News sport : Nets rookie Cory Jefferson throws up an airball for the ages (Videos)

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While watching this live, I assumed that Cory Jefferson was attempting an ill-fated pass.


You want to believe. You want to hope that an NBA-level pro working for the Brooklyn Nets would do better than shooting a wide-open 24-foot shot some 19 feet – if that. You try to be a glass half-full sort of guy. An appalling optimist. Perhaps we’re projecting.


Because, yeah, look at the tape:



Cory Jefferson is a rookie, and he’ll shoot a better percentage of wide-open three-pointers in his team’s daily shootarounds than 99 percent of the readers who will click on that video (he did hit 41 percent of his three-pointers in college). In retrospect, though, that wasn’t a pass. That was a terrible shot that Jefferson (who has yet to hit a three-pointer this season in five attempts) may have hesitated on far too late into his windup and release. The only possible Net in his range of vision would have been Jarrett Jack, the man who passed the ball to the rookie, who wasn’t exactly hanging out underneath the rim, ready for an assist.


Nope, it was just a shank. These things tend to happen, especially in a Brooklyn Nets season gone terribly wrong.


Jefferson finished with four points, four rebounds and a turnover in 13 minutes – but his turnover was the first of his NBA career. Prior to the contest he had played 47 total NBA minutes, contributing 20 points and 12 rebounds. Not a great run, but not all that terrible either.


The Nets fell to the Bulls by 25 points. Jefferson’s whiff may have been an actual shot, but I think it’s definitely time for all of us to give Brooklyn’s season a pass.


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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Bradley Beal nails game-winning buzzer-beater as Washington downs Orlando (Video)

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Bradley Beal did not have his flashiest game on Wednesday. He primarily stayed in the background as his Washington Wizards took on the Orlando Magic, watching as John Wall (21 points, 11 assists) continued his fantastic season, stepping aside while Nene (12 points off the pine) attempted to find his sea legs after a game spent resting on the bench.


With less than a second left in the team’s contest with the Magic, however, Wizards coach Randy Wittman went right to his young scoring guard with a killer guard around screen that ended Orlando’s attempts to send the game into overtime. Watch:



Wittman is, to be kind, not known for drawing up the sorts of efficient plays that tend to dominate the modern NBA’s best team’s playbook. With that in place, this was a fantastic call and the Wizards will remain tied with the Atlanta Hawks for the Eastern Conference’s second best record. The 15-6 Wizards are rolling, while the rebuilding Magic lost out on a chance to perhaps tie Brooklyn for the final seed in the (admittedly terrible) Eastern playoff bracket.


Magic coach Jacque Vaughn has to be kicking himself for not zoning one defender at the front of the rim, especially with Andre Miller (perhaps the best lob passer in NBA history) in-bounding the ball for Washington. With less than a second left, dribble options are out, and even catch and shoot moves would be heavily scrutinized by the referees and the league’s high definition play review. Miracles could happen, of course, but there was no reason for the Magic to switch on all screens or overplay on denying an entry pass into a shooter some 20 feet from the rim.


Even if Randy Wittman does call way, way too many plays for players shooting 20 feet from the rim.


Beal finished with just nine points in the win, but the Wizards are more than pleased with his contribution in the 91-89 victory.


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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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Neymar rocket lifts Barcelona

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Neymar scored a spectacular goal as Barcelona came from behind to beat Paris St Germain in their Group F clash.


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Barcelona - Neymar scored a spectacular goal as Barcelona came from behind to beat Paris St Germain 3-1 in their Champions League showdown for top spot in Group F on Wednesday.


Former Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic put the French side ahead after 15 minutes with their first threat on goal but Lionel Messi restored parity as he maintained his remarkable scoring form with his eighth goal in Europe this season.


The Argentine slotted in at the far post from a Luis Suarez cross and although they continued to look exposed at the back, Neymar scored with a drive from distance which nestled in the corner of the net.


It was a disjointed performance from Barca and they were hanging on before Suarez knocked in a rebound from a Neymar shot that was saved by Salvatore Sirigu.


