Team USA draws Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico in World Cup qualifying

 

USA Basketball will face Puerto Rico, Mexico and Cuba in the first round of qualifying for the 2023 Basketball World Cup.

The Americans, who won a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal in Tokyo but finished only seventh at the most recent Basketball World Cup two years ago, found out their qualifying opponents Tuesday when the draw was held at FIBA headquarters in Mies, Switzerland.

It will also be the first major tournament for USA Basketball with Grant Hill as managing director. Hill is succeeding Jerry Colangelo in that role; Colangelo oversaw each of the last four Olympics for the U.S., helping assemble teams that won gold medals each time.

The U.S. has won the World Cup five times, most recently in 2014.

There are 80 teams in the qualifying rounds. It begins with a double round-robin; all teams in the various groups for the first round will play the other three teams in their group twice. First-round games will be played during three different windows — Nov. 20-30, Feb. 21-March 1 and June 27-July 5.

Second-round games begin in August 2022 and run through February 2023. The next World Cup — to be hosted by the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia — takes place from Aug. 25 through Sept. 10, 2023.

Defending World Cup champion Spain, trying to become one of the 12 European qualifiers for the tournament, opens with games against Ukraine, Georgia and North Macedonia in the opening round.

As hosts, the Philippines and Japan are already in the 32-team World Cup field. The other 30 spots will be decided through qualifying. Indonesia does not get an automatic spot as a host country.

AMERICAS REGION

The region has 16 teams in qualifying, in four different four-team first-round groups, with 12 of those nations making the second round. From there, the field will be pared to the seven World Cup qualifiers; the first-, second- and third-place finisher in both second-round groups will make the World Cup, along with the best fourth-place team.

In Group A, Argentina — which, barring a change of his mind, will be without Luis Scola for a major international tournament for the first time in more than two decades — faces Venezuela, Panama and Paraguay in the first round.

Group B includes Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia and Chile. Group C has Canada, the Dominican Republic, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Bahamas. And in Group D, it’s the U.S., Puerto Rico, Mexico and Cuba.

EUROPE REGION

The same qualifying rules apply in Europe, with four-team groups assembled for the first round. But the field is double the size of other regions, with 32 teams playing for what will become 12 World Cup spots.

As in the other regions, the top three finishers in each first-round group will advance to the second round, which in Europe’s case will trim the 32 teams down to 24. Those 24 nations will be placed in one of four six-team second-round groups, and the top three finishers in each of those groups will make the World Cup.

In Group A, Serbia, Latvia, Belgium and Slovakia will play. Group B has Greece, Turkey, Britain and Belarus. Group C has Olympic semifinalist Slovenia along with Croatia, Finland, Sweden. In Group D, it’ll be Germany, Poland, Israel and Estonia.

Group E is led by Olympic silver medalist France, which will meet Montenegro, Hungary and Portugal. Group F has Lithuania, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Group G is the Spain-Ukraine-Georgia-North Macedonia group, and Group H will see Italy, Russia, the Netherlands and Iceland facing off.

AFRICA REGION

There are 16 teams vying for what will be five World Cup spots. They were broken down into four four-team groups for the first round, and the top three finishers in those groups will move on to the second round.

Group A has Nigeria, Mali, Uganda and Cape Verde. In Group B, it’s Tunisia, Cameroon, South Sudan and Rwanda. Group C has Angola, Ivory Coast, Central African Republic and Guinea. And in Group D, it’s Senegal, Egypt, Congo and Kenya.

ASIA REGION

Another 16 teams are still in the mix for eight World Cup spots, with the Philippines and Japan — as host nations — already securing two of those, but they will also take part in the qualifying anyway. The third World Cup host, Indonesia, must still qualify for the World Cup and did not get an automatic entry.

The top three teams from each first-round group move into the second round. Once there, the top three teams will make the World Cup, with the Philippines and Japan excluded from that count.

In Group A, it’ll be New Zealand, South Korea, the Philippines and India. Group B — which shapes up as one of the most competitive first-round groups in the entire qualifying tournament — features Olympic bronze medalist Australia, China, Japan and Taiwan. Group C has Jordan, Lebanon, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. In Group D, it’s Iran, Kazakhstan, Syria and Bahrain.

