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Porsche “seriously” looking into Formula 1

F1

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November 3, 2021

Porsche “seriously” looking into Formula 1

With the new Formula 1 power unit rules close to finalization, and many changes applied to attract new manufacturers, Porsche have come out and said they are “seriously” looking into an involvement in the sport.

The major change was removing the MGU-H part of the power units, in what seemed to be a bid to appease VW Group, of which Porsche is a member.

The latest statements from Porsche were made by their Sporting Director Thomas Laudenbach, speaking to RTL that his company is “seriously” looking into an F1 foray and that it is “no secret that we are thinking about it”.

That proves that the anticipated changes for the power units post 2025, might just have served their purpose.

Going further the Porsche Director said: “The value of Formula 1 in terms of marketing and PR is undisputed.”

The most recent meeting between the stakeholders regarding the subject was held over the weekend of the 2021 Italian Grand Prix in Monza, with the changes later revealed, while not being finalized.

“As far as I know, things are going in the right direction in Formula 1,” Laudenbach admitted, before going on to detail what factors in Porsche’s decision whether to join F1 or not.

“Motorsport must remain relevant for series production, so electrification must be emphasized more. Also in Formula 1,” he explained.

“The budget cap is already a first step, such a limit must also apply to the drivers, it is under discussion,” Laudenbach continued highlighting the budget cap as another factor they are considering.

Porsche want to make sure that all participants in F1 are able to compete for victory before committing to the sport, something Mercedes’ Toto Wolff is not so keen about, when he labeled F1 as the Champions League.

“Entry only makes sense if there is a change in the regulations that means that all competitors can start on the same basis,” said Laudenbach, and summed things up by saying that the package had to fit “in every detail”, before the final decision is made.

Porsche’s last involvement in F1 was in 1991 as a an engine supplier for Footwork (four races). They also famously supplied McLaren with engines branded TAG Heuer/Porsche, between 1983 and 1987.

Over those five seasons, McLaren won two Constructors’ Titles in 1984 and 1985, with Niki Lauda taking the Drivers’ Crown in 1984 while Alain Prost won in 1985.

Tyson Fury ‘banned from Wikipedia’ for editing Wladimir Klitschko’s profile | Boxing | Sport

Boxing

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November 3, 2021

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Tyson Fury brands Klitschko bout: ‘Easiest fight of my life’ in 2018

This week the World Boxing Council president all-but-confirmed that Fury’s next fight will be against mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte. Whyte was due to face Otto Wallin over the weekend, with the winner guaranteed a shot at Fury’s WBC crown, but the 33-year-old suffered an injury setback in training. However, with the sanctioning body showing evidence of Whyte’s injury, they are poised to call the Brixton-born boxer to fight Fury, instead of rescheduling a bout with Wallin.

WBC president Mauricio Salaiman said: “The WBC order was very clear, that the winner of Fury vs Wilder has one month to secure the ultimate unification against Usyk, who defeated Joshua.

“If they’re not capable of doing such, then the WBC would go with a mandatory, which is the interim champion.

He added, in the interview with Talksport: “We have received from the British Boxing Board of Control the medical certification that Whyte could not fight Wallin because of the injury.

“So we are going to do what we promised, which is the way we are moving forward.”

Fury admitted to editing Klitschko’s Wikipedia page (Image: Getty/BT Sport)

Fury will face mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte next year (Image: Getty)

Fury, whose knockout of Deontay Wilder last month cemented the Gypsy King’s place as the world’s best heavyweight, is known for his unconventional goading of opponents.

Before the boxer’s historic 2015 defeat of Klitschko by unanimous decision, Fury said that his counterpart was “boring” and had “reigned supreme over a load of bums”.

In winning the bout, Fury was declared the WBA, WBO IBF and IBO champion, ending Klitschko’s reign of nearly 10 years.

Fury later admitted in a BT Sport interview that he was “banned” from Wikipedia for editing Klitschko’s profile.

Fury beat Klitschko in a historic bout in 2015 (Image: Getty)

When asked if rumours he would edit the Ukrainian boxer’s Wikipedia were true, Fury replied: “Yes it’s true, until I got banned from Wikipedia.

“I did, because it’s a public site and I just wanted to prove that anyone can write what they want on Wikipedia, because it’s public.

“So if you want to go up there and edit my profile you can.”

When asked if he had ever edited his own profile Fury said: “No, I’ve not edited anything on mine.

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Fury joked that Anthony Joshua had been editing his Wikipedia page (Image: BT Sport)

“But, because I’m the lineal champion, someone keeps going on and putting retired, [and] I’m clearly not retired.

“But every time I change it to ‘active’, someone changes it back to ‘retired’.

“So obviously someone wants me to retire, so it is what it is.”

The interviewer then joked that the IP Address would probably show Wilder is the culprit editing Fury’s page.

Joshua’s suffered a shock defeat to Usyk in September (Image: Getty)

The Gypsy King, however, cheekily hinted it could be Anthony Joshua, saying: “Maybe [the IP Address] is coming from London.”

There had been massive speculation over Fury’s next bout, after last month’s knockout win in the Gypsy King’s trilogy fight against Wilder.

Fury dropped the Bronze Bomber three times in Las Vegas, ultimately knocking the Alabama-native out in the 11th round.

Some quarters had hoped for a unification bout against Oleksandr Usyk or an eagerly anticipated clash with Joshua.

However hopes of seeing Fury fight either heavyweight were dashed when Joshua’s camp triggered a rematch after the Ukrainian dismantled British boxing’s poster boy in September.

In turn Whyte, who was standing as the mandatory challenger for the WBC heavyweight title after beating Alexander Povetkin, was always Fury’s likely next opponent.

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard

Basketball

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November 3, 2021

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Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard

Nov 1, 2021

Tim BontempsESPN

PHILADELPHIA — After yet another ugly individual performance Monday night in a season full of them so far, Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard said his poor start is a chance for him to show the world what he’s really about.

