Representing Pakistan on the biggest stage is an honour and dream of every cricketer in this country. I have been privileged enough to represent Pakistan multiple times with pride. Unfortunately I'm now out of ICC Champions Trophy 2025 but surely Allah is the best planner. pic.twitter.com/MQKmOI4rQU
Fakhar Zaman (@FakharZamanLive) February 20, 2025
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Grading Ineos' first year at Man United: Squad, budget, fans, success and more
Published in
Soccer
Thursday, 20 February 2025 01:53
Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's 27.7% purchase of a minority stake in Manchester United -- a deal that gave Britain's richest person control of football operations at the Premier League's most successful club -- but it has been a turbulent 12 months for the club since his arrival. Erik ten Hag ended last season by winning the FA Cup and was rewarded with a new contract as manager only to be fired four months later, while over 250 job cuts -- and the prospect of more -- have left morale at rock bottom within Old Trafford.
Ratcliffe's Ineos Group has made changes behind the scenes, hiring and firing senior staff, but on the pitch, new head coach Ruben Amorim has endured a nightmarish start that has even prompted the former Sporting CP coach to say that relegation is a possibility for the 20-time title winners. United are also struggling to comply with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules (PSR), which threatens a summer of low spending in the transfer market.
So with the first year under Ineos proving to be tough for United, Mark Ogden and Rob Dawson have assessed the group's impact so far -- and whether the club can look forward to a brighter future.
(Editor's note: The grades are assessing the gap between expectations when Ineos arrived in town a year ago, complete with big ideas and ambitious plans, and the reality of where Man United find themselves right now.)
On-pitch success: Is the team winning games? Trophies? Competitive in general?
Ogden: A quick look at the Premier League table gives you an instant answer. United are on course for their worst-ever Premier League season -- by some distance -- and the team, under both Ruben Amorim and his predecessor Erik ten Hag, has set all kinds of unwanted records in terms of results. Amorim has already broken records dating back over a century in relation to his team's woeful record at Old Trafford.
In isolation, United have had some good results under Ineos, including last season's FA Cup final win against champions Manchester City. They have also won at City in the league season, drawn at Liverpool and beat Arsenal on penalties in the FA Cup after a third-round draw at the Emirates. But United haven't built on those results, and there have been no signs of prolonged progress under either manager.
Many seasoned United watchers reckon things haven't been this bad since the early 1970s, when the club was relegated. It's hard to argue that those old-timers are wrong.
Dawson: It's been an unmitigated disaster. The FA Cup was won in May, but Ineos can't take much credit for it because it wasn't able to make meaningful on-pitch decisions before the summer. It's what has happened since that's raised eyebrows.
Ineos dithered over the decision to keep Erik ten Hag. And then, having chosen to stick with him, gave him influence over more than 200 million in new signings that included two of his former players: defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui. It was investment made to suit Ten Hag's 4-3-3 system, but a matter of months later, he was gone and replaced with Ruben Amorim, who insists upon a completely different tactical setup with three at the back. At best, it's muddled thinking; at worst, it's mismanagement.
United won't get relegated because four teams -- Southampton, Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers -- are in demonstrably worse shape. Defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Feb. 16 left Amorim's team 15th in the table, just two points above West Ham. United have never finished in the bottom half in the Premier League era.
The situation Amorim has inherited is so dire that you can't begin to judge him. If it turns out the Portuguese coach isn't up to the job, Ineos will be faced with making another managerial change and building a squad that needs a different profile of player. United are in a hole, and they haven't got the time or the money to be chasing their tail.
GRADES:
- Ogden: D
- Dawson: F
Club finances
Ogden: United are doing nothing to put a positive spin on the bleak financial reality at the club. They announced losses of 113m in the most recent annual accounts last September and have repeatedly stated that they have no financial headroom in terms of PSR. Within those accounts, United also revealed outstanding transfer payments of 319m -- a common issue at clubs throughout football due to fees being paid over the course of a player's contract -- and an overall debt of 714m.
This is why, people at the club would argue, Ineos has overseen drastic job cuts at all levels in the past 12 months, with more likely to come. It is also why United were encouraging offers for homegrown players Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo during the January window, as any fee for those would be classed as pure profit on the balance sheet.
