Nantes fires coach Kombouaré after struggle to stay in Ligue 1

Nantes fires coach Kombouaré after struggle to stay in Ligue 1

NANTES, France (AP) — Nantes fired coach Antoine Kombouaré on Tuesday after a difficult season where the club battled to stay in Ligue 1. Nantesfinished 13thin the 18-team league and top-flight survival was not certain until the final round. "FC Nantes announces the end of its collaboration with Antoine Kombouaré, head coach of the professional team,"Nantes posted on X. "The club sincerely thanks Antoine Kombouaré and his staff for their professionalism and dedication." The 61-year-old Kombouaré had one year left on his contract. He remains a popular figure at the club, having saved it from relegation in 2021 andwinning the French Cup in 2022— the club's first trophy in 21 years. Kombouaré had a difficult relationship withNantes president Waldemir Kita, who fired him in 2023 and re-hired him amid another relegation scrap the following year. Kombouaré was part of the Nantes team when the club's La Beaujoire stadium opened in 1984, and played 177 games as a rugged defender for Nantes, which has won eight league titles. ___ AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byKevin Jones

in

May 20, 2025

Nantes fires coach Kombouaré after struggle to stay in Ligue 1

Nantes fires coach Kombouaré after struggle to stay in Ligue 1 NANTES, France (AP) — Nantes fired coach Antoine Kombouaré on Tuesday after a...

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NFL owners to decide fate of 'tush push' and players in 2028 Olympics

NFL owners to decide fate of 'tush push' and players in 2028 Olympics

NFL owners this week could decide whether the "tush push" belongs in the game, and whether NFL players belong in the Olympics. Beginning Tuesday, owners are holding a three-day spring meeting in Minnesota where two of the most-anticipated changes involve a proposal to ban the quarterback-sneak play that has become wildly successful for the Philadelphia Eagles, in particular, and whether to allow NFL players to compete in flag football during the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Since 2022, the Eagles have converted on reportedly 90 percent of short-yardage situations by modifying the typical quarterback sneak by stationing multiple teammates behind quarterback Jalen Hurts to push him forward at the snap. While the so-called "tush push" is not used exclusively by the Eagles, it was integral to their winninglast season's Super Bowl title. Earlier this offseason, theGreen Bay Packers emergedas the most vocal opposition to the play, creating a proposal that would "prohibit any offensive player from pushing a teammate who was lined up directly behind the snapper and receives the snap, immediately at the snap." In February, Packers president Mark Murphy had called the play "bad for the game, and we should go back to prohibiting the push of the runner," hewrote bluntlyon the team's website. Murphy added that "there is no skill involved and it is almost an automatic first down on plays of a yard or less." (The Packers were 0-2 against Philadelphia last season.) In April, team owners tabled a vote on whether to keep or ban the play. The Eagles reportedly used that extension to lobby owners to reject the proposed ban. During Philadelphia's trip to the White House in April to celebrate their Super Bowl title, President Donald Trump publicly supported keeping the "tush push" legal. "They should keep it," Trump said. "... I like it. It's sort of exciting and different." "We also appreciate the endorsement for the tush push," Eagles coach Nick Sirianni responded. The NFL has used its cachet to support the creation of flag football leagues across the country in recent years and runs its own, yet whether the league and its players union would permit players to take part in the flag football competition during the 2028 Olympics remained to be seen because of injury risks. Owners are set to discuss a resolution that would permit two players per NFL team to take part — one "designated international player" and another player. The move would open the possibility of NFL players competing for countries outside the U.S. According to the proposal, any Olympic flag football team hoping to add an NFL player would need to abide by minimum standards for medical staff and field surfaces. Also, NFL teams would receive protections in case their players are injured while participating in Olympic-related events, such as a credit under the salary cap. In April, commissioner RogerGoodell saidthat he had "heard directly from a lot of players who want to participate and represent their country, whether it's United States or the country that they came from." 'Best time to be a New Yorker': Spike Lee, Fat Joe and others reflect on an iconic Knicks run 'SNL' star Ego Nwodim sports Crystal Palace shirt after cousin leads team to FA Cup win Bill Belichick addresses Jordon Hudson's 'job responsibilities' amid viral interview fallout Angel City defender Savy King discharged from hospital after heart surgery Because the 2028 Olympics will run from July 14-30, it will end before the NFL's preseason schedule begins, making it easier for the league to accommodate. Cities that host each Olympics are permitted to add competitions on a one-time basis, which is how organizers in Los Angeles added flag football, cricket, softball, lacrosse and squash and brought back baseball and softball, which were not contested at the 2012, 2016 or 2024 Olympics but were played in 2020. How well the additions are received helps determine whether they are contested in future Olympics.

byKevin Jones

in

May 20, 2025

NFL owners to decide fate of 'tush push' and players in 2028 Olympics

NFL owners to decide fate of 'tush push' and players in 2028 Olympics NFL owners this week could decide whether the "tush push...

