newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Albert Pujols belts 661st homer to pass Willie Mays on all-time list

ANAHEIM , Calif. — Albert Pujols needed nearly five weeks to tie Willie Mays for fifth place on the career home run list .
It took only five days for the Los Angeles Angels slugger to pass him .
Pujols hit No .
661 in the fifth inning on Friday night against the Texas Rangers to break the tie with Mays , then connected again in his next at-bat in the 6-2 victory .
“ I knew that whenever it happens , whether it was going to be this year or next year , it was going to happen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wasn ’ t thinking about trying to hit one out .
It happened tonight and look how perfect it worked out .
I not only got one , but two on the night.
” The 40-year-old Pujols now trails only Barry Bonds ( 762 ) , Hank Aaron ( 755 ) , Babe Ruth ( 714 ) and Alex Rodriguez ( 696 ) .
Pujols said that he received a text and email from Mays after he tied the Hall of Famer on Sunday in Colorado .
Pujols added that he had not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game to see how many congratulatory messages he had received .
“ It is pretty special when you are talking about Willie Mays .
What he did on the field is amazing , ” Pujols said .
“ He ’ s a legend , pretty smart and he knows how to give good advice.
” Pujols had hit just four home runs this season before posting the 60th multi-HR game of his career and first since May 11 last year at Baltimore .
He finished with three hits on the night .
Pujols @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left .
Pujols sent a 1-2 fastball from Wes Benjamin into the Rangers ’ bullpen .
Pujols pointed to the dugout and did a fist pump as he approached third base .
After the Rangers rallied to get within 3-2 , Pujols led off the seventh with No .
662 off Demarcus Evans into the Angels ’ bullpen to extend the lead .
“ I mean , I know he ’ s not really a home run hitter , ” Benjamin said before laughing .
“ I threw the one pitch I didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted a fastball up there .
It just kind of yanked into the zone just enough and he was prepared for it.
” Pujols has gone deep to left 330 times in his career and 362 have come with the bases empty .
He said he is likely to keep the bat he used to pass Mays and that the ball had been retrieved .
Pujols , who has one more season left on his contract with the Angels after this year , has 108 HRs at Angel Stadium , which is only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new Busch Stadium , which opened in 2006 .
Manager Joe Maddon said the only thing missing was having fans in the stands to salute Pujols for reaching the milestone .
There was more noise than usual at the ballpark Friday night , along with some cheering , but was because a drive-in concert was taking place in an adjacent parking lot .
“ Obviously there ’ s a high level of satisfaction , but he missed out on the opportunity to have the adulation that people just screaming from the from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s too bad .
That ’ s another part of all this .
That makes things different but the guys reacted well , Albert typically handled it extremely well.
” The three-time MVP and 10-time All-Star did most of his long-ball damage during his 11 seasons in St. Louis , where he hit 445 before signing with the Angels after the 2011 season .
He had six 40 or more HR seasons with the Cardinals , with his best year being 2006 when he hit 49 homers and drove in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a good baseball player , ” Maddon said .
“ So yeah , he hits home runs .
We ’ re not seeing it during his youthful days , but this guy has played this game as well as anybody has.
” Taylor Ward added two hits and an RBI while Anthony Rendon had a two-run double in the eighth for the Angels , who beat the Rangers for only the second time in seven meetings this season .
Jaime Barria ( 1-0 ) tied a career high in strikeouts with eight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 6 1/3 innings .
Willie Calhoun drove in both runs for the Rangers , who have dropped three of their last four .
Benjamin ( 1-1 ) came on in the second after Jimmy Herget was used as an opener for the first time in his career .
Benjamin gave up two runs on six hits in four innings with four strikeouts .

