A Quarter of Bangladesh Is Flooded. Millions Have Lost Everything.

By Somini Sengupta and Julfikar Ali Manik from NYT Climate https://ift.tt/3hOsuZV

Ellen DeGeneres Apologizes to Staff Members as WarnerMedia Investigates Show

By Nicole Sperling from NYT Business https://ift.tt/3jZ6kG4

Schools Beat Earlier Plagues With Outdoor Classes. We Should, Too.

By Ginia Bellafante from NYT New York https://ift.tt/2Oz5JMU

New on Sports Illustrated: Bubble Bits: Celtics Keep Kemba on the Sideline in Crunch Time

Despite nursing a lingering knee injury, Celtics point guard Kemba Walker scored 16 points in 19 minutes and wanted more in Boston's loss on Friday to Milwaukee. But he was held out in the name of the long game.

Every weekday, SI’s Chris Mannix will check-in with his Bubble Bits, a quick hit on something notable from inside the NBA’s campus

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – One possession game, four minutes to play and Boston’s most accomplished offensive weapon stood on the sidelines. Kemba Walker was fresh, having played just 19 minutes. He was sharp, with 16 points on a tidy 5-9 shooting.

And he wasn’t going back in.

“I’m not playing that game,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “Kemba’s knee is the most important thing. We’re trying to strengthen it. The 18-20 minutes, whatever he ended up with, that was part of the plan. We’re not going to stretch that.”

Boston resumed its season on Friday and lost to the Bucks, 119-12, as the health of its All-Star point guard loomed large. A knee injury suffered before the season shut down has lingered into its restart. Walker was limited in training camp, playing just nine minutes in one scrimmage. The Celtics placed Walker on a 20-minute limit on Friday, so in a tight game against the conference-leading Bucks, Walker stood in the bench area, the NBA’s most expensive cheerleader.

Milwaukee Bucks' Khris Middleton, right, heads to the basket past Boston Celtics' Kemba Walker.

Walker said his knee “felt good” in the 19 minutes he played against Milwaukee. He said he felt like himself, operating freely. It’s been a frustrating few months for Walker. While many players used the pandemic as a time to heal, Walker never did. He said he did all the “necessary things” to get the knee right. It just hasn’t responded. Still, Walker says he has been encouraged by recent progress, and believes not having to travel in the postseason will help keep his knee healthy.

“This is the first time in my career I've ever had to go through this, so it's kind of tough," Walker said. “But I'll get there. I know what it's about. I know it's about me getting better for the playoffs. I'm working every single day to get myself prepared to play big minutes in the future.”

Even if it means sacrificing in the present. With the game close, Walker pressed for a few more minutes. “Nobody listens to me,” Walker said, laughing. After the final buzzer, Stevens said, Walker made a hand gesture at Stevens from the bench. After finishing a video interview session with reporters, Walker confirmed it, adding that it was all in fun.

Indeed, Walker wants to play and Stevens wants to play him.

But with the playoffs two weeks away, the health of Walker’s knee comes first.

Giannis Gets the Benefit of the Doubt

Bucks-Celtics wasn’t without some controversy. 

In the closing minutes, Giannis Antetokounmpo attempted to run through a Daniel Theis screen. Antetokounmpo’s forearm connected with Theis’s midsection, forcing the Celtics center to fall backwards, after which a whistle blew. The referees reviewed the play and determined it was not a hostile act by the reigning MVP. They also did not call a foul on Antetokounmpo, which would have been his sixth.

“Y’all know what that’s about,” Marcus Smart said. “He’s the MVP and they didn’t want to call him for his sixth foul. Let’s a call a spade a spade.”

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo heads to the basket as Boston Celtics' Daniel Theis defends during the second half.

Per a pool reporter, crew chief James Capers said when the play was reviewed, it was determined that Giannis’s hand did not make contact with Theis’s groin area and “therefore there was no illegal act on the play.” Asked why a foul wasn’t called, Capers said he didn’t see one.

“Hostile act review does allow for a foul,” Capers said. “Had I seen a foul, and the contact had been more than incidental, then there would have been a foul on the play. But that did not occur.”

Boston, though, isn’t buying it. In the closing seconds, Giannis and Smart had an animated exchange. When Smart finished his media session, I asked him—what was the conversation about? Smart said Giannis told him how much he respected his game. Smart responded by telling Giannis not to patronize him, that the referees were the ones that kept him in the game. 

Coronavirus Live Updates: California Becomes the First State to Reach 500,000 Total Cases

By Unknown Author from NYT World https://ift.tt/2BJzQ1l

New on Sports Illustrated: LAFC Loses Late Lead, Then Penalties to Orlando City to Crash Out of MLS Tournament

João Moutinho scored on a header in the 90th minute to tie the match and Nani scored the deciding goal in a penalty shootout to knock out Los Angeles FC.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — João Moutinho scored on a header in the 90th minute to tie the match and Nani scored the deciding goal in a penalty shootout, and Orlando City beat Los Angeles FC in the quarterfinals of the MLS is Back tournament on Friday night.

The sides played to a 1-1 draw in regulation thanks to Moutinho’s late goal, and Orlando City was a perfect 5-for-5 in the shootout to advance to the semifinals. Orlando City will face either San Jose or Minnesota United on Thursday.

The Lions were decided underdogs against LAFC, the prohibitive favorites to win the tournament among the remaining quarterfinal teams. But Orlando City managed to neutralize LAFC’s potent offensive attack and got the late equalizer.

Moutinho’s goal came off a corner kick from Nani. Moutinho, a one-time draft pick of LAFC, beat Jordan Harvey to the ball and his header got past LAFC goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer.

In the penalty shootout Moutinho, Mauricio Pereyra, Kyle Smith and Antonio Carlos all scored ahead of Nani’s winner. Vermeer guessed right on Carlos’ shot but the ball trickled over the goal line. Nani’s winner was also a bit of redemption after Vermeer saved his penalty attempt in the 57th minute.

LAFC’s one miss in the shootout came from Harvey in the second round when his shot deflected off the crossbar and over the net. Francisco Ginella, Diego Rossi, Brian Rodriguez and Latif Blessing all converted their penalty chances.

Despite Orlando City controlling the early stages of the match it was LAFC that took the lead moments after Vermeer’s penalty save. Bradley Wright-Phillips scored his fourth goal of the tournament off a feed from Rossi in the 60th minute. It was LAFC’s first shot on goal in the match. Wright-Phillips also scored midway through the first half but video review disallowed the goal for offside.

New on Sports Illustrated: Flames-Jets could be qualifying round's best matchup

In the summer of 2020, the Calgary Flames know full well the spring of 2019 still looms large.

As the Flames ready to kick off their best-of-five qualifying round series against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night in Edmonton, the horrid memories of their unceremonious upset at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche in the opening round of last year's Stanley Cup Playoffs is fresh in their minds -- and motivation going forward.

"I'm sick of losing. I'm sick of losing in these first rounds," Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk told reporters recently. "I know that a lot of guys in this room feel the same way, and we want a little bit of redemption after last year. It's time for us to prove we're an elite hockey team."

"We know what people have been saying about us, the past couple of playoffs and what happened last year," Tkachuk added. "We lived it. We will be the first ones to say that we underperformed last year. We put pressure on ourselves to perform. We put pressure on ourselves to have a shot at redemption, and we've been given that shot. That's why it's so nice to get this opportunity and get this chance to play in the playoffs."

Of all the qualifying round matchups, the Flames-Jets series is likely the biggest pick 'em of the bunch. When the league shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March, the Jets had one more point than the Flames, but played one more game. Calgary is the higher seed thanks to an edge in points percentage.

Winnipeg claimed the only meeting during the truncated regular season, a 2-1 overtime affair played outdoors in Regina way back in late October.

"There probably isn't another team in the NHL, that based on last season, we know less about," Jets head coach Paul Maurice said of the all-Canadian matchup. "We had one game against them, so that would almost make them like an Eastern Conference opponent, and it was an outdoor game and they had a different coach. So both teams don't have any memory of a style of game or what it might look like. ... So this is going to be unusual for sure, but certainly exciting."

If there's one area with an obvious difference between the clubs, it's between the pipes. While Calgary has no clear-cut No. 1 goalie with its duo of David Rittich and Cam Talbot, Winnipeg has a standout netminder in Connor Hellebuyck, who is well deserving of potential Vezina Trophy accolades.

Flames forward Mikael Backlund flatly stated this week he believes Calgary is the better team but knows Hellebuyck is a difference maker.

