RE: LeoThread 2024-10-31 14:22

O Botafogo joga o melhor futebol no país em 2024. É o time mais talentoso do Brasil. O quarteto ofensivo, com Savarino, Luiz Henrique, Thiago Almada e Igor Jesus, concentrou alguns dos momentos mais bonitos da temporada – o segundo tempo do jogo de ida contra o Peñarol foi sublime.

O Atlético não foi tão exuberante ao longo do ano, mas construiu uma competitividade e uma força mental invejáveis. Os dois jogos contra o River Plate, adversário pesadíssimo, mostraram uma equipe à beira da perfeição: capaz de engolir o rival no primeiro jogo e de controlá-lo no segundo, em um ambiente hostil, em um estádio espumando pela classificação. É um time que mostra muita maturidade – aliada à qualidade de jogadores como Paulinho, Gustavo Scarpa e Hulk.

O Botafogo jogou menos contra o Peñarol no Uruguai do que o Atlético contra o River na Argentina, mas as circunstâncias ajudam a explicar isso. Os cariocas construíram vantagem maior contra um adversário mais fraco na partida de ida – por isso, se permitiram o luxo de poupar os jogadores pendurados e fazer um jogo protocolar, de sobrevivência. Não foi a partida dos sonhos, mas bastou. O Galo, por correr mais risco, se viu obrigado a proteger a classificação.

Antes, o Botafogo teve caminho mais duro. Enfrentar Palmeiras e São Paulo é uma estrada mais sinuosa do que encarar San Lorenzo e Fluminense (em uma versão que pouco lembrava o time campeão da Libertadores no ano passado). Foi ali, especialmente contra o Palmeiras, que o time de Artur Jorge deu sinais de que poderia mesmo ser campeão – depois de também passar apuros na primeira fase, quando renasceu após perder os dois primeiros jogos.

Se minha sobrevivência dependesse de acertar o campeão da Libertadores de 2024, eu apostaria no Botafogo. Acho que tem mais chances – pouca coisa, mas tem. E por dois motivos principais: porque o time me parece mais encaixado e porque acredito que seu setor ofensivo possa ser ainda mais decisivo do que o do Atlético. Mas isso, tamanha a qualidade dos times, não significa considerar o Galo azarão – não teria cabimento. Se o time de Gabriel Milito for campeão, não será surpresa alguma.

E ainda há um mês pela frente até a decisão. Muita coisa vai acontecer até lá, especialmente porque os dois times partem com tudo em busca de outros títulos – o da Copa do Brasil para o Atlético, o do Brasileirão para o Botafogo –, o que ajuda a explicar por que eles são os grandes finalistas da Libertadores da América.

Entre os pilotos, Max Verstappen é o atual líder do campeonato com a RBR, mas tem visto a grande vantagem que construiu no início da temporada diminuir e está há 10 corridas sem sentir o gosto da vitória. Por outro lado, Lando Norris, da McLaren, e Charles Leclerc, da Ferrari, têm tido ritmo de corrida superior ao do holandês e chegam embalados para o GP em Interlagos. Norris soma três vitórias na temporada e tem travado disputas tensas com Verstappen na pista, com polêmicas sobre as punições dadas pelos comissários nos GPs dos EUA e do México.

O crescente desempenho da Ferrari, por sua vez, dá esperança a Charles Leclerc. A escuderia italiana venceu as duas últimas corridas, e o monegasco aposta na consistência, com seis pódios nas últimas sete etapas - apesar disso, Leclerc entende que ser campeão não depende só dele e quer tirar vantagem da luta entre os outros dois candidatos ao troféu. Oscar Piastri, também da McLaren, é o 4º colocado e tem chances remotas de conquistar o troféu.

Na competição de construtores, o início do ano indicava mais um título tranquilo para a RBR, atual bicampeã. No entanto, a queda de desempenho do carro e as más exibições do ameaçado Sergio Pérez abriram a brecha para que McLaren e Ferrari ultrapassassem a atual campeã na tabela. Apesar disso, a competição continua totalmente aberta, e qualquer resultado acima ou abaixo da média em Interlagos pode contribuir para mudar esse cenário.

O GP de São Paulo não é o último da temporada: depois da etapa no Brasil, a Fórmula 1 ainda terá provas em Las Vegas (Estados Unidos), Catar e Abu Dhabi (Emirados Árabes Unidos). A etapa catari é a única que contará com corrida sprint, assim como o fim de semana em Interlagos.

Em um fim de semana perfeito, um piloto pode somar 26 pontos: 25 pelo primeiro lugar e mais um pela volta mais rápida. Em pistas que também têm a corrida sprint, como é o caso de São Paulo, a quantidade máxima sobe para 34, já que o vencedor da sprint leva oito pontos no campeonato.

