the day. 

“Well played to him and congrats on winning the first game as a captain,” he said. “Not much we can do, I’m very happy for him personally. He proved why he's the best in the world at the moment. I hope he stays fit and healthy.”

Stroll in a 'love-hate' relationship with F1 amid Williams troubles:

Lance Stroll believes the difficult season he is enduring with Williams is part of a "love-hate relationship" with Formula 1.Stroll scored a podium and qualified on the front row during his rookie F1 season with Williams in 2017, but the team's struggles in 2018 have consigned him too much lower results. 

He has scored points once, finishing eighth in Azerbaijan, and has struggled to make it out of the first part of qualifying as the team grapples with its underperforming FW41. Stroll told Autosport that he still feels the buzz of being in F1 "all the time" even though he has been restricted to "little glory moments" this year.

"This sport is a love-hate relationship and you have to have pride in the difficult times," said Stroll. "You have to reflect on the past and know that there were good times, and [believe there are] good times ahead."You have to ride the rollercoaster. 

That's what F1 is."You just always have to keep the morale high and keep positive and disconnect from the track when you can and come to work motivated and ready to go, regardless of what the situation is."This sport changes all the time and it's just about being there and waiting for your moment to shine.

"Stroll has adapted his targets during the tough season and said those who know how F1 works will be aware that "12th or 13th place in a Williams is a good race".

"Of course the results are not the ones we want, but picking up points in Baku was good," he said. "The few times I have got into Q2 felt good, you have to get everything out of it and as a driver that is satisfying. 

"I feel like I made a good step over the winter and that I'm much more on top of the car than I was last year." Williams has been pushing to improve its car throughout the season and brought several upgrades prior to the summer break, including new front and rear wings, to stabilize its balance. 

Stroll said it has been tough to evaluate the team's progress this year after starting behind and having up-and-down results since but believes it can target points over the rest of the season. 

"A lot of the time we see some hope after a good weekend and then the following weekend [is tougher]," he said."Like in Austria, for example, I got into Q2 and we were a lot closer to and even in front of some of the competitors. 

"Then the following weekend at Silverstone we had that stalling problem which disappointed everyone. 
"It's still hard to come to a conclusion over where we are with development and where we are compared to the others. 

"The goal now is to just keep having some consistent weekends with the aim of being further up the grid.
"Then we can come to a conclusion that we are going in the right direction."

US PGA Championship: Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner battle for the lead before storm stops play:

Gary Woodland set a new lowest 36-hole score at the US PGA Championship to continue leading at Bellerive before a thunderstorm postponed Friday's play.

The American, 34, shot a four-under 66 to become the fifth man to card 130 at the halfway stage of a major. At 10 under he is one clear of Kevin Kisner, who had a six-under 64. Half of the 156-man field had not completed their rounds when play was called off at 23:35 BST. 

They will resume at 13:00 on Saturday. The third round will begin about 30 minutes after the conclusion of the second round on Saturday, with players going out in groups of three - instead of the traditional two - off the first and 10th tees.

Most of the leaders finished their second rounds earlier on Friday, with American Rickie Fowler - at seven under after 10 holes - the highest-placed player unable to finish.

Defending champion Justin Thomas, two-time winner Rory McIlroy and 14-time major champion Tiger Woods were also among the later starters. 

The trio is playing together and Thomas was two under, McIlroy level and Woods three under for his round and the tournament when the storm halted their progress on the par-five eighth.

Who else managed to finish their rounds?
US Open champion Brooks Koepka and Charl Schwartzel both missed putts on the last for 62s that would have equaled the lowest round in a major. 

American Koepka moved to eight under for the tournament with seven birdies in his bogey-free 63, missing a 20-foot putt on the ninth to match Branden Grace's 62 set at the 2017 Open. South African Schwartzel, who holed eight birdies, is a shot behind after climbing 44 places up the leaderboard on Friday.

It is only the second time that two players have shot 63 on the same day at a major, after Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf at the 1980 US Open. 

World number one Dustin Johnson and Belgium's Thomas Pieters are level with Schwartzel after carding 66s. Woodland and Kisner jostle for the clubhouse lead Woodland, who has never finished inside the top 10 at a major in 27 previous attempts, led after the first round on six under and extended his advantage with a birdie on the 11th after starting on the back nine. 

