Rob Blake is out after 8 seasons as the Los Angeles Kings' general manager
LOS ANGELES — Rob Blake is out after eight seasons as the Los Angeles Kings' vice president and general manager.
The Kings announced a mutual parting with Blake on Monday, four days after Los Angeles lost to Edmonton in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
‘Rejuvenated' Davante Adams developing rapport with Matthew Stafford, Sean McVay
LOS ANGELES — After a head-turning day of practice on Tuesday, new Los Angeles Rams receiver Davante Adams took the podium and said he feels 'rejuventated.' 'It's been exactly what I needed,' said Adams, who the Rams signed this spring to a two-year, $46 million deal following a tumultuous 2024. Adams was traded from Las Vegas to the New York Jets last season, then released as the Jets overhauled their coaching staff and part of their roster. 'Really enjoying the time with the guys and getting to know them, getting on the same page with Matthew (Stafford) and just kind of jelling with the whole team right now.' Advertisement Adams, a three-time All Pro coming off a fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season despite transitions from Green Bay (where he played eight seasons) to Las Vegas to about half a season in New York, said he feels like he's been a part of the Rams for multiple seasons already because of 'how open and receptive' teammates and coaches have been. 'It's supposed to be a kids' game,' he said. '(Here) it kind of feels like Pop Warner, high school, college ball all over again. That's exactly what this team feels like in the best way possible. … 'I feel like this is what I needed just based off the vibe and the aura of the building. Everybody is in a good mood, it's not like a dark cloud over the building. I've experienced that quite a bit over the last few years. It's a glaring difference when you come into a building like this.' 'What I think is really cool to be able to witness, is the respect that you can feel they have for one another.' 🎙️ Coach McVay on the connection between Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams. — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) June 10, 2025 The Rams will hold a minicamp with limited on-field work next week in Maui before breaking for the summer. Adams has used the organized team activities (OTAs) over the last few weeks to develop his chemistry with Stafford, head coach Sean McVay and his new Rams teammates. Tuesday, Adams impressed. For years, he has had the reputation of getting open quickly and creating space throughout the course of a route between himself and a defender in a variety of ways. Whether from the slot — Adams hit a defender with a hip flip in tight space in the middle of the field and Stafford threw him a pass right as he got open and pivoted the opposite direction — or the perimeter, Adams had a high-volume workload and showed a brief glimpse at the potential of his role in the offense this year. Advertisement Stafford has also long been known for his creative play, working different arm angles and capitalizing on defenders' mistakes regardless of the practice script. That has also been energizing for Adams. 'Based off a couple we had today, he don't care what that coverage says — if they're not playing that coverage right, you might get the ball still,' said Adams, laughing. Adams and Stafford talk frequently between plays about timing, placement and both players adjust where necessary. 'It makes it easy for a guy like me, because I'll run a route and expect that I'm supposed to run out of (it) a little bit quicker, maybe I had to dive to catch it or something like that, and he's saying 'that's on me, I've got to put it on you' versus telling me that I have to do it a different way,' Adams said. 'Which I'm completely OK with, too! I'm the new guy here. A lot of times that's how I look at it anyway. 'How can I make (things) better?' versus, 'put a better ball on me.' 'As long as he's throwing me the ball, I'll figure out a way to get it. (But) him being a man like that obviously helps this whole thing go a lot smoother and us get on the same page a lot faster.' In stretch lines before practice or in between drills, McVay spends extra time with Adams as the two actually get to know each other following McVay's heated pursuit of Adams in free agency in March. 'A lot of it is asking questions about things that maybe I've seen over the course of his career, or how do we apply it, or how is it maybe similar to the things I've seen him do,' McVay said. 'He loves football. There's a consistent passion, there's a real understanding of how it all kind of fits together (with) spacing, timing, rhythm. We talk about other stuff outside of football. The way his mind works, I've really enjoyed being able to learn from him as well.' Advertisement The two have even talked on the phone after Adams does some of his film study at night, whether to make adjustments or clarify different concepts. 'The way he sees the game is pretty impressive,' said McVay. 'I mean, he sees the game through a quarterback lens. He's got so many experiences and really understands it from an All-22 perspective.' The caveat on everything this time of year is just that: it's the spring. There are no pads, and everyone feels great. But Adams' energy on the field and in meetings during the voluntary workouts even in his 12th season — even as 'the new guy' — backs up his positive talk. 'It's just about ball (here), it's no other B.S.,' he said. 'Got a really good quarterback in here, a really good young team that shows a lot of promise. … Just knowing how hungry this team is and seeing the work that they're still putting in after having a year like last year, it just kind of confirms that I'm in the right place.'
