News sport : Byron Scott will rest Kobe Bryant once the Lakers are 'nowhere near playoff contention'

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On Tuesday evening, in a tough loss to the Miami Heat, Kobe Bryant missed 16 of 19 shots from the field. The shooting performance wasn’t typical of his recent play – Kobe hasn’t usually been this bad – but it is sadly reflective of the sub-Kobester stats he’s put up since the Lakers started resting their 36-year old star more often.


Asked yet again about how he plans to handle the health and minutes of his legendary player and former teammate, Lakers coach Byron Scott revealed on Wednesday that he plays to play Bryant against LeBron James and the Cavaliers on Thursday, while resting him against the lottery-bound Utah Jazz on Friday.


He also offered this:



Wait.


The Lakers are 12-27, and they’re about to take on a very angry Cleveland Cavaliers team that is looking for a statement win (or any win, really). The team is currently on pace to win 26 games, about what many expected from the team this year, in what we have no issues calling The Greatest Conference Ever.


Currently, the final spot in the Western postseason bracket belongs to the Phoenix Suns, who are on pace for 47 wins after a relatively rough start to the season and prior to acclimating the (expertly fitting) Brandan Wright into the rotation. The Oklahoma City Thunder, stuck at 10th in the West, haven’t even gotten their act together. The Western Conference playoff bracket is the hardest nut to try to crack that we’ve seen in our far too many years of following these things.


If the Lakers were to top Phoenix at its current pace, they’d have to peel off 36-7 end to their season. After starting the year on a 12-27 tear. Even getting within sniffing difference, around the same .500’ish mark the Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans are working in, would take a 29-14 run. That’s just not happening.


Byron Scott, like Jeanie Buss and just about any other member of the Laker organization, has to keep a brave face and say things that he probably doesn’t mean while slogging through a lost year.


Still, the difference with Byron Scott is that you sort of get the feeling he actually means what he says, and that’s a bit troubling.


We’ll have more on the Lakers’ second-half outlook on Thursday.


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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 : Daryl Morey made a really dumb gynecologist joke on Twitter

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We’re pretty sure Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey just sifted through Dwight Howard’s drafts folder, looking for a joke to steal.


How else would you explain this?



Wow, that’s … yeah. That’s a 42-year old man that runs a pro basketball team that could be worth a billion dollars making gynecologists jokes.


Because when you work as a gynecologist for a living, bro, you’re all about the ladies. It’s like the Playboy Channel, but with better pay, dude!


And also lab coats. And appointments. And years’ worth of schooling in preparation for what can be an arduous job. And patients of all walks of life that very much need a doctor’s expertise when it comes to helping them raise a family, stay in good health, or even staving off what could be a life-threatening condition.


A gynecologist’s work is about as anti-sexual as gigs get. Just because there are genitalia involved, it doesn’t mean the doctor is walking to their car after a day’s work high-fiving everyone he or she sees. And just because there is genitalia involved, it doesn’t mean doctors of all walks don’t get sick of their jobs.


So Daryl Morey, on a plane, made a stupid joke on Twitter. We’ve all done that. Still, what a stupid joke. What are you, Daryl, 12?


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Morey has yet to delete the tweet. Blame the wi-fi:



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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 : San Francisco 49ers set to promote DL coach Jim Tomsula to head coach

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Jim Tomsula (USA Today Sports Images) After looking around at outside candidates, including a long talk with Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase on Tuesday, the San Francisco 49ers have apparently decided to stay in-house for their next head coach.


The 49ers are set to promote Jim Tomsula, the defensive line coach, to head coach to replace Jim Harbaugh, ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported on Wednesday. Tomsula's name has been floated throughout the process, even back late last regular season when it was clear Harbaugh wasn't returning in 2015, but the timing is a bit surprising given the 49ers' clear interest in Gase. They met with Gase most of the day on Tuesday, reports said. The move would keep Gase in play for the Denver Broncos, who need a head coach after parting ways with John Fox.


Tomsula has been an NFL head coach for one game. In 2010, after Mike Singletary was fired, Tomsula stepped in as interim head coach for the season finale and the 49ers won. Harbaugh retained Tomsula on his staff.


