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Carmelo, Howard, Bird headline finalists for HOF

Published in Basketball
Friday, 14 February 2025 17:38

SAN FRANCISCO -- Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and a team they were part of -- the gold medal-winning 2008 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team -- headline the group of finalists for this year's Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class announced Friday.

Among the other nominees are women's basketball legends Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles. Coaches Billy Donovan and Mark Few were also nominated.

Anthony, a 10-time All-Star, is 10th on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 28,289 points. He also led Syracuse to a national championship in 2003.

Howard was the preeminent defensive presence of his era, winning three straight NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards (2009 to 2011). He made eight All-NBA teams, led the Orlando Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals and won a title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.

The 2008 Olympic men's team returned Team USA to the top spot internationally after it earned a bronze medal at the 2004 Games and no medals at the 2002 and 2006 world championships. The 2008 team included Anthony, Howard, the late Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Chris Bosh and LeBron James. It was assembled by Jerry Colangelo, the chairman of the Hall of Fame.

Moore won two national championships at the University of Connecticut and four WNBA titles in her seven-year career with the Minnesota Lynx before she retired in 2018 during her prime to pursue criminal justice reform. Bird also won two titles at UConn and four in the WNBA during her career with the Seattle Storm and is considered one of the greatest point guards in the history of women's basketball.

Fowles was a dominant interior presence at LSU, which she led to four Final Four appearances. As a professional, she won two titles with Moore as a member of the Lynx. She was the WNBA's MVP in 2017.

Donovan led Florida to four Final Four appearances in 19 seasons with the Gators, winning back-to-back national titles (2006-07). Those title-winning teams included longtime NBA stars Al Horford and Joakim Noah. Donovan left the college game and has spent the past decade coaching the Oklahoma City Thunder and Chicago Bulls.

Few is the winningest active coach by percentage at Gonzaga and has led the Bulldogs to two national championship games (2017, 2021) and 25 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.

Other Hall of Fame finalists include longtime NBA referee Danny Crawford, five-time All-Star forward Marques Johnson, longtime college coach Jerry Welsh, three-time NBA All-Star Buck Williams, former Stanford and WNBA star Jennifer Azzi, women's basketball pioneer Molly Bolin, Serbian basketball coach Dusan Ivkovic, Miami Heat owner Micky Arison and Israeli basketball legend Tal Brody.

The group moves to the final round of the nomination process, when a panel of 24 anonymous voters will consider the candidates. A candidate has to receive votes from at least 18 of those 24 panelists to gain election to the Hall of Fame.

The 2025 class will be announced April 5 in San Antonio during the NCAA Men's Final Four.

Enshrinement weekend is Sept. 5-6.

The 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend has arrived with festivities taking place in the Bay Area.

The Golden State Warriors will host NBA All-Star Weekend for the first time since 2000, a year full of iconic moments such as Vince Carter's performance in the dunk contest. The events will take place at Chase Center and Oakland Arena.

The star-studded weekend will begin on Friday with the annual Celebrity Game before transitioning to the Rising Stars game. Saturday's slate includes the skills challenge, 3-point contest and slam dunk contest. The 74th NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday.

This year's game features a new format with four teams competing in a mini-tournament. Three squads -- Team Chuck, Team Shaq and Team Kenny -- were drafted by TNT's "Inside the NBA" analysts, while the fourth, Team Candace, is made up of the Rising Stars game champion.

The tournament includes three games: two semifinals and a championship, with each player on the winning team earning $125,000. Second-place players receive $50,000, while those on the third- and fourth-place teams take home $25,000 each.

Here are the highlights from the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend.

Roses & gym dates - Which BBC pundit is most romantic?

Published in Rugby
Thursday, 13 February 2025 22:46

BBC Sport rugby union pundits Sam Warburton, Ugo Monye, John Barclay, Martin Johnson, Hamish Watson and Chris Paterson reveal who is the most romantic, what they would cook each other on Valentine's Day and who their rugby soulmates are.