The big question about Ineos, though, is whether it is simply dealing with a problem that the Glazer family (the majority owners) ignored for years and is attempting to put United on a sound financial footing, or if it's clearing the decks and reducing staffing levels to reduce its own costs and make United a less expensive club to run. The message from Ineos has been that all financial decisions, including the most painful ones, have been taken with the ultimate objective of making the team better and successful again. However, for a club that was ranked fourth in Deloitte's 2025 Football Money League in terms of revenue generated -- United banked 770.6m, behind only Real Madrid, Man City and Paris Saint-Germain -- it's hard to see how Ineos is making the numbers stack up.
Dawson: This is Ineos' big problem. United have lost more than 300m over the past three years and their costs remain high. In a recent letter to fans, they warned there was a danger they could fall foul of PSR, which could lead to big fines or points deductions. Only United know how close they are to their PSR limit, because the numbers submitted to the league are different from those disclosed in statements to the New York Stock Exchange. But as one source told ESPN, the club is facing "a challenging long-term financial picture."
Ratcliffe has invested around 240m since his arrival -- part of which is being used to redevelop Carrington, the club's training facility -- but it's a drop in the ocean. There's a feeling within Ineos that supporters do not fully understand just how bad things are and that there is a scenario -- as unthinkable as it sounds -- in which United could go bust if drastic cost-cutting measures aren't implemented.
GRADES:
- Ogden: F
- Dawson: C (it's not all Ineos' fault)
Let's look at the squad: Is it getting better or worse?
Ogden: United ended the 2024 summer window with a 101m net spend having traded players in and out after winning the FA Cup, but the squad is still nowhere near having the depth or quality expected at a club of its stature. United have two unproven, and frankly not good enough, young forwards in Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee whose transfer fees cost a combined 100m. Defensively, there is a lack of quality at full-back, no central defender who can bring the ball forward and no world-class midfielder.
Very few United players would get in teams above them in the Premier League table -- an indictment of the club's woeful recent recruitment -- but Ineos has now had two full windows to improve the squad and has failed to do so. The squad is no better than when Ineos arrived; if anything, it's worse.
Dawson: More than 200m has been spent on signing new players since the takeover, and you could argue the squad is no better. In fact, plenty of fans would agree it's worse. The jury is still out on summer signings De Ligt, Mazraoui, Manuel Ugarte, Leny Yoro and Zirkzee. The same can be said for Patrick Dorgu, January's one significant arrival. In terms of outgoings, United have Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa), Antony (Real Betis), Jadon Sancho (Chelsea) and Tyrell Malacia (PSV Eindhoven) -- with a combined market value of more than 200m -- playing for other clubs on loan.
United have struggled to score goals since Ten Hag's time in charge, but in January both Rashford and Antony were allowed to leave without replacements coming in. United have scored 28 goals in 25 league games this season with only Ipswich, Southampton, Leicester and Everton scoring fewer.
The injury list is getting longer, too, after Amad Diallo, Mainoo and Ugarte all picked up problems last week. Still, the state of the squad was summed up at Spurs when Amorim was able to name only one substitute over the age of 19. That was Victor Lindelöf, who hasn't played in the league for more than two months and is set to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.
GRADES:
- Ogden: D
- Dawson: D
Moves made with senior management
Ogden: The jury is out on this one because virtually all of the senior executives pre-Ineos were cleared out by the new regime.
The Glazers oversaw a decade of drift and decline by promoting from within, resulting in the likes of Ed Woodward (executive vice chairman), Richard Arnold (CEO), John Murtough (football director) and Darren Fletcher (technical director) assuming consequential roles and not meeting expectations. Ineos has since hired Omar Berrada (CEO), Jason Wilcox (technical director) and Dan Ashworth (sporting director), but former Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion sporting director Ashworth was fired after less than five months in the job. Ashworth failed to impress Ineos boss Ratcliffe, but he was expected to perform a role that was different from his previous experience working with more autonomy at Newcastle, so Ratcliffe and Ineos cannot escape blame for that failed appointment.
Sir Dave Brailsford, the Ineos director of sport, has an influential role behind the scenes at United, and they now have a coherent leadership structure tasked with plotting a course forward.
0:57
Ogden questions what the 'cult of Jim' are adding to Man United
On "The Football Reporters" podcast, Mark Ogden wonders what Dave Brailsford can bring to Manchester United with a background in cycling.
Dawson: It's probably the one area where Ineos has made some kind of progress. Ratcliffe identified very early that the club's structure wasn't set up for success, and he has tried to fix it.
