Chuck Klosterman has me thinking.  In a recent appearance on "The Bill Simmons Podcast," the pop ...

Chuck Klosterman has me thinking.In a recent appearance on "The Bill Simmons Podcast," the pop culture author dug into a minor - or major, depending on your level of Bostonian fandom - aftershock of Tom Brady's retirement announcement. The seven-time Super Bowl champion failed to mention the Patriots, the city of Boston, Bill Belichick, or any of his countless New England teammates in the Instagram post that made his retirement official.Maybe, Klosterman opined, Brady felt he'd already thanked the Patriots and Boston fans enough when he left the organization in the spring of 2020. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Or maybe - just maybe - it was a calculated parting shot at those who continue to debate whether Brady or Belichick was most responsible for New England's unprecedented success during the Brady years; whether it was equal parts Brady and Belichick, or some slight swing of the pendulum toward one or the other. At the very least, the thinking goes, they were both integral.Brady ultimately shared a short message later that day thanking the Patriots and Patriots Nation, but Klosterman had moved the debate forward to a less petty and more thought-provoking conversation: In such scenarios, do athletes need to thank teams and coaches anymore? Is it merely a tired tradition that feels forced and hollow in the era of increasing player empowerment?Would Brady, Klosterman pondered, have had an equally successful career had he been drafted by another franchise? Does talent win out regardless of coaching and organizational stability?You can bet Tom Brady thinks so - he knows so. And so maybe - just maybe - Klosterman wondered if Brady remains a tad insulted; irked that the debate over Brady and Belichick's co-ownership of New England's success is even a debate at all. Especially after he left the franchise and immediately won a ring with a new coach in Tampa Bay.Chuck Klosterman has me thinking. But now it's about racism. About the Cult of Coaching in American pro football, a league with one Black head coach, as of early February 2022, and where roughly 70% of the players are Black.Item 1: In what can't be a welcome story for the NFL ahead of Super Bowl week, ex-Dolphins coach Brian Flores is suing that franchise, two others, and the league over alleged racist hiring practices for coaches and general managers. It should be noted that none of the league's 32 principal owners are Black.The esteem bestowed upon football's all-time great coaches has nearly no parallel in other North American sports. The Super Bowl trophy is named after coach Vince Lombardi, after all. Then there's Don Shula. And George Halas. And Paul Brown. And Chuck Noll. And Bill Walsh. And Tom Landry. And John Madden. And Bill Parcells. The representation of Black players in the league increased dramatically in the decades following the sport's reintegration in the mid-'40s. However, what did not change is the overwhelmingly white composition of the head coaching ranks nor coaches' perceived importance to reaching the highest levels of achievement.Lately, youth has been in vogue when selecting NFL coaches. However, even though the really old guys (think 60-plus) are becoming increasingly rare, the average new hire is still somewhere <a href="https://theathletic.com/754389/2019/01/07/how-much-does-age-matter-when-hiring-nfl-head-coaches/">in their mid-to-late 40s</a>.On Feb. 13, Rams coach Sean McVay, 36, and Bengals coach Zac Taylor, 38, will square off in what will be the youngest coaching matchup in Super Bowl history. Score one for Gen Y! (Oddly enough, last year's big game <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/super-bowl-2022-sean-mcvay-zac-taylor-to-make-history-as-super-bowls-youngest-coaching-matchup/">featured the oldest coaching matchup in history</a>.)But McVay and Taylor, like the recent head coaching hires in Las Vegas (Josh McDaniels), New York (Brian Daboll), Denver (Nathaniel Hackett) and Chicago (Matt Eberflus), are white. Meanwhile, the percentage of assistant coaches of color increased from 35.6% in 2020 to 40.9% in 2021, an all-time high, according to <a href="https://www.tidesport.org/_files/ugd/326b62_5afc0093dedf4b53bdba964fa0c1eb0c.pdf">TIDES' 2021 Racial and Gender Report Card</a>. Yet those coaches aren't being promoted to top jobs in the same numbers.Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is one of those coaches. His name has been tossed around over multiple offseasons as a head coaching candidate and his situation is cited specifically in Flores' lawsuit. As the <a href="https://www.wigdorlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Complaint-against-National-Football-League-et-al-Filed.pdf">suit states</a>, the architect of Kansas City's high-powered offense has not been extended a head coach offer "despite being interviewed for approximately 20 vacant positions over the last five years."Item 2: An encyclopedia's worth of ink can be spilled on the origins and stubborn persistence of racial stereotypes in football, not only in coaching - and I won't attempt to get to the root of those challenges here. I'd recommend<a href="https://theundefeated.com/features/the-nfls-racial-divide/"> this work</a> from Jason Reid and Jane McManus for The Undefeated as a good place to start.There's a similar throughline in basketball. Where would Jordan and Pippen - and to a lesser extent, Shaq and Kobe - have been without the "Zen Master," Phil Jackson? Think about which coaches we regard as all-time greats: Red Auerbach. Gregg Popovich. Pat Riley. Larry Brown. Don Nelson. Jerry Sloan. All of them, white. The outlier would be Lenny Wilkens, a Black man and former NBA player, who sits second on the all-time coaching wins list and was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1994. He also switched benches seven times.Historically, though, the narrative in basketball has been white men guiding Black men. Only now that might be changing. Thirteen Black head coaches manned the bench to start the 2021-22 season, one off the all-time high in 2012-13. Seven of the eight head coaching vacancies following last year's regular season were filled by Black coaches. Roughly 74% of NBA players are Black.That's not to say "problem solved," however. Within three years of that 2012-13 high point, the number of Black coaches in the league <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31024144/an-nba-double-standard-hindering-black-head-coach-candidates">had dropped by half</a>. And the percentage of coaches with NBA playing experience is trending in the wrong direction, as noted by <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31024144/an-nba-double-standard-hindering-black-head-coach-candidates">ESPN's Kevin Pelton</a>: Since the merger, "81% of Black NBA head coaches played in the league, as compared to just 39% of all other head coaches."Why does that matter? It's a double standard that adds an additional barrier for Black coaches.Being Canadian, I'm drawn to compare these North American sports to hockey, the little brother of the Big Four. The NHL is more than 95% white and has only had one Black head coach in its history: Dirk Graham, who helmed the Chicago Blackhawks during the 1988-89 season. What interests me is not comparing the NFL or NBA to the NHL when it comes to diversity - at least not here - but the way in which hockey fans and analysts generally correlate on-field success with expert coaching.All-time great coaches of the past 50 years such as Scotty Bowman, Joel Quenneville, Ken Hitchcock, Barry Trotz, Al Arbour, and Mike Babcock, to name a few, accomplished a tremendous amount; however, they're widely considered to have been parts of the puzzle. They were stewards who offered the wisdom of experience, helped soothe egos, and made the necessary adjustments that oftentimes separate close wins from losses come playoff time.With all due respect to Bowman, a nine-time Stanley Cup champion as a head coach, who's more responsible for the Red Wings' back-to-back Cups in '97 and '98: Brendan Shanahan and Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom, or Bowman?The unspoken rationale is that those players - white men coached by white men - didn't necessarily need a puppet master to succeed. And neither did Tom Brady. But considering the degree to which Belichick is revered, and so often placed on equal footing with Brady, it's clear that many believe Brady's Black teammates did. And still do.Belichick on Wednesday released a statement via the Patriots anointing Brady as "the best player in NFL history." Brady responded in kind by naming Belichick "the greatest coach in NFL history." You're the best! No, you're the best! So I guess it's water under the bridge, or something like that.But across morning shows, living rooms, stadiums, message boards and social media platforms, the Belichick/Brady argument rages on, as though Brady didn't put it to rest with his seventh title in Tampa, in a league where elite quarterback play has never been more essential to winning.The man could conceivably be named MVP - at age 44! - on his way out, to boot. Not even Brady can surmount the colossal myth-making that permeates football coaching. Perhaps meaningful progress - more Black hires and the dismantling of systemic barriers that keep Black head coaches out of the NFL - will only be possible when we take white football coaches off their pedestals and make room for others.Chuck Klosterman has me thinking.