WATCH MORE: 'That was terrible!' - Six Nations captains take on reactions challenge

Watch Six Nations Rugby Special on BBC iPlayer

A version of this video was first published in February 2024.

14-Year-Old Hayden Wise Set For Rookie Xtreme Run

Published in Racing
Friday, 14 February 2025 11:05

CONCORD, N.C. Hayden Wise adds a new chapter to her rising career with an Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota Rookie of the Year campaign.

The 14-year-old driver will race in a family-owned No. 94 Toyota-powered midget for her first foray into national midget racing.

The Huntersville, N.C., driver got her start in quarter midgets, with championships in the NASCAR Youth Series and Dixie Shootout Series before stepping up the ladder to micro sprints.

I pretty much got comfortable in (the quarter midget) at a young age, Wise said. As soon I was done, I hopped right into the micro and Ive been going out to (Trackhouse Motorplex) since I was 10 to get some more seat time. Its really all about getting comfortable and all these cars are pushing my limit to get that comfortable. Im really excited for this year, so well see how it goes.

Wise knows the benchmark of family members who raced before her, as her uncle Josh Wise is a former NASCAR Cup Series competitor.

Its gonna feel good knowing that I have the support of my family, Wise said. Im very grateful that they take me out to race every week with them, so I cant thank my dad and pop enough. Its really cool to have that support from all of my family, my mom, my sisters, and my grandparents. Its just awesome having them there for me to take me along the racing journey.

Wise can try her hand at multiple disciplines, as she will get to race the midget, micro sprint, and sprint car for 94 Racing to craft her experience and familiarity in dirt racing.

This year is gonna be a lot of work because all of this year is gonna be lots of learning for me, Wise said. I really just have to get a lot of seat time between the Sprint Car, the Midget, and getting prepared for next year because we have a lot coming. This year is all about getting comfortable and being able to give my effort 100 percent every time.

Looking forward to the schedule ahead of her, Wise is interested in traveling to the Xtreme Appalachian Midget Week, California Sprint Car events, and the Xtreme World Championship at Millbridge Speedway her home track.

Definitely the (Pennsylvania) tracks, Wise said. Im really excited to check out some of those places. Well be going to California too, so thatll be fun for me.

Im excited for (Millbridge) too. Its definitely gonna be a lot different from what Ive been doing. Theres gonna be some really good drivers and thats one Im really focusing on giving my best for my family. When I hit the track, its really making sure I pay attention to how Im driving and doing what I need to do to get better at it.

Evans Storms To The Front In Sweden

Published in Racing
Friday, 14 February 2025 12:38

Elfyn Evans emerged from a thrilling Friday at Rally Sweden with a slender lead, as an intense battle at the top saw just 9.1 seconds covering the leading five drivers.

The FIA World Rally Championships only pure snow rally delivered a day of fluctuating fortunes, with multiple lead changes across the seven snow and ice-laden speed tests. Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 driver Evans set the early pace and led at midday service, but as conditions evolved, so did the leaderboard.

Takamoto Katsuta briefly hit the front on SS5 before Evans responded immediately to reclaim the top spot. Then, as darkness fell over the Bäck stage, Ott Tänak edged ahead only to lose his advantage on the final Umeå Sprint test as worn tires cost him valuable time. Evans seized the opportunity, clocking the fastest time to move back into the lead once more.

Katsutas strong pace kept him within just 0.6 seconds of his Toyota teammate, while Tänak slipped to third, 2.5 seconds off the lead.

Adrien Fourmaux was one of the standout performers in the morning, winning two stages and running as high as second. His momentum slowed slightly in the afternoon, but the Frenchman still ended the day a strong fourth, just 5.4 seconds behind Hyundai i20 N Rally1 colleague Tänak. A stall on SS5 at the same tricky corner that caught out Kalle Rovanperäand Josh McErlean was his biggest setback.

Defending champion Thierry Neuville endured a frustrating start, struggling with understeer, but found his rhythm later in the day. A stage win helped him claw back some time, and he completed the leg 9.1 secods down on Evans in fifth overall.