Berrada is a clever appointment as CEO after helping Manchester City to become the dominant force in English football. He has an astute business mind, knows football and has contacts across Europe -- really the perfect candidate to lead a rebuild.
Ashworth also seemed like a smart hire as director of football given his longtime friendship with Brailsford, but it quickly turned into an embarrassment. Ratcliffe should have made sure his team and Ashworth were completely aligned on key issues -- such as possible managerial candidates -- before spending so much time and money appointing him from Newcastle. Having to sack Ashworth so quickly suggests Ratcliffe didn't do his homework, which doesn't bode well for the rest of his decision-making.
GRADES:
- Ogden: D
- Dawson: C
Fan relations
Ogden: The optics of the Ineos era so far have been really bad. Beyond issues with cost-cutting and infrastructure that have caused embarrassment, fans have felt the tangible effects of the new regime.
Ticket prices have gone up, despite the woeful football and results, a decision that Ratcliffe justified by saying it shouldn't cost more to watch Fulham than Manchester United -- a remark that went down badly with fans. They directed derogatory chants toward Ratcliffe during the recent game at Fulham, so in a year, he has achieved the remarkable feat of becoming as unpopular as the Glazers.
Dawson: The message from Ineos at every turn has been that each decision -- popular or not -- has been taken to benefit the men's first team. In short, it's prepared to do anything and everything to make the club more competitive on the pitch.
It probably felt like an easy PR win considering how things had been under the Glazers, with former executive vice chairman Ed Woodward never able to forget his infamous quote: "Playing performance doesn't really have a meaningful impact on what we can do on the commercial side of the business." But by being so clear about its reasoning, Ineos has opened a debate about what a football club is.
It's true that many supporters only want to see United win the Premier League and Champions League, not caring how they get there. But there are other fans who believe a football club should stand for more: that ticket prices should always be affordable, particularly for children and teenagers; that there should be a thriving women's team; that there should be a charitable foundation to improve lives in Manchester; that former players who had careers during a time of more modest salaries should be supported.
Fans already feel like they are being forced to pay the price for poor decision-making by the Glazers, and many believe it's being continued by Ratcliffe. There has already been scattered discontent aimed at Ratcliffe and Ineos, and there's a larger protest planned ahead of the Arsenal game on March 9. There's real concern among season-ticket holders that they will be hit with a major price hike ahead of next season.
GRADES:
- Ogden: F
- Dawson: D
How does the future look?
Ogden: Right now, the future doesn't look great at all, but perhaps Ineos is making the tough, unpopular decisions to clear the way for progress. Sometimes you have to rip off the bandage, and Ineos is certainly doing that.
We shouldn't forget that Liverpool's owners, Fenway Sports Group, had plenty of early missteps at Anfield including clashes with fans over ticket prices, clumsy handling of managerial changes and recruitment mistakes including Mario Balotelli and Christian Benteke. Nobody remembers those mistakes now, largely because Jürgen Klopp was an inspired managerial appointment and the club's recruitment team worked in tandem with him to turn Liverpool into world-beaters again.
1:43
Dawson: Players uncomfortable benefitting from Man United redundancies
On "The Football Reporters" podcast, Rob Dawson says morale amongst Manchester United staff is as low as he's ever seen it.
United desperately need clear leadership and a strategic plan to move forward, and they had neither under the Glazers, so Ineos might just be in the first, chaotic stages of getting it right. But that's the positive outlook. The flip side is that the new decision-makers aren't as smart as some of them believe themselves to be, and football is a much tougher business to crack than anything they have worked in before.
Much will depend on the summer. If Ineos clears out the deadwood and makes smart signings, then Amorim could be the coach to put United back on top. Amorim needs Ineos to deliver if he is to deliver for them.
Dawson: It's easy to be very pessimistic about the future. Clubs need money to be competitive, and United are openly saying there isn't any. On top of that, Ratcliffe and Ineos want to build a new stadium at a possible cost of 2 billion, though there has been little concrete information about how they plan to pay for it. The danger is that if the club foots the bill, there will be an even smaller budget to reshape the squad. Amorim has already said that funds for next summer will depend on whether United can get players out.
In the short term, the biggest worry is Amorim. It's not yet clear whether he's the right man for the job. He has been dealt a tough hand, and he has been fighting fire after fire since his arrival in November. If it turns out he was the wrong appointment, it will be a huge setback for Ratcliffe and Ineos.