“I always look at struggles as an opportunity to show my true character,” Lillard said after finishing with 20 points and 10 assists, but shooting just 7-for-20 from the field and 2-for-9 from 3-point range in a 113-103 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

“When things go great there’s a lot of praise that goes along with that. A lot of people give you a lot of credit. They speak highly of you on social media, TV. ‘Oh Dame had 60, Dame had 50.’ They speak really highly of you. But I think it says more when you’re going through something and s— is kind of hitting the fan and you’re struggling and everybody’s got something to say and to me the real ones, they can keep on trucking and keep on going and still find a way to get the job done.

“And, me personally, I love when those opportunities present themselves. Because when I am riding high and when I do get smoking hot and when I get going people are going to look at it and be like, ‘We remember when you were struggling and you didn’t shy away from it.’ I think it will be more respect for the success when they see how you handle failure and how you handle struggle.”

Lillard added: “So, personally, I embrace that. It’s not fun. It’s not easy but it’s part of my DNA. That’s how I got to this position. I’m not angry about it. I’m frustrated with it. I do see it as a challenge and it’s one I accept and I know I’ll come out on top like I always do.”

Monday night, however, saw both Lillard individually and Portland as a team fail to come out on top once again.

Lillard, who entered the game against the 76ers averaging career lows in points (18.3), field goal percentage (34.9%) and 3-point shooting (23.2%), once again couldn’t get going outside of a brief seven-point surge in the middle of the fourth quarter. That allowed Philadelphia, which played the game without Ben Simmons Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris and lost Danny Green (left hamstring tightness) in the third quarter, to lead virtually the entire game for a stunning victory.

“I didn’t like our mindset,” coach Chauncey Billups said after his team lost for a second straight night. “I thought we just traded baskets with them. Complained a lot about the no calls and things and I was too. It’s kind of eye-opening, but it just is what it is. We’re pretty much in the same space we were in the night before, let’s come out and be better in the second half and we just didn’t man, we just didn’t.

“We didn’t have it defensively. We were a step behind. And yeah it’s a back-to-back, and they were waiting on us, but it’s still a basketball game.”

The focus afterward, though, was on Lillard and his ongoing offensive struggles. After spending the first nine seasons of his career playing for one coach, Terry Stotts, who ran an offense full of a healthy diet of the high ball screens that turned Lillard into one of the game’s most lethal scorers, Billups has implemented an offensive scheme this year that has more ball movement in an attempt to get others involved.

“Yeah. I mean, you probably can put some of that on it,” Billups said of the changes to the offense impacting both Lillard and longtime running mate CJ McCollum. “They both have done a good job of just trying to do what’s kind of been asked. Defenses are obviously doing the same thing with Dame. They trap him, he’s doing a good job of getting off of it and there’s too many times where we don’t make teams pay for that.”

Lillard, though, wasn’t about to make excuses.

“I have no excuses,” Lillard said, adding he doesn’t have any injury issues, either, after dealing with an abdominal problem with Team USA at the Olympics this summer. “I don’t know what y’all want me to say about it. I prepared well for the season, my mind is clear.

“I don’t have no reason for it. I don’t have nothing to lean on. I’m not shooting the ball well, and for our team to be successful I’ve got to shoot the ball better, and I accept that. I know that I’m going to shoot the ball better and I know what it’s going to look like and I’ve done it many times.”

Lillard, who was named one of the NBA’s 75 greatest players last month and is in his 10th NBA season, got plenty of clean looks at the basket — just as he did in Sunday night’s loss to Charlotte, where he went 5-for-20 from the field and 2-for-14 from deep. At times Monday, he almost looked in disbelief at the ball not going through the basket, including one moment late in the second quarter when, after another miss, he put his hands on his knees and ruefully shook his head as both teams headed to the bench for a timeout.

But while he said there’s moments of frustration, he said the work he’s put in over his career prevents him from getting too down about an off shooting night or two, knowing that things will eventually turn around.

“Honestly, it’s not as hard as it would seem,” he said. “That’s the best way for me to answer it. The easiest way for me to describe it is frustration. You come off and it’s like ‘All right, I’ve got a clean look,’ and it [doesn’t] go in it’s like, ‘Damn, I needed that one to go in.’

“It’s more frustration than anything, just because of what you expect from yourself. … It’s important to be able to stay level and keep your mind right and keep your mind strong. I focus on finding solutions and that’s without doing nothing crazy to search for a solution. Being unsure and not trusting my work. I practice, I show up, I go through my routine, I do everything to take care of my body, I get my shots up, I’m sharp with everything I do.

“Sometimes failure is a part of it, coming up short is a part of it and I don’t know what else to say other than that I accept the failure, you know what I mean? I’m obviously not going to settle with it. I’m going to keep taking the same shots, I’m going to keep being aggressive, but you’ve got to accept that it’s part of it and you’ve got to keep the belief and keep doing the things that’s going to give you a chance to come out of it and be successful and that’s what I’ve done.”

As Philadelphia waits to see what is going to happen with Simmons, who is out indefinitely due to personal reasons, the longstanding desire of 76ers fans is that Simmons could be the cornerstone of a massive trade package to bring Lillard here to pair him with Embiid.

Before the game, the fans — as usual — booed the other four Blazers when they were introduced. When Lillard was introduced, however, they erupted into cheers.

“Honestly, it doesn’t shift my focus either way,” Lillard said. “During starting lineups, they were booing everybody and then they cheered when I came through. I thought that was funny. That comes with professional sports. It’s fun, it’s a public thing, so I’m not uptight about it or acting like I don’t recognize it.

“I know what it is and I know what it’s about. But I’m a Trail Blazer. I appreciate the love. I appreciate the respect that they showed and the desire or whatever but I’m 10 toes in Rip City, and I’ve said that time and time again and tonight I laughed about it during starting lineups but that was that.”

Twice during the game, there were brief “We want Lillard!” chants.

“Yeah, I heard it,” Lillard said, before adding with a smile, “I mean, it’s the City of Brotherly Love, I guess. They showed the brother some love. They showed me some love, but that was it.”

Billups admitted he heard them, too.