Two-time world champion Rovanperä had an uncharacteristically subdued day. Not helped byan overshoot on SS5, the Finn failed to break into the top three on any stage and trailed Neuville by 16.4 seconds at close of play.

Mārtiņš Sesks impressed on his return to M-Sport Fords Puma Rally1, posting a pair of top-three stage times on his way to seventh. Team-mate McErlean, in only his second Rally1 start, continued to build confidence and finished the day eighth.

Toyotas Sami Pajari showed flashes of strong pace but was hampered by an early brush with a snowbank that dislodged a tyre from the rim and limited him to ninth. Grégoire Munster completed the top 10 in his Puma.

Makar misses 4 Nations practice with illness

Published in Hockey
Friday, 14 February 2025 11:58

BROSSARD, Quebec -- Team Canada is battling more blueline drama at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

The country's top defenseman Cale Makar missed Friday's practice with an illness, putting his status for Saturday's game against the USA in jeopardy.

Canada was already down to just six healthy defensemen after Shea Theodore was knocked out of the tournament with an upper-body injury sustained Wednesday against Sweden. Makar was a workhorse for Canada as the team had just five defenders on the bench for much of that game, finishing with a team-high 28:06 TOI.

Canada's coach Jon Cooper could only speculate on Friday what Makar's status would be by puck drop.

"Expect is a big word," Cooper said on whether he anticipated Makar being available. "But I'm confident. I'm confident he'll be there."

There is a contingency plan in place if Makar hasn't recovered. Sources told ESPN that the NHL and NHLPA agreed Friday that Canada's circumstance warranted bringing Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley to Montreal in case the team has only five healthy skaters for its backend by Saturday night.

Travis Sanheim was Canada's original seventh defenseman already elevated to replace Theodore. Harley -- who's expected to arrive in town by Friday night -- can be around the team but isn't allowed to participate in anything on the ice unless Makar is officially ruled out for the game.

While Canada waits to see how its backend comes together, Cooper is mulling another significant change to the team's goaltending. Cooper wouldn't commit to a starter for Saturday's matchup after Jordan Binnington got the nod in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime win over Sweden. Binnington recorded 23 saves and an .885 SV% in the victory.

Adin Hill was Binnington's backup in that game; Sam Montembeault has been the country's extra goalie so far.

Cooper said he was going to talk to the goalies first before making a final decision.

One lineup change Cooper would cop to was inserting Sam Bennett for Travis Konecny. Bennett was a healthy scratch Wednesday against the speedy Swedes, but he'll add some needed physicality to Canada's group when it takes on the USA -- a team that levelled 32 hits on Finland in its 6-1 win over that country Thursday night.

Canada is preparing for the USA to invoke a similar strategy in Saturday's meeting, and Bennett will help balance the scales.

"I thought [Thursday's] game was maybe a little bit heavier than ours was against Sweden," Connor McDavid said. "They've got big bodies. But [Bennett] is big and strong. Plays with a little bit of an edge, as we know. I'd expect him to bring that, I expect him to bring his energy. He scores big goals and does all of it."

Having Bennett in the mix will pit him against Florida Panthers teammate Matthew Tkachuk. It was the gritty Tkachuk leading the U.S. to victory with three points in Thursday's game, and Cooper couldn't help wondering whether the two will find each other on the ice come Saturday.

"I'll be interesting if Sam and Matthew meet in a corner at some point," he said.

On the USA side, coach Mike Sullivan didn't say Friday if he'd make further adjustments after shuffling his own defense pairings early on against Finland. The USA didn't hold a practice following Thursday's win.

Finland sits Saros after giving up 6 in loss to U.S.

Published in Hockey
Friday, 14 February 2025 12:33

MONTREAL -- Kevin Lankinen will start in net for Finland against Sweden in the 4 Nations Face-Off on Saturday after Juuse Saros allowed six goals on 32 shots in a 6-1 loss to the United States in each team's tournament opener, coach Antti Pennanen said.

