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Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Rugby emotions run high after Bulls defeat as five players 'absolutely gutted'
Loss at Bulls brings end of an era for some of squad Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Emotions ran high in the away dressing room at Loftus Versfeld as a number of players came to terms with the end of their Edinburgh careers. The 42-33 loss to the Bulls in the quarter-finals of the United Rugby Championship brought the curtain down on the season for Sean Everitt's side and several long-serving stalwarts will now move on. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jamie Ritchie and Ali Price are both heading to France, while Mark Bennett, Javan Sebastian and Robin Hislop are on the hunt for new clubs. Jamie Ritchie, right, and Ali Price, second right, were playing their last games for Edinburgh. | Getty Images The five were in Pretoria, with all but the latter involved in the 11-try thriller which saw Edinburgh lead 21-8 before being reined back in either side of half-time as the Bulls scored 31 unanswered points. 'It's a very emotional changing room at the moment,' said Sean Everitt, the Edinburgh head coach who took the club into the URC play-offs for the first time in three years. 'We've got five leavers that are sitting in the changing room absolutely gutted. A lot of effort went into this game and the preparation was really good for us. The travel was good. Unfortunately, we just fell short. But yes, very emotional. 'Ali Price has come to work every day since he's joined Edinburgh with a smile on his face, which is really contagious amongst the team and he certainly brought a lot to the table. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'You look at a guy like Jamie Ritchie that's been at the club for 11 seasons. He's been really outstanding since I've been there for the last two years. One of the standout players, Player of the Year last year and was also a nominee for Player of the Year this year. We will miss him. His competitive edge and leadership is something that we will miss and we wish him well going forward. And then there's obviously guys like Javan, Mark and Robin Hislop as well. 'Robin, although he hasn't played much this year, he's been an anchor within the squad, not always available for selection due to injury. And when he came back from injury, he didn't probably get the game time that he wanted. But a guy that carries himself well around the group when things don't go his way, always positive, training to the best of his ability. We miss people like that because it's a good example to our youngsters. Ali Price of Edinburgh kicks clear during the United Rugby Championship quarter-final against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld. | Getty Images 'I think the positive of it all is that Jamie and Ali have got good opportunities in the south of France and they'll enjoy their environment change. It's not the end of their careers. Sometimes a change in environment is good for an individual. It takes them out of their comfort zone. And if possible, we'd welcome them back in Edinburgh, if we can.' Ritchie has agreed a deal to join Perpignan for next season while Price has been heavily linked with a move to Montpellier. In addition, Dave Cherry, Matt Scott, Jamie Hodgson, Emiliano Boffelli, Jake Henry, Nathan Sweeney and Jack Hocking are all also leaving Edinburgh. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Everitt said he was proud of the way his team performed at Loftus Versfeld against last season's URC finalists, and in particular the start they made. 'We knew that the first 20 minutes were going to be vital and I thought that the players reacted very well to that. We wanted a fast start to counteract what the Bulls do to the opposition when they come to Loftus and we certainly got the start that we wanted. 'But then there were a couple of loose kicks, which does happen in rugby, and the Bulls were outstanding in how they cut us there on counter-attack. 'And then they blitzed us in the second half and we conceded three tries in 13 minutes. But the boys fought until the end and did well to come back to within nine points. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I think if you look at the penalty near the end, we went for the corner and maybe, if we had got three points there, then the pressure turns on the opposition because you're then within a score. So, I'm proud of the fight that the guys showed.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former No. 1 pick Blake Griffin offers advice to Player of the Year Cooper Flagg
Former No. 1 pick Blake Griffin offers advice to Player of the Year Cooper Flagg Blake Griffin entered the NBA with high expectations as the No. 1 pick in 2009, and the former 13-year veteran recently offered some advice to likely top pick Cooper Flagg. Griffin was the Player of the Year and the clear choice to be the top pick in the draft after a stellar two-year run at Oklahoma. Though Griffin missed his first year due to a knee injury, the former All-American was the Rookie of the Year and an All-Star the following season. After living up to the hype to begin his career with the LA Clippers, Griffin is an ideal person to offer Flagg advice as he heads into the NBA. Griffin, speaking with Bryan Kalbrosky of For The Win, preached patience, with the draft less than four weeks away. Just enjoy it. It sounds sort of cliché, but it all goes by so quickly. You'll only experience this draft process one time. Soak it in and don't get too weighed down with all the other stuff. All the people around you will take care of all that. Just enjoy every single moment. Remember, this is just the beginning. As a young guy, you want everything right away. You want to get to everything. But your career is a marathon. Enjoy it. Appreciate all the hard work you've done to get to this point. Know that it continues. Flagg led Duke to the Final Four, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks on 38.5% shooting from 3-point range. He became the 22nd player in program history to be named a consensus first-team All-American. The 18-year-old knows a thing or two about expectations himself after entering this past season with high hopes as the consensus top recruit in the class of 2024. He was highly touted out of the Montverde Academy and eventually established himself as the face of the sport. Flagg is considered a lock to be selected with the first pick by the Dallas Mavericks and projects as the next generational player the organization can build around. Like Griffin, Flagg will have a highly anticipated rookie campaign next season.