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert Pujols needed nearly five weeks to tie Willie Mays for fifth place on the career home run list. It took only five days for the Los Angeles Angels slugger to pass him.
Pujols hit No. 661 in the fifth inning on Friday night against the Texas Rangers to break the tie with Mays, then connected again in his next at-bat in the 6-2 victory.
“I knew that whenever it happens, whether it was going to be this year or next year, it was going to happen,” he said. “I definitely wasn’t thinking about trying to hit one out. It happened tonight and look how perfect it worked out. I not only got one, but two on the night.”
The 40-year-old Pujols now trails only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714) and Alex Rodriguez (696).
Pujols said that he received a text and email from Mays after he tied the Hall of Famer on Sunday in Colorado. Pujols added that he had not checked his phone after Friday’s game to see how many congratulatory messages he had received.
“It is pretty special when you are talking about Willie Mays. What he did on the field is amazing,” Pujols said. “He’s a legend, pretty smart and he knows how to give good advice.”
Pujols had hit just four home runs this season before posting the 60th multi-HR game of his career and first since May 11 last year at Baltimore. He finished with three hits on the night.
Pujols passed Mays with a solo drive to left. Pujols sent a 1-2 fastball from Wes Benjamin into the Rangers’ bullpen. Pujols pointed to the dugout and did a fist pump as he approached third base.
After the Rangers rallied to get within 3-2, Pujols led off the seventh with No. 662 off Demarcus Evans into the Angels’ bullpen to extend the lead.
“I mean, I know he’s not really a home run hitter,” Benjamin said before laughing. “I threw the one pitch I didn’t want to throw. I wanted a fastball up there. It just kind of yanked into the zone just enough and he was prepared for it.”
Pujols has gone deep to left 330 times in his career and 362 have come with the bases empty. He said he is likely to keep the bat he used to pass Mays and that the ball had been retrieved.
Pujols, who has one more season left on his contract with the Angels after this year, has 108 HRs at Angel Stadium, which is only three behind the 111 he hit at new Busch Stadium, which opened in 2006.
Manager Joe Maddon said the only thing missing was having fans in the stands to salute Pujols for reaching the milestone. There was more noise than usual at the ballpark Friday night, along with some cheering, but was because a drive-in concert was taking place in an adjacent parking lot.
“Obviously there’s a high level of satisfaction, but he missed out on the opportunity to have the adulation that people just screaming from the from the rafters,” Maddon said. “It’s too bad. That’s another part of all this. That makes things different but the guys reacted well, Albert typically handled it extremely well.”
The three-time MVP and 10-time All-Star did most of his long-ball damage during his 11 seasons in St. Louis, where he hit 445 before signing with the Angels after the 2011 season.
He had six 40 or more HR seasons with the Cardinals, with his best year being 2006 when he hit 49 homers and drove in a career-high 137 runs.
“He is such a good baseball player,” Maddon said. “So yeah, he hits home runs. We’re not seeing it during his youthful days, but this guy has played this game as well as anybody has.”
Taylor Ward added two hits and an RBI while Anthony Rendon had a two-run double in the eighth for the Angels, who beat the Rangers for only the second time in seven meetings this season. Jaime Barria (1-0) tied a career high in strikeouts with eight and allowed two runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Willie Calhoun drove in both runs for the Rangers, who have dropped three of their last four.
Benjamin (1-1) came on in the second after Jimmy Herget was used as an opener for the first time in his career. Benjamin gave up two runs on six hits in four innings with four strikeouts.


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Brodie Van Wagenen: Michael Conforto playing at ‘MVP-type’ level

Michael Conforto has performed this summer at what Brodie Van Wagenen dubbed Friday an “ MVP-type ” level .
Eligible for free agency following the 2021 season , has Conforto established himself as someone the Mets would be interested in locking up before he hits the open market ?
“ As a guy that was homegrown , he ’ s somebody that we ’ ve looked at as a long-term piece of our core going forward , ” Van Wagenen said via Zoom before Friday ’ s 15-2 loss to the Braves .
“ We have had conversations — preliminary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mutual expression of interest potentially in the long-term .
“ We ’ ll see how those conversations go when we start to put in this entire piece to the puzzle trying to develop our roster strategy as we go into the offseason.
” The expected transition to deep-pocketed prospective owner Steve Cohen could be a factor in locking up Conforto , who has posted a productive slash line of .337/.427/.5411 with nine home runs and 31 RBIs over 220 plate appearances in a small-sample 51 games for the Mets in the pandemic-shortened 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Scott Boras and likely to command a significant raise over his $ 8 million salary in his final year of arbitration this winter .
“ It ’ s been an MVP-type season , ” Van Wagenen said .
“ Dom Smith has had one of those too , and we ’ ve had a lot of guys with some spectacular performances .
Michael has been consistent from the start of the season all the way up until even last night ’ s game .
We ’ ve been impressed .
… He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Slumping Pete Alonso ’ s .183 batting average and .663 OPS against left-handed pitching this season had Luis Rojas omit the reigning NL Rookie of the Year from the starting lineup against Braves lefty Max Fried .
Rojas said Alonso ’ s 1-for-15 history against Fried also was a factor .
Rojas still hasn ’ t announced a starting pitcher for Sunday .
Jacob deGrom threw a side session before the game , and Rojas said “ we ’ ll see how he feels ” Saturday before making a determination .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start after two innings with a hamstring spasm .
Luis Guillorme ’ s .347 batting average couldn ’ t keep him on the active roster , as the utility infielder was optioned to the alternate sit so the Mets could summon Franklyn Kilome for pitching depth .
… Van Wagenen would not commit to Seth Lugo remaining in the starting rotation or going back to the bullpen next season .
… Dellin Betances ( lat tightness ) faced hitters Thursday at the alternate site .
… Robinson Cano left the game after getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the sixth inning .
X-rays were negative , Rojas said .
Infielder Jed Lowrie has been a washout since signing a two-year deal worth $ 20 million before the 2019 season , appearing in just nine games ( eight plate appearances ) due to knee and other injuries .
“ It ’ s frustrating that he wasn ’ t able to perform for his own goals and for us and our investment in him , ” said Van Wagenen , Lowrie ’ s former agent .
“ I know he could ’ @ @ @ @ @