Sendo assim, é impossível que o título seja definido no Brasil, ainda que o líder Verstappen faça uma corrida perfeita (com 34 pontos) e o vice-líder Norris não pontue.

Neste cenário, no entanto, a distância entre os dois, hoje em 47 pontos, subiria para 81. O campeonato ficaria bem próximo de uma definição, mas Lando Norris ainda poderia somar 86 pontos nas últimas três provas para tentar conseguir um “milagre”.

E se ocorrer o extremo contrário? Caso o britânico tenha um fim de semana perfeito em Interlagos e Verstappen não pontue, a distância entre os dois pode cair para 13 pontos - desvantagem possível de tirar em apenas uma corrida. Já Leclerc, que corre por fora, pode reduzir a folga do holandês para 37 pontos. Apesar da ainda considerável diferença, o número daria chances mais reais de título ao piloto da Ferrari.

“I haven’t really thought about it. I’m proud of the year that Juanny had. It was fun to come to work with him every single day. Just the work he puts in behind the scenes, even when the guy was hitting .320,” Yankees captain Aaron Judge said Wednesday night.

“I’d see him working late after the games, if he had an 0-fer, he was showing up early doing work. Whatever he decides, whatever him and his family decides, he prays on it, he’s going to make the right decision for him and his family. We were definitely lucky to have him and it would be great to keep playing with him because he’s definitely a special player.”

One of the main narratives of the Yankees’ 2024 season centered on whether Soto would be a one-and-done with the team or if this would be the first year in a long-term partnership.

The Yankees acquired Soto knowing he may only be here for one year, although, in theory, bringing him in even for one year could help the odds that he sticks around if he likes his situation.

Soto fit in seamlessly, hitting a career-best 41 homers and driving in 109 runs with a .989 OPS.

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Apesar de apenas três meses de Real Madrid, Endrick já viveu diferentes momentos. Após a grande apresentação no Santiago Bernabéu, vieram oportunidades apagadas na pré-temporada e memes com Bobby Charlton. Até o brasileiro aproveitar bem os poucos minutos que teve em algumas partidas na LaLiga e na Champions League.

Com os gols marcados e a titularidade em algumas partidas da seleção brasileira - que também foi perdida na última Data Fifa, com a entrada de Igor Jesus - a expectativa sobre o jovem atacante cresceu em Madri. Por isso, chama atenção o fato de não ter sido utilizado nos jogos contra Villarreal, Celta de Vigo, Borussia Dortmund e Barcelona.

Ao todo, Endrick soma nove jogos e dois gols com a camisa merengue. No próximo sábado, o Real tem partida marcada contra o Valencia, mas o encontro deve ser adiado por conta das enchentes na região espanhola. Se confirmar o adiamento, a próxima chance de o atacante brasileiro entrar em campo será contra o Milan, na próxima terça-feira, na Champions League.

Hull, who is close friends with Clark off the court, filled the 29th spot for the league’s inaugural season, which tips off in Jan. 2025.

Earlier this week, Unrivaled unveiled its 28th player, Aces guard Kate Martin, who is one of Clark’s best friends and her former teammate at Iowa.

Hull and Martin are both deserving of roster spots in the Unrivaled league following strong individual WNBA rookie campaigns.

The news came after Clark and Martin reunited with fellow Hawkeyes alum Gabbie Marshall last weekend, and attended a women’s basketball practice at Iowa.

O Haka precisa ser banido. É ridículo. Só é bom quando há algum tipo de resposta do outro time. Como os garotos da liga fizeram na semana passada - escreveu Marler, referindo-se ao ritual Siva Tau, realizado pela seleção de Samoa uma semana antes em partida contra a Inglaterra.

• Tenha um pouco de respeito por outras culturas - respondeu um internauta, em meio a uma série de outras críticas de pessoas que defendem o Haka como expressão cultural e também como parte do espetáculo do rugby, capaz de eletrizar o público presente nos jogos da Nova Zelândia.

O tweet de Marler foi escrito na terça-feira (29). Diante das respostas negativas, o atleta suspendeu sua conta da rede social por algumas horas, mas a reativou já na quarta-feira (30).

Contexto é tudo. Estou apenas me divertindo um pouco tentando despertar o interesse em um mega jogo de rugby. Algumas respostas selvagens. Muito amor - escreveu, e completou em mais um tweet: - Também, precisava satisfazer meu narcisismo.

O canto

O canto de guerra do Haka gritado junto com a dança diz:

"Ka mate! Ka mate! / Ka ora! Ka ora! / Ka mate! Ka mate! / Ka ora! Ka ora! / Tenei te tangata puhuru huru / Nana i tiki mai / Whakawhiti te ra / A hupane, kaupane / A hupane, kaupane / Whiti te ra!"

