The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook has cut Barcelona’s odds to win the tournament to 7-to-5 after a spectacular performance at the Parc des Princes. The spotlight may have been on Lionel Messi as he went in search of his 400th goal for the Catalan giants, but it was Neymar and Luis Suarez who put Luis Enrique’s side in the driver’s seat ahead of the second leg at the Camp Nou....
The 33-year-old defender has been a key player during Juve’s domestic dominance over the last decade, playing in all of their seven consecutive title-winning seasons, but he has yet to taste glory in Europe. Juventus have not triumphed in Europe’s top club competition since 1996 - losing five finals in the years following that victory - and Chiellini was asked whether mounting a Champions League campaign would be a primary concern in 2018-19....
A message on the auction's page now reads as follows: "We have been informed by Chane's mother that this NCAA Final Four ring was indeed stolen from the Behanan family. This lot has been removed from the sale. Please place no bids." The appearance of the ring caused a stir in the wake of the harsh punishments that were handed down to players in the Ohio State football program in 2010....
Having lost to Alabama, the Bulldogs will tumble in all rankings. The new poll-topper? Welcome back, Florida State. At least the coaches poll says so. MORE: Video | Admit it, you can’t get enough primetime ‘Noles | What to make of Tide’s victory? Alabama could well climb over Oregon to No. 2 in both polls. The Ducks were off while the Tide rolled to victory. It also will be interesting to see what voters do with TCU, which struggled with mediocre Kansas....
Liuget, a first-round draft pick in 2011 out of Illinois, has started 61 of 64 games in his four seasons. He had a career-high 57 tackles (45 solo), but his sacks total fell to 4.5 in 2014, the fewest since his rookie season. However, NFL.com describes him as “the rare Chargers defensive star capable of pushing the pocket to harass opposing quarterbacks.” Liuget has 18 sacks in his four seasons, 17 in the past three....
The defeat of Proposition C, which would have raised hotel taxes and provided public money and land for a new stadium, was expected. Chargers owner Dean Spanos has until Jan. 15 to decide what he plans to do with the team. He could move it to Los Angeles to join the Rams or try to work something out in San Diego. Spanos does not want to move the team, but won’t make any decisions until after the 2016 season, which will end Jan....
Now, voters can decide whether to approve a tax hike on hotel rooms to raise several hundred million dollars in funding for the stadium. If voters approve the initiative, it would raise the lodging tax rate from 10.5 to 16.5 percent. MORE: Best players in Chargers history The Chargers have already said they would provide $350 million for the new stadium, and they would also receive a $300 million loan from the NFL....
Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers rebounded in 2013, winning the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award. He completed 69.5 percent of his passes, a rate that would require him to attempt 31-32 passes to hit OVER 22 completions on the SuperBook’s props board. Of course, it’s difficult to expect a player to complete nearly 70 percent of his passes two years in a row. Don’t be surprised if Rivers is allowed to drop back more than the 34 times he averaged last season, though; the Cardinals’ defense, considered one of the top units in the game, has been hit hard by injury (Darnell Dockett out for year with torn ACL) and suspension (Daryl Washington suspended for the season), so there could be some more holes for Rivers and the Chargers to exploit....
The former NBA player declared the 72-win 1995-96 Bulls would demolish the Warriors in a matchup. MORE: Charles Barkley’s best/worst quotes | Warriors 2015 championship parade “That Bulls team would kill this little team,” Barkley said of the Warriors in an interview Thursday with ESPN Radio. “Come on, man. Who is going to guard Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan? What about Dennis Rodman?” The Warriors, who improved to 25-1 Wednesday night, have been playing “inferior competition,” according to Barkley....
While speaking with the New York Post, Barkley said, “I want to thank Greg Norman and LIV for their interest in me….I wish those guys great success and nothing but the best. “But, in my best interest, and being fair to Turner—because Turner and basketball have given me every single thing in my life—it is best for me to move on and I’m staying with Turner for the rest of my TV career....