The hope is that Amorim's appointment works out, high earners like Rashford and Casemiro leave in the summer, some money is freed up to reinvest and, next season, United begin to take small steps forward. It's not certain by any means, and most fans are in the position of wanting to see it to believe it.
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Shami on long rehab: 'Felt like a toddler learning how to walk'
Published in
Cricket
Thursday, 20 February 2025 01:26
Mohammed Shami feared that his career was over when a lengthy rehabilitation kept him out of cricket throughout 2024. Now leading India's pace attack in the Champions Trophy, Shami compared his comeback to "a toddler learning how to walk".
"I always wondered when I would be able to put my feet on the ground again, as someone who is used to running on the field constantly was now in crutches," Shami, 34, told icc.tv. "A lot of thoughts used to run through my mind. Will I be able to do it again? Will I be able to walk without a limp? For the first two months, I often doubted whether I would be able to play again as an injury like this followed by a 14-month break can pull you down.
"My first question to the doctor was 'how many days until I can be back on the field'. He said, 'my priority is to get you to walk, then jog, and then run and thinking about playing competitive cricket is still a distant goal'.
"After 60 days, when they asked me to put my feet on the ground, you won't believe me, but I have never been more scared to put my foot on the ground. It felt like I was starting over, like a toddler learning how to walk, and I was worried about any complications."
After overcoming an ankle injury, Shami underwent surgery in March 2024. He subsequently faced issues in his knee, further delaying his return. After returning to the Bengal team for the domestic season, Shami rejoined India's white-ball squad during the home series against England, and proved his fitness for the Champions Trophy.
Shami was the highest wicket-taker of the last ICC tournament he played - the 2023 ODI World Cup - despite being on the field for only seven fixtures. He now finds himself needing to play another big role with Jasprit Bumrah out with an injury.
"The desire to wear the India badge on my chest kept me going," he said. "You endure the pain and take it one step at a time without complaints or bitterness. It was tough and there was pain, but with resilience and patience I made it through. My motivation has always been to serve my country for as long as possible. Because once you step away, you're just like anyone else."
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Injured Fakhar Zaman ruled out of Champions Trophy; Pakistan call up Imam-ul-Haq
Published in
Cricket
Thursday, 20 February 2025 01:54
Pakistan's hopes of defending their Champions Trophy title have taken a significant dent with opener Fakhar Zaman ruled out of the remainder of the tournament with an oblique injury. Imam-ul-Haq has been approved by the ICC as Fakhar's replacement.
Fakhar picked up the injury off just the second ball of the tournament, when he hared off in pursuit of a cover drive from Will Young off Shaheen Shah Afridi. When he collected the ball, he appeared to be in some discomfort. After treatment on the field, he was take off, and remained out for more than two hours.
That meant he could not open the Pakistan batting, and when he did come in at No. 4, he was visibly discomfited. He received multiple visits from the team doctor and physio, and took painkillers on the field throughout his 41-ball stay at the crease. It was something of a tortured innings, with his movements restricted, and he didn't look like he would have a serious impact on Pakistan's pursuit of the 320 New Zealand had scored. He scored 24 before he was dismissed.
The injury is especially unfortunate for Fakhar and Pakistan. He only returned to the side when Saim Ayub, Pakistan's standout opener in their three away series wins at the tail-end of last year, was struck down in similar circumstances. He went in pursuit of a ball down to the boundary in the second Test against South Africa in January, only to twist his ankle, which was later confirmed to be a fractured. It has ruled him out until at least March.
Fakhar's most famous contribution to Pakistan cricket has come in this tournament. He was the star batter in the final of the last Champions Trophy, in 2017, where he scored 114 against India as Pakistan won the tournament.
Imam, who comes into the side, does not have the same pedigree as Fakhar in terms of belligerence, and has not played international cricket since 2023. He does, however, have a stellar record as opener, averaging 48.27 with nine ODI centuries from 72 ODIs.
Pakistan are on the ropes in their defence of the trophy already, having succumbed to a 60-run defeat in the tournament opener against New Zealand. Their next game is on February 23, against India in Dubai.
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Bird joins 400 club to put NSW in mix for Shield final
Published in
Cricket
Wednesday, 19 February 2025 22:58
New South Wales 238 (Davies 89, Boland 4-56) and 174 (Gilkes 49, Boland 6-46) beat Victoria 182 (Bird 3-24) and 154 (Murphy 40, Bird 5-68) by 76 runs
Bird claimed 5 for 68 on the third day, making full use of a surface that was getting tougher to bat on, as Victoria were bowled out for 154 chasing 230, the margin only narrowed by a late dip from Todd Murphy who flayed 40 off 32 balls.