However, the 34-year-old American saw playing partner Kisner surge ahead in a blistering start. Open Championship runner-up Kisner holed six birdies as he played his first nine holes in 29 shots to move into the lead on nine under, while Woodland avenged a bogey on the 14th with an eagle three on the par-five 17th. 

That left Woodland a shot behind Kisner going into the front nine - where the pair continued to exchange the lead in a thrilling battle birdie for Woodland on the second and third moved him back into the lead at 10 under, a bogey on the fourth dropping him back alongside Kisner who strung together six consecutive pars. 

Kisner birdied the seventh to move clear at 10 under but Woodland picked up a shot on the next to join him before Kisner bogeyed the ninth.

That meant the 34-year-old American missed out on a record-equalling round of 63 like Koepka and Schwartzel.

Rafael Nadal fights back against Marin Cilic in Toronto:

RAFAEL Nadal recovered from a slow start, overcoming Marin Cilic 2-6 6-4 6-4 as the Spaniard’s chase for a long-sought ATP Masters title on hardcourt heated up on Saturday. 

The World No. 1 reached the semi-finals in Toronto and will next face Russian Karen Khachanov, who beat Robin Haase 6-3 6-1.

Nadal last won a title at this level on cement in 2013. It was a very important match for me,” Nadal said. “Being in semi-finals is great news at the start of the hardcourt season. 

"And winning three good matches in the first Masters 1000, it’s so important for me. “He (Cilic) played unstoppable in the first set. I resisted, I played with the right tactic. 

I tried to find my solutions — but it was so difficult.”Cilic did it easily in the first set as he personified pure aggression to take it to Nadal. He struck 17 winners and won the battle of the baseline against the noted slugger as the Spaniard struggled to keep pace with his opponent.

But he isn’t the world’s top-ranked player for nothing and life only got harder for Cilic once he stepped on court to begin the second set. Up 5-4, he broke to take the set and square things up before taking the third with the same scoreline. 

It was just the fifth defeat Cilic has suffered this year after winning the opening set of a match. knocking out Dominic Thiem in the second round and 13-time major winner Novak Djokovic in the third. Tsitsipas is the youngest player to post three top 10 wins at a single tournament since the 19-year-old Nadal at Monte Carlo in 2006.

Tsitsipas will next face Wimbledon runner-up Kevin Anderson, who beat Grigor Dimitrov 6-2 6-2. "I’m confused now, is this real?” 27th-ranked Tsitsipas said after completing his prestige hat-trick of upsets.

Tsitsipas rallied from a set and 5-2 down to turn the tables on Zverev, who had been bidding for a fourth Masters 1000 title. 

Tsitsipas broke in the ninth game of the second on the way into a tiebreaker, where he calmly converted on his fifth set point after saving two match points for the second-seeded Zverev. Tsitsipas then salvaged four break points for 2-1 in the third, he traded breaks with the German and saved another trio of break points for a 5-4 lead. 

He completed the victory after nearly two and a half hours on Zverev’s sixth double-fault.

Austria's Red Bull Ring Yamaha's worst MotoGP track of year - Rossi

Rossi was only 11th fastest in Friday's first practice session at the Red Bull Ring, a second off the pace set by Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso, after having to change bikes early on due to a broken sprocket. A rain-affected second session left Rossi in the same position overall at the end of Friday, meaning he faces having to go through Q1 if Saturday morning's third practice session is also affected by inclement weather.

The Italian said the combination of slow corners and long straights at the Austrian track means Yamaha - which has gone 22 races without a win in MotoGP - is in for another difficult weekend. 

"For me, it's the worst configuration when you have to start from the slow hairpins, first or second gear, and after you have a long straight," Rossi said. "It's where we suffer more. 

"The layout of this track is the worst one for us. "Our bike has a better corner speed, so on a track like Brno or Mugello, you can push from this point of view. But in Austria, it's more difficult because we don't have any of this [type of] corner. 

"We have to work in all areas - also on braking. [It] looks like the gap to the top is bigger, and we are suffering.

" Rossi added Yamaha's habitual acceleration problems were even more pronounced in the wet after he finished 2.3 seconds off the pace in FP2.

