There are thousands of jobs and cheap real estate in WA. The only catch? You have to move inland

WA's Goldfields are preparing for an influx of workers to rival the gold rush with the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder calling for 10,000 new people to make the move inland.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Teachers say nurses in NSW schools should not replace counsellors

The placement of nurses in schools has been welcomed by experts but the teachers' union says they should not replace counsellors.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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This Major League Baseball first is also a triumphant end

Kim Ng has been named the first female general manager in MLB, terminating once and for all the idea that sports leadership requires some tribal-magic inner maleness.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Fraser Island fire heads south after chewing through 40km of bushland

The blaze, believed to have been caused by an illegal campfire a month ago, forced campers and backpackers to evacuate.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Remote learning reinforced the joys of face-to-face teaching

For teachers who have chosen the noble profession because they are energised by engaging young minds, the ability to connect with students means far more than just logging on.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Songs of sorrow a rite of passage out of lockdown

Cellist Chris Howlett organised 200 online concerts for musicians during the pandemic. Last week he took to the stage himself, for an emotional performance.

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Missing two flags spurs new Saint Jack Higgins

St Kilda recruit Jack Higgins will use the drive he's accumulated from missing two Richmond premierships to propel his career forward at the Saints.

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'Strength, experience and hunger': Qld's LNP leader names new frontbench

David Crisafulli has revealed who is in and who's out of his "generation next" shadow cabinet.

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Dangerous gas leak spreading towards Coburg shopping mall

An "extremely dangerous" gas leak is spreading towards a shopping mall in Coburg.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Scholarship applications rise after pandemic struggles

A national scholarship program has seen its applications double during the pandemic.

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Ramos causes missed spot kick drama on record-setting night

A World Cup winner, European champion with Spain and Real Madrid, and expert penalty taker, Sergio Ramos had scored from his last 25 spot kicks.

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'Shambolic, unimaginative, uninspiring': ABs loss leaves NZ media calling for Foster sacking

Just 24 hours after the All Blacks' stunning loss to Argentina, one New Zealand columnist has called for coach Ian Foster to be sacked.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Elon Musk says he 'most likely' has moderate case of COVID-19

The tech billionaire played down his infection, comparing both his symptoms and the virus to "a minor cold".

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Woman dies in suspected murder after a 'disturbance' in Perth's north

The woman in her 30s was seriously injured and taken to hospital for treatment, where she later died. A relative of the victim is being questioned by police officers.

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Rockets fired at Eritrea amid Ethiopian conflict, diplomats say

Deadly fighting in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region appears to have spilled across an international border, bringing to life some of the worst fears of observers.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Why super-spreaders should be vaccinated early

A leading epidemiologist has backed the approach, saying vaccinating 20 to 39-year-olds would be a barrier to protect the elderly.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Britain to ban sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, reports

The reports of the ban on combustion engines comes ahead of a major climate change speech from Boris Johnson.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Iran denies al-Qaeda leader was killed in Tehran, calls it a 'Hollywood script'

Abu Muhammad al-Masri, killed by two motorcycle-riding assassins, was accused of being one of the masterminds of US embassy attacks.

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Vale Greg Growden, you will be long remembered

Long-serving Sydney Morning Herald sports journalist Greg Growden has passed away after illness. He was a remarkable man.

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Dustin Johnson in control, but can Cam Smith win Australia's second Masters?

The world No.1 holds all the aces heading into the final round at Augusta, but the trio heading up the chase includes an unlikely Queenslander.

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Stroll ends Mercedes' streak with shock pole in Turkey

Lance Stroll seized an astonishing first Formula One pole position on Saturday in a crazy weather-hit Turkish Grand Prix qualifying that snapped a 14-race streak for dominant Mercedes.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Lonely road worth it for Socceroos aspirant Lawrence Thomas

Melbourne Victory turned Sonderjyske goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas is thriving as a more mature, older player adjusting to living and competing in Denmark.

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Police discover critically injured man at Logan Village address

The 53-year-old was rushed to hospital with serious neck and head injuries.

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New on Sports Illustrated: No title

November 14, 2020 at 05:57AM
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New on Sports Illustrated: No title

November 14, 2020 at 05:57AM
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New on Sports Illustrated: No title

November 14, 2020 at 05:57AM
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New on Sports Illustrated: No title

November 14, 2020 at 05:57AM
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New on Sports Illustrated: No title

November 14, 2020 at 05:57AM
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New on Sports Illustrated: No title

November 14, 2020 at 05:57AM
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New on Sports Illustrated: No title

November 14, 2020 at 05:57AM
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Trump law firm steps down as Republicans suffer more court setbacks

New legal blows began on Saturday when a federal appeals court rejected an effort to block about 9300 mail-in ballots that arrived after election day in Pennsylvania.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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How critical is the weather for the SpaceX launch?

Nasa and SpaceX were due to send astronauts to the ISS on Saturday but the weather's changed their plans.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54934885

BBC NEWS - Is this giant alligator on a Florida golf course real?

Many people have been questioning this viral reptile video. So we asked a gator expert to weigh in.


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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-54937355

BBC NEWS - US Election 2020: The 'dead voters' in Michigan who are still alive

Trump supporters are making allegations of dead people voting. Is there any evidence?


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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2020-54874120

BBC NEWS - Doug Emhoff: The first 'second dude' in the White House

By way of Kamala Harris's historic candidacy her husband will also be breaking barriers.


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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2020-54899230

BBC NEWS - How North Korea is trying to tackle smoking

The habit is common and Kim Jong-un is often seen with a cigarette in hand at public appearances.


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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-54901073

BBC NEWS - How critical is weather for SpaceX launch?

Nasa and SpaceX were due to send astronauts to the ISS on Saturday but the weather's changed their plans.


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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54934885

BBC NEWS - Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: How the conflict could destabilise its neighbours

With accusations of Eritrean involvement and thousands fleeing, the Tigray conflict could have serious repercussions.


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from BBC News - World https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-54904496

BBC NEWS : Fraudsters 'targeting Christmas online shoppers'

Buyers of games consoles, bicycles and clothing may be at a higher risk of encountering a scam, banks say.


November 14, 2020 at 05:45AM

from BBC News - Business
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54931146

New on Sports Illustrated: Masters Day Two Recap: World's Top Golfer Tied Atop a Divergent Tournament

Some players teed off soon after sunrise. Most haven't finished 36 holes despite golfing until dusk. Dustin Johnson is looking down on all of them.

Two rounds in the books and two more to go … well, sort of.

The stop-and-start version of the 84th Masters was a 10-hour test of endurance on Friday, with some of the biggest names in golf rising to the top and the biggest body in the game continuing to struggle.

Through 1 and ¾ rounds, a quartet of players lead the Masters at 9-under par. That group is led by world No. 1 Dustin Johnson and No. 3 Justin Thomas, who along with Abraham Ancer and Cameron Smith sit one stroke clear of the rest of the field.

Tiger Woods continues to hang around the middle of the leaderboard at 4-under par with a chunk of his second round still remaining to be played while Bryson DeChambeau's attempt at bringing Augusta National to its knees took another hit Friday. Through 31 holes, DeChambeau sits at even par, right on the projected cut line.

With play stopped once again at 5:30 pm local time due to darkness, many players will tee off minutes after sunrise on Saturday to complete round two.

Here’s a few key takeaways from a long day two at the Masters.

World No. 1 makes his presence known

It’s almost like a Masters with no patrons was made for Dustin Johnson. The world's top-ranked golfer has said he misses the energy fans bring to the course. But watching DJ casually stroll Augusta National and play the first 36 holes at 9-under par gives you the sense that Johnson is perfectly suited for the chill environment at Augusta this week.

Dustin Johnson plays his shot off of the 3rd tee during the second round.

