In today's NBA rumors — Lillard to the Thunder, Sixers aim for Embiid to play more, and John Collins' poetic, passive aggression on Instagram.

Former Packers tight end Marcedes Lewis is joining a fierce rival for 2023, he's going to make NFL history doing so.Former Green Bay Packers tight end Marcedes Lewis, best known this offseason for being on Aaron Rodgers' wish list, is reportedly finalizing a deal with the Chicago Bears...

Alessia Russo was thrilled to open her World Cup account as England’s attack came alive in their 6-1 victory over China to conclude the group stage. The 24-year-old, who joined Arsenal on a free transfer from Manchester United last month, has been boss Sarina Wiegman’s first-choice centre-forward so far this tournament to fill the void left by retired striker Ellen White. Russo netted the fourth-minute opener in Adelaide, one of five goal-scorers for an inspired England side, who sealed top spot in Group D and will now test their perfect record in the last 16 against Nigeria in Brisbane. “(I’m) Buzzing. I’m a striker, I like to score as much as I can,” said Russo. “(It was) a positive night, six goals as well, lots of chances created and lots of goals scored. “You’ve just got to go back to basics, work hard and that’s what I’ve been doing in training, hoping for a moment and when you get it you’ve got to take it with both hands. “Really pleased to get on the scoresheet but more importantly we topped the group and now we’re ready for knockout football.” Nigeria, 40th in FIFA’s global rankings, entered the competition as the top-ranked team from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and managed to outplay world number seven and Olympic champions Canada alongside number 22 Republic of Ireland to finish second in Group B and book a place in the last 16. Russo vowed that while the Lionesses were fully focused on China until they wrapped up Group D, they will “get rested, recovered and fully get locked into Nigeria”, who will be raring to stage another upset. “They’re a good side too, they’re a side that I’ve never faced – I have at youth level but not at senior level – so I’m excited for it, another good test,” she said. Russo, who had not scored in seven games, has so far been preferred to Aston Villa striker Rachel Daly, the 2023 Women’s Super League Golden Boot winner. Versatile Daly came on for Russo after 76 minutes of the Haiti match, started at left-back against Denmark and, in Wiegman’s 3-5-2 formation shake-up, took on the unfamiliar role of left wing-back and scored the last of England’s six against China. The dominant result, combined with her opening strike, perhaps alleviates some of the pressure on Russo, who knows Daly is waiting in the wings, after Wiegman made it clear that she is prepared to make changes in this World Cup. Pressure from the public, however, is another story. Russo added: “I think the media worry about that more than we do as players. We just want to win every game whether it’s 1-0 or 10-0. I think it’s amazing to score that many goals, but we just want to win and progress through this tournament as players.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Ousmane Dembele wants to join PSG, says Barcelona boss Xavi Finn Russell to captain Scotland in World Cup warm-up against France Ireland out to change World Cup story after 2019 disappointment – Tadhg Beirne