"I think it will be important to keep them in their own zone, make it hard on their D, keep the pressure on," Backlund said. "They're a very good team offensively and on the rush and obviously have a very good goaltender, so I think it will be a big key for us to really make it hard on them in their own zone and pressure them all over the ice, but especially on the forecheck and create turnovers and chances. And then we have to capitalize. We have to find ways to score on one of the best goalies in the league."

Both teams will be without a noteworthy player. Winnipeg center Bryan Little won't play due to a season-ending head injury suffered in November, while Calgary defenseman Travis Hamonic opted out of playing due to concerns about the virus.

--Field Level Media

Trump, Please Quit Before You’re Fired

By Timothy Egan from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/2XdZsv4

Dr Fauci grilled on virus spread during protests

"You're putting words into my mouth," the US infectious disease chief says in a grilling by Congress.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/319geMO

Dangerous heat wave forecast for south-western areas of US

Forecasters say temperatures could rise to 50C on Saturday in parts of Utah, Nevada and California.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/319pccW

New on Sports Illustrated: Brewers, Cards hope to give it a go Saturday

The Milwaukee Brewers thought they would play their home opener on Friday. Instead, they'll look to give it a shot Saturday.

The original opener was postponed Friday after the Brewers' opponents, the St. Louis Cardinals, had two players test positive for COVID-19.

"It's obviously not ideal," Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun said of the postponement. "We would love to be playing today, but we think the most important thing is completing the season so it certainly feels like the most prudent decision to not play today."

Friday's game is scheduled to be made up Sunday during a doubleheader of seven-inning games at Miller Park, under the new pandemic rules governing the major leagues.

The Cardinals spent Friday quarantined in their Milwaukee hotel. Their traveling team underwent rapid response testing while hoping to gain clearance to play Saturday.

"We don't know what that means for the rest of this weekend yet, but as we've done from the beginning, we can only continue to take it day to day and see how things play out," Braun said.

"My fingers are crossed that we get some good news," Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said. "I actually was going to say some positive news but when you think of that word, 'positive' now there's a lot of negative to it. So, I hope we get some good news."

Brett Anderson is expected to make his pitching debut for Brewers on Saturday. The veteran left-hander was 13-9 with a 3.89 ERA in 31 starts for the Oakland A's last season.

He signed a one-year contract with the Brewers as a free agent. He landed on the injured list after developing a blister on his left index finger during summer camp.

Anderson lost his two previous career starts against the Cardinals despite allowing just four runs in 13 2/3 innings. Paul Goldschmidt (8-for-15, two homers, five RBIs) and Kolten Wong (2-for-4, RBI) had success against him.

The Cardinals are expected to start Jack Flaherty (1-0, 2.57 ERA), who beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 on Opening Day.

He struggled against the Brewers last season, posting a 1-3 mark with a 6.48 ERA in five starts. He's 2-4 with a 4.56 ERA in 10 career starts against them.

Braun (7-for-16, two doubles, three homers, five RBIs, 1.625 OPS), Lorenzo Cain (6-for-20, homer), Omar Narvaez (2-for-3, homer, two RBIs) and Keston Hiura (1-for-3, homer, two RBIs) have caused Flaherty problems.

Christian Yelich will be looking to finally settle in at the plate. He went 1-for-27 with 12 strikeouts during the Brewers' 3-3 road trip.

"I don't know what you want me to say here. He's struggling," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "We're always concerned when our hitters struggle. He'll get out of it. I assure of it. We'll do our best to help him."

Yelich punished the Cardinals last season while hitting .347 with eight homers, 19 RBIs, 18 walks and a 1.400 OPS. He has also been a better hitter at home, where he smacked 27 of his 44 homers in 2019 and produced a 1.201 OPS.

"I'd be a little careful reading into trends this year," Brewers general manager David Stearns said. "It's possible that pitchers were able to keep their arms going during shutdown where it's much tougher for hitters to see quality live pitching in a quarantine environment.

"It also could turn on its head here really quickly."

The Cardinals are hoping for an offensive reversal as well. Opponents outscored them 11-4 during their three-game losing streak and limited the bottom third of their batting order to three hits in 24 at bats.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Power 5 Leaders Must Articulate Motive Behind Push to Play 2020 College Football Season

Several NCAA college football programs announced their plans for preseason camps Friday signaling Power 5 leaders are pushing for a 2020 season despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest whipsaw development in the tortured path toward a college football season is this: They’re going to try to play.

We have collectively lurched between pessimism and optimism four or five times now. There were moments when a season seemed like an impossibility, and others when it seemed like an inevitability. But after the latest dip in confidence earlier this month, as virus numbers soared across America, we somewhat surprisingly have arrived at the doorstep of August with a plan. It may not be built on much more than hope and hubris, but there is a plan.

That plan does not involve spring 2021. Not yet, and seemingly not ever beyond a last option. The voices calling for that have gone quiet.

The push for fall ball continues and the resolve seems to have intensified as the plans have come into focus. The presidents and chancellors of several conferences could have thrown the brakes on this week, and they collectively did not.

So we press on. The Atlantic Coast Conference

intends to start preseason camp next week and begin games the second week of September. The Southeastern Conference intends to start camp next week and begin games Sept. 26th. The Pacific-12 announced Friday that it intends to start camp Aug. 17th and begin games Sept. 26th, and even released a full schedule of opponents and dates. Some Big 12 teams started camp Friday and intend to begin games Aug. 29th. The only Power-5 conference that has not yet started the countdown to launch is the Big Ten, which sent a memo to league schools Thursday saying that it hopes to make a call on whether to start preseason camp within the next five days.

The Group of Five conferences (American Athletic, Mountain West, Conference USA, Sun Belt and Mid-American) have all watched the P5 cabal cut them off at the knees by eliminating many non-league games that would pay them big sums. But they’re still trying to cobble together schedules and play this fall.

Some of these schools are moving ahead despite government restrictions that currently don’t allow for football, or that prohibit interstate travel (it would be hard to play games with a two-week quarantine upon arrival in a certain state). They’re playing the long game, hoping things clear up at some point.

So here’s the thing: if the commitment to play is there, the oligarchs of college football need to articulate the motive. And one of the prime motives is this: they really need the money.

Say the quiet part out loud. The money matters. A lot.

That’s not necessarily something to be ashamed of. But saying so runs counter to the instincts of many college presidents, athletic directors and conference commissioners, who prefer to bloviate about high-minded ideals and pretend tens of millions of dollars in revenue are just an incidental byproduct of football.

What everyone involved in this enterprise needs to do is not just admit that the football money matters, but explain why it matters. I believe that a blast of honesty and transparency would be well received.

It matters because, without it, athletic directors are telling dozens of Olympic sport athletes that they no longer have a team. They’re telling coaches they no longer have jobs. They are laying off support staff. If football season doesn’t happen, the ramifications will be that severe—even at the big-budget schools.

We already saw Stanford, the most successful all-sports athletic department in America, eliminate 11 varsity programs. Many other schools operating on smaller budgets have also cut sports. Without the TV revenue that would come with football, this will be a recurring nightmare rolling across the country.

Now, is it true that athletic departments have shamelessly bloated themselves on obscene revenues and spent without restraint or regard for common sense? Absolutely. The schools that have doubled their athletic department staff and built every conceivable facility—waterfalls and miniature golf courses included—don’t engender great sympathy.

Trimming fat can absolutely be done, and should be done. The conspicuous consumption is obnoxious. Private jets are not a birthright, and an armada of analysts hired to break down third-down tendencies of every opponent are a disposable luxury. But this football-dependent economy is what college sports has created, and trying to tame that beast and turn it into a house pet is unrealistic.

If money didn’t matter— a lot —we wouldn’t have the current delineation between No Fall Football and Yes Let’s At Least Try Fall Football. The Ivy League, the Patriot League and other FCS-level conferences have all punted on the season, at least as a fall sport, because they don’t like the virus situation and don’t have a financial reason telling them otherwise. The big-money leagues are, for now, going ahead.

Will they eventually reach a point where outbreaks and optics force a halt? Maybe so. Maybe early, during preseason practice, or maybe later, once games begin. It could happen. The logistics remain daunting.

Major League Baseball, which is not being played in a bubble environment, has had some opening-week debacles. A college football program operating with an unpaid labor force would have a hard time powering through a Miami Marlins situation without shutting down the season.

To that point, something else college football needs to say outlet: what are the limits of an acceptable outbreak?

There has been a mountain of planning for how to test athletes for the COVID-19 virus, how to contact trace, how to quarantine, and how to safeguard. But nobody in any of the conferences has stepped up and said, “These are the thresholds that will signal a mandatory stoppage in practice or competition.” Not publicly.