 "Our problem in acceleration with the electronics system in the wet becomes bigger," he said, "because the amount of [available] grip is a lot less. 

The gap between us and the top guys becomes very big. Rossi's factory team-mate Maverick Vinales, who was 10th in FP1, offered a similar assessment of Yamaha's situation in Austria. 

"The acceleration still remains a big problem, and on this track, we have to suffer," said Vinales. "We don't have any chance."The bike is not working, but it's not in our hands right now.

"Rossi is currently second in the standings, 48 points behind Marc Marquez, but is resigned to losing ground to the Ducatis of Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo in Austria.

"Except Argentina [when Rossi was taken out by Marc Marquez], in all the other races I've finished in the top five," said Rossi."Even if I haven't won, I've managed to get on the podium many times and I've not thrown away points.

"I'm ahead of the Ducatis, also because they have made some errors, but it will be very difficult to keep second place in the championship-especially from Dovizioso but also from Lorenzo.

"It will be very important to score points on Sunday even if they are ahead."

SIGN CHRISTIAN DVORAK TO A SIX-YEAR, $26.7-MILLION EXTENSION?

WHY DID THE COYOTES SIGN CHRISTIAN DVORAK TO A SIX-YEAR, $26.7-MILLION EXTENSION?

Christian Dvorak has 30 goals and 70 points in 156 career games, yet the Coyotes saw fit to sign him to a six-year extension worth nearly $4.5 million per season. As puzzling as the deal may be to some, though, Arizona GM John Chayka sees it as part of a bigger plan.

Of all the news that was expected this summer, from free-agent pickups to long-term re-signings, it can safely be said that no one would have expected Coyotes center, Christian Dvorak, to put pen to paper on one of the richer contracts of the off-season. Yet, on Thursday, news came down that Arizona had inked the 22-year-old to a six-year deal worth $4.45 million per season that will see him paid him $26.7 million over the lifetime of the contract.

And if that already seems like a high price to pay to retain Dvorak, context doesn’t help matters. Based on total dollars, Dvorak has now inked the 18th-richest contract post-July 1. 

Next season, he’ll carry a cap hit higher than that of other off-season signings David Perron, Brock Nelson, Vladislav Namestnikov and Anthony Mantha. 

And when taking both term and value into account, only 11 other players have signed deals this off-season that span six or more seasons worth at least $4 million annually. 

That list includes the likes of Connor Hellebuyck, Elias Lindholm, Brady Skjei and Tom Wilson. Realistically, though, few would have put Dvorak, a 2014 second-round pick who has played 156 games and scored 30 goals and 70 points over the past two seasons, in the same category as any of the above-mentioned players.so, why did Arizona ink a pivot who’s still one year away from finishing up his entry-level contract to a long-term deal? 

According to Coyotes GM John Chayka, it boils down to taking a calculated risk, gambling on a player they firmly believe will improve over the next several seasons and paying now in hopes of having a steal of a deal later.

"Obviously, there are a few different ways you can go about working with a player coming out of his entry-level deal,” Chayka said. “You can let it play out the three years and make a determination from there, you can look to bridge him, you can look to do term. 

Our view is that this is a player that we want as part of our group for the long term. We could wait it out, make him play another year. In that regard, we just think he’s getting better and better, the market is going to continue to rise and we felt like this was a deal that made sense for both sides at this time.”

The idea said Chayka, is to build a sustainable winner, and the expectation with Dvorak’s extension is that it will offer great value at a cut-rate when it comes time for the Coyotes to retain other young, promising talents.".The (Clayton) Kellers, the (Christian) Fischer's, the (Jakob) Chychruns, the (Brendan) Perlin is, et cetera, they’re all going to be coming out of their entry-level deals here soon and we’ve got to be able to make things work and make things fit,” Chayka said. 

“The way (Dvorak’s extension) was structured and the way that this lines up for us in the future allows us a lot of benefit and a lot of rewards to keep this group together, keep growing with it and allows us to supplement with some outside players as well.