Football: AFC Playoffs: New England Patriots QB Tom Brady (12) victorious, with head coach Bill Belichick after winning game vs Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City, MO 1/20/2019 CREDIT: David E. Klutho (Set Number: X162438 TK1 )

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Does football's cult of coaching hold back Black candidates?

TORONTO - The degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), though it has mo...

TORONTO - The degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), though it has monopolized the conversation, is not the be-all, end-all outcome athletes who suffer repeated blows to the head should fear. On Tuesday, members of a panel debating the circumstances and consequences of brain damage in hockey advocated a simpler message: Concussions, whether they cause CTE or not, are inherently harmful and debilitating. Dr. Brian Levine, a neuropsychologist leading a study tracking the brain health of retired professional hockey players, wants to steer the public conversation, at least in part, toward the treatment of concussion symptoms and psychiatric disorders and away from the "hopelessness" of living with an incurable degenerative condition.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"We already knew, before CTE was discovered in professional athletes, that concussions were bad. And multiple concussions were worse," Levine said at an annual conference hosted by The Rotman Research Institute at Toronto's Baycrest Health Sciences."There needs to be perspective that CTE is a very important condition. It's something important to study; it's something I'm studying in my lab. But it's not the only pathology, and it's not the only thing that can go wrong. And, in fact, many other things that can happen from concussions can be treated."Levine referenced former NHL enforcer Todd Ewen, who died in 2015 at age 49, reportedly of a self-inflicted gunshot. Ewen was said to have suffered from memory loss and depression, but he did not have CTE, which has been linked to concussions and can only be diagnosed posthumously."Head injury and concussion is very complicated," said Levine, whose longitudinal study at Rotman has found the NHL alumni involved to be mostly free of significant brain impairment on objective tests, yet reporting high levels of emotional and behavioral issues. "Some people will develop CTE. We don't know who or when or how or what that even means in terms of how it will affect their lives. It's very important; we need to learn that. We already know enough about why concussion is bad for you." ... Steve Montador had 19 concussions - that's bad. He ended up getting diagnosed with CTE but someone else might have a similar dose and not develop CTE, but they might have lots and lots of problems. So it shouldn't be just about whether someone has CTE."<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/289036/cropped_1-IMG_0155.jpg?ts=1521645640"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>Among those joining Levine on the panel at the Sheraton Centre Hotel was hockey icon Ken Dryden, a fierce critic of the NHL's handling of head hits and author of "Game Change: The Life and Death of Steve Montador and the Future of Hockey."A 10-year NHL veteran, Montador was 35 when he died in 2015 of an undisclosed cause. His history of concussions, and battle with depression and substance abuse, was the focus of a recent installment of HBO's "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel," examining the NHL's stance on concussions and CTE."He was living with significant depression. He was living with real problems of memory," said Dryden, a six-time Stanley Cup champion. " ... Whether he was discovered to have had CTE or not, it was a lousy life the last few years. His life had been affected."NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has continued to deny a link between concussions and CTE. Meanwhile, a U.S. District Court judge in Minneapolis is currently deciding whether hundreds of former players suing the league over concussions can move forward with their case as a class action.Dryden wants to "close the gap" between concussion research and decision-making in hockey by narrowing the focus to issues like preventing all hits to the head, which he says are "undeniably" harmful to players.Levine holds a similarly straightforward viewpoint on brain injury and its lasting impact."When you have a significant head injury, let's say from a motor vehicle accident, single blow, serious head injury, over time you lose brain cells," Levine said. "Brain cells die, your brain shrinks - that's bad. If you have multiple concussions, that's a little bit different, then you're getting lots of hits, more hits. Maybe each individual hit isn't as bad as a serious motor vehicle accident, but that also causes brain tissue volume loss. "So you're losing brain cells. And you're also causing all sorts of other biological consequences: a cascade of neurochemical reactions, hormonal changes, pituitary changes ... it's a complex injury that has multiple dimensions to it."One of them is tau (protein) in the brain, which is found in CTE, but it's not the only thing."

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 16: Marcus Johansson #90 of the New Jersey Devils slumps to the ice in the second period after getting injured against the New York Islanders during their game at Barclays Center on January 16, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.

Hockey panel: More to concussion crisis than CTE

With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas anear, the unholiest of NFL seasons in recent memory is...

Why your favorite team won't win the Super Bowl

There’s 12 minutes, 10 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of a Week 5 game between the Chief...

There’s 12 minutes, 10 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of a Week 5 game between the Chiefs and Texans at Houston’s NRG Stadium. Trailing 26-13, Houston faces second-and-6 at the Kansas City 48-yard line. Under center is Deshaun Watson, the 22-year-old rookie quarterback making his fourth career start, against arguably the league’s best (and, at the time, only undefeated) team.Watson receives the snap before faking a handoff to running back Lamar Miller, but as he turns his gaze downfield to survey the landscape of his receivers, Chiefs lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches scoots through the line unblocked. The pivot is seemingly dead to rights. But where most first-year QBs would be expected to cower like deer in the headlights, Watson instinctively shuffles to his left, miraculously avoiding a presumed sack, then heaves the ball downfield into the awaiting arms of receiver Will Fuller for a spectacular touchdown.It’s a sequence that perfectly encapsulates the intangibles Clemson coach Dabo Swinney cited when comparing Watson to Michael Jordan ahead of the 2017 NFL Draft. Watson also had a sterling resume after his three-year college career, which included vanquishing juggernaut Alabama on a last-second touchdown in the 2017 national championship game. He was a proven winner. But NFL minds evidently harbored doubts that his college success would translate to the pros, as Watson was the third quarterback off the board, after Mitchell Trubisky (Bears) and Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), and the 12th player drafted overall in April.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Through six NFL games, including five starts, Watson appears to have plenty of that “other stuff” Swinney saw in his pupil. He ranks ninth league-wide in passer rating (101.1); fifth in <a href="http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/qb">DVOA</a> (23.5 percent), an advanced metric representing value, per play, over an average QB; and first in ESPN’s Total Quarterback Rating (80.7).Mark Schofield, a quarterback analyst for Inside the Pylon, was high on the two-time Manning Award winner heading into the draft, believing Watson could overcome some of the limitations others had fixated on.“Watson, for me, was my top quarterback in last year’s class,” Schofield said. “I thought a lot of the hesitation-slash-criticism that was levied his way in the pre-draft process - some of it was warranted, some of it I think was a little bit overblown. I think people, when you get down to it, really sort of overthought Deshaun Watson.“But, at the same time, there were some red flags with him.”<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/265977/cropped_GettyImages-833738728.jpg?ts=1508358240"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>Watson was the 10th-most accurate FBS passer in 2016 by completion percentage, but tied for the second-most interceptions with 17. What’s more, 14 of those 17 picks came when he was not under pressure, according to CFB Film Room.Naysayers labeled Watson a “one-read” quarterback, incapable of smoothly working through progressions and the beneficiary of an uncomplicated offense. His velocity number (49 mph) at the NFL Scouting Combine was also alarmingly low, adding credence to the argument Watson would struggle on routes that require elite arm strength.“People questioned his arm strength, questioned him being able to make throws to the boundary,” Schofield said, “but if you watched him on film, timing routes - where he could use touch, placement, anticipation to an extent on routes to the boundary - that was when he was at his best. If he had to drill a throw into a tight throwing window ... not really for him.”Schofield sees Watson’s early success in Houston as a perfect example of the importance of scheme fit. Texans coach Bill O’Brien is a disciple of the Erhardt-Perkins offensive system, utilized by the New England Patriots and considered a simpler study than the West Coast offense for young quarterbacks. Unlike Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff - who struggled mightily as a rookie in 2016 after converting from a spread offense in college to a conservative, pro-style system - Watson isn’t being asked to drastically alter his style of play.Matt Waldman, author of the Rookie Scouting Portfolio draft guide, said the Texans have further eased Watson’s transition to the pros by “dressing up” their offensive concepts with play fakes, read-option fakes, and end-arounds, which play well to his strengths as a run threat and play-action passer.According to <a href="https://www.sharpfootballstats.com/situational-rushing-success---player--off-.html">Sharp Football Stats</a>, Watson has actually been a more successful runner than Cam Newton this season when taking into account down and distance to go, averaging 7.2 yards on 28 carries.Waldman slotted Watson within the top five QBs in the draft class, and expected the rookie to show flashes of a bona fide NFL starter.“Where he’s surprised me is that his drop game, while it’s not perfect, his ability to really nail three- and five-step drops from under center, and really get into a good position early, is better than what we saw from Carson Wentz,” Waldman said. “I would say it’s even better than what we saw from Dak Prescott. And both Watson and Prescott didn’t play under center in their offenses on a consistent basis while they were in college.”<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/265978/cropped_GettyImages-647881502.jpg?ts=1508358352"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>After becoming the first rookie quarterback in the Super Bowl era with three touchdown passes in three straight games, Watson’s stock is soaring. But Houston’s final 10 games following its bye week could be a stiff test, Waldman cautions, as teams begin to accumulate tape on Watson’s habits and weaknesses.It takes most quarterbacks two-to-three years to develop, if they ever do, Waldman said, and continuity in coaching, teammates, and scheme are vital.“You have a better chance of predicting a coin flip than you do a first-round quarterback developing into a good player. And to me, one year doesn’t do it," he said. "I like what Watson’s doing, but I’m more of a long game kind of guy.”With multiple winless teams, including the perennially QB-starved Cleveland Browns, next year’s quarterback-heavy draft looms large. However, don’t expect consensus on the bevy of top prospects as scouts and analysts begin to pore over film in search of vulnerabilities.Both USC’s Sam Darnold and Wyoming’s Josh Allen, two preseason darlings at the top of countless draft boards, have underwhelmed under the microscope, opening the window for Lamar Jackson (Louisville), Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma), and Josh Rosen (UCLA) to stake their claim as the top passer available.“What I think we really saw during this last draft process was sort of the life cycle of quarterback evaluations, and we’re seeing it play out right now,” Schofield said. “Guys get put on pedestals; guys get anointed as the next sure thing. Going into last year, Watson and (former Miami quarterback) Brad Kaaya were pointed to as top-five draft picks and they fell throughout the process because people start digging in more, they start nitpicking, they start seeing things, and they turn on them a bit.”Although it’s too early for a verdict, a handful of teams may come to regret talking themselves out of Watson.“As far as some of the teams passing on him, I was a little bit surprised. I think some teams are definitely kicking themselves, at least right now," Schofield said. "I think if he continues on the path like he’s shown so far, more and more teams will join that list."(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