Tomsula has been with the 49ers as defensive line coach since 2007, so the organization is very familiar with him. He was in NFL Europe from 1998-2006 before joining the 49ers, spending one season as head coach of the Rhein Fire. He coached in colleges and high schools before that, including an early stint in his career in the 1990s at Charleston Southern in which he was delivering newspapers for The Post and Courier, serving as a night janitor at an insurance agency, and cutting firewood" to make ends meet, according to his 49ers bio. He has paid his dues to get to this point.


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Tomsula isn't a household name among NFL fans but that will change. He comes into a really difficult situation, taking over for the very successful Harbaugh. Harbaugh was 44-19-1 in four seasons including three trips to the NFC championship game and one trip to the Super Bowl.


Tomsula has a lot to live up to, but the 49ers know him well, and obviously think he's up to it.


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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 : The Great Tom Brady-Indianapolis Colts Art War has begun

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Tom Brady and the Colts have a long history of mutual disdain. And even though the Colts no longer have Peyton Manning as Brady's foil, that hasn't stopped Touchdown Tom from taking shots at his old rival. After Indianapolis defeated Denver for the honor of meeting the Patriots in New England, Brady posted the following on his Facebook page:



Tom Brady's Facebook pic.

It doesn't appear that Brady is quite in control of that colt, but you get the idea. Not long afterward, an Indianapolis clothing store decided to up the ante a bit with a new T-shirt design:



The Colt Revolt (Via Vardagen)

"The Colt Revolt" is the product of Indy clothing store Vardagen, and you can order your own right here for a mere $26. We look forward to Boston's reply, which could go any of a number of different highly tasteful ways. However, the Patriots' finest retort may well come on the field; New England is favored by 6.5 at the moment.


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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 : New Atlanta Falcons stadium video is something to behold

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Have you seen the video rendition of the new Atlanta Falcons stadium yet?

If the answer is no, watch this. Now.


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Yes, we're in an era of megaplexes and behemoths of steel and glass being erected, one outdoing the next — "technological terrors" if you want to paraphrase Darth Vader.


But this thing looks cool. It had better, at a reported cost of $1.4 billion with a "b." It looks like a reason to actually go to Atlanta. (I kid! It's a great city, one that I have visited more than once and one I plan on returning to. Especially now.)


In the video, you're airlifted — virtually, of course — above the new stadium and down through a hole that opens up in the roof. See? Told you it was cool. If Steve Bartkowski doesn't parachute through this opening for the first game at the new stadium, someone in event planning should lose their job.


The multiple video screens that will circumnavigate the top of the stadium look insane, although — like Jerry World — there is the fear of taking people's eyes off the action on the field and up into the sky. But, hey, that's what the money is being spent on, right?


The luxury suite stuff and other amenities fall in line with every other new stadium these days. There's nothing exceptional looking, and that's fine. The structure itself is the real deal, and there's no doubt it has the ability to host multiple events, including NCAA Final Fours, bowl games, World Cups, rock concerts and ... oh yeah, Super Bowls. Plural.


Because that's what you're gunning for when you build something like this. Impressive.


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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 : Reports: Washington State hires Mizzou's Alex Grinch as DC

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(Getty Images) More than a month after Washington State fired Mike Breske, the Cougars reportedly have hired his replacement.


According to FootballScoop.com, PowerMizzou.com, and WazzuWatch.com, WSU head coach Mike Leach reached into the SEC and hired Missouri safeties coach Alex Grinch to lead the Cougars’ defense.


Grinch, who has never been a defensive coordinator at any level, has coached safeties at Mizzou under Gary Pinkel, his father-in-law, for the past three seasons and developed a reputation for being one of the better recruiters on Pinkel’s staff.


Before arriving at Missouri, Grinch coached defensive backs at Wyoming from 2009-2011, at New Hampshire from 2005-2008 and was a graduate assistant with the Tigers from 2002-2004.


Grinch will now have the task of improving a Washington State defense that was No. 97 nationally in total defense (442.3 ypg) and No. 114 nationally in scoring defense (38.6 ppg). Additionally, the Cougars forced only eight turnovers for the entire season.