”Dvorak’s deal does eat into what money would have been available to retain a few of those players, to be sure, but the outlook isn’t at all worrisome for Arizona. Next summer, Chychrun and Perlini, as well as Lawson Crouse, Nick Cousins, and Josh Archibald, will enter restricted free agency, but Arizona projects to have upwards of $18 million in spending room if we’re to account for even a slight increase in the salary cap. When Keller, Fischer, Dylan Strome and Vinnie Hinostroza become RFAs in the off-season ahead of 2020-21, another $15 million-plus is set to open up, as well. 

In some ways, the play here with Dvorak is somewhat akin to the strategy the Nashville Predators have employed en route to having the most cost-effective lineup in the NHL. It’s the type of deal the Predators have handed players such as Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm and Calle Jarnkrok in the past. 

In fact, using CapFriendly’s contract comparables tool, there’s a decent match for Dvorak’s contract in Nashville’s Viktor Arvidsson, the speedy winger who inked a six-year, $29.75-million deal with just 142 games, 39 goals and 77 points under his belt last summer. 

The difference, of course, is that Arvidsson was fresh off of a 31-goal, 61-point campaign when he inked that pact with the Predators. Dvorak hasn’t shown nearly the same offensive upside. 

That said, Chayka championed Dvorak’s ability to play the much-coveted 200-foot game and noted that he’s risen to the challenge at every turn."Coming in as a young player, we put a lot of responsibility on him,” Chayka said. “He’s played some real tough minutes for a young centerman, a tough position to play. 

He’s come in and done a good job, no complaint. We’ve used him all over the lineup, his versatility is an asset, and he’s just a really smart player that can play in all situations. And, again, his drive and determination to get better is a big part of what we’re doing here.”

Even so, there will be those who see Dvorak’s new pact as an unnecessary gamble, one that could have waited until next summer when he has played out his entry-level deal and Arizona has a better understanding of his potential to become a major contributor. 

There will also be those who look at Dvorak’s cap hit and statistical output and believe it to be an error by the generally cost-conscious Coyotes. Chayka understands the uncertainty, but he also has faith his gambit will pay off.“There’s always a risk when you’re committing to a player that hasn’t yet done that, but this situation with this certain player and the fit with our group, we’re comfortable that he’s going to continue to get better and, yeah, we think the offense is just scratching the surface,” Chayka said. 

“A lot of things he’s doing, going up against top players and playing tough matchups with some D-zone starts, we just feel that those are some of the most difficult parts to learn and he’s proven to be a good offensive player and we think that will just continue to evolve at the NHL level.”

ROH is going to do ‘everything we can’ to keep Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks from going to WWE

Wrestling show at Madison Square Garden on April 6, 2019, is selling tickets at a shocking pace. Before they were even made available to the general public, reports indicate 12,000 tickets were sold. 

This is likely on the strength of the fact that it’s during WrestleMania weekend next year and shows like this always deliver the goods. With acts like Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks, all hugely popular among the many hardcore fans who make the trip no matter where WrestleMania is held, how could they go wrong? 

Then again, as of now, their current deals are all reportedly up before that show will take place. Couple that with talk of WWE getting really aggressive trying to sign all the top talent on the independent scene, and there’s got to be legitimate concern within ROH about this, right?. Chuck Carroll asked ROH General Manager Greg Gilleland about it and he had this to say:

They’re our top guys, right? Of course, we’re going to do everything that we can to keep them. And we have fair offers and fair plans to retain them. With that said, I don’t think we ever operate in fear. 

We always operate with solid backup plans. And we have to always think about what if this, and what if that. If they go to the WWE, and they very much deserve that opportunity, we’ll continue to offer the best wrestling that we can. 

There’s another talent out there. And we will continue as our brand has for the past however many years. We’ve lost top guys before. Think about Kevin Owens and even going back to Bryan Danielson and CM Punk and all of them. They all went to the WWE, and the brand has continued to grow and prosper. 

Everything we do is geared toward the fans and toward, even these arena decisions, that experience. We pride ourselves on the ROH experience, and it goes back to the question of losing top guys. Do I wanna lose the Young Bucks and Cody? No. Of course not. Why would I wanna lose them? Am I gonna make an aggressive attempt to retain them and sign longer-term agreements? Of course, we are. But, at the end of the day, the ROH brand is about the ROH experience, and that’s how we continue to grow.