Deshaun Watson demonstrates pitfalls of projecting college QBs

The Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin middleweight title fight on Sept. 16 generated $27,059,850 fr...

The Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin middleweight title fight on Sept. 16 generated $27,059,850 from 17,318 tickets sold, <a href="http://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/20830735/canelo-alvarez-gennady-golovkin-gate-third-biggest-boxing-history">ESPN's Dan Rafael</a> reports, citing figures released by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.According to the commission, 934 complimentary tickets were handed out at Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena.The figures represent the third-biggest gate in boxing history, trailing only the May 2015 welterweight fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao ($72,198,500), and Mayweather's bout in August with Conor McGregor ($55,414,865.79).<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"By drawing the third-largest gate in (boxing) history, Canelo has demonstrated once again that he is the top draw in our sport," Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya told ESPN. "And the scary thing is that he's still only 27 years old. As he continues to engage in the kind of hard-fought battles he had with GGG, Canelo's popularity will only continue to soar."Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) and Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) fought to a controversial split draw. Judge Dave Moretti scored the fight 115-113 for Golovkin, Don Trella saw it 114-114, and Adalaide Byrd had Alvarez ahead 118-110 - an extremely wide margin for what most saw as a competitive, seesaw battle.

Canelo, Golovkin score 3rd-highest gate in boxing history

Unified light heavyweight world champion Andre Ward said he's "leaving" boxing in a statement pos...

Unified light heavyweight world champion Andre Ward said he's "leaving" boxing in <a href="http://andresogward.com/missionaccomplished/">a statement</a> posted to his website Thursday.<blockquote>I am leaving because my body can no longer put up with the rigors of the sport and therefore my desire to fight is no longer there. If I cannot give my family, my team, and the fans everything that I have, then I should no longer be fighting. Above all, I give God the Glory, for allowing me to do what I’ve done, for as long as I have.</blockquote>Ward, a two-time super middleweight world champion and 2004 Olympic gold medalist, is coming off back-to-back victories over Sergey Kovalev. Ward, 33, claimed three light heavyweight title belts with a controversial decision against Kovalev in November 2016, and knocked Kovalev out in the eighth round of their June rematch.Unbeaten since he was a 12-year-old amateur, the California native (32-0, 16 KOs) is widely considered the sport's top active pound-for-pound fighter.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Ward's statement was accompanied by a video on Twitter.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED ✌🏽<a href="https://t.co/FTBBwubLsd">https://t.co/FTBBwubLsd</a> <a href="https://t.co/dtQppu8pAZ">pic.twitter.com/dtQppu8pAZ</a>— Andre S.O.G. Ward (@andreward) <a href="https://twitter.com/andreward/status/910866905522593792">September 21, 2017</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Ward's most notable victories include outclassing Carl Froch in December 2011 to unify two super middleweight world titles and earn the trophy in the Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament. In September 2012, he scored three knockdowns and ultimately stopped then-WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson, who was moving down in weight.However, Ward's career was hampered by lengthy layoffs due to injuries and a promotional dispute. He took 19 months off following a win over Edwin Rodriguez in November 2013, and spent an additional nine months out of action after knocking out Paul Smith in June 2015.

Light heavyweight champion Ward announces he's 'leaving' boxing

It wasn’t entirely smooth sailing in fall 2016 when Rogers Place opened in downtown Edmonton, Alb...