Traduzido, significa:

"É morte! É morte! / É vida! É vida! / É morte! É morte! / É vida! É vida! / Foi o homem acima de mim / Que me permitiu viver / Enquanto eu subo / Passo a passo / Passo a passo / Rumo à luz do sol!"

The shot missed. The Yankees now hurdle into an offseason of uncertainty after a season of a lot of joy, far too many mistakes and ultimately yet more disappointment.

The drought has reached 15 years without a World Series championship for the Yankees, whose dream died three wins short and at the hands of the Dodgers.

Dave Roberts’s group fought its way out of a five-run hole, with the hosts’ help, and celebrated on the field in The Bronx in a dramatic, 7-6, Game 5 Yankees loss on Wednesday that was part heartbreaker and part self-inflicted head-shaker.

“I’m heartbroken. I’m heartbroken,” manager Aaron Boone repeated, “and I’m heartbroken for those guys that poured so much into this. The ending is cruel. It always is.”

“I’m not a Timberwolf anymore. I’m a Knick.”

Butler and Towns were teammates for just over a season in Minnesota, clashing both during their tenure together and after the separation in 2019.

The most famous incident involves Butler reportedly tormenting Towns in a practice under coach Tom Thibodeau.

It transitioned quickly to Butler being traded to Philadelphia and a rift between Thibodeau and Towns.

The coach and center, now reunited in New York, squashed their beef in a subsequent conversation — “That was years and years ago,” Towns said Wednesday. “We are totally different men. So it’s cool to be in this spot in our lives together.”

But there’s been less indication of peace with Butler, as the two have jawed back-and-forth in head-to-heads.

Um torcedor do Cruzeiro morreu e outros 17 ficaram feridos após a emboscada na Rodovia Fernão Dias, em Mairiporã. Dois ônibus que levavam torcedores da Máfia Azul para Minas Gerais foram vandalizados: um acabou incendiado e outro foi depredado.

Os pedidos de prisões contra os seis torcedores do Palmeiras haviam sido feitos pela Polícia Civil e pelo Ministério Público (MP). Além de decretar as prisões, a Justiça também determinou que a polícia cumprisse mandados de busca e apreensão. Um dos endereços é o da sede da organizada.

Até a última atualização desta reportagem, dois cruzeirenses continuavam internados em hospitais de Mairiporã e Franco da Rocha, na região metropolitana.

A Delegacia de Polícia de Repressão aos Delitos de Intolerância Esportiva (Drade) identificou oito pessoas ligadas à Mancha Alviverde que participaram da emboscada contra torcedores do Cruzeiro.

A Promotoria apura o envolvimento de torcidas que agem como "facções criminosas". Segundo a Drade e o Gaeco, três dos suspeitos investigados têm postos de liderança dentro da Mancha Alviverde.

Seis dos palmeirenses tiveram as prisões temporárias por 30 dias pedidas pela delegacia. O Grupo de Atuação Especial de Combate ao Crime Organizado (Gaeco) do MP, que acompanha a investigação policial, concordou com os pedidos.

As autoridades estão analisando vídeos que circulam na internet e filmagens de câmeras de segurança para identificar mais autores do ataque a ônibus dos torcedores da Máfia Azul.

O caso foi registrado incialmente na Delegacia de Mairiporã como homicídio, incêndio, associação criminosa, lesão corporal e tumulto com violência — este no âmbito da Lei Geral do Esporte. A investigação passou a ser feita depois pela Drade, com sede na capital paulista.

O g1 e a TV Globo apuraram que o Ministério Público foi favorável aos pedidos de prisões feitos pela polícia por causa do risco de fuga dos suspeitos e que eles destruam provas dos crimes. Os promotores destacaram que as imagens refletem banalização da violência e crença absoluta na impunidade.

Ainda segundo a Promotoria, a emboscada dos palmeirenses aos cruzeirenses demonstra escárnio com o poder público e com a sociedade e a audácia da ação planejada e executada à luz do dia.

De acordo com o MP, a Mancha Alviverde ainda tentou refutar o vínculo com os fatos, publicando nota oficial isentando a responsabilidade, apesar do evidente interesse e envolvimento da cúpula nos crimes.

Na quarta-feira, a Federação Paulista de Futebol (FPF) divulgou comunicado interno informando que irá acatar a recomendação do MP para proibir a presença da Mancha Alviverde em estádios de futebol no estado de São Paulo.