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PGA Tour heads to Colonial and the seniors get another major

PGA Tour heads to Colonial and the seniors get another major

PGA Tour CHARLES SCHWAB CHALLENGE Site: Fort Worth, Texas. Course: Colonial Country Club. Yardage: 7,289. Par: 70. Prize money: $9.5 million. Winner's share: $1,170,000. Television: Thursday-Friday, 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS). Defending champion: Davis Riley. FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler. Last week: Scottie Scheffler won the PGA Championship. Notes: Scottie Scheffler is in the field, giving Colonial all the star power it could want. He has won his last two tournaments by a combined 13 shots. ... Tiger Woods is the last player to win the week after winning the PGA Championship, in 2006 when Firestone followed the PGA in August. ... Hideki Matsuyama is playing a week after his cut streak in the majors ended at 19 at the PGA Championship. ... Scheffler skipped a $20 million signature event at Philadelphia Cricket Club two weeks ago because he plays both Dallas area tournaments, followed by the Memorial. ... Michael Block keeps extending his 15 minutes of fame. The club pro who finished in the top 15 at the PGA Championship two years ago received a sponsor exemption to Colonial. He shot 82 last week at the PGA. ... There is 17-year-old Blades Brown and 65-year-old Olin Browne in the field. Browne is eligible as a past champion at Colonial. Next week: Memorial. Online:https://www.pgatour.com/ ___ PGA of America and PGA Tour Champions SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Site: Bethesda, Maryland. Course: Congressional CC (Blue). Yardage: 7,152. Par: 72. Prize money: $3.5 million. Winner's share: TBA. Television: Thursday-Friday, 1-4 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m. (NBC). Defending champion: Richard Bland. Charles Schwab Cup leader: Miguel Angel Jimenez. Last week: Angel Cabrera won the Regions Tradition. Notes: This is the second of five majors on the PGA Tour Champions schedule and held in consecutive weeks. ... Padraig Harrington and Shaun Micheel are in the field. They played last week in the PGA Championship as past champions. ... Cabrera and Miguel Angel Jimenez are the only multiple winners on the PGA Tour Champions this year. ... Richard Bland of the Cleeks on LIV Golf got into the field on a one-time exemption last year and won. That got him into the PGA Championship last week. ... Congressional has held four men's majors, most recently the 2011 U.S. Open won by Rory McIlroy. It hosted the KPMG Women's PGA in 2022, won by In Gee Chun ... Steve Stricker returned from neck and back issues last week at the Regions Tradition. ... Vijay Singh is playing after withdrawing from the PGA Championship last week due to injury. Next week: Principal Charity Classic. Online:https://www.srpgachampionship.com/andhttps://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions ___ LPGA Tour MEXICO RIVIERA MAYA OPEN Site: Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Course: El Camaleon GC at Mayakoba. Yardage: 6,583. Par: 72. Prize money: $2.5 million. Winner's share: $375,000. Television: Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Golf Channel), 1-2 p.m. (NBC Sports app); Saturday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, noon to 1 p.m. (NBC Sports app), 1-3 p.m. (CBS). Defending champion: New tournament. Race to CME Globe leader: Jeeno Thitikul. Last tournament: Jeeno Thitikul won the Mizuho Americas Open. Notes: This is a new tournament on the LPGA Tour schedule, and the final event before the U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills. ... The field does not have anyone from the top 10 in the women's world ranking. Charley Hull at No. 15 is the highest-ranked player. ... The LPGA returns to Mexico for the first time since 2017. ... This starts a stretch of six straight week on the LPGA Tour, including two