Chicago Sky’s Betnijah Laney Talks Rehab For… by uSports

June 3, 2016 is a date Chicago Sky guard Betnijah Laney would prefer to forget.

In the second quarter of Chicago’s matchup with the Washington Mystics, the same team that her college teammate Kahleah Copper plays for, Laney tore her anterior-cruciate ligament.

Chicago Sky’s Betnijah Laney Talks Rehab For Knee Injury

Soon after, she learned she tore her meniscus as well, requiring extensive rehab and abruptly ending her 2016 season.

Laney, 22, will also miss a likely second stint in the WNBL in Australia, where she was one of the best players on the roster for the Perth Lynx, finishing the season averaging 15.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

PERTH LYNX BIO: BETNIJAH LANEY

“I think my whole time being in college I might have missed two games because of injury,” Laney told uSports in an exclusive interview. “It was a big shocker for me to know that I was going to miss the whole season.”

But there was no use in sulking. Bad luck or not, this was the hand she was dealt.

So instead of feeling sorry for herself, Laney reached out to players and coaches familiar with the injury for advice.

“It was my first injury of this stature and it was tough to hear at first,” she recalled. “My coaches, teammates assured me that I would be okay. I’ve spoken to other players who’ve had the same injury and it’s just all been encouraging. It helps me to feel better.”

Once she cleared the mental hurdle Laney through herself into rehab, which, for now, is a bit challenging.

Since the surgery is still fairly recent and the swelling is still subsiding, Laney is limited in what she can actually do with the knee.

“I really can’t put pressure on it so my rehab consists of just bending and straightening it. Just trying to fire up the muscles that I lost,” she said. “So, right now, that’s pretty much it until I’m really able to put pressure on it and, you know, start doing some really good strength things of that nature.”

In the meantime, the 6-foot guard is working on her upper body and cardio, keeping the other parts in shape for when she is able to work more on the knee specifically.

“I’ll do an arm bike workout, for cardio,” Laney said. “And just a lift, like upper body lift.”

The debate over equal pay for men and women in the workplace is not new, but that doesn’t make it any less of an issue.

If workplace inequality is a problem, than the disparity between men and women in sports is a calamity.

OPINION: Wage GAp Widens, ‘We’re Not Treated Anywhere Near Equal’

Second-year WNBA player Betnijah Laney, has noticed the difference in treatment between male and female athletes in her short time at the professional level and, in many cases, it’s much worse than the disparity in a corporate setting.

“It’s definitely not the same,” Laney said in an exclusive interview with uSports. “We’re not treated anywhere near as equal (to) the men. That’s just going from comments by people saying, ‘Get back in the kitchen,’ and, you know, things like that.”

Laney, a four-year standout at Rutgers University and the No. 17 overall selection of the 2015 WNBA Draft, has no trouble navigating the busy streets of Chicago.

Despite her standing as an up-and-coming talent on the city’s WNBA franchise, the Chicago Sky, Laney is rarely “spotted” by fans like a reservist for the Chicago Bulls might be and she couldn’t recall any instances where she was stopped on the street for an autograph.

As with most of the socioeconomic issues at play in American society, the debate over equal pay is often played out on social media.

“I’ll go on social media, just looking at things that people are doing in women’s sports,” Laney said. “And just comments.”

And the “comments” or depictions of women as “less than”, are not limited to social media. 

A new Dove campaign, set to air during the Olympics calls out shamers of female athletes in an attempt to shed light on their mistreatment.

Laney’s teammate, Elena Delle Donne, the defending WNBA MVP, has seen her celebrity rise of late.

But not because she’s averaging 21.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for the Sky in 2016 and not because she is gearing up to represent Team USA Basketball in Rio either.

The Wilmington, Delaware, native made headlines this week because she publicly declared her sexual orientation in an upcoming article to appear in Vogue, identifying as gay and announcing her engagement to partner Amanda Clifton.

“It was just one of those articles where they came into my home, spent a couple days with me, and (fiancee) Amanda (Clifton) is a huge part of my life,” the reigning WNBA MVP told reporters in Rio. “So to leave her out wouldn’t have made any sense. It’s not a coming out article or anything. I’ve been with her for a very long time now, and people who are close to me know that, and that’s that.”

Had it not been for that “news,” which Delle Donne admitted was no secret, many sports fans, male or female, may still not know who she is or what sport she plays.

Fewer than 40 miles from Delle Donne’s Delaware hometown, Laney was honing her basketball skills in a town called Smyrna.

When considering the dearth of attention paid Delle Donne, just imagine how many less flashbulbs are popping when Laney makes a public appearance.

As her team was set to board a bus for a road trip, she recalled an onlooker asking a peculiar question.

“Oh, are you a high school team?” Laney remembered the individual asking. “I’m like … No,” she said.

These women, suited in warm-ups with the WNBA logo and “Chicago” or “Sky” plastered all about them, had reached the pinnacle of their sport in the U.S., and yet their own city doesn’t even realize they are professional athletes.

In the current athletic climate, it is symptomatic of where female basketball players really are in relation to their male counterparts.

Recognition is the least of their concerns.

ELENA DELLE DONNE 2015 HIGHLIGHTS

Delle Donne, earns the WNBA maximum salary of $107,500.

Due to her prestige and accomplishments on the court, she is granted bonuses for performance: $15,000 for being league MVP (2015), $10,000 for making All-WNBA First Team (2015), $5,000 for Second Team (2013) and $10,000 for winning Rookie of the Year (2013). In 2015, she earned roughly $26,000 in bonuses, as much as any other player in the league.

Delle Donne was the second overall pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft. The second selection in the 2016 NBA Draft, Brandon Ingram , will earn $4.4 million in his first season.

The lopsided pay scale is forcing many of the WNBA’s best and brightest to seek compensation overseas.

After her rookie year in Chicago, Laney played in Australia last season for the Perth Lynx, averaging 15.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

More established WNBA players, like Diana Taurasi, rake in million dollar contracts to play in Turkey, Israel or Russia.

Many of the women take advantage of the opportunity to make some money, while sharpening their skill set.

The flip side? A year-round grind that puts players bodies in peril.

“Over time, it can wear you down,” Sky coach Pokey Chatman told the Chicago Tribune in 2014.

Chatman never played overseas, but spent four seasons as head coach at Russian league power Spartak Moscow.

Laney’s 2016 season in Chicago was cut short when she tore her ACL and meniscus June 3, not likely related to her time playing in Perth.

PETH LYNX INTRODUCE BETNIJAH LANEY

But what choice do the Betnijah Laneys of the WNBA have?

“If you’re on the cusp, playing overseas keeps you relevant,” Chatman said via the Tribune.