Michael Conforto has performed this summer at what Brodie Van Wagenen dubbed Friday an “MVP-type” level.
Eligible for free agency following the 2021 season, has Conforto established himself as someone the Mets would be interested in locking up before he hits the open market?
“As a guy that was homegrown, he’s somebody that we’ve looked at as a long-term piece of our core going forward,” Van Wagenen said via Zoom before Friday’s 15-2 loss to the Braves. “We have had conversations — preliminary conversations — in the past about a mutual expression of interest potentially in the long-term.
“We’ll see how those conversations go when we start to put in this entire piece to the puzzle trying to develop our roster strategy as we go into the offseason.”
The expected transition to deep-pocketed prospective owner Steve Cohen could be a factor in locking up Conforto, who has posted a productive slash line of .337/.427/.5411 with nine home runs and 31 RBIs over 220 plate appearances in a small-sample 51 games for the Mets in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.
The 27-year-old Conforto is represented by Scott Boras and likely to command a significant raise over his $8 million salary in his final year of arbitration this winter.
“It’s been an MVP-type season,” Van Wagenen said. “Dom Smith has had one of those too, and we’ve had a lot of guys with some spectacular performances. Michael has been consistent from the start of the season all the way up until even last night’s game. We’ve been impressed. … He’s just been an incredible performer.”
Slumping Pete Alonso’s .183 batting average and .663 OPS against left-handed pitching this season had Luis Rojas omit the reigning NL Rookie of the Year from the starting lineup against Braves lefty Max Fried. Rojas said Alonso’s 1-for-15 history against Fried also was a factor.
Rojas still hasn’t announced a starting pitcher for Sunday. Jacob deGrom threw a side session before the game, and Rojas said “we’ll see how he feels” Saturday before making a determination. The two-time Cy Young winner left his last start after two innings with a hamstring spasm.
Luis Guillorme’s .347 batting average couldn’t keep him on the active roster, as the utility infielder was optioned to the alternate sit so the Mets could summon Franklyn Kilome for pitching depth. … Van Wagenen would not commit to Seth Lugo remaining in the starting rotation or going back to the bullpen next season. … Dellin Betances (lat tightness) faced hitters Thursday at the alternate site. … Robinson Cano left the game after getting hit on the forearm by a pitch in the sixth inning. X-rays were negative, Rojas said.
Infielder Jed Lowrie has been a washout since signing a two-year deal worth $20 million before the 2019 season, appearing in just nine games (eight plate appearances) due to knee and other injuries.
“It’s frustrating that he wasn’t able to perform for his own goals and for us and our investment in him,” said Van Wagenen, Lowrie’s former agent. “I know he could’ve helped us.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Fantasy football: Players to start, sit for NFL Week 2

Week 2 of this strange NFL season has arrived , and ...