The win put them on 15 points, two more than PSG who beat Barca in France.


Messi extended his Champions League scoring record to 75 goals and now has three more than arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo.


Barca coach Luis Enrique decided on an experimental three-man defence in the absence of suspended right back Dani Alves with Pedro and Neymar playing wide on the wing.


There were no surprises in the PSG team who were hoping to take advantage of Barca's defensive frailties led by the towering Ibrahimovic who proved his fitness after injury with a double in the weekend victory over Nantes in Ligue 1.


Barca's build-up play was more tentative than assured and PSG tore through them on the counter with Ibrahimovic given time plenty of space in the centre of the penalty area to score.


The Catalan side hit back through Messi and Neymar but Luis Enrique's tactical plan was exposed at the other end with clear chances for Lucas and Edinson Cavani.


There was desperate last-ditch defending from Barca in the second half with Barca looking ragged but the introduction of Ivan Rakitic and Xavi helped settle the team before Suarez's goal finished off the contest.


Reuters






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News sport : New Warriors arena designs no longer look like a toilet

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The Golden State Warriors are the hottest team in the NBA, winners of their last 13 games (a franchise record) and holders of the best record in the league at 18-2. It's an exciting time for the franchise, and not just because of the product on the court. With an improving squad and strong local support, owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber can envision a future in which they oversee one of the premier organizations in basketball. When they move to a new arena San Francisco by the end of the decade, they can plan on bringing in even more profits.


The one problem with the plan is that the designs for the new SF arena made it look like a classic porcelain toilet. The resemblance was uncanny, so much so that you wondered if it was done on purpose. Sure, it was very unlikely that the finished product would look quite so off-white and toilet-ish (look, there are not a lot of adjectives I can use here), but it was at least good for a fun joke at the time.


The Warriors and the architecture firm Snøhetta have released new, more detailed designs of the new arena and entertainment complex located in San Francisco's Mission Bay neighborhood. As you can see, the renderings do not make the arena look like a giant toilet:



Nope, no toilet here (via Warriors.com).


What the team hopes you'll see on TV broadcasts (via Warriors.com).

The franchise also issued a press release on the new renderings and further plans for the development:


“We believe this plan is a perfect fit for Mission Bay, for San Francisco, and for the entire region,” said Joe Lacob, Co-Executive Chairman and CEO of the Warriors. “Our goal is to not only build a world-class arena for our team and our fans, but also create a vibrant place that residents and visitors will want to enjoy, whether on game days or any other day.”

The new entertainment center will be built on 11 acres of private, inland property, bounded by Third, 16th and South Streets, and Terry Francois Blvd.

“The new Warriors sports and entertainment center is going to activate Mission Bay in new ways and create a 21st century fan experience and a premier entertainment experience for concert and convention-goers,” said Co-Executive Chairman Peter Guber. “It will serve as a ‘digital’ meeting place, with state-of-the-art amenities, unbelievable sightlines and new views of the Bay.”

Details include more than 18,000 seats in the arena, a public plaza that exceeds the size of the landmark Union Square, and a public park to be populated by children on one of the city's three unbearably beautiful days per year:



The guy in shorts is obviously a tourist (via Warriors.com).

The Warriors have presented this plan as part of a larger scale development of the Mission Bay neighborhood, which is clear in renderings that include new buildings identified by a translucent cast.


But the substance of the proposal detracts from the real story here — the arena definitely doesn't look like a toilet. Luckily for us, team president Rick Welts spoke on the matter (via SB Nation):



It's a very smooth move by Welts to credit fans for identifying the prior designs' essential toilet-ness when it was obvious to anyone who looked at the plans. In a project that has already been delayed and changed by activist outcry, the Warriors are now doing their best to throw citizens a bone, if only by flattering their intelligence. That's what I call effective community outreach.


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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at efreeman_ysports@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!







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News sport : TMZ obtains 911 tapes from Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett and his pregnant girlfriend

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Police were called to the home of Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett after Barrett and his pregnant girlfriend, Alexandria Barrett-Clark, both called 911 citing a domestic disturbance.