Johnson finished his first round with a flurry of three birdies over his last four holes to grab a share of the lead at 7-under par. Less than a half hour later he began round two by birdieing three more of his first four holes to charge ahead at 10-under par. Johnson hit a couple of speed bumps along the way but a birdie on his final hole of the day propelled him into a tie atop the leaderboard at 9-under par.

“We knew today was going to be a long day,” said Johnson, whose alarm clock went off at 4 a.m. Friday morning. “It's a day where if you can get it going, you've got 27 holes to play, so it could work in your favor. I felt like that through the start of the second round, I swung it well. I was hitting the shots that I wanted to hit and giving myself some good opportunities for birdies.”

Even before Johnson teed off at Augusta, there was an overwhelming sentiment that this could be DJ’s week. Over the last three months, there’s been no one more consistent than Johnson. He’s reeled off two wins, three runner-ups and a T-6 since August. Even a positive COVID-19 test that forced him to sit out two weeks couldn’t halt his momentum.

He now sits tied atop arguably the most prestigious leaderboard in golf, though Johnson said he probably should be alone on top.

“I feel like I played a little bit better than my position right now, but I'm still happy with the way I'm swinging it, how I'm controlling the golf ball and everything I'm doing. I’m rolling the putter good. Just hopefully can see a few more go in over the weekend.”

It’s hard to believe that Johnson has just one major title under his belt. A number that simply doesn’t match his talent level. But with 36 holes to play at Augusta, the world No. 1 is indeed playing like it, and inching closer to the title of multiple major winner.

Stop and start creates two different tournaments

For some, Friday at the Masters was an absolute marathon. For others, it was a sprint to grab as much daylight as possible. With play being suspended on Thursday due to darkness after a three-hour rain delay in the morning, half of the Masters field was up at the crack of dawn on Friday, resuming round one at 7:30 a.m. ET and then immediately teeing off and playing round two.

Those who were fortunate to finish on Thursday had to wait until mid-afternoon Friday to fire up their second round. Justin Thomas completed 26 holes on Friday while England’s Matt Wallace played just nine. It almost felt like two separate tournaments were being played with conditions damp and soft in the morning, then sunny and breezy in the afternoon.

Jordan Spieth prepares for his tee shot off the tenth tee as the sun sets during the second round.

“I would have liked to have a little more sleep,” laughed Rickie Fowler following his second straight round of 70. Fowler sits at 4-under par after completing a round and a half on Friday. “I'm looking forward to putting my feet up and getting rested and ready for this weekend. This golf course is a solid walk on its own, but to go out today and play 24 holes in the soft conditions didn't make it any easier. It's a good walk. I don't wish I was a caddie at this point.”

Two days into the Masters and 44 have completed two rounds of play. The remaining 48 will be back at it Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. setting up for another long day of golf. With the cut trimming the field down to the top 50 and ties, officials at Augusta National are confident that they’ll be able to complete round three prior to sunset.

Rory roller coaster

Rory McIlroy’s sixth attempt at completing the career grand slam has gotten off to a topsy-turvy start. The world No. 5’s Masters roller coaster ride began with an opening round 75 complete with hooked drivers into the woods and flared irons off the green. At 3-over par after his morning round, McIlroy could easily have packed it in and thought, ‘I’ll try again next year.' Instead, Rory charged back and played himself inside the cut line with a second round 66.

A wild ride indeed.

“I honestly have been playing so good coming in here, and then I go into the first round and I shoot 75, and I'm like ‘Where the hell did that come from?’" said McIlroy, who received a colorful pep talk in between rounds from Augusta National member and close friend Jimmy Dunne.

McIlroy rebounded with a bogey-free second round complete with five birdies and now finds himself just six shots off the lead at 3-under.

“I knew it was in there, it was just a matter of trusting a little more and being committed. I turned it around nicely and shot a good one, at least gave myself a chance going into the weekend.”

Rory McIlroy looks on after teeing off on the 3rd tee during the second round.

The four-time major champion has crashed and burned at Augusta (2011) and charged with too little, too late (2015). If McIlroy can make a run this weekend, he’ll remember the bounce-back ability he showed on Friday as a big reason why.

Two keys to keep an eye on Saturday

Can Ancer handle the pressure?

Abraham Ancer finds himself in uncharted territory, sitting tied atop the Masters leaderboard. The 29-year-old Mexican has shown an explosive game that can collect birdies by the bunch, and he’ll need to lean on what little high-profile experience he has to remain in the hunt. Ancer’s spotlight moment of his career thus far was going head to head with Tiger Woods at last year’s Presidents Cup in Australia. He’s been very open about the lessons he learned from playing in that environment under that magnitude of pressure. Can he lean on that when he steps to the tee this weekend at Augusta?

Can Tiger make a run on Saturday morning?

With eight holes remaining on his second round, Tiger Woods will be up and at 'em Saturday. At 4-under par, Woods will need a couple of birdies down the stretch to play himself into contention for the weekend. With two gettable par 5s left on his round, a late charge is a strong possibility. If Tiger can get it to 6- or 7-under par, there should be a strong buzz making its way through Augusta National, fans or no fans.

November 14, 2020 at 05:27AM
Masters Day Two Recap: World's Top Golfer Tied Atop a Divergent Tournament

New on Sports Illustrated: 'Glorious Day': One Trailblazer for Women in Baseball Celebrates Kim Ng's Hiring

Kim Ng's hiring as the Marlins' GM puts her at the top of a long list of women who have fought to hold space in MLB.

“It’s a glorious day,” Melissa Ludtke says when she picks up the phone. “Isn’t it?”

It’s been more than 40 years since a judge ruled in her favor in Ludtke v. Kuhn, the lawsuit she filed against MLB commissioner Bowie Kuhn, fighting for the right to enter major-league clubhouses in order to do her job as a baseball reporter for Sports Illustrated. The 1978 decision was a watershed moment for women in sports, but at its core, the idea here was simple—the idea that women deserved to be allowed in the room.

Since Ludtke’s court case, the number of women in that room has grown steadily. There are more women than ever who write about baseball, who broadcast it, who work in all facets at all different levels of it. Women are allowed in the room and are actively holding space in it. But Ludtke’s declaration of a “glorious day” is reserved for a particular milestone that’s been a long time coming: Kim Ng, hired today as the general manager of the Miami Marlins, will be the first woman to run the room.

Ng is the first woman to be a GM in any of the four major North American sports leagues. In a sense, however, her hiring is conventional, perhaps almost boring. A widely respected professional, Ng has been cited as a top candidate for GM jobs for more than 15 years. She has decades of experience, including as an assistant general manager for multiple successful clubs, and most recently with a high-ranking position in the Office of the Commissioner. A graduate of the University of Chicago, she became the youngest person ever to win a salary arbitration case in MLB in 1995, and now, she’s been around for long enough to qualify as a bona fide baseball lifer. She is, in other words, a seemingly perfect candidate. Which is what makes this announcement both so expected and so completely not. For years, the conventional wisdom around the game was that there would be a female GM, and it would be Ng. (SI first printed a prediction to that effect all the way back in 2003.) But the fact that this prediction had to be made for so many years, across so many open jobs, eventually cast it into doubt.

Not anymore.

From the May 5, 2003 issue of Sports Illustrated, on the 101 most influential minorities in sports.

Ludtke left baseball reporting decades ago and does not personally know Ng. But several threads stood out to her when she read the news this morning. There was Ng’s stated desire to “bring championship baseball to Miami”—a reminder that she, much like Ludtke in 1978, simply wants to be able to do her job and do it well. And there was another familiar sentiment, too: “When I got into this business,” Ng wrote in her statement, “it seemed unlikely a woman would lead a major league team, but I am dogged in the pursuit of my goals.” That struck a chord.

“I just get a great sense of spirit when I look at her,” says Ludtke. “And I just think about the kind of spirit that anyone like her, or like me, or like any of the other women way back when—we all had to carry that spirit with us. We all had to be, as she says, dogged in pursuit of our goals.”