The Cougars took a step back and finished 3-9 in Leach’s third season with the program after reaching a bowl game in 2013.


Grinch is the second defensive coach to leave Missouri in this offseason. Defensive coordinator Dave Steckel left to accept the head-coaching job at Missouri State and Pinkel hired Barry Odom to replace him.


For more Washington State news, visit WazzouWatch.com.


For more Missouri news, visit PowerMizzou.com.


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!







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News sport : Dak Prescott announces he's returning for senior season

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At approximately the same time Oregon QB Marcus Mariota's NFL draft intentions were made public, Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott had an announcement to make too. However, his was different than Mariota's.


The junior said Wednesday that he would return in 2015.



An early candidate for the Heisman Trophy until Mississippi State lost to Alabama and Ole Miss in the regular season, Prescott is likely to be on the short list of preseason Heisman favorites with Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott and others to start 2015.


Prescott, who has been compared to the player he grow up idolizing in Tim Tebow, was 244-396 passing for 3,449 yards, 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He had 210 carries for 986 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.


He was most successful running the option with running back Josh Robinson, though the two won't be partners in crime in 2015. Robinson is leaving for the NFL draft.


The Bulldogs were undefeated at No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings until losing to the Crimson Tide on November 15. In a stretch of five games in September and October, Prescott ran for 100+ and threw for 200+ yards in four.


In October, Prescott said he'd enter the draft if he was a first-round pick. With the declaration of Mariota and the previous announcement by Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston and UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley, Prescott would have likely been the fourth quarterback drafted and not a first-round pick. By returning to school he'll have another season to sharpen his passing and show that he can be a pro-ready quarterback.


For more Mississippi State news, visit BulldogBlitz.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 : The 10-man rotation, starring serious defensive troubles in Toronto

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A look around the league and the Web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.


C: Raptors Republic. Good stuff from Blake Murphy on the Toronto Raptors' cratering defense, which has not only fallen off a cliff since the end of November — a term that roughly lines up with the loss of All-Star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan to a groin injury — but has undergone "a holistic decline that doesn’t have an easy band-aid or schematic change."


PF: The Triangle. Zach Lowe on Al Horford returning to All-Star-caliber form after two seasons mostly lost to pectoral tears.


SF: Sports Illustrated. Speaking of those Atlanta Hawks, great stuff from Rob Mahoney on all the little things the Hawks are doing right that have added up to 22 wins in their last 24 games.


SG: The Wall Street Journal. With the New York Knicks in the midst of a lost season that's headed toward the draft lottery and a likely top-five draft pick, Chris Herring takes a look back at the team's recent track record with developing and retaining young talent. It is not a very good track record.


PG: The New York Observer. And speaking of those moribund 'Bockers, Jeff Greenfield makes the legal case for the City of New York seizing the franchise away from owner James L. Dolan via eminent domain: "[...] the Knicks have become a 'blight' on the city every bit as much as an abandoned building."


6th: Orlando Sentinel. Orlando Magic general manager Rob Hennigan talks an awful lot to Josh Robbins about the need for the team to consistently demonstrate a "competitive spirit," which is the kind of thing that makes you wonder just how much longer head coach Jacque Vaughn's leash is ... especially Hennigan answered a direct question on whether Vaughn's job was safe for the balance of this season by saying, "I’d say that everyone and everything is being evaluated right now." Hmmm.


7th: Mavs.com. A neat look by Bobby Karalla at how Dirk Nowitzki's facilitating game has taken a step forward this season, including the somewhat eye-popping revelation that nearly two-thirds of the German's assist opportunities have been converted into buckets.


8th: Sports Illustrated. Lee Jenkins on how Nick Young became "Swaggy P," a "joy-bringer" whose ease has made him both "the smiley face of L.A. basketball" and the sort of Internet cause célèbre that inevitably invokes backlash, and how sometimes we smile to hide.


9th: Hardwood Paroxysm. An interesting read from Jordan White on sophomore Utah Jazz eraser Rudy Gobert, whose dispassionate shotblocking seems to be "not an extension of his personality, [but rather] just an extension of his limbs," which makes him somewhat unique in a league largely dominated by more demonstrative types.