Barrett, who is nursing a broken ankle, claimed his “ex-girlfriend” was in his home, would not leave, and he wanted police to help remove her. Barrett-Clark told 911 Barrett choked her and flung her across a room. She also noted in the 911 call she was pregnant.



TMZ obtained the 911 tapes of both Barrett and Barrett-Clark and both sound remarkably calm in their calls. Barrett-Clark, when asked to describe Barrett, begins to note he’s the Ohio State quarterback, but stops short.


Police did respond to the call, but there were no visible injuries to either party. No arrests were made.


For more Ohio State news, visit BuckeyeGrove.com.


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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!


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News sport : Oregon State hires Wisconsin coach Gary Andersen

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In a move that may be as surprising as the departure of Mike Riley to Nebraska, Oregon State has hired Wisconsin coach Gary Andersen as Riley's replacement.



Andersen, 50, will be introduced at a press conference on Friday per the Portland Tribune.


Riley, the long-time coach of Oregon State, was hired by Nebraska last week. During Nebraska's search, Riley wasn't mentioned as a candidate. And during Oregon State's search, Andersen wasn't thought to be one of Oregon State's top targets.


Andersen, who signed an extension with Wisconsin in the offseason, replaced Bret Bielema as the Badgers' coach in 2013. He had a record of 19-7 in Madison though his final game will be the 59-0 loss that the Badgers suffered at the hands of Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday.


Bielema, as you likely know, left Wisconsin to go to Arkansas.


Wisconsin announced that Andersen informed the team of his decision in a Wednesday afternoon meeting and the school said a search was already underway for his replacement. Will the Badgers be targeting some of the potential (non-Jim Harbaugh) candidates that Big Ten rival Michigan is looking at?



Or maybe Wisconsin just needs to stay in-house? Wisconsin's basketball Twitter account has a fun – if not-possible – idea.



Andersen is a native of Salt Lake City and went to Utah, another Pac-12 school. Before arriving at Wisconsin, he coached at Utah State for four seasons. In 2012, his Aggies went 11-2 and almost beat Wisconsin that season. Before he was at Utah State, he was the defensive coordinator for Utah.


Oregon State was 5-7 in 2014. In Riley's 12 seasons with the school, Oregon State went to eight bowl games.


For more Oregon State news, visit BeaverBlitz.com.


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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!







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News sport : Former Clemson QB Chad Kelly tweets he's going to Ole Miss

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Chad Kelly is heading to Ole Miss in 2015. The former Clemson quarterback tweeted he was a Rebel on Wednesday.


He confirmed the news in a text to RebelGrove.com.


Kelly was dismissed from Clemson in April for "conduct detrimental to the program." He was competing with Cole Stoudt and freshman Deshaun Watson to be Clemson's starting quarterback in 2014. Stoudt was named the starter, but was replaced by Watson during the 2014 season when Watson wasn't sidelined by injury.


Earlier Wednesday, Clemson announced that Watson would miss the bowl game because of surgery to fix a torn ACL and Stoudt would start against Oklahoma.


Kelly, the nephew of Bills QB Jim Kelly, enrolled at East Mississippi Community College for the 2014 season and threw for 3.905 yards and 47 touchdowns. EMCC won its third NJCAA title in four years with a 34-17 win over Iowa Western on Saturday.


At Ole Miss, Kelly will again have a chance to start. Bo Wallace is a senior and was backed up this season by Ryan Buchanan and DeVante Kincade. Both are redshirt freshmen.


During Clemson's spring game in April, Kelly reportedly yelled at members of Clemson's coaching staff during halftime. He didn't play in the second half, and the game gave Stoudt a leg up in the quarterback competition.


In January 2012, when Kelly was recruited as a four-star quarterback out of high school, tweeted some trash talk towards Stoudt about his impending arrival on campus.


If Kelly still has his swagger, he'll fit right in among the SEC, don't you think? If he needs a lesson in Ole Miss trash talk, he should chat with former Ole Miss basketball player Marshall Henderson.