Kylian Mbappe: Real Madrid make improved £145.6m offer but Paris Saint-Germain stand firm

 Kylian Mbappe is into the last year of his contract at the Parc des Princes and has told PSG it is his dream to play for Real Madrid; PSG sporting director Leonardo has said Mbappe wants to leave but can only do so on the club's terms

French football expert Jonathan Johnson says Real Madrid must return with a better offer if they are to sign Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain

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The 22-year-old has so far refused to agree to a contract extension at the Parc des Princes and has told PSG it is his dream to play for Real Madrid, who have been linked with a move for him throughout the summer.After the first offer for Mbappe was knocked back, PSG's president Nasser Al-Khelaifi told BeInSports at the UEFA Champions League draw on Thursday nothing has changed with regard to the club's position on Real Madrid's interest in him.

He said: "We've always been very clear…the situation, the position of the club. We're not going to repeat it every time. You know our position, it has not changed."

CM Punk retired from UFC competition as he returns to professional wrestling

 

CM Punk has notified the UFC that he has retired from mixed martial arts competition as he makes his full-time return to professional wrestling.

UFC officials confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Tuesday.

The move from Punk (real name Phil Brooks) isn’t exactly shocking considering he hasn’t fought since 2018 when he lost a unanimous decision to Mike Jackson at UFC 225. That loss was later overturned to a no-contest due to Jackson testing positive for marijuana.

While it seemed like Punk had long since put fighting behind him, the now 42-year-old mixed martial arts enthusiast remained part of the UFC’s anti-doping program through 2020 as he was regularly being tested by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

He was actually tested six time in 2020 alone.

His status changed in 2021, however, as Punk has not been tested at all this year as he notified the UFC about his retirement while plotting his return to pro wrestling after inking a deal with upstart promotion All Elite Wrestling,

Punk’s entry into the UFC was met with a lot of skepticism after he left his previous job with World Wrestling Entertainment and then started pursuing a potential fighting career. Despite previously only dabbling in grappling through Brazilian jiu-jitsu training, Punk was offered an opportunity to compete by UFC president Dana White.

He officially signed in 2014 but took more than a year to train for his debut while primarily working under head coach Duke Roufus and his team in Milwaukee. A back injury delayed his first fight but Punk eventually made his first appearance at UFC 203 in 2016 where he faced Mickey Gall.

The fight lasted just past the two-minute mark in the opening round as Gall submitted Punk with a rear-naked choke. Punk then took another long hiatus before booking his second fight against Jackson in 2018.

All signs pointed towards Punk possibly being released but he remained on the UFC roster while he transitioned into a commentary role while working for East coast-based promotion Cage Fury Fighting Championships.

Finally after seven years away from the ring, Punk signed a new deal to join AEW where he’s expected to make his debut for the promotion in September.

Overall, Punk’s run with the UFC will end with an 0-1 record with one no-contest, but since he’s technically retired, he could potentially return to the organization in the future if he ever decides to fight again.

Report: Colts' T.Y. Hilton 'To Miss Multiple Weeks with an Unspecified Injury'

 

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton is reportedly expected to miss multiple weeks with an injury he suffered in practice Wednesday.

According to Stephen Holder of The Athletic, the unspecified injury will keep Hilton out for the start of the regular season. While the timeline for his return is unclear, it is not considered season-ending.

Injuries have ravaged the Colts throughout the preseason, as starting quarterback Carson Wentz and All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson are both questionable for the start of the regular season because of foot injuries that required surgery. Also, rookie quarterback Sam Ehlinger suffered a sprained ACL that is expected to keep him out for a month.

Hilton missed time with a groin injury last season and played 10 games in 2019, which was the first time in his career he appeared in fewer than 14 contests.

In 2020, Hilton finished with 56 catches for 762 yards and five touchdowns. While he put up solid numbers last year, it was a far cry from his prime.

The four-time Pro Bowler has five seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards on his resume, including when he led the league with 1,448 receiving yards in 2016.

While the Colts can rely on the rushing attack with Jonathan Taylor while Hilton is sidelined, they also have a handful of receivers who will surely see more targets. Look for Michael Pittman Jr., Parris Campbell and Zach Pascal to see additional playing time as Indianapolis attempts to make the playoffs in the AFC South.