majors at the U.S. Women's Open and the KPMG Women's PGA. ... The field includes Gaby Lopez of Mexico, who was instrumental in getting an LPGA event in her home country. ... El Camaleon is best known for hosting the Mayakoba Classic on the PGA Tour, and then more recently a LIV Golf event. ... Jeeno Thitikul winning two weeks ago at Liberty National became the 11th player to win in 11 tournaments on the LPGA this year. ... The 11 winners have come from six countries. Next week: U.S. Women's Open. Online:https://www.lpga.com/ ___ European Tour SOUDAL OPEN Site: Antwerp, Belgium. Course: Rinkven International GC. Yardage: 6,940. Par: 71. Prize money: $2.75 million. Winner's share: $458,333. Television: Thursday-Friday, 7-11 a.m. (Golf Channel), 11 a.m. to noon (NBC Sports app); Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to noon (Golf Channel); Sunday, 7 a.m. to noon (Golf Channel). Defending champion: Nacho Elvira. Race to Dubai leader: Rory McIlroy. Last week: Scottie Scheffler won the PGA Championship. Notes: This begins the continental Europe stretch of the schedule. Except for majors and the co-sanctioned PGA Tour events, the European tour will not leave its continent again until it goes to South Korea in October. ... The field includes eight players who were in North Carolina last week for the PGA Championship. Three of those players — Matt Wallace, Marco Penge and Elvis Smylie — made the cut. ... Laurie Canter missed the cut at Quail Hollow and fell out of the top 60 in the world. He still can get a U.S. Open exemption by finishing among the top 60 after the Austrian Open next week. ... Thomas Pieters leads the Belgian players in the field. Pieters now is with LIV Golf after having achieved the peak of his game when he played in the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine. ... The Belgian Open dates to 1910 when Arnaud Massy won by five shots over Harry Vardon and Sandy Herd. Next week: Austrian Alpine Open. Online:https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/ ___ Korn Ferry Tour VISIT KNOXVILLE OPEN Site: Knoxville, Tennessee. Course: Holston Hills CC. Yardage: 7,222. Par: 70. Prize money: $1 million. Winner's share: $180,000. Television: None. Previous winner: Harry Higgs. Points leader: S.H. Kim. Last week: S.H. Kim won the AdventHealth Championship. Next week: UNC Health Championship. Online:https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour ___ LIV Golf League Last tournament: Bryson DeChambeau won LIV Golf Korea. Next tournament: LIV Golf Virginia on June 6-8. Points leader: Joaquin Niemann. Online:https://www.livgolf.com/ Other tours Japan Golf Tour: Japan PGA Championship, Sanko GC (Tanigumi), Gifu, Japan. Defending champion: Yuta Sugiura. Online:https://www.jgto.org/en/ Asian Tour: Kolon Korea Open, La Vie Est Belle GC (Dunes), Chuncheon, South Korea. Television: Thursday-Sunday, 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. (NBC Sports app). Defending champion: Minkyu Kim. Online:https://asiantour.com/ Ladies European Tour: Jabra Ladies Open, Evian Resort GC, Evian-les-Bains, France. Defending champion: Morgane Metraux. Online:https://ladieseuropeantour.com/ Challenge Tour: Danish Golf Challenge, Bogense GC, Bogense, Denmark. Previous winner: Andreas Halvorsen. Online:https://www.europeantour.com/hotelplanner-tour/ PGA Tour Americas: Inter Rapidisimo Golf Championship, Club El Rincón de Cajicá, Bogota, Colombia. Previous winner: Harry Hillier. Online:https://www.pgatour.com/americas Sunshine Tour: Waterfall City Tournament of Champions, Royal Johannesburg (East), Johannesburg. Defending champion: Louis Albertse. Online:https://sunshinetour.com/ Japan LPGA: Bridgestone Ladies Open, Chukyo GC (Ishino), Aichi, Japan. Previous winner: Rio Takeda. Online:https://www.lpga.or.jp/en/ Korea LPGA: E1 Charity Open, Ferrum Club, Yeoju, South Korea. Defending champion: Sohyun Bae. Online:https://klpga.co.kr/web/ ___ AP golf:https://apnews.com/hub/golf

