Sports
Owners of Manchester United Ponder Sale as Ronaldo Exits
Manchester United announced Tuesday that it would begin an investigation into strategic alternatives, such as a new investment or a potential sale, 17 years after the American Glazer family purchased the English Premier League soccer club.
According to the club, the Glazer family is working with financial advisers on the process, which could result in a partial sale of the Old Trafford club or investments such as stadium and infrastructure redevelopment.
Manchester United fans have been calling for a change in ownership, and the Glazers have come under fire for failing to win a trophy in the last five years. Their most recent trophies were the Europa League and League Cup in 2017.
“As we seek to build on the club’s history of success, the board has authorized a thorough evaluation of strategic alternatives,” United’s executive co-chairmen and directors, Avram Glazer and Joel Glazer, said in a statement.
“We will evaluate all options to ensure that we best serve our fans and that Manchester United capitalizes on the significant growth opportunities available to the club today and in the future,” according to the statement.
According to Reuters, British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe expressed interest in purchasing United in August. Elon Musk had also joked about buying the club at the time.
In recent years, wealthy Asian tycoons, particularly those from China, have purchased European clubs such as Wolverhampton Wanderers of the Premier League and Inter Milan of Italy.
Football clubs, on the other hand, have since been deemed unfavourable assets by China, and any major overseas purchase appears unlikely at the moment, according to Mark Dreyer, the Beijing-based author of “Sporting Superpower,” a book about China’s sports ambitions.
“It’s difficult to see how any Chinese-related entity could justify such a large purchase in the current environment,” he said. “… with China only now confronting the realities of COVID-19, which makes the entire economic environment even more uncertain, no state body would approve this kind of deal.”
Manchester United Stock Rises
The owners are under pressure because United is currently fifth in the Premier League, which has been suspended due to the ongoing Qatar World Cup.
Manchester United’s stock increased by up to 20% after Sky News first reported on the sale process, valuing the club at $2.6 billion.
At the end of Tuesday’s trading in the United States, the company was valued at $2.5 billion. In 2018, it had a market capitalisation of $4.3 billion at its peak as a public company.
Cristiano Ronaldo will leave Manchester United “with immediate effect,” the Premier League club announced on Tuesday, just days after criticizing manager Erik ten Hag and the club’s owners in an explosive interview.
It was unclear where Ronaldo, 37, would go next after failing to secure a move to a Champions League club in the summer.
“Following discussions with Manchester United, we have mutually agreed to terminate our contract early,” said Ronaldo. “I adore Manchester United and its supporters, and that will never change.” However, it appears that the time has come for me to seek a new challenge.
“I wish the team the best of luck for the rest of the season and in the future.”
Ronaldo, who is currently in Qatar with Portugal attempting to win his country’s first World Cup title, has been frustrated after being reduced to a fringe member of United’s team this season.
Ronaldo Says He Was Betrayed
During a 90-minute interview with Piers Morgan on Thursday, the Portugal captain said he felt “betrayed,” and he was also critical of younger players.
United announced last week that it had taken appropriate action in response to his comments, with the termination of his contract widely anticipated.
“Cristiano Ronaldo has agreed to leave Manchester United with immediate effect,” the club announced on Tuesday. “The club thanks him for his enormous contribution over two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances, and wishes him and his family the best of luck in the future.”
That statement failed to convey the club’s outrage following the unauthorized interview.
Ronaldo’s unexpected departure may also hasten United’s plans to sign a new centre forward.
Ten Hag had intended to address his offensive issues at the end of the season, but he may now have to look for a replacement during the January window.
Sports
March Madness: How To Watch And What To Watch For In The 2024 NCAA Tournament
The March Madness countdown has begun.
The NCAA Tournament, a treasured annual ritual, begins this week. Now that the pairings have been set for Selection Sunday, thousands will fill out their brackets in the hopes of winning the office poll or at least earning some respect.
Who will win it all? UConn is the No. 1 overall seed and the popular selection to win its sixth overall title and become the first team to repeat as NCAA champion since Florida in 2006-07. Other top seeds include Houston, Purdue, and North Carolina.