"Atender integralmente a recomendação do Ministério Público do Estado de São Paulo, para que seja PROIBIDA a entrada, nos estádios de futebol do Estado de São Paulo, de qualquer indumentária e objetos (faixas, bandeiras etc.) que identifiquem os associados da torcida organizada “GRÊMIO RECREATIVO E CULTURAL TORCIDA MANCHA ALVIVERDE” a contar desta data", informa trecho do documento assinado por Fabio Barbosa Moraes, diretor executivo do Departamento de Segurança e Prevenção de Violência da entidade.

"A Federação Paulista de Futebol oficiará aos Órgãos de Segurança do Estado, Ministério Público do Estado de São Paulo, para fins de fiscalização no cumprimento desta Portaria. Esta Portaria entra em vigor na presente data, revogadas as disposições em contrário", informa outra parte do comunicado.

Em suas páginas na internet, a direção da Mancha Alviverde negou que tenha organizado, participado ou incentivado qualquer ação relacionada a emboscada contra os cruzeirenses. E que não se responsabiliza por ações isoladas de palmeirenses envolvidos no ataque.

A direção da Máfia Azul se manifestou também em suas redes sociais. No Instagram, a torcida fez postagens com mensagens repudiando o ataque dos palmeirenses contra cruzeirenses. Numa delas, escreveu que "o choro da mãe do seu rival não traz a alegria da sua".

O Palmeiras informou por meio de nota que repudia as cenas de violência do final de semana envolvendo torcedores do clube contra a torcida do Cruzeiro. E defendeu uma punição rigorosa para os criminosos.

O Cruzeiro também se manifestou informando por sua rede social que "lamenta profundamente" mais um episódio de violência. E que é preciso dar um basta a atos criminosos.

Briga de 2022 pode ter motivado emboscada

Filmagens feitas pelos próprios palmeirenses viralizaram nas redes sociais. Eles mostram como eles atacaram cruzeirenses.

O cruzeirense morto é José Victor Miranda, torcedor da Máfia Azul. Ele tinha 30 anos e, segundo seus parentes informaram à reportagem, a vítima estava dentro de um ônibus que foi incendiado e acabou sofrendo queimaduras fatais. Um laudo pericial da polícia irá apontar a causa da morte.

Catorze dos cruzeirenses feridos foram socorridos por ambulâncias e levados para o Hospital Anjo Gabriel, em Mairiporã. Outros três torcedores do Cruzeiro seguiram para um hospital em Franco da Rocha, município vizinho.

A polícia também investiga qual foi a motivação para o ataque do torcedores do Palmeiras contra os do Cruzeiro.

Foram apreendidas 12 barras de ferro, dois pedaços de madeira, cinco rojões e duas bolas de sinuca. Os palmeirenses também usaram "miguelitos", que são pregos retorcidos, para furar os pneus dos ônibus dos cruzeirenses e obrigá-los a parar na estrada.

Uma das hipóteses investigadas é se os palmeirenses quiseram se vingar dos cruzeirenses por causa de uma briga ocorrida em 29 de setembro de 2022.

À época, integrantes da Máfia Azul atacaram membros da Mancha Alviverde. O confronto deixou quatro pessoas baleadas e outras dez feridas, entre elas o presidente da torcida palmeirense, num pedágio numa rodovia em Carmópolis de Minas, no Centro-Oeste de Minas Gerais.

As organizadas de Palmeiras e Cruzeiro têm histórico de conflito, desde 1988, entre a Mancha Verde e a Máfia Azul, quando um dos fundadores da Mancha, Cléo Sóstenes Dantas da Silva, foi assassinado baleado com dois tiros.

Na partida seguinte ao ocorrido, disputada contra o Cruzeiro, a Mancha fez homenagens a Cléo, mas que terminou interrompida por cânticos de insulto da Máfia Azul em referência ao fundador - resultando em uma briga no setor destinado à torcida visitante.

Desde então, as organizadas guardaram um histórico de brigas, aliando-se, inclusive, às respectivas torcidas de seus rivais - a Mancha com a Galoucura, do Atlético-MG, e a Máfia Azul com a Independente, do São Paulo.

The Week 2 matchup between the NFC East foes, a 21-18 victory for the Commanders, was anything but fun. Washington limped to victory without scoring a touchdown, instead relying on a franchise record seven field goals from kicker Austin Seibert.

That was seven weeks ago, though.

The 6-2 Commanders of Week 9 said at practice this week that they’ve grown exponentially since the September showdown with the Giants.

The numbers back them up. Through the first two games of his NFL career, Daniels had yet to throw a touchdown.

Then he broke out.

The Commanders’ offense has put on a show since its inert Week 2 performance, orchestrating a hyperefficient display that has drawn comparisons to the St. Louis Rams’ Greatest Show on Turf from the turn of the century. Washington has scored on 60% of its drives this season, the best rate in NFL history through eight games of a season.