Considering Cody, the Bucks, and Omega have all proven to be legitimately strong draws outside of WWE, and with ROH now penetrating MSG, where WWE had a stranglehold for decades, and where ROH is likely going to sell out when WWE hasn’t done so in years, it’s not hard to imagine Vince McMahon going all out to bring them in before this show ever takes place. 

The company just signed hugely lucrative television deals that make clear they can afford to throw whatever money they need to at this problem.

The question is whether or not that group of talent is willing to sacrifice its creative freedom for the kind of money WWE will offer. 

We’ll just have to stay tuned, as this story will surely take many twists and turns as we get closer and closer to 2019, and next year’s WrestleMania weekend.

John Cena vs. Kevin Owens announced for WWE Super Show-Down

With so much news around WWE announcing a women’s only pay-per-view, Evolution, which will take place on Oct. 28 in Long Island, another show has gotten lost in the shuffle: WWE Super Show-Down. 

That event, billed as the biggest live event ever in Australia, taking place at the MCG in Melbourne, is set for Oct. 6 and will feature Undertaker vs. Triple H in what’s being promoted as their last encounter. 

Now, another match has been announced. We haven’t seen Cena since his match against Triple H at Greatest Royal Rumble back in April. He is scheduled for a WWE house show in China on Sept. 1 but is not advertised for anything else. Super Show-Down will air on the WWE.

The question is whether or not that group of talent is willing to sacrifice its creative freedom for the kind of money WWE will offer. We’ll just have to stay tuned, as this story will surely take many twists and turns as we get closer and closer to 2019, and next year’s WrestleMania weekend.

Ashley Joens Prepares For Another Trip Abroad After Earning A Gold Medal

Iowa State women's basketball travels to Costa Rica for a foreign tour.AMES — Iowa State women’s basketball freshman Ashley Joens had never been outside of the U.S. before this year. Joens, an Iowa City High graduate, just won a gold medal in the FIBA U-18 Americas Women’s Championship in Mexico City. 

She was the second leading scorer for the USA, averaging 10.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals. She also served as the team’s captain, which was voted on by the coaches based on the practices before the event.“It was a great experience,” Joens said. “To get that opportunity was huge.”Coach Bill Fennelly was impressed by what he saw from The Gazette’s 2018 Female Athlete of the Year.

“I thought she played well and her numbers were good,” Fennelly said. “She kind of became the designated shooter for their team. One of the things I was texting with her is, ‘You want to impact success every day.’ For her, it turned out to play hard and do the little things and when you’re open from the 3-point line, make it.

“I teased her that her free throws weren’t very good. We have to work on that. She had a part in winning a gold medal, so it was a great experience for her.”Joens’ tour of the Americas continues as the Cyclones travel to Costa Rica on Friday. Iowa State will play three games as part of its foreign tour. 

Joens was in Ames for one day before the Iowa State team boards a plane to Atlanta. But she said she isn’t tired from all the travel.“I’m really excited to get going to Costa Rica,” Joens said. Ashley got up and said, ‘Coach, I’m ready to go,’” Fennelly said. “That kid has basketball in her DNA and her blood. She’s excited to be with her teammates.

”Joens and Canada native Bridget Carleton likely won’t play much down in Costa Rica because they both just finished competing for their countries on the FIBA circuit. Iowa State also won’t have Alexa Middleton and Meredith Burkhall available to play due to injury. They will travel with the team, though. Finally’s not worried about the playing aspect of it. 

That’s not what players get the most out of the experience."The biggest thing they get is chemistry,” Fennelly said. “They’re going to get to know each other better. Half of our roster is new to our team. That part gives you a jump start to what you would normally go through in September."You just hope you don’t get tired of each other,” he said with a laugh.

Joe Fauria Comes Clean: Volleyball Ended His Detroit Lions Career

The chasing-his-peeing-dog story never seemed believable, and frankly, I don't think anyone in the Detroit Lions organization ever thought it was true. 

But former Lions tight end Joe Fauria finally came clean about the ankle injury that ended his Lions career in a recent episode of his "Figure It Out" podcast. 

The real culprit? As everyone suspected, volleyball.“I hit the ball 10-foot line, (heck) yeah," Fauria said. "Everyone’s cheering, but when I come down, I come down on just ankle. Left ankle. 