Rajón Rondo Reaches Buyout With Grizzlies, Expected To Sign With Lakers

 

The Memphis Grizzlies and veteran point guard Rajon Rondo have reached agreement on a buyout. Memphis will waive Rondo and he'll become an unrestricted free agent upon clearing waivers.

Upon clearing waivers, the Los Angles Lakers are the frontrunners to sign Rondo. 2021-22 will be Rondo's 16th NBA season. He played a big part in the Lakers winning the 2020 NBA Finals.

The Grizzlies acquired Rondo in a trade where they sent Eric Bledsoe to the LA Clippers for Rondo, Patrick Beverley and Daniel Oturu. Memphis subsequently traded Beverley to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Jarrett Culver and Juancho Hernangomez.

Memphis will still need to waive or trade at least three more players to get into regular season roster compliance.

JAKE PAUL, TYRON WOODLEY MAKE WEIGHT EASILY, NEARLY GET INTO ANOTHER FRACAS

 

Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley met up one final time before they square off on Sunday night and they nearly

CLEVELAND — The talking looked to be about over for Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley heading into their cruiserweight battle on Sunday night as both guys saw each other one more time on Saturday at the weigh-ins from the KeyBank State Theater. 

Woodley  came out to a chorus of boos. He stepped on the scales first and came in at 189.5 pounds. Next, Paul made his way to the scale to a shockingly mixed reaction from his home state. The 24-year-old weighed 190 pounds. An intense staredown ensued, but no physicality occurred, unlike on Thursday when both fight camps pushed, shoved, and hurled obscene language .

Packers QB Jordan Love shows promise, but panics under pressure in return vs. Bills

 

Jordan Love displayed promise starting the Green Bay Packers' 19-0 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills, but a couple of decisions exemplified a still-growing young quarterback.

Love looked comfortable early, getting through his reads quickly, finding open targets and not getting flustered. When everything was on schedule, Love looked great. Calm. Composed. Good arm.

It was when plays broke down that Love got in trouble. He made a great play on a fourth-down roll-out to hit a wide-open Dominique Dafney with a touch pass. However, Love got pressured on the ensuing play, heaving a prayer to the end zone that Micah Hyde picked off. It was the type of decision that Love must learn from moving forward. On first down, he needed to throw it away and live for another down.

Later, Love made a similarly risky decision, tossing high over the middle in the red zone late in the first half. The second-year QB again was under pressure and panicked. When pass rushers forced him off-platform, he tried to make fadeaway heaves.

The negatives displayed just how necessary these preseason reps were for the young quarterback to learn and grow. When he cleans up those decisions, Love offers a lot of promise. Facing mostly the Bills' starting defense, Love moved the ball well and, aside from the two mistakes, looked good.

He showed good accuracy and arm strength. The 22-year-old got through his reads well for the most part. Several times he stepped up in the pocket to avoid pressure. He displayed good mobility, scrambling three times for 16 yards, and the ability to throw on the move. Love pulled a trick out of Aaron Rodgers' bag, getting the Bills to jump offsides and hitting Malik Taylor for a good sideline throw-and-catch on the free play.

Love displayed no adverse effects from the shoulder issue that kept him out last week.

All in all, Packers coaches have to be pleased with what they saw from Love in his second game of preseason action. He finished four drives, going 12-of-18 passing for 149 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT, and a 69.0 rating. The stat line -- like most in preseason action -- isn't as important as the reps gained. Green Bay will use the film for the young signal-caller to learn from as the regular season commences.

Now the Packers hope Love will be a bystander for the rest of 2021 before bigger questions arise next offseason.

British MotoGP: Miller leads Espargaro in third practice

 

Ducati’s Jack Miller topped a frantic FP3 for the MotoGP British Grand Prix as 2019 Silverstone race winner Alex Rins crashed out of the Q2 places.

The cooler conditions for FP3 at Silverstone meant the combined timesheets went largely unchanged for the first half of the 45-minute session.

After 25 minutes only reigning world champion Joan Mir in 12th, LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami in 14th and Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco in 15th had improved on their Friday lap times.

Moments late Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro made the first significant improvement as he moved up to third overall with a 1m59.840s.