“I mean, I wasn’t surprised at all,” Billups said. “When they were saying, ‘We want Lillard,’ I was saying, ‘We do, too.’

“I mean, I understand and I get it. Philly’s got a great fan base, they pull no punches. I’ve always appreciated that about this city.”

Atlanta Braves win 1st World Series title since 1995, defeating Houston Astros 7-0 – National

Sport News

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November 3, 2021

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Atlanta Braves win 1st World Series title since 1995, defeating Houston Astros 7-0 – National

Most of the season, it just seemed this wasn’t their year.

They dropped their first four games, and soon injuries piled up. They lost their most dynamic player before the All-Star break. They were stuck below .500 in August.

Yet out of nowhere, suddenly, these Atlanta Braves transformed themselves and took off.

Jorge Soler, Freddie Freeman and the Braves breezed to their first World Series championship since 1995, hammering the Houston Astros 7-0 Tuesday night in Game 6.

How proud The Hammer himself would’ve been.

Max Fried threw six shutout innings in the signature pitching performance of the Series. Soler, a July acquisition who tested positive for COVID-19 in the playoffs, backed him early with a monster three-run shot for his third homer against the Astros.

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Freeman hit an RBI double and then punctuated the romp with a solo home run in the seventh that made it 7-0.

By then, it was a total team effort. Ailing star Ronald Acuna Jr., the dynamo of Atlanta’s future, bounded from the dugout to join the celebration for Freeman, the longtime face of the franchise.

A mere afterthought in the summer heat among the land of the Giants, White Sox and Dodgers, but magnificent in the Fall Classic.

Soler tapped his heart twice before beginning his home run trot after connecting off rookie Luis Garcia in the third inning, sending the ball flying completely out of Minute Maid Park. Dansby Swanson also homered and by the final out, nothing could stop them.

Not a broken leg sustained by starter Charlie Morton in the World Series opener. Not a big blown lead in Game 5.

Steadied by 66-year-old manager Brian Snitker, an organization man for four decades, the underdog Braves won the franchise’s fourth title.

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Consider it a tribute to the greatest Braves player of them all, Mr. Hank Aaron. The Hall of Fame slugger died Jan. 22 at 86, still rooting for his old team, and his legacy was stamped all over this Series.

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For 72-year-old Houston manager Dusty Baker, a disappointment. But for many fans still rooting against the Astros in the wake of their 2017 sign-stealing scandal, some satisfaction.

Major credit for the Braves, too, goes to general manager Alex Anthopoulos. Undaunted by Acuna’s knee injury, he pulled off a flurry of July trades that brought the Fab Four to the outfield — NL Championship Series MVP Eddie Rosario, Adam Duvall, Joc Pederson and Soler.

But even in the Analytics Era, guided by a GM fully versed in new-age ways, the path these Braves took wouldn’t add up in any computer. Especially with how things looked in midseason.

“At that time, we were searching,” third baseman Austin Riley said before Game 6. “I think there’s no question about that.”

Minus Acuna, Atlanta wasn’t over .500 for a single day until the first week in August. The Braves finished 88-73 for the 12th-best record in the majors and fewest victories among playoff teams; their win total was the lowest for a World Series champion since St. Louis’ 83 in 2006.

Plus, the agonizing history of sports in Atlanta, a city where no team had won a title in the four major pro sports besides 1995.

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The Braves couldn’t convert a three games-to-one advantage over the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series last year. The Hawks fell short in the NBA Finals last season. And then there was the big one, the Falcons blowing a 28-3 lead to the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

But these Braves, not this time.

Favored in spring training to win their fourth straight NL East title, the Braves lost Acuna to a torn knee in July. Earlier, 2020 Triple Crown contender Marcell Ozuna was injured and later placed on leave while Major League Baseball investigated him under its domestic violence policy. Projected ace Mike Soroka never got back from Achilles injury.

Going into the playoffs, their bullpen was a crazy patchwork.

They had a guy who made his big league debut in October, a lefty who was pitching in 2019 for the Texas AirHogs in a now-defunct independent league and a righty who was stacking boxes at an appliance warehouse a decade ago. Toss in a rookie who was off the roster a week ago as he watched Game 1 at a hotel in suburban Atlanta.

For sure, plenty of fans around the country were rooting hard against Jose Altuve and the Houston crew. Many continue to heckle them as the “Cheatin’ Astros” for an illegal sign-stealing scheme on the way to their 2017 title, and those feelings might last forever.

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Certainly a lot of people were cheering for Baker. A World Series winner as a player and a highly respected figure on and off the field, he wasn’t able to check the final box on his resume as a championship skipper.

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The Braves’ crowns have been spread out over more than a century.

The 1995 Atlanta champs featured five future Hall of Famers: rookie Chipper Jones, aces Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz, and manager Bobby Cox. Those rings were the lone pieces of hardware that resulted from 14 straight division titles.

The 1957 Milwaukee Braves were led by Aaron in his only NL MVP season. His 44 was painted in large numbers on the outfield grass at Truist Park, and Baker and Snitker often mentioned how much he’d meant to them.

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There were the 1914 Boston Braves, too, dubbed the “Miracle Braves” back in the day. In last place on the Fourth of July, they surged to win the pennant, then upset a heavily favored team — the Philadelphia A’s — to earn their nickname.

Sound familiar?

The Braves’ previous title came at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, their first home after moving from Milwaukee to the Deep South in 1966. Then there was Turner Field before the team uprooted from downtown and decided to sprawl into the suburbs.

Truist Park was packed and the outside plazas were jammed over the weekend, and pulsating crowds filled Minute Maid Park.

Quite a change from last October. Only a limited capacity was permitted for that World Series as the Dodgers beat Tampa Bay at a neutral-site stadium in Arlington, Texas — that followed a total shutout for fans during a regular season shortened because of the coronavirus.

Now, all of baseball waits to see whether spring training is on deck in a little over three months. A squabble between owners and players threatens soon to shut down the sport.

In the meantime, the sport can savor a year in which things, slowly, started to get back to normal.