Like, this most amazing, shocking pain that I’ve never felt in my entire life shoots up my leg and immediately I’m like, 'Career’s over.' First thing I thought, 'Season’s over, career’s over.' That’s how much it hurt."Fauria, you may recall, was a fan favorite after he made the Lions as an undrafted rookie in 2013 for his fun-loving personality and elaborate touchdown dances. 

He scored seven touchdowns as a rookie and made the team as a backup in 2014 before injuring his ankle before a Week 4 game against the New York Jets. 

Rumors quickly spread that the injury happened on the volleyball court, but Fauria insisted at the time that while he attended a friend's volleyball match he was only there "warming up and hanging out with them, cheering them on and stuff, and probably antagonizing the other team."

Rather than come clean about the injury, Fauria concocted a story about falling while chasing his peeing dog down the stairs — a story that went viral and despite its unbelievable nature.

He said he lied about his injury to Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and then-Lions coach Jim Caldwell, among others, after he was told by someone close to him that the team could avoid paying out his contract because he suffered the injury away from football.

Transfer News: A Late Flurry Of Signings Lights Up Deadline Day

The deadline also applied to English Football League clubs - although they can still sign free agents and loan players until 31 August.

Premier League and EFL clubs voted - although not unanimously - to close the transfer market earlier this season to avoid disruption to the opening weeks of the season.

However, it was only introduced in England, with Spanish, German, French and Scottish clubs able to sign players until the end of the month.

Italy has a deadline of Friday, 17 August - the day before Serie A starts.

Players could still leave the Premier League - with Chelsea's Eden Hazard a reported target for Spanish giants Real Madrid, although the Blues would then not be able to sign a replacement.

The story of transfer deadline day looked as if this was going to be the quietest final day since the window was introduced in 2003 - with only eight signings confirmed by Premier League clubs before 17:00.

The highest-profile deal at that stage was midfielder Mateo Kovacic joining Chelsea on loan from Real Madrid - with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois going the other way permanently. But clubs had another two hours after the deadline to finalize paperwork - during which Everton signed Colombia defender Mina and midfielder Andre Gomes on loan from Barcelona having signed free agent Bernard earlier in the day. 

The Toffees announced the loan signing of Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma the following day. Some other moves included Danny Ings joining Southampton from Liverpool on a loan which will become permanent next summer, Jordan Ayew moving to Crystal Palace from Swansea for a season and West Ham signing Arsenal striker Lucas Perez and Fiorentina midfielder Carlos Sanchez.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reacts to Nascar Ceo Brian France's 'very Disappointing' Arrest

NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France were arrested Sunday evening for driving while intoxicated and possession of oxycodone pills in Sag Harbor, New York, leading to a frenzied week in the racing world.

France — whose blood alcohol level was more than 
twice the legal limit — spent the night in jail and is facing charges of aggravated driving while intoxicated and criminal possession of a controlled substance, USA TODAY Sports reported. He’s been the head of NASCAR since 2003 but is taking an indefinite leave of absence.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. recorded his weekly podcast, the Dale Jr. Download, on Monday prior to the news breaking. But he updated it with a statement reacting to France’s arrest and leave of absence.

Earnhardt said:

“Obviously, it’s disappointing news — no way around that. It’s very disappointing, and I’m sure that Brian is disappointed in himself. The one thing that I hope is that Brian gets in front of the people that he needs to get in front of and gets the assistance and help that he needs to make sure that this is something that doesn’t happen again. Regardless of his role in NASCAR going forward, it’s important that he’s healthy and that he takes care of himself. So I’m wishing that on him.

“With that said, I’m very confident the people that NASCAR has in the industry — I know all of them very, very well. I feel incredibly optimistic about being able to move forward and beyond (Monday). 

And with being in the broadcast booth, I’ve had the opportunity to see the competition from a different point of view, and what I’ve seen on the race track over the last several weeks — whether it’s in the XFINITY Series or the Cup Series — has been incredible. The racing itself, what the drivers are doing, the effort that the drivers are putting in on the race track is impressive, and I’ve thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed it. 