10th: Searching for Slava. Dave Murphy on what's become of Robert Swift: "How do you end a downfall story about a homeless seven-foot junkie who decides to put a stocking over his head and knock on someone’s door in Gold Bar?"


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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at devine@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!



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News sport : K-State fan credits coach Bill Snyder for 40-pound weight loss

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A Kansas State football fan said Bill Snyder’s "16 goals for success," tenets the 75-year-old coach uses to guide his on-field achievements, helped him lose 40 pounds.


Patrick Hines, a 25-year-old Kansas State grad, posted a YouTube video chronicling his weight loss from 216 pounds to 176 pounds. In the video, Hines claims that Snyder’s words of wisdom helped motivate him.



“I saw a poster in my room with the K-State 16 goals on it,” Hines said in the video. “An idea popped into my head that I could apply these 16 goals as motivation to keep working out and improving my health. I was going to have the commitment and discipline to doing the right thing on a consistent basis. The first month having that mentality, I lost 10 pounds.”


Snyder’s 16 goals are: commitment, unselfishness, unity, improve, be tough, self-discipline, great effort, enthusiasm, eliminate mistakes, never give up, don’t accept losing, no self limitations, expect to win, consistency, leadership and responsibility.


Each person in the Kansas State program knows the goals and there’s even a page on the Kansas State athletics website dedicated to breaking them down with a video on each goal.


Hines told The Wichita Eagle via email that once he hit 176, he started lifting weights and vowed to get into the best shape of his life. He said the goal “no limitations” helped him the most.


“It made me realize that I can avoid complacency if I expect more out of myself every day,” Hines wrote to the paper.


We all knew Snyder was a wizard on the football field, but now he’s a self-help guru as well. Perhaps when he retires — if he ever retires — he should put his efforts into self-help books.


For more Kansas State news, visit GoPowerCat.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 : Twitter unveils an interactive map that shows where users are talking up NBA teams

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It’s hard to imagine being a fan of the modern NBA without the looming presence of Twitter, and that’s coming from an obsessive fan with a foot planted firmly in two different generations of fandom. That fandom used to be expressed in cut up newspaper or magazine features, read over and over again. It grew with the ability to watch Mitch Richmond highlights from the night before on cable TV over cereal before school, and into the nascent stages of the internet – listening to NBA League Audio Pass on a 56.6k modem, swapping tales and slow-loading links over ICQ and AOL Instant Messenger.


Now, all manner of information comes to us within seconds under the umbrella of 140 characters or less. Fans can choose to follow a team’s official (and thankfully, often far from robotic) team accounts, all manner of newspaper beat writers, internet mavens, national columnists, TV types, and even well-heeled fans that know enough to be considered an expert of sorts partially because of the advent of information sent via Twitter.


The minds behind the service have decided to let us in on just where the biggest and most vocal pockets of NBA fandom lie, based on who Twitter users follow, and which teams they talk about. From Twitter’s website:



We built this @NBA map in the same way, by looking at the official Twitter accounts for each team, using their followers as an indicator of allegiance (as opposed to, say, instances in which people mention a team while watching an interesting matchup or talking about a team’s rival).



Here’s a look at the map in full:



(Via Twitter)

The initial takeaways are ones that any rabid NBA follower (or especially writer, having to take in all those angry emails and tweets) would assume.


The Los Angeles Lakers are wickedly popular. Or, at the very least, they are a popular subject for discussion – the metrics that guide places in New Mexico and Kentucky toward turning purple don’t exactly account for Laker fans per se, but Twitter users talking all things purple and gold as Kobe Bryant does his thing.


The other obvious takeaway is one we all have been well-aware of since Vince Carter’s first go-round with Toronto: Canada loves them some Raptor news:



Work-wasting time spent with the map as a whole isn’t where Twitter, and “Twitter data visualisation scientist Krist Wongsuphasawat,” stopped, however. Thank goodness for that.


By clicking this link, fans can personalize the map for each team, they can compare one team versus another, and they can have all sorts of obsessive NBA goofs with various maps.


They can compare the reach of the Brooklyn Nets to that of the New York Knicks:



You can see the rather limited reach of the Memphis Grizzlies, save for the small pocket of British Columbia that is perched at the absolute opposite end of where the Grizzlies used to play in Vancouver.