Knocks for Rohr over Ighalo’s recall to Super Eagles

Football

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November 3, 2021

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Former Green Eagles winger, Adegoke Adelabu, has said the decision by coach Gernot Rohr to recall Saudi Arabia-based Odion Ighalo to the Super Eagles is a clear indication that Nigeria is not focused in developing football.

The post Knocks for Rohr over Ighalo’s recall to Super Eagles appeared first on The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News.

SugarHill Steward outlines why Fury is ‘serious’ about training Joshua | Boxing | Sport

Boxing

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November 3, 2021

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SugarHill Steward outlines why Fury is ‘serious’ about training Joshua | Boxing | Sport

Tyson Fury’s offer to coach Anthony Joshua wasn’t a joke, according to his trainer SugarHill Steward. Joshua was left stunned in September when he was outclassed by Oleksandr Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, losing his WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight belts to the Ukrainian in the process.

The 32-year-old responded by immediately invoking his rematch clause, and now he and southpaw Usyk, 34, are currently negotiating a second bout to be held in spring 2022.

When he learnt of the development, Fury told ILF TV he believed he could help ‘AJ’ avenge his defeat, saying: “I feel I can give him the mental toughness, to give him the ability to beat Usyk. I could give him the right instructions to do the job.

“It’s not that his own trainer can’t, but there is a way that you can beat Usyk and only I can teach him that.”

Fury did emphasise that he would only fulfil his pledge if he himself was able to beat Deontay Wilder in their trilogy fight, a feat he duly achieved in a thrilling bout in Las Vegas, as the 33-year-old retained his WBC and Ring Magazine titles.

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His offer to help his heavyweight rival was widely viewed as goading, with Joshua himself making light of the remarks by joking “maybe he’s after a quid or two.”

However, Steward, who was appointed Fury’s head trainer in 2019, claimed in an interview with talkSPORT that his man was being entirely genuine.

“We are 100 per cent serious about helping Joshua in camp. We want him to defeat Usyk, for a start, because we want to see Fury against Joshua, and so do all the fans of boxing in the world,” he said.

‘It is not a ruse or a joke, we would happily help Joshua because he is capable of beating Usyk in the rematch, and this is nothing new. In the old days, all boxers travelled to different gyms for assistance. This is a sport, and we have to think of it as a sport.”

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A bout between Fury and Joshua has long been touted, and it seemed the pair would finally get their wish this year as they began negotiations, only for Wilder to win a subsequent legal case which ruled Fury had to face the American for a third time before he fought anyone else.

It was then assumed that wins for both fighters this winter would finally pave the way for a match-up in early 2022, only for Joshua to suffer his second professional defeat at the hands of Usyk.

Steward, who was formerly known as Javan Hill before changing his name, said the all-British fight still needs to happen for the sake of the sport.

“Never forget that when heavyweight boxing is strong, the whole of boxing is strong,” Steward said. “The biggest fight in the sport is Fury versus Joshua, and we all know what that would do for the sport with the two of them fighting for the undisputed crown. It couldn’t be bigger.”

ITTF Africa Western Region Championship commences in Lagos — Sport — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News

Tennis

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November 2, 2021

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ITTF Africa Western Region Championship commences in Lagos — Sport — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), Africa Western Region Championship, will kick-starts today at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Host, Nigeria and six West Africa neighbours, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin Republic, Togo and Liberia will take part in the four-day championship in seven events.

According to ITTF Africa Western Region Secretary-General, Germain Karou, the challenge will mark a return to competition in the region after the COVID-19 pandemic setback, adding that all the participating countries have arrived for the rivalry, as the venue for the contest is also ready to host an epic encounters.

“We are happy that our region is getting back to action after the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented the staging of the tournament in 2020.

“But as usual Lagos being the host of table tennis; we will be treated to exciting matches from teams and players from the region.

“It promises to be explosive as some of the players are ready to clinch the titles in the absence of top players like Quadri Aruna in the region,” Karou, who is also the president of Cote d’Ivoire Table Tennis Federation, stated.

Speaking on the state’s preparedness, the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) Chairman, Sola Aiyepeku, has said that the state is ready to host the competition in compliance with COVID-19 protocol.

“We will do everything to show our visitors that ‘This is Lagos’ by ensuring they enjoy their stay in Lagos and partake in an exciting hitch-free tournament.

“More importantly, we want to create a veritable platform for our players in Africa to demonstrate and improve their skills. This will go a long way to identifying, promoting and preparing them ahead of future competitions beyond the continent,” he said.

Why, at age 66, is Greg Norman leading another charge to challenge the PGA Tour?

Golf

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November 2, 2021

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Why, at age 66, is Greg Norman leading another charge to challenge the PGA Tour?

Along with an ability to drive a golf ball better than anyone with a persimmon club, Greg Norman had a keen awareness of his own worth as a golfer, especially as it applied to securing fees for his participation.

Norman makes no secret of this. The Australian golfer who earned the nickname the “Great White Shark” and suffered heartbreak along with an abundance of success throughout a Hall of Fame career knew that the best golf in the world was being played on the PGA Tour in the United States.

But he also saw opportunity beyond the tour’s borders, and always wanted to explore them. Starting in 1984, when he played his first full season on the PGA Tour and won his first tournament at the Kemper Open, he always wondered why his ability to play around the world came with stipulations.

As a member of the PGA Tour, he had rules to adhere to and permissions to obtain. And to this day … it bugs him.

“It still frustrated me to death why, as an independent contractor, I couldn’t get out there and expand on my true market value that I truly believe I had,” Norman said. “Same with all the other players.”

And here we are.

Nearly 30 years after Norman first attempted to start a rival tour that would bring the best players together at venues around the world for guaranteed money and lucrative purses, he is now the commissioner of an upstart league that has yet to be publicly named but is busy behind the scenes working to secure people in leadership roles and several players — who, if signed — would give the venture credibility.

Having been anointed the CEO of this new venture called LIV Golf Investments, Norman unveiled a limited amount of plans last week.

