The league has bungled its anthem policy but made improvements in dealing with concussions. Here’s how it fared elsewhere.
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Grading NFL’s offseason priorities checklist: Where it gets an F
The league has bungled its anthem policy but made improvements in dealing with concussions. Here’s how it fared elsewhere.
Read the original:
Grading NFL’s offseason priorities checklist: Where it gets an F
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ola Kamara scored in the 86th minute, and the LA Galaxy rallied from a late two-goal deficit for a 2-2 draw with Los Angeles FC on Thursday night in another dramatic edition of this newly founded MLS rivalry. Carlos Vela and Lee Nguyen scored in the first half for LAFC, but Romain Alessandrini answered for the Galaxy in the 82nd minute. Kamara then pounced on a terrible back pass by Andre Horta, a 21-year-old Portuguese designated player making his LAFC debut. Kamara rounded goalkeeper Tyler Miller and tapped in the tying goal in another lively edition of the Los Angeles derby already dubbed “El Trafico.” Horta hit the post with a shot moments after his dismal turnover, but neither team could break through in the frantic final minutes. The rematch nearly lived up to the unforgettable first meeting between the powerhouse Galaxy and expansion LAFC on March 31. That game featured the MLS debut of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who came on as a jetlagged substitute and promptly scored the tying and winning goals in the Galaxy’s astonishing rally from a three-goal deficit for a 4-3 victory. Ibrahimovic didn’t score in the rematch despite playing the entire game and looking dangerous up front. Instead, LAFC showed off its impressive poise for a first-year club by jumping to an early lead — and the veteran Galaxy showed their impressive capacity for comebacks. LAFC (10-5-6) remained unbeaten at Banc of California Stadium, and the Galaxy extended their unbeaten run to eight games. Vela scored his eighth MLS goal on a header in the seventh minute, and Nguyen added his first goal for LAFC on a sneaky free kick later in the first half. Although this rivalry has only a few months of history, these franchises’ relationship has already acquired a distinct flavor and a palpable edge. Fans of both teams arrived at the downtown stadium long before game time while wearing team colors and singing loudly, albeit with few apparent conflicts. The North End supporters’ section was in full voice 90 minutes before kickoff, and the 22,000-seat stadium was packed at game time with fans who overcame the rivalry’s namesake LA traffic. LAFC has received thriving fan support since its opening game from a core of several thousand hard-core fans and many others drawn to the franchise by its impressive marketing and coach Bob Bradley’s attractive style of play. The Galaxy’s support is well-established among the Southland’s 19 million inhabitants after winning a record five MLS titles and employing a long series of superstars from David Beckham to Landon Donovan. Just as in the first El Trafico, LAFC went ahead early with a dramatic goal from Vela. The Mexican star banged in a header after an excellent cross from Adama Diomande, the Norwegian striker. LAFC pressed the attack early, to the delight of its fans. Nguyen doubled the lead in the 21st minute with a surgical, speedy free kick that appeared to catch the Galaxy off guard. Horta, who arrived in Los Angeles from Portugal last month, came on as a second-half substitute shortly after Diomande hit the post in the 76th minute. (© Copyright 201 8 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast rewritten or redistributed.)
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LA Galaxy Roar Back For 2-2 Draw With LAFC In Rivalry Series
LeBron James said he regrets giving his 14-year-old son the name LeBron James Jr. because of the pressure that comes with living up to his superstar dad’s name and reputation.
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LeBron regrets pressure son faces due to name
Johnny Manziel, who was acquired by the Montreal Alouettes four days earlier, didn’t play Thursday night as Montreal dropped a 44-23 decision to the Edmonton Eskimos. Manziel had just two full days of practice with his new team since the trade.