New York Times
a day ago
- Business
- New York Times
Bruno Fernandes: Should Manchester United sell him or keep him?
Bruno Fernandes' time at Manchester United could be nearing its end. Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal are trying to pull off a major transfer by signing the United captain, and he is now giving serious consideration to the approach. Al Hilal are said to be prepared to pay a transfer fee of £80million ($108m) for the 30-year-old Portugal international midfielder; a substantial figure during a difficult financial period for United. Advertisement Would it be wise for United to cash in on a player who turns 31 early next season to generate additional funds needed for an overhaul of the squad? Or would they be better off keeping Fernandes and trying to build a better team around him? It's a conversation that has lit up much of social media and many a United group chat. So much so that this writer has been told to have a really serious conversation with himself about Fernandes and note down what comes up. So this is stick or twist: Bruno Fernandes edition. Let's present the two versions of myself. We'll call one George – a name my dad wanted to call me before I was born. George is a man of numbers, always wears a fitness tracker and doesn't consider the toothpaste tube finished until he's cut it open with scissors and extracted the very last bits. Then there's Damon – another name on the shortlist, this time put forward by my mum. He wears a Mickey Mouse watch and will order your second-favourite item from the dessert menu, then suggest sharing both. One wears glasses; the other prefers contact lenses. They both fell in love with United after the 1996 FA Cup final. They were both heartbroken after the recent defeat in the Europa League final. George: We'll start by being nice. Bruno Fernandes is the best player at the club. There's a reason why he has four Player of the Year awards at United — a record shared with David de Gea and Cristiano Ronaldo. Both Fernandes and De Gea committed their best years to a United project that was a mere shadow of what it used to be. Both men have had points where they performed at a world-class, or near world-class, level while wearing the United shirt — a feat that seems beyond nearly everyone who has arrived at the club since 2013. But — and here comes the mean part — there comes a time when you have to move on. Advertisement Fernandes has been a brilliant servant for the club, but is an awkward fit for Amorim's 3-4-3. He ideally wants to play fast football, hammering crosses, through balls and other line-breaking passes in to the feet of team-mates as they are running into space. That was crucial to how things worked at United a few years ago, but opposition teams have gotten wise to his ways, and his effectiveness has waned. Fernandes puts the 'fun' in 'dysfunctional football team', but it's time to get serious. United are at their lowest ebb in well over 20 years, and they need to put a good, functional football team together to arrest the slide. They need money to rebuild their squad, and accepting an £80million offer for a 30-year-old is a good way to get it. Damon: I'm glad we can agree on how important Fernandes is. He's not a perfect football player, and his on-field demeanour can occasionally frustrate, but he's the best signing the club have made in over a decade. In an ideal universe, his ability to get a lot out of a little should have seen United build a more functional side around him, allowing his creative flourishes to be properly appreciated. In this universe, his talent for turning chicken s*** into chicken salad pushed him to near breaking point while the club tried — and mostly failed — to deal with tactical issues elsewhere. OK, he wasn't great in the Europa League final, but who was? If one player is willing to roll up his sleeves and help clean up this mess, it'll be him. You brought up De Gea. I'm not going to go back and forth with you over whether it was right to let him go when his contract expired in 2023, but I think you'll agree Andre Onana hasn't had the best time trying to replace him. That's the big question for me. Do you trust the current recruitment team to get the post-Fernandes succession plan right? Advertisement George: Not completely, but they seem to be making the right noises. A deal for Matheus Cunha looks as good as done, with the Brazil international forward set for a medical in the coming days. Cunha delivered 17 goals and six assists in 36 matches across all competitions this season for Wolves and is better suited to filling one of the twin No 10 positions in Amorim's 3-4-3. Fernandes is good at a lot of things, but his discomfort when dribbling makes him awkward as he carries the ball out wide. He has also struggled to receive the ball under pressure throughout his career. Look how many times he drops deep for the ball, only to backheel it or flick it to nobody in particular? He hot-potatoes the ball too much for someone with so much creative responsibility. If you're going to have the guy in the United team, you need to use him as previous managers Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag did. Amorim's experimentation with Fernandes since replacing Ten Hag in November — sometimes as a No 10, sometimes as a central midfielder — fails to get the best out of him. It's better to cash in now and use that £80million, plus whatever they save in wages, to get a new striker and some box-to-box midfielders hungry for the fight. Damon: It's easy to say 'Sell Bruno and buy three new players', but who exactly are these new players? This week saw Ipswich striker Liam Delap opt for a move to Chelsea after meeting a host of suitors, including United. The sort of players who can best improve United want to be playing in the Champions League. They want to be a part of a project that's easy to believe in, with good vibes and good players already within the squad. Selling your captain after a terrible season is a bad look. Amorim likes to tell people how much suffering is necessary before things improve, but it will take a lot longer to fix things if you sell your best player. You say Fernandes has weaknesses, but you're not giving him credit for his strengths. He got 19 goals and 18 assists in 57 all-competitions matches this season; ridiculous numbers for somebody in a team who finished 15th in the Premier League. Since the 2-2 away draw against Liverpool in early January, he's even found ways to improve his passing and receiving in deeper areas. Let Cunha come in and take up one of the No 10 positions. Keep Fernandes and use him as a central midfielder. Advertisement George: You said it yourself: a team that finished 15th. It's all well and good bigging up individual effort, but this is a team sport, and sometimes Fernandes' crash-bang-wallop style can be to United's detriment. How many times have you watched him run after the ball like a headless chicken, breaking the defensive structure? How many times have you seen him whinge at referees? Pundit and former United captain Roy Keane had a point when he went after Fernandes in February. Talent isn't enough at United; work rate and leadership are important too. Damon: Fernandes has those qualities, too. There's a young group of players coming through at the club who could do with a few more years of his guidance. Every United fan reading this believes Kobbie Mainoo can become a brilliant footballer, but at age 20 he's not yet the finished article. Imagine him a year from now, having picked up Fernandes' knack for a switch pass or that run-skip-and-jump penalty? Ex-United players say getting told off by Keane was OK because it meant he believed you could do better. The danger was when he stopped going after you in training, because he didn't think you were worth the effort. That's a presence you want around the dressing room. A good player, still looking for ways to give more. George: But can he? Let's be real. He's 30 years old, on wages of around £300,000 a week and has played an astonishing amount of football. There are miles on the clock: 290 appearances for United and close to 600 across his club career. Add to that his 78 caps for Portugal, and it's a miracle his legs haven't fallen off. Ten Hag, Solskjaer and Amorim have all liked Fernandes because he's always available and willing to help, but there will come a day — and I'm knocking on some wood as I type this — where that won't be the case. The thing about carrying a team on your back is: one day, your back starts to hurt. Why risk being on the hook for his contract into his mid-thirties? Let Al Hilal worry about the days when he stops being so resilient. It's not the ending any United fan wanted, but it's better to cash in now. Damon: Wow, harsh. You talk of Fernandes' contract at United being a burden. I think of it as an important point for future negotiations. If any player asks INEOS' higher-ups for Fernandes money, INEOS can reply that they first have to put in four years' worth of Fernandes running. I hate to bring up other clubs here, but remember what happened to Tottenham Hotspur after they sold Gareth Bale to Real Madrid in 2013? They used that €100million (£84m/$1113m at current rates) windfall to buy seven first-team players. Spurs striker turned pundit Garth Crooks claimed they 'sold Elvis and signed The Beatles.' Advertisement Except they weren't The Beatles. Selling one great player for loads of money and then signing lots of decent-to-OK ones never works out immediately. Liverpool found this out when they sold Luis Suarez to Barcelona. Aston Villa are in a good place now, but they lost some zip the season after Jack Grealish went to Manchester City. New signings don't add up like an aggregate scoreline. Not every incoming transfer is going to work out — especially at a club as weird as United. Moneyball is way more complicated than in the Brad Pitt film of that title (14 years after the movie was released, the Oakland A's still haven't won a World Series). Something happened in the past few years where football fans have started talking as if they were the technical director of their clubs, instead of a paying customer who wants to be entertained. United need players who'll understand the assignment from day one of the 2025-26 season. Nobody will be better prepared than Fernandes. Keep him.