Scott Boland had earlier finished with 6 for 46 and a match haul of 10 for 102 as NSW lost their last six wickets for 31 but a fourth-innings chase was always going to be a tall order for the visitors.
Bird's first wicket of the final innings, finding the edge of Marcus Harris, took him to his milestone as he joined Clarrie Grimmett, Michael Kasprowicz, Andy Bichel and Jo Angel as the only bowlers in the 400-club.
"It probably means I've been around a long time," Bird said. "It's nice to tick off the milestones along the way, but when you have a good win like that with a team, it makes it more special. So it's a great team effort.
"It's nice to be in that [400] group. But the goal of mine now is to win a Sheffield Shield. I've never won a Sheffield Shield, so that's more important to me at the moment and it's what's driving me to keep playing at my age."
Bird, 38, indicated that any decision on whether he would continue his career would be made at the end of the season. "I'm just taking it game by game at the moment," he said. "I didn't have much left in the tank after this afternoon. I don't want to hang on too long. Whether I can mentally do another pre-season. If I do play next year, it'll probably look different in terms of my availability."
None of Victoria's top five reached double figures as they slid to 31 for 5 which effectively decided the contest. Bird had Tom Rogers taken at first slip, Harry Dixon miscuing a pull and forced Peter Handscomb to fend a viciously rising delivery into the cordon. He later returned to remove Fergus O'Neill for his fifth wicket and finished the game with a season's tally of 30 at 13.96.
Captain Jack Edwards was again impressive with the ball while Liam Hatcher chipped in with a brace.
The victory pushed NSW into second place in what looks like a race to play South Australia in the final. It was Victoria's third consecutive loss leaving them a tough route to the final with games against the leaders, SA, and an away trip to Western Australia.
"Dropping Ollie Davies in the first innings cost us quite a bit," coach Chris Rogers said. "With our batting we lost a number of wickets in and around breaks and just probably not up to the standard we needed to be if we're going to win games of cricket. We've got a lot of questions we need to answer.
"Playing our last Shield game against Queensland before the BBL break I didn't imagine us being in this position. We've only got ourselves to blame. It's frustrating and shows how competitive this league is. We've let too many moments slip and we need to question why that's happening."
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
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Morris turns up to the heat as WA thrash Queensland
Published in
Cricket
Wednesday, 19 February 2025 23:45
Western Australia 312 (Fanning 95, Whiteman 67, Neser 4-34) beat Queensland 147 (Rocchiccioli 7-52) and 153 (Morris 3-35) by an innings and 12 runs
Reigning champions Western Australia have revived their quest for Sheffield Shield history, trouncing Queensland by an innings and 12 runs to rise from last to third on the ladder.
WA paceman Lance Morris claimed three wickets as Queensland were bowled out for 153 in their second innings on day three at the Gabba on Thursday.
WA, seeking to become the first state to win four consecutive shields since Tasmania entered the competition in 1977-78, started the fixture at the foot of the ladder. But they rose to third with NSW (32.87) taking second spot after defeating Victoria, while Queensland (28.45) slid from third to fifth.
WA's victory came only 11 days after being humiliated on home turf by SA when they posted scores of 120 and 66 in a six-wicket loss.
"We had a good little reflection ... but you can only talk so much," captain Sam Whiteman said. "To put some actions into place and perform really well with both the ball and the bat is pleasing - it's a tough spot to win at, the Gabba. It gives us the best chance heading back home for the two final games."
Morris tore through Queensland's tail and was on a hat-trick after dismissing Xavier Bartlett and bowling Mark Steketee for a golden duck. He sprayed his hat-trick attempt, sending a delivery to Mitch Swepson wildly down the legside to miss the milestone.
Queensland made 147 in their first innings when offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli took a career-best 7 for 52. WA, with Sam Fanning (95) falling just shy of his maiden first-class century, replied with 312 to take a stranglehold on the fixture.
Queensland's batters struggled again in their second innings with Ben McDermott and Lachlan Hearne top-scoring - both made 33. Angus Lovell, his opening partner Matt Renshaw and Michael Neser were the only other batsmen to reach double-figures.
WA's Morris collected 3 for 35 from 13 overs - he also removed McDermott with a brute of a short ball which reared at the batter, who edged to wicketkeeper Joel Curtis.