It wasn’t entirely smooth sailing in fall 2016 when Rogers Place opened in downtown Edmonton, Alberta.“We had some problems; we had side effects. There weren’t enough men’s washrooms,” said city councilor Scott McKeen, whose Ward 6 encompasses the arena. “I had to deal with complaints about urination on downtown streets.”Disregarding the bladder-control issues of local patrons, the arena has largely been praised since opening its doors, and not only by fans of the National Hockey League’s Oilers and concert-goers. Rogers Place is credited by many, McKeen included, for serving as a “catalyst” project, igniting the regeneration of a neglected, underdeveloped downtown Edmonton.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“The transformation of this downtown has probably been more spectacular than any other because of that catalyst effect of putting an arena downtown,” said McKeen, a former columnist and reporter for the Edmonton Journal. “And the amount of investment, largely in residential buildings, has been remarkable.“And it looks like it will continue.”Rogers Place was largely publicly funded, a point of contention for many councilors and taxpayers. Negotiations between Oilers owner Daryl Katz and the city were protracted, contentious and, at times, ugly - the nadir Katz’s 2012 visit to Seattle, which Edmontonians took as a thinly-veiled threat of relocation.Edmonton’s rivals in Calgary, the Flames, recently touched off a stadium-funding controversy of their own, announcing they were walking away from negotiations with the city following “spectacularly unproductive” meetings over a replacement for Scotiabank Saddledome.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/261742/cropped_GettyImages-670438538.jpg?ts=1505851803"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>It’s a familiar refrain, sports owners demanding public financing for new stadiums, despite the glut of economic research indicating they don’t move the needle for a city’s economy.“Claims that it is a way of increasing the number of jobs or income of the city as a whole are just not the case,” said Trevor Tombe, associate professor of economics at the University of Calgary. “And that’s not just kind of like a gut feeling. There’s been study after study - that I’m aware of since the ‘80s - that repeatedly find no evidence to the effect of a sports arena, or having a professional sports franchise at all, have any effect, positive or negative, on employment or income.”Conspicuously absent from the early days of what could be a long haul in Calgary is much talk of how a new building would spark growth or generate new tax dollars, yet the city has already offered to pay for one-third of the $555-million arena, which Tombe described as “generous.”Pro stadiums built predominantly without public funds do exist, including AT&amp;T Park in San Francisco and FedExField in Maryland. Also privately financed is Chase Center, the new home of the National Basketball Association's Golden State Warriors, set to open in San Fran’s Mission Bay neighborhood for the 2019-2020 season. But private financing is hardly the norm.Professional sports teams are, in many cases, woven into the fabric of cities to the extent they are considered vital organs, helping sustain a metropolis’ metaphorical heartbeat. They’re the consummate unifier; a wellspring of civic pride.A great many teams have relocated as a result of stadium-funding disputes. Within the last two seasons alone, Los Angeles gained two National Football League teams via San Diego and St. Louis, and the Raiders are scheduled to depart Oakland for Las Vegas by 2020 at the latest.With those cautionary tales in mind, and the Flames adamant they require a state-of-the-art facility to remain competitive, it’s no wonder the club is digging in its heels.But here’s the rub: Arenas are not a public good.“This is a facility that’s used by a business, a successful business, and that’s great,” Tombe said, “but public subsidies are typically only justified where there are market failures, like positive externalities for example. That’s why education typically gets subsidies from government. (An) arena is an entirely different beast - there are no obvious market failures to correct.”Still the debate rages on, to fund or not to fund. As to why, one can look to the scars left from arguably the most infamous sports relocation in history: the so-called Mayflower move of the Baltimore Colts. ***Baltimore couldn’t stomach losing another professional sports team.The primary concern of the newly minted Maryland Stadium Authority in 1986, Herbert Belgrad said, was the return of the NFL following the Colts’ departure to Indianapolis two years prior, but preventing the flight of Major League Baseball’s Orioles was a close second.Admittedly not a sports fan, Belgrad was nevertheless approached by then-Maryland Gov. Harry Hughes to establish and spearhead the public entity which would ultimately secure state funding for the Camden Yards twin-stadium project.“It was not a slam dunk politically,” said Belgrad, a partner at the law firm Tydings &amp; Rosenberg. “The legislatures were very suspect of the fact that we should fund - we meaning state funding - a ballpark where the ball team is owned by Edward Bennett Williams.”Williams was a prominent Washington, D.C., trial attorney who in 1967 founded Williams &amp; Connolly, widely considered among the country’s top litigation firms. A part-owner and president of the NFL’s Washington Redskins, Williams bought the Orioles in 1979 for $12 million. Baltimoreans were concerned he intended to move the team to Washington, which had lost the Senators to Texas following the ‘71 season.“Williams had no geographic ties to the Baltimore area,” Belgrad said. “So just as the Colts had been stolen away, the concern was not only to replace our NFL franchise, but to retain the Orioles, because that was a real threat.”Buoyed by testimony from Williams, who assured lawmakers he had no intention of moving the club, Belgrad received the go-ahead in March of ‘87.At a cost of $225 million, including $100 million to acquire land, the stadium authority commissioned a red-brick, retro-style park which, upon opening in 1992, immediately became the architectural envy of baseball and the inspiration for numerous downtown ballfields to follow.The Orioles signed a 30-year lease, agreeing to share a percentage of money from various sources with the stadium authority, including ticket sales, concessions, and parking. Baltimore city, the primary economic beneficiary of Oriole Park, also contributes $1 million annually.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/261743/cropped_GettyImages-471546778.jpg?ts=1505851995"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>Maryland Lottery proceeds pay the debt service (cash required to cover the repayment of interest and principal) on the 30-year bonds issued to fund the stadium. According to stadium authority figures obtained by the Baltimore Sun, the total cost of the bonds will reach $450 million when they’re fully paid off in 2019. The authority had received $255 million total from the Orioles as of June 30, 2016.Not unlike Edmonton, Camden Yards has been applauded for helping to revitalize Baltimore’s Inner Harbor area, which now boasts M&amp;T Bank Stadium (home to the NFL’s Ravens), the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel, Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, and the reopened Hippodrome Theatre.“When this project started, nobody was looking for a pinnacle stadium,” Belgrad said. “And nobody imaged that it would have the impact that would bring the tourism that it has. We were building a ballpark.”Added Bill Cole, president and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation, which serves as the economic development agency for the city: “It’s impossible for me to think of what that entire area would look like without that complex.”Economists, however, largely don’t buy into the theory that professional sports stadiums are uniquely capable of spawning the rejuvenation of downtrodden neighborhoods.“People might make that argument, but it’s not borne out by the evidence,” said West Virginia University economics professor Brad Humphreys, who’s done extensive research on the economics and financing of professional sports.As for the overall economic impact of a new arena, Humphreys cited Edmonton when discussing the economic principle of opportunity cost.“There’s a lot going on in the arena district - bars are full, restaurants are full,” he said. “Those people, if that arena wasn’t there, would have been spending money on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton. Instead they’re spending it down there.“It is pretty clear that an arena like that is going to move spending around. But all that spending that’s gone on down there is at the expense of somewhere - some bar, somewhere else in Edmonton, or St. Albert (Alberta), is suffering, because people are going to a bar somewhere else.” ***The worst-case scenario, Humphreys said, is if taxpayers pay 100 percent of a new facility construction project from the general fund.In October, Nevada legislators approved $750 million in public financing toward a projected $1.9-billion domed stadium for the Raiders, the largest public contribution for a stadium in U.S. history, according to figures HuffPost obtained from the Taxpayers Protection Alliance.University of Georgia economics professor Jeffrey Dorfman views the Vegas project as an interesting test case for whether a new stadium and team are truly capable of increasing local tourism.“Basically the only way you do actually win from bringing a sports team in, is if those events attract tourists from out of town,” said Dorfman, a regular contributor to Forbes. “If the locals go, you just move their money from movies and dinner to the game - no real change in the local economy.“But if Vegas can get 40 or 50 or 60 thousand people flying into town for the Raiders game, and getting hotels and going out to restaurants and spending money that otherwise they would have spent somewhere in California, then Vegas could actually win. And could pay off their arena and come out ahead.”In July, the New York Times reported it will cost Miami and Miami-Dade County $2 billion over the life of the bonds issued to pay for Marlins Park. In 2009, the city and county agreed to cover three-quarters of the price tag on the retractable-roof stadium in Little Havana, using hotel-tax revenue to pay off the debt. The Marlins, however, have the lowest attendance in the National League and few new businesses have reportedly sprung up around the ballpark.It would be a fool’s errand to argue the Marlins are a magnet for tourists.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/261745/cropped_GettyImages-664993058.jpg?ts=1505852284"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>Another cautionary tale is Coolray Field, home to the Atlanta Braves’ Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett County, Ga. The $45-million project ballooned to $68 million, with the county financing $31 million in cash and the rest with debt. The Gwinnett Braves have suffered through lackluster attendance since 2009 and commercial development near the stadium never materialized.At least those facilities have anchor tenants.Quebec City has yet to lure an NHL team to the Videotron Centre to replace the Nordiques, who fled for Colorado in 1995. The city and province split the arena’s $370-million construction bill, despite receiving no promises from the league regarding expansion. In its first four months after opening in September 2015, the arena ran a $1.4-million operational deficit, according to a CBC report, half of which Quebec City is contractually obligated to cover.Markham, Ontario’s vision for an arena to house a second NHL team in the Greater Toronto Area was never realized, but local residents and politicians were likely breathing a sigh of relief when reports relating to the private-public project were ultimately released two years after the plan was nixed in 2013. The cost, it turned out, was $416 million, not $325 million.Humphreys was asked to provide a report on the economic impact of the Markham project and found the arena wouldn’t have brought any tangible economic benefits to the city. Although, he did forecast between $28 million and $56 million in intangible benefits.“The intangible benefits are world class-city status - if you’ve got an NHL team, it puts you on the map,” Humphreys said. “Or having an NHL team provides a sense of community and belonging to people who live in the area because they’ve all got something to talk about, and something to root for.“And that is value.”The problem, Humphreys warns, is that the intangible dollar value is never big enough to justify the subsidies teams get.In 2008, Humphreys testified on behalf of the NBA’s SuperSonics in a federal trial over whether the team could break its lease at Seattle’s KeyArena.“It was the easiest testimony I’ve ever done in my life because I’ve got 15 years worth of research that suggested Seattle would not be harmed if the Sonics left,” he said. “No other city has ever experienced any economic consequences of a team leaving.”The city and team ultimately reached a settlement, paving the way for the Sonics’ move to Oklahoma City. Seattle has been without NBA basketball since, but the L.A.-based Oak View Group recently announced its intentions to spend $600 million on renovations to KeyArena for NHL and NBA use. ***Politics play a crucial, if not overriding, role in stadium-funding disputes. In Calgary, the arena saga is expected to influence Mayor Naheed Nenshi’s bid for re-election on Oct. 16.“These decisions give a community multiple personality disorder,” said McKeen, the Edmonton councilor, “because the same people who will say it’s unjust to do that would want to lynch city council if the team left town.”For his part, Flames president and CEO Ken King has refuted suggestions his Sept. 13 announcement regarding an impasse with city hall was politically motivated, while Nenshi was forced to defend the city’s stance."The narrative that me or that council doesn't want a new arena - it just ain't true," Nenshi told reporters. "Calgarians have told us, you know what, we're willing to make an investment. We're not willing to give away the farm."Earning public support for funding comes down to how you paint the taxpayer contribution. As Georgia’s Dorfman points out, taxpayers often believe they won’t be the ones left holding the bag.“They think it’s not going to be them,” he said. “The politicians are telling you, ‘We’re going to pay for it with a hotel tax. We’re going to pay for it with a rental car tax. We’re going to pay for it with an airport tax.’“They may hear a ticket tax and think, ‘OK I’ll pay a little on this, but that’ll be alright.’ So they think they’re getting something they want for pretty close to free.”<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/261746/cropped_GettyImages-680146726.jpg?ts=1505852910"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>In Edmonton, $313 million of the $614-million tab - which includes the rink, land, and the Winter Garden programmable space - comes from a community revitalization levy (CRL).Based on the premise revitalization projects increase local activity, investment and development, a city will repay the money it borrowed to fund the arena with taxes from new construction and rising property values within a certain boundary. The tax base within that boundary is fixed - or frozen - before the new facility is constructed. Only tax dollars earned above and beyond that fixed amount go toward paying for the catalyst project.But the argument CRLs don’t affect taxpayers, Humphreys said, is simply “spin.”“Government tax dollars have opportunity cost,” Humphreys said. “They could have used those dollars for something else other than paying off the bonds for the arena. Property values could have gone up just because of private development in that part of Edmonton, and had that happened, then those tax dollars could have been put to some other use.”Humphreys cautions that the CRL model is dependent on property values going up and staying up. The risk for taxpayers is future real estate decline - if property values and tax revenue decline, other tax revenue will be needed to pay off the principal and interest on the bonds.However, the economist does admit CRLs are more desirable than funding arenas with government general fund revenues.The Oilers are also repaying the city the principal and interest on a $125-million loan over a 35-year period using a ticket surcharge from attendees at Rogers Place events.A ticket surcharge is among the sticking points in Calgary, as the Flames would view that revenue as part of their contribution. U of Calgary’s Tombe doesn’t see it that way.“That’s just silly,” he said. “If they thought it was the same, then why wouldn’t they just be willing to have a higher ticket price. The fact that they wanted it structured as a surcharge is meaningfully different than charging a higher price on a ticket, because the surcharge transfers risk from the private company to the city.”McKeen considers himself a Rogers Place convert, initially skeptical of the proposal but now of the belief the catalyst effect of the arena is paying off. He advises assessing such development projects like player trades - not in the first year or two, but 10 years down the road. At that point, he predicts, Edmonton will receive high grades on its investment.Furthermore, he stresses the unquantifiable value a team like the Oilers provides to the local community. And the mere thought of losing that cherished asset is what gives teams and leagues all the leverage they need.“You either play ball, or possibly waive goodbye to your professional sports franchise,” he said. “That’s the ugly reality.”(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