Dr. Doug Aukerman, Oregon State athletic director for sports medicine, has been a great communicator on behalf of the Pac-12 when it comes to discussing playing sports during the coronavirus. He was on the Pac-12 Zoom call Friday for that very purpose. He said the league is “trying to come up with very specific criteria and benchmarks” that would halt a team’s season. “We want to have a decision tree made,” Aukerman said.

But nobody, anywhere, is talking specifics or articulating a league-wide threshold. Which indicates that they don’t want to be boxed into anything.

Maybe that’s smart, but it also feels a bit like leaving room to move the goalposts as needed. Already, we have seen some of that where college football is concerned. There was a time when a campus that wasn’t fully functioning would not be a campus that could play football—that time quickly and quietly passed.

For now, the swinging pendulum of college football has moved back toward the Play Ball side. The colleges are going to try. Let’s just be honest about the motivation.

New on Sports Illustrated: All eyes on net for Game 1 between Habs, Penguins

It's a whole new world for the 24 NHL teams participating in the playoffs, but for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens, an age-old question hovers around Game 1 of their qualifying-round series.

What about the goaltenders?

Pittsburgh and Montreal are playing in a safety "bubble" in Toronto with the rest of the Eastern Conference teams this postseason because of the COVID-19 pandemic that cut the regular season short in mid-March.

For the restart, under the expanded playoff format, the Penguins are keeping the choice of their starter in net on Saturday -- Matt Murray or Tristan Jarry -- a tightly held secret.

The Canadiens, meanwhile, have no doubt they will go with Carey Price, considered one of the top goalies in the league and Montreal's best player.

Murray, 26, helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2016 and '17, both times technically as a rookie, and Pittsburgh chose to retain him over veteran and long-time franchise goalie Marc-Andre Fleury when it came to the Vegas expansion draft.

However, Murray has seen his game dip at times since then. He has lost eight of his past nine playoff starts, including last year's sweep by the New York Islanders in the first round.

This season, he nearly split games with Jarry (38 games to Jarry's 33), and Jarry, 25, not only seemed to move ahead of Murray but was named to the All-Star game. Jarry, though, has no NHL playoff experience.

"We have a comfort level with the tandem we have right now. Both are really good goalies," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "And they're good people, first and foremost. They're two guys we feel comfortable with who are going to give us a chance to win."

Sullivan declined even to describe how he and his staff expect to arrive at a decision on a starter for Saturday.

"I'd rather not divulge the process that we go through," he said. "That's just part of the coaching staff's philosophy and the way we've gone about our business."

In a best-of-five series, as the qualifying round is, the importance of the goalie play could be magnified. There is little margin for error if Pittsburgh feels the need to continue evaluating both.

For Price, there is little margin for error, period.

He played in 58 games during the regular season, most among NHL goalies. Playing behind an inconsistent defense whose exact makeup for Saturday had not been determined by coach Claude Julien, Price's numbers were off his normal pace -- a 27-25-6 record, 2.79 goals-against average and .909 save percentage.

Price is well aware of his importance in the series against Pittsburgh, but he's looking for some help.

"I can sway the odds with outstanding play, but at the end of the day, we'll all need to play over our heads to win," Price said. "I just go out there and play my game, try not to do too much. We'll win and lose as a team, and it's always been like that."

Among the skaters, Pittsburgh would seem to have a noticeable edge, including top centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Those two have led the Penguins to three Stanley Cups, and one of them was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy winner each time.

Montreal's top line doesn't have that kind of star power, with Tomas Tatar, Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher, and there is a drop-off after that.

The Canadiens will have feisty center Max Domi available. He has opted to play despite having diabetes, which is considered an added risk factor for anyone who might contract COVID-19.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Sabrina Ionescu Exits Game After Rolling Ankle

Ionescu rolled her left ankle and had to be helped off the court in her third career WNBA game.

Two days after scoring 33 points with seven rebounds and seven assists in 

her second WNBA game, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu left Friday's game against the Atlanta Dream with a left ankle injury.

Ionescu appeared to roll her ankle near mid-court while trying to avoid defensive pressure.

Ionescu needed to be helped off the court and could not put enough weight on her ankle to walk. The Liberty called the injury an ankle sprain in a statement released mid-game.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft, Ionescu won nearly every individual honor in college basketball during her career at Oregon. She recorded the most career triple-doubles in college basketball history, won the John R. Wooden Award twice and is the only NCAA Division I basketball player to record 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds in a career.

New on Sports Illustrated: Raptors resume title defense vs. Lakers

LeBron James said that finding a rhythm on offense might take time for the Los Angeles Lakers. Defending, though, is crucial when the Lakers aren't at the top of their game offensively, he believes.

The Lakers hope to enjoy a better offensive showing Saturday night when they meet the Toronto Raptors in a matchup of top NBA contenders at The Arena near Orlando. Toronto has won the past 10 meetings.

Despite shooting only 39 percent, the Lakers opened their restart campaign Thursday with a 103-101 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Anthony Davis scored 34 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the Lakers (50-14) increased their edge in the Western Conference standings to 6 1/2 games over the Clippers with seven contests remaining in the abbreviated regular season.

James scored the winning bucket inside with 12.8 seconds left, converting after getting the rebound of his own missed shot. He finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists and also forced Paul George to miss a game-winning 3-point attempt at the final horn.

"I love having the ball in my hands late in the game, tie game, being down, being up," said James, who struggled on offense, shooting 6-for-19 and committing five turnovers. "We had a three-point (lead) with like 40 seconds to go. We got a great look for Danny (Green). He missed it. Paul George came back and hit a 3 to tie the game. For me, it was to be aggressive ... I was able to follow my own shot and put us up for good."

The Raptors, who will be playing their first restart game, completed the last of three scrimmages Tuesday in a 117-106 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Pascal Siakam led the Raptors with 17 points while Norman Powell added 14. Fred VanVleet finished with 13, and Kyle Lowry had 11 points and seven assists.

"I think we have a group of professionals that go out there and know their jobs and understand their roles and I think that's one thing I will say is we have is true professionals, guys who want to win and guys who want to continue to chase what we want to try to get to again and that's holding the trophy at the end of this season," Lowry said after practice Friday. "For us, it's about just being us and continuing to try to grow in these eight games and then pushing forward to the next three months of the playoffs."

The defending champions played well before the break, owning the NBA's third best record at 46-18. They are a distant second in the Eastern Conference behind the Milwaukee Bucks.

"We like to think we're pretty good," Raptors coach Nick Nurse joked, when asked about his team's chances of contending again. "I think we've got some special players, I think we've got a good combination of experience with some energetic youth. I think we play defense and really like to play defense. Again, I think if you play defense in the way we're capable of doing it you can go a long ways in any season."

In the teams' only meeting earlier this season, the Raptors earned a 113-104 road victory over the Lakers on Nov. 10.

The Lakers last defeated Toronto on Nov. 30, 2014.

--Field Level Media

Week in pictures: 25 July-31 July 2020

A selection of powerful news photographs taken around the world this week.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/30heHFd

Why a new generation of Thais are protesting against the government

A new political divide in Thailand has emerged between the country's youth and its older generation.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3fi6QLZ

US election 2020: The war hero who could be Biden's running mate

Senator Tammy Duckworth is an Iraq war veteran and the first Thai-American woman elected to Congress.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/339acyu

India coronavirus: Gold rush as pandemic roils country's economy

As Covid-19 worsens the economic slump, Indians are returning to a trusted asset: gold.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/30evlp4

Phyllis Omido: The woman who won $12m fighting lead battery poisoners

Kenyan activist Phyllis Omido has been ignored, harassed and arrested, but she never gave up.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3hWgN3r

Belarus: The mother challenging an authoritarian president

Political novice Svetlana Tikhanovskaya rallies protesters in a battle with Alexander Lukashenko.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/339JHZM

New on Sports Illustrated: Magic's Jonathan Isaac Only Player to Stand, Not Wear 'Black Lives Matter' Shirt for National Anthem

Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac is the only player so far to stand during the national anthem at the NBA's season restart.

Ahead of the Orlando Magic-Brooklyn Nets game on Friday, Magic forward Jonathan Isaac stood out among the rest by being the lone player to stand while the national anthem played. Isaac was also the only player to not wear the Black Lives Matter shirt adorned by others during pregame.

“Absolutely I believe that Black lives matter,” Isaac

said after the game. “A lot went into my decision…kneeling or wearing a ‘Black Lives Matter’ t-shirt don’t go hand in hand in supporting Black lives. I do believe that Black lives matter, I just felt like it was a decision I had to make, and I didn’t feel like putting that shirt on and kneeling went hand in hand with supporting Black lives.”