Relevance is exactly what the WNBA is searching for right now.

“People just don’t know,” Laney said of her league. “I think we need to do more to put ourselves out there and find ways to get people engaged and actually want to actually enjoy women’s sports.”

A trip to the Sky’s official website reveals a pop-up featuring Laney, Chatman and a couple other Chicago players, inviting fans to a meet-and-greet style “Open House” Aug. 17.

The effort is definitely being made.

But will Rajon Rondo, Taj Gibson and Jerian Grant be hosting a similar gathering this fall?

Don’t count on it.

According to Laney, when people come to watch, they like what they see.

“Sometimes I get people who have never come to a game and they finally come and they’re like ‘Oh, I love this. This has been great,’” she said. “I think that’s part of it too. Just getting people to actually come and see what it’s about before they make judgment.”

Sadly, the ruling has already been rendered. The sports world does not view female athletes through an equal lens.

A former University of Florida student who accused two members of the school’s football team of sexually assaulting her will not be attending the Title IX hearing for at least one of her alleged assailants.

Antonio Callaway and Treon Harris were accused of sexual assault in December and the University appointed, Jake Schickel, a booster for both the Gators’ football and basketball teams, to oversee Callaway’s TItle IX hearing taking place Friday.

Accuser Boycotts After U. Florida Appoints Booster

ESPN has obtained a letter from the woman’s attorney, John Clune of Boulder, Colorado, stating that his client, her parents and five witnesses will not be attending the hearing due to a “biased university process.”

The letter was addressed to UF’s deputy general counsel, Amy Haas.

“This has been a difficult decision but as I previously indicated to you, the fact that UF has hired a football booster to adjudicate a sexual assault allegation against one of the team’s own football players is a fundamentally skewed process in which [the complainant] refuses to participate,” Clune wrote to Haas Friday Morning.

Callaway and Harris were both suspended from the team in January for violating the school’s code of conduct policy. They were barred from campus last spring, but were permitted to take online classes while absent.

The woman reported the incident to the University’s student conduct and conflict resolution office in early December, according to the worldwide leader, but did not file a report with Gainesville Police or Campus Police.

“To be clear,” Clune’s letter to Haas continued. “(The complainant) remains very willing to participate in a fair and unbiased disciplinary process. Mr. Calloway’s behavior has had a great impact on her life and continuing as a student at UF is of great importance to her and her future.”

The Department of Education permits institutions to set up their own process for hearing Title IX within certain guidelines and standards. The agency stipulates that anyone involved in the adjudication of a TItle IX grievance be trained in handling complaints of sexual violence and sexual harassment and that he or she be unbiased.

Schickel, 68, is a former Track and Field Athlete at Florida, and a founding partner of a Jacksonville law firm.

The University appointed Schickel as hearing officer after serving as a past trustee to UF’s Levin College Of Law. He is also a donor to the Florida Football Boosters Scholarship Club, for which to be a member, one must donate from $4,800 to $8,599 annually, according to the Florida Athletic Department’s Year in Review 2014-2015.

Schickel is also a 3-Point Club Donor to the Gators basketball program, requiring annual contributions from $2,000 to $4,999.

Florida issued a statement on the hearing Thursday, through media relations vice president Janine Sikes.

“Any hearing officer and all committee members are trained and vetted for their impartiality,” Sikes’ statement said. “A hearing officer or committee member would not be disqualified or lack objectivity simply because he or she had been a student athlete decades earlier or purchases athletic tickets as more than 90,000 people do each year.”

Clune never spoke publicly of Schickel’s apparent athletic exploits.

He did, however, make his point abundantly clear to Haas in his letter.

“Quite frankly, short of finding a relative of Mr. Callaway, I’m not sure how UF could have found someone with more conflicts (than) Mr. Schickel.”

Sexual abuse allegations against members of the USA Gymnastics coaching staff, spanning decades, were not reported to authorities, according an investigative report from the Indianapolis Star.

USA Gymnastics, which oversees the Olympic team and boasts more than 120,000 gymnasts at over 3,000 gyms across the country, employed a policy of dismissing  accusations that were not reported directly from the alleged victim or the victim’s parents, shrugging all other allegations off as hearsay, according to the report.

USA Gymnastics Fails To Report Sexual Abuse Allegations

The Star’s report discovered multiple instances where children were subject to further abuse as a result of this policy, including a case in Georgia where a coach “preyed on young female athletes for seven years after USA Gymnastics dismissed the first of four warnings about him.”

Nearly all 50 states have laws that require sexual or child abuse allegations must be reported to the property authorities, but each state’s statute varies.

In the Georgia case, USA Gymnastics broke the state’s law requiring professionals to report allegations of abuse, according to article 19-7-5 of the Georgia State Statutes.

“The following persons are required to report: … Child service organization personnel (includes any organization—whether public, private, for-profit, not-for-profit, or voluntary—that provides care, treatment, education, training, supervision, coaching, counseling, recreational programs, or shelter to children).”

Two former executives for USA Gymnastics testified to the prevalent use of the “hearsay” policy in a 2013 lawsuit levied by a coach’s victim.

The suit, filed in Georgia by the daughter of Lisa Ganser, involved a coach named William McCabe, whom Ganser’s daughter had begun to work with in 2002.

In court documents obtained by the Star, USA Gymnastics characterized complaints against McCabe from two different gym owners as “third-hand hearsay,” stating that the organization had not received a complaint from any athlete, or athlete’s parent.

More than a year after her daughter began training with McCabe, Ganser received an anonymous packet that included multiple complaints that were sent to USA Gymnastics.

When Ganser contacted the organization she was told that there was never a complaint against McCabe.

In 2006, Ganser discovered some inappropriate emails being sent to her daughter by an individual claiming to be an Olympian and reported them to the FBI.

FBI investigators learned that it was McCabe sending the emails, according to the Indianapolis newspaper.

The same year, McCabe was convicted “sexual exploitation of children,” including girls as young as fifth grade. He is currently serving a 30-year sentence in prison.

USA Gymnastics was unwilling to disclose the total number of sexual abuse allegations, but the report revealed the organization filed complaint dossiers on more than 50 coaches.

Even without access to those files, the Star found four instances where complaints of abuse were brought to USA Gymnastics and were not pursued until later.

Marvin Sharp was named the 2010 National Women’s Coach of the Year by USA Gymnastics. In 2011, the organization received a detailed complaint about Sharp, that alleged he engaged in inappropriate touching of minors.

Four years later, USA Gymnastics reported Sharp to police after new allegations surfaced that accused the coach of “touching a gymnast’s vagina,  trimming her pubic hair and taking sexually explicit pictures of her beginning when she was 12 years old,” according to the Star.

Shortly after his conviction, Sharp committed suicide in prison.