And, yes, there is a reason why the 12-27 Los Angeles Lakers are all over the NBA’s national TV schedule:



To a fan, curious about these sorts of things, this is endlessly fascinating. Fine work, Dr. Twitter.


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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 : Ohio State promotes Ed Warinner to OC, hires Tim Beck as QB coach

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Former Nebraska offensive coordinator Tim Beck gestures during Nebraska's first day practice in Lincoln, Neb., Monday, Aug. 4, 2014. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik) Just two days after knocking off Oregon in the College Football Playoff title game, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer announced a few changes to his offensive staff on Wednesday.


With offensive coordinator Tom Herman off to be the head coach at Houston, Meyer promoted offensive line coach Ed Warriner to offensive coordinator. Additionally, Meyer confirmed the hire of Nebraska’s Tim Beck as the Buckeyes’ co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.


Warinner has been Ohio State’s co-offensive coordinator for the past three seasons and has helped the Buckeyes set a number of school and conference records on offense, including the Big Ten record for rushing yards (4,321) in 2013 and the school records for passing yards (3,707) and touchdowns (42) in 2014.


“Ed Warinner is certainly deserving, experienced and well-qualified for the offensive coordinator position,” Meyer said. “I’m pleased to be able to promote from within our program and I believe he is going to be an excellent coordinator for us.”


Before joining the Ohio State staff, Warinner had stints as an assistant with Notre Dame, Kansas, Illinois, Air Force, Army, Michigan State and Akron.


Beck, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, joins the Buckeyes’ staff after spending the last seven seasons under Bo Pelini at Nebraska. First he was the running backs coach for the Huskers from 2008-2010 before being promoted to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2011.


“I have known Tim for several years and have also watched and competed against him,” Meyer said. “I have always respected his knowledge of the game and he is respected in the profession. I always look for coordinators and co-coordinators who will mesh with our staff, our style and can make us better. I believe Tim will do just that.”


Before his time at Nebraska, Beck coached at Kansas (including one season with Warinner), Missouri State, Kansas State and Illinois State. He also was a head coach at the high school level for nine years.


“I am extremely excited to be joining the Ohio State coaching staff,” Beck said. “It’s quite an honor, being an Ohio guy and growing up here and now having the opportunity to work at The Ohio State University. Words can’t explain it. I’m just really excited and I’m looking forward to working with coach Meyer, and to learn from him and to help the coaches there continue with the successes they have already started.”


Nebraska’s offense was in the top half of the Big Ten in each of Beck’s seasons as offensive coordinator, including first in 2012 and fourth in 2014. When Pelini was fired, Beck was not retained by new Nebraska coach Mike Riley.


For more Ohio State news, visit BuckeyeGrove.com.


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Mali win boosts Bafana’s morale

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Bafana Bafana will head into their opening Afcon clash with Algeria brimming with confidence following a 3-0 win over Mali


|||

Libreville, Gabon - Bafana Bafana will head into their opening Africa Cup of Nations clash with Algeria brimming with confidence following a comfortable 3-0 win over Mali at Stade Monedan in Libreville, Gabon, on Wednesday afternoon.


A first-half header from Thulani Hlatshwayo was followed by second half strikes from Sibusiso Vilakazi and Dean Furman in what was the team's final warm-up match before the continental showpiece kicks-off on Saturday.


Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba used the opportunity to rotate his 23-man squad, making six changes to the team that were held to a 1-1 draw by Cameroon last weekend.


Jackson Mabokgwane was handed his first start in goal, while Andile Jali was handed the captain's armband for the first time in his career.


Bafana made a bright start with Thuso Phala, in particular, looking threatening on the ball.


A tame free-kick was followed by a half-chance from the SuperSport United winger, before a promising cross into the middle of the box almost saw the South Africans steal the lead inside 20 minutes.


Mali had their first taste for goal after the half-hour mark when Ahmed Doumbia put his shot wide of Mabokgwane, shortly after Doumbia first tested the Bafana defence with a well-worked move.


Five minutes later, however, Hlatshwayo powered Mashaba's troops into the lead with a controlled headed finish from Mandla Masango's free-kick just outside the area.