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Manziel doesn’t play in first game with Alouettes
ATLANTA (AP) — Manny Machado hit his first home run for Los Angeles, Rich Hill pitched seven dominant innings and the Dodgers routed the Atlanta Braves 8-2 on Thursday night. Machado, acquired last week from Baltimore to add even more punch to a team that leads the National League in homers, went deep in his seventh game with the Dodgers. He lined a fastball into the left-field seats leading off the sixth against Anibal Sanchez, Machado’s 25th homer of the season overall. Hill (4-4) limited the Braves to three hits and a walk while striking out seven, and he even picked up his first RBI of the season. Atlanta managed only one scoring threat against the 38-year-old left-hander, which wasn’t even of Hill’s doing. With two outs in the sixth, Freddie Freeman reached when Machado’s wild throw from third got knocked out of Cody Bellinger’s glove as the first baseman tried to swipe Freeman with a tag. Nick Markakis walked on four pitches — the lone time Atlanta got a runner as far as second base against Hill — but Kurt Suzuki hit an inning-ending flyout. While Sanchez (5-3) turned in another solid outing for the Braves, defensive blunders and a lack of offense ruined his night. Shortstop Charlie Culberson’s throwing error in the fifth led to an unearned run. Another errant throw by second baseman Ozzie Albies in the seventh set up Hill’s run-scoring single, which finished off the Braves starter. Sanchez went 6 1.3 innings and wound up being charged with four earned runs when the Dodgers blew open the game against Sam Freeman. Joc Pederson doubled into the right-field corner, and Yasmani Grandal’s two-out, two-run single stretched the lead to 6-0. Culberson, getting a rare start at shortstop while Dansby Swanson took the night off, was charged with another throwing error in the eighth as the Dodgers tacked on two more runs. The Braves entered with just 48 errors in 98 games, fourth fewest in the NL. Ronald Acuna Jr. provided Atlanta’s only burst of offense with a two-run homer off Daniel Hudson in the eighth. TRAINER’S ROOM Albies was back in the Atlanta lineup after missing four games with a sore right hamstring. The All-Star, one of just two players in the NL with 20 homers and 10 stolen bases, went 0 for 4 and was charged with an error when he made a horrible throw even though he had no chance of getting Alex Verdugo on an infield hit. UP NEXT Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (3-5, 2.64 ERA) takes the mound in the second of four games at SunTrust Park. He is 3-0 with a 1.47 ERA in nine starts against Atlanta. Braves: RHP Mike Foltynewicz (7-6, 2.85) will be looking to get back on track after three straight rough outings. He has surrendered 21 hits, 14 earned runs and four homers in his last 18 1/3 innings. (@Copyright 2018. The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Dodgers Handily Beat The Braves, 8-2, Machado Hits His First LA Homer
Calling his recovery from a knee infection a “long, rigorous process,” Celtics star Kyrie Irving said he’s eager to move forward and said he’ll “easily” be ready for training camp.
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Irving glad ‘long, rigorous’ recovery behind him
While meeting with the Lakers during free agency was tempting, Paul George said Thursday that he knew several weeks before the process began on July 1 that he was going to sign a contract to remain with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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PG13 says Thunder were wise to gamble on him
James Harden said Thursday at Team USA camp that he has a feeling — and that feeling is to get back to the Western Conference finals. The motivated Rockets star also said he has been in touch with Carmelo Anthony.
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Harden: I want to capture playoff ‘feeling’ again
Washington Redskins backup quarterback Colt McCoy has signed a one-year contract extension for 2019 that is worth up to $7 million. McCoy is entering his fifth season with the Redskins.
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Redskins’ QB McCoy signs 1-year extension
Entering his 15th training camp with the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger said he’s focused on being at his best both physically and mentally at age 36 and has lost weight this offseason to “lighten the load” on his knees.
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Big Ben cut sugar, carbs to ease load on knees
Representatives from the NFL and the NFL Players Association have a meeting scheduled in New York on Friday as part of their ongoing discussions about the issue of player protests, a source told ESPN.
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Source: NFL to talk protests with players’ union
One day after he and CJ McCollum went back and forth on Twitter, Kevin Durant says he has grown weary of members of the media portraying him as “the sensitive one,” adding, “I know y’all trying to make me look crazy.”
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Durant: Media ‘trying to make me look crazy’
CALVERTON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – More and more chickens are making their homes in suburban backyards. As CBS2’s Jennifer McLogan reports, many Long Islanders want them because they eat ticks . She found the Raschdorf family, of St. James, shopping at a poultry farm Thursday. “We’re picking up chickens to bring to our school,” son, Eric, said. “We have chickens at home, but we’re starting a coop at his elementary school,” mom, Lisa, added. Suddenly, chickens are all the rage. “It’s hard to keep up with demand. We do thousands and thousands of animals here every season,” said Long Island poultry farmer Wayne Meyer. He left the world of sports to become a poultry farmer. “It’s been a passion for a while. Everybody wants fresh eggs, everybody wants the natural fertilizer that the chickens give off. They’re bug eaters, they eat ticks,” he said. Meyer raises them from hatchlings until motherhood, under the watchful eye of a possessive rooster. His farm has more than a dozen varieties, but all of them love to eat ticks. According to the Cornell Cooperative Extension, chickens, guinea fowl and quail can help reduce tick populations. Ticks are not especially fast movers, so chicks comp on them, helping to control diseases, viruses and bacteria spread by the pests. “Within a couple of weeks, we realized, ‘hey, it’s funny, we’re not seeing any ticks. Our do wasn’t gnawing on his paws trying to get the ticks off.’ We’re like, ‘wow,’ and they we realized they’re eating the ticks,” said homeowner Christopher Paparo, whose family dog, Bullet, is also a fan of the chickens roaming in their fenced-in backyard. His local ordinance allows six hens, and other suburban communities are relaxing codes to allow small coops. “We’re keeping them as permanent residents here at our house,” he said. With six chickens for $40 and low maintenance costs, Paparo called it an investment in health. Local codes for coop cleanliness are strict. Hens, coops and yards must be registered and inspected.
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Long Island Residents Look To Chickens To Eat Ticks
The Saints have been ordered to pay $400,000 in unpaid overtime and other fees to the former personal assistant of late owner Tom Benson, according to the New Orleans Advocate.
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Report: Saints must pay ex-Benson aide $400K
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers said Thursday that he’s not worried about when he’ll sign a contract extension with the Green Bay Packers, saying he just wants a bigger bed and a better TV in his dorm room during training camp.
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Contract extension least of Rodgers’ concerns