The relocation threat: a brief history of arena-funding madness

To those who were rooting for Floyd Mayweather’s demise purely as a means of tilting the inane bo...

To those who were rooting for Floyd Mayweather’s demise purely as a means of tilting the inane boxing-versus-MMA referendum: You’re out of your depth.Conor McGregor was a lot of things on Saturday night. He was conspicuously larger than Mayweather. He was unorthodox - pawing his jab, twirling in and out of his southpaw stance, and delivering blatantly illegal “hammerfists” in the clinch. He was gutsy. Patient. Calculating. What he was not, however, was an elite boxer.Although some experts doubted his ability to land a meaningful punch against Mayweather, McGregor connected with 111 of them, 30 more than Manny Pacquiao could muster in his dustup with the undefeated fighter.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But the reigning UFC lightweight champion was never truly in the fight beyond the opening minutes.In Round 1, McGregor connected with the left hand mixed martial artists have come to fear, an uppercut that caught Mayweather flush on the chin. The opening three rounds were tense, and easily could’ve been scored for McGregor, though only one of three judges did so.The Irishman also showed off his counter-punching instincts, keeping his opponent out of the pocket early with a deterring rhythm of jabs and straight lefts. He tried to keep Mayweather at bay - daring the typically dormant fighter to charge - but couldn’t hold the fort.In Round 4, as he was nestling his way through McGregor’s shield, Mayweather connected with about 60 percent of a serpent-like lead right that drew a roar from the star-studded crowd. It was the beginning of the end.Even at 40 years old, Mayweather’s power advantage was evident from then on. McGregor threw too many punches with half steam. Standing too tall, he gained little leverage with his legs, flailed slapping hooks, and was utterly ineffective at close range. Most importantly, Mayweather never came to fear McGregor’s left, and the southpaw stance was nothing more than a minor nuisance for the boxing prodigy. It was to be expected; even seasoned pros with far superior footwork couldn't outstep Mayweather.As Mayweather began to walk him down, McGregor’s posture betrayed him defensively as well. Carrying his hands low and his head high, McGregor’s chin was often gravely exposed and he committed the cardinal sin of trying to evade Mayweather’s right hand by moving his head straight back. That inexperience was on full display late in the seventh as Mayweather bullied McGregor around the ring, touching him with a series of clean rights. McGregor was much too square, seemingly exhausted, and losing his balance.A similar scene unfolded in the ninth, with McGregor stumbling in reverse, eating heavy shots he simply could not escape. His biggest oversight may have been not taking a boxing lesson in holding when you’re desperate.Yes, Mayweather is a tactical genius with preternatural reflexes and instincts. But at this advanced stage of his career, following two years on the shelf, it’s unimaginable he’d be able to impose his will on boxing’s current top fighters. He showed flashes on Saturday, but this was a greatly diminished Floyd Mayweather.McGregor delivered a courageous performance with the deck stacked against him, but it’s hard to envision him not getting steamrolled by an in-his-prime Canelo Alvarez, among many others, in a matter of minutes.Twenty-nine is a great age to be when you're fighting a 40-year-old, but not for your first professional boxing match - even with an MMA background.It was an entertaining fight, for which both men will be paid handsomely (Mayweather's expected to earn $200 million, while McGregor's guaranteed $30 million and will likely earn more than $100 million). McGregor said he’s “open to all options” moving forward. It’s possible - even likely - the brash-talking MMA superstar will be lured back into a boxing ring for the right price. But it’s not where he belongs.

McGregor showed guts, but his future isn't in boxing

BUCHAREST, Romania - Ilie Nastase responded to the backlash from his comments about Serena Willia...