And we'd be remiss in writing a post about Kelly without including this rap video from before he arrived at Clemson. Hopefully we can get a remix.



For more Oe Miss news, visit RebelGrove.com.


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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!







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News sport : Shutdown Corner Playoff Projection: Who's left out in the cold in NFC?

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Shutdown Corner Playoff Projection Week 15 (Kevin Kaduk)

The current playoff race as things stand now remains tight, with 12 teams in the hunt in the AFC and 10 teams with postseason hope in the NFC. A lot can happen in the next three weeks, obviously, but it's the narrower NFC race that figures to be quite fascinating.

This much we know: An NFC South team will be .500 or worse and hosting a playoff game. And a team with a better record will be sitting at home watching (or pouting, such as it may be).


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The current NFC wildcard leaders are the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions, both at 9-4, and the next two teams in the pecking order are the 9-4 Dallas Cowboys and 7-6 San Francisco 49ers. Incidentally, there's a decent chance that an above-.500 team on the AFC side will miss the playoffs, too, if the Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers and Baltimore Ravens all win at least one of their final three games.


But enough about the inequities of the playoff field. Let's forecast who will make it in, and what those prospective first-round matchups might look like:


Detroit Lions at Philadelphia Eagles: We're projecting the Lions to remain warm and find a way into the postseason with an eye on ending the franchise's six-game postseason losing streak, which dates back to the 1991 season when they beat the up-and-coming Cowboys. (Troy Aikman was the Cowboys' quarterback that day, and if this matchup comes to fruition, he and Joe Buck could call this game for Fox, for what that's worth.) The Lions' last postseason win on the road? You'd have to go back to 1957 for that one. Of course, the Eagles have lost three straight postseason games as a franchise, including Chip Kelly's first playoff game a year ago, so something would have to give.


Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons: It would be curious to see a postseason rematch of these teams — maybe not interesting, but curious, yes — and see how different things might be from their Week 13 battle that, somewhat surprisingly, ended in a 29-18 Falcons win that wasn't perhaps as close as the score indicated. The Cardinals have been something of a darling team this season, and the Falcons — in addition to being a team that many folks outside Atlanta might not care that much for — would be viewed as the team that was fortunate to get into the playoff mix. This has the feel of the Saturday afternoon game, and you can bet that Bruce Arians would embrace the underdog role and a great chance at redemption.


San Diego Chargers at Indianapolis Colts: It has been impressive to see how the Chargers have clawed their way back into the mix here, despite myriad injuries and setbacks along the way. The Colts have won a lot of games and reasonably could end the season with 11 or 12 wins, but they are not a perfect squad by any means. Could the Chargers do what they did last season: sneak into the playoffs, head to the midwest and pull the upset? Don't be stunned. These teams have met three times in postseason history, and twice since the 2007 season, with the Chargers winning the past two meetings. But one guy who helped dominate the 2008 season battle — Mike Scifres, with perhaps one of the most dominant punting postseason performances of all time — might not be healthy enough to go in this one. Difference maker? You bet.


Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers: Another would-be rematch, and this one occured last week. It was tight until midway through the fourth quarter, and the Bengals led with about 12 minutes left, but the Steelers threw the final few haymakers in the game at Paul Brown Stadium and came away with the 14-point win. This one would be at Heinz Field, and the Steelers have lost two games there to lesser opponents: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (ugh) and New Orleans Saints, both with sub-.500 records. The Bengals have been as tricky a team to handicap as the Steelers have, and Cincy's recent postseason mark (0-3 the past three seasons) leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Who knows with this game?


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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Clemson QB Deshaun Watson will have knee surgery Friday, miss bowl game

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Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson throws the ball during warm ups before the start of an NCAA college football game against South Carolina, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro) Clemson star quarterback Deshaun Watson will have surgery Friday to repair a partially torn ACL and a torn LCL, coach Dabo Swinney announced Wednesday.