It’s a milestone that Ludtke could not have imagined when she was first blocked from the clubhouse in 1977. But it would have been equally unimaginable, she says, even in the years immediately after she won—a time when women, while now technically allowed in the room, were still not accepted inside of it.

“My suit changed the rules,” Ludtke says, “But it didn’t change attitudes. Those took a lot longer to change…. My suit was about opening the door, but once you open the door, there has to be respect for people who are walking through it.”

She notes that to be a “first” is to be an “only,” a position that comes with its own challenges, and she hopes that other women are soon hired in similar roles to Ng. But Ludtke notes, too, the honor that comes with getting inside first and being able to usher in others behind you.

She recalls the Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony for her friend Claire Smith in 2017, who started covering the sport shortly after Ludtke v. Kuhn, and ultimately became the first woman to receive the Hall’s J.G. Taylor Spink Award. Smith invited Ludtke to attend the event, and while in Cooperstown, she went up to look at something that she had not seen in years—her own press passes from the 1977 World Series, when she was blocked at the clubhouse door, and from the 1978 World Series, when she was finally allowed inside. These now sit in an exhibit on women in baseball that includes artifacts from women who have played, who have umpired, who have built stadiums. These are the artifacts of women who have been first, but in each case, many others have followed behind them. She looks forward to getting to see the same from Ng—and from the women who will follow.

“What it means to be a first, it isn’t just to celebrate for a day, but it’s to know that this person is now going to open the eyes and the opportunities for so many girls who are going to be looking your way,” Ludtke says. “So I know there will be others following her. And that’s incredible.”

November 14, 2020 at 05:08AM
'Glorious Day': One Trailblazer for Women in Baseball Celebrates Kim Ng's Hiring

The WA suburbs where buying a home is cheaper than renting

Aussie chief executive James Symond said the unusual buying conditions were a result of a consistent fall in Perth property values and mortgage rates, coupled with a hike in rent prices.

from Sydney Morning Herald - National
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Perth's Australia Day Skyworks cancelled due to COVID-19 fears

The cancellation is expected to cost the City of Perth between $550,000 and $830,000 in staff time, contractors, marketing, and fireworks contractor fees.

from Sydney Morning Herald - National
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The WA suburbs where buying a home is cheaper than renting

Aussie chief executive James Symond said the unusual buying conditions were a result of a consistent fall in Perth property values and mortgage rates, coupled with a hike in rent prices.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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Perth's Australia Day Skyworks cancelled due to COVID-19 fears

The cancellation is expected to cost the City of Perth between $550,000 and $830,000 in staff time, contractors, marketing, and fireworks contractor fees.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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PNG PM faces leadership test after allies withdraw support

James Marape has been in power for just 18 months after replacing long-serving leader Peter O'Neill in a similar process.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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BBC NEWS : North West sees job ads surge while London lags

Nurses are in demand as vacancies climb to pre-pandemic levels, but with big regional variations.


November 13, 2020 at 05:38AM

from BBC News - Business
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54916307

BBC NEWS : Black Friday emissions boom predicted

Climate change: why Black Friday needs patience


November 13, 2020 at 05:39AM

from BBC News - Business
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54924993

BBC NEWS : TikTok lives to see another day in US

US Commerce Department halts ban on Chinese owned company.


November 13, 2020 at 05:32AM

from BBC News - Business
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54926759

BBC NEWS : Should you tip the takeaway delivery driver?

The number of takeaways being delivered has soared due to Covid, but should you tip the driver?


November 12, 2020 at 05:34AM

from BBC News - Business
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54410391

Why a COVID vaccine won't end the era of easy money

Don't get carried away by the good news on vaccine development. Central banks are miles from the exit ramp for the tremendous stimulus they've pumped into the economy. If anything, increased support is far more likely.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Business https://ift.tt/3lreFmz
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Australia's own trade tricks leave it exposed to China

Australia's prolific use of anti-dumping measures might have left it vulnerable to China's highly damaging trade strikes.

from Sydney Morning Herald - Business https://ift.tt/3f6ahah
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New on Sports Illustrated: NWSL Expansion Draft: Racing Louisville Builds Its Squad

NWSL's newest team in 2021 combs through the list of unprotected players to build the foundation for its inaugural roster.

Racing Louisville will take significant steps toward building its complete roster, as the NWSL's new team in 2021 makes its picks in the league's expansion draft.

Teams around the league were permitted to protect 11 players, including up to two who are on U.S. Soccer's designated list of 23 allocated USWNT players (The full list of protected and unprotected players can be seen here). Teams can lose up to two players, but if one of their USWNT allocated players is taken, then they will not be subjected to any more selections. Louisville, meanwhile, can only pick two allocated players, total.

If it takes only one allocated player, then it will receive $75,000 in allocation money (which can be used to supplement salaries outside of the cap and to increase the likelihood of signing top international talent; it can also be used toward the No. 1 pick in this winter's NWSL draft), and if it doesn't take any allocated players, then it will receive $150,000. Conversely, any teams that have an allocated player taken will receive $75,000 in allocation money for their troubles.

“Racing Louisville is at the very start of its journey,” Louisville manager Christy Holly said in the build-up to the draft. “We need to identify players that align with our journey and have the same desires, ambition, hunger and energy as us to work through this project.”

The Chicago Red Stars are exempt from the proceedings, having traded for expansion draft protection late last month. Louisville was able to squeeze forwards Savannah McCaskill and Yuki Nagasoto, the No. 5 overall draft pick and an international roster slot out of the Red Stars in exchange for immunity, meaning the draft will go between 14 and 16 rounds. (Louisville also signed Jamaica international and former Washington Spirit forward Cheyna Matthews off waivers as its third player.)

Follow along here as Louisville makes its selections (picks will be updated as they occur).

ROUND 1

Louisville takes versatile North Carolina Courage defender Addisyn Merrick, who just completed her rookie season. After losing Crystal Dunn to Portland and Jaelene Daniels to retirement, it's another blow to North Carolina's fullback depth.

ROUND 2

Louisville takes defender Julia Ashley from OL Reign.

November 13, 2020 at 05:16AM
NWSL Expansion Draft: Racing Louisville Builds Its Squad

New on Sports Illustrated: Ivy League Cancelled All Winter Sports for the 2020-21 Season

The Ivy League Council of Presidents unanimously decided to cancel all winter sports for the 2020-21 season, the first D-I school to do so.

The Ivy League Council of Presidents unanimously decided to cancel all winter sports for the 2020-21 season and postponed spring sports until the end of February 2021.

It is the first Division-I conference to nix winter sports, repeating a precedent it set earlier this year when the league canceled fall sports. 

According to CBS Sports's Matt Norlander, league presidents held their vote earlier this week, and coaches were informed by athletic department officials on Thursday evening. This decision comes 13 days before the scheduled start of the college basketball season

Fall and winter student-athletes will not lose a season of Ivy League or NCAA eligibility, the league said in a statement.

"Student-athletes, their families and coaches are again being asked to make enormous sacrifices for the good of public health—and we do not make this decision lightly," the Ivy League Council of Presidents said. "While these decisions come with great disappointment and frustration, our commitment to the safety and lasting health of our student-athletes and wider communities must remain our highest priority."

The news comes as the Unites States has set COVID-19 records almost daily in the past week. The COVID Tracking Project showed more than 144,000 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, topping Tuesday's U.S. record of 136,000-plus cases. Wednesday's update reported 65,368 COVID-19 hospitalizations—another United States record. 

November 13, 2020 at 05:13AM
Ivy League Cancelled All Winter Sports for the 2020-21 Season

New on Sports Illustrated: Best Defensive Players in Cleveland Browns History

A quick scan of Hall of Famers who played for the Browns shows a lot of offensive talent, but the franchise has employed some true defensive standouts over the years. This article will count down the top 10 defensive players in the history of the Browns.

FirstEnergy Stadium is shown during a military appreciation game in 2016. The Browns defense is tasked with protecting the field eight times per season.