How this plays out over the following weeks and months will be fascinating to follow, but Norman’s role is instructive. He — along with the late Seve Ballesteros — battled the PGA Tour’s hierarchy in the early 1980s. Norman sought — with the help of Fox Sports — to launch a World Tour in 1994 that was eventually thwarted by then-PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem.

Now he’s back for another try, but with many of the same questions still to be answered.

“I always wanted to understand why we were stuck in a box,” said Norman, 66, the winner of 20 PGA Tour events and 88 worldwide who was ranked No. 1 in the world for 331 weeks. “In [1993-94], I thought of this idea of how do we get the best players to play against each other on more of a regular basis and give them an annuity into the future.

“I always thought if I could do something for my fellow players and carry the burden of responsibility … I just thought there was a better way, why I thought of this World Golf Tour, where they could have ownership. That’s thinking out of the box. That’s thinking like an independent contractor. Like an entrepreneur. Understanding the marketplace.”

This is not a purely altruistic endeavor for Norman. He is not designating his business interests in the Greg Norman Company to be handled by someone else simply for the good of his fellow players.

Norman will be paid handsomely for his time, popularity and expertise. And with the backing of the Public Investment Fund — the sovereign wealth fund of the Saudi Arabian government — there is a seemingly endless supply of money to take care of him and all the needs of the new league, along with the scrutiny he will face at every turn for being associated with the Saudi government.

The term “independent contractor” is likely to be one that gets a lot of attention as this situation moves forward. PGA Tour players are independent contractors, but with enormous benefits: a pension plan, health care benefits, weekly perks for being members of the tour.

The FedEx Cup bonus money is paid out to 150 places. Purses continue to go up. Jon Rahm led the money list last season with more than $7 million in official earnings. Patrick Cantlay was second and earned another $15 million for capturing the FedEx Cup. There were 67 players who earned more than $2 million in official earnings. Another 57 players earned $1 million or more.

Life on the PGA Tour is pretty good. But the key word is “earned.” Other sports give guaranteed deals, something not available for PGA Tour players. The opportunity to do that exists when traveling to events that will pay appearance fees. That is the crux of Norman’s issue. Why are players not allowed to freely play where they want?

As an Australian, Norman wanted to support his home circuit, his home events. He won the Australian Open five times, the Australian Masters six times. He also won another 22 Australasian Tour events.

But while a member of the PGA Tour, he had to seek and be granted releases to go play them.

The tour long ago shrewdly set up a system that requires players to sign over their media rights when they become members. That means they can’t just play wherever they want. It’s why when Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson played their Las Vegas “winner take all” $9 million match in 2018, the tour got a piece of the action.

It is simply protecting itself. The tour wants to tell sponsors its players will be available. Hence it requires them to play a minimum of 15 events, and seek releases to participate in tournaments staged on other tours, even exhibitions. It’s one of the reasons the PGA Tour enjoys a lucrative television contract and can offer purses that make even average players very wealthy.

The number of releases granted is typically three per season. To get more than that requires negotiation, and the tour likely will receive some sort of guarantee from the player: an extra start somewhere; a visit to a place he has not played previously.

All of that seems reasonable. Even though they are independent contractors, they are joining a player-based association that has rules. You can abide by them or not; Norman always did but felt frustrated that he was constricted, because securing five, six or seven releases became prohibitive.

The crux here is that a player who wants to compete on the PGA Tour as well as this new league Norman is championing will undoubtedly need more than three releases to make it work. How is it in the best interests of the PGA Tour to grant them?

“We are not here to pick a fight,” Norman said.

And yet, it seems like that is exactly what is coming.

The New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors and the hottest teams in the league

Basketball

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November 2, 2021

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The New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors and the hottest teams in the league

After falling to 3-4, the Milwaukee Bucks have forfeited the No. 1 spot this week. The Utah Jazz, who were the league’s final unbeaten team before falling to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, handed Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks their third straight loss on their way to the top of our list.

Another Western Conference team — the Golden State Warriors — is also surging with a 5-1 record entering Week 3. Stephen Curry has averaged 28.7 points per game and is getting a lift from a revived bench. Rookie Jonathan Kuminga made his NBA debut Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, notching his first points with a 3.

In the East, the New York Knicks continue to climb the rankings after a 5-1 start. With the usual contenders off to slow starts, the East is open for the Knicks, Bulls and Washington Wizards to claim.

Will the Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets get back on track? Can the Knicks, Warriors and Jazz maintain this level of play? Our experts break down all 30 teams.

Note: Throughout the regular season, our panel (Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Nick Friedell, Andrew Lopez, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin and Ohm Youngmisuk) is ranking all 30 teams from top to bottom, taking stock of which teams are playing the best basketball now and which teams are looking most like title contenders.

1. Utah Jazz
2021-22 record: 5-1
Previous ranking: 2

Utah was the league’s last undefeated team before losing to the Bulls on Saturday night, when point guard Mike Conley Jr. rested as a precaution on the front end of a back-to-back. The Jazz’s 5-1 record is the franchise’s best start since 2008-09. Rudy Gobert became the first player in NBA history to record at least 16 points and 14 rebounds in each of the first five games of a season. — MacMahon

This week: SAC, @ATL, @MIA, @ORL

2. Miami Heat
2021-22 record: 5-1
Previous ranking: 6

The Heat went 4-0 over the week and look like the type of Eastern Conference front-runner that they appeared to be before the season started. Jimmy Butler is averaging 25.3 points a game so far and is a major reason why Miami plays with such edge. Erik Spoelstra & Co. have an interesting matchup against the Jazz on Saturday before going on their first West Coast swing of the season. — Friedell

This week: @DAL, BOS, UTAH

3. Brooklyn Nets
2021-22 record: 4-3
Previous ranking: 4

It’s only seven games, but: James Harden is currently averaging fewer points per game (18.7) than he has since he was a backup in Oklahoma City a decade ago and he is currently shooting what would be a career-worst 39.8% from the field. Harden’s past two games, however, against Indiana (29 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists) and Detroit (18 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists) were steps in the right direction. — Bontemps

