In the NFL, weaponizing victimhood hurts black players while favoring white ones

Rare is the NFL draft that provokes second guessing about a kicker. But this year’s edition was no ordinary draft (see: 19, Covid.) And Justin Rohrwasser is no ordinary kicker.

When the New England Patriots selected Rohrwasser in the fifth round to replace the legendary Stephen Gostkowski, it was a shock, especially as the 23-year-old hadn’t been considered an exceptional talent in college. ESPN host Trey Wingo was even forced to admit on live TV that the Worldwide Leader in Sports had no highlights of Rohrwasser’s career.

Related: If athletes like Nick Bosa support Trump they should at least be honest

The Eagles sevens captain has seen the Tokyo Games postponed and USA Rugby go bankrupt. She refuses to let her dream die

Abby Gustaitis, co-captain of the USA sevens team, has not heard the latest news from Tokyo.

Related: Tokyo Olympics in 2021 at risk of cancellation admits Japan's PM

Related: Tom Brady seen training in closed Tampa park during Covid-19 shutdown

Recognize these faces? #DontRushChallenge featuring the #USWNT7s has us ready for a party. pic.twitter.com/wvO6kNkKsi

• Quarterback left New England for Tampa Bay in March
• Covid-19 means practices with teammates are missing

Eli Manning, the man who beat Tom Brady in two Super Bowls, thinks his old rival may find it tough adapting to life with his new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Brady left the New England Patriots in March after two decades and six Super Bowl titles with the team. The Buccaneers are blessed with weapons, such as Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Brady’s old teammate Rob Gronkowski on offense, but the Covid-19 lockdown is an added obstacle for the quarterback as he adjusts to a new playbook.

Related: Tom Brady will have more fun in Tampa, but will he win?

• NBA teams expected to reopen practice facilities on Friday
• My favorite game: Sixers v Lakers, Game 1, 2001 NBA finals

NBA teams are expected to get the go-ahead to reopen practice facilities for limited use as early as Friday, less than two months after the coronavirus outbreak forced the suspension of the season.

With head and assistant coaches barred and scrimmages forbidden, the workouts are unlikely to resemble business as usual for the NBA but would nonetheless be a step towards normalcy for a league whose season was upended in dramatic fashion in March.

Related: My favourite game: Iverson stuns Kobe's Lakers in the 2001 NBA finals | Bryan Armen Graham

Colin O’Brady took on the elements, a relentless rival and weeks of isolation as he walked solo and unassisted across the southernmost continent

Having trekked hundreds of miles into Antarctica in late 2018, American Colin O’Brady reached a memorable landmark: the south pole. It was only a waypoint on the way to O’Brady’s pursuit of a record – the first-ever unaided, unsupported solo crossing of the continent. Yet when he made it to “due south”, it was time for an impromptu celebration. He did a handstand, posing as if he was holding up Earth.

“I was at the south pole, the bottom of the world,” O’Brady tells the Guardian. “It was a moment of riding high. My emotions were on top of me … I’m thankful I let myself experience that positive moment.”

Related: ‘I’m absolutely elated. It’s a miracle we made it,’ says polar hero Louis Rudd

• Goodell’s memo outlines protocols for reopening team facilities
• NFL set to release full regular-season schedule on Thursday

The NFL has set protocols for reopening team facilities and has told the 32 teams to have them in place by 15 May.

In a memo sent by league commissioner Roger Goodell and obtained Wednesday night by the Associated Press, several phases of the protocols were laid out. The first phase to deal with the coronavirus pandemic would involve a limited number of non-player personnel, initially 50% of the non-player employees (up to a total of 75) on any single day, being approved to be at the facility. But state or local regulations could require a lower number.

Related: Why is it always the white NFL players who get a second chance?