A perfect angle and delivery allowed Hlatshwayo to get his head to the ball before Mali could deal with the cross, handing South Africa the lead before the interval.


Mashaba would have felt the happier of the two coaches despite the goal advantage after Bafana were able to settle into their stride and control large parts of the game.


A livelier second half followed with both teams looking more expressive in attack.


Bongani Ndulula had a golden opportunity to double Bafana's advantage on 63 minutes when he was put through on goal.


The AmaZulu star managed to round Mali's last line of defence but was thwarted by a goal-line clearance with a solid toe-away from Mohammed Konate at the last minute.


Mabokgwane had a scare at the other end when Mustapha Yatabare hit the crossbar with his header from close-range, before Mohammed Traore shot wide when he looked likely to score.


Mashaba introduced Oupa Manyisa and Ayanda Gcaba, both adding pace and power to the flanks.


The result was put beyond doubt eight minutes from the end when Vilakazi kept his cool to find the back of the net.


Vilakazi rounded-off a move he played a major hand in and was sent through on goal by Ndulula, before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting home into an unmanned net.


Bafana were not done just yet. Furman added a third just two minutes later, scoring only his second goal for the national team to complete the rout of the Malians.


Furman burst through the Mali defence, who were looking deflated after the second goal, shooting straight at the goalkeeper, but keeping his composure to pick up the rebound and bundle over to seal an emphatic victory.


South Africa take on Algeria on Monday in Equatorial Guinea, before completing the tournament's “group of death” - group C - against Senegal and Ghana.


Sapa






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News sport : Thank goodness Rex Ryan is still an NFL head coach

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I don't get anyone who doesn't like Rex Ryan. He's tremendous for the NFL.


The problem that has developed over the years is that players and coaches get criticized for being interesting. Say something outside of the most white-bread quotes and it's a bad thing. So the NFL is full of robots. Why is that better for anyone? Isn't the game supposed to entertain us?


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Ryan has never cared about the backlash against being himself, and thankfully his time with the New York Jets didn't change him. When he was introduced as the Buffalo Bills' new head coach on Wednesday, he was at his cocksure best.


"Put everything you want to our opponents, put everything want on your bulletin board, that’s fine," Ryan said. "The Bills say they’re a physical football team, the Bills say they’re going to outprepare you, we’ll outwork you and that stuff. Go ahead and put it up there. I don’t care where you are. Because we’re not afraid of it."


He's perfect for Buffalo, especially now.


The Bills haven't made the playoffs since 1999, the longest drought in the NFL. After the season coach Doug Marrone simply opted out of his contract, and it's clear now he had no job guaranteed for him when he decided to do so. He still hasn't landed a job. He decided he would rather walk away with $4 million, thanks to a clause in his contract, than actually coach the Bills. What a low point for the franchise, which deserves better.


Buffalo wasn't viewed as the most attractive destination among the NFL openings. Ryan interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers, who are widely considered better destinations.


Ryan said the Bills were the team he wanted. He wants to be here and he expects to win. Buffalo had to perk up hearing that. Oh, and that playoff drought?


"I’m not going to let our fans down," Ryan said. "I’m not going to do that. I know it has been 15 years since the Bills made the playoffs. Well get ready man, we’re going. We’re going."


Maybe the Bills needed this, the don't-give-a-care coach of the NFL coming in and telling everyone that things are changing, starting now. Here's what Bills running back C.J. Spiller thought:



This is why many players say they love playing for Ryan. Here were some more gems from a pretty fun press conference:


- On the defense: "Fourth in the league is probably a little disappointing to be honest with you. That’s not where my expectations are. I know we’ll lead the league in defense. That’s just the way it goes."


- On Bills owner Terry Pegula: "As Terry likes to say, ‘We have one ego.’ I go, ‘Yes sir, that’s exactly right.’ When he hired me, that ego got a little bigger."


- On playing tough: "We’re going to build a bully and we’re going to see if you want to play us for 60 minutes."


- On playing the Patriots: "We’re going to into every game, we expect to win period. Regardless of who we play. If they want to bring back Russ Francis and John Hannah to play guard, we’ll play them too."