The Post’s Drew Loftis evaluates all the relevant fantasy football news ahead of Week 2 of the 2020 NFL season.
Big Weeks
Diontae Johnson WR, Steelers (FD $5,800/DK $4,500)
A shoulder injury has cost the Broncos top cornerback A.J. Bouye. Figure Denver will shade their coverage schemes toward stopping JuJu Smith-Schuster, and that should open up Johnson for more targets. For an even deeper dive/DFS dart, try Chase Claypool.
Quintez Cephus WR, Lions (FD $4,600/DK $3,800)
Top Lions target Kenny Golladay is expected to miss his second straight game with a hamstring issue. In his Week 1 absence, Cephus had a team-high 10 targets (catching three for 43 yards). Cephus is a cheaper, and likely less owned alternative to Marvin Jones Jr. and Danny Amendola.
Chris Herndon TE, Jets, vs. 49ers (FD $5,100/DK $3,400)
There will be no Jamison Crowder or Le’Veon Bell. That leaves the unimposing WR fleet of Breshad Perriman, Chris Hogan and Braxton Berrios. Expect plenty of balls thrown Herndon’s way.
Jordan Reed TE 49ers, at Jets (FD $4,800/KD $2,600)
Starter George Kittle suffered a knee sprain last week. The 49ers appear leaning toward sitting him (we would be shocked if he played). We know QB Jimmy Garoppolo likes throwing to his tight end.
Small Weaks
Cam Newton QB, Patriots, at Seahawks (FD $7,800/DK $6,400)
He amassed just 155 passing yards in Week 1. His 75 rushing yards and two TDs on the ground turned a fantasy disaster into something rewarding. That won’t happen every week, and this Seahawks defense might be legit.
Carson Wentz QB, Eagles, vs. Rams (FD $7,300/DK $6,000)
The Eagles did a terrible job protecting Wentz from a strong Washington pass rush. Aaron Donald and the Rams won’t give them any breaks this week either.
Kenyan Drake RB, Cardinals, vs. Washington (FD $6,600/DK $5,900)
It could be that this Washington defense is pretty good. They held the Eagles to just 57 yards on the ground last week. Drake looked just OK in the Cardinals impressive opening upset of the 49ers.
D.J. Moore WR, Panthers, at Buccaneers (FD $6,800/DK$6,300)
The Bucs found a way to shut down Saints PPR machine Michael Thomas in Week 1. Why wouldn’t they be able to do the same against a similarly structured (around elite WR and RB) but far less potent offense?
Fantasy Insanity’s Daily Duel
Drew Loftis and Jarad Wilk submit dueling rosters into a DFS contest:
Site: DraftKings
Slate: Sun. main (13 games)
Type: $12 tourney
Top Price: $30K
Pot: $300K
Drew’s Crew
QB: Dak Prescott (Dal, vs. Atl) $6,800
RB: Ezekiel Elliot (Dal, vs. Atl) $8,200
RB: Leonard Fournette (TB, vs. Car) $4,800
WR: Amari Cooper (Dal, vs. Atl) $6,300
WR: Danny Amendola (Det, at GB) $4,800
WR: Scotty Miller (TB, vs. Car) $4,100
TE: Jordan Reed (SF, at NYJ) $2,600
Flex: Saquon Barkley (NYG, at Chi) $8,400
DST: 49ers (SF, at NYJ) $4,000
Wilk’s Warriors
QB: Matthew Stafford (Det, at GB), $6,200
RB: Ezekiel Elliott (Dal, vs. Atl) $8,200
RB: Ronald Jones II (TB, vs. Car) $5,200
WR: Davante Adams (GB, vs. Det) $8,100
WR: Parris Campbell (Ind, vs. Min) $4,500
WR: Will Fuller V (Hou, vs. Bal) $6,300
TE: Jordan Reed (SF, at NYJ) $2,600
Flex: Jonathan Taylor (Ind, vs. Min) $5,700
DST: Cardinals (Ari, vs. Was) $3,000
Season risked: $12
Winnings: Jarad $25, Drew $0


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Matt Martin reuniting with young daughter after Islanders’ ouster

And so it ends , six wins shy of the Stanley ...