Daniels has thrown for 1,326 yards and seven touchdowns in his six games since facing the Giants. The offensive explosion has catapulted the No. 2 draft pick to the front of the Rookie of the Year race and into MVP conversations.

“He can throw it under pressure. He can escape and make plays with his feet. He can escape and make plays with his arm. He’s got good command, which we knew,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said of Daniels this week. “He makes good decisions.”

Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, Alex Verdugo’s RBI single chased Jack Flaherty in the second and Giancarlo Stanton’s third-inning homer against Ryan Brasier built a 5-0 Yankees lead.

But errors by Judge in center and Anthony Volpe at shortstop, combined with pitcher Gerrit Cole failing to cover first on Betts’ grounder, helped Los Angeles score five unearned runs in the fifth.

After Stanton’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly put the Yankees back ahead 6-5, the Dodgers loaded the bases against loser Tommy Kahnle in the eighth before the sacrifice flies off Luke Weaver.

Winner Blake Treinen escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the bottom half by retiring Stanton on a flyout and striking out Anthony Rizzo.

Walker Buehler, making his first relief appearance since his rookie season in 2018, pitched a perfect ninth for his first major league save.

Atlanta was missing two starters in Dyson Daniels (right hip) and De’Andre Hunter (right knee), plus Bogdan Bogdanovic (right hamstring). Washington was without starting forward Kyle Kuzma (right groin).

Hawks: Young rebounded after going 2 for 15 from the field in Monday’s game, but after he scored 24 points in the first half, the Wizards were able to keep him under control. The injury-riddled Hawks allowed 76 points in the second half.

There were some “unruly, and at times violent and hostile celebrations,” with several acts of vandalism, including the burning of a Metropolitan Transit Authority bus, Los Angeles police spokesperson Officer Drake Madison said in an email. Arrests were on charges such as failure to disperse, receiving stolen property or commercial burglary, Madison said.

There were also several instances of street takeovers downtown and police used less-lethal munitions to control several hostile and violent crowds, Madison said. In the coming days, detectives will attempt to identify those responsible for crimes, he said.

Bailey was the nation’s No. 2 prospect in his high school class and Harper was No. 3, according to composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports. The impact they can have as freshman teammates became apparent on Oct. 17 when Rutgers faced St. John’s in a preseason exhibition. Rutgers lost, 91-85, but Bailey scored 25 points and Harper added 20.

“Dylan, for a freshman, he’s got so much control,” St. John’s coach Rick Pitino said after the game. “He plays like a senior. He’s so much under control. He’s got a lot of Clyde Frazier in him, the way he plays. He was amazing. Ace just has great talent. Both of them are great. I think they’re terrific. Obviously they deserve the ranking that they’re getting.”

Bailey, who is 6-foot-10, averaged 33.4 points, 15.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.9 blocks while winning a state title his senior year at McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia.

Harper, the son of former NBA guard Ron Harper, had 23 points per game his senior year at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey.

The one contributor will be grouped with one coaching candidate and three seniors candidates. Between one and three of those five finalists will make it to the Hall based on getting at least 80% of the votes from the full committee.

Williams was the first Black starting quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl with Washington in the 1987 season. He later worked in the team’s front office.

“Without Doug, I probably wouldn’t be in this seat. He was a pioneer, trailblazer for all African American quarterbacks to follow after,” Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels said Wednesday. “So that’s awesome for Doug. You know, just him being a mentor to me since I got here, I can’t thank him enough for what he’s done, not only for me, for my family, also. So much respect and love for Doug.”

Kraft bought the New England Patriots in 1994 and quickly turned them into one of the most successful franchises in the NFL. He hired Bill Belichick as coach in 2000 and oversaw the franchise winning six Super Bowl titles from the 2001-2018 seasons.

“I know we lost some great ones in Angel and Caitlin, but we gained so much more. We gained so much more talent, skill set and marketability,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “I’m really looking forward to it. I’m glad it’s happened during a time in which I can attest to it, I can share with other people who are just now tuning in.”

Watkins, a Los Angeles native, draws attention at home games at Southern California which routinely sellout and have been known to have a celebrity crowd.

“I don’t know that there’s been a young African American superstar in women’s basketball at this age be able to have this platform, and I think that’s gonna do a ton for communities both in L.A. and across the country,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I wouldn’t bet against her to be able to handle anything. At the same time, it’s our job to prep her for what might be coming and make sure she’s able to have joy and be a kid.”

“Our energy was getting better and better and better and increasing every time,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “And it’s good to see those guys have a fight for each other. That’s a cool thing. So getting stops helps, having control helps.”

That fight produced the most fouls, most free throws conceded and biggest discrepancy at the charity stripe in the entire league.

Fernandez used gamesmanship in the press and got a technical foul just 1:43 into the game.