March Madness: How To Watch And What To Watch For In The 2024 NCAA Tournament
However, there are no obvious superior teams this year, and it might be another wild ride; remember that last year’s Final Four had two 5 seeds (Miami and San Diego State), the fourth-seeded Huskies, and the ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic.
The competition begins with the opening Four on Tuesday and the opening round on Thursday.
5 Gonzaga vs. 12 McNeese State. The Cowboys are in the tournament for the first time since 2002, and they are one of just four teams with 30 wins under first-year coach Will Wade. The Zags had their lowest seed in seven appearances.
6 South Carolina versus 11 Oregon. South Carolina tied for second in the SEC after being ranked worst in the preseason. To qualify, the Ducks must win the last Pac-12 Tournament, and Dana Altman may meet his old team (Creighton) if they beat the Gamecocks.
6 Clemson vs. 11 New Mexico. Tigers are coming off losses in three of their last four games. Richard Pitino’s Lobos are hot after defeating San Diego State in the Mountain West tournament.
8 Nebraska vs. 9 Texas A&M The Cornhuskers are the only Power Five team that has never won a game in the tournament. Their athletic director, Trev Alberts, transferred to A&M last week to take the same position.
HOW TO WATCH:
Every game of the men’s tournament will be broadcast on CBS, TBS, TNT, or TruTV, as well as its digital platforms, including Paramount+. Here is a schedule that will be updated with matchups. TBS will broadcast this year’s Final Four and national championship game.
The NCAA is airing games through its March Madness Live platform.
BETTING GUIDE
FanDuel Sportsbook ranks UConn, Houston, and Purdue as the top three betting favourites (in that order).
WHO’S PLAYING?
UConn, the defending national champion, is the top overall seed after winning both the Big East regular season and tournament championships. Houston, Purdue, and North Carolina are all top seeds.
Their first games are UConn vs. Stetson, Houston vs. Longwood, Purdue vs. Montana State or Grambling, and North Carolina against. Howard or Wagner.
When are the games?
The First Four is held in Dayton, Ohio, with first—and second-round games scheduled for March Madness 21-24 in cities from New York City to Spokane, Washington.
Sweet 16 games will take place March madness 28-31 in Boston (East Regional), Dallas (South), Detroit (Midwest), and Los Angeles (West).
The Final Four will be held in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday, April 6, with the title game scheduled for Monday, April 8.
SOURCE – (AP)
Sports
Bears Trade Justin Fields To Steelers, Clear Way To Take A QB Such As Caleb Williams With No. 1 Pick
CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night, allowing them to draft a quarterback with the first overall pick – possibly USC’s Caleb Williams.
In exchange, the Bears received a 2025 sixth-round draft pick with the potential to be a fourth-rounder.
“We have had multiple trade discussions in recent weeks and believe that trading Justin to Pittsburgh now is best for both Justin and the Bears,” general manager Ryan Poles said in a statement. “We met with Justin today to tell him of the trade and its implications for us as a club.
Bears Trade Justin Fields To Steelers, Clear Way To Take A QB Such As Caleb Williams With No. 1 Pick
“We want to thank him for his tireless dedication, leadership and all he poured into our franchise and community the last three years and wish him the best towards a long and successful NFL career.”
Fields thanked Chicago, the franchise, and his teammates in a post on X.
“Can’t say thank you enough to the city of Chicago for taking me in and embracing me,” he wrote on his Twitter account. “I’m grateful to the whole Bears organization and ownership for allowing me to be a member of such a storied team. Most importantly, I’d like to thank all my brothers I played with. You all were the reason I approached each day in the manner I did. Despite the ups and downs, I can’t thank you all enough for what you’ve meant to me over the last three years. I wish each of you nothing but success.
“Ready for this next chapter!”
Fields is expected to back up nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson, who signed a one-year deal with the Steelers on Friday. Pittsburgh also traded Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles after signing Wilson.