Isaac is, so far, the only player at the NBA's restart in Orlando to not kneel for the anthem or wear the Black Lives Matter shirt. He explained his reasoning in response to a question from Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks:

“I don’t think that kneeling or putting on a T-shirt for me, personally, is the answer. For me, Black lives are supported through the gospel, all lives are supported through the gospel," Isaac said. "We all fall short of God’s glory, and at the end of the day, whoever will humble themselves and seek God and repent their sins, then we could see our mistakes and people’s mistakes and people’s evil in a different light, and that it would help bring us closer together and get past skin color, get past anything that’s on the surface that doesn’t really deal with the hearts of men and women.”

The Magic released a statement supporting their players' right to protest following the national anthem. Magic coach Steve Clifford said he and the rest of the team's players supported Isaac's decision, per ESPN's Marc J. Spears.

Isaac finished the game with 16 points and six rebounds in 16 minutes as the Magic won, 128-118.

New on Sports Illustrated: Thunder, Jazz finally get to play 20 weeks after shutdown

Things were a lot different the last time the Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz were preparing to play.

On March 11 in Oklahoma City, the sports landscape shifted suddenly when Utah center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19.

A bit after the scheduled tip-off time, the game was announced as postponed "due to unforeseen circumstances," and that night, the NBA announced an indefinite shutdown due to the pandemic.

Within days, most other sports had followed suit.

Saturday afternoon, the NBA's restart continues with the Thunder and Jazz meeting.

Oklahoma City, playing its first game of the restart, will be the home team but instead of playing at a packed Chesapeake Energy Arena, the teams will be meeting at The Arena at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando.

"It's a helluva coincidence that that's who our first game is against," Thunder point guard Chris Paul said.

The game will be Utah's second of the restart, with the Jazz beating New Orleans 106-104 on Thursday night.

Gobert scored the first and last points of that game.

"Life works in mysterious ways," Gobert said. "I'm just happy. Blessed to be able to get back on the court, do what I love to do, get back out there with my teammates and try to win a game."

While there's plenty of symbolism in Saturday's matchup, there's also plenty of intrigue from a standings perspective.

The Jazz and the Thunder are part of a five-team group separated by just four games in the Western Conference playoff race from third to seventh place.

Utah (42-23) comes into the matchup a game-and-a-half up on the Thunder (40-24).

"Utah will give us a really good indication over a 48-minute game of where we're at," Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan said, "and how much more work needs to be done."

The Jazz look a bit different from when the league was shutdown after forward Bojan Bogdanovic, Utah's second-leading scorer, underwent season-ending wrist surgery during the hiatus.

In the win over the Pelicans on Thursday, the Jazz made up for the loss with chemistry between Donovan Mitchell and Gobert as well as veteran point guard Mike Conley's contributions.

A rift between Gobert and Mitchell formed after Mitchell tested positive for COVID-19 not long after Gobert's positive test, but Mitchell's feed to Gobert in the closing seconds helped put Gobert on the free-throw line to lift Utah to the win.

"Hopefully that kinda stops y'all from talking about it," Mitchell said jokingly. "At the end of the day, we're basketball players trying to go out there and make the right plays."

The Thunder don't figure to be dramatically different than they were when the season paused, though they'll get a lift from one new addition.

Small forward Andre Roberson could see his first regular-season game action since Jan. 27, 2018. Roberson suffered a ruptured left patellar tendon that night and has had several setbacks along the way, but returned to the team when it left for Florida and participated in scrimmages leading up to the restart.

It's a much different team than the one Roberson left.

Then, Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony starred for Oklahoma City. Now, only Steven Adams and Terrance Ferguson remain from the last time Roberson suited up.

--Field Level Media

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New on Sports Illustrated: Inside the SEC's Conference-Only Schedule for 2020

The SEC’s decision to play a 10-game conference-only model in 2020 eliminated some of college football's biggest rivalry games.

If 2020 wasn’t already bad enough, it will not include the following:

Florida-Florida State.

Georgia-Georgia Tech.

South Carolina-Clemson.

Texas-LSU.

Tennessee-Oklahoma.

Arkansas-Notre Dame.

The SEC’s decision Thursday to adopt a

10-game conference-only model came at a price. Some of college football’s biggest marquee matchups are eliminated. This feels weird. It doesn’t feel right. In fact, it feels terrible.

So, it feels very 2020.

Administrators from some of those schools fought to preserve those games—South Carolina’s president even voted against the scheduling model—but alas, it couldn’t be done. This is 2020—the Year of the Terrible—and we’ll all need to come to grips with a season, if played at all, that is beyond the bizarre.

We’ll try to answer two questions in this column: 1) Why did the SEC chose that schedule model? 2) How might they choose the two additional SEC opponents for each one of its teams?

The SEC’s decision followed the ACC’s announcement Wednesday of an 11-game scheduling model: 10 conference games and one non-conference option that must be played in the home state of the ACC team, leaving the door open to at least play those four, in-state rivalry bouts with the SEC.

So why did the SEC punt on them? The reasons are a plenty. But there is one overarching feeling: The SEC put the value of completing a conference season over the value of non-conference, rivalry games.

You can agree or disagree with that, but that’s what happened. It’s not a bad move. In fact, by the end of all of this, we may see every single conference in America do the same: inner-league play only. Why try to squeeze in out-of-conference affairs during a pandemic? It puts even more risk on your teams—injuries, viral outbreaks, etc. The goal is to complete a conference season and crown a conference champion. It’s easier to do that without intertwining these non-conference games.

Also, the league basically ran out of Saturdays, as Florida AD Scott Stricklin aptly put it Thursday during a news conference. The SEC is kicking off its new season on Sept. 26, three weeks later than previously scheduled. It has built in a mid-season bye week for each team (spread over a three-week stretch, according to commissioner Greg Sankey), and there is a shared off week of Dec. 12 for any games interrupted by virus outbreaks (there almost certainly will be some). They’ve also pushed the championship game back to Dec. 19.

Let’s start with that delayed start. It was, according to those within the conference, the most hotly debated item among officials. Several administrators supported an earlier start. The Sept. 26 date is earlier than all other conferences are expected to begin their seasons. During an interview on The Paul Finebaum Show, Sankey suggested that the surge of students returning to campus next month was a big reason why. “Over the last two weeks of August, we are going to have tens of thousands of people back on our campuses. We need to make sure that happens and happens well,” he said.

The league’s medical experts advised officials to delay the season to (1) monitor what happens in the professional leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA, etc.) and (2) account for spikes when students arrive on campus and football camp begins. The latter is a big deal. College sports cannot operate in a bubble like many professional leagues, as detailed in this story published Monday. As football camps rev up, the injection of so many people onto a college campus—a petri dish for contagious diseases in a normal year—is a serious concern for administrators and team doctors. To put it mildly, too many August campus outbreaks could be the end of any hope of completing a college football season.

The bottomline: There are still plenty of hurdles to cross, especially for the SEC, its 11-state footprint featuring high virus case numbers. “This doesn’t mean we’re definitely playing a season,” one SEC administrator told SI on Thursday after the league’s announcement.

Now that we’ve covered the delayed start, let’s move on to the conference-only schedule, which three weeks ago wasn’t necessarily the most preferred option. In an in-person meeting in Birmingham, ADs were hoping to salvage those Power 5 non-conference games with a model that called for eight conference games and one or two non-conference meetings.

That plan quickly folded for a variety of reasons, the top one being nation-wide COVID-19 spikes, especially, as mentioned above, the numbers within the conference’s footprint. A conference-only schedule allows for flexibility to potentially move games postponed because of virus outbreaks and frees up leagues to start the season, as the SEC is doing, deeper into September.

A conference-only slate accomplishes two other things that people haven’t discussed enough, both involving money. It provides television partners with juicy marquee conference collisions on a weekly basis and it supplies colleges with a potential way out of their “buy game” contracts. At least two SEC ADs tell SI that their contracts feature a clause allowing them to void the deal if the league office changes the scheduling format. This is significant, as these "buy games" can cost schools upwards of $3 million in a single season. That’s not to say these games against Group of 5 and FCS teams won’t be rescheduled for later in the decade. It’s to say these teams (barring a court battle, which is possible) won’t immediately get their money.

Meanwhile, the SEC is faced with one of its toughest tasks in a while: choosing two additional opponents for each one of its teams in a league that’s rife with venom, jealousy and, at times, hate. We spitballed on social media this week that the league could use each team’s next two rotational cross-division opponents as its two additional opponents this year. That was met with some backlash, and it doesn’t appear the SEC will take such a route. That model would create inequality, for one, and could also throw a wrench into 2021 and 2022 schedules.

So how then to decide the schedules? The league is expected to craft a scheduling model that potentially is weighted on strength of schedule. Basically, they’ll attempt to be as fair as possible.