“What I was doing is just trying to fight for my guys,” Fernandez said. “Sometimes that happens because you want to see that they’re protected so they’re not the ones complaining. And if somebody has to take the next step, it’s going to be me. I want them to be under control, keep fighting and do the right things on the court.”

Texas A&M didn’t have high expectations. It was picked ninth in the conference coming off a 7-6 season that included the firing of Fisher. Then, it dropped the opener of the Elko era to Notre Dame. At that point, a bowl appearance would’ve been deemed successful in College Station.

But Texas A&M hasn’t lost since, reeling off seven consecutive wins. It knocked off LSU, ranked eighth in the country at the time, on Saturday night, rallying from a 10-point deficit. It now sits alone atop the SEC, ahead of the likes of preseason championship favorites Texas and Georgia.

The Hurricanes responded and won 36-14 to stay undefeated and keep their path toward spots in both the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game and 12-team College Football Playoff alive. “Just trying to get us to play our best brand of football,” Ward said this week about the speech. “We’ve yet to do that do that this year. That was really my message with the guys. We came out, making plays on both sides of the ball. I feel like I just helped push give a little more energy into the game, and we came up with a win.” So much talk about Ward has been on his otherworldly stats and his breakout year in his lone season with the Hurricanes that has him in the Heisman Trophy conversation.

But it’s moments like that halftime speech against Florida State that show where Ward’s focus truly lies. “My goal is not to be a Heisman Trophy winner,” Ward said. “My goal is to win football games and play for a national championship.” The opportunity to chase that goal continues on Saturday when the No. 5 Hurricanes (8-0, 4-0 ACC) host the Duke Blue Devils (6-2, 2-2 ACC) at Hard Rock Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for noon and the game will be televised on ABC.

Do the Yankees have an edge? Apparently not.

“I feel like every team has the same opportunities when I’m going to the free agency,” he told reporters. “I don’t want to say anybody has any advantage because at the end of the day we’re gonna look at what they have and how much they want me.”

The Athletic predicted a 15-year, $622 million contract for the 26-year-old, four-time All-Star outfielder.

Aaron Judge was asked if he thought Soto enjoyed his time in the Bronx.

“You know you hope so, you know you hope so,” Judge said. “He brought us a lot of joy. I think we brought him a lot of joy as well. Like I said, we were lucky to have him for this year.”

Soto said his teammates “wished me the best of luck and make sure I do the best for me and my family. These guys, very special, and I’m really happy to play with them and really excited what’s going to be.”

He laughed when asked if the fans chanting his name at Yankee Stadium during Game 5 would encourage his decision.

“Probably impact the decision of the ownership,” he quipped. “We will see, we will see how it goes. So definitely real excited and really thankful for these fans. They’ve been incredible all year long.”

He missed most of the 2024 season with a shoulder strain. He began rehab in late July and had a 2.66 ERA in 20 1/3 minor league innings, all with the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He split those appearances between Clearwater, Reading and Lehigh Valley. During his minor league appearances, he threw a mixture of sinkers (46%), cutters (22%), splitters (19%), and sliders (13%). His fastball velocity was up to 97 mph.

Prior to playing with the Dodgers and Phillies, Covey also spent time in the American League with the Red Sox and White Sox.

Overall, his career record is 7-32 with a 6.18 ERA in 100 games and 307 1/3 innings pitched.

The Mets recently signed right-hander Chris Devenski to a minor league deal.

Soler stood as one of the most obvious trade candidates in all of baseball this offseason, given his defensive limitations and the presence of Marcell Ozuna in Atlanta. The Braves acquired him as something of a desperation move at the deadline, needing help for an injury-ravaged lineup. The plan always seemed to be stomaching Soler in the outfield for a couple of months and pursuing a trade in the offseason (hence Soler ranking prominently on our list of the top 35 trade candidates of the 2024-25 offseason).

The 32-year-old Soler (33 in February) will add a thunderous bat and defensively limited skill set to the Angels’ roster. He inked a three-year, $42MM deal with the Giants last winter on the heels of a 36-homer campaign in Miami and has now been traded twice in the first year of the contract. That isn’t for lack of production, however. To the contrary, Soler enjoyed a solid season at the plate, slashing .241/.338/.442 in 142 games. He was particularly productive from June onward, catching fire with a .263/.366/.489 batting line and clubbing 15 of his 21 homers in that span of 386 plate appearances.

Williams can command a solid trade return for his final season of club control, while the Brewers save some money, add to their base of young talent, and turn the ninth inning over to a more affordable arm like Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe or Joel Payamps. Milwaukee isn’t far south of its 2024 payroll even if Williams is traded and Willy Adames signs elsewhere, and owner Mark Attanasio’s recent comments didn’t exactly read like someone planning a major payroll spike.