Rocchiccioli finished with his best first-class match figures of 9 for 79 while paceman Joel Paris and Cameron Gannon also took multiple second-innings wickets.
"Awesome reward for him to get his first 5-for," Whiteman said. "He has taken over 100 Shield wickets without a five-for, so to finish with nine for the match is amazing. He's such a weapon for us on day one when it's spinning."
After this round, all states have two games remaining before the final. WA host NSW from March 6 and Victoria from March 15 at the WACA Ground in Perth.
Queensland will be on the road for their remaining fixtures, against Tasmania at Bellerive Oval and South Australia at Karen Rolton Oval on the same dates.
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Radhakrishnan digs in to give Tasmania hope in big chase
Published in
Cricket
Thursday, 20 February 2025 00:04
Tasmania 101 and 164 for 3 (Radhakrishnan 53*) need 217 more runs to beat South Australia 93 and 388 (Sangha 75, Scott 69, McInerney 61)
Precocious talent Nivethan Radhakrishnan posted a half-century as Tasmania faced a final-day fight for 217 more runs to defeat Sheffield Shield leaders South Australia.
Set 381 runs to win, Tasmania were 164 for 3 at stumps on the third day at Adelaide Oval. Radhakrishnan, an Indian-born 22-year-old who can bowl spinners with right and left arms, has underpinned the chase with an unbeaten 53. He will resume on the last day with Jake Doran, who was 19 not out.
Tasmania lost Jake Weatherald early when the left hander didn't play a shot to a Nathan McAndrew delivery which cut back to clip off stump.
Radhakrishnan and Tim Ward took the score to 70 but the latter fell just after tea. Like Weatherald, the left-handed Ward failed to offer a shot to McAndrew bowling around the wicket but was unlucky to be adjudged lbw, given the ball hit his thigh pad and appeared to be tracking over the stumps.
Radhakrishnan, who has represented Australia in Under-16 and Under-19 ranks, then featured in a 66-run partnership dominated by stalwart Jordan Silk. Silk made 43 from 66 balls but was bowled by legspinner Lloyd Pope - he chopped on attempting a drive through the off-side an hour before stumps.
Earlier, SA were all out for 388 in their second innings. After resuming at 272 for 6, McAndrew and Ben Manenti quickly prospered as they struck five boundaries each and featured in a 78-run partnership.
Allrounder Liam Scott returned to the crease after retiring hurt on 43 because of a migraine late on day two, pushing his score to 69 not out. Tasmania quick Riley Meredith was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 81.
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LeBron, Luka say roles in clutch go 'both ways'
Published in
Basketball
Wednesday, 19 February 2025 23:49
LOS ANGELES -- It took only three games with LeBron James and Luka Doncic as teammates before the Los Angeles Lakers had to answer the question: Who gets the last shot?
Wednesday, it was James. The 22-year veteran missed two potential game-tying 3-pointers in the waning seconds of L.A.'s 100-97 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
Doncic, who threw the inbounds pass to James with 6.3 seconds left, setting up the first shot, said their roles are interchangeable.
"He had it going, so obviously we're going to go to him," Doncic said. "I think it will go both ways. One time it's going to be him, one time me. So, I think it depends how the game is going."
Before his final two misses -- the last falling short at the buzzer after Gabe Vincent grabbed the offensive rebound followed James' first missed 3 and fed him again -- James had scored 16 points in the fourth quarter on 6-for-8 shooting, including 2-for-3 from 3. Doncic, meanwhile, had scored five points in the fourth on 2-for-5 shooting.
"As a coach, you're excited that you have two guys that can be the passer and be the guy who gets the pass," Lakers coach JJ Redick said of the late-game dynamic between James and Doncic. "But it felt like LeBron, particularly in the fourth, just found a nice rhythm and I felt really comfortable with that. And we got two good looks."
James said that he "felt pretty good" with the play call to get him the ball for a 3 above the break. He had just made one with 6.8 seconds remaining to cut the Hornets lead from four to one at 98-97.
"We run the set that JJ draws up," James said of being the guy to take the last shot Wednesday. "You execute it. And we executed it. We just didn't make it."
James finished with his typical production -- 26 points on 10-for-22 shooting, 11 assists, seven rebounds and two blocks -- but the Lakers struggled overall against the Hornets.