BUCHAREST, Romania - Ilie Nastase responded to the backlash from his comments about Serena Williams and his Fed Cup outburst, saying his remarks about the pregnant tennis great were ''spontaneous'' and his tirade inexcusable.The 70-year-old Nastase posted a statement on Facebook a week after he speculated about the skin color of the baby Williams is expecting.''At the press conference I was asked what opinion I had about Serena being pregnant. I then found out for the first time (she was pregnant) and my reaction was spontaneous,'' said Nastase, who is the captain of Romania's Fed Cup team.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Nastase also said Williams was ''one of the greatest players of all times and I know how much work goes into achieving these results.''Williams is black and her fiance, Alexis Ohanian, is white.Nastase was also criticized for swearing at player Johanna Konta and Britain captain Anne Keothavong during a Fed Cup match. He said he would not try to ''defend my words, but I assure you that behind them was my desire to defend the interests of the Romanian team and Romanian tennis.''Romania won the best-of-five series 3-2, but Nastase was banned by the International Tennis Federation.Nastase called tennis not a sport but ''my life,'' saying his outburst meant ''I managed to do what I didn't imagine was possible, to feel that tennis was slipping away from me.''''I know that nothing can really excuse my words, nor a high-level match, not the non-conformist attitude I am now known for, not the unfortunate amplification of the situation,'' he said. ''My life remains dedicated to tennis and its public and I ask you to accept, as much as is possible, my apologies.''Despite the apology, he also took another shot at Konta.''I think what happened was exaggerated from all sides. Nonetheless, Johanna Konta should not have spoken with the chair umpire, that's what the team captain does,'' Nastase said. ''I asked her in a civilized way for some explanations and she sent me to the tribune where I was removed as captain. After this, the umpire suspended the match. I don't know why the match was suspended.''Nastase earned the nickname ''Nasty'' for his on-court outbursts and gamesmanship in his playing heyday in the 1970s. But it also described his game, which earned him two Grand Slam singles titles and more than 100 ATP titles. He's a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Nastase apologizes for 'spontaneous' remarks about Serena's pregnancy

Executive VP Sashi Brown, chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta, and owner Jimmy Haslam will do r...

Executive VP Sashi Brown, chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta, and owner Jimmy Haslam will do right by Browns fans on draft night. A near-sure thing awaits at No. 1, while a second first-round selection (No. 12) affords Cleveland the opportunity to secure a high-upside quarterback. No trading down. No nonsense. As Jerry Seinfeld told Kenny Bania, "This is the dinner."But if they don't, here's how the front pages could read come Friday morning ...PHILADELPHIA – Browns fans watched in disbelief as Cleveland traded down not once, not twice, but three times in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday, bypassing Myles Garrett, the consensus No. 1 prospect, for a bevy of lower selections and future draft capital.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Cleveland finally got around to making a selection at No. 23 - Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis - after befuddling prognosticators and decision-makers league wide, who anticipated the Browns would land both Garrett, a potentially elite edge rusher, and the franchise quarterback the team so desperately needs.With Cleveland on the clock, division-rival Cincinnati swooped in to land the Texas A&amp;M product, trading six picks, including No. 9 overall, to the Browns in exchange for the top slot. Onlookers at the Philadelphia Museum of Art let out a collective gasp when commissioner Roger Goodell announced the deal - a gut punch to Browns fans at the site of the Rocky Steps from the Sylvester Stallone franchise.In an effort to seemingly outdo themselves, the Browns maneuvered further down in Round 1 with another megadeal - this time with the Giants. Cleveland, 1-15 a year ago and possibly in perpetuity, landed the 23rd selection, New York’s second-rounder, and two picks in next year’s draft in exchange for No. 9.And just when long-suffering Clevelanders thought the team was about to select a living, breathing football player at No. 12 - originally the team's second of two first-rounders - the club struck a pact with the Dallas Cowboys for No. 28 and a boatload of picks (six, in total)."I'm awestruck," said one opposing general manager, who requested anonymity, likely in fear of being associated with the Browns. "I know they've got a baseball man upstairs now, but jeez. ... How much more of this can fans take?"Not much, suggested one downtrodden Dawg Pound denizen, seen burning a brown-and-orange Garrett jersey purchased in anticipation Cleveland would make the rational decision for once."I'm done," bemoaned the lifetime season-ticket holder. "If they hadn't already moved the team to Baltimore, I'd suggest doing that."While Cleveland's braintrust went rogue, the league's 31 other general managers largely stuck to the script.San Francisco hung in at No. 2, plucking defensive end Solomon Thomas out of Stanford; Chicago addressed a weak secondary with LSU safety Jamal Adams at No. 3; and Jacksonville nabbed the first quarterback, national champion Deshaun Watson, at No. 4.Rounding out the top 10 were Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore (Tennessee), North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky (New York Jets), Ohio State safety Malik Hooker (L.A. Chargers), Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey (Carolina), Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (New York Giants), and Alabama tight end O.J. Howard (Buffalo).In another head-scratcher, Cleveland used pick No. 28 on Michigan safety Jabrill Peppers, a borderline first-rounder who tested positive for a diluted sample at the scouting combine. The Browns still lack a starting QB - they've needed one since the early '90s, for God's sake - but apparently felt they couldn't fill the void Thursday night.For what it's worth, the Browns' brass lauded its selections, calling Davis and Peppers "key building blocks" for the future.Pressed for a rebuttal, one AFC scout quipped, "I'm not so sure the Browns understand how this thing works."Cleveland now has so many future picks on its plate it may have to offload some in the Canadian Football League draft - a level of competition at least one fan, found sobbing near the venue, believes the Browns are better suited for."We can't be relegated to Canadian football, can we?" he asked, rhetorically. "Too bad."

Oops! They did it again: Imagining a doomsday draft night for Browns fans

NEW YORK - NBC's Bob Costas is saying goodbye to the Olympics.  The network says the veteran spor...

NEW YORK - NBC's Bob Costas is saying goodbye to the Olympics.The network says the veteran sportscaster is stepping down as the prime-time host of NBC's Olympics telecast, starting at the next winter games in South Korea. He'll be replaced by Mike Tirico, who has been the heir apparent since joining NBC from ESPN last year.Costas has been the prime-time host for 11 Olympics televised by NBC since 1992. He is 64 years old. He said he felt the time was right and that he was grateful NBC let him decide that on his own.

NBC's Bob Costas being replaced by Mike Tirico as Olympics host

MELBOURNE, Australia- Roger Federer rallied to reach the final of the Australian Open, beating St...

MELBOURNE, Australia- Roger Federer rallied to reach the final of the Australian Open, beating Stan Wawrinka 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3 in just over three hours.The sold-out crowd in Rod Laver Arena roared when Wawrinka double-faulted to give Federer the critical service break at 4-2 in the fifth set.The 35-year-old Federer calmly served it out two games later to become the oldest player to reach a Grand Slam final since Ken Rosewall made the 1974 U.S. Open final at the age of 39.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>''I never, ever in my wildest dream felt I was going to be coming this far in Australia and here I am. It's beautiful. I'm so happy,'' said Federer, who is playing in his first Grand Slam since coming back from six months off due to injury.

Federer beats Wawrinka to reach Aussie Open final

Video games weren't nearly as cool, complex, or sophisticated as they are now when Kobe Bryant ma...

Video games weren't nearly as cool, complex, or sophisticated as they are now when <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nba/players/203" href="http://www.thescore.com/nba/players/203">Kobe Bryant</a> made his NBA debut in 1996. Compared to today's remarkable technology, gaming in the mid-'90s was actually pretty crappy.In honor of Bryant's final season, a benevolent Twitter user has gifted basketball fans a selection of the Laker legend's video game avatars from back when cheat codes and blowing on disobedient game cartridges was all the rage.<figure><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
To appreciate <a href="https://twitter.com/kobebryant">@KobeBryant</a>'s longevity, here's the first video game he appeared in, NBA Live 97: <a href="https://t.co/NbjSXX59e2">pic.twitter.com/NbjSXX59e2</a>— Got 'Em Coach (@GotEm_Coach) <a href="https://twitter.com/GotEm_Coach/status/680595368946565120">December 26, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><figure><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Gameboy <a href="https://twitter.com/kobebryant">@KobeBryant</a> is about 65 black pixels: <a href="https://t.co/dGgbgIMNbf">pic.twitter.com/dGgbgIMNbf</a>— Got 'Em Coach (@GotEm_Coach) <a href="https://twitter.com/GotEm_Coach/status/680599706267987968">December 26, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><figure><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Here’s Kobe dunking and raising the roof in 1998’s NBA Courstide for N64: <a href="https://t.co/DrsGEHYnQB">pic.twitter.com/DrsGEHYnQB</a>— Got 'Em Coach (@GotEm_Coach) <a href="https://twitter.com/GotEm_Coach/status/680601194939715584">December 26, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><figure><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Here’s 1999 Kobe vs. 2016 Kobe: <a href="https://t.co/FRNqhXBX8R">pic.twitter.com/FRNqhXBX8R</a>— Got 'Em Coach (@GotEm_Coach) <a href="https://twitter.com/GotEm_Coach/status/680603943416770562">December 26, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>For Bryant's complete video game history, click <a href="http://gotemcoach.com/tagged/KBTTY">here</a>.