USA Gymnastics released a statement Thursday in response to the Star’s report:

“Addressing issues of sexual misconduct has been important to USA Gymnastics for many years, and the organization is committed to promoting a safe environment for its athletes,” the statement said, in part. “We find it appalling that anyone would exploit a young athlete or child in this manner, and recognize the effect this behavior can have on a person’s life. USA Gymnastics has been proactive in helping to educate the gymnastics community over the years, and will continue to take every punitive action available within our jurisdiction, and cooperate fully with law enforcement.”

New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira will announce his retirement Friday, according to ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney.

The Yankees have called for a 3 p.m. press conference Friday regarding Texeira, where he is expected to reveal his plans to hang up his spikes after the 2016 season, though no further specifics for the presser were offered by New York’s front office.

Report: Mark Teixeira Set To Retire After Season

Teixeira, 36, is hitting .198 with 10 home runs and 27 RBIs through 77 games in the final season of his eight-year, $180 million contract signed in December 2008.

MARK TEIXEIRA’S BIGGEST MOMENT IN PINSTRIPES

Over a 14-year career, the Yankees first baseman has a .269 batting average, hitting 404 home runs and driving in 1231 runs. Teixeira began his career with the Texas Rangers, making his debut on opening day of 2003.

He has played for the Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Yankees.

Once thought to be on a path to a Hall of Fame career, Teixeira averaged 34 homers and 111 RBIs over his first five seasons in the big leagues.

Arguably, his best season came in 2005, in Texas, when Teixeira batted .301 and clubbed 44 home runs with 144 RBIs. He finished 2nd in the MVP voting in 2009, batting .292 with 39 homers and 122 RBIs, en route to a World Series title.

Despite his prowess at the plate, Teixeira is regarded as one of the best defensive first baseman of his generation, winning five gold gloves in his career to go with three All-Star appearances.

The soon-to-be retiree was caught up in a bit of controversy this week as the Yanks were entangled in a four-game, home and home subway series with the New York Mets.

On Wednesday, Teixeira homered off Mets starter Steven Matz in the second inning, then was hit in the shin by a Matz pitch in the fifth, prompting some jawing between the two.

“I like Steven, that’s why I was like, “Are you kidding me? You’re going to do that?” If it was on purpose, it’s uncalled for. If it wasn’t, it just looked really bad given the situation.”

Then, after Teixeira reached via walk in the seventh, Mets reliever Hansel Robles began arguing with the Yankees slugger, accusing him of stealing signs.

Teixeira responded by mocking Robles, making hand gestures and touching his face as if he were offering signs.

“That was funny,” Teixeira said of the altercation with Robles. “You know, after three or four pitches, I realize that he’s like staring at me and thinks I have his signs, staring me down and saying something— I couldn’t hear him because of the crowd, so I just started having some fun with him.”

Yankees manager Joe Girardi held Teixeira out of the lineup Thursday after saying his first baseman’s shin was “a little sore.”

There’s no word yet on whether he will be in the lineup tonight when his club hosts the first place Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium.

Teixeira is one of five switch hitters in MLB history to hit 400 home runs and he is the ninth player to ever hit 400 homers and win five gold gloves.

TEIXEIRA FLASHES LEATHER FOR 2012 GOLD GLOVE

Six of those players are already in Cooperstown.

Andruw Jones will not be eligible until 2018 and Barry Bonds may never be voted in.

With preseason right around the corner, you (or your child) have already put in the time prepping your body for the rigors ahead.

While you don’t welcome the Indian runs, wind sprints, Tampa Bays or those times when the coach just says “start running, I’ll let you know when to stop,” you have taken the time to train yourself to be able to withstand such a physical beating.

Get the Gear Preseason Edition: 3 Options For Soccer Boots Under $200

If you can just make it through the preseason, then you will be fine, right?

Well if you want to play like a pro, you’ve gotta look the part.

So, with those two-a-days lurking, here are three pairs of boots that will make you look like Ronaldo on the pitch, even if you don’t play like him.

Nike Hypervenom Phantom II FG Men’s Soccer Cleats

I feel like I can run faster just looking at these cleats.

The Hypervenom Phantom IIs are studded cleats that are best-suited for sloppy weather, but the aesthetic appeal is off the charts.

Flat-out, these boots are sick. A zebra-like design coupled with the signature swoosh that will have you outrunning defenders and tracking long balls played over the top by opponents.

The built-in sock offers excellent ankle support to ensure one less thing will be burning by the end of August.

PUMA evoSpeed 1.4 Men’s Firm Ground Cleats

These neon green spikes are perfect for dry weather, giving you maximum traction for those hot summer practices and future games.

PUMA makes very attractive shoes and they have not slipped a bit with the evoSpeed 1.4. The image of them looks like they will run off-screen at any moment.

Twelve cleats help distribute your weight and keep you on-balance to allow for perfect one-touch passing.

And with the PUMA logo, you will turn heads this preseason.

ADIDAS Men’s X 16.1 FG Soccer Cleats

You didn’t think we would leave the fellas over at Adidas out of the party did you?

How could we when you take a look at the X 16.1s?

These spikes are eye-popping in terms of pure swagg, and Adidas is known for their comfort above all other brands. The 16.1s are no different.

They somewhat resemble the old-school, silver predators that the company put on shelves in 2000, but a much fresher look and advancements in aerodynamics make these boots the best pair I’ve seen next to the Messis.

Much has been said about the accommodations, or lack thereof, for the athletes participating in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, From complaints by athletes to entire nations, Rio has gotten off to a rocky start before the games have even begun.

That plotline to an interesting twist Wednesday when it was revealed that Team USA Basketball will be staying on a luxury cruise liner instead of the Olympic Village.

Team USA Basketball Cruises To Rio In Style

TMZ first reported Team USA’s decision to stay on the 16,800 ton cruise ship dubbed, the Silver Cloud.

The decision by U.S. Basketball officials comes after several complaints about the accommodations in the Olympic Village, which include poor plumbing and beds that taller athletes cannot properly fit in.

Dallas Mavericks center Andrew Bogut, who is an Australian national and member of their Olympic team, is one of many athletes to launch a satirical assault on the Brazilian Olympic Organization Committee.

Bogut posted a series of tweets poking fun at the amenities of the Olympic Village, punctuated with the hashtag “IOCLuxuryLodging.”

“Putting together a shower curtain so we can shower and not flood the place,” one of Boguts posts read. “We believe a bed is not vital for sleep. Fine tuned athletes can sleep standing up,” he wrote in another.

The porous conditions made headlines when Australia’s Olympic Committee chose to put their entire roster of athletes in hotels for for a couple days as opposed to the multi-billion dollar Olympic Village, which was supposed to be “state of the art.”