With just over 11 minutes to go, Quartararo’s Friday benchmark was finally toppled by Ducati’s Miller.

The Australian – who was second overall after Friday – found himself with Suzuki’s Rins as a reference ahead of him and produced a 1m59.288s to go fastest of all.

In the closing stages, the timing screens were awash with session-best sector times as the field put on their charges for a direct spot in the Q2 qualifying session.

But no one could topple Miller’s time, Aprilia’s Espargaro his closest challenger with a 1m59.386s – the Spaniard just 0.098 seconds adrift.

Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin leaped up to third late on ahead of Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo, the championship leader remaining second on the combined times courtesy of his 1m59.317s lap from FP2.

Francesco Bagnaia completed the top five on the second factory Ducati ahead of Honda’s Pol Espargaro, who bagged a place in Q2 despite a late crash at Stowe. 

Valentino Rossi felt he had to find a second on his Friday best to make it into Q2 on Saturday and did just exactly that in FP3, the Petronas SRT rider producing a 1m59.553s to go seventh quickest ahead of Mir, KTM’s Brad Binder and Honda’s Marc Marquez. 

Johann Zarco will face a volatile Q1 session later this afternoon, with the Pramac rider set to be joined by the likes of Yamaha’s Cal Crutchlow – who did run as high as ninth at one stage before dropping to 13th – and Rins, who crashed at Farm curve late on while on a flying lap.

KTM’s Miguel Oliveira continued to struggle at Silverstone in FP3 and was only 19th on his factory RC16, 1.5s off the pace, while Tech 3 counterpart Danilo Petrucci in 17th suffered a mechanical failure at the end of the session. 

MotoGP debutant Jake Dixon suffered his first tumble 15 minutes into FP3 when he slid off at Brooklands, with the SRT rider ending the morning in last spot.

Ahead of the session, Aprilia announced Lorenzo Savadori has been withdrawn from the remainder of the British GP as he continues to struggle with the broken ankle he suffered in a fiery Styrian GP crash.

Cla	#	Rider		Bike	Laps	Time	Gap	Interval	km/h	Speed Trap
1	43	Jack Miller		Ducati	15	1'59.288			178.086	339
2	41	Aleix Espargaro		Aprilia	15	1'59.386	0.098	0.098	177.940	334
3	89	Jorge Martin		Ducati	15	1'59.396	0.108	0.010	177.925	336
4	20	Fabio Quartararo		Yamaha	17	1'59.461	0.173	0.065	177.828	332
5	63	Francesco Bagnaia		Ducati	17	1'59.515	0.227	0.054	177.748	338
6	44	Pol Espargaro		Honda	16	1'59.515	0.227	0.000	177.748	338
7	46	Valentino Rossi		Yamaha	17	1'59.553	0.265	0.038	177.691	330
8	36	Joan Mir		Suzuki	15	1'59.651	0.363	0.098	177.546	330
9	33	Brad Binder		KTM	16	1'59.671	0.383	0.020	177.516	334
10	93	Marc Marquez		Honda	17	1'59.683	0.395	0.012	177.498	332
11	5	Johann Zarco		Ducati	18	1'59.725	0.437	0.042	177.436	337
12	30	Takaaki Nakagami		Honda	16	2'00.053	0.765	0.328	176.951	330
13	35	Cal Crutchlow		Yamaha	16	2'00.075	0.787	0.022	176.919	332
14	73	Alex Marquez		Honda	16	2'00.157	0.869	0.082	176.798	332
15	42	Alex Rins		Suzuki	14	2'00.337	1.049	0.180	176.534	332
16	27	Iker Lecuona		KTM	17	2'00.359	1.071	0.022	176.501	330
17	9	Danilo Petrucci		KTM	15	2'00.545	1.257	0.186	176.229	331
18	10	Luca Marini		Ducati	15	2'00.548	1.260	0.003	176.225	332
19	88	Miguel Oliveira		KTM	16	2'00.883	1.595	0.335	175.736	332
20	23	Enea Bastianini		Ducati	16	2'01.446	2.158	0.563	174.922	332
21	96	Jake Dixon		Yamaha	13	2'02.814	3.526	1.368	172.973	324
	32	Lorenzo Savadori		Aprilia	0					0