"We have three good goalies," Pennanen said after practice Friday. "It's a good situation for us. Juuse, I think he was really good the first 40 minutes, but 6-1, so we need to do something. And Kevin, he has played good games lately, so that was behind that decision."

Saros' struggles stretched into the 4 Nations from his rough half-season-plus in the NHL with the Nashville Predators. The 29-year-old has lost 29 of his 41 starts, ranks 38th among goalies in goals-against average with a 2.95 and is 33rd in save percentage with an .899.

Asked how he would evaluate his performance against the U.S., Saros said: "Obviously you always want to help your team even more on games like that."

Saros' new, eight-year, $61.92 million contract does not even kick in until next season.

Lankinen is 19-8-7 for the Vancouver Canucks with a 2.53 GAA and a .905 save percentage, making just above the league minimum at $875,000. A late bloomer who was never drafted, he grinded through minor leagues in Finland and North America before breaking through.

"I feel like there's still more -- a lot more -- to accomplish, so many more levels to step up to, and I feel like every single season so far has been good progress," Lankinen said. "Some of the pieces are coming together, but at the same time I recognize there is so much more to achieve."

Pennanen hinted at making other lineup changes after scratching Kaapo Kakko and Juuso Valimaki on Thursday night but would not reveal much. Valimaki said he was not playing.

"Could be, but tomorrow you will know about those," Pennanen said. "Again, 6-1, I think you need to do something but I know more exactly tomorrow, and those changes are public tomorrow."

South Korea int'l Hwang convicted over sex tapes

Published in Soccer
Friday, 14 February 2025 12:02

Former South Korea international Hwang Ui-jo was handed a one-year suspended prison sentence on Friday for filming sexual encounters with a woman without her consent.

Hwang, 32, was dropped from the national team in September 2023 after being charged with secretly filming two women on four occasions in 2022.

Hwang, who played for South Korea at the 2022 World Cup and scored 19 goals in 62 international appearances, was acquitted in the case of one woman and found guilty in the other.

Seoul Central District Court accepted Hwang's remorse for his actions but said a strict punishment was called for.

"Considering that he filmed them with a cellphone during sexual intercourse against their will, the number of times the crime was committed, and the specific details of the filmed material, the nature of the crime is not good," the court said, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Hwang starred in the leagues of South Korea and Japan before joining Bordeaux in 2019. After three seasons in France, the forward was signed by Nottingham Forest in England, though he did not play for the Premier League club.

After a series of loans, Hwang signed a one-year deal with Turkish club Alanyaspor in September.

Celtics HC Mazzulla: Guardiola career a 'roadmap'

Published in Soccer
Friday, 14 February 2025 12:02

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has talked up the similarities between his coaching journey and that of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, saying he used the Catalan coach's career as a "roadmap."

Both Mazzulla and Guardiola were promoted from relative obscurity into their first senior head coaching role -- Mazzulla at the Celtics after Ime Udoka's suspension ahead of the 2022-23 season, and Guardiola by Barcelona from their reserve team setup after the unsuccessful end to Frank Rijkaard's tenure in 2008 that saw the club finish third in LaLiga, 18 points behind rivals Real Madrid at the summit.

"Obviously, nowhere near the manager that Pep is but we share a similar beginning," Mazzulla said in interview with Men in Blazers. "He was coaching Barcelona's B team, I was in Maine's G League team, and they could have easily gone for a bigger name, but they go to this guy sitting on the back bench with no experience.

"It became really a roadmap to how I wanted to go about building a culture, a team, and you know, taking over greatness. You take a look at his tactical ability, his abilty to manage the best players, which I think is what separates coaches in any sport -- that's something that I thought I could really learn from."

While Guardiola has been an established coach for considerably longer than his American counterpart -- picking up three LaLiga titles with Barça, seven Premier League triumphs in England with City, three Bundesliga wins with Bayern Munich along with three Champions League successes in that time -- Mazzulla has quickly become one of the NBA's most respected coaches after claiming the championship in just his second full season last year.

Ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks in June, Mazzulla was seen speaking to the Spaniard on the court at the TD Garden, and the pair also met at City's training ground in February of that year.

"The biggest thing I wanted to take from him was: What's it like before you win? What are the challeneges that come with winning the first one? And what are you like now that you've won," Mazzulla continued.

"He has seen all those steps, and it just gives you great perspective as to: Okay, if you're gonna do this for a long time, here's what to expect, here's how to adapt and here's how to look at it.

"So I just thought it was someone who could really help me and so I appreciate his humility and it has been a fun journey, kind of building a relationship with him."

The Celtics remain the title favourites for the 2025 championship despite sitting 5 games back from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference, while City are in the midst of a turbulent season that has seen them almost certainly lose their grip on the Premier League after four straight titles and on the brink of a Champions League exit before the round of 16.

MLS jersey Power Rankings: Who's the best dressed in 2025?

Published in Soccer
Friday, 14 February 2025 11:55

It's a new year in MLS, which means new kits.

All 30 teams got a new jersey, with San Diego FC getting two of them for their expansion season and Inter Miami getting a fresh pair too because, well, that Lionel Messi guy sells lots of shirts.

As has been the case since 2006, Adidas is the supplier for every club in the league and the designs are subject to the manufacturer's template. Adidas' template this year has shades of its look from the late 2000s, and it's not the easiest to work with, as some teams found out.

Who's looking hot, and who's not? Let's rank all 30 clubs' new threads.


1. Seattle Sounders

Look who it is again.

A year after landing in the top spot with a dazzling home kit, the Sounders are back with a secondary kit to match. The deep blue isn't just handsome, it's also novel, as Seattle turns to a dark blue secondary strip for the first time as an MLS team. The design, which comes from three Salish women and the local weaving traditions, gives the kit texture and depth for a classy and distinctive look.

The Sounders have done a spectacular job since refreshing the brand prior to their 50th season last year and it shows up again here. The kit is inspired by the Puget Sound and feels distinctly Seattle, with their revised, minimalist Space Needle crest fitting in well. Even the sleeve sponsor feels right at home.

Between this kit and last season's green offering, the 2025 Sounders may have the best set of kits in MLS history.

2. Portland Timbers

The Timbers are celebrating their 50th season in style. The deep green and gold is always a sight to behold and the restrained design on this kit really lets the colors sing. The only real design element is the rings of the tree, which encircle the crest and act as both a perfect representation of the city and brand, as well as a memorable hallmark of this golden anniversary kit. Hell, even the Tillamook logo fits the vibe of the kit perfectly.

There is only one thing keeping this kit from the top spot: they didn't alter the colors of the crest to match.

3. D.C. United

Cream-colored kits rarely work, but this is absolutely one of the few that do.

Coming off of the long-anticipated and much-lauded cherry-blossoming secondary kit, D.C. had to hit with this one and they did just that, tapping into the city's funk and soul history for a colorful pattern that looks gorgeous. And while you'd often see that all over the shirt, United opted for some restraint and used the Adidas template to their advantage by working the pattern in there. It works to perfection, turning a cream kit into one where the cream exists to put the spotlight on the bright accents.

4. LA Galaxy

After years of tired navy kits, the Galaxy finally turned their secondary look into something worthwhile in recent years. They leaned on green, as an homage to their early kits, and it worked stupendously, and now they're branching out from there with a purple shirt that looks exquisite.

Meant to look like a sunrise, the Galaxy have found a brilliant shade of purple that fades into blue at the top and pink at the bottom. It's striking and the gold accents work perfectly. Call it a nod to the Lakers if you want, just call it lovely, too.

It's difficult when you wear white at home because, as clean as it may be, it can only be so exciting, which means the secondary shirt then has to really pop. The Galaxy are now doing that each time out, with this latest edition another absolute hit.

5. Real Salt Lake

A checkered kit in MLS? It's a brand new day and RSL deserves credit for their bravery. It's a smart look, taking their fairly innocuous secondary colors of blue and white and turning them into a kit that will be remembered for a long time.