Watson will miss the Tigers’ bowl game against Oklahoma on Dec. 29.


Watson suffered an LCL sprain against Georgia Tech on Nov. 15 and then partially tore the ACL during practice the following week. He missed the subsequent game against Georgia Southern, but returned to help the Tigers defeat South Carolina.


Swinney revealed the injury after the victory.


Originally Swinney said Watson would be available for the bowl game, but that was when the Tigers were still in line for the Orange Bowl. With the Tigers going to the Russell Athletic Bowl, Swinney said the thought was to allow Watson to get a jumpstart on his rehab and have him back by summer drills.


Cole Stoudt will start the bowl game in Watson’s place. Stoudt is completing 62 percent of his passes for 1,573 yards, six touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He was the season-opening starter before Watson replaced him.


For more Clemson news, visit TigerIllustrated.com.


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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!


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News sport : With his Knicks already reeling, Carmelo Anthony may have to sit with a bum knee

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At some point, when discussing the woes of the New York Knicks, you feel as if you’re piling on. New York isn’t the only terrible team out there right now, but they do feel like the NBA’s biggest disappointment in the squad’s current state. Even if most only expected the Knicks to approach .500 this season.


Most also only expected the play of Carmelo Anthony to drop off toward the end of the five-year, $124 million contract he signed last summer, but that was the expected price to pay for the right to employ Anthony through his prime – presumed to be the next couple of years. Anthony has faltered this season, both because of his team’s miserable offensive play and injuries; first a shoulder malady, and now a lingering knee issue.


With Anthony’s Knicks stuck at 4-19, tied with Detroit for the most losses in the terrible Eastern Conference, Anthony may decide to scale it back a bit. He may decide to interrupt his season in order to undergo surgery on that troubled left knee.


From Frank Isola at the New York Daily News:



“At this point, it’s evaluating and seeing," Anthony said. “Some days are better than others. It’s a matter if I want to continue to play on it and the pain threshold. The flip side to that is we are losing games. I hate it, I hate to sit on the sidelines and watch my teammates.




“At this point, sitting down with trainers and coaches and seeing what’s best for everybody. If it’s best for me to sit out, take some time to get it right, then that’s a decision we’ll have to make. But they’ll have to pull me out.”



It is believed that if in fact surgery is needed Anthony could postpone the procedure until after the season but his most recent comments reveal a player who is concerned that his knee is not improving. Throughout his career, Anthony has shown a willingness to play hurt, including the finishing the playoffs two years ago despite suffering from a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder.


Anthony is not suspected to have a ligament or cartilage tear, which means the surgery could be a relatively minor one. It is true that sometimes cleanup treatments reveal further, unexpected damage and result in a debilitating microfracture procedure, but Anthony doesn’t have the sort of balky knee history that would leave one to suspect that things are worse than what Carmelo is letting on.


Still, this has to be a low point. Right?


Isola also confirmed an ESPN report that suggested that the Knicks are already sick to death of the approach rookie coach Derek Fisher is taking on both sides of the ball. From Chris Broussard’s report:



"Nobody's taken a swing at anybody, but there's a lot of arguing and cursing each other out after games," one source said.




In addition to the Knicks' lack of chemistry, sources say the players believe coach Derek Fisher's insistence on running the triangle offense is another key reason for New York's struggles.



Broussard referenced a mixup that Anthony and Tim Hardaway Jr. reportedly had in a loss to Brooklyn last week, but the real news here is that Knicks players don’t like the turn the franchise has taken under Fisher and new president Phil Jackson.


Boo-hoo.


So the Knicks have to pass the ball now. They have to screen properly and move without the rock. They can’t over-dribble and they’re being asked to employ proper spacing and movement instead of running the sort of isolation sets former coach Mike Woodson loved to employ. Defensively, they can’t switch everything and they’re being charged with actually being responsible when it comes to covering their man.


They’re being asked to play like a real basketball team, and they’re failing at it. Woodson’s offensive and defensive philosophies may have produced more wins initially, but his systems merely concocted fool’s gold in the long run.


