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DENVER — In no sport but the NFL do players, fans, coaches and general managers annually debate the rules of the game, advocating ways to make pro football better, safer, fairer. Officiating is especially a hot topic around the league after a blown call late in the NFC championship game pretty much cost the New Orleans Saints a trip to the Super Bowl. That capped a season which began with the long-awaited clarification of what constitutes a catch and then was marred by widespread confusion over what exactly is a legal takedown of the quarterback. While defenders learned new ways to tackle to avoid flags for even glancing blows to the helmet, they complained about O-linemen illegally blocking too far downfield in the run-pass option craze that has successfully seeped in from the college game. Giants owner John Mara hears the cries to change the NFL’s replay review system after officials failed to flag the blatant pass interference penalty and a helmet-first hit by the … [Read more...] about New NFL rules likely coming, but not replay for penalties

The NFL is looking for the next generation of youth football stars to help usher in its second century. The league launched a casting call Sunday asking parents and youth coaches of boys and girls ages 9-12 to submit videos of the kids’ best moves on the football field for a chance to attend Super Bowl 54 in Miami and to appear in a follow-up commercial to last year’s epic star-studded banquet spot that kicked off the league’s 100th season. In that spot, some of the game’s greats from past and present fought over a golden football that toppled from atop a giant cake when Marshawn Lynch’s attempt to sneak a dollop of frosting went horribly — or was it wonderfully? — wrong. “We kicked off the 100th season in a big way. Now we want to create an even bigger juggernaut commercial, even more ambitious than before, that serves as the passing of the torch to this next generation of superstars,” NFL chief marketing officer Tim Ellis said.In … [Read more...] about NFL looking for next generation of stars — ages 9-12

Succeeding in fantasy football drafts is not just about who you take and when, it’s about who you passed up in favor of your selections. That consideration of opportunity cost is at the heart of this annual post, because the players listed are usually pretty good, in and of themselves, but better options for fantasy teams are available where they’re going. In other words, the reason you do not draft these players is because they don’t merit their average draft position (ADP). At some point, of course, every player is worth drafting — even, say, Nathan Peterman could make for a reasonable pick, in a league with, you know, 200 bench spots (have fun with that draft). For this exercise, I’m defaulting to half-PPR scoring and using the ADP information helpfully aggregated by our friends at Fantasy Pros, compared to my own rankings. On with the list! Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys (ADP: 4 | me: 8) It’s easy to see the temptation in rolling the dice on … [Read more...] about Fantasy football 2019: The do-not draft list

(CNN)It's been dubbed the "best league in the world" for its exciting games and competitiveness, but it wasn't the greatest weekend for the Premier League -- the most watched football division globally -- as several ugly incidents unfolded. Manchester United players were allegedly racially abused in Saturday evening's Manchester derby, while a 13-year-old Burnley supporter was ejected at Tottenham and is being investigated by police for an alleged racist gesture aimed at South Korea international Son Heung-Min. Follow @cnnsport Everton is also investigating claims of alleged homophobic chanting in its home win against Chelsea, while on Sunday, Brighton threw out two visiting Wolves fans for homophobic abuse. In Manchester on Saturday, Brazilian midfielder Fred and English attacker Jesse Lingard appeared to be targeted with racist actions in the second half near the corner flag, while Fred was also hit by objects thrown from the stands in United's 2-1 victory at City. The following … [Read more...] about Premier League: Racist and homophobic incidents tarnish ‘best league in the world’

WASHINGTON - Q: “Voice of America reaches all over the world, including directly into Venezuela and the surrounding countries. A lot of chaos going on there. What’s the message that you want to get to the people of Venezuela. What do they need to know about American policy?”National Security Advisor John Bolton: “Well that we are entirely behind their justifiable desire to be able to control their own government to get rid of this authoritarian military regime that’s basically ruined the economy of the country over the last twenty years. The nations of the Western Hemisphere are almost unanimously behind their desire to see a peaceful transfer of power. Fifty six governments have recognized Juan Guaido as the legitimate interim president, that’s the first time that there’s ever been that kind of rejection of the Maduro regime. So times are hard in Venezuela now, that’s because of twenty years of mismanagement of the economy.  But … [Read more...] about VOA Interview: John Bolton’s Take on World’s Hotspots