- On his press conferences: "As you guys get to know me, I’m going to have fun with these. I’m going to enjoy it. I don’t take myself too seriously. But what I do take seriously is the product you’re going to see on the field."


Ryan saved one of his best lines as a shot at Marrone, who left the Bills holding the bag at the end of the season.


"This football team deserves a loyal coach," Ryan said. "Nobody is more loyal than me as a football coach, I can tell you that."


Does Ryan's bravado in an introductory press conference matter? Maybe. It can't hurt give his players and the fan base some much needed confidence. A coach predicting his team will make the playoffs isn't bad. Everyone in the NFL should think that, and what's the harm in saying it?


Whatever happens from here on out in Buffalo, it's certain that things are going to get a lot more interesting there. That's a great thing.


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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 : Ray Lewis says tuck rule 'only reason we know who Tom Brady is'

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If you've seen his work on ESPN, you know Ray Lewis can get fired up about certain topics. He'll go on somewhat rambling rants.


So it's tough to really know what was on the former Baltimore Ravens linebacker's mind when he went off about the Tuck Rule Game involving the New England Patriots at the end of the 2001 playoffs (hey, it has only been 13 years) but the quote that stands out will be in bold:



“Honest to God, the first time we created something called a tuck rule is the only reason we know — I’m just being honest — the only reason we know who Tom Brady i s, because of a tuck rule,” Lewis said on Stephen A. Smith's radio show, via WEEI. “There’s no such thing as a tuck rule. If the ball is in your hand and I knock it out your hand, whether it’s going backwards, forwards, lateral, sideways — however it’s coming out, that’s a freakin’ fumble. But guess what we created? We created a freakin’ tuck rule. … Man, there are certain rules that should not be allowed to be in this game of football.”



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Lewis went on about the tuck rule for a bit more after that, seemingly insinuating the NFL made up the rule on the spot, saying, "And they named it a tuck rule — something we never heard in today’s game. So now you’ve got to ask yourself: When did the legacy really start?"


We're not beyond this yet? Even if we think that the Patriots benefited in that game (and really, the rule was called correctly whether or not we agree with the rule as it was at the time), New England has validated its worth since then, you'd have to say. It's not like Brady, one of the top five quarterbacks ever on almost any sane list, falls off the planet if Charles Woodson's forced fumble is upheld as a fumble in the Tuck Rule Game. It's not like the Patriots were a one-game wonder. They have double-digit wins in 12 straight seasons, have won 11 of 12 AFC Eat titles and will be playing in their ninth AFC championship game of the Brady-Bill Belichick era on Sunday. They wouldn't have turned to dust if the tuck rule ruling didn't go their way.


Whatever Lewis was trying to say – it's hard to believe he was really downgrading Brady's accomplishments because of one controversial play more than a decade ago – it's another reminder why that Tuck Rule Game remains one of the most famous and controversial in NFL history.


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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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Keep the faith - Di Maria

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Manchester United winger Angel di Maria urged supporters to support the new style being introduced by manager Louis van Gaal.


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Manchester United winger Angel di Maria urged supporters to support the new style being introduced by manager Louis van Gaal and stop harking back to bygone glory days.


United were renowned for swashbuckling wing play under legendary former manager Alex Ferguson, but under Van Gaal it is the wing-backs who provide the width, with the midfielders playing narrowly.


United have struggled since Ferguson's departure in May 2013, finishing seventh in the Premier League last season and currently lying fourth, but £59.7 million ($90.6 million, 77.1 million euros) record signing Di Maria has urged the club's fans to keep the faith.


“There are some people saying that we're not playing in a particularly good style or that it's not the old Manchester United – but it's not,” the Argentina international told in-house television channel MUTV.


“We're beginning something new here. We've got a new style, we've got a new manager and we're all working hard to make sure we're putting Manchester United back where it belongs.


“We're focusing on growing as a team, working hard and getting as many points as we can.


“We all know the Premier League is difficult, but all we're focusing on now is meeting our objectives and our targets for the year.


“So whether it's qualifying for the Champions League, making sure that we do well in the FA Cup or getting as high in the league as possible, these are things we are going for now.” – AFP






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