Who Are the Browns' Greatest Defensive Players of All Time?

The vast majority of players to represent the Browns in the Pro Football Hall of Fame played on the offensive side of the ball, but that doesn't mean the franchise hasn't seen its fair share of talented defenders. Only two defensive players who spent the majority of their careers with Cleveland have ended up enshrined in Canton, but along the way, the Browns have rostered a plethora of other standout defensive stars.

Defensive strength began in Cleveland's earliest days, as Hall of Fame coach Paul Brown brought on a multitude of stars that helped his team dominate the short-lived All-America Football Conference from 1946 to '49. More talent would join during the 1950s after the Browns merged into the NFL and started a dynasty.

Throughout the 1960s and early '70s, the defense would continue to help the Browns stay relevant, and in the late '80s, a big group of star defenders banded together for a five-year stretch of success. Cleveland's defense hasn't been as potent since the 1990s, but the team hopes to find defensive firepower again sooner than later.

Selection Criteria for This List

This list of the 10 greatest Browns defensive players of all-time also includes a handful of honorable-mention candidates and the franchise's defensive records. The criteria used to develop this list include:

• Legacy Honors (Hall of Fame, Ring of Honor, retired number, etc.)
• Single-Season Honors (MVP, first-team All-Pro, Pro Bowl, etc.)
• On-Field Success (league leader, playoff appearances, records, etc.)
• Longevity (years with Browns, percentage of career with Browns, etc.)

Only games played with the Browns are factored into this list, so while Hall of Fame defensive lineman Willie Davis would be a great player to include on a list about the Packers, his eight starts in two seasons with the Browns won't make the cut here.

10. Jim Houston

• Seasons With Browns: 1960–72
• Position: Linebacker
• Playoff Appearances: 1964–65, 1967–69, 1971–72
• Pro Bowl: 1964–65, 1969–70

It's likely the Browns were already pretty familiar with Jim Houston's talent before drafting him in the first round of the 1960 NFL Draft. His older brother, Lin, had played on the offensive line for Cleveland and coach Paul Brown from 1946 to '53, so he surely put in a good word for Jim—who was busy winning championships at Massillon Washington High School and Ohio State University. Houston would later achieve the trifecta of championships by helping the Browns claim the 1964 NFL title.

Dependable, fast, and strong, Houston started his career as a defensive end, but moved to outside linebacker after Brown was replaced as head coach before the 1963 season.

Houston missed just three games throughout his 13 years in action, and Cleveland never had a losing season during his career. He intercepted 14 passes—including three he ran back for touchdowns—and he added one interception in the postseason, snatching a pass in 1969 against the Cowboys.

One of Houston's finest efforts, however, doesn't show up directly in the game statistics. The Browns were heavy underdogs in the 1964 NFL championship game against the Colts, but with the help of strong defense, Cleveland came away a 27–0 winner. Houston was assigned to help defend future Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey who gained just two yards in the game.

9. Warren Lahr

• Seasons With Browns: 1949–59
• Position: Defensive back
• Playoff Appearances: 1949–55, 1957–58
• Pro Bowl: 1953

The Browns and Steelers weren't yet rivals, but if they had been, Warren Lahr would have had his own short chapter in the story of the rivalry. Lahr was drafted by Pittsburgh in the last round of the 1947 draft, but suffered a major knee injury and was released. The Browns promptly signed him, let him recover throughout the 1948 season, and slotted him into the starting lineup in '50. An 11-year tenure of greatness was born, and it saw Lahr help the Browns to four championships.

As a rookie, he made several key interceptions down the stretch of the regular season and was a big factor in a 21–7 victory over the 49ers in the final AAFC title game. Intercepting passes was a huge part of the lore of Lahr, whose 44 career interceptions stood as a franchise record until the 1980s.

Lahr had at least one interception each season he played, and had at least five in every campaign from 1950 to '55. In 1950 and '51, he returned two interceptions for touchdowns to lead the NFL in both seasons. Also in '50, Lahr had an interception in a one-game tie-breaker against the Giants that determined which team would represent the American Conference in the NFL title game. Cleveland won 8–3, and Lahr added two interceptions in the following week's title game, a 30–28 win over the Rams.

8. Michael Dean Perry

• Seasons With Browns: 1988–94
• Position: Defensive lineman
• Playoff Appearances: 1988–89, '94
• All-Pro: 1989–90
• Pro Bowl: 1989–91, 1993–94
• Awards: AFC Defensive Player of the Year (1989)

It's not often that a player drafted 50th overall rises to the ranks of Defensive Player of the Year by his second season, but Michael Dean Perry was a textbook example of what an overlooked player looks like.

Quick and nimble, but also mammoth, Perry weighed in around 285 pounds and was among the NFL's top defensive lineman for the duration of his seven-year career in Cleveland. His agility allowed him to overcome double-teams and record at least four sacks in each of his first six seasons, and he brought down a quarterback 51.5 times with the Browns—easily the most among Cleveland defensive lineman since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

As a rookie, Perry scored the only touchdown of his career in a must-win matchup to end the season, when he recovered a fumble and ran 10 yards to help the Browns secure a playoff spot with a 28–23 victory over the Oilers. Perry would help lead the Browns into the postseason again in 1989, but the team would struggle over the next several seasons, even though Perry remained a star.

In 1994, Perry posted below-average numbers, but the team's defense allowed just 12.8 points per game and went back to the playoffs. Cleveland would release Perry following the season, with the team citing concerns about the injuries that slowed him a little bit during the '94 season.

7. Walt Michaels

• Seasons With Browns: 1952–61
• Position: Linebacker
• Playoff Appearances: 1952–55, 1957–58
• Pro Bowl: 1955–59

The Browns once gave up on Walt Michaels. Luckily, they gave him a second chance and watched him develop into one of the top defensive players in their history.

After the Browns drafted Michaels in the seventh round of the 1951 NFL Draft, the former Washington and Lee University standout was traded to the Packers during the preseason. It was an eight-player swap that landed the Browns the rights to negotiate with defensive lineman Bob Gain, who became a seven-time All-Pro for Cleveland. Making that trade even better, the Browns reacquired Michaels by sending Green Bay three more players before the 1952 season to fill the void created by the retiring Tony Adamle.

Michaels provided the Browns with stable health and balanced play from an outside linebacker position over the next decade, helping his team win NFL championships in 1954 and '55. He was an important player in both of those matchups, recording an interception and recovering a fumble in a 56–10 rout of the Lions in '54 and snaring another interception in a 38–14 win over the Rams in '55.

In the regular season, Michaels likely would have been among the NFL leaders in tackles and sacks had those categories been tracked in his era, but he did have 11 interceptions in 133 games—including two he returned for touchdowns. After his playing career, Michaels had an extensive coaching career in the NFL.

6. Frank Minnifield

• Seasons With Browns: 1984–92
• Position: Cornerback
• Playoff Appearances: 1985–89
• All-Pro: 1988
• Pro Bowl: 1986–89
• Awards: NFL 1980s All-Decade Team

Frank Minnifield did not take the conventional route to the NFL. After walking onto the football team at the University of Louisville, Minnifield became a star and was drafted into the United States Football League—a short-lived league that directly competed with the NFL from 1983 to '85. He struggled with injuries, wiggled out of his contract in 1984 and then signed with the Browns. That's when he teamed up with fellow cornerback Hanford Dixon and formed one of the greatest defensive duos in NFL history.

Despite standing just 5 feet, 9 inches tall, Minnifield—otherwise known as "Mighty Minnie"—was one of the top defensive backs in the NFL in the 1980s.

Minnifield played 122 games for the Browns, recording 20 interceptions. That included at least three per season at the height of his career from 1986 to '89, but his career total was deflated because opposing quarterbacks didn't usually throw to the receiver he was covering.