Fisher and Jackson’s ideals? They’ve only produced coal so far, but Derek Fisher and Phil Jackson don’t really care about winning the wrong way just for short term wagon-circling. They care about establishing a system that will eventually produce more than the sum of its individual parts. Whether those parts are star-laden, or middling as the Knicks are currently staffed.


From Isola’s report:



“Well you’re seeing guys get into position on the court,” Jackson said. “Spacing is one of the keys and what we preach about. There are seven principles involved. Ideas like getting penetration and running the court correctly; moving the basketball to any of your four teammates. And all of those things that go along with it.




“But even in the early part of our season, guys didn’t run the court correctly. They didn’t know their spacing and find the spacing that’s important. Now we’ve developed that. Now we’ve developed a kind of system where we’re starting to move the ball. And understand how to work the actions that are incredible. And they’re able to now start to take options from those instead of having to go through memorization so they’re getting some flexibility to that. I think that’s where they start playing with what I call soft brain instead of being so hard focused that they’re not able to think fully in the moment.”



The Knicks’ defense and offense has fallen off considerably this season under Fisher, and their won/loss record has followed suit. This is what happens when you have to dig out the root of the weed, though. Had Woodson and his schematics hung around, the Knicks would likely have a better record, but playing basketball that way only allows for so high a ceiling. The Knicks overreliance on long two-point jumpers and the team’s inability to get to the line is not the triangle offense’s fault; it’s the fault of the players for failing to properly execute it.


Most of these players aren’t long for New York, as Jackson waits out the failings of his predecessors. This was always going to be fitful season full of growing pains in New York, but nobody could have predicted that the Knicks would be the first NBA team to hit 20 losses, with its star player stuck on the mend after knee surgery. Both could very well become a reality soon.


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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Panthers will start Derek Anderson as Cam Newton recovers from wreck

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The Carolina Panthers will start Derek Anderson at quarterback in the place of Cam Newton, who was hospitalized with minor injuries stemming from a Tuesday car accident.


Newton suffered two small back fractures in the accident, in which his vehicle was struck by another near the Panthers' stadium. Newton will be inactive for the game on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Joe Webb, who has spent time at wide receiver, will serve as Anderson's backup.


"We are going to treat this week-by-week," Panthers coach Ron Rivera said in announcing the move. "We don't want to expose [Newton] to any more harm."


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Anderson has already started once this season, coincidentally against Tampa Bay in the season's first game. He threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns in a 20-14 Panthers victory.


"The most important thing about this whole week is the safety and health of one of my brothers," Anderson said, understanding his role. "He's been through a lot. If he could be out there, he'd be out there."


____

Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.



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News sport : NFL passes new conduct policy; NFLPA says it hasn't seen it

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NFL owners unanimously passed a new conduct policy, which wasn't a surprise. With all the off-field turmoil the NFL has been through, it didn't need the appearance of a disagreement about the new policy among its owners.


The new conduct policy was promised by commissioner Roger Goodell in September after the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson situations became a national topic of conversation. The biggest change to it, according to a copy of the memo obtained by ESPN that outlined the new policy, is that the NFL will "no longer defer entirely to the decisions of the criminal justice system, which is governed by processes and considerations that are not appropriate to a workplace, especially a workplace as visible and influential as ours."


In other words, it won't help a player if the legal system goes light on him for a indiscretion that the NFL frowns upon. That especially applies to domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault, ESPN's report said. There will be "specific criteria for paid leave for anyone charged with a crime of violence," according to the Associated Press . The AP reiterated a previous report that there will be a six-game suspension for "assault, sexual assault, battery, domestic violence, child abuse and other forms of family violence," although circumstances will be considered.



"The policy is comprehensive. It is strong. It is tough. And it better for everyone associated with the NFL," Goodell said, according to the AP.



Another big key to the new policy is that a special counsel for investigations and conduct will oversee initial discipline, ESPN said. Goodell said a "highly qualified individual with a criminal justice background" will be hired for the role, the AP said, and the league will use independent investigators as needed. Goodell will keep the authority to rule on appeals, which likely won't make the NFL Players Association happy.