Doncic nearly posted a triple-double with 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, but he shot just 5-for-18 with six turnovers. Austin Reaves shot 3-for-9 before being ejected late in the third quarter for picking up two quick technical fouls in succession from referee Rodney Mott. Rui Hachimura scored 17 points but shot 1-for-8 from 3 and missed two free throws with 37.7 seconds left that could have tied the score.
"Obviously, it's going to take a little time," Doncic said. "Today, a lot of rustiness for my part. Started the game with like four or five turnovers. That can't happen. So, just got to play basketball the right way."
L.A. shot a season-high 51 times from beyond the 3-point arc and made just 15 (29.4%).
"I thought, our effort and competitive spirit was good enough to win," Redick said. "Just, we were really poor offensively for 90% of the game."
James, playing on a left ankle injury that held him out of the All-Star game, pointed out that Doncic was only playing in his third game since Christmas because of a strained left calf injury of his own.
"He still doesn't know all the plays, he doesn't know all the defensive coverages, all the signals, and things that we've built since September," James said. "So obviously, we're trying to fast-track it on the fly. He's coming back from his injury. He's getting back into form. So, we're all working through it together."
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PITTSBURGH -- Hall of Fame broadcaster Mike Lange, whose imaginative goal calls made his raspy voice immediately recognizable to Penguins fans for decades, has died. He was 76.
The team confirmed Lange's death Wednesday. No cause was given.
"Mike was a wordsmith -- a magician behind the mic," the Penguins said in a statement, later adding, "Only Mike could make the biggest names in hockey seem more magical with just his voice."
Phil Bourque, a former Penguin who spent years alongside Lange in the team's radio booth, called his former partner "one of the kindest, most loyal and loving humans I've ever met."
Lange spent nearly five decades chronicling the franchise's rise from also-ran to Stanley Cup champion five times over, his unique delivery and quirky sayings serving as the soundtrack for iconic moments from Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux and longtime running mate Jaromir Jagr to current stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
The Hockey Hall of Fame inducted Lange in 2001 when he received the Foster Hewitt Award for broadcast excellence.
From "It's a hockey night in Pittsburgh" to "Elvis has left the building" to "he beat him like a rented mule," Lange's distinctive turns of phrase made his voice instantly recognizable.
When Pittsburgh defeated Chicago to win a second straight Stanley Cup in 1992, Lange punctuated the title on the team's radio network by telling listeners "Lord Stanley, Lord Stanley, get me the brandy."
Born in Sacramento, California, on March 3, 1948, Lange called games in the Western Hockey League before doing a one-year stint with the Penguins in 1974. He left while the team experienced financial difficulties before returning to Pittsburgh for good in 1976. He didn't miss a single game for the next 30 years, serving as the club's lead broadcaster on its television and radio networks as Pittsburgh became one of the NHL's marquee clubs.
It wasn't uncommon for Lange's calls to be mimicked by sportscasters everywhere, with former ESPN anchor Keith Olbermann putting his own twist on a Lange classic by using the line "he beat him like a rented goalie" occasionally during NHL highlight packages. Lange even appeared as a broadcaster -- and trotted out some of his singular sayings -- in the Pittsburgh-set Jean-Claude Van Damme action movie "Sudden Death." The fictional 1995 film was set against the backdrop of a Stanley Cup matchup between the Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks.
Lange moved to the radio side full-time in 2006, calling the team's Stanley Cup wins in 2009, 2016 and 2017 before retiring in August 2021 after 46 years with the Penguins. The team honored him in October that year, which Lange noted marked his 50th in broadcasting.
"I didn't get cheated in my quest to do what I have always loved," Lange said in a statement that coincided with his retirement.
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Mascherano: Frigid temps in Miami win 'not human'
Published in
Soccer
Wednesday, 19 February 2025 20:35
Inter Miami CF head coach Javier Mascherano labeled the conditions as "inhumane" after the team triumphed 1-0 over Sporting Kansas City in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup first round at Children's Mercy Park in freezing temperatures.
"I'm very proud because I think it's impossible to play in these conditions," said Mascherano in the post-match press conference. "It is not human, you know, so I'm very proud because they gave me 100% with intensity, with a lot of attitude, so we are happy. We are in the halftime of the qualifiers, so now try to rest after a very difficult game for us."
Though Concacaf originally postponed the match by 24 hours due to the multiple winter storm warnings that forecasted between five to seven inches of snowfall across Kansas City, the two teams suffered through a frigid atmosphere on Wednesday night.