While he never returned an interception for a touchdown in the regular season, he did score twice; in 1986, he returned a fumble for a touchdown, and in '88, he carried a blocked punt into the end zone. Minnifield did, however, take an interception back for a touchdown in a 38–21 victory against the Colts in the 1987 postseason.

Former Browns cornerback Hanford Dixon speaks during NFL UK Live at the Landmark Hotel in 2017. Dixon is credited with inspiring the “Dawg Pound” section of fans.

5. Hanford Dixon

• Seasons With Browns: 1981–89
• Position: Cornerback
• Playoff Appearances: 1982, 1985–89
• All-Pro: 1986–87
• Pro Bowl: 1986–88

As an elite cornerback from the time he was drafted in the first round of the 1981 NFL Draft, Hanford Dixon was invaluable to the Browns throughout the '80s.

Going into the 1984 season, Dixon had grown tired of mediocrity (Cleveland was 18–23 from 1981 to '83), so he encouraged the team's linebackers to be more aggressive in their pursuit of quarterback sacks. The result was another poor showing in the standings (5–11) but a great improvement on defense (No. 6 in the NFL in opponent scoring). A coaching change came in the middle of season, and the defensively minded Marty Schottenheimer would transform the Browns into a winner.

Dixon would later be known as the "Top Dawg," and the portion of the stands right behind one end zone at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium became known as the "Dawg Pound." That rowdy section remains in place at FirstEnergy Stadium and will forever be Dixon's lasting legacy with the Browns. Not that his play won't be remembered as well.

He had 26 interceptions in 131 games over nine seasons with the Browns, though that number was limited because quarterbacks tended not to throw to the receiver who Dixon was defending. The Browns opted not to retain Dixon after the 1989 season, leading him to accept an offer from the 49ers, but he was injured in the preseason and retired instead.

4. Bob Gain

• Seasons With Browns: 1952, 1954–64
• Position: Defensive lineman
• Playoff Appearances: 1952, 1954–55, 1957–58, '64
• All-Pro: 1958
• Pro Bowl: 1957–59, 1961–62

Bob Gain left the University of Kentucky as a consensus All-American, but it wasn't until later seasons that he would see significant time in the NFL. Gain was drafted by the Packers in the first round of the 1951 NFL Draft, but he and the team could not come to terms on a contract, so he left for the Canadian Football League. After one successful season there, he returned to the NFL, where his rights had been traded to the Browns in an eight-player swap with Green Bay. He posted a strong rookie campaign to help Cleveland win the 1952 NFL championship, but then spent a year in the Air Force.

Gain returned to the NFL for the last two games of the 1954 season, then played in every game through '63. That streak would likely have continued had he not suffered a career-ending broken leg in 1964.

He primarily played on the left side of the defensive line, but was able to play every position along the line. In 126 games with the Browns, he recovered 15 fumbles and had one interception, which he returned 22 yards for a touchdown. Additionally, he was a perfect three for three on point-after touchdown kicks in 1952.

Former Browns linebacker Clay Matthews Jr. smiles while addressing the crowd in 2019 during his induction into the franchise’s Ring of Honor. He is the greatest linebacker in Browns history.

3. Clay Matthews Jr.

• Seasons With Browns: 1978–93
• Position: Linebacker
• Playoff Appearances: 1980, '82, 1985–89
• All-Pro: 1984
• Pro Bowl: 1985, 1987–89
• Awards: Browns Ring of Honor

No player in the history of the Browns has played in more games than Clay Matthews Jr., and that's not the only franchise record he holds. Matthews was a force as an outside linebacker for 16 seasons, making him the best linebacker and one of the most popular players to ever play for Cleveland. He holds career records for sacks (62) and tackles (1,430), though neither stat was counted in the earliest days of the NFL. In fact, sacks weren't counted in the first five seasons of Matthews' career. As for tackles, Matthews had at least 100 in a season eight times.

Matthews was a critical member of the late 1980s defenses that helped push the Browns into the playoffs each year from '85 to '89, though none of those teams would appear in the Super Bowl. In the divisional round of the 1989 playoffs, Matthews made a critical interception against the Bills to secure a 34–30 victory. It was his only interception in 10 playoff games, but he did record two sacks in the postseason.

Matthews is a Hall of Fame hopeful—he's been named a semifinalist in voting by the Modern Era committee four times—and if elected, he and his brother Bruce would become the first set of brothers ever enshrined.

2. Len Ford

• Seasons With Browns: 1950–57
• Position: Defensive lineman
• Playoff Appearances: 1950–55, '57
• All-Pro: 1951–54
• Pro Bowl: 1951–54
• Awards: Hall of Fame (1976), NFL 1950s All-Decade Team

When Len Ford played in the AAFC, he could only watch as the Browns dominated the league. As a rookie tight end and defensive end for the Los Angeles Dons in 1948, Ford had no way of knowing he'd join those fearsome Browns just two seasons later.

The Dons were disbanded when the AAFC folded after the 1949 season, and the Browns selected Ford in the second round of the AAFC dispersal draft. With that pick, they found one of the best defensive linemen in franchise history. Even though Ford had shown strong receiving abilities with the Dons, the Browns already had so many offensive weapons that he was used exclusively on defense.

Ford helped revolutionize how players on the ends of a defensive line played, as he often rushed the quarterback from the outside instead of the inside. Ford's aggressive style helped him recover 19 fumbles in eight seasons with the Browns—including 14 during his peak playing years between 1951 and '54.

He was also a big reason why Cleveland won NFL titles in 1950, '54 and '55. That was especially true in the 1954 championship game, when he had two interceptions in a 56–10 win over the Lions. He also added an interception in the 1955 championship game—a 38–14 win against the Rams. In the regular season, Ford had just one interception in 88 games with the Browns.

1. Bill Willis

• Seasons With Browns: 1946–53
• Position: Defensive line
• Playoff Appearances: 1946–53
• All-AAFC: 1946–49
• All-Pro: 1950–53
• Pro Bowl: 1950–52
• Awards: Hall of Fame (1977), Browns Ring of Honor, NFL 1940s All-Decade Team

Bill Willis anchored the defense for the Browns in their first eight seasons of existence. As such, he won five straight championships to open his career and appeared in the championship each of the next three seasons. During Willis' tenure, Cleveland's defense allowed the fewest points in the league six times and the second-fewest in the other two seasons. He helped the Browns finish as the only team in AAFC history to never give up more than 200 points in a season.

In 1950, the Browns weren't expected to be competitive in their first season in the NFL, but players like Willis helped them finish with a 10–2 record and a spot in a one-game playoff to see which American Conference team would advance to the NFL title game. In that matchup against the Giants, Willis made multiple defensive stops near the goal line as the Browns nursed a 3–0 lead, and he then was part of the contingent that tackled New York quarterback Charlie Conerly for a safety in the eventual 8–3 victory. Cleveland would go on to defeat the Rams a week later for the NFL title.

Just as important as his on-field contributions, however, was his place as one of the African American players to break football's modern-era color line in 1946. Willis and his teammate, fullback Marion Motley, were the only Black players in the league at the onset of the AAFC, and two players for the Rams broke the NFL's color barrier the same season. Both Willis and Motley overcame racism during their earliest seasons to become Hall of Fame players. Overall, Willis played 99 regular-season games for the Browns.

Honorable Mentions

With so many standout defensive players in the history of the Browns, there were numerous players right on the cusp of being included among the top 10. Listed below are several players who left an indelible mark on team history, but didn't quite make the cut.

Thom Darden (1972–81)

Thom Darden—the owner of the Browns' career interception record (45) and tied for the single-season interception record (10)—is remembered as one of the finest defensive backs in franchise history. Darden came to Cleveland as a first-round draft pick in 1972 and never played for another team.

He primarily played as a free safety and was selected to one Pro Bowl. That came in 1978, when he led the NFL with 10 interceptions, which he returned for an NFL-best 200 yards. His career total of yardage from interception returns (820 yards) is also a franchise record.