Yes, the union. That group is the other big story about the new policy. The fact that the NFL has unilaterally made a new conduct policy without including the NFLPA is meaningful negotiations has been a major point of contention with the union. NFLPA assistant executive director of external affairs George Atallah didn't try to hide his displeasure in a series of tweets on Wednesday.





It seems like an arrogant move by the NFL, which has always held a good deal of power over the union, to agitate the NFLPA by cutting them out of the negotiating process in the new conduct policy. This terse statement by the union sums up its discontent:



"Our union has not been offered the professional courtesy of seeing the NFL's new personal conduct policy before it hit the presses. Their unilateral decision and conduct today is the only thing that has been consistent over the past few months."



The NFL has a new, tough conduct policy that could garner the positive publicity it seeks after a bad run of off-field incidents. How it went about pushing that conduct policy through might create problems with the union, problems that will be hard to smooth over.



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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Michigan hires a PR firm to help with fallout from QB Shane Morris' injury

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The University of Michigan hired a public relations firm to help manage its image following the fallout from the handling of a concussion sustained by quarterback Shane Morris on Sept. 27.


Morris sustained a mild concussion following a hit against Minnesota and was allowed to stay in the game despite emerging from the hit wobbly. Morris was finally pulled for examination a couple plays later, but was then re-entered in the game after backup Devin Gardner lost his helmet and needed to sit for a play.


Following the incident coach Brady Hoke passed the buck to the training staff and athletic director Dave Brandon supported him. The entire ordeal turned into a PR nightmare students protested and called for Brandon and Hoke’s dismissal.


Both men were ultimately fired.


Now the university is hoping to repair its image as it seeks a new football coach to help bring the program back to national prominence.


Edelman, one of the world's largest public relations firms, was hired shortly after the fallout from Morris’ injury began. The contract is for $75,000. Edelman is the same PR firm that advised Penn State during the Jerry Sandusky scandal.


"We believe there are times when getting an outside perspective is the smart thing to do," University of Michigan spokesman Rick Fitzgerald told the Detroit Free Press. "We engaged Edelman to provide just that type of external perspective following the football-concussion incident. There is no ongoing work at this time."


Edelman also is working with North Carolina, which is still reeling from an academic scandal that has rocked the campus.


For more Michigan news, visit TheWolverine.com.


- - - - - - -


Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!


And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook






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Back to the drawing board for Liverpool

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Liverpool can only hope that their elimination from the Champions League heralds the end of a vertiginous downward spiral.


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Liverpool – Liverpool can only hope that their elimination from the Champions League heralds the end of a vertiginous downward spiral that began with Steven Gerrard's infamous slip against Chelsea last season.


Since Gerrard lost his footing on April 27, gifting Demba Ba a goal that set Chelsea on their way to a 2-0 win that tilted the Premier League title race in Manchester City's favour, Liverpool have lost their way.


Luis Suarez left for Barcelona. Some £116 million ($181.8million, 146.8 million euros) was spent on new players who have yet to convince, with Mario Balotelli the most conspicuous disappointment. Daniel Sturridge has succumbed to a succession of injuries.


And after making a dismal start to the Premier League season, Tuesday's 1-1 draw at home to Basel saw Liverpool's return to the Champions League following a five-year absence ended after only 85 days.


Gerrard's late equaliser from a free-kick briefly gave Anfield hope of a comeback to compare with the glorious European fightbacks of yesteryear, but in sum, the performance was a microcosm of all Liverpool's current ills.


With Sturridge and Balotelli both injured, the powerful but limited Rickie Lambert Ä a close-season recruit from Southampton Ä started up front, but lasted only 45 minutes.


Both he and Balotelli were signed to provide alternatives to the mobility and guile of Sturridge, but in the former Chelsea striker's absence, Liverpool look bereft of pace and inventiveness at centre-forward.