During a Wednesday conference call promoting his participation in the American Century Championship golf tournament, the “NBA on TNT” analyst declared that he is actively rooting against Brooklyn’s “super team” as it pursues an NBA championship. Barkley seemed to take issue with the way the Nets acquired Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in free agency and James Harden through an in-season trade with the Rockets. MORE: Durant calls out ESPN analyst for Giannis story...
Tonight’s topic: Derrick Rose’s recent comments about sitting out in order to preserve his body for his post-basketball career. MORE: Barkley on Lakers’ losing streak | Barkley comments on race | NBA Power Rankings Charles, the floor is yours. Ernie Johnson: Do you take issue with that? Charles Barkley: Of course I do, that was stupid. Derrick Rose is a great player, is a great kid, loves his mom. That was stupid....
“We’re going to be a program that has the right attitude. We’ll have the right commitment. It will be a program that’s built on accountability and responsibility,” Strong said. We’ve watched that unfold the past 24 hours. MORE: SN’s 10 greatest Longhorns | Media guide mishap | All-Big 12 | Coach rankings On Thursday, Orangebloods.com reported that defensive back Chevoski Collins and running back Jalen Overstreet had been dismissed from the team for violating team rules....
As all three learned, one bad race can leave you in a perilous position in the revamped Chase for the Sprint Cup. The good news is that all three have a shot to redeem themselves and climb back into contention with a win in one of the next two races. And all three have a good shot to do that Saturday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. All three drivers have a good history at the 1....
The 1.5-mile track should take about 90 minutes to dry with NASCAR’s “Air Titan” drying system, but the drying time is often dependent on the amount of rain, wind and track temperatures. The Bank of America 500, the fifth race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, is scheduled for a 7:48 p.m. ET green flag. Those drying the track estimated it would be dry sometime between 7:30 and 8 p....
MORE: NFL Pro Bowl to return to Orlando in 2018 Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan released a statement following the announcement: Charlotte was originally awarded the 2017 All-Star Weekend, but the league moved it to New Orleans due to North Carolina’s controversial House Bill 2, which was widely seen as an anti-LGBT law. North Carolina has since repealed HB2. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement regarding the league’s decision:...
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver led the most laps in Monday’s rain-delayed Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400 at Pocono Raceway, and it wasn’t really that surprising. MORE: Pocono photos | Kurt Busch wins | Race results Elliott is in his first full season of Cup competition, replacing the retired Jeff Gordon in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports entry. Lately, he has been on a tear. Elliott led 51 laps en route to finishing fourth at Pocono, one of NASCAR’s toughest tracks for many drivers to figure out but one on which he won an ARCA race in 2013....
Just ask Kyle Busch, who has competed against Elliott all season. He thinks Elliott is ready. MORE: Earnhardt and Letarte’s last race | Keselowski not worried about payback | Homestead picks | Surprising champions Even Rick Hendrick, who has Elliott under contract, thinks in some ways Elliott was ready to run at least some Cup races before he earned his first Nationwide win in April. “I told the guys before he ever ran this year, I said I believe I can put him in the World 600 (at Charlotte), and he’d finish 15th because he’s just that smooth and fast and knows how to use his head,” Hendrick said....
The meeting could be regarded as a historic day for the club as it is intended to mark the final decision in the planning process, but the Mayor of London will have a period to endorse or rebound the plans. Rather than move site, the Blues will expand Stamford Bridge over the course of a three-year schedule that will see the team temporarily uprooted to a new stadium - with Wembley, home of the England national team, their preferred location....
Antonio Conte admitted that the title race was over for his side after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat against West Ham United, but he wanted to see improved finishing and a response from his wounded side. Eden Hazard led the line with Willian and Pedro as the 3-4-3 formation that won the title last season returned. Conte demanded to see improved finishing from his side but he had Alvaro Morata missing out due to a back injury, so it was his fringe players who stepped up, with Willian getting a goal and two assists....