This week: ATL, @DET, @TOR

4. Golden State Warriors
2021-22 record: 5-1
Previous ranking: 5

The Warriors finally dropped their first game of the season Thursday to Ja Morant and the Grizzlies, but everything is looking up for a veteran team on the rise. They have six straight games at home over the next two weeks as they continue to see former All-Star Klay Thompson inching closer to a return. Steve Kerr and his staff are feeling good about the direction of the first month. — Friedell

This week: CHA, NO, HOU

5. Milwaukee Bucks
2021-22 record: 3-4
Previous ranking: 1

The Bucks are missing significant firepower on offense, which has contributed to their early-season struggles and a three-game losing streak to close the week. Jrue Holiday (ankle) and Brook Lopez (back) were both sidelined all week, although Holiday has started practicing again, while Khris Middleton missed Sunday’s game with an illness. It’s left Antetokounmpo carrying a heavy workload early on while their rotation is depleted. — Collier

This week: @DET, NY, @WAS

6. Denver Nuggets
2021-22 record: 4-2
Previous ranking: 3

The season came to a halt when Nikola Jokic was writhing in pain holding his right knee after knocking knees with Gobert on Tuesday in Utah. Fortunately for the Nuggets, Jokic had nothing more than a bruised right knee that cost him no more than the second half against the Jazz in that 122-110 loss. Jokic returned to action Friday against Dallas and got the Nuggets to turn a two-game slide into what is now a two-game winning streak. Denver is 4-2, despite Jamal Murray‘s absence and Michael Porter Jr. shooting 33.3% from the field. — Youngmisuk

This week: @MEM, @MEM, HOU

7. New York Knicks
2021-22 record: 5-1
Previous ranking: 11

A perfect week has the Knicks sitting in a four-way tie for the best record in the Eastern Conference. A pair of strong games by Kemba Walker against Philadelphia and Chicago were also a reminder of the impact he can have in his timeshare at the point alongside Derrick Rose, a duo that’s playing out exactly as the Knicks hoped. — Bontemps

This week: TOR, @IND, @MIL, CLE

8. Philadelphia 76ers
2021-22 record: 4-2
Previous ranking: 7

Ben Simmons remains sidelined, and Joel Embiid‘s knee remains a concern. Still, Saturday’s dominant win over Atlanta is a reminder that, even without Simmons, Philadelphia can be an imposing defensive team — and that Matisse Thybulle, who had four steals and three blocks in 23 minutes off the bench, is a terror for opposing guards and wings. — Bontemps

This week: POR, CHI, @DET, @CHI

9. Chicago Bulls
2021-22 record: 5-1
Previous ranking: 10

An up-and-down week for the Bulls could go a long way toward proving that they can be a legit playoff team. After a win in Toronto to start the week, they bounced back from a close loss at home against the Knicks to hand the Jazz their first loss of the season. The Bulls will have their already thin depth tested with Patrick Williams out for 4 to 6 months with a wrist injury and Zach LaVine playing through a thumb injury on his non-shooting hand. And more tests are on the way with matchups against Eastern Conference foes, the Celtics and Sixers, due up this week. — Collier

This week: @BOS, @PHI, PHI

10. Los Angeles Lakers
2021-22 record: 4-3
Previous ranking: 8

Let the Carmelo Anthony for Sixth Man of the Year campaign begin. The 19-year gunner has scored 20 points or more off the bench three times so far this season, with L.A. going 3-0 in those games. In the third game against Houston, Anthony registered four blocks and two steals — reaching that stat line for the first time since 2003. “I didn’t expect to see him have a defensive performance like he did tonight,” coach Frank Vogel said. — McMenamin

This week: HOU, OKC, @POR

11. Dallas Mavericks
2021-22 record: 4-2
Previous ranking: 13

The optimism about Kristaps Porzingis, who entered the season as healthy and happy as he’s been since arriving in Dallas, has taken a hit. He’s been ineffective and injured so far this season. Porzingis shot 30.2% from the floor in the three games he played and has missed the past three games due to lower back tightness. — MacMahon

This week: MIA, @SA, BOS

12. Washington Wizards
2021-22 record: 5-1
Previous ranking: 16

The Wizards are 5-1 for the first time since 2005-06 and are riding a three-game winning streak. Tommy Sheppard’s offseason moves are looking good early as Kyle Kuzma is off to a good bounce-back start and looking like a rebounding presence with 17 and 17 in a double-OT win over Boston. Montrezl Harrell has three straight double-doubles and is looking like the Trez who won Sixth Man of the Year in 2019-20. Spencer Dinwiddie has given the Wizards the scoring punch they envisioned, and Bradley Beal is starting to heat up, averaging 31.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and seven assists in his past two games. — Youngmisuk

This week: @ATL, TOR, MEM, MIL

13. Charlotte Hornets
2021-22 record: 5-2
Previous ranking: 14

Charlotte got a nice lift from LaMelo Ball and Kelly Oubre Jr. during Sunday’s win over the Trail Blazers to finish the week at 2-2. The pair combined for 53 points for a team that loves getting up and down the court. The Hornets have an intriguing matchup on Wednesday against Curry and the Warriors, as Oubre gets to see his old teammates for the first time. Ball also gets to remind Golden State what might have been if it had selected him — not 2020 No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman. — Friedell

This week: CLE, @GS, @SAC, @LAC

14. Atlanta Hawks
2021-22 record: 3-3
Previous ranking: 9

In Wednesday’s victory against New Orleans, Trae Young reached 5,000 career points in his 208th career game, the quickest in franchise history to reach that point total, ahead of Bob Pettit (212), Pete Maravich (218), Joe Johnson (227) and Dominique Wilkins (230). — Lopez

This week: WAS, @BKN, UTAH, @PHX

15. Phoenix Suns
2021-22 record: 2-3
Previous ranking: 12

Phoenix was in danger of losing its third straight game when it trailed Cleveland by 14 points in the second quarter Saturday. But then the Suns responded by going on a 50-12 run over the next 16 minutes of play that helped carry them to the victory instead of sliding to 1-4. — Lopez