Related: Eli Manning predicts 'tough' start for Tom Brady with Buccaneers

Local and state government officials must consent to reopening

The team must implement all operational guidelines set by the league to minimize the risk of virus transmission among employees

Each club must acquire adequate amounts of needed supplies as prescribed by the league

An Infection Response Team with a written plan for newly diagnosed coronavirus cases

An Infection Control Officer to oversee all aspects of the implementation of the listed guidelines

Each employee who returns to work at the club facility must receive Covid-19 safety and hygiene training prior to using the facility, and agree to report health information to the ICO

The response team must consist of a local physician with expertise in common infectious disease principles; the team physician can fill that role. Also on the response team will be the infection control officer, the team’s head athletic trainer; the team physician, if he or she is not serving as the local physician; the human resources director; the team’s chief of security; its mental health clinician or someone with equivalent clinical expertise; and a member of the club’s operations staff such as the facility manager

• State auditor says Favre will repay money for no-show speeches
• Hall of Fame quarterback faces no criminal charges after report

Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre is repaying $1.1m in welfare money that he received for multiple speeches where he did not show up, the Mississippi state auditor said Wednesday.

Auditor Shad White said his office received $500,000 from Favre on Wednesday, plus a commitment that Favre will repay the other $600,000 in installments over the next few months.

Related: NFL tells teams to have facility reopening protocols in place by next week

• Wife of seven-time Pro Bowler faces felony burglary charge
• ‘Stuff like this happens,’ says future Hall of Fame free safety
• NFL 2020 schedule: Chiefs kick off title defense against Texans

The lawyer for the wife of Baltimore Ravens safety Earl Thomas said she is being subjected to an “unfounded ongoing investigation” by Texas police after she allegedly pointed a gun at her husband’s head upon finding him in bed with another woman last month.

According to a police affidavit, Nina Thomas tracked down her husband at a short-term rental home in Austin in the early morning hours of 13 April and found him and his brother, Seth, in bed with two women.

Related: NFL 2020 schedule: Chiefs kick off title defense against Texans in season opener

• NFL releases 2020 schedule despite coronavirus concerns
• Chiefs host Texans on 10 September in annual kickoff game
• Brady to make Buccaneers debut on 13 September at Saints

The Kansas City Chiefs will open defense of their Super Bowl championship by hosting Houston on 10 September in the NFL’s annual kickoff game – pending developments in the coronavirus pandemic, of course.

The Texans won a regular-season game at Arrowhead Stadium in 2019, then blew a 24-0 lead in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Related: Ravens' Earl Thomas held at gunpoint by wife over alleged affair, police say

.@nflcommish on the release of the 2020 schedule pic.twitter.com/Mch0lgXkf8

• Ferguson meets Gaethje for UFC’s interim lightweight title
• UFC head Dana White eager to reach sports-starved audience

The main event of Saturday’s UFC 249 card in Florida is billed as being for the interim lightweight title but Tony Ferguson says he should be considered the real champion if he beats opponent Justin Gaethje.

Former collegiate wrestler Ferguson, coming into the bout on a 12-fight win streak, was supposed to fight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in Brooklyn on 18 April but that was postponed due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Related: UFC announces three events to be held without fans at Jacksonville arena

Earlier this week, Tencent announced a big new update for PUBG Mobile (Free) on iOS and Android. The version 0.18.0 …

Continue reading "‘PUBG Mobile’ 0.18.0 Is Rolling Out Now on iOS and Android with Mad Miramar, a New Results UI, and a Whole Lot More"

Pokemon GO (Free) from Niantic has been improving with letting people play the game in one place or at home. …

Continue reading "PokeCoin System Changes Are Coming to ‘Pokemon GO’ as Niantic Begins Testing in Australia"

Sticking to social isolation just became easier. Keeping the kids occupied and their creativity flowing during coronavirus lockdown has just …

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Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for May 7th, 2020. Like most Thursdays, today is mostly about …

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I love everything from developer Gionathan Pesaresi aka Neutronized, but I have an especially soft spot for the Super Cat …

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Last year, Square Enix brought two SaGa games to the west on PC, console, and mobile platforms. Romancing SaGa Re;universe …

Continue reading "‘Romancing SaGa Re;Universe’ Pre-Orders Are Now Live on the App Store Revealing the Release Date for iOS and Android"