Wilson posted a photo of himself and Fields shaking hands with the caption: “Let’s get it @justnfields! QB room is about to be (fired).”
Fields was picked 11th overall in 2021 by the Bears and former general manager Ryan Pace but struggled as a rookie under former coach Matt Nagy. Despite making big plays with his legs and arms, he did not grow as a passer as the team had hoped over the previous two years under Poles and coach Matt Eberflus.
Over three seasons, Fields completed 578 of 958 throws for 6,674 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 30 interceptions. He has had only one 300-yard passing game in his career.
Bears Trade Justin Fields To Steelers, Clear Way To Take A QB Such As Caleb Williams With No. 1 Pick
Chicago might have gained a lot of money by trading the No. 1 pick. However, the Bears, who have historically struggled with quarterbacks, have yet to have the opportunity to choose a prospect like Williams. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner is widely expected to be first overall after throwing 72 touchdown passes and only 10 interceptions in two seasons at USC, following a year at Oklahoma.
Fields’ trade comes two days after the Bears acquired Keenan Allen from the Los Angeles Chargers, their second deal for a top receiver in as many years.
Last March, they traded the first overall pick in 2023 to Carolina for DJ Moore. The Bears also received the Panthers’ first-round pick this year. And, with Carolina ending with the league’s worst 2-15 record this season, Chicago received the first overall pick.
Meanwhile, Fields gets a new start in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers overhauled their quarterback room last month, with Pickett, Mitch Trubisky (cut), and Mason Rudolph (signed with Tennessee) all gone.
President Art Rooney II emphatically stated in January that it was “time to get some wins” in the postseason. While the franchise officially supported Pickett following a year in which the former first-round pick served as Rudolph’s backup, the Steelers had no choice at the moment, with Trubisky almost certain to be a salary cap casualty and Rudolph poised to become a free agent.
Things have changed quickly, which is unusual for a squad that prides itself on consistency in a league founded on the reverse in most places.
Wilson will likely start in Week 1, giving Fields time to learn first-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s playbook and restart a career that hasn’t gone as planned.
Bears Trade Justin Fields To Steelers, Clear Way To Take A QB Such As Caleb Williams With No. 1 Pick
While Fields has had accuracy concerns, he also provides the mobility that Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has sought for years. Tomlin thought Pickett could provide a fraction of it. Instead, Pickett struggled to make substantial progress in his first full season as a starter in 2023. In 12 games, he threw six touchdowns and four interceptions, leaving Pittsburgh with more concerns than answers regarding its most vital position.
Four days into the new league season, those questions are vastly different.
Can Wilson restore the winning touch he showed during his tremendously successful tenure in Seattle? And will Fields develop into the player Chicago envisioned when it selected him with the 11th overall pick in 2021?
SOURCE – (AP)
Sports
Aaron Donald Announces His Retirement After A Standout 10-Year Career With The Rams
Los Angeles — Aaron Donald spent ten years flattening quarterbacks, crushing ball carriers, battling constant double teams, and ruining NFL offences. He was persistent, dependable, and infinitely resourceful as he guided the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl victory.
On Friday, Donald decided that a decade of supremacy was enough.
His generation’s most outstanding defensive lineman has retired after an illustrious 10-year career.
The three-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year made his rather unexpected revelation over social media. He does not want to hold a retirement news conference or a public farewell, but his impact on the Rams and the NFL is already immeasurable.
Aaron Donald Announces His Retirement After A Standout 10-Year Career With The Rams
Donald, 32, has spent his whole career with the Rams, who chose him in the first round in 2014 out of Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh native made ten Pro Bowls and eight All-Pro first teams, and he was named the league’s best defensive player in 2017, 2018, and 2020.
“Throughout my career, I have given my everything to football both mentally and physically — 365 days a year was dedicated to becoming the best possible player I could be,” he said. “I revered this game like no other, and I’m grateful to be able to finish my NFL career with the same team that picked me. Few people get drafted, win a world title, and retire with the same squad. I don’t and won’t take that for granted.”