While this kit is all about the checks, don't forget the red three stripes and gold sponsor across the chest. Despite using a design that they (and the rest of the league) don't touch, this is a kit that still feels very much like an RSL kit. That's not easy to do, but they did it.

6. Vancouver Whitecaps

There might not be a team in MLS with as identifiable of a kit as the Whitecaps. When you see white with a horizontal navy stripe, you know it's Vancouver, and it's gorgeous for good measure.

This season is one of the Caps' better editions of that beautiful home kit, as they use light blue accents perfectly and the Telus logo fits the entire look as well as any sponsor could. The Whitecaps are going to look great at BC Place, as per usual.

7. Colorado Rapids

In a season short on bold, well-executed kits, the Rapids stand out.

For the first time ever, the Rapids dropped their crest for a C that mimics the state flag, but has a soccer ball in it. It's a clever nod that looks superb and feels right at home on a shirt that evokes the state's snow-covered trees. It could so easily be too much and not work, but it perfectly toes the line of evocative and brash without being overwhelming.

Nail the look and ground it so clearly in your home and you have yourself a winner.

8. LAFC

The last time LAFC had a white kit with gold trim was back in their inaugural season, when it was just a plain white shirt with gold Adidas stripes. Now they're back, but this time it's a much more thoughtful kit that really makes the fabulous white and gold sing.

It's still a simple shirt, but there's enough gold to give it personality and the collar doesn't just fit, it has its own gold flourish that really brings the whole kit together. It's downright regal.

9. Inter Miami CF

Behold MLS' best selling kits of the year.

It doesn't matter what it looks like, as long as it's got "Messi" and the No. 10 on the back, it's going to fly off shelves. That's why Inter got two new kits this season, but they did deliver with a pair of good looks.

The pink, which thankfully continues to be the club's primary kit after their initial mistake of using black, uses stripes that everyone is going to see as a nod to Messi's Barcelona days. The black is nice too, with the split shirt matching the pink stripes as a unique design that is still subtle enough to not dominate the shirt.

All in all, these are two really smartly designed kits, as most any Inter kit is going to be with such a fabulous color scheme. The only problem is that Royal Caribbean logo, which continues to be an anchor on the Miami shirts.

10. Atlanta United FC

Atlanta have a pretty simple edict with their home shirt: make it red and black stripes. They have a little bonus task of making sure there are five of them, and they nailed that, so this is a good kit.

What separates Montréal from other striped sides is that United have a sharp third color in gold that makes the whole look pop a little better. This kit checks all the boxes and the only critique is they could have thrown a bit more gold into the mix, maybe on the shoulder stripes.

11. CF Montréal

Montréal will always have a good home kit as long as it's got blue and black stripes, so this gets a passing grade off the bat. There's nothing else remarkable or innovative in the design, but it doesn't have to be. Not when you have a look that nobody else in the league does. You see this and you know it's the Impac ... err, CF Montréal.

Still, this one makes sure the little details are done right. The white sponsor logo and three stripes match, while the collar trim is a nice touch. More than anything, the details are about getting out of the way of the stripes on this kit, and it does that.

12. Minnesota United

The Loons are working with a great set of fundamentals. They have a great color combination, plenty of Minnesota imagery at their disposal and one of the best crests in all of MLS, so it's a little disappointing when their kit is anything but a smash hit. This isn't that, but it is still a nice effort.

The blue looks good as ever with the black and the collar is a nice touch, even if it'd be better to have it go all the way around to the bottom of the neck. It'd be nice if MNUFC found a way to incorporate a smidge of red somewhere, as a nod to the red eye of the loon in their crest, which is one of the best details anywhere in the league.

13. Charlotte FC

Charlotte had a black change kit in their expansion season but quickly moved off of it. Now it's back, and it's a really smart design. The black still carries the day, but the subtle pattern gives it a finished look that makes it feel like a Charlotte kit and not just a generic black shirt that so many other clubs wear.