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
For NBA coaches, every game is casual Friday. Will suits ever return to sidelines?
When the Los Angeles Lakers and Detroit Pistons faced each other in the 1988 and 1989 NBA Finals, the matchups featured some of the most iconic players in pro basketball. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and James Worthy led the Lakers. Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars and Bill Laimbeer headlined the Pistons' roster. Advertisement Those championship series also included another competition of sorts: a clash between the league's most stylish, fashion-forward head coaches. The Lakers' Pat Riley, who twice appeared on the cover of GQ magazine, preferred immaculate Armani suits. The Pistons' Chuck Daly, whose dapper attire earned him the nickname 'Daddy Rich,' owned at least 100 suits. Times sure have changed. For NBA coaches, this is a golden age of comfort and convenience, a decade dominated by quarter-zips, not bespoke suits. When the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder meet Wednesday night in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the wardrobes of Rick Carlisle, Mark Daigneault and their assistant coaches almost certainly won't qualify for the cover of any fashion magazine or for any of fashion's most renowned runways. The Pacers' and Thunder's coaching staffs wore quarter-zips and pants during the series' first two games, continuing a fashion sea change within the league that started in the 2020 NBA bubble and shows no signs of abating. And if league officials ever revert to requiring more formal attire, more stringent regulations most likely would occur over the objection of the vast majority of league coaches and assistant coaches. 'We've had several votes over the last few years, and it's well over 80 percent to 20 percent that is in favor of what we're doing presently, and it's closer to 85 or 90,' said Carlisle, the longtime president of the National Basketball Coaches Association. 'The coaches' association, we listen to all members. It's not just head coaches. It's head coaches and assistant coaches. It's over 200 members, and we listen very carefully.' League officials spelled out the current NBA rules governing coaches' attire in a mid-October memo sent to teams, specifying that head coaches and assistants must wear 'business attire' during games. For male coaches, the league defines business attire as a sport coat or suit coat, a dress shirt or a quarter-zip top; slacks or designer jeans; and 'appropriate shoes' and dress socks. For male and female coaches, business attire does not include athletic shoes, sneakers, sandals, flip-flops or work boots. Advertisement Athleisure items — such as jogger pants, jumpsuits, sweatpants or leggings — are not permitted during games. The league's regulations include one exception. Coaches may wear NBA-licensed short- or long-sleeved polo shirts as long as the head coach and assistant coaches dress uniformly. Byron Spruell, the NBA's president of league operations, told The Athletic that the guidelines for coaches' attire are a 'modified dress code' stemming from the pandemic-necessitated bubble at Walt Disney World, outside Orlando, Fla., five years ago. Because of the withering heat and humidity of a Florida summer, it made sense at that time to relax the dress code because it made coaches more comfortable as they walked from their team buses to the arenas. In the years since, the league, in consultation with the coaches' association, has continued with the modified dress code because coaches have gotten accustomed to a more casual look, because it's easier for coaches to pack for road trips and because having everyone wear similar team-issued clothing adds an element of uniformity to coaching staffs. The more relaxed NBA coaches' dress code mirrors a broader overall trend nationwide since the pandemic. Workplace attire has tended to be more casual and more comfortable over the last five years. 'Long story short,' Spruell said, 'we feel good about it still. Never say 'never' in terms of could we actually go back to kind of a full dress and business attire look rather than a casual look. But by the way, they can actually do that on their own at this point because, again, this was a modified dress code that allowed for the more casual look. But it's still in there that you can still wear a sport coat or a collared shirt … if you chose to do so.' These days, coaches are choosing not to wear more formal attire. Advertisement Like many of their coaching brethren, the Pistons' J.B. Bickerstaff and the Atlanta Hawks' Quin Snyder have experienced both approaches. They were assistant coaches and head coaches before the pandemic, and now they, similar to many of their colleagues, enjoy having one fewer responsibility — in this case, choosing and coordinating outfits. 