Last week, Apple brought another game to the service in the form of Neversong () from Serenity Forge. Today, we …

Continue reading "Turn Based RPG ‘The Otherside’ from The Label Is This Week’s Apple Arcade Addition"

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for May 8th, 2020. Today was basically a nightmare scenario for …

Continue reading "SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘Fury Unleashed’, ‘Stone’, and Today’s Other New Releases, the Latest Sales Featuring ‘Saints Row IV’ and More"

Chess-based, card-based, roguelike dungeon crawler. And you might as well throw puzzler on top of it too. That’s quite a …

Continue reading "‘Pawnbarian’ is a Chess-Based, Card-Based, Roguelike Dungeon Crawler Coming to Mobile and Desktop"

The idea behind the TouchArcade Game of the Week is that every Friday afternoon we post the one game that …

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With the Easter weekend approaching and lockdown in full swing, fans of all sports are scratching their heads wondering just what there will be to do.

The FA Council have ratified the decision to cancel the remainder of the football season for all non-league divisions below the National League.

Football in Scotland has been further suspended until June 10 at the earliest across all levels, from professional to recreational.

Neco Williams has revealed how Adam Lallana has played a major role in helping him adapt to the demands of training regularly with Liverpool's first team.

Manchester City long-term absentee Leroy Sane has revealed he was "on the verge" of a comeback prior to football's shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United rebuild looks set to continue whenever the transfer window does eventually open.

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has offered to supply "food packages of everyday essentials" to the elderly in his hometown of Mosborough in South Yorkshire.

PFA chief Gordon Taylor has hit back at the health secretary Matt Hancock over his criticism of footballers, asking why bankers haven't faced similar government pressure to take pay-cuts during the coronavirus pandemic.

West Ham midfielder Robert Snodgrass has launched a scathing criticism of Matt Hancock, warning the health secretary to "do his homework" before calling out footballers over their wages.

Bruno Fernandes has revealed his perception of Manchester United changed when Cristiano Ronaldo joined the club.

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has taken to Instagram to dismiss a report claiming he will sign for Inter Milan in the summer... and that he paid bail money to get former teammate Ronaldinho out of prison.

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has invited a local NHS worker and her family to a match at Old Trafford once football resumes.

Juan Mata believes Jadon Sancho is a "great player" as Manchester United continue to be linked with the winger.

Welcome to the Evening Standard's live blog covering the latest transfer news and rumours from the Premier League and beyond.

Welcome to the Evening Standard's LIVE coverage as the coronavirus crisis continues to heavily impact sport across the globe.

Mario Gotze has confirmed he is to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season when his contract expires.

Arsenal and Manchester United have been linked with a move for Bayern Munich star Corentin Tolisso, but it is the Gunners who may have the transfer edge.

Predict the results of the matches that should have been played this weekend...

It's been four weeks since a ball was last kicked in the Premier League.

Marcus Rashford has been leading Manchester United's charm offensive to bring Jadon Sancho to Old Trafford - and he will have another chance tonight.

Barcelona misfit Philippe Coutinho would "love" a return to the Premier League, according to agent Kia Joorabchian.

Leeds United legend and one of England's 1966 World Cup winners Norman Hunter has been admitted to hospital after testing positive for coronavirus.

Valencia midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia could be available for around €30 million this summer amid reported interest from Tottenham.

With all elite football on pause for the foreseeable, now is the perfect time to dust off those boots and give it a go yourself.

RB Leipzig chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff insists he is calm over the future of Timo Werner amid speculation linking the forward with Liverpool and Chelsea.

If there is one thing footballers have in common with fans during the coronavirus pandemic, it is that when it comes to hairstyles, they are all very much in the same boat.

Tottenham legend Jimmy Greaves remains in hospital, "receiving the best possible treatment", as he battles an unspecified illness.

Manchester United are yet to offer Odion Ighalo a permanent deal with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer undecided over his plans to sign a striker this summer.

Football Manager 2020 predicts Coutinho's first season at Stamford Bridge...

Manchester United have four key strikers on their summer transfer shortlist, Standard Sport understands.