Video games stunk when Kobe made his NBA debut

Oluwole Betiku, a four-star defensive end from Nigeria, announced his commitment to USC on Friday...

Oluwole Betiku, a <a href="http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/player/_/id/198192/oluwole-betiku">four-star defensive end</a> from Nigeria, announced his commitment to <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaaf/teams/676" href="http://www.thescore.com/ncaaf/teams/676">USC</a> on Friday night, two months after the class of 2016 prospect declared <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/861442" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/861442">he would not honor</a> his verbal commitment to attend <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaaf/teams/664" href="http://www.thescore.com/ncaaf/teams/664">UCLA</a>.<figure><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Thankful to God, Family and football ,I will be a Trojan fighting on to greatness at USC <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FightOn?src=hash">#FightOn</a> ✌🏿️✌🏿 ❗️❗️ <a href="https://t.co/ZDt0WkroPM">pic.twitter.com/ZDt0WkroPM</a>— Oluwole Betiku (@Kingwole47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kingwole47/status/680554918781022209">December 26, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><a href="http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/playerrankings/_/position/defensive-end/class/2016/view/position">ESPN</a> ranks the 6-foot-4, 246-pounder from Junipero Serra High School (Calif.) fourth at his position among 2016 recruits, and 21st overall. He also made official visits to <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaaf/teams/237" href="http://www.thescore.com/ncaaf/teams/237">Florida State</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaaf/teams/635" href="http://www.thescore.com/ncaaf/teams/635">Texas A&amp;M</a>, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///ncaaf/teams/501" href="http://www.thescore.com/ncaaf/teams/501">Notre Dame</a>, according to the<a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/uscnow/la-sp-usc-oluwole-betiku-commits-to-trojans-20151225-story.html"> Los Angeles Times</a>.

USC lands 4-star defensive end Oluwole Betiku

Steph Curry illuminates a dull pickup game in a new commercial for JBL's Pulse 2 Bluetooth speake...

<a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nba/players/148" href="http://www.thescore.com/nba/players/148">Steph Curry</a> illuminates a dull pickup game in a new commercial for JBL's Pulse 2 Bluetooth speaker, which debuted during the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nba/teams/16" href="http://www.thescore.com/nba/teams/16">Golden State Warriors</a>' Christmas Day victory over the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nba/teams/7" href="http://www.thescore.com/nba/teams/7">Cleveland Cavaliers</a>.But what differentiates the spot from other ads featuring NBA players is an energizing track from <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nba/teams/29" href="http://www.thescore.com/nba/teams/29">Portland Trail Blazers </a>guard <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nba/players/5343" href="http://www.thescore.com/nba/players/5343">Damian Lillard</a>, aka Dame DOLLA. <figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IPme5GPdiCs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></figure>The song is titled "Bigger Than Us" and features vocals from Paul Rey.

Damian Lillard raps, Steph Curry stars in speaker commercial 

theScore will be covering live round-by-round action of Cotto-Alvarez on Saturday, Nov. 21 starti...

theScore will be covering live round-by-round action of Cotto-Alvarez on Saturday, Nov. 21 starting at 10 p.m. ETConsider it a peace offering. Six months after the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao bout disillusioned casual and die-hard boxing fans the world over, an action-packed thriller is expected in Las Vegas on Saturday night when Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) defends his lineal middleweight championship against Canelo Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) in the rightful fight of the year.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Storylines abound leading up to the HBO pay-per-view bout, as two of boxing's true superstars prepare to write the latest chapter in the sport's esteemed Puerto Rico-Mexico rivalry.Related: <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/886938" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/886938">Cotto-Alvarez: Comparing the knockouts </a>Alvarez, 25, and a decade younger than the seasoned 35-year-old Cotto, has an opportunity to dethrone a future Hall of Famer in what's likely to be his stiffest test to date, outside of his 2013 decision loss to Mayweather.Cotto, the first Puerto Rican fighter to win world titles in four weight classes, is riding a three-fight win steak in a wholly unexpected career resurgence under the guidance of new trainer Freddie Roach.<h2>How we got here</h2><div> </div>Many wondered whether Cotto's clear-cut December 2012 loss to former junior middleweight champion Austin Trout signaled the end of the fighter's illustrious career. After a competitive showing against Mayweather, Cotto appeared flummoxed by the relative novice Trout. Enter Roach, who has ostensibly reinvigorated what appeared to be a fading ex-champion with no shortage of taxing fights on his resume. Cotto, under Roach's guidance, uncorked his patented left hook with alacrity in victories over Delvin Rodriguez, Daniel Geale, and Sergio Martinez for the lineal middleweight crown, breathing new life into the fan favorite. Other than a fight with knockout sensation Gennady Golovkin, which Cotto has shown little interest in at this stage of his career, Alvarez, the former unified junior middleweight titleholder, became the logical next man up.Despite his weighty record - Alvarez made his pro debut at 15 - Mexico's most popular active fighter was ill prepared for Mayweather's stick-and-move approach in September 2013. But the loss proved to be no more than a hiccup for Alvarez, who's reeled off three wins of his own, including a violent third-round KO of James Kirkland in May. "I want to fight the big fights and am not afraid to take risks," Alvarez <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/dan-rafael/post/_/id/14419/true-to-his-word-alvarez-continues-to-fight-the-best">said</a> earlier this month in training camp. "I believe my fighting style and opponents over the years have shown that. I am here to prove I am the best and the best way to do that is fighting the best."<h2>What to expect</h2><div> </div>Cotto enters Saturday's tilt, to be fought at a 155-pound catchweight, with a discernible edge in experience, having faced current and former top names like Pacquiao, Antonio Margarito, Zab Judah, and Martinez.However, viewed through another lens, Cotto could be well past his best-before date, with plenty of pundits believing his recent opponents were expertly handpicked to elevate Cotto back into main event status. While Cotto can certainly draw lessons from his battles with Pacquiao and Margarito, he took the type of punishment from both men that can take years off a fighter's career. It's also widely believed Margarito used loaded hand wraps to dismantle Cotto in a disgraceful and dangerous act of cheating.Meanwhile, Alvarez, a true junior middleweight, carries a distinct size advantage over the naturally smaller Cotto, who made his hay at junior welterweight before climbing the scale in recent years. Trout, one of five fighters to have faced both Cotto and Alvarez, gives the younger boxer the clear edge in power, but sees Cotto maintaining the upper hand in footwork and mobility. He can envision the bout unfolding in favor of either man."Cotto might be like the dying tiger who is dangerous," Trout recently told <a href="http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/14153330/what-common-opponents-say-miguel-cotto-canelo-alvarez">ESPN.com</a>. "If he has that dying tiger mentality, it might be fight of the year and he might even pull it off - take Canelo into deep waters, where Canelo is known to gas out a little bit. But Canelo could stop Cotto on cuts. Canelo could catch him with one punch, but Cotto's experience will get him to the later rounds, and he will make it interesting. If Canelo wins it's by stoppage. If Cotto wins it's by decision."<h2>Final flurry</h2>Fight freaks have been eagerly anticipating Cotto-Alvarez since the Mayweather-Pacquiao dud, which did nothing more than pull non-fans into the sport's orbit for 12 rounds of boredom. Contrarily, Cotto-Alvarez is about boxing, not hype, not money - though both fighters will be paid handsomely. It's <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/884654" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/884654">not about belts</a>, perfect records, or unfulfillable promise. What's expected is two warriors willing to put everything on the line for their legacy and country. Besides that, there are no guarantees.Alvarez could quickly prove to stout, fresh, and powerful for the veteran Cotto; or, Cotto's agility, marksmanship, and ring smarts could leave Alvarez without a home for his thunderous hooks and uppercuts. It could end quickly, it could not.But for however long it lasts, it'll be a fight.

Cotto, Alvarez should produce fireworks in year's true megafight

Andre Berto wasn't the people's choice.   Floyd Mayweather has never been the people's champion. ...