Jerry Sherk (1970–81)

Jerry Sherk opened his career with the Browns in front of a primetime audience and went on to become one of the best defensive linemen in franchise history. He debuted in the first Monday Night Football game in history, and for the next 12 seasons, Sherk was a mainstay for Cleveland's line, though he did struggle with injuries in his later seasons.

In 1975, he was voted the best defensive lineman in the NFL by the offensive linemen, winning the short-lived Bulldog Award. In 1976, he was a first-team All-Pro and won the Halas trophy for Defensive Player of the Year. He was also a four-time Pro Bowler. In his career, Sherk had 12 fumble recoveries and three interceptions.

Bill Glass (1962–68)

When the Browns and Lions made a six-player trade in 1962, Bill Glass was an afterthought in a headlining deal that saw the teams exchange quarterbacks. Glass, it turned out, would be the best player involved in the trade.

As a tenacious defensive end, Glass would make four Pro Bowls with Cleveland and help the Browns win the 1964 NFL championship. Sacks weren't counted as an official statistic while Glass played, but he was consistently pressuring the quarterback. Glass didn't miss a game with the Browns until a career-ending injury late in the 1968 season.

Clarence Scott (1971–83)

One of the most dependable players in Browns history was legendary defensive back Clarence Scott. During his 13-year career, the only game he missed came during his rookie season. Otherwise, he was there for Cleveland, both as a safety and a cornerback. He didn't earn a lot of accolades—he was named a Pro Bowler just once, in 1973—but he did intercept 39 passes and recover 11 fumbles during his career. He had at least two interceptions in every season of his career, except for his sophomore campaign.

Defensive Records for the Cleveland Browns

Defensive records for teams are difficult to track since some basic statistics of today's NFL (most notably tackles and sacks) weren't recorded by the NFL for several decades. Below are a handful of Browns defensive records which are contained in the NFL record book.

Cleveland Browns Defensive Records

• Career Interceptions: 45, Thom Darden (1972–81)
• Single-Season Interceptions: 10, Anthony Henry (2001) and Darden ('78)
• Single-Game Interceptions: 3, 11 times (last was Anthony Henry on Nov. 18, 2001)
• Longest Interception Return: 100 yards, Brodney Pool (Nov. 18, 2007)
• Career Sacks*: 62, Clay Matthews Jr. (1978–93)
• Single-Season Sacks*: 14, Reggie Camp (1984)
• Single-Game Sacks*: 4, Andra Davis (Nov. 9, 2003)
• Longest Fumble Return: 89 yards, Don Paul (Nov. 10, 1957)

*Sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Records here reflect only official statistics.

November 13, 2020 at 05:10AM
Best Defensive Players in Cleveland Browns History

New on Sports Illustrated: Every Week 11 College Football Game Postponed Due to COVID-19

To date, there have been 57 FBS games canceled or postponed due to COVID-19 this season, including 11 so far for Week 11.

As the college football season pushes forward amid the COVID-19 pandemic, each week has seen its fair share of games shuttered due to positive tests and contact tracing. Unsurprisingly, Week 11 is no different.

To date, the season has seen 57 out of 370 FBS games get postponed or canceled. Each conference except the MAC has had at least one game postponed, and 66 teams have been impacted.

In particular, the SEC has been hit hard this week, with four out of seven games getting postponed thus far. Though the league has seen a spike in positive COVID-19 test results at Auburn, the biggest hurdle to clear is contact tracing. Contact tracing "magnifies" any positive test, says SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.

Below is a list of each Week 11 game that's been canceled so far. This list will be updated throughout the week as postponements and makeup dates are announced.

ACC

• Pittsburgh @ Georgia Tech: Game has been rescheduled for Dec. 12.

American Athletic Conference

• Memphis @ Navy: No makeup date has been set.

Big Ten

• No. 3 Ohio State @ Maryland: Game will not be rescheduled.

Conference USA

• Rice @ Louisiana Tech: No makeup date has been set.
• North Texas @ UAB: Game will not be rescheduled.

Mountain West

• Air Force @ Wyoming: Game will not be rescheduled.

SEC

• No. 1 Alabama @ LSU: No makeup date has been set.
• No. 5 Texas A&M @ Tennessee: Game has been rescheduled for Dec. 12.
• No. 12 Georgia @ Missouri: No makeup date has been set.
• No. 24 Auburn @ Mississippi State: Game has been rescheduled for Dec. 12.

Sun Belt

• UL Monroe @ Arkansas State: Game has been rescheduled for Dec. 12.

November 13, 2020 at 04:52AM
Every Week 11 College Football Game Postponed Due to COVID-19

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New on Sports Illustrated: Shane Bieber, Trevor Bauer Take Home 2020 Cy Young Awards

Bieber becomes the seventh pitcher to win the AL Cy Young Award by unanimous vote, while Trevor Bauer took home the NL honors over Yu Darvish and Jacob deGrom.

Cleveland Indians pitcher Shane Bieber was unanimously voted as the winner of the 2020 American League Cy Young Award Wednesday night, receiving all 30 first-place votes. The National League race, expected to be much tighter, ended up being fairly decisive with Cincinnati Reds ace Trevor Bauer winning over the other two finalists, Yu Darvish and Jacob deGrom.

Bieber led the majors in wins (eight), ERA (1.63) and strikeouts (122) in a dominant campaign in which he struck out 10 or more hitters in eight of his 12 starts. He finished fourth in the voting in 2019 after going 15-8 with a 3.28 ERA and 259 strikeouts.

Twins right-hander Kenta Maeda finished second, with Blue Jays lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu coming in third.

Bauer received 27 of the 30 first-place votes, with Darvish getting the other three and coming in second. Bauer led the NL ERA (1.73) and WHIP (0.80). He also threw two shutouts, tops in the majors. Bauer is the first pitcher in Reds history to win the award. deGrom, who won the award the past two seasons, finished in third place.

REITER: Trevor Bauer Is More Concerned With Being Right Than Being Liked

Bieber's win marks the sixth time a member of the Indians has won the Cy Young Award, joining a group that includes Gaylord Perry (1972), CC Sabathia (2007), Cliff Lee (2008) and Corey Kluber (2014 and 2017). This is the 10th time the AL winner has done so unanimously, a feat most recently accomplished by Justin Verlander in 2011. Three pitchers have won the AL Cy Young Award unanimously twice: Johan Santana (2004 and 2006), Pedro Martinez (1999 and 2000) and Roger Clemens (1986 and 1998).

The Reds have had five pitchers finish in second in Cy Young voting, most recently Johnny Cueto in 2014. This year marks the second time Darvish has finished as runner-up, following the 2013 vote in which he came in second to Max Scherzer in the AL.

November 12, 2020 at 05:33AM
Shane Bieber, Trevor Bauer Take Home 2020 Cy Young Awards

New on Sports Illustrated: Finland Stuns World Cup Champ France in Friendly

The 2018 World Cup champs missed a slew of chances, and two first-half goals delivered Les Bleus a shocking setback.

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Finland stunned World Cup winner France 2-0 in a friendly on Wednesday as the hosts were punished for missing a number of chances.

First-half goals from winger Marcus Forss and striker Onni Valakari gave the Finns an unexpected win, which had looked even more unlikely after France carved open the visiting defense early on.

Forward Marcus Thuram, the son of Lilian Thuram, could have made a scoring debut at Stade de France — where his father netted the only two goals of his long international career in the World Cup semifinal against Croatia in 1998.

Thuram almost scored with his first chance for France when he headed against the crossbar from close range in the 16th minute. Two minutes later, Thuram volleyed over another good opportunity from close range and tried his luck with a speculative curling shot a few minutes later.

With Thuram probing down the left and combining well with striker Wissam Ben Yedder, the French looked in total control only to concede twice in quick succession.

After midfielder Moussa Sissoko gave the ball away in the 28th, Forss charged into the penalty area and finished confidently with a driving shot. Three minutes later, the Valakari curled a shot past goalkeeper Steve Mandanda from the edge of the penalty area.