In the summer of 2018 after his second season with the Maple Leafs, Matt Martin sat down to have a conversation with his future father-in-law, Boomer Esiason.
The lively WFAN radio host’s phone buzzed. It was a longtime friend of his, Brendan Shanahan, the president of the Maple Leafs. He wanted to let Esiason know that Martin was everything he could have hoped for in a player, and he had a class act for a potential son-in-law.
“And then Brendan sent me back he goes, ‘Look, we’ll send him to wherever he wants to go. If he wants to go to the Rangers, we’ll send him to the Rangers. If he wants to go to the Islanders, we’ll send him back to the Islanders. That’s how much respect we have for him and that’s what we’d like to do for him,’ ” Esiason told The Post on a phone call Friday afternoon.
It had been just a few months since the Rangers sent out a letter pleading with fans to be patient during the upcoming rebuild. And as much as Esiason, a longtime in-your-face Rangers fan, wanted to see a future part of his family pull on a red, white and blue sweater, he only could think of what was best for Martin.
Said Esiason: “I told Matt, ‘As much as I want to see you in a Rangers uniform, now is not the time. If you can get back with Cal [Clutterbuck] and Casey [Cizikas] I think that’s probably your best situation right now because you’re beloved by your fan base here. Maybe they didn’t understand you in Toronto, or [former Maple Leafs coach Mike] Babcock didn’t understand you in Toronto, whatever the situation may be. But you’re here and you’re coming home and you can reunite with two of your best buddies. And Lou [Lamoriello] was going to bring in a coach who is going to try to get you guys to win right now.’
“I think it was pretty easy for Matt to say he wanted to go back to the Islanders and play with his buddies.”
And so in July 2018, Martin was traded back to the Islanders and back to where his home had been for the first seven seasons of his NHL career. Now, the 31-year-old left winger is traveling home again, but this time back from the longest playoff run of his career as the Islanders came two wins away from qualifying for the Stanley Cup Finals.
It was also the most impressive playoff performance of Martin’s 11-year NHL career, as he collected five goals and an assist in 22 games, while leading the league in hits with 103. He became one of five players since 1997-98 to record five goals and 100-plus hits in a single playoff year, joining Tom Wilson, Dustin Brown, Milan Lucic and Eric Cole.
Set to become an unrestricted free agent next season, Martin prepared during the near three-month long hiatus from the coronavirus pandemic shutdown to prove himself. He treated every day as if the next day he was going to be back on the ice playing. From the rowing machine, the Peloton and running on the streets, Esiason said Martin worked out like a maniac.
But to Martin’s wife and Esiason’s daughter, Sydney, he didn’t have anything to prove. To her, he always has been the player the hockey world got a glimpse of this postseason.
It was sometime in May or June when official word of the NHL’s plans for bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton got back to the Martins. Sydney realized she would probably have to say goodbye to her husband roughly two weeks after Winnie was born.
But there were no conversations to be had. It was a mutual understanding that this was the hand they were dealt in 2020.
“We both didn’t really talk about it, we kind of just accepted that that’s what was going to happen and the way Matt is, and kind of how I am too, we know it’s his job,” she said. “That’s how we’re going to provide for our daughter and our family. We didn’t really get emotional about it because we were both just kind of like, ‘This is what has to be done. 2020 sucks for everyone and this is our situation.’ ”
Sydney was thankful Winnie was born before Matt headed to the Toronto bubble, while not all the Islanders’ wives were as fortunate. Leo Komarov’s wife, Juulia, gave birth to their son just hours before the Islanders’ overtime loss in Game 6 Thursday night.
But it has been the community of Islanders wives and girlfriends who have helped Sydney get through the longest time she’s ever been away from Matt.
“We would FaceTime in between periods constantly and talking to each other just checking in,” Sydney said. “It was nice to have that support and when you talk to other people, friends that don’t really understand, it’s hard to explain the scenario that you’re in. When we have each other, it’s really helpful.”
The toughest moment for Sydney was watching Matt say goodbye to Winnie. She said she wouldn’t consider herself and Matt to be emotional people, especially when she drove him to the rink before he left and treated it as any other game-day drop off, but she could tell saying good-bye to his baby girl hurt him.
In the beginning, she was extremely preoccupied with the craziness of taking care of a newborn. But once the Islanders lost in overtime Thursday night and were set to come home, Sydney said the emotions of everything came crashing down.
Nevertheless, with help from her friends and family, Sydney got through it. Esiason had to work in Manhattan for a majority of the summer and could only make it out one weekend. Sydney said she thought her dad had forgotten how much work it took to take care of a baby.
Esiason couldn’t be more proud to be Winnie’s “Boompa,” though. He only took issue with one possibility.
“If she was going to be paraded around in the Stanley Cup if the Islanders won it, that would’ve made it very difficult on me,” he said. “I just kept talking about how I was rooting for her, and her dad, and it would be a nice moment for the two of them if they were able to share that. But maybe they’ll be able to do that next year for the Rangers. That’d be even better!”