Andre Berto wasn't the people's choice. Floyd Mayweather has never been the people's champion.Ergo, Mayweather's choosing of Berto as his opponent for his alleged swan song Saturday night in Las Vegas was all too predictable. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The five-division titleholder and surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer has throughout his career been accused of handpicking challengers at the optimal moment. Oscar De La Hoya, past his prime; Canelo Alvarez, yet to reach his; and a handful of others ill-prepared to challenge the all-time great Mayweather altogether.Berto, a former two-time welterweight champion who's 3-3 over his last six bouts, was himself criticized early on in his career for padding an unblemished record with soft-touch opponents before suffering his first pro defeat in 2011.This time, however, Berto is the poor bet in what's widely been lampooned as an obvious mismatch - the 49th "L" to draw Mayweather even with former heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano at 49-0.<h3>How we got here</h3>Mayweather (48-0, 26 KOs) enters the familiar halls of the MGM Grand on the heels of his unanimous decision victory over Manny Pacquiao in the richest, but certainly not most entertaining, fight in boxing history. Berto (30-3, 23 KOs) is coming off a sixth-round TKO of Josesito Lopez, a fighter with seven losses who was actually ahead on the scorecards before a pair of knockdowns convinced the ref in charge to halt the March bout.Boxing fans and insiders aren't buying the talk that Berto, 32, was chosen to push Mayweather to the limit - as the defending welterweight champion pronounced last month - after being knocked out by veteran Jesus Soto Karass in 2013 and dropping a pair of decisions to former Mayweather opponents Victor Ortiz and Robert Guerrero before that.Love him or hate him, Mayweather has dispatched a who's who of boxers from his generation; however, Berto, barring a shocking upset, won't be added to that list.<h3>What to expect</h3>Mayweather, 38, said he also picked Berto because he's an exciting fighter. But so were many of Mayweather's 48 previous challengers before falling victim to the great tactician's infuriating cat-and-mouse game. Said Berto at <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/floyd-mayweather-defends-andre-berto-pick--berto-mocks--money--for-pacquiao-fight-022847540-boxing.html">a news conference in August</a>, "... Every time Pacquiao fights, it’s exciting. Every time (Marcos) Maidana fights, it’s exciting. Every time Guerrero fights, it’s exciting. Every time Andre Berto fights, it’s exciting. There is only one common denominator in that situation who’s making the problem."Berto is likely to do a lot of chasing, hoping to land one flush overhand right, whereas Mayweather will, as usual, aim to dictate the pace with his superior speed, and the distance with both a height and reach advantage over his opponent. "He’s fighting a boring fighter, but he’s getting his biggest payday,” Mayweather said at the same presser, unintentionally encapsulating the storyline of the bout. As for the hype, there is none. ESPN reported Tuesday that 2,100 seats were still available on Ticketmaster, and most expect the fight to bomb on pay-per-view. At the sportsbooks, Mayweather is a heavy 35-1 favorite.Handily trumping the newsworthiness of Saturday's clash was word that Mayweather reportedly <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/827638" href="http://www.thescore.com/news/827638">received an exemption</a> for an IV injection banned under World Anti-Doping Agency guidelines three weeks after the Pacquiao fight.<h3>Final flurry</h3>Perhaps this is the appropriate way for Mayweather to say goodbye, breezing his way through 12 rounds of glorified shadowboxing. He never did find a true rival in the sport, though some would say he never sought one.There's reason to doubt Saturday will mark the end of the pound-for-pound king's 19-year career; the only guarantee is the expiry of Mayweather's six-fight deal with Showtime/CBS.A rematch with Pacquiao, who's expected to return from shoulder surgery in the spring, isn't out of the question, not to mention the uneasiness of retirement, to which boxers have been historically averse. For his part, Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe says Saturday is the fighter's last ride, having accomplished what most boxers can only dream of."... I applaud Floyd to be the first to walk away from the sport undefeated, with all his faculties and nine figures in the bank at 38 years old," Ellerbe <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-floyd-mayweather-20150827-story.html">said</a>. "To accomplish that feat is truly remarkable.”

Mayweather's alleged last act a fitting mismatch vs. Berto

Legends unite - on foot.  Tuesday evening marked the debut of an unprecedented partnership betwee...

Legends unite - on foot.Tuesday evening marked the debut of an unprecedented partnership between sporting icons Michael Jordan and Roger Federer, as the 17-time Grand Slam winner won his <a href="http://www.thescore.com/atp/news/563427">first-round match</a> at the U.S. Open wearing the NikeCourt Zoom Vapor AJ3 by Jordan, the limited edition fusion of Nike's Zoom Vapor 9.5 and Air Jordan 3 basketball sneaker.<figure><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Roger Federer wearing the NikeCourt Zoom Vapor AJ3 tonight <a href="http://t.co/oLQlQFCtEL">pic.twitter.com/oLQlQFCtEL</a>— KicksOnFire.com (@kicksonfire) <a href="https://twitter.com/kicksonfire/statuses/504492243580125184">August 27, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Federer is an admitted basketball fan, who <a href="http://espn.go.com/tennis/usopen14/story/_/id/11413051/2014-us-open-men-play">grew up with a poster</a> of His Airness on his bedroom wall. In a teaser video released earlier this week for the innovative tennis shoe, the Swiss star calls Jordan a "hero" of his. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vWjyeTrda00" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></figure>The Zoom Vapor AJ3 marks the first performance tennis collaboration for NikeCourt, which, <a href="http://nikeinc.com/news/connecting-the-courts-nikecourt-zoom-vapor-aj3-by-jordan">according to Nike</a>, "builds on the DNA of Nike Tennis to revive its culture and attitude, celebrating those who blend age-old tennis tradition with confidence and ardor."The Fed's new kicks feature the Jumpman logo, embossed elephant print and white/cement color scheme of 1988's Air Jordan 3, arguably the most storied sneaker in history. The six-time NBA champion was a guest in Federer's courtside box on Tuesday night in New York, but apparently lacks the same admiration for tennis that the tournament's No. 2 seed holds for hoops. "I know nothing about tennis," Jordan <a href="http://espn.go.com/tennis/usopen14/story/_/id/11415763/michael-jordan-roger-federer-special-guest-us-open">said</a>. <figure><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Michael Jordan to ESPN: I watch Roger on TV but it's not the same as seeing him in person. He makes it look so easy. <a href="http://t.co/Qtmn1kIwPL">pic.twitter.com/Qtmn1kIwPL</a>— Tennis Photos (@tennis_photos) <a href="https://twitter.com/tennis_photos/statuses/504423114747678720">August 27, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>

Roger Federer breaks out new Air Jordan-inspired tennis shoes at U.S. Open

It appears as though Jay&nbsp;Z's affection for pugilism extends beyond the&nbsp;infamous one-sid...

It appears as though Jay Z's affection for pugilism extends beyond the infamous one-sided elevator fight with Beyoncé's sister Solange.Roc Nation Sports, the agency founded by the hip-hop mogul in 2013 in partnership with CAA Sports, is stepping through the ropes and into the shadowy world of professional boxing, <a href="http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/11369944/roc-nation-sports-tabs-david-itskowitch-lead-boxing-venture">ESPN is reporting</a>. Roc Nation recently named boxing industry veteran David Itskowitch as chief operating officer of its boxing division and secured a promoters license in New York and Washington, D.C., according to ESPN.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"We're going to promote our first event by the end of the year, and we're currently strategizing on which fighters we will seek to sign," said Itskowitch, a former HBO Sports senior vice president and Golden Boy Promotions chief operating officer.Itskowitch told ESPN.com's Dan Rafael that the agency is "looking to make an immediate and dramatic impact on the sport" by "leveraging Roc Nation's current marketing, public relations and branding infrastructure."Roc Nation Sports represents star athletes Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Yankees' CC Sabathia and Robinson Cano of the Seattle Mariners, among others. "We will be a promoter," Itskowitch said, "but our job won't end once a guy fights on a particular Saturday night. We will promote him 365 days a year."

Jay Z's Roc Nation Sports agency enters boxing business 

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Rory Barrs

Director, Content

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