When the game kicked off at 7:00 pm CT, the temperatures in Kansas City hit five degrees Fahrenheit with a feels like of negative five degrees Fahrenheit. By halftime, the conditions deteriorated to three degrees Fahrenheit with a feels like of negative eight degrees Fahrenheit.
Despite the weather, Lionel Messi managed to score his first official goal of the year after connecting with longtime teammate Sergio Busquets and finished the play with a right-footed shot into the net.
"Fantastic [goal], I think maybe for the people that know him, it's normal because he did things like this or goals like this 1,000 times, but we are very lucky to have him in our team," said Mascherano.
Wednesday's result marks the first official triumph for new manager Mascherano, after he was appointed to the role last November to replace Gerardo 'Tata' Martino. Though Mascherano led the team to several victories during the preseason, the Concacaf Champions Cup match stands as his debut in an official match.
Sporting Kansas City must now score at least twice in the second leg of the series to advance to the next round in regulation time. SKC head coach Peter Vermes applauded his players for a job well done before revealing that there is only one player currently who can change the course of the game.
"I thought we played really well, we were very organized defensively. We didn't give anything away. There is one guy [Messi] that can turn the game over and he did," said Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes.
"It's not just [what he does] to us, it's what he does to the whole world, anyone who plays against him. He can change the game himself, and there aren't many players you can say that about in the world's game and over generations."
Inter Miami will now host Sporting Kansas City at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Tuesday, Feb. 25 for the second leg of the first round series.
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Milind Rege, former Mumbai captain and selector, dies at 76
Published in
Cricket
Wednesday, 19 February 2025 18:34
Milind Rege, the former Mumbai captain, died of a heart attack on Wednesday just days after turning 76.
Rege took 126 wickets with his offbreaks in 52 first-class matches between 1966-67 and 1977-78. He also scored 1532 runs at an average of 23.56 in those games. After his playing career, Rege was associated with Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) in various capacities, including selector and chief of selector in separate stints.
He was one of the Mumbai selectors when a young Sachin Tendulkar was added to the Ranji Trophy squad in 1988. In 2006, he backed Mumbai's use of a video analyst in domestic cricket, one of the earliest to use the then-fledgling tool in the sport.
Rege was also Sunil Gavaskar's childhood friend. The pair played together at Dadar Union Sporting Club. Gavaskar paid glowing tribute: "He was like my elder brother. We lived a building across each other and grew up together, went to the same school and college. Played tennis-ball cricket in the compound. He played Ranji before me and like Shardul Thakur, Tanush Kotian, Shams Mulani have done for Mumbai this year, Milind always came to the rescue when we, the so-called top order, failed. He was good enough to play for India but there was Prasanna and Venkataraghavan around, so he couldn't break in.
"Then at the age of 24 he had his first heart attack. It speaks volumes of his love for Mumbai cricket and his determination that he made a comeback a few years later and even captained Mumbai.
"Last week after he was first admitted to the hospital, when I told him that Mumbai had taken a small lead against Haryana you could see how he immediately perked up. For him Mumbai cricket was his life. Yes, he had strong opinions and so may have upset a few people but nobody could question his love and commitment to Mumbai cricket."
"To play for Mumbai, you had to earn your cap and fight to retain it," Rege had told ESPNcricinfo in 2017 on the eve of Mumbai's 500th Ranji Trophy match. "Vijay Merchant, Madhav Mantri, [Polly] Umrigar and Manohar Hardikar - these men sat on the selection panel that picked me. These were not mere selectors, these were giants of Mumbai cricket. They were all disciplinarians, and great captains of Mumbai. One failure and you were out, so you valued every innings. This ethos was followed at every level of the game, especially in the intensely competitive club cricket, one of the legacies of Mumbai cricket."
Both the Mumbai and Vidarbha teams in the ongoing Ranji Trophy semi-final in Nagpur observed a minute's silence before the start of the third day's play in Rege's memory. The Mumbai players, of whom many earned their first-class debuts when he was selection chair, wore black arm-bands.
"Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Milind Rege sir," MCA president Ajinkya Naik said in a statement. "A stalwart of Mumbai cricket, his contributions as a player, selector, and mentor were invaluable. His guidance shaped generations of cricketers, and his legacy will forever be cherished. May his soul rest in peace. Heartfelt condolences to his family and loved one."
Since 2020, Rege was an advisor at MCA.
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