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Lakers and ‘pissed off’ LeBron James roll to Game 1 win

LAKE BUENA VISTA , Fla. — Slow starters in the first two rounds , the Los Angeles Lakers appeared to be in a hurry to put away the Denver Nuggets .
It was a strong statement to their opponent — and maybe to the NBA ’ s MVP voters .
Anthony Davis had 37 points and 10 rebounds , LeBron James added 15 points and 12 assists hours after finishing a distant second in the MVP voting , and the Lakers rolled to a 126-114 victory on Friday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals .
The top-seeded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first half that they easily extended in the third quarter .
“ It took a quarter for us to kind of figure it out , ” James said .
“ Not saying we fully figured them out because it ’ s too early in the series to say that , but we started to get a better feel .
Just started to get in a better rhythm defensively and we started to get some stops in that second quarter and we were able to build that lead up going into halftime.
” James @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receiving just 16 first-place votes to winner Giannis Antetokounmpo ’ s 85 from a panel of global sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league , and the Nuggets may have felt the wrath of that .
“ It definitely sparks him and like he got a chip on his shoulder like he ’ s got something to prove , ” Davis said .
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 18 points and Dwight Howard rejoined the rotation with 13 in a powerful return to the conference finals for the Lakers , who hadn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four since winning their last championship in 2010 .
Los Angeles dropped Game 1 against both Portland and Houston before winning the next four games .
The Lakers quickly knocked off any rust for another long layoff in the bubble against a Denver team that ’ s had things much tougher .
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray each scored 21 points for the Nuggets , playing in the conference finals for the first time since the Lakers beat them in 2009 .
Denver overcame 3-1 deficits against Utah and the Clippers , becoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a postseason .
The Nuggets immediately fell behind again , digging themselves a big hole when Jokic and Murray each picked up three fouls in the first half that just got deeper in the second half .
“ We know how it ’ s going to be .
We know we ’ re the younger team .
We ’ re just going to play through it , ” Murray said about the fouls discrepancy .
“ We ’ re going to find a way and we ’ re not going to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points in the first quarter , but the Nuggets shot nearly 64 percent , with Murray ’ s 3-pointer as time expired giving them a 38-36 lead .
Alex Caruso converted a three-point play to open the second and start a 17-1 run by the Lakers to start the period and make it 53-39 before the Nuggets made their first field goal after more than five minutes .
The lead stayed right around there for the remainder of the half , as the Lakers paraded to the foul line while Jokic , Murray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three fouls .
Los Angeles shot a whopping 24 free throws in the period — more baskets than either team made in the half — and led 70-59 at the break .
An 11-2 burst in the third blew it open at 92-71 and the Lakers cruised home .

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Slow starters in the first two rounds, the Los Angeles Lakers appeared to be in a hurry to put away the Denver Nuggets.
It was a strong statement to their opponent — and maybe to the NBA’s MVP voters.
Anthony Davis had 37 points and 10 rebounds, LeBron James added 15 points and 12 assists hours after finishing a distant second in the MVP voting, and the Lakers rolled to a 126-114 victory on Friday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
The top-seeded Lakers opened a double-digit lead in the first half that they easily extended in the third quarter.
“It took a quarter for us to kind of figure it out,” James said. “Not saying we fully figured them out because it’s too early in the series to say that, but we started to get a better feel. Just started to get in a better rhythm defensively and we started to get some stops in that second quarter and we were able to build that lead up going into halftime.”
James acknowledged being “pissed off” at receiving just 16 first-place votes to winner Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 85 from a panel of global sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league, and the Nuggets may have felt the wrath of that.
“It definitely sparks him and like he got a chip on his shoulder like he’s got something to prove,” Davis said.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 18 points and Dwight Howard rejoined the rotation with 13 in a powerful return to the conference finals for the Lakers, who hadn’t been to the NBA’s final four since winning their last championship in 2010.
Los Angeles dropped Game 1 against both Portland and Houston before winning the next four games. The Lakers quickly knocked off any rust for another long layoff in the bubble against a Denver team that’s had things much tougher.
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray each scored 21 points for the Nuggets, playing in the conference finals for the first time since the Lakers beat them in 2009.
Denver overcame 3-1 deficits against Utah and the Clippers, becoming the first team to do that twice in a postseason. The Nuggets immediately fell behind again, digging themselves a big hole when Jokic and Murray each picked up three fouls in the first half that just got deeper in the second half.
“We know how it’s going to be. We know we’re the younger team. We’re just going to play through it,” Murray said about the fouls discrepancy. “We’re going to find a way and we’re not going to go away so easy.”
Game 2 is Sunday.
Davis scored 14 points in the first quarter, but the Nuggets shot nearly 64 percent, with Murray’s 3-pointer as time expired giving them a 38-36 lead.
Alex Caruso converted a three-point play to open the second and start a 17-1 run by the Lakers to start the period and make it 53-39 before the Nuggets made their first field goal after more than five minutes.
The lead stayed right around there for the remainder of the half, as the Lakers paraded to the foul line while Jokic, Murray and Paul Millsap went the bench with three fouls. Los Angeles shot a whopping 24 free throws in the period — more baskets than either team made in the half — and led 70-59 at the break.
An 11-2 burst in the third blew it open at 92-71 and the Lakers cruised home.