France had a lot of the possession in the second half yet created little until the latter stages.

Thuram tried his luck with a speculative shot from outside the area with 20 minutes left but it was easily saved, and then midfielder N’Golo Kante sliced well wide after being set up by Anthony Martial’s neat flick.

Thuram was France’s most dangerous player throughout and his cushioned touch allowed Martial a late shot which he blasted over. Then, in the last minute of injury time, striker Antoine Griezmann rolled a shot wide from Martial’s pass on a sloppy night for France.

“We had a couple of chances from Marcus. If we had put them away it would have been a different story,” Griezmann said. “But we need to figure out what we didn’t do well and look forward to Saturday.”

France has Nations League matches away to Portugal on Saturday and at home to Sweden next Tuesday, with Portugal leading France on goal difference in that group.

November 12, 2020 at 04:17AM
Finland Stuns World Cup Champ France in Friendly

New on Sports Illustrated: Report: Spurs Legend Tim Duncan Stepping Away From Full-Time Assistant Coach Role

Spurs legend Tim Duncan is reportedly stepping away from his full-time coaching role with San Antonio.

Spurs legend Tim Duncan is stepping away from his full-time coaching role, according to The New York Times' Marc Stein.

Duncan, 44, spent last year on head coach Gregg Popovich's staff as an assistant coach. According to The Times, Duncan is expected to return to his previous post-retirement role, which included frequent appearances at the team's practice facility to provide various Spurs with player development assistance.

Duncan made his head coaching debut this past March when Popovich missed a Spurs-Hornets game for personal reasons. San Antonio topped Charlotte, 104-103, in Duncan's lone outing as the Spurs' head coach.

“It’s night and day to be in the big boy chair,” Duncan said following the win. “Truth be told though, I wasn’t in the big boy chair. I had [other assistant coaches] making the calls and I was the one standing there screaming at people."

When asked that night if he wanted to be a head coach down the road, Duncan declined, saying, "Nope. Pop is going to be back and I will be happy to hand it right over to him.”

Duncan played 19 seasons for the Spurs before retiring in the summer of 2016. 

The Class of 2020 Hall of Famer is the only player in NBA history with 1,000 or more wins with one team. Duncan helped turn San Antonio into a perennial powerhouse, earned 15 All-Star nods and was named league MVP twice.

November 12, 2020 at 04:17AM
Report: Spurs Legend Tim Duncan Stepping Away From Full-Time Assistant Coach Role

New on Sports Illustrated: Road Trips, Halloween Parties and Contact Tracing: Inside the SEC's COVID Predicament

Four SEC games have already been postponed this week, causing a scheduling crunch as we head down the home stretch.

At Texas A&M, it was a road trip. At LSU, it was a Halloween party. At Mississippi State, it was, quite possibly, other students on campus.

Over the last few days, COVID-19 found its way into SEC football facilities in an assortment of ways. But positive cases aren’t necessarily behind the league postponing four of the seven games this weekend. What is?

“Candidly,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said Wednesday, “the numbers around contact tracing have emerged as one of our biggest challenges to playing.” Contact tracing “magnifies” any positive, Sankey says.

Physicians predicted over the summer that contact tracing—not actual positive cases—would present the biggest hurdle to completing a 2020 season. A few months later, their theory is being proven right.

Excluding Auburn (it has 13 positive cases), no SEC team involved in a postponed game has more than four positives on its team, according to school administrators, coaches and sources within those programs. Missouri, in fact, has just two positives. Texas A&M has three. Mississippi State has less than five, and LSU is thought to have no more than four.

That said, at least 30 combined players at those schools find themselves in quarantine after being deemed high-risk contacts during the contract-tracing process, effectively dropping those teams below the threshold (53 scholarship players and/or a minimum amount at a particular position).

Sports Illustrated has exhaustedly written about the contract-tracing issue in college sports for months. In the most recent story on Oct. 19, SI dove into an issue that college leaders describe as complex, subjective and even unfair. Contact tracing has resulted in hundreds of college football players missing two weeks of activity for having been in close contact with a positive carrier of the virus—many of them never turning positive or contagious.

The current operating CDC guidelines define a high-risk contact as someone within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes without each party wearing a mask. According to the CDC, and enforced by local health departments, high-risk contacts must quarantine for a mandatory 14 days.

The lengthy quarantine time is inconsistent among schools and is nine days longer than the NFL’s own protocol, which allows high-risk contacts to “test out” of quarantine on Day 5 after having registered five consecutive negative tests. The latest wave of postponements has revived a debate among college leaders that SI explored in that October story: When can players test out of quarantine like the NFL?

“We have no discussed that with intent among the A5 commissioners,” said Sankey, while later suggesting that CDC guidelines might need an adjustment before college conferences tweak such a protocol.

College football is in somewhat of a battle with its own local health department officials, who are often overseeing contact-tracing protocols (see Cal’s issues here). Some health departments, like those in Berkeley, are aggressive. Others aren’t as much.

“There is no chance that our state health department would let us test out of quarantine,” one SEC administrator told SI on Wednesday.

However, despite Sankey’s comment, those at the top of college football acknowledged last month that they are exploring the potential for a testing-out plan. The most favorable proposal requires close contacts to test negative three consecutive days, Days 5–7 of quarantine, before granting them release on Day 8. They would then need to test negative for the next seven days to remain out of quarantine.

“That seems to be a level of precaution supported by doctors and scientists,” Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby told SI.

Still, there’s a long way to go.

“Right now, there is no way to test out of quarantine,” Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork said Wednesday on TexAgs Radio. “We’ve been working with the CDC. The SEC has taken the lead on that nationally. The NFL has a way to test out of contact tracing, but right now, the process has not been approved for the NCAA.”

Some school presidents are against it, too. If regular students are quarantining for 14 days, they may ask, why shouldn’t athletes? The fact that players are tested regularly and are in a more contained environment is a point some argue.

“The contract tracing is killing us,” Todd Berry, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association, said last month. “All the sudden the coaches are calling me. They tell me that one kid got it and 12 are out [for contact tracing] and none of the 12 even ever had it.”

That is another point of contention: How many high-risk contacts eventually turn positive? According to those within the industry, very few. And almost none turn positive after Day 7. In fact, Doug Aukerman, a long-time athletic physician and associate athletic director at Oregon State who chairs the Pac-12’s medical advisory board, said last month that he’s unaware of any athlete testing positive in the second week of quarantine.

“By Day 7, if you haven’t turned positive, there’s a decent chance you aren’t going to test positive,” says Chris Klenck, the team physician at Tennessee who leads the school’s COVID program. “After Day 11, there’s almost no chance.”

The CDC’s median time for infection is about four-to-five days. However, its mandatory quarantine period is set at 14 days to catch those close contacts who take considerably longer to turn positive. There are examples of close contact patients, not necessarily athletes, who have tested negative while in quarantine on Days 5–9 and then produce a positive result on Day 12, physicians say.

“People stifle about it, but that’s where the science is right now,” says Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at Johns Hopkins University and an infectious disease expert.

In good news, the SEC is still not seeing on-field transmission of the virus, something SI reported last month via in-game tracking data that the league provided.

So what’s behind the rising cases? For months now, scientists have evidence of cases spiking in light of holidays. Halloween was a week-and-a-half ago.

Also, the nation in general is in the midst of one of the biggest upticks since the virus arrived in America, with several record-setting days last week. In the SEC, bye weeks are happening now that the league has reached the midway point. Time off can lead to viral spread.

And then there are road trips. Administrators at Baylor and Florida both attributed outbreaks earlier this year to cramped visiting locker rooms and tight spaces during travel. That contributed to A&M’s latest issues, says Bjork. The Aggies played at South Carolina last weekend.

“If we had played a home game last week, things would have been a lot different, but we were on a plane,” he said. “It just comes down to a numbers game and location. We had one person in a middle seat who ended up knocking out 16 others [through contact tracing].”