The rooms were apparently having significant issues with water leaks and shoddy electricity.

“Electricity and water is not a good combination,” Kitty Chiller told reporters July 24, the day athletes were scheduled to move into the Village, according to AP.

Chiller said this was her fifth Olympics and she had never has such an experience.

“I have never experienced a village in this state — or lack of state — of readiness at this point in time,” she said.

A source within Team USA basketball told TMZ Sports that “hotel rooms were scarce in Rio, we ended up getting some rooms on the ship for our teams.”

All the more reason to rest in style, cue Smokey Robinson.

He stands 6-foot-2, tipping the scales at 240 pounds of solid, muscular, athleticism.

But at the moment, Yasiel Puig is probably feeling the weight of the world.

A former catalyst to a surging Los Angeles Dodgers lineup, Puig has been relegated to the minors after performance, behavioral problems and lack of interest, prevented teams from striking a deal with L.A. prior to Major League Baseball’s trade deadline Aug. 1.

OPINION: Yasiel Puig’s Future Far From Certain, Career Far From Over

And with the move came the claims that Puig’s career has reached its end. With no one interested in dealing for him and the Dodgers sick of dealing with him, Puig’s demotion has sparked baseball insiders to declare his legacy in baseball demolished.

“Whatever course he takes, the gates at Dodger Stadium will almost certainly remain locked to him,” Los Angeles Times Columnist Dylan Hernandez wrote Aug. 2. “Every indication is that Puig won’t play again for the Dodgers.”

Sadly, Hernandez is one in a myriad of respected baseball writers whom have written off the mercurial, Cuban outfielder.

Scoopman Ken Rosenthal, of Fox Sports, erroneously reported that Puig “stormed out” on the Dodgers prior to their trip to Colorado, fueling the flames of disappointment, despite the fact that Puig was told not to attend.

“I’m told he never went to the park,” Puig’s agent Adam Katz said Monday. “The club informed me and the player understood clearly that they were making every effort to trade him and that if they were unable to come to terms with another club on a trade — and successful in acquiring another outfielder — that he likely would be demoted. My understanding is that transaction will happen tomorrow.”

To his credit Rosenthal apologized and Puig took it in stride, but that didn’t save him from demotion Tuesday.

As his star has tumbled from the far reaches of the galaxy to depths previously unknown, I’m here to tell you that Puig’s career is far from over.

In fact, he will be an All-Star once again, a few times over.

What this cluster of MLB pundits has failed to recognize is that Puig is only 25 years old. He hasn’t even reached his prime years (between age 28 and 33) and his ascension in the league was too fast to sustain.

In short, he got too big for his britches, became too famous too fast, and all of baseball is guilty of throwing him toward Cooperstown before properly receiving his ability.

Puig lit the world on fire in 2013.

L.A. made a splash with the signing of the Cuban defector on June 28, 2012 to a seven-year $42 million contract. Less than a year later he was making his MLB debut.

These were exciting times in Dodgerland.

Guggenheim Baseball Management, with NBA legend Magic Johnson serving as frontman, had just secured the purchase of the team May 1, and Puig was to be a posterchild for the future of franchise.

It all started off well.

Puig made his Dodger (and MLB) debut June 3, 2013, with already two months of the season gone by.

That made no difference.

The rookie made a seamless transition, clubbing 19 home runs, with 42 RBIs, in 104 games, all while batting .319.

And that was just his performance at the plate.

Puig showcased an uncanny athleticism in the outfield, making diving catches routine and revealing a rocket-launcher for an arm, accounting for eight outfield assists and several highlight reel throws.

YASIEL PUIG’S BEST THROWS

Shane Victorino led all right fielders with nine assists in 2013, in 18 more games played than Puig.

L.A.’s lightning rod right fielder finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting to winner, and fellow Cuban, Jose Fernandez, whom, it is important to note, made his debut almost two full months before Puig first took the field.

In 2014, with the book out on him, Puig’s power numbers slipped slightly.

He still managed 16 homers and 69 RBIs, but pitchers adjusted to his meteoric rise, prompting 124 strikeouts in 558 at-bats. Puig managed to hit .296 despite the growing pains.

It was in 2015 that his career truly began to turn in the wrong direction.

Puig was plagued by hamstring issues throughout the year, limiting him to only 79 games in which he batted .255, with 11 homers and 38 RBIs. Not terrible, but not what people had come to expect.

This season was much of the same, but Puig’s ego had continued to swell since he burst into the big leagues, and with his numbers no longer matching his swagger, Dodgers management grew tired of the act.

An incident last December involving his sister at a Miami nightclub, didn’t help matters.

Initial reports suggested the Dodgers outfielder assaulted his sister in the heat of an argument, but MLB Commisioner Rob Manfred found “no evidence” to support any wrongdoing on Puig’s part.

But the damage was done. His image had already been tarnished by his perceived attitude and the specter of the alleged assault, however inaccurate, was a gash too deep for people to separate.

From “King of L.A.” to skid row in three years flat. That’s the story on Yasiel Puig that everyone else is writing.

Not me.

We are talking about a five-tool player, who has belted 53 home runs and driven in 183 in only 412 career games.

YASIEL PUIG CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

That’s an average of about 21 homers and 72 RBIs for a full season, which Puig can only claim to have completed once.

So, he’s cocky. He’s arrogant and he’s misunderstood.

Sounds like a 25 year-old to me. No?

How about a 25-year old who had to make four defection attempts before actually reaching the Mexican border? Than piecing together one astonishing performance after another in his rookie year?

You think you wouldn’t feel like Superman after such a ride? Guess again.

Let’s just assume that none of that holds water. Let’s call Puig an overpriced crybaby, who can’t handle the bright lights in the big leagues, a flash in the pan, who burned out as fast as his star ignited.

He still has every motivation to make it back.

His contract is far from “big money” when viewed from MLB’s current financial lens. And of the $28 million he has already earned, around $4 million has already been passed to the “buscon”-types that helped him defect.

Throw in a house in the Hollywood Hills, a couple fancy rides and some jewelry and how much does he really have left?

If you won’t believe Puig has the inner drive to reemerge then just look at dollars driving him.

For love, talent, or money, Puig will reclaim his place, on that pedestal, as an elite outfielder in baseball.

Be it for a short-stretch or a career, he will be back.

Because talent like his only comes along every so often. Puig will power through these dark days and rise as an All-Star once again.

Perhaps he is a bust, or maybe, just maybe, he came up at a time when a franchise’s ownership was changing hands, prompting the Dodgers to prop him up higher than his development necessitated. Then, the same folks tore him down just as rapidly.