New York Post
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Post
How Columbia baseball saved its season to make NCAA tournament again
Columbia couldn't have scripted a worse start to its baseball season. Three key players — top starting pitcher Andy Leon, top reliever Will Parkinson and starting third baseman Eric Jeon — were lost to season-ending injuries. The Lions then proceeded to lose their next 10 games after opening the year with a win at Kennesaw State. Advertisement Head coach Brett Boretti's message to his team was simple: Our expectations are the same. Winning big is still the plan. He didn't waver. 3 Columbia coach Brett Borett and his players celebrate after their win over Harvard in the Ivy League title game on May 18, 2025. Brian Foley for Foley-Photography Advertisement 'We've to come together here, keep moving forward,' he told them, star junior shortstop and Ivy League Player of the Year Sam Miller recalled. 'This is what we train all year for.' A few months later, Columbia is getting ready for the NCAA Tournament in the Hattiesburg (Miss.) Regional. The lone team to qualify from the area, this will be its seventh appearance on college baseball's biggest stage since Boretti took over two decades ago. Since that losing streak, Columbia has won 28 of 35 games. Advertisement Jagger Edwards replaced Leon as a weekend starter, while Griffin Palfrey took over at the hot corner. The Lions are experienced, led by 11 seniors, and finished first in the Ivy League in home runs, runs scored, slugging percentage, doubles and batting average. They mash. Advertisement Miller and senior captain Anton Lazits credited Boretti with keeping the team together amid injuries and that early season slide. Lazits described him as a 'leader of men,' someone who is able to maximize talent. 'When he speaks, you listen. At the same time, he's very personable,' Lazits said. 'He keeps everybody disciplined, but keeps it loose at the same time.' Said Miller: 'He just knows how to push guys.' Prior to Boretti, 54, taking over at Columbia in 2006, the Lions last reached the tournament in 1976. 3 Columbia shortstop Sam Miller was named the Ivy League's Player of the Year. Columbia Athletics/Stockton Photo He has turned this program into one of the most successful in the Northeast, winning the Ivy League regular-season title eight times. Boretti doesn't like to think of this as his success. Advertisement A successful coach, he noted, is only as effective as his players. He pointed to a number of former assistant coaches who built up Columbia with him, such as current Endicott College head coach Bryan Haley, Minnesota Twins pitching coach Pete Maki, Boston College assistant coach Dan Tischler and San Francisco assistant Erik Supplee. He singled out his entire current staff for continuing the winning tradition. 'I'm good at surrounding myself with people that are a lot smarter than me,' he said jokingly. Advertisement Boretti has had opportunities to look elsewhere. He interviewed for one Power 5 job before — he declined to name the school — but didn't want to uproot his family. Plus, as the saying goes, why mess with happy? At Columbia, he doesn't have to manage Name, Image and Likeness as much as other coaches. 3 Columbia head coach Brett Boretti helped his team turn it around after injuries put his team in an early hole this season. Brian Foley for Foley Photography. Advertisement His players pick Columbia mostly for academics. The Lions are Ivy League contenders every year. 'The type of kid, the type of student-athlete you get, we get very driven guys. We get overachievers,' Boretti said. 'That's what we're looking for: Guys who want to work on the field, work in the classroom, and, frankly, don't give you many headaches off the field. 'It's one of the best things about the job: You get to work with great people, great kids that are going to be great adults. That's something that goes a long way when you're in this position.' Advertisement After reaching the NCAA Tournament in three straight seasons from 2013-15, and advancing to the Coral Gables (Fla.) regional final in 2015, Columbia had established itself. It helped that in 2010 the program received an upgraded facility, Robertson Field at Satow Stadium. 'It built on each other,' Boretti said. 'My former boss, Dianne Murphy, did a heckuva job building our facilities and raising money and getting people involved. That goes a long, long way.' This team has a unique belief in itself, fostered by that difficult start. First came the injuries, then the losing streak. It didn't break the Lions. As the tournament begins, few teams in the country are as hot. Columbia has won nine straight games and 16 of 17. It will be a decided underdog Friday night against host and No. 16 seed Southern Miss, and not be expected to beat the following opponent, either Miami or Alabama. But the Lions and their 11 seniors believe they can play with anyone. They've been here before. 'We're a very confident group. We know the talent we have and we know what kind of baseball we can play with each other,' Lazits said. 'If we go out there and play as well as we can, we can beat just about anybody.'