Call it a belated birthday present, perhaps. Sir Jim Ratcliffe turned 71 on Wednesday. For those who have amassed such riches, it is less a question of what others buy them and more what they buy for themselves. And in Ratcliffe’s case, at a cost of £1.3bn, the answer may be a quarter of the club he has supported since he was a child in Failsworth. There are details to iron out and no deal will be finalised just yet but the Manchester United board will vote – though probably not on Thursday – whether to accept Ratcliffe’s offer. The petrochemicals billionaire has already seen off his main competitor: if there was a widespread assumption – one that may have been shared by the Glazer family – that Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani would dramatically raise a bid that many believed was financed by the Qatari state, it never happened. Ratcliffe has been a triumph of persistence and flexibility, amending his own offer from a majority to a minority stake, negotiating with the Glazers. It comes to something when a man of his wealth feels like the underdog but the outsider has prevailed. While Sheikh Jassim also presented himself as a United supporter and while Ratcliffe had attempted to buy Chelsea, the Ineos co-founder has the feel of the local boy made good. And, at points in the past, a place on a football club board would have felt a reward for many who matched that description. Now the sums are so massive that the motivations become most instructive. Thus far, the questions outnumber the definitive answers. Will United be a trophy asset for Ratcliffe? Perhaps not immediately, given that the Glazers will remain the biggest shareholders, at least in the short term. Is it simply an astute business deal? Not on the face of it, given that Ratcliffe has valued United at around double its market price and Sheikh Jassim felt the Glazers’ demands were outlandish. Yet Ratcliffe has proved he can make money: that 25 per cent could yet yield a profit and the Glazers’ reluctance to walk away seemed to stem in part from a belief the club will be worth more again in the future. The most pertinent issue for many supporters, who have long called for the Glazers to go, is whether it leads to a full takeover; and if so, whether the terms of Ratcliffe’s buy-in ensure it, or merely make it optional. Moreover, the new structure, assuming it is improved, does not necessarily promise the investment United require: with other parties holding 75 per cent of the club, Ratcliffe would have less incentive to put his own money in. The presumption at the moment is that the £1.3bn will largely go to the Glazers, not United. The general sense is the club need the money more than their owners. Sheikh Jassim’s promises will now never be tested but he had pledged to invest more than £1bn; with the need to either revamp or rebuild Old Trafford, any plans to improve the infrastructure the Glazers have neglected will not be cheap. So if Ratcliffe pursues such plans, will the debt – currently at £725m – rise over £1bn? United’s current scope for signings is limited more by Financial Fair Play than anything else, but could he bring an improvement in recruitment? The feeling is that Ratcliffe wants control of the football side of the club, where United’s underachievement has been particularly grievous in the last decade. Would that be beneficial? Given United’s record, it may be welcomed. Ratcliffe’s own record in sport is mixed: Nice are currently second in Ligue Un but their fortunes have fluctuated during his ownership and have been pockmarked by transfer-market missteps. Lausanne have been both relegated and promoted under Ratcliffe’s regime. He bought the most successful outfit in world cycling, then known as Team Sky; since rebranded as Ineos, but they have lost their pre-eminence and appear in an identity crisis. But if his initial emphasis is on the pitch – rather than the commercial side of the business the chief executive, Richard Arnold, oversees – there is an obvious focus on the director of football, John Murtough. Inside Old Trafford, there is already a recognition the team has achieved too little and their record in recruitment has been underwhelming since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. Some nevertheless feel that there is more structure and strategy since Ed Woodward handed over the reins: they can point to a new training centre for the women’s and academy teams, the appointment of Erik ten Hag, and a fine season last year. Yet a stumbling, stuttering start to this season, the struggles of several recent signings and the reality that around £400m has been spent in the last two summers feels ill-timed. Accusations United have overpaid are scarcely new but will it prompt Ratcliffe to seek change behind the scenes? The initial noises are that, despite the team’s slump, Ten Hag is seen as far more of a solution than a problem, though it would be instructive to know if that stance were maintained should the next 10 games bring another six defeats. Shifts in ownership do not always bode well for incumbent managers, whereas the Dutchman has enjoyed the backing of Murtough and the Glazers. Ten Hag always projects an air of confidence and decisiveness but many at Old Trafford could be forgiven for wondering what Ratcliffe’s investment means and what comes next. If it has scarcely helped United that they have lingered in limbo for 11 months, since the Glazers put the club up for sale, a boardroom vote could instead bring about a time of uncertainty. Read More The best in the world? Jude Bellingham sparks debate after latest England masterclass Man Utd set timeline to decide on Sir Jim Ratcliffe offer Manchester United Supporters’ Trust calls for ‘clarity’ in takeover process Man Utd manager fumes at Women’s Champions League format after exit Who will make Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024? Michael O’Neill wants Shea Charles to learn from dismissal on frustrating night

Natasha Cloud scored 19 points, Ariel Atkins added 12, including five key points late in the fourth quarter, and the Washington Mystics nearly blew a 28-point lead before holding on for a 71-65 win over the Seattle Storm

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 20, 2023--

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