Someone who risked their life five times just for the opportunity to play isn’t going to just give up after two bad seasons of baseball.

Like Puig posted on Twitter Monday, you haven’t seen the last of him. More likely, Puig will “#seeyousoon.”

The “Honey Badger” will no longer worry about going hungry.

Tyrann Mathieu signed a five-year, $62 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals Tuesday, making the defensive back one of the highest paid players at the position in the NFL.

Arizona Cardinals Ink Mathieu To Megadeal

Rumors of contract negotiations between the two sides have been swirling for weeks, but as Mathieu continues to rehab an ACL he tore in his right knee with two games left in 2015, the urgency of the preseason and cap configuration pushed the parties back to the table to hammer out an agreement Tuesday.

The contract includes $40 million in guarantees, according to ESPN’s NFL Insider Adam Schefter, a lofty figure for some, considering concerns over the 24 year-old’s current knee injury, coupled with a left ACL tear in 2013.

Coming off a season where he was drawing significant consideration for NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors before injuring himself in Week 15, the “Honey Badger” has now inked the highest-paying contract for a safety in the history of the league, in terms of guarantees, according to ESPN records.

TYRANN MATHIEU 2015 HIGHLIGHTS

He may have earned it.

Mathieu made five interceptions, tallied 89 tackles and added a sack in 14 games last season. His flexibility within the secondary offered Cardinals defensive coordinator James Bettcher a variety of options.

All though he was listed as a safety, Mathieu played over 60 percent of his snaps at cornerback, leading Pro Football Focus to declare him the best cornerback in the NFL, even if he appeared in your program as a safety.

At 5-foot-9, many recruiters questioned whether Mathieu could play cornerback at an SEC program, but he proved them wrong when he first arrived on campus at LSU.

Dubbed, the “Honey Badger” by a coach on the LSU staff, Mathieu made waves with his aggressive style of play and his penchant for ripping the ball away from opponents, often much larger in stature.

As a true freshman for the Tigers, Mathieu played in 13 games, making 59 tackles with three sacks and two INTs. He followed that up with 77 tackles, five forced fumbles, recovering four and returning two for touchdowns.

Mathieu also ran two kicks back for TDs in his sophomore season.

HONEY BADGER WAS EVERYWHERE AT 2011 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP

He was named the MVP of the 2011 SEC Championship, but the season did not come without difficulty. Mathieu was suspended for violating LSU’s drug policy and before his junior year began he was kicked off the team for repeated marijuana violations.

It appears he has cleaned up his act.

When Arizona selected Mathieu with the 69th pick (third round) in the 2012 NFL Draft the agreement the two sides struck, then, hinged on his enrollment in a drug-testing program.

Since, the “Honey Badger” has managed to keep his nose clean, but his instincts for finding the football have never wavered.

In 40 career NFL games, Mathieu has posted nearly 200 tackles, eight interceptions, 30 passes defended, two sacks, two forced fumbles, with one TD.

“For some reason, I was always attracted to the football,” Mathieu said in November 2014.

Now, he’ll have 40 million more reasons to feel attracted.

Longtime NFL Analyst and Hall of Fame broadcaster, Tom Jackson, is calling it a career.

uSports reported Jackson would be leaving the worldwide leader last week, but TJ made the announcement official Wednesday, retiring from ESPN after 29 years of service.

Hall Of Fame Broadcaster Tom Jackson Announces Retirement

“I have been blessed in my adult life to work for two companies, the Denver Broncos and ESPN, to do two things that I love — play football and talk about football,” Jackson said Wednesday. “Having joined in the early stages of ESPN and remained with the same company for 29 years is especially gratifying. This move just comes at a time when the priority of my life is spending time with my family.”

Jackson was slated to close the book with co-host Chris Berman after the 2016 NFL season, Berman’s last under contract and what would have been their 30th year together, but word surfaced last week that Jackson was looking adjourn the partnership.

TOM JACKSON SUNDAY COUNTDOWN COMMERCIAL

Before he made it to the ESPN studios in Bristol, Jackson was a three-time Pro Bowler for the Denver Broncos at linebacker, playing 14 seasons for the Orange Crush defense.

He has spent the bulk of his career at ESPN working on NFL Sunday/Monday Countdown, still the premiere pregame shows in the country despite slipping in the rating the last few years. But it was his work with Berman on NFL Primetime that allowed the audience to see Jackson’s personality.

After joining the worldwide leader in 1987, it was apparent to colleagues that Jackson took just as much time and effort to diagnose highlights as he did offensive schemes as a player.

“Tom Jackson prepares for every Sunday Countdown and every Monday Countdown as if he was going to play a game for the Denver Broncos and the Orange Crush,” said longtime colleague and NFL Insider Chris Mortensen.

Jackson also earned an Emmy in 2009 for his work as a studio analyst.

Over the years, Jackson’s role changed form from offering player’s perspective to game film analysis, to the social voice of NFL broadcasters.

“He really was the first NFL Analyst to address the social issues that were going on,” said Seth Markham, ESPN’s senior coordinating producer. “On and off the field.”

Jackson addressed the domestic abuse problems that have plagued the NFL in recent years, as well as the hazing scandal that pushed Jonathan Martin out of Miami.

He will be remembered as a pioneer for the flagship sports network in the nation.

“Tom long ago became almost a brother to me,” Berman said of his longtime colleague. “I know every day he appeared on ESPN was a treasure for football fans. His knowledge, his passion, his insight, and his overall joie de vivre makes him special.”

As the obsession with lists, rankings and “all-time” debates steadily climbs to a feverish pitch, the Associated Press has delivered another dandy that will have the sports world screaming over each other until the 2016 season kicks off August 26 in Australia.

AP released its Top 25 College Football Programs of All-Time and Ohio State has taken the title of No.1 in the history of the sport.

AP Names Ohio State Top College Football Program Of All-Time

Using a mathematical system that accounted for poll appearances, No. 1 rankings and national championships, the AP dug through 80 years of polling to determine the Buckeyes were the best choice.

“The Associated Press has been ranking the best teams in college football since 1936,” the publication stated. “Over 80 years and 1,103 polls, a total of 165 schools have been ranked and 44 of them have been ranked No. 1 (Minnesota was the first).”

Each poll appearance counted for one point, with No.1 rankings counting for two points and championships worth 10 points for each title, according to AP.

Ohio State, which garnered 1,112 total points, has appeared on over 77 percent of all AP Top 25 polls, including an appearance in the first year of its existence.

BRIEF HISTORY OF OHIO STATE FOOTBALL

All though the Buckeyes don’t hold the mantle for most championships, (Alabama, 10) OSU owns 105 No. 1 rankings and were listed on 92.57 percent of the polls in the 1970s.