And now the SEC is faced with a real dilemma. The conference implemented flexibility in its schedule with a Dec. 12 open date for COVID-impacted games. Halfway through the season, 10 of the league’s 14 teams have already shifted games to that weekend. The situation is dire enough that on Tuesday, SEC administrators approved a proposal to grant a second COVID-flex weekend on Dec. 19 for those games not involving division champions, who would be competing in the SEC title game that day.

That won’t solve everything. In fact, LSU is at the center of the issue, having games against Alabama and Florida both postponed. Because of Florida COVID issues in October, its game against the Gators was moved to the Dec. 12 date. Its game against Alabama has nowhere to go. What complicates matters is Alabama and Florida are currently leading their division and, many would say, are destined to meet in the title game.

Could the SEC play LSU-Alabama on Nov. 21 or Dec. 5? Sure, but that would mean moving other games. LSU’s games those weekends would shift to Dec. 19, and Alabama’s would shift to Dec. 12 (the Tide are one of four teams currently without a Dec. 12 game, for now).

Sankey would not speculate on moving currently scheduled games to accommodate a matchup such as LSU and Alabama before championship weekend. But those in Baton Rouge are preparing for the possibility of playing Ole Miss or Arkansas on Dec. 19.

The SEC isn’t alone in this fight. Even programs that are testing every day are enveloped with positives and quarantining high-risk contacts (See Wisconsin, Maryland, etc.). Daily testing isn’t a sure way to avoid infections and tracing.

“You can’t test your way out of a pandemic,” says Shane Speights, the dean of the NYIT medical school at Arkansas State, who oversees virus testing at ASU.

At least the SEC has some flexibility. The Big Ten, trying to play nine games in nine weeks, does not. The league lost a third game in three weeks on Wednesday when Maryland announced its game against Ohio State was off because of COVID issues.

But who’s really surprised?

After all, says Florida coach Dan Mullen, “It's 2020. It is what it is. There’s not a lot stunning to me anymore this season.”

November 12, 2020 at 03:57AM
Road Trips, Halloween Parties and Contact Tracing: Inside the SEC's COVID Predicament

New on Sports Illustrated: Cristiano Ronaldo Inches Closer to Men's International Scoring Record

Ronaldo is now just seven goals shy of Ali Daei's all-time men's international record.

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo scored once in Portugal’s 7-0 rout of Andorra in a friendly on Wednesday, moving a step closer to becoming the all-time top scorer for a national team.

Ronaldo reached 102 goals with Portugal to sit seven shy of the 109 scored by former Iran striker Ali Daei, the only other male soccer player to surpass the 100-goal milestone for a national team. Ronaldo broke the century mark after scoring twice in Portugal’s Nations League win over Sweden in October.

Coming off a minor knee injury and having recently been sidelined by a positive COVID-19 result, Ronaldo entered the match after halftime at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon. He made it 6-0 with a close-range header in the 85th minute after having squandered a few good chances.

He had replaced Pedro Neto, the 20-year-old Wolverhampton forward who was making his national team debut and opened the scoring for Portugal in the eighth minute. João Paulo added to the lead in the 29th and Renato Sanches scored in the 56th.

Paulinho, who was also making his Portugal debut, scored in the 61st. An own-goal by Andorra’s Emili Garcia in the 76th made it 5-0, and João Félix closed the scoring in the final minutes.

Portugal also had a goal disallowed by offside in the 71st.

Barcelona forward Francisco Trincão started up front and was flanked by Neto and Paulinho. Portugal coach Fernando Santos also handed a debut to central defender Domingos Duarte.

Portugal hosts France on Saturday in the Nations League, then visits Croatia on Tuesday. It trails Group B leader Ukraine by three points entering its final two matches in the European competition.

November 12, 2020 at 03:57AM
Cristiano Ronaldo Inches Closer to Men's International Scoring Record

New on Sports Illustrated: The Time Is Now for Jon Rahm at the Masters

Jon Rahm has seemed to thrive in this unique season. Will that translate to his first major win at Augusta?

On the eve of his 26th birthday John Rahm finds himself sitting alongside Rickie Fowler and Ian Poulter. It’s Monday of Masters week and the trio of PGA Tour stars are gathered for their annual Masters chat as part of their partnership with Mercedes-Benz. As Rahm settles in to talk shop about Augusta National, the Masters and the excitement of the week ahead, he looks out to an empty audience.

Any other year, the room would be filled with Masters patrons and guests of the luxury vehicle brand. Fans who’d likely be serenading Rahm with "Happy Birthday." But of course, 2020 is different. And actually, as the burly Spaniard prepares for a November Masters, the thought of different is quite all right with Rahm.

Rahm is a five-time PGA Tour winner. In all, he’s won 11 times around the globe and enters the week ranked No. 2 in the world. He’s been close at major championships, even in the hunt at the Masters on a Sunday. But until now, Rahm has been unable to seal the deal. That could change this week.

“I definitely know I have the game for it,” says Rahm, who oozes confidence.

Now more than ever, Rahm is ready. And the unprecedented nature of the last eight months could be a big reason why.

Rahm is a young man who can’t sit still. The season stoppage due to COVID-19 wasn’t easy. Back home in Arizona, Rahm found himself running errand after errand looking for an excuse to get out of the house.

Along with picking up the groceries for his wife Kelley, who does most of the cooking, Rahm was able to hit the reset button on his game—something that has been paying dividends during the back end of 2020, though it hasn’t been easy.

“That first week back at Colonial, it definitely felt like I was missing something, but like everything, I had to adjust,” recalls Rahm.

“As an athlete you have to be able to adjust. It just took some time. Once I adjusted my routine Monday to Wednesday and got used to the fact that there was not going to be any fans on the course, I realized it was still the same game.”

The adjustment has quickly paid off. This year alone, Rahm has been one of the few players on tour who've been able to restart the engine and play their way to victory. A win at the Memorial in July was backed up by another at the BMW Championship in August. While others were left searching for motivation this season with no fans to push them, Rahm found the drive needed during this unique season.

“I don't know how or why I’ve done it, but if I did, I’m not giving out any secrets,” laughs Rahm.

All joking aside, Rahm is primed for a big week at Augusta. He’s already gone through a natural career progression that traditionally translates into a title. Qualify for a major, make the cut, contend on the weekend—all the boxes have been checked. Rahm has top-10 finishes in three of the four majors and has registered a T-9 and T-4 over his last two Masters tournaments, success he credits to an evolving career and mental approach.

“There’s been a level of maturity that only comes from experience,” says the introspective Rahm, who in the past let his fiery nature get in the way of his world-class golf swing.

“I came skyrocketing into my first Masters in 2017. I think I was something like the third favorite to win even though the last time somebody had won the Masters in their first try was back in the 70s. I think the expectations from the outside rose drastically and it was something I wasn’t ready for.”

Fast forward three years, and Rahm couldn’t be more ready. His game is one of the most explosive in the world. Last season he ranked No. 1 in strokes gained total, a huge measuring stick when it comes to golf statistics and scoring. But it’s more than his swing that’s led him to the doorstep of his first major title. Rahm says he’s gained not only experience with playing major championship golf, but also has also learned how to get comfortable being the favorite.

So as one of the favorites heading into this week the question is simple: What needs to happen in order for Rahm to win the Masters?

“For me to win the Masters, I need to stay true to who I am,” says Rahm

“I need to play the shot that I see and feel within me. Not the shot that you’re supposed to play. Hit the shot that I feel in the moment, in my hands and in my mind. Just be who I am.”

Sounds like a guy ready to be a major champion.

More 2020 Masters Coverage

• Previewing the 2020 Masters at an Empty Augusta National
• Daily Cover: A Masters Unlike Any Other
• Even Without a Crowd, Don't Count Tiger Out at Masters

November 12, 2020 at 03:55AM
The Time Is Now for Jon Rahm at the Masters