Meanwhile, their teams next week will begin preseason camp, despite the delayed start. The NCAA is allowing teams to begin camp four weeks out from their previously scheduled season opener. That means a seven-week preseason for the SEC.

It’s just another wrinkle on what is shaping up to be one of the most bizarre seasons in college football history—one that, in 2020 fashion, will not include those marquee matchups we all hoped for.

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New on Sports Illustrated: Pelicans, Jazz Kneel for National Anthem Ahead of NBA Restart's First Game

Players and coaches from both teams, as well as the game's referees, knelt together as the national anthem was played.

As the NBA prepared to take the court for the first time during its Orlando restart plan, the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz knelt on the sideline during the pregame national anthem.

Coaches and game referees also joined in the kneeling, while both teams wore Black Lives Matter shirts on top of their warm-ups.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver issued a statement saying he supported the teams' decision to protest during the anthem.

“I respect our teams’ unified act of peaceful protest for social justice and under these unique circumstances will not enforce our long-standing rule requiring standing during the playing of our national anthem,” Silver said.

The Jazz released a statement after the pre-game demonstration, supporting the players' ability to exercise their First Amendment rights.

“We are a values-based organization and believe in the foundational principles of justice, equality, fairness, and economic empowerment," the statement read. "Our organization strives to be a unifying force in our communities, and we hope this time in our history can be a catalyst for positive change in a country we love.”

The Pelicans also put out a statement, saying: “To promote meaningful change relative to social justice and racial equality, the New Orleans Pelicans have partnered with our players, staff and coaches to create a Social Justice Leadership Alliance committed to furthering the discussion, listening and learning and taking action to make positive change in our community and our country.”

New on Sports Illustrated: NHL Qualifying Round Playoff Preview: Canucks vs. Wild

The speedy Canucks clash with the stingy underdog Wild. Who will prevail: the youth or the wily vets?

VANCOUVER CANUCKS – By Brian Costello

Go back to season previews for 2019-20 and virtually every prognosticator tabbed the Canucks as needing another rebuilding season and surely out of the playoffs. Dig a little deeper, though, and you’ll see some of those soothsayers also added the footnote that Vancouver could be that one team that stuns the field and makes an enormous stride forward.

Trades by GM Jim Benning the past couple years brought in top-six forwards J.T. Miller, Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson. Their pace of scoring is at the top of the charts in Vancouver. Add this cast to homegrown stars Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat, plus the fast-improving Adam Gaudette and Jake Virtanen, and the Canucks have one of the deepest and most balanced lineups in the West.

The Canucks can get you in a variety of ways. Try to shut down the speed and puck movement of Pettersson and Boeser and the second and third wave will hit you. Seven Vancouver forwards had at least three power-play goals this season, while Toffoli surely would have gotten there with more runway.

The offensive dimension Quinn Hughes provided from the blueline was surprising only in the fact it came right away, as a 20-year-old rookie. He averaged almost 22 minutes of ice time per game, and his 3:48 of power-play time per outing ranked third among NHL defensemen.

Defensively, the Canucks bled shots, allowing 33.3 per game, fourth most in the NHL. Add that to the fact they were also second in blocked shots and you get the picture: the puck spends a lot of time in the Canucks’ zone. Vancouver was a bottom-10 team in Corsi percentage.

With Micheal Ferland sidelined most of the season, the Canucks didn’t have much of a physical deterrent. They’re a team that can be neutralized by pushing them around.

X-factor: Just when some Vancouver fans were anointing Thatcher Demko as the team’s new No. 1 goalie, this was the coming-out season for Jacob Markstrom. Always a plucky battler with more good games than bad games over the years, the 30-year-old took it to a new level this season. He was even a fringe name in the Vezina Trophy conversation when he went down with an injury Feb. 22, three weeks before the league shut down. The Canucks were fifth in the West and comfortably in the playoffs when Markstrom was sidelined. With him gone, they slid to eighth. With him healthy, the Canucks can roll with the best teams.

MINNESOTA WILD – By Jared Clinton

Two weeks before the trade deadline, GM Bill Guerin dealt Jason Zucker to the Pittsburgh Penguins. One week later, coach Bruce Boudreau was fired and replaced by Dean Evason. And on deadline day, the Wild reportedly flirted with a trade that would have sent top-line winger Zach Parise to the New York Islanders. However, despite all signs pointing to a teardown and rebuild, Guerin held firm that his intention was for the Wild to compete for a post-season spot. Against seemingly all odds, Minnesota managed to do exactly that.

The perception that the Wild are nothing more than a hanger-on is somewhat misguided, though. While it’s true they lack top-end firepower, the attack is greater than the sum of its parts. Driving the offense is a slew of veterans, including Parise, Eric Staal and Mats Zuccarello, but most impressive, particularly throughout the back half of the campaign, was Kevin Fiala. The 23-year-old bordered on unstoppable through February and into March, scoring at more than a point-per-game pace.

And with Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon guiding the defense, Minnesota has been far more unyielding defensively than its goals-against average suggests. No team allowed fewer scoring chances or high-danger chances against, and the Wild boasted the lowest expected goals-against rate in the NHL.

Unfortunately, the shell that had been provided to Minnesota’s goalies hasn’t been reflected in their play. Alex Stalock and Devan Dubnyk had a combined .902 save percentage, and the Wild’s overall SP (.897) was 29th in the NHL. Stalock was beginning to round into form down the stretch, however. He unseated Dubnyk following the all-star break and didn’t look back. Stalock is largely untested in post-season action with four career playoff games on his resume, but he has performed well when called upon, as his .931 SP can attest.

X-factor: Which version of Eric Staal shows up? Though he’s had a career resurgence in Minnesota, his last three trips to the post-season were fruitless. Dating back to the 2016 playoffs, during which he was a member of the New York Rangers, Staal has a single goal and three points in 15 games. That level of production is a far cry from his past as a playoff warrior. During the Hurricanes’ run to the 2006 title, Staal led players with 19 assists and 28 points. He followed that with a team-best 10 goals and 15 points in 18 games during Carolina’s 2009 conference final run. Rediscovering that old spark will increase the potential for a Wild upset.

Season series

Jan. 12, 2020: Canucks 4, Wild 1
Feb. 6, 2020: Wild 4, Canucks 2
Feb. 19, 2020: Wild 4, Canucks 3 (SO)

Schedule

Sunday, Aug. 2, 10:30 p.m.: Wild at Canucks
Tuesday, Aug. 4, 10:45 p.m.: Wild at Canucks
Thursday, Aug. 6, TBD: Canucks at Wild
Friday, Aug. 7, TBD: Canucks at Wild *
Sunday, Aug. 9, TBD: Wild at Canucks *

(All games listed in eastern time)

THE HOCKEY NEWS’ SERIES PICK: Canucks in four games

Get everything you need to know about this year’s post-season in THN’s Playoff Preview magazine! Read the issue on our Apple App (

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New on Sports Illustrated: ACC's Shrewd Schedule Announcement Cements Self-Serving Power 5 Conference Mentality

With SEC chess pieces moving behind the scenes, the ACC launched a surprise checkmate on Wednesday in the ongoing college football schedule saga.

They stressed unity. They had Zoom calls together for weeks, months. They were all in this together, the commissioners of college football’s power conferences, trying to navigate a challenge the likes of which they’d never seen before.

Yeah, good talk.

That was in the spring, when both camaraderie and the football season were easy to envision in the abstract. Here in the heat of July, with time ticking toward a maybe kickoff, they all have reverted to form. Now and forever, it’s every rich conference for itself in college football.

This is part of the deal in a patchwork of 130 schools with no legitimate unifying element. It was that way a decade ago, when realignment turned into a brazen series of land grabs purely designed to maximize individual league revenue. It was that way earlier this month, when the

Big Ten and Pac-12 were the first to break ranks and declare a scheduling model that eliminated conference games.

And then came the intrigue of Wednesday, July 29. A day that looked like it might pass quietly in the ongoing football schedule vigil erupted with drama late in the afternoon. With Southeastern Conference chess pieces moving behind the scenes, the Atlantic Coast Conference launched a surprise checkmate.

As Sports Illustrated reported Wednesday, the SEC’s athletic directors arrived at a consensus (though not unanimously) regarding a football schedule: like the Big Ten and Pac-12, it would only play conference games in 2020. SI reporters began hearing about the SEC decision around 3:30 p.m. ET. There was no plan by the league to announce anything, since the presidents haven’t yet approved it (and may still not approve it).

With word of that SEC decision starting to circulate, there was a sudden spasm of movement from the ACC. Coincidence? You decide.