That gives me a lot of confidence about not only how great this season’s going to be as it continues on into Homestead, it gives me a lot of confidence about the sport over the next 10 years, over the next several decades.

“So we’ve dealt with difficulties in the past, we’ve dealt with losses, and the sport has always continued and always thrived. So I’m looking forward to this weekend at Michigan (International Speedway), I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Earnhardt is balancing a fine line here. Even though he’s no longer on the race track, he’s still largely the face of NASCAR. Often one to speak his mind on a variety of political or controversial issues, he clearly chose his language carefully with this statement.

NASCAR fans have been eager to oust France — whose grandfather founded the sport’s governing body in 1948 — and speculation about the family selling NASCAR has increased recently. Vice chairman and executive vice president Jim France, Brian France’s uncle, has since assumed the role of interim chairman and CEO.

Between NASCAR’s declining attendance and TV ratings and France’s arrest, people are becoming more vocal than ever about his departure from the sport.

Red Bull Unlikely To Sign ‘Chaotic’ Alonso For 2019 - Horner

Fernando Alonso is unlikely to replace Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull for F1 2019, according to team principal Christian Horner.

Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner has poured cold water over speculation Fernando Alonso could join the team as Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement.

Ricciardo’s shock decision to leave Red Bull in favor of a switch to Renault has left the Milton Keynes-based squad searching for a replacement to fill his seat for 2019, with junior drivers Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly the most likely candidates.

Alonso has been linked with a possible switch to Red Bull as he continues to weigh up his F1 future, having grown frustrated by his lack of success at McLaren.
But speaking in a podcast on the official F1 website, Horner was quick to downplay the suggestion of signing the two-time world champion, adding it would be an unhealthy move for the team.

“I have got huge respect for Fernando. He’s a great driver, a fantastic driver," Horner said.

“But I think it’s very difficult to see… he tends to cause a bit of chaos wherever he’s gone. I’m not sure it would be the healthiest thing for the team for Fernando to join the team.”

Horner insisted Red Bull is keen to uphold its tradition of promoting talent from its own driver programme, as it has done for over a decade.

“Our preference would be to continue to invest in youth than take a driver who’s obviously close to the end of his career,” he explained.

“We are fortunate that we’ve got several drivers under contract that are great talents. So I think we are going to sit back and just look at and evaluate what the situation is.

“It’s an incredibly attractive car to be driving and I don’t think we are going to be short of requests and offers.”

When pressed on whether it is likely to be either Toro Rosso driver Gasly or Sainz, who is currently on loan to Renault, Horner replied: “I wouldn’t read too much into it at the moment. Both of those guys are very quick drivers. This just gives us a chance to take a breath.

“They are under contract anyway until the end of the summer or beyond, we’ll just look at the options available to us and make the right direction for the team.” 

'Marquez Talent, Lorenzo Practice, Pedrosa Lines'

Rider coach Fonsi Nieto gives his view on the top MotoGP riders and battle of Brno.

Former 250GP title runner-up Fonsi Nieto has joined the growing band of ex-racer now employed as rider coaches by MotoGP teams.

In the Spaniard's case, he provides trackside feedback for the Alma Pramac Ducati team of Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller.

"There are many things that you can’t see on television," Nieto said in an interview with Repsol.
"If I had to single out some of the leading riders, I would say that Jorge Lorenzo is the one who practices the best, making the most of the time from the green light through until the chequered flag.

"Marc Márquez is all talent; what he does with the bike is amazing, and how he works and his aggressive style are the things that stand out about him.
"As for Dani Pedrosa, the lines he uses are ones I haven’t seen anyone else ride. He’s a maestro in that. Seeing him on track is like listening to classical music.

"Among the rest of the riders there is a lot of equality, and every weekend we see different riders at the front. That makes it a really nice championship to watch.”

Nieto also cast his analytical eye over last Sunday's thrilling Brno race, which saw tire conservation dominate the early stages before Andrea Dovizioso, Lorenzo and Marquez broke clear and fought for victory.
"It was an unpredictable race and, at the same time, one of the most beautiful of the year with that final fight between Márquez, Lorenzo, and Dovizioso," Nieto said. "It was a race that gains new fans.