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Barry University's new women's hoops coach learned tips from NBA legend
Allison Bustamante, a former Notre Dame recruit and one of the greatest women's basketball players ever to come out of Miami, is the new coach at Barry University. Bustamante, in a phone interview with the Miami Herald on Wednesday night, let it be known that she's 'ready' for this opportunity. 'I'm ready to compete,' said Bustamante, 42. 'I'm ready to recruit, and I'm ready to grow something special at Barry.' Bustamante, a 6-foot guard, was a four-time, first-team All-Dade player at Lourdes Academy, where she was coached by her stepfather, Chris McKeon. In addition, Bustamante was twice named first-team All-State, and she was twice named The Herald's girls' basketball Player of the Year. She split her college career between Notre Dame – where she was part of the Fighting Irish's 2001 national championship team – and FIU. After college, Bustamante sold medical equipment for nearly two years. But one day, McKeon came home and found Bustamante watching his old Hubie Brown 'coaching tips' VHS tapes. 'She was working in sales, but I knew her passion for basketball was still there,' McKeon said. 'I just had to give her a nudge toward coaching, but she was a natural.' After that 'nudge,' Bustamante started showing up at Lourdes practices, giving the girls her own tips. From there, she took a seat on the bench as a Lourdes assistant coach. By then, Bustamante had found a new passion, going back to school to become a physician's assistant. Ultimately, though, she had to choose her path, and basketball won her heart … just like always. From there, she became a high school head coach, leading Carrollton to the first district title in program history. For the past couple of years, Bustamante coached at Doral Academy, leading the Firebirds to the state semifinals in 2023 and 2024. Prior to her arrival, Doral had never reached that far in girls' hoops. Since 2017, Bustamante has also had her own skills-development business, 'AB Basketball', where she trains players of all ages. And, she started a girls' basketball travel team named Miami Impact. 'I wanted to make an impact, hence the name,' Bustamante said. Bustamante has indeed made an impact, and she wants to continue that at Barry, where there are currently just three players on the roster and no assistant coaches. 'We have a lot of work to do,' Bustamante said. Still, this feels right for a woman who grew up with basketball in her life on the daily. 'After I graduated college, I thought I was done with basketball,' she said. 'My body had been put through the ringer because I played such a reckless style, and I wasn't the most patient person when it came to rehab.' But then the opportunity to coach came her way, and she's not looking back. 'I'm a Miami kid born and raised,' she said. 'I'd love to stay at Barry for a long time. 'It may sound crazy, but I'm going to try to build it in a year. If not, I think in two years we're going to have a program that everyone in the community will be proud of. 'I want to compete nationally.' Hubie Brown would expect nothing less. THIS AND THAT ▪ Barry's men's tennis team (21-4) lost 4-3 to ninth-ranked Washburn in the second round of the recent NCAA Division II national tournament at Altamonte Springs. Barry had been ranked third in the nation. ▪ Nova Southeastern University's women's golf team finished 10th in the national NCAA Division II tournament at Boulder City, Nevada. ▪ St. Thomas University's softball team finished its impressive season with a 49-8 record, losing twice to Georgia Gwinnett in an NAIA regional.