ACC presidents had met Wednesday to discuss the football schedule, but multiple sources told SI after that meeting (which started at 11 a.m. ET) that there would be no announcement. From Tuesday night through Wednesday mid-afternoon, word about a public schedule reveal alternated thusly from sources within the league: on-off-on-off. The final consensus was that the news would wait at least a day, probably several days.

Then David Teel of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, who has been tightly wired to the ACC office, tweeted at 4:23, “Expecting ACC news very shortly. Presidents discussed schedule options today.” Five minutes later, the league tweeted out its 2020 football schedule — 10 conference games, up from the usual eight, with a very special guest star. There also would be one undeclared non-conference game, and that came with some delicious caveats.

It is a Grand Master maneuver in more ways than one by ACC commissioner John Swofford. He’s announced his retirement at the end of the 2020-21 athletic season, and this would be quite a final flourish.

The first genius maneuver: The ACC has forced the ultimate bachelor into a full season (at least) of a committed relationship. Notre Dame, a righteously proud independent since it started playing football in 1887, is going to play a full season of conference football and compete for a conference championship. It’s a win-win arrangement: the ACC getting a share of Notre Dame’s prodigious NBC TV revenue and all the accompanying eyeballs on its teams; the Irish getting a full schedule after losing games against USC, Stanford and Wisconsin, while presumably reverting back to normal independence in 2021.

The second genius maneuver: Swofford & Co., beating the SEC on the scheduling news and simultaneously putting the onus of canceling the traditional ACC-SEC rivalry games on that league. By announcing a desire to play one non-conference game but not identifying the opponent beyond saying it had to be played in their home state, the ACC basically threw 100 gallons of paint around the corner and made the SEC stand in it.

We want to play those games. We left open the date on the schedule. If you don’t, that’s your decision. But you’re the ones who have to own up to canceling them.

If Florida State doesn’t play Florida? Blame the SEC. If Georgia Tech doesn’t play Georgia? Blame the SEC. If Clemson doesn’t play South Carolina? Blame the SEC. If Louisville doesn’t play Kentucky? Blame the SEC.

Behind-the-scenes reaction from folks in the SEC later Wednesday? Not pleased. Not pleased at all.

Now, could the league presidents decide against the proposed conference-only schedule and back a plan that includes those games against ACC opponents? Yes, they could. That would also revive hopes for some games against Big 12 opponents, most prominently LSU-Texas and Tennessee-Oklahoma.

Such a plan would be met with approval by some SEC athletic directors. But not with the majority, at least as of Wednesday. Most of the league’s 14 ADs were in favor of 10 league games and nothing else.

The final genius maneuver from Swofford & Co., was leaving that 11th game open-ended. It could be canceled easily — with blood on the hands of the SEC, of course. Or schools have the option of an 11th game with another opponent on ground rules of the ACC's choosing. Among previously scheduled games that could still work out, if the SEC chooses not to play ball: Clemson-Citadel; Louisville-Western Kentucky; Wake Forest-Appalachian State; Virginia Tech-Liberty; Virginia-VMI; Duke-Charlotte (or Duke-Elon).

Of course, all of this played out Wednesday within this forbidding context: we don’t know if there will be a college football season. The pandemic continues to cause havoc across the nation — and in the South (where most of the ACC and SEC schools are located) more than anywhere. This might have simply been an exercise in wishful thinking and administrative busywork that is wiped off the books in a week or two or four.

But the intention is clearly to start the college football season, and to start it we must have schedules. This was the latest spasm of college football one-upmanship in a time of COVID-19, when for weeks at a time nobody was willing to make any declarations.

In the power conferences, general stall ball continues to be interrupted by opportunistic bursts of news. Unity was so last spring. The closer we get to a maybe kickoff, the more the sport reverts to what comes naturally: every league for itself.

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New on Sports Illustrated: Astros Pick Up Dusty Baker's Contract Option for 2021 Season

Dusty Baker was hired in January to replace AJ Hinch, who was fired by the Astros for his role in Houston's sign-stealing scandal.

HOUSTON — The Houston Astros have picked up the option for the 2021 season on manager Dusty Baker's contract.

Baker

was hired in January to replace AJ Hinch, who was fired by the team after he and general manager Jeff Luhnow were initially suspended for one year by Major League Baseball for their roles in Houston's sign-stealing scandal. Luhnow also was fired.

The 71-year-old Baker is in his 23rd year as a manager after starting in 1993 with the San Francisco Giants. A three-time National League Manager of the Year, Baker came to the Astros after managing the Washington Nationals, who let him go after a 97-65 season in 2017.

Baker is thrilled to get another year on his contract after managing a season more than once without a deal for the next year.

"I've been a lame-duck manager probably four or five times," Baker said. "I was one of the lamest ducks walking around. So it feels pretty good not to be a lame duck, and this is the best that I've been treated in quite a while."

Baker's 1,865 career wins are first among active managers and rank 15th in major league history.

"Dusty has been a perfect fit for our ball club," general manager James Click said. “His knowledge of the game and experience have been invaluable to us in his first few months with the club. We’re excited to see him in an Astros uniform again next year."

The Astros also picked up the contract options for next season for third base coach Gary Pettis and pitching coach Brent Strom, who were both retained after Hinch's dismissal.

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New on Sports Illustrated: Roark faces old club as Jays meet Nationals

Right-hander Tanner Roark will be facing his former team of six seasons when he starts Tuesday night for the visiting Toronto Blue Jays against the Washington Nationals.

Roark, who pitched for the Nationals from 2013-2018, will be trying to help the Blue Jays to their second straight win over the 2019 World Series champions when he opposes right-hander Austin Voth, who was 2-1 with a 3.30 ERA last year.

The Blue Jays won the opener of the four-game series Monday 4-1 on the strength of four solo home runs.

"I'm excited," Roark said on Monday. "It's going to be weird with no fans. I know the mound there like the back of my hand, so I'll be ready to go."

Roark was 10-10 with a 4.35 ERA last season with the Cincinnati Reds and the Oakland Athletics and signed with the Blue Jays in the offseason. He was 15-10 with a 2.85 ERA in 2014 with the Nationals and 16-10, 2.83, in 2016.

He is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in one career start against Washington, which came last season. Voth has never faced Toronto.

The Blue Jays have split their first four games of the season. The Nationals have lost three of their first four games.

Both teams were without key players to open the series. The Nationals continue to play without Juan Soto, who tested positive for COVID-19.

Soto has had one negative test, but will need two negative tests at least 24 hours apart before he can return to play, according to MLB protocol.

"The good news is he feels fine," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said on Monday. "He's got a bike in his apartment. He's got some weights in there. I know he's trying to -- the best he can -- stay in shape. I just told him, 'Keep your head up.' Hopefully this is the last of it."

Michael A. Taylor played left field in place of Soto again on Monday and was 0-for-4.

The Nationals have signed versatile Josh Harrison, who was in uniform against Toronto but did not play. Catcher Raudy Read was optioned to make room for him on the 30-man roster.

Harrison has played every position except catcher, first base and center field.

"When you play against him, you see he had that energy, that passion for the game -- the kind of guy we like," Martinez said. "The other thing is, he brings a lot of different aspects to the game. He can run, play multiple different positions -- infield, outfield."

The Blue Jays, meanwhile, were without Ken Giles (right forearm strain), who was put on the IL Monday, Travis Shaw (family medical leave), Randal Grichuk (lower back irritation) and Bo Bichette (tight hamstring).

Wilmer Font was activated from the injured list and Ryan Borucki was recalled from the taxi squad and pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief Monday to gain the win.

Anthony Bass will replace Giles as closer and earned the save Monday.

Teoscar Hernandez was moved up in the lineup to replace Bichette in the leadoff spot Monday and led off the game with a home run and also led off the fifth with a homer.

Toronto second baseman Cavan Biggio was 0-for-4 on Monday, which ended a 32-game on-base streak. After the game, Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said that right-hander Nate Pearson will make his major-league debut when he starts the game on Wednesday.

--Field Level Media

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New on Sports Illustrated: Braves look to shut down Renfroe, Rays

New Tampa Bay outfielder Hunter Renfroe knew he just needed to get a few at-bats under his belt to make an impression on the Rays.

He accomplished that Monday night.

Renfroe's two-homer, four-RBI night sparked the club's biggest offensive output of the brief season so far, and it pushed its winning streak to three games after losing to Toronto on Opening Day.

The Mississippi native spent his first four seasons on the West Coast playing for the San Diego Padres. Renfroe, 28, had productive years, notching 89 home runs in the four campaigns, including a career-high 33 last year.

The Rays acquired him from the Padres in a trade that sent Tommy Pham to the National League West team.

Renfroe felt he needed a few good cuts to get going with his new club.