The only criticism is that it could use a little bit more blue. The little bit at the collar just isn't enough and it feels a little out of place with the white accent marks most everywhere else. Black and blue is a great color combo so lean into it a little more.

14. Philadelphia Union

The Union have dubbed this their "Voltage Kit" and it's not hard to see why. The light blue and gold looks good whenever Phill turns to it, and this is no exception, plus the minimalist crest with only the snake is a terrific touch. This is a hit from a design perspective, so why isn't it higher?

For one, the frame of the Thomas' logo really holds the whole shirt back, but also the electricity inspiration is a bit muddy. The club doesn't cite Benjamin Franklin in their thinking, but did have Tesla coils at their unveiling, even though Nikola Tesla doesn't have roots in Philly. It's too bad Thomas Edison wasn't from Philadelphia because an electricity kit with Thomas' across the front would have hit hard.

15. Austin FC

Austin have gone all-in on Verde this season, dropping the black from their stripes and using two shades of green while relegating black to an accent color. It works well and it will be worth watching whether this is the new normal for Austin or an outlier, with the green and black returning down the road.

One thing that Austin have going for them is a really clear and tidy brand. There's not a ton of accent colors or imagery. There's their eye-popping shade or green and black, so they can make any number of kits that feel like Austin FC. This one is no exception.

16. Columbus Crew

This may not be the best-looking kit in a vacuum, but it works because it is inspired by Columbus native R.L. Stein's "Goosebumps" series. It's meant to look like slime seeping through the black of the shirt and slipping down, which it absolutely does.

Now is that a little corny? Sure. And that it activates under ultraviolet lights may make you roll your eyes, but when you can ground your kit in one of the most successful products to come out of your city and so clearly evoke that, you're doing something right.

17. New York City FC

The Pigeons' sky blue and white is always going to look good. The question each time out is how do they make it distinct and feel like an NYCFC kit instead of a generic City Football Group kit?

The easiest way is with splashes of navy and orange, which adorns their crest and gets some love on the collar trim, but it's not enough. The pattern on the shirt does enough to differentiate it and it's a nice look, but the Pigeons' quest for a home shirt that screams "New York" isn't coming to an end with this one.

18. Houston Dynamo

Would you look at that, it's another orange kit for the Dynamo.

As is the case every two years when Houston needs a new primary shirt, they run into a bit of a problem: there's only so much you can do with this orange. The color is what makes the shirt, and consequently bold designs immediately make the kit overwhelming, so they have to stay simple. This does that, and the bit of blue accents offsets the orange nicely.

Plus, the last time the Dynamo were wearing kits with this type of template they were playing in MLS Cup. That has to bode well for this year, right?

19. Chicago Fire

No need to recoil, Fire fans. The club is not reviving their misguided attempt to make blue their primary color. This is their secondary kit, with red remaining the home choice.

Chicago has shifted toward a lighter blue in recent years, aligning itself closer with the city flag than the navy blue of their first 20 years. This is more of that and it works, with the subtle pattern giving the kit a touch of class, but the stacked sponsor, with the Carvana logo above the script instead of next to it like on the home kit, clutters things a bit.

20. Orlando City

As the league's only purple club, Orlando will always stand out, and they have once again. They went with a bold effect in the design and it helps the kit pop compared to some of their previous offerings, which is nice even if it's not a smash hit.

However, it would have been nicer if they used more gold as an accent because it is their secondary color and it works so well with the purple. Unfortunately, this continues a theme of the Lions using white on their kits far more often than the gorgeous gold.

21. New England Revolution

No kit was hurt more by this year's Adidas template than the Revs'. The green is superb and the navy accents hit just right, with the blue and white crest complementing the rest of the shirt excellently.

The problem is the entire design of the kit is awkwardly cut off by the shape of the front panel, undercutting a smart and distinctive pattern of stark lines with a wavy border and not allowing the green to wrap around like it should. If this was a green kit, and not a white kit with a bit of a green front, we'd be talking about one of the league's best, but instead we've got this.