Diaz doesn’t hit for a ton of power, however, and the Rays have a heavily right-handed lineup they’d likely prefer to balance out. Teams like the Mariners, Astros, Yankees and Pirates could be on the hunt for first basemen this winter. Flipping Diaz and allotting his playing time to Jonathan Aranda, Curtis Mead and/or Christopher Morel could create flexibility to add in another area while also netting some young talent. The affordable no-buyout option for the 2026 campaign only adds to the allure for other clubs.

Their shortcomings finally caught up with them in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night. A total defensive meltdown in the fifth inning, one that will be remembered as one of the worst in postseason history, cost the Yankees their season in a 7-6 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium, ultimately ending their bid to become the first team to overcome a 3-0 series deficit in the World Series.

"This is like as bad as it gets," said Cole, the Yankees' Game 5 starter.

Cole was on the mound for the fifth-inning debacle. The right-hander, pitching on four days' rest for the fourth time this season, cruised up to the disaster, holding Los Angeles scoreless over four hitless innings. Cole threw just 49 pitches. The Dodgers' only baserunner reached on a walk. Trouble did not appear imminent. Then everything fell apart.

It started with Enrique Hernández breaking the modest no-hit bid with a leadoff single. Four pitches later, Tommy Edman hit a routine line drive to Judge in center field. An inning earlier, sure-handed Judge had made a highlight catch crashing into the wall to steal extra bases from Freddie Freeman. This time, he flubbed the liner for his first error in 2024 -- regular season or postseason.

"That doesn't happen, we got a different story tonight," Judge said.

From Wikipedia:

The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. They are one of two major league clubs based in New York City alongside the National League (NL)'s New York Mets. The team was founded in 1903 when Frank Farrell and Bill Devery purchased the franchise rights to the defunct Baltimore Orioles (no relation to the current team of the same name) after it ceased operations and used them to establish the New York Highlanders. The Highlanders were officially renamed the Yankees in 1913.

The team is owned by Yankee Global Enterprises, a limited liability company that is controlled by the family of the late George Steinbrenner. Steinbrenner purchased the team from CBS in 1973. Currently, Brian Cashman is the team's general manager, Aaron Boone is the team's field manager, and Aaron Judge is the team captain. The team's home games were played at the original Yankee Stadium in the Bronx from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. In 1974 and 1975, the Yankees shared Shea Stadium with the Mets, in addition to the New York Jets and the New York Giants. In 2009, they moved into a new ballpark of the same name that was constructed adjacent to the previous facility, which was closed and demolished. The team is perennially among the leaders in MLB attendance.

Arguably the most successful professional sports franchise in the United States, the Yankees have won 21 American League East Division titles, 41 American League pennants, and 27 World Series championships, all of which are MLB records. The team has won more titles than any other franchise in the four major North American sports leagues, after briefly trailing the NHL's Montreal Canadiens between 1993 and 1999. The Yankees have had 44 players and 11 managers inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, including many of the most iconic figures in the sport's history, such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, and Reggie Jackson; more recent inductees include Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter, who received the two highest vote percentages of all Hall of Fame members.

According to Forbes, the Yankees are the second-highest valued sports franchise in the world, after the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, with an estimated value in 2023 of approximately $7.1 billion. The team has garnered enormous popularity and a dedicated fanbase, as well as widespread enmity from fans of other MLB teams. The team's rivalry with the Boston Red Sox is one of the most well-known rivalries in North American sports. The team's logo is internationally known as a fashion item and an icon of New York City and the United States.

From 1903 through the 2024 season, the Yankees' overall win–loss record is 10,778–8,148–88 (a .569 winning percentage)

If everything really is bigger in Texas, though, Dallas owner Jerry Jones can surely appreciate this: The Cowboys are the first sports team to cross the $10 billion threshold, landing at $10.1 billion on Forbes’ annual list of the NFL’s most valuable teams. That figure represents a 77% increase since 2020—when the Covid-19 pandemic momentarily slowed NFL teams’ growth—and an annualized return of 15%, beating the S&P 500’s 13% in the same four-year period.

The Cowboys may not have won a Super Bowl since 1996, but they now have a $2.5 billion lead on the NFL’s second-most-valuable team, the Los Angeles Rams—and a $7 billion gap ahead of the No. 32 Cincinnati Bengals—thanks to Dallas’ nearly $800 million in local revenue during the 2023 season, including ticket sales, sponsorships, merchandise and other streams specific to the club. No other pro football team even topped $400 million, with the Las Vegas Raiders and the Rams getting the closest, and Dallas’ $564 million in operating income essentially doubled up the second-place Rams’ $286 million.