"Honestly, just getting the first hit out of the way was a big thing," said Renfroe, who had the coaching staff retrieve the ball from his first hit with his new team, a ground-ball single to right field to start his 3-for-5 night.

"I'm finally getting some ABs under my belt, and it's going good."

It was an odd night all around at Tropicana Field in the first game between the two teams, who meet up again Tuesday night in St. Petersburg, Fla., before going to Atlanta for games Wednesday and Thursday.

The Braves lost at least two catchable flies against the domed stadium's whitish roof, and the visitors struck out 19 times, which allowed Tampa Bay to set a team record for the most strikeouts in a nine-inning game. The futility at the plate left Atlanta hitters with 52 Ks in four games.

The clubs also combined to whiff 31 times -- another Rays record and just four Ks shy from tying the big league record for a nine-inning game.

Following the game, losing pitcher Mike Foltynewicz was told he had been designated for assignment by Atlanta. The 2018 National League All-Star's velocity has been noticeably slower from last year.

"His stuff hasn't been there," said fifth-year manager Brian Snitker after he told Foltynewicz he had been DFAd.

The team said pitcher Chad Sobotka will arrive tomorrow and be available.

The Rays also moved to 15-6 in their last 21 games against National League competition.

Tampa Bay will complete its first run through its entire rotation by starting Yonny Chirinos, who was sidelined with COVID-19 during summer camp. The right-hander was 9-5 with a 3.85 ERA in 26 appearances (18 starts) last season.

He is 0-0 with a 3.60 ERA in one career relief appearance against Atlanta.

With left-hander Cole Hamels sidelined, Atlanta will round out its rotation by starting highly regarded prospect Kyle Wright.

The Huntsville, Ala., native joined the Opening Day roster in 2019 and made seven appearances (four starts) but found control issues on the way to an 0-3 record and an 8.69 ERA.

A 2017 first-round pick (fifth overall) out of Vanderbilt by Atlanta, Wright has never faced Tampa Bay in his 11 big league appearances.

Hamels, 36, signed a one-year, $18 million contract with the Braves in the offseason, but triceps tendinitis prevented him from throwing a side session on July 11, and the veteran was placed on the 45-day injured list on Thursday.

--Field Level Media

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Google's new transatlantic data cable to land in Cornwall

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Florida Man Took Coronavirus Aid and Bought a Lamborghini, Officials Say

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New on Sports Illustrated: LAFC Gets Revenge, Ousts Reigning MLS Cup Champ Sounders

Diego Rossi scored a pair of goals and Los Angeles FC thumped reigning MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders 4-1 early Tuesday morning.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Diego Rossi scored on a penalty kick early in the first half and provided the clinching goal in the 82nd minute, and Los Angeles FC thumped reigning MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders 4-1 early Tuesday morning.

LAFC advanced to the quarterfinals of the MLS is Back tournament by getting a measure of revenge for last year’s Western Conference final when Seattle pulled off a 3-1 upset in Los Angeles on its way to winning the league title.

Even without reigning league MVP Carlos Vela, LAFC pressured and flustered the Sounders early and never let up. LAFC outshot Seattle 25-11. At times, the Sounders couldn’t play the ball out of their own defensive end due to the pressure of LAFC.

Except for a brief stint of the second half when Seattle threatened, it was a dominant performance by LAFC that set up a matchup with Orlando City in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Rossi was the leader of LAFC’s buzzing attack. He scored twice and probably should have scored two or three more times. Rossi drew Xavier Arreaga’s foul in the penalty area and beat Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei in the 14th minute for the early advantage.

Latif Blessing doubled the lead in the 39th minute when his shot toward the far post was deflected by Seattle defender Shane O’Neill and into the net. Frei appeared to be in position to make the save, but O’Neill shifted his shoulder and deflected the attempt.

Rossi provide the insurance goal after Seattle had cut the deficit to 2-1. Rossi took advantage of another defensive mistake by Arreaga and regained the two-goal advantage. Rossi now has seven goals in the tournament. Brian Rodriguez added another goal in the 89th minute.

Seattle had four extra days of rest, but looked lethargic for most of the match. It took 65 minutes before the Sounders got a shot on LAFC goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer.

But the Sounders managed to create a nervous final 20 minutes for LAFC. Substitute Will Bruin scored in the 75th minute for Seattle in his first appearance in more than a year after a major knee injury to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Raul Ruidiaz nearly pulled Seattle even moments later, but Vermeer made an excellent reaction save.

New on Sports Illustrated: San Jose Continues to Roll, Ousts Real Salt Lake in MLS Is Back Tournament

The Earthquakes advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament and will face either Columbus or Minnesota United on Saturday in the final eight.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Magnus Eriksson scored on a pair of second-half penalty kicks, Chris Wondolowski added another late goal and the San Jose Earthquakes continued their impressive MLS is Back tournament run with a 5-2 win over Real Salt Lake on Monday night.

The Earthquakes advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament and will face either Columbus or Minnesota United on Saturday in the final eight.

“The team is growing game after game, showing a very positive attitude, their unity, their sacrifice, but more than anything is how they play,” San Jose coach Matias Almeyda said through a translator. “The best thing for a coach is being able to get the max level out of each individual player because I know that will allow us to have growth.”

Eriksson scored on a penalty drawn by Tommy Thompson in the 49th minute to give the Earthquakes a 2-1 lead. A dozen minutes later, Vako Qazaishvili found Andres Rios on a diagonal run behind the Real Salt Lake defense. Rios passed back in front of goal where Vako had continued his run and easily beat RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath.

Real Salt Lake pulled within 3-2 in the 75th minute on Damir Kreilach’s left-footed shot. Kreilach was twice denied earlier in the second half by great saves from San Jose’s Daniel Vega.

But that was as close as RSL would get. RSL finished with 10 men after Marcelo Silva was given a red card in the 84th minute for a rough tackle San Jose’s Jackson Yueill, and two minutes later Wondolowski scored on a rebound. It was the third straight game with a goal for the league’s all-time leader in goals scored, although scores from the knockout stages of the tournament are not part of season or career statistics.

Erickson added another penalty in stoppage time after video review ruled Kyle Beckerman should have been called for a handball in the penalty area. Beckerman was shown a red card moments later by referee Drew Fischer at the final whistle.

“I had a great feeling before both the penalty kicks so there was there was no doubt from my side,” Erickson said.

San Jose was the first team to arrive in Florida in late June and the win assured it will spend part of three months in the MLS bubble.

Cristian Espinoza gave San Jose an early lead with his goal in the 21st minute on a shot MacMath should have saved. RSL answered immediately with Douglas Martinez scoring barely a minute later when his chipped shot beat Vega

“We take a lot of positives. It doesn’t feel like it when you take five goals, it never feels good,” RSL coach Freddy Juarez said. “But the guys fought their heart out. The only thing we can say is we were in the game and we fought hard. That’s all you can ask from the guys.”

Miami Marlins Outbreak Postpones 2 Games and Rocks M.L.B.’s Return

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New on Sports Illustrated: Mike Foltynewicz Designated for Assignment by Braves

Foltynewicz gave up six runs, four hits and four walks in a loss to the Rays on Monday.

The Braves designated starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz for assignment on Monday, manager

Brian Snitker announced.

Reliever Chad Sobotka will take Foltynewicz’s spot on Atlanta’s pitching staff, per Snitker.

Foltynewicz gave up six runs, four hits and four walks in a loss to the Rays on Monday night. He’s been with Atlanta since 2015, posting a 4.24 ERA in 117 starts.

"After the last couple outings in [summer camp], we wanted to give it a go here and it was the same," Snitker said postgame. "We didn’t see enough increase in the velocity. That's who he’s been. He’s been a stuff guy for the entire time we’ve had him. The stuff hasn't been there."

The Braves fell to 2–2 with Monday's loss. They will face Tampa again on Tuesday night, with first pitch slated for 5:40 p.m. CT. 

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New on Sports Illustrated: With John Chayka Out, Steve Sullivan Gets His Chance to Make a Mark in Arizona

The former left winger has been stickhandling his way at the executive level for a number of years now and has been rewarded with the interim GM post. Can he make the job permanent?

John Chayka’s divorce from the Arizona Coyotes was so public, it even shocked fellow employees of the franchise. Why exactly the erstwhile GM quit his post on the eve of the Return to Play tournament is a question that will be parsed out in the coming weeks with a stream of conflicting messages, depending on which camp the sources are in.