Last season, when Liverpool narrowly missed out on a first league title in 24 years, their dominance of possession enabled them to push and pull teams out of position before either Suarez or Sturridge would pounce.


With neither Suarez nor Sturridge in the team, there is an aimlessness to their ball circulation, and against Basel that was only exacerbated by the nerves of the Anfield crowd.


Manager Brendan Rodgers's biggest summer signing, Adam Lallana, did not even make it off the bench, while Lazar Markovic, a £20


million recruit from Benfica, injected purpose and directness after coming on at half-time, only to be sent off for flinging a hand at Behrang Safari.


In defence, Liverpool continue to look vulnerable, with goalkeeper Simon Mignolet's confidence at a low ebb after a string of recent errors and Dejan Lovren seemingly incapable of exuding the reassurance he was signed from Southampton to provide.


Gerrard looked off the pace for long periods against Basel, although his fine, arcing free-kick proved that, even at 34 and amid uncertainty about his future, he remains the man for the big occasion.


Liverpool's defence is marginally less porous than it was last season, conceding an average of 1.27 goals per league game compared to 1.32 in 2013-14, but when the forwards only average 1.27 goals per game at the other end, the sums do not make for encouraging reading.


As well as losing three and drawing two of their six Champions League group games Ä scoring only five goals Ä they have already lost six times in the league and also dropped points in frustrating 0-0 draws at home to Hull City and Sunderland.


Sunday's trip to a Manchester United team on a five-game winning run portends further gloom.


But with only six points between Liverpool and the Champions League places, all is not lost just yet, while victory at second-tier Bournemouth next week will take them into the League Cup semi-finals.


Rodgers believes that by the spring, with Sturridge back from injury and the new players having bedded in, Liverpool will be a different prospect, capable of mounting a challenge in both the league and the Europa League.


Watching Tuesday's game at home, Sturridge tweeted: “Sat here devastated wishing I could have helped. We'll come back stronger from this and I'm working hard to do the same.”


For Liverpool's supporters, that turnaround cannot come too quickly. – Sapa-AFP






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Officials must see the light

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Surely the local game’s powers that be must now see the need to introduce a review system!


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Surely the local game’s powers that be must now see the need to introduce a review system!


How can they honestly continue to turn a blind eye while clubs continue to suffer at the hands of some inept match officiating?


At the weekend when they stuttered to a goalless draw at Ajax Cape Town, Gordon Igesund’s SuperSport United did so without the services of their talismanic scoring winger Thuso Phala.


But the former Platinum Stars player shouldn’t be sitting three matches out. At least not due to the red card he received in the midweek Tshwane derby against Mamelodi Sundowns.


For the lad from Soweto was shown a red card for an assumed offence that was never.


In possession of the ball, Phala found himself illegally tugged at by Sundowns’ Khama Billiat. In an attempt to rid himself of his marker, Phala flung his arm back and touched the Zimbabwean’s arm.


Billiat’s reaction reminded one of Rivaldo’s theatrics in the 2002 World Cup semi-final clash between Brazil and Turkey.


The Sundowns striker covered his face as though he’d had his molars readjusted by a Mike Tyson punch.


And the referee fell for the simulation hook, line and sinker and responded by giving Phala his marching orders.


In other top leagues in the world, the English Premier League in particular, SuperSport would have had recourse by asking the review panel to look at the incident. And they would have definitely rescinded the red card.


With the game having grown to be such a big money business, it is a shame that precious points are lost via some poor officiating while help is at hand.


As stubborn as football has been over the years to refuse the use of technology to help the match officials, even they are slowly beginning to see the light. The introduction of goalline technology is proof of this. Granted they argue that introducing more technology in the game could take away from the flow and nature of the game. And yes controversies often cause by refereeing decisions make for interesting debate among fans.


Yet surely, introducing a review panel to look at things such as sending offs could help.


As it is, Safa does have a referee’s review panel that has in the past seen the likes of Victor Gomes punished with a demotion to the lower league.


Now how about they use that very same panel to relook at decisions such as Phala’s red card to ensure that there is some fairness in the game. - The Star






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