Despite being smaller than many top defensive tackles, Donald used his exceptional quickness and game knowledge to cause havoc on offence throughout his career. He was the cornerstone of the Ram’s defence during his time, pulling constant double-teams away from his teammates while still amassing a franchise-record 111 sacks, third in the NFL among active players.
After earning the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2014, Donald rose to prominence after the Rams relocated from St. Louis to Los Angeles in 2016. In 2018, he recorded a career-high 20 1/2 sacks en route to his first Super Bowl berth under coach Sean McVay.
He subsequently played an important role in the Rams’ journey to a Super Bowl triumph three years later, most notably delivering pressure that caused Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow to pass incomplete at midfield on the Bengals’ final play of Los Angeles’ 23-20 victory in Super Bowl 56.
Following that stop, Donald produced another iconic moment in the Rams’ championship season by removing his helmet, pointing to his ring finger, and saying, “Ring me!” His triumphant, shirtless ride atop a double-decker bus during the Rams’ victory parade in Los Angeles is another memorable moment in team history.
“The great players in our league elevate the people around them, and Aaron has modeled the way for our team as long as I’ve been with the Rams,” McVay stated in an e-mail. “He’s an elite competitor, someone who leads by example in a way that’s authentic to him, and an exceptional teammate who inspires everyone around him to be the best version of themselves.”
Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt are the only players to have won the Defensive Player of the Year award three times. Since sacks became an official statistic in 1982, only John Randle (137 1/2) has had more sacks than Donald among defensive linemen.
Aaron Donald Announces His Retirement After A Standout 10-Year Career With The Rams
Although he spent most of his time away from football, living quietly with his wife and four children, Donald’s obvious talent and McVay’s coaching skills have been the two most important elements in the Rams’ rise in the Los Angeles sports hierarchy since their return home. During McVay’s seven years with Donald, the Rams won six seasons, five playoff berths, three NFC West titles, two Super Bowl trips, and a championship while winning over many hesitant fans in the country’s second-largest market.
Donald was expected to earn more than $34 million this season under the parameters of a deal renegotiated nearly two years ago. Although Donald has flirted with retirement in private for the past two seasons, neither the Rams nor Donald publicly admitted that his departure was a viable possibility.
However, in the last two months, Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has become head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, while defensive line coach Eric Henderson has left to take a similar position at Southern California. Henderson and Donald are close friends.
“We are so grateful for Aaron’s dedication to greatness and for leading our franchise on and off the field for the past decade,” Stan Kroenke, owner of the Los Angeles Rams, stated. “He has made an indelible impression on generations of football fans, and his achievements, combined with his work ethic and enthusiasm, continue to inspire his colleagues, coaches, and athletes around the world. It is an honor to have witnessed one of the greatest players of all time, and we are thrilled that Aaron Donald will forever be a part of NFL history as a Rams player.”
Donald’s offseason training regimen was notoriously difficult, but he has expressed his appreciation for it because of the work ethic his father instilled in him, who turned Donald from a self-described “lazy little kid” into a powerhouse. Donald’s seven-figure commitment to Pitt made it possible for him to visit Pittsburgh during the Rams’ offseasons to work out at the Aaron Donald Football Performance Center.
Donald had 543 career tackles, including 176 tackles for loss and 24 forced fumbles. He recorded 34 tackles and six sacks in 11 postseason games.
Donald was also extraordinarily durable, missing only six games due to injury across his 10-year career, all of which came late in the 2022 season when the Rams were already out of postseason contention.
Aaron Donald Announces His Retirement After A Standout 10-Year Career With The Rams
“He meant so much,” said linebacker Bobby Wagner, Donald’s 2022 teammate. “The actual thing was to watch him work and work out. Few D-linemen work in both the film room and on the field. He’s accomplished so much in his career, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he has in store. A wonderful human being. Amazing player. “One of the greatest.”
Only one player who previously played in St. Louis remains on the Rams’ roster: Rob Havenstein, the team’s starting right tackle.
SOURCE – (AP)
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