Perhaps the best argument for Ohio State sitting atop the all-time poll is the Buckeyes consistency.

From AP‘s ‘Poll Points’:

“There have only been three seasons during the 80-year history of the AP poll in which the Buckeyes were not ranked at least once, the fewest poll-less seasons of any program.”

Rounding out the top five were Oklahoma (1,055 points), Notre Dame ( 1,042), Alabama (993 ) and Southern California (974).

The Sooners have appeared on 71 percent of all AP Polls and over 100 weeks as the No. 1 team in the nation.

Despite its recent success, four championships in the last seven years, and double digit national titles, the Crimson Tide had 24 fewer No. 1 rankings than the Fighting Irish, which allowed Notre Dame to sneak ahead of Alabama for the three spot.

Finishing up the top 10 were Nebraska, Michigan, Texas, Florida State and Florida, respectively.

SEE FULL AP TOP 100 HERE

The Seminoles were able to edge the Gators for the best program in the Sunshine State due to the length of their success.

FLORIDA STATE VS. FLORIDA RIVALRY HISTORY

Both schools tout three championship titles, but the Noles have 72 No.1 rankings to Florida’s 41, a symptom of the Gators emergence not coming until the mid-1980s.

“The Gators had no top-three appearances before Nov. 26, 1984 and then 95 top-three appearances after,” according to AP.

But the debates wages on.

Some are crying foul for ‘The U’ after Miami, though the school has more championships than the other two Florida institutions, is listed at No. 13.

As expected, LSU (No.11) Penn State (No.12) and Georgia (No. 15) all made the cut, with Wisconsin and Iowa anchoring the final two spots on the Top 25.

The biggest surprise appearances were held by Arkansas, Clemson and Pittsburgh, ranked No. 21-23.

Putting aside Clemson’s dominance under Dabo Swiney, all three have not made much of an impact on the weekly rankings in the last 15 years.

The Razorbacks at No. 21 are a head-scratcher for many, given the Hogs haven’t really been relevant since Darren McFadden left Fayetteville for the NFL in 2007.

Arkansas has only one week at No. 1 in the 80-year history of the AP Poll, but they appear on 37 percent of all polls and have 30 top-three appearances, though only two since 1978.

Surprisingly, Pitt has appeared on almost 27 percent of all AP polls, with two championships and 21 weeks at No. 1. It’s surprising because few people under 40 years old have seen such success.

AP’s Poll Point on Pittsburgh: “The Panthers have not had a top-five appearance during the regular season since Dec. 6, 1982.”

Of course the rankings release has not come without controversy, College Football News purports to have a much more accurate system that finds Oklahoma to be the No.1 college football program of all-time.

The AP’s list credits equal value for ranking No. 25 in week two and ranking No. 2 at the end of a season.

SB Nation’s Jason Kirk feels CFN’s equation is more accurate.

“That’s flawed and somewhat self-promotional, since it implies (1.) appearing in the AP Poll at any point in the season is exactly as valuable as appearing in a season’s final ranking and (2.) all rankings other than No. 1 are equally valuable.”

Here is CFN’s Top 135

A former NFL linebacker is in the hospital and his wife is dead after both were shot by their 16 year-old son.

Antonio Armstrong and his wife, Dawn Armstrong were both shot Friday morning by their teenage son, according to ABC affiliate KTRK in Houston.

The Houston news station is reporting that the parents were shot inside of their bedroom in the early morning hours Friday, but no motive has been established for the crime.

Their teenage son is in police custody and has been charged with the murder of his mother and attempted murder of his father, according to KTRK.

A police spokesperson characterized the Armstrongs as an “All-American family.”

Antonio Armstrong was, in fact, an Associated Press All-American in his senior year at Texas A&M.

He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, but after suffering a broken ankle on the third day of training camp, he never made the active roster and was released.

Armstrong was picked up by the Miami Dolphins shortly after being cut by the Niners. He appeared in four games, making four tackles. He was released by Miami and picked up by the St. Louis Rams in 1996, but failed to make the active roster.

But that wasn’t the end of his career.

Armstrong took his talents north of the border, playing four seasons in the Canadian Football League. First with the British Columbia Lions and then with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, he had an impactful career in the CFL.

Armstrong was named to the 2000 CFL East All-Star team and was dubbed the Defensive Player of the Year by the Blue Bombers that season.

After football, Armstrong, 42, began a career as a minister and fitness trainer.

He remains in critical condition at a Houston area hospital.

In a move expected by many, Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Aldon Smith has checked into a treatment facility in California, according to a report by TMZ Sports.

TMZ was the first to report a suspicious video anonymously posted to Twitter’s new live-streaming application, Periscope.

The video in question shows a man smoking a blunt while talking to a female and asking her if she will join him in the “fire up session.”

Smith denied being in the video, despite the man using his name and other videos featuring Smith having appeared on the social media site from the same user.

“Good try, not me,” Smith tweeted Sunday morning.

But the video evidence appears to be pretty incriminating.

It begins with a man panning the camera on his phone toward a woman who covers the lens, “I’m not f—— with you,” the woman says.

The man, possibly Smith, attempts to calm her down by explaining that the video will not likely be seen by many, if any.

“They ain’t f—— with us,” the man said. “We’ve got zero followers.”

It was this thought process that allows the man to lower his guard and possibly reveal his true identity, despite continued protests from his female cohort.

“N—- you shouldn’t even be posting this,” the woman tells the man.

After coughing a couple times to clear his lungs of the smoke, the man tries to reason with her.

“Do you see my face?” he asks. “They don’t have my name. This is just a fire up session.”

At that moment the man seems to have done a masterful job of concealing his identity … and then he steps in it.

“You’re stupid, you’re tripping,” he tells the woman. “They don’t know its me. It’s not like I put ‘Aldon Smith.'”

Smith was suspended one year by the NFL back in November after repeated violations of the league’s substance abuse policy.

Off-field incidents have plagued Smith since he entered the NFL in since being selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the 7th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

In April 2013, Smith was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport as a result of an incident with a TSA agent where Smith became “belligerent and uncooperative,” according to Lorenzo Reyes of USAToday.  Reyes also reported that the TSA agent alleged Smith claimed he had a bomb.

All charges were dropped in that case.

When on the field, Smith has been a very productive defender.

In 59 career games, Smith has posted 47.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and one INT.

The step to enter rehab is either a shrewd move by Smith’s PR team to control the story and the narrative of his career or a necessary step for his mental health and safety.

NFL Insider Bill Williamson gathers the latter is more likely after speaking with sources close to Smith.

“Those close to Aldon Smith are happy he made this move,” Williamson Tweeted Friday. “At this point, it’s more about his well being than football.”