This week: NO, HOU, ATL

16. Memphis Grizzlies
2021-22 record: 3-3
Previous ranking: 15

At 6-foot-3, 174 pounds, Morant is dominating around (and above) the rim. According to NBA.com/stats, Morant ranks fourth in the NBA in field goals within 5 feet of the rim, shooting 36-of-55 (65.5%) from short range. He is averaging 12.2 points per game just off of drives, fueling one of the most prolific scoring binges in Grizzlies’ history. Only Marc Gasol has scored more points in a five-game span in a Memphis uniform than Morant’s 152 over his first five games this season. — MacMahon

This week: DEN, DEN, @WAS

17. Portland Trail Blazers
2021-22 record: 3-3
Previous ranking: 17

The Blazers continue to search for a rhythm under new coach Chauncey Billups. After starting the week with a 30-point loss to the Clippers, the Blazers rebounded by beating Memphis by 20 and routing the Clippers by 19. But then they lost by 12 to the Hornets on Sunday to open a three-game road trip. Damian Lillard has yet to explode this season, but CJ McCollum has been steady, leading the team in scoring in five of its six games this season. — Youngmisuk

This week: @PHI, @CLE, IND, LAL

18. Toronto Raptors
2021-22 record: 4-3
Previous ranking: 22

Toronto is thrilled with what it’s getting from Scottie Barnes. The fourth overall pick in July’s NBA draft is averaging 18.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, shooting 55% from the field and is the early front-runner in the Rookie of the Year race. — Bontemps

This week: @NYK, @WAS, CLE, BKN

19. Boston Celtics
2021-22 record: 2-4
Previous ranking: 19

After Saturday’s heartbreaking loss in Washington, the Celtics have now dropped two double-overtime games in the first two weeks of the regular season and have already played five overtime periods in their first six contests. For a team dealing with a series of injuries and COVID-19 absences, the extra minutes have been an added strain. — Bontemps

This week: CHI, @ORL, @MIA, @DAL

20. Sacramento Kings
2021-22 record: 3-3
Previous ranking: 23

Sacramento’s unblemished road record took its first hit with a 105-99 loss in Dallas on Sunday. As if the 2018 NBA draft hasn’t haunted Kings fans enough, the fact that Luka Doncic put up 23 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds, while Marvin Bagley III picked up his fifth DNP-CD out of Sacramento’s six games this season only punctuated the pain. — McMenamin

This week: @UTA, NOP, CHA, IND

21. Minnesota Timberwolves
2021-22 record: 3-2
Previous ranking: 20

A midweek victory over the Bucks in Milwaukee helped maintain the positive momentum in Minnesota, even if the Timberwolves dropped the other two of their three games last week. They are off to a promising start thanks to the offensive firepower of their young trio, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell, while the Wolves have been a surprising top-five defense early on. — Collier

This week: ORL, LAC, LAC

22. Cleveland Cavaliers
2021-22 record: 3-4
Previous ranking: 25

Evan Mobley returned to Los Angeles — he played his college ball at USC — and made it quite the homecoming. He put up 23 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals and helped the Cavs give the Lakers a legitimate scare before L.A. pulled away. “They got a good one,” LeBron James said of Mobley afterward. “Cleveland has a good one. They’ve done a good job over the years in the draft, I’ll say.” — McMenamin

This week: @CHA, POR, @TOR, @NYK

23. LA Clippers
2021-22 record: 1-4
Previous ranking: 18

The Clippers have struggled to rediscover the connectivity they had during last season’s run to the Western Conference finals. With Kawhi Leonard and Serge Ibaka out and Marcus Morris Sr. missing the past three games due to injury, the Clippers are off to a 1-4 start. Paul George continues to do everything he can to carry the load, scoring 42 points in a loss to Portland — the second time this season he has cracked 40 points. But he needs more help. In that 19-point loss at Portland, Luke Kennard was the only other Clipper to score in double figures. Coach Ty Lue isn’t overreacting, but the Clippers have dropped their past two games by an average of 16 points. — Youngmisuk

This week: OKC, @MIN, @MIN, CHA

24. San Antonio Spurs
2021-22 record: 2-4
Previous ranking: 24

For the second time in his career, Dejounte Murray scored at least 20 points in three consecutive games, starting with a 21-point, 15-assist, 12-rebound effort in an overtime loss to the Lakers. While Murray’s usage rate (24.7%) is the highest of his career, his turnover rate is the second-lowest (10.4%), which is in line with his career best he set a season ago (10.2%). — Lopez

This week: @IND, DAL, @ORL, @OKC

25. Indiana Pacers
2021-22 record: 1-6
Previous ranking: 21

The Pacers dropped four straight games this week to fall to 1-6, their worst start since the 2014-15 season. No team has rebounded from such a start to make the playoffs since the 2009-10 Miami Heat. The good news is that Caris LeVert made his season debut Saturday — albeit on a minutes restriction — as Indiana (17th in offense, 23rd in defense) needs help on both ends of the floor right now. — Collier

This week: SAS, NYK, @POR, @SAC

26. Houston Rockets
2021-22 record: 1-5
Previous ranking: 26

Christian Wood is an exception on the rebuilding Rockets as a core player who is in his prime. Wood, 26, has been Houston’s most productive player, averaging 19.2 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. It remains to be determined whether Wood has more value as a long-term fit with the Rockets’ developing young talent or as an attractive trade option. — MacMahon

This week: @LAL, @PHX, @DEN, @GSW

27. New Orleans Pelicans
2021-22 record: 1-6
Previous ranking: 27

After picking up its first win of the season on Monday against the Timberwolves, New Orleans couldn’t get another in a three-game homestand against Atlanta, Sacramento and New York. The Pelicans lost all three games by a combined 13 points; the team just didn’t have enough down the stretch as it continues to play without Zion Williamson. — Lopez