22. Toronto FC

It shouldn't be difficult for Toronto to have a good home kit. Red and black is a great color combo, they have a sharp crest and their sponsor logo works. Simple, right? Apparently not, because the Reds decided that their last home kit should be gray, and now they've gone for an overcomplicated effort that has shades of burgundy and what appears to be orange.

It's not a good kit and it's even worse because TFC are inherently set up for success, but at least it's red(ish). That's an upgrade after two years in the gray wilderness.

23. FC Cincinnati

Cincy used a heavy dose of orange on their blue primary kits when they were in USL, but have mostly eschewed their secondary color since making the leap to MLS. That's not the case anymore, with a gigantic orange diagonal stripe adorning their new kit this season.

It's nice to see FCC utilize more orange and highlight on a color scheme that is unique in the league. They might have been better served by a more traditional sash and the two different shades of blue above and below the orange is a bit strange. They went for it this season, which is appreciated, but maybe rein in it a little bit more next time.

24. Sporting Kansas City

SKC have returned to stripes for a fifth straight season, this time with thicker stripes than last season's kit, but still not quite going full hoops. The template hurts the shirt with the awkward way the hoops cut off toward the bottom, but at least they are sticking with stripes as they try to establish a visual identity for a club whose brand and culture is mostly forgettable at this point.

25. New York Red Bulls

The last time we saw the Red Bulls, they were wearing those excellent red-and-black kits in MLS Cup.

Now, the stakes are lower and that's probably a good thing because their new look isn't worth looking at. It is a splotchy design with an ugly stone color, which is a problem when the ugly stone color and splotchy design are really all that there is notable about the shirt. Fortunately, the red and black kit is still around as the primary kit. Maybe they can wear it 34 times this season.

26. Nashville SC

There's nothing wrong with Nashville's kit, but there's nothing really right about it either. There's almost nothing to it, with the standard navy accented by templated yellow, which is kind of this club's thing. Their colors are yellow and blue, and, well, that's about it.

For a club in a city with so much to draw upon, you'd think they'd be bolder and have more interesting design, but this is their sixth year in MLS and we've yet to see it.

27. St. Louis City SC

City haven't been particularly ambitious with their kits, using unremarkable red and white kits since entering the league, and this is no different. The template at least gives this one a little flair and the collar is new for STL, but that's about all this kit has.

St. Louis have really leaned in on their unique shade of red to make up the entire visual identity to this point, and there is value in a color that pops like that, but at some point they should probably make a kit worth remembering.

28. FC Dallas

This season's template is prone to making kits look like training shirts and that is especially true with Dallas' offering because Adidas' template is the most distinctive thing here. Otherwise it's just gray (which almost never works as a kit color) with some splotches of red and blue. That their kit sponsor is a medical center, a hallmark of training kits, doesn't help things.

It's looking likely to be a rough season on the pitch for Dallas, and it's rough on the runway too.

29. San Jose Earthquakes

You can see what they were going for with this one, integrating imagery from their history, but none of it works. It looks like a wearable, badly designed poster.

This is the latest in a line of disappointing Quakes kits, as they struggle to figure out what they are other than "blue and black." The red of their pre-MLS days makes an appearance on the collar, but even that feels out of place with the rest of the kit. This whole shirt is just a bunch of stuff not talking to each other, but it is definitely red in the face and screaming at you.

30. San Diego FC

It's a good thing that it's impossible not to be excited for an expansion team because of their mere existence, because the design team isn't doing anything to drum up enthusiasm in San Diego.

After a lackluster crest reveal that drew widespread jeers, they've followed it up with a pair of shirts that look like training gear and not match kits. The blue tried to make use of the template with a peripheral splash of color that matches the misguided crest, while the white is so generic you could swap the crest with almost any other club and it would work.

In the designers' defense, SDFC's overall brand didn't give them much to work with, but it's an expansion year. They've got many more years to get things on the right track, or on the tracks at all.

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