"I would emphasize the way in which the three riders knew how to manage their tires, since at the beginning they used very smooth electronic maps so they didn’t wear them out and, with five laps to go, they changed everything and began to push. They used a very good strategy.

"The race could have been won just as easily by Marc as by Jorge, but Dovizioso handled it better and also was lucky that the others both lost a bit of time in their fight, and that allowed him to get those two tenths that gave him the final victory.”
Looking ahead to this weekend's Austrian round, Nieto feels Dovizioso could make it two wins in a week.

"The Red Bull Ring is a historic circuit that has been improved over the years. Last season we saw Ducati be very strong there and, after Andrea Dovizioso’s race there in 2017, he will be the man to beat.”

International Champions Cup 2018 Schedule, Scores, How to Watch, Live Stream: Vinicius Jr. Bright Spot for Real Madrid

The International Champions Cup for 2018 is underway and it stretches through the second week of August as some of the world's biggest clubs use this as an opportunity to try out new players, for position battles and for coaches to figure out what the starting lineup will look like on opening day. The games are being played in nine different countries with majority of them taking place in the United States. Below you'll find information on how to watch every match and the top story of each night.   

Manchester United tops Real Madrid in Miami

Real Madrid kicked off its preseason tour with a 2-1 loss to Manchester United, which concluded its preseason tour Tuesday in Miami. Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera scored for Manchester United and Karim Benzema found the back of the net for Real Madrid, but it was 18-year-old Vinicius Jr. who was at the center of the attention. The Brazilian prospect, who joined Real Madrid this summer from Brazilian club Flamengo after a $53 million transfer, got the starting nod with Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema by the newly-hired manager Julen Lopetegui and showed flashes of brilliance with his fancy footwork.

"He played a good game. He start slowly growing, just like the rest of the team. He started a little shy, but then he came on in leaps and bounds. He is very young and has to adapt to this style of football and what we ask of players. I thought he played a good game."

International Champions Cup schedule, scores and how to watch

All matches will air on ESPN networks and available to stream on the WatchESPN app. All times listed below are Eastern.

Friday, July 20

• Borussia Dortmund 1, Manchester City 0 

Saturday, July 21

• Bayern Munich 3, Paris Saint-Germain 1 

Sunday, July 22

• Borussia Dortmund 3, Liverpool 1

Wednesday, July 25

• Juventus 2, Bayern Munich 0
• Benfica 2, Borussia Dortmund 2 (Benfica wins on penalty kicks, 4-3)
• Liverpool 2, Manchester City 1
• Tottenham 4, Roma 1 
• Manchester United 1, AC Milan 1 (Manchester United wins on penalty kicks, 9-8)

Thursday, July 26

• Atletico Madrid 1, Arsenal 1 (Atletico wins 3-1 in penalties)

Saturday, July 28

• Arsenal 5, PSG 1
• Benfica 1, Juventus 1 (Juventus wins 4-2 in penalties)
• Chelsea 1, Inter Milan 1 (Chelsea wins 5-4 in penalties)
• Liverpool 4, Manchester United 1
• Manchester City 3, Bayern Munich 2
• Barcelona 2, Tottenham Hotspur 2 (Barcelona wins 5-3 in penalties)

Monday, July 30

• PSG 3, Atletico Madrid 2 

Tuesday, July 31

• Manchester United 2, Real Madrid 1
• Tottenham 1, AC Milan 0
• Roma 4, Barcelona 2

Wednesday, August 1

• Chelsea 1, Arsenal 1 (Arsenal wins 6-5 in penalties)
• Benfica vs. Lyon in Faro/Loule, Portugal

Saturday, August 4

• Inter Milan vs. Lyon in Lecce, Italy, 2 p.m. on ESPN
• Real Madrid vs. Juventus in Washington D.C., 6 p.m. on ESPNEWS
• AC Milan vs. Barcelona in Santa Clara, 8 p.m. on ESPN2

Tuesday, August 7

• Chelsea vs. Lyon in London, England, 3 p.m. on ESPNEWS
• Real Madrid vs. Roma in East Rutherford, 8 p.m. on ESPN

Saturday, August 11

• Atletico Madrid vs. Inter Milan in Madrid, Spain, 3 p.m. on ESPNEWS