The 13-year career of wide receiver Andre Johnson will continue into a 14th season. And with defensive back Cortland Finnegan no longer with the team, the decision seemed easy.

Johnson, 34, signed a two-year deal Friday with the Tennessee Titans, according to Adam Schefter.

Tennessee Titans Sign Veteran WR Johnson

After 12 extremely productive seasons with the Houston Texans, Johnson cut ties with the team that drafted him after the 2014 season. He signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts in 2015, catching 41 balls for 503 yards and four touchdowns.

Johnson’s signature performance of 2015 came against his former team, in Houston, Oct. 8, when he torched the Texans for 77 yards on six catches with two touchdowns, including the game-winning score.

Tennessee tweeted confirmation of the signing with a welcome message for their new wide receiver.

“We have agreed to terms with wide receiver Andre Johnson,” the Titans posted on their official Twitter account.

Johnson will likely serve in a supporting role, helping to guide a young wide receiving corps stocked with talent.

The Titans have Kendall Wright, Harry Douglas, Justin Hunter, Dorial Green-Beckham, Rishard Matthews and 2016 fifth-rounder Tajae Sharpe on the current roster of receivers.

ANDRE JOHNSON CAREER HIGHLIGHT REEL

Johnson can help speed the learning curve for Green-Beckham, Hunter, Wright and Sharpe, with the assistance of the veteran Douglas, whom, at 31, enters his ninth year in the NFL and second with the Titans.

In his 13 previous seasons, Johnson has compiled 14,100 yards on 1,053 receptions, with 68 TDs. Twice named an All-Pro, Johnson has reached the Pro-Bowl seven times in his career.

Now he looks to mentor the young receivers in Tennessee in tandem with young quarterback Marcus Marriota.

Johnson wanted fans and coaches to know he still has the speed to make an impact in the NFL, posting  video to Instagram Thursday, with the comment “#grinding.”

New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose failed to secure a summary judgement in the sexual assault lawsuit levied against him by a former lover and as a result, the case will move proceed to trial.

Sexual Assault Suit Against Derrick Rose Moves To Trial

Rose’s motion to have the case thrown out via summary judgement was denied due to a dispute over the facts in the case, according to the court records via sports attorney Dan Werly.

The case will proceed to the trial phase due to “a genuine dispute of material fact as to the central issue in this action: whether plaintiff consented to sexual intercourse with defendants in early morning of August 27, 2013,”

The lawsuit first came to light in August 2015 when TMZ reported that the former NBA MVP was being sued by a woman who claimed  the pair dated from 2011-2013. The alleged victim charges that Rose and two of his friends, identified as Ryan Allen and Randall Hampton, “drugged and gang raped” her.

According to court record, the woman accusing Rose, Allen and Hampton of rape, alleges the incident occurred in 2013 when “they slipped a drug into her drink with the aim of raping her,” according to the TMZ report, but the woman alleges Rose and his friends broke into her apartment later and “gang raped her while she was incapacitated.”

You can read the full complaint here

Rose has remained silent on the topic, saying only that he knew “the truth” and was “innocent,” when the news first broke last summer.

” (I am) not going to comment other than to say I know the truth and am confident I will be proven innocent,” Rose told the Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson.

The three-time NBA All-Star was acquired by the Knicks via trade June 22.

Although his motion for summary judgement was denied, Rose won separate motions to limit the plaintiff’s expert witnesses at trial and “break up the punitive damages,” according to Werly.

The lawsuit reflects the woman was seeking a total of $21.5 million in damages; $6 million in compensatory damages and $15.5 million in punitive damages.

The Minnesota Twins traded its only All-Star to the San Francisco Giants Thursday night.

Twins infielder Eduardo Nunez was sent to San Francisco in exchange for minor league pitcher Adalberta Mejia.

Twins Trade Lone All-Star To Giants: Noonie Earns Chance To Compete In Playoffs

Nunez will provide some relief to a Giants infield that has been plagued by injuries all year long.

Last season’s All-star second baseman Joe Panik just returned from the disabled list Thursday for San Francisco, while third baseman Matt Duffy and backup INF Ehire Adrianza remain sidelined with lower leg injuries.

Nunez, formerly the player picked to replace Derek Jeter as the Yankees shortstop, was batting .296, with 12 home runs and 47 RBI in 91 games for Minnesota in 2016. At the time of the trade, he was leading the American League with 27 stolen bases.

The former Yankee farmhand will likely spend most his time at third while the Giants wait for Duffy to return healthy.

“We’ll have to follow some return-to-play plan with Matt (Duffy),” Giants general manager Bobby Evans said. “That may be an extra day off or two off a week when he first gets back, which will give Nunez a chance to play then. Otherwise, it’ll be as we would use any utility infield help. As we look at the rest of the season, we just want to have the protection of his experience given the time that these guys have missed and the time they may need to have off as we get down the stretch.”

Nunez was gracious with his goodbye to the Twins, thanking the organization for the opportunity they gave him to play, especially on the infield, when many insiders believed he was a career DH.

EDUARDO NUNEZ 2016 HIGHLIGHTS

He also acknowledged the opportunity in front of him with S.F.

“The Twins are a great organization and made me feel like at home,” Nunez said after Minnesota’s 6-2 win over Baltimore on Thursday. “But at the end of the day, it’s business, baseball. You go wherever is best for you and the team. The Giants want me and I’m going to go there and do my best.”

Nunez will be moving from Minnesota, the team with the second worst record in baseball (38-63), to a San Francisco team that holds a two-game lead in the N.L. West over the Dodgers, with three World Series titles in the last five years.

He welcomes the chance to compete in the postseason.

“Any player wants to be in the playoffs,” Nunez said. “I have the opportunity to go a new team that is in the playoff race. It’s fun to be there.”

Mejia, 23, is a promising, young, left-hander who has spent his minor league career as a starter.

ADALBERTO MEJIA IN 2016 FUTURES GAME

In 18 starts between Double-A and Triple-A this season, Mejia holds a 2.81 ERA with 101 strikeouts in 105 1/3 innings pitched. HIs WHIP is 1.11 and he has held opposing hitters to a .227 batting average.

“We think he’s fairly close to the big leagues and he’s got a three-pitch mix to start,” said Twins interim general manager Ron Antony. “He’s got a big, durable body. So we just think he profiles well. He was pretty much what we were looking for.”

The clock is ticking for Dallas Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain and if he hasn’t made it to training camp by Friday’s deadline, the time he has left to play in the NFL may just run out.

McClain was absent on the Cowboys chartered flight to Oxnard, California this morning. If he does not arrive, ready to go, at the team’s training facility by 2 p.m., McClain will face a fine and perhaps worse.