byKevin Jones

in

May 20, 2025

PGA Tour heads to Colonial and the seniors get another major

PGA Tour heads to Colonial and the seniors get another major PGA Tour CHARLES SCHWAB CHALLENGE Site: Fort Worth, Texas. Course: Colonial Cou...

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Shaquille O'Neal weighs in on NBA Draft lottery amid controversial results

Shaquille O'Neal weighs in on NBA Draft lottery amid controversial results

Despite entering the lottery with just 1.8% odds, the Dallas Mavericks landedthe top selectionfor this year's upcoming NBA Draft. The unexpected result sparked countless theories across the sports world. Many floated theories suggesting the NBA granted the Mavs a favor after the team traded superstarLuka Doncicto the Los Angeles Lakers in February. Dallas will now have the opportunity to draft Duke standout Cooper Flagg. Former Lakers star Shaquille O'Neal became one of the latest high-profile figures to chime in on the debate. The four-time NBA champion recalled a story from 1992 about late NBA Commissioner David Stern. Click Here For More Sports Coverage On Foxnews.com O'Neal, who was drafted by the Orlando Magic in 1992, claimed Stern approached him before that year's draft lottery and inquired about his preferred NBA destination. Nba Great Shaquille O'neal Floats Theory On Blue Origin Flight Read On The Fox News App "[He] pulled me to the side. 'You want to play where it's cold or where it's hot?'"O'Neal said."He asked me that. I said, 'hot' and then he smiled and I smiled." A few months later, O'Neal watched as Orlando, Charlotte and Minnesota landed the top three picks. "Minnesota was No. 3. Charlotte was No. 2 and then Orlando, Florida, was No. 1," he said. "I was like (while making a questioning face). I didn't think much about it. You hear a lot of these conspiracy theories. There are a lot of situations that can make these things sound good." O'Neal said he wanted to avoid using the phrase "conspiracy theory" but he did describe the situation as "very interesting." Follow Fox News Digital'ssports coverage on X, and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Original article source:Shaquille O'Neal weighs in on NBA Draft lottery amid controversial results

byKevin Jones

in

May 20, 2025

Shaquille O'Neal weighs in on NBA Draft lottery amid controversial results

Shaquille O'Neal weighs in on NBA Draft lottery amid controversial results Despite entering the lottery with just 1.8% odds, the Dallas ...

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From Jenn Sterger saga to ugly welfare scandal, Brett Favre was a star drowning in scandal

From Jenn Sterger saga to ugly welfare scandal, Brett Favre was a star drowning in scandal

USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change. Netflix is back at it again with another foray into its sports documentary series, and the latest one focuses on Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre. Untold: The Fall of Favrepremiered Tuesday on the streaming service and serves its purpose. It is full of information, filled with good storytelling from the talking heads who appeared in the film, mostly from sportswriters, who covered him for his 20 NFL seasons. The very definition of the word "untold" is inappropriate here, as those casual sports fans who don't live and die by every game, or have a rooting interest in an athlete, certainly have heard about portions of Favre's career on and off the field. In other words, there isn't much of anything new or earthshattering here, and because it was no shock that Favre is a non-participant in the documentary, you won't see anything that resembles contrition for Favre's well-documented misdeeds, either. One of the more interesting parts of the latest "Untold" from Netflix is that the documentary is only one hour long, which is surprising given the complexity of the subject featured. In efforts to tell a balanced story, Favre's career is the focus of the first 12 minutes of the film, and thenJenn Stergermakes an appearance to tell her story about Favre sending her unsolicited pictures of his private parts when they were both employed by the New York Jets. "Brett Favre ultimately destroyed my life," said Sterger, who was a Jets in-stadium game-day host. "When someone shows you who they are, believe them." To this day, according to Sterger, she has yet to meet Favre,who the NFL fined $50,000for not cooperating with their investigation. So, who exactly is Brett Favre? If you are watching this film looking for an answer to that question, you won't find it here. Favre apologists will undoubtedly look at the film as a glorified hit piece, and indeed, the last portion of the film, there isn't much good if you're looking for great things to be said about him. Sterger is extensively featured in the documentary, and her story could really stand to use its own episode to tie in the rest of Favre's story. And of course, it touches on the scandal concerningwelfare funds in Mississippi,where Favre sought to build a new arena at Southern Mississippi, where his daughter was a member of the volleyball team. The film also shows executive producer A.J. Perez listening to audio recordings after being threatened by Favre's representatives for reporting on the Mississippi welfare scandal, which might be the most interesting part of the entire film. (Perez was previously employed as a reporter for USA TODAY.) Favre ended up using the courts to try to clear his name,suing media personalities Shannon Sharpe and Pat McAfee for defamation,as well as the State Auditor of Mississippi and two journalists, including Anna Wolfe, a reporter with Mississippi Today, who won a Pulitzer Prize for her reporting. Sharpe said Favre would have to be a sorry person "to steal from the lowest of the low," and McAfee opined that the three-time NFL MVP was "stealing from poor people in Mississippi." A federal appeals court tossed out the lawsuit against Sharpe last September, and Favre dropped his suit against McAfee in 2023. The documentary goes through its paces and does its job to hold a viewer's attention, but if you are looking for mind-changing, thought-provoking content, this isn't it. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Brett Favre Netflix documentary shows a star drowning in scandal

byKevin Jones

in

May 20, 2025

From Jenn Sterger saga to ugly welfare scandal, Brett Favre was a star drowning in scandal

From Jenn Sterger saga to ugly welfare scandal, Brett Favre was a star drowning in scandal USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from link...

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