All NFL franchises are riding high, however, with roughly $380 million in revenue per team coming from the league’s lucrative new national media rights package, which kicked in last season. The agreements—with CBS, ESPN/ABC, Fox, NBC and YouTube, plus Amazon’s Thursday Night Football deal, which started a year earlier—are set to pay at least $125.5 billion through 2033.

That kind of guaranteed money has all 32 NFL teams now worth at least $4 billion, at an average of $5.7 billion, up 11% from 2023’s record $5.1 billion. And every team is profitable, with operating income of at least $56 million across the board for the 2023 season, according to Forbes estimates. (By contrast, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and the NBA each had at least three teams lose money in the most recent season of Forbes data.) Those economics help explain why the NFL’s valuations sit in a relatively narrow band, with the Cowboys worth 2.5 times the last-place Bengals—smaller than the spread in Forbes’ most recent lists for MLB (7.6x), MLS (3x), the NBA (3.2x) and the NHL (5.6x).

The future of the NFL’s “Sunday Ticket” package, which shifted from DirecTV to YouTube last season, is somewhat uncertain in the midst of an antitrust lawsuit in which the presiding federal judge recently overturned the jury’s $4.7 billion verdict against the league. (The plaintiffs are expected to appeal.) But after the Washington Commanders were sold last year for a record $6.05 billion (including a $200 million earn-out), there are tailwinds that could push team prices even higher.

First, Netflix is set to stream two Christmas Day games this season and at least one in 2025 and 2026, adding one more competitor to the media bidding war. The NFL is also growing internationally, with five games being played abroad in 2024 and flag football debuting as an Olympic sport in Los Angeles in 2028. Meanwhile, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell continues to push for an 18-game regular season, after the players’ union reluctantly accepted a 17th game starting in 2021, and the widespread legalization of sports betting is opening new opportunities. In addition, several teams around the league are pursuing new stadiums, which typically boost revenue.

More immediately, the NFL, which has always required team owners to be individuals, could see an influx of private equity money after a vote at a special meeting on Tuesday to allow select funds to own up to 10% of a franchise’s equity. That level of investment is well below what MLB (15%), MLS (20%), the NBA (20%) and the NHL (20%) reportedly permit a fund to own, so the impact may be somewhat muted. The idea, though, is that institutional investors can expand the ranks of potential bidders for teams, a pool that would otherwise keep getting smaller as prices continue to soar.

Likewise, in October, the NFL raised its debt limit for teams to $700 million, from $600 million, and for team buyers to $1.2 billion, from $1.1 billion. That should make it easier for a prospective NFL owner to cover the 30% of a team’s equity that the league requires a franchise’s general partner to hold.

So while the Cowboys are the first team to get to $10 billion, they surely won’t be the last.

#1. $10.1 billion
Dallas Cowboys

#2. $7.6 billion
Los Angeles Rams

#3. $7.4 billion
New England Patriots

#4. $7.3 billion
New York Giants

#5. $6.9 billion
New York Jets

#6. $6.8 billion
San Francisco 49ers

#7. $6.7 billion
Las Vegas Raiders

#8. $6.6 billion
Philadelphia Eagles

#9. $6.4 billion
Chicago Bears

#10. $6.3 billion
Washington Commanders

#11. $6.2 billion
Miami Dolphins

#12. $6.1 billion
Houston Texans

#13. $5.6 billion
Green Bay Packers

#14. $5.5 billion
Denver Broncos

#15. $5.45 billion
Seattle Seahawks

#16. $5.4 billion
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

#17. $5.3 billion
Pittsburgh Steelers

#18. $5.2 billion
Atlanta Falcons

#19. $5.15 billion
Cleveland Browns

#20. $5.1 billion
Los Angeles Chargers

#21. $5.05 billion
Minnesota Vikings

#22. $5 billion
Baltimore Ravens

#23. $4.9 billion
Tennessee Titans

#24. $4.85 billion
Kansas City Chiefs

#25. $4.8 billion
Indianapolis Colts

#26. $4.6 billion
Jacksonville Jaguars

#27. $4.5 billion
Carolina Panthers

#28. $4.4 billion
New Orleans Saints

#29. $4.3 billion
Arizona Cardinals

#30. $4.2 billion
Buffalo Bills

#31. $4.15 billion
Detroit Lions#32.

#32. $4.1 billion
Cincinnati Bengals

During the 1990s, he was on the call for the World Series on NBC. He called his first MLB game for NBC 44 years ago.

His final MLB broadcast was the Yankees’ win over the Royals in Game 4 of the ALDS.

Costas’ contract with TBS’ parent company WBD expired, and The Athletic reported that he made his decision to retire now before this season began.

These are just phases that any team goes through during the season.