Suspended Cowboys LB Misses Flight To Training Camp

Dallas head coach Jason Garrett refused to answer questions related to McClain’s absence on the flight, intimating the issue would be addressed “later.”

“We’ll talk about that stuff later,” Garrett said following a brief autograph signing session for military personnel at Naval Air Station Point Mugu after the Cowboys landed.

The former No. 9 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft is already suspended for the first 10 games of the 2016 season for his second violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.

McClain’s missed flight — it remains unclear if it was intentional or not — comes on the same day Dallas brass will address the “State of the Cowboys.” Owner Jerry Jones, along with son and executive vice president Stephen Jones and Garrett, will hold a press conference Friday afternoon for updates on the franchise.

The sixth-year defender has not been active this offseason, missing most of the voluntary workouts and he sat out OTAs. McClain reported to mandatory minicamp last month but was kept on the sideline due to poor conditioning.

His career has been feast or famine.

ROLANDO McCLAIN HIGHLIGHTS 2015-2016

When McClain plays, he can be one of the most dominant linebackers in the league, but offseason arrests and suspensions for substance abuse have marred a once promising career.

After being traded from the Oakland Raiders to the Baltimore Ravens in 2013, McClain announced his retirement at age 23, before ever playing a down in Baltimore.

McClain’s rights were acquired by Dallas in a trade with the Ravens in 2014 after linebacker Sean Lee sustained an injury.

He was suspended the first four games of 2015 for substance abuse, though he was productive when on the field. In 11 games last year, McClain tallied 97 tackles, with nine for a loss, two sacks and an INT.

On Wednesday, Stephen Jones told reporters that McClain’s future with the team remains undecided.

“That’s another one that’s a work in progress,” Jones said. “We’ll leave it at that.”

The San Diego Padres have reached an agreement to trade right-handed pitcher Andrew Cashner and Colin Rea to the Miami Marlins, according to ESPN insider Buster Olney.

In exchange, the Padres will get back right-handed starting pitcher Jarred Cosart , along with prospects Josh Naylor and Luis Castillo, according to ESPN’s Jason Stark.

Marlins Look To Make Playoff Push By Trading Cosart, Prospects To Padres For Cashner

Cashner had been rumored to be on the block all season and despite his 4.76 earned run average, he serves as one of the best starters available in a trade market that is light on starting pitching.

Now 29, the Marlins coveted Cashner in hopes that he could rediscover the form he pitched to in 2014 when the No. 19 overall pick in the 2008 MLB Draft posted a 2.55 ERA in 19 starts, to go with a 1.16 WHIP.

Miami is looking to make a postseason push, sitting five games out of first place in the N.L. East behind the Washington Nationals and tied for the second Wild Card spot with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly intimated last month that his team needs to remain focused on the schedule ahead and not the standings.

“We’ve got to keep playing. There is still so much baseball to be played,” Mattingly told reporters June 28. “It feels good to be where we’re at right now, but there’s lots and lots of big series coming up.”

Cosart, 26, also posted his best season in 2014, his first full season in the big leagues, pitching to a 3.69 ERA over 30 starts, split between the Houston Astros and Miami.

Last season he saw his ERA swell to 4.34.

Rea has a 4.98 ERA in 18 starts in 2016, with 77 strikeouts in 99 1/3 innings pitched. In his best start of the year, May 6, the 26 year-old carried a no-hitter through six and two thirds against the visiting New York Mets before Yoenis Cespedes broke it up with a single through a shifted infield.

Naylor was the Marlins first pick in the 2015 MLB Draft and was listed as the No. 2 prospect in their entire organization. In 89 minor league games this year, he is batting .269, with nine home runs and 54 RBI with Class A Greensboro.

Cashner, who had been the longest-tenured player in San Diego prior to the deal, admitted Wednesday that the constant turnover of the Padres roster is “sad.”

“You’d definitely like to see more guys stay here longer in their careers.That’s just kind of how it’s been since I’ve been here,” Cashner said. “I’ve made some great relationships with a lot of guys, and there’ll be lasting friendships for a lifetime.”

NFL Analyst Tom Jackson has been a fixture on football Sunday throughout the country, having sat alongside ESPN host Chris Berman for 29 consecutive seasons.

With Berman’s contract not likely to be picked up by the network after this year, he and Jackson will not make it number 30 together.

Jackson plans to step down from his role on ESPN’s NFL coverage, including the program that serves as the cornerstone of that coverage, NFL Countdown.

Bob Raissman, of the New York Daily News, originally reported Jackson’s inclination to leave the worldwide leader on Monday and Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch confirmed the story on Tuesday.

Jackson reached his decision a couple weeks ago, on his own, reportedly. He was neither asked, nor forced to step down.

TJ joins a laundry list of Countdown hosts that will not be back for 2016.

Cris Carter, Keyshawn Johnson, Mike Ditka and Ray Lewis have all expressed that they will not be appearing on what was the most popular pregame show in America.

Likely, the decrease in that popularity, attributed to the expansive number of pregame programs now airing, contributed to Jackson’s ouster.  Sean Keeley of Awful Announcing, citing Bloomberg, noted in December that ratings for the program were down 13 percent as competition increased across the sports media landscape.

Jackson’s departure makes for a difficult day in Bristol, Connecticut.

At least three Dallas Cowboys are suspended for parts of the 2016 season and as a result, Jerry Jones will have to cough up some cash.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday that Dallas will be facing a fine in the $250,000 range after defensive ends Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence were suspended, along with linebacker Rolando McClain.

Cowboys Face Hefty Fine From NFL For Players’ Misbehavior

The fine is triggered when three (or more) players are suspended by the league.

The “club remittance policy,” as Shefter referenced it, was put into place to hold teams accountable for acquiring players whom have violated NFL rules and regulations. The deterrent is to fine teams an amount that is equal to 25 percent of the suspended players’ salaries.

An excerpt from the remittance policy:

“When a player is suspended without pay for a violation of the Personal Conduct Policy, Policy and Program on Substances of Abuse or Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances, the club that employed the player at the time of the violation will be required to remit to the Management Council a portion of the player’s salary that is deemed forfeited by virtue of his suspension. The collected funds will be used to support the steroid and drug policies, the Player Care Foundation, and other research and player engagement programs.”

McClain, Gregory and Lawrence were all suspended due to violating the NFL Substance Abuse Policy. Lawrence is slated to miss four games and McClain is suspended for 10 contests in 2016.

Gregory was initially suspended four games, but another recently reported violation will likely lengthen that suspension though no word yet on how much longer it would be.

Tough times for dem’ Cowboys these days.

First Take star Stephen A. Smith may have said it best:

“If there is something there to do wrong, they will do it,” Smith said. “If there’s something there that can go wrong, it will happen.”