'It saves you a ton of time and just makes your day a little bit easier, because it's one less decision that you have to make on that day,' Bickerstaff said. 'I think people look professional,' Snyder said. 'It's just easier, the decisions. I'd rather think about what we're trying to run after a timeout than whether my shoes match my belt. To whatever extent, it makes it easier and more functional. I think it's great. … I would bet that most coaches would agree with me after having gone through it as well. You kind of appreciate the simplicity of it.' One of the few voices in the wilderness is Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson. 'I would prefer us wearing suits,' Atkinson said in October. 'I think I'm in the minority. I just love (wearing suits). We're a profession. I think it looks great. I think it looks great on TV. My daughter keeps saying, she says it at least once a week. She's 14 years old and she says, 'Dad, I miss the suits.' I just think it gives a certain aesthetic. I enjoyed seeing what the other coaches wore. I don't know if that's old school. I don't know, but I miss that. I wish we'd bring it back.' On game nights, Atkinson and his Cavaliers assistant coaches nonetheless wore quarter-zips throughout the 2024-25 season. Atkinson isn't the only NBA coach to receive some constructive criticism from a family member. Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers said his son Austin Rivers, who played 11 seasons in the NBA, misses seeing coaches in more formal attire. Advertisement 'I don't know why he has an issue about it,' Doc Rivers said. The elder Rivers recalled Austin saying, 'You just look more important when you wear a suit. The game looks cleaner. … Look at the hockey guys. They all wear a suit. You know who the coach is.' 'So he may be right,' Doc Rivers added. 'I don't know. But I tell you what, when you pack for a two-week trip, man, these two pairs of pants and the quarter-zips are amazing. That's what I would say. For fashion's sake, please don't change.' (Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; photos of, from left, Rick Carlisle, Mark Daigneault, Pat Riley and Chuck Daly: Jonathan Daniel / Allsport/NBAE;; Gary A. Vasquez / Imagn Images)
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
Padres square off against the Dodgers with series tied 1-1
Los Angeles Dodgers (40-28, first in the NL West) vs. San Diego Padres (38-28, third in the NL West) San Diego; Wednesday, 4:10 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Dodgers: Justin Wrobleski (1-2, 7.20 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 13 strikeouts); Padres: Randy Vasquez (3-4, 3.69 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 37 strikeouts) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Padres -112, Dodgers -107; over/under is 8 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: Both the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers are looking for a series win with a victory on Wednesday. San Diego has a 21-11 record in home games and a 38-28 record overall. The Padres have gone 10-1 in games when they hit two or more home runs. Los Angeles is 17-17 on the road and 40-28 overall. The Dodgers have the highest team batting average in the NL at .265. The teams match up Wednesday for the third time this season. TOP PERFORMERS: Manny Machado has 18 doubles and 10 home runs for the Padres. Luis Arraez is 11 for 42 with five doubles over the last 10 games. Freddie Freeman leads the Dodgers with a .349 batting average, and has 21 doubles, a triple, nine home runs, 25 walks and 41 RBIs. Andy Pages is 14 for 42 with three home runs and five RBIs over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Padres: 6-4, .247 batting average, 2.40 ERA, outscored opponents by 13 runs Dodgers: 4-6, .239 batting average, 4.80 ERA, outscored by 19 runs INJURIES: Padres: Michael King: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Jason Heyward: 10-Day IL (oblique), Bryan Hoeing: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Logan Gillaspie: 15-Day IL (oblique ), Jhony Brito: 60-Day IL (forearm), Yu Darvish: 15-Day IL (elbow), Joe Musgrove: 60-Day IL (elbow) Dodgers: Tony Gonsolin: 15-Day IL (elbow), Luis Garcia: 15-Day IL (adductor), Tyler Glasnow: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Evan Phillips: 60-Day IL (forearm), Blake Snell: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Roki Sasaki: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Blake Treinen: 60-Day IL (forearm), Edgardo Henriquez: 60-Day IL (foot), Kyle Hurt: 60-Day IL (elbow), Emmet Sheehan: 60-Day IL (elbow), Michael Grove: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Brusdar Graterol: 60-Day IL (shoulder), River Ryan: 60-Day IL (elbow), Gavin Stone: 60-Day IL (shoulder) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