What we do know is that Chayka blames ownership for making his position untenable (as he related to beat writer Craig Morgan) and the Coyotes themselves are pulling no punches, releasing a statement that included the following cutting critique:

“The Club is disappointed in his actions and his timing as the Coyotes prepare to enter the NHL’s hub city of Edmonton, where the team will begin post-season play for the first time since 2012. Chayka has chosen to quit on a strong and competitive team, a dedicated staff, and the Arizona Coyotes fans, the greatest fans in the NHL.”

Was Chayka entertaining a job with another franchise, causing a rift with new owner Alex Meruelo? That’s been put out there by a couple trustworthy reporters, including Elliotte Friedman, who also noted that Meruelo would like commissioner Gary Bettman to mediate what, at its heart, is now a contractual issue between Chayka and his former employer.

What we do know is that Steve Sullivan has been named interim GM of the Coyotes after serving as assistant GM for three seasons. And that allows us to look into the present and future for Arizona fans.

Sullivan, who was an undersized left winger in an era that did not welcome such talents, has quickly seen his star rise in his post-playing days. He began his tenure in Arizona as a development coach in 2014-15 and garnered more responsibility when he took over the assistant GM role three years later. That post also came with the dual role of GM to the AHL Tucson Roadrunners. So what do his new peers think of him?

“Sully is a passionate and smart hockey man who now has a runway to really understand how to do this job,” one NHL GM told me. “He has a great chance and advantage to keep this job by allowing the people around him to help him achieve his goals.”

Another insider described Sullivan as the type of exec who really takes in the information before making a decision; he’s not a knee-jerk kind of guy. What Sullivan essentially has now is a head start on any other candidates to earn the Coyotes GM job on a permanent basis.

And there are candidates, to be sure. There are strong rumbling out there that the NHL would like to see Peter Chiarelli at the helm, for example – and hey, I’m just the messenger here. Chiarelli’s exit from Edmonton was unceremonious to say the least, but he does have a wealth of experience to draw from. There’s also former Los Angeles Kings assistant GM Mike Futa to consider, a man with a great reputation who has been in the running for other GM jobs and reportedly even turned one down when that team tried to lowball him on salary. If you’re looking for a local angle, former Coyotes goaltender Sean Burke would be another option. Currently an exec with Hockey Canada (and goalie consultant for the Montreal Canadiens), Burke was an assistant GM in Arizona a few years ago – the same time Chayka was coming up, ironically.

But for now, Sullivan has an excellent opportunity to show that the job should be his on a permanent basis. The most pressing matter will be the status of pending unrestricted free agent Taylor Hall, who came to the Coyotes in a blockbuster trade with New Jersey that will cost Arizona its first-round draft choice in either 2020 or 2021, depending on whether or not the Coyotes are slated to pick in the top three this year (which is possible if Arizona loses to Nashville in the qualifying round and ‘wins’ the Phase 2 lottery for first overall). If Hall re-signs with Arizona and the Coyotes win a playoff round, a 2021 third-rounder becomes a first-rounder (if one of those conditions hits, it’s a second-rounder).

Most likely, Hall will at least test free agency waters before he decides what to do. And the Coyotes have to consider if signing the 28-year-old to a big-money, long-term contract (which no doubt some team will offer the recent Hart Trophy winner) is best for their franchise goals.

The two sides have already talked (another point of contention in the Chayka saga), but now Sullivan will get the chance to weigh in and figure out the pros and cons.

For now, Sullivan is the GM and it’s his job to prove he can be the guy full-time. From the sounds of it, he’s ready – but he must know that a lot of other hockey minds will be coveting the position, too.

New on Sports Illustrated: NHL Qualifying Round Playoff Preview: Predators vs. Coyotes

Can the Coyotes recover from their GM's shocking departure and pull an upset over a Predators team with a foggy forecast in net?

NASHVILLE PREDATORS – By Jared Clinton

Jusse Saros waited long enough for Pekka Rinne to hand over the keys to the Predators’ crease, so the heir apparent simply shoved his veteran counterpart out of the way. Saros asserting himself as the starter-of-today rather than the starter-of-tomorrow couldn’t have come a moment sooner, either. Nashville closed December tied for last in the Central Division, but Saros’ impressive record and exceptional play since the beginning of the new year – he was among the league’s leaders in save percentage from Jan. 1 onward – aided in the Predators’ pursuit of a sixth consecutive post-season appearance.

Saros, of course, has the benefit of playing behind one of the deepest defense corps in the NHL. Even after parting ways with P.K. Subban, the Predators iced a top-four of Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm and Dante Fabbro, who transitioned seamlessly into his role as a rookie. The on-paper talent the blueline possesses is at odds with what the numbers suggest about the Predators’ defense, however. That’s particularly true in the time since coach John Hynes’ arrival. Following Peter Laviolette’s firing in early January, the Predators were among the NHL’s most porous teams and surrendered shots at an uncharacteristically high rate.

The own-zone issues were masked in part by an attack that has been consistent, if nothing else. The Predators had 10 players with at least 10 goals and 12 players with at least 30 points. But high-end, game-breaking individual performers are few and far between in Music City. Filip Forsberg’s sixth straight 20-goal season makes him Nashville’s top lamp-lighter, but major summer signing Matt Duchene hasn’t been the offensive difference-maker the Predators hoped for. His per-game scoring rate was the third-lowest of his 11-year NHL career. Nashville will need more from its top players to make a deep run.

X-factor: Barring 2017, when Pekka Rinne posted an outstanding .930 save percentage and helped Nashville to its first Stanley Cup final appearance, crease catastrophes have been an annual occurrence in the post-season for the Predators. Saros cemented himself as the starter, but the Predators wrapped up their camp still undecided on who will be their No. 1 for the playoffs. Rinne’s playoff resume does little to inspire confidence. In five of his eight trips to the post-season, Rinne has posted a .909 SP or lower and has posted a .911 SP or better just twice. Given the Predators’ lack of firepower, goaltending will make all the difference.

ARIZONA COYOTES – By Brian Costello

The Coyotes rarely make it to the playoffs – just three times in the previous 16 seasons – but when they do, you’d think their defensive brand of hockey would serve them well. Because things really tighten up in the post-season, right? Problem is, you must be good at scoring goals, too, and Arizona doesn’t do that particularly well. Since 2012-13, the Coyotes have ranked among the bottom 10 teams in goals per game. Their average of 2.71 this season was impressive by their standards, a multi-year high, but still just 23rd overall.

When the Coyotes do stay competitive, such as the first three months of the season when they ranked sixth in the conference, it’s because they get things done by committee. Virtually every new forward arriving in Arizona over the years – Derek Stepan, Nick Schmaltz, Michael Grabner, Phil Kessel, Taylor Hall – sees a drop-off in personal production but an uptick in two-way play.

With a veteran defense led by unheralded star Oliver Ekman-Larsson and excellent goaltending in Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta, the Coyotes always stay involved. Arizona tied with Columbus for the third-best goals-against average in the league. But when Kuemper and Raanta were injured – third-stringer Adin Hill started nine games in January and February – the Coyotes dropped in the standings.

So how does Arizona get over the hump and make some noise as a team in the 17-24 range that wouldn’t have made the playoffs any other year? The Coyotes enjoy the guidance offered by players’ coach Rick Tocchet. So it’s likely a case of getting hot at the right time, with their playoff-style attention to defense plus some timely scoring from some offensive dynamos who have greatly underperformed this season. Special teams play can often swing a series. Arizona’s power play has never been top notch, but its PK is among the best. Maybe that’s the key there.

X-factor: Former Coyotes assistant GM Brad Treliving put it best when he said, “They should change the name of hockey to goaltending.” That’s because so much in a game depends upon the performance of the stopper. A good goalie can turn a series on its head. The last time the Coyotes won a playoff round, they were known as Phoenix and Mike Smith was spectacular in a 2011-12 run to the conference final. For Arizona to have any sort of success this post-season, Darcy Kuemper or Antti Raanta must be otherworldly good. The promising news is both men have that potential. Good health is always an issue.

Season series

Oct. 17, 2019: Coyotes 5, Predators 2
Dec. 23, 2019: Predators 3, Coyotes 2

Schedule

Sunday, Aug. 2, 2:00 p.m.: Coyotes at Predators
Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2:30 p.m.: Coyotes at Predators
Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2:30 p.m.: Predators at Coyotes
Friday, Aug. 7, TBD: Predators at Coyotes *
Sunday, Aug. 9, TBD: Coyotes at Predators *

(All games listed in eastern time)

THE HOCKEY NEWS’ SERIES PICK: Predators in four games

Get everything you need to know about this year’s post-season in THN’s Playoff Preview magazine! Read the issue on our Apple App (

https://apple.co/32vUMnA), Android App (https://bit.ly/2DV2ltN) or on Zinio (https://bit.ly/3jbPbsu).