This week: @PHX, @SAC, @GSW

28. Orlando Magic
2021-22 record: 1-6
Previous ranking: 28

The good news for the Magic is that after Monday’s game on the road against the Timberwolves, they have five straight contests at home. The bad news is that after an impressive win last Sunday night against the Knicks, they’ve dropped four straight with a schedule that isn’t letting up anytime soon. On a small positive note, rookie Franz Wagner has scored in double figures in each of his first seven games, including 19 in Saturday’s loss to the Pistons. — Friedell

This week: @MIN, BOS, SAS, UTA

29. Detroit Pistons
2021-22 record: 1-5
Previous ranking: 29

The best news for Pistons fans is that Cade Cunningham finally made his season debut Saturday after an ankle injury cost him the first four games of the regular season. His stat line was quiet — two points, seven rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes — and the team rested him for the second half of their back-to-back Sunday. But a new era in Detroit is finally ready to begin and the Pistons are ready to see what their No. 1 overall pick can do. — Collier

This week: MIL, PHI, BKN

30. Oklahoma City Thunder
2021-22 record: 1-5
Previous ranking: 30

Rookie forward Josh Giddey, 19, has displayed the playmaking ability that prompted the Thunder to select him with the No. 6 overall pick. The 6-foot-8 Giddey leads all rookies with 5.7 assists per game. He had 10 assists in the Thunder’s comeback win over the Lakers. The only player younger to record double-figure dimes in a game, per ESPN Stats & Information research: a kid named LeBron James. — MacMahon

This week: @LAC, @LAL, SAS

Wolff: Russell knows the boundaries within Mercedes

F1

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November 2, 2021

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Wolff: Russell knows the boundaries within Mercedes

George Russell & Toto Wolff Mercedes watch Hamilton

George Russell will be a Mercedes driver next year, joining fellow Briton Lewis Hamilton in the German team however, while on paper it’s a top line-up, there are Formula 1 fans and pundits predicting fireworks but team boss Toto Wolff says their new driver knows the drill.

Mercedes decided that Valtteri Bottas is not the heir apparent for the second ride with the team he joined in 2017, instead, they have hedged their bets on Russell taking over the baton from Hamilton; the question is when does the baton exchange hands and how?

At 23, Russell is getting the break of his life as he gets the most coveted seat in motorsport and will be looking to hit the ground running and deliver from day one, exactly as he did when he got that famous one race chance in Bahrain to sub for an ill Lewis, losing the race only because Mercedes fumbled badly on the day.

Meanwhile, 36-year-old Hamilton is likely to continue to rule the roost for as long as he is around while providing the lofty benchmark for his younger teammate to aspire to, which in itself should be a challenge as Bottas has learnt. But then Russell is no Bottas, it seems…

Speaking to Sportsmail, Wolff said of the Hamilton-Russell partnership for 2021: “This is Mercedes. We have no place for the genius jerk. Even a superstar driver has to respect team values.

“With Lewis, we’ve been eight years together now. He’s not an arrogant, spoiled little kid. He’s a mature racer who has won seven titles, six with us, so we can take those moments, it’s part of our role to be a trash bin for the driver sometimes.

“In the car, you can get very frustrated and emotional. You are racing at 200mph, in the rain, you have no idea about the overall picture of the race and decisions are being made that you cannot understand. In the early years, I would bite back at Lewis.

‘He was very young and I had to make the point that I wouldn’t allow the driver to bad-mouth the team. But we’ve been moved on from there a long time. Still, I wouldn’t hesitate in the future if a driver talked bad about the team or wasn’t appropriate, I would first deal with it internally and if that didn’t yield results I would take the driver out of the car. On the bench, yes.”

Strong words from the sport’s most successful team principal, but Wolff added: “I don’t think that would ever be Lewis. He’s a team member, not a contractor, a driver that comes and goes. We’ve been together since 2013. We know each other so well, there’s so much trust and respect.”

But when Nico Rosberg was Hamilton’s teammate, things got seriously bitter between the pair of former karting mates as they feuded for the title without a challenge from any other team or driver. They collided into each other on occasions, in what must rate as one of the most toxic teammate partnerships since Hamilton and Fernando Alonso shared a garage in 2007.

Wolff recalled the Lewis vs Nico battle: “I was close to putting a driver on the bench when it was Hamilton and Rosberg. Twice. In 2014 and 2016. I said I would judge over 48 hours whether one needed to sit out. I still don’t know who it would have been. But that was long ago. It is unimaginable given the relationship I have with Lewis today that it could happen now.

“And George Russell is another intelligent young man. He will slot into the team but that doesn’t mean he has to hold back when driving. You can’t expect a lion in the car and a puppy out of it.

“But there are certain boundaries within the team that must be respected and George knows them very well.

“Once the lights are green, only the drivers are responsible. I can’t interfere, manage or remote control them, but one thing is of ultimate importance — don’t touch. That’s your responsibility. You can race hard, but no contact.

“I’ve been there before with Nico when it wasn’t just a rivalry. There was a lot of animosity and that’s not going to happen. This is about showing respect for each other and it can be hard because if you race on the same spot on the race track you will eventually come across each other — but there is an integrity we expect that no one is ever bigger than the team.

“The drivers know that. You represent 2,000 people who work for us and 350,000 people who work for Mercedes. So again, you are the solar system and the Mercedes star — that’s the sun.”

With five rounds to go, it is between Hamilton or Verstappen for the F1 drivers’ title, and Mercedes or Red Bull for the F1 constructors’ championship. Both driver and team looking to score their eighth titles come Abu Dhabi at the end of the season.

Asked to pick a preferred F1 title to win, Wolff replied: “I would normally pick the constructors’ championship because it is the acknowledgement of the team, the 2,000 unsung heroes but this year is very different.

“Andrew Shovlin, our chief engineer trackside, said something very interesting. He said if Lewis wins his eighth, Andrew said he would value having engineered his car more than winning the constructors championship. And I think that’s a nice thing to say.

“I’ve been associated with Lewis’ success. We are a team. Being part of his eighth championship, creating that history, would be very, very rewarding. And very, very smart,” concluded Wolff.