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Inside look at how NFL fake crowd noise sounds like real thing

The biggest takeaway for Vince Caputo , vice president/supervising sound mixer for NFL Films , from the opening weekend of augmenting crowd noise on game broadcasts is to emphasize optimism .
Caputo said that , by default , hometown crowds believe something good is going to happen .
When a quarterback rolls out , for example , excitement builds .
“ I felt like our operators were sometimes waiting for the ball to be caught or be incomplete and then saying , ‘ Yay ’ or ‘ Nay , ’ ” Caputo said of Week 1 .
“ When you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stands , you see a receiver down the field , when it is halfway there , you start cheering positively .
Hometown fans are optimistic.
” Jets fans , of course , might challenge that premise .
With the Gang Green ’ s home opener on Sunday against the 49ers , the familiar sounds of “ J-E-T-S , Jets , Jets , Jets , ” should be heard .
Nevertheless , even with Adam Gase already on the hot seat , don ’ t expect cascading jeers .
“ We are not going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Caputo said .
“ That ’ s not going to happen .
We do have boos .
It is really reserved for a call that goes against your team or something like that.
” Viewers hear on TV hear more enhanced sound than players and personnel in the actual stadium .
The NFL Films crowd noise is not played at the venues .
“ It was pretty quiet , ” Giants receiver Darius Slayton , who scored two touchdowns against the Steelers on Monday night at MetLife Stadium .
“ It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond us , so you could hear everything .
It was a little weird scoring a touchdown and it was like crickets.
” There is a little ambience for the players .
On Sunday , the MetLife Stadium operations will have a public address announcer , music and the ability to play “ J-E-T-S , Jets !
Jets !
Jets !
” This will be heard by anyone in the stadium .
The sounds will be audible on the telecast , as well .
Nevertheless , when fans watch TV , the in-stadium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official working with a system hitting crowd noise buttons to correspond with the action .
During the project , the NFL hired local people , who were fans of the team in each market and provided them a unique briefcase of sounds .
So , for example , the Jets ’ system is completely different from the Giants and operated by a different person .
The enhanced broadcast noise is all the result of an arduous process that began in June with a combination of NFL Films , NFL broadcasting and Robert Brock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sciences in Arizona , among those working together .
In June , Onnie Bose , a VP for NFL broadcasting , asked Caputo what his group had in terms of resources .
The goal was to prepare in case fans were not in the stands .
NFL Films happened to have just completed a four-year project in which they had collected crowd noise from all the NFL stadiums .
Films needed to take hundreds of hours to strip the crowd noise from the in-stadium music , public address , etc .
that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was built off M & T Stadium , home of the Ravens .
The eventual result was every team has its own team-specific stadium briefcase of sounds , even Vegas and Los Angeles , which have new homes .
The league declined to make available the Giants and Jets officials who are working the systems .
The operator has a lot of responsibility .
In the opening week , Caputo said the difference from game-to-game was due to the operators learning on the job without spring training .
In Week 1 , adept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the early games leading into “ Sunday Night Football ” on NBC , which Caputo thought was the league ’ s best-sounding fan-less game .
“ We learned so much on Sunday , ” Caputo said .
“ I think it got better throughout the day .
I think our best game of the day was the Sunday night game .
We had kind of picked up a lot of intel during the day and shared it with the operator at night .
”

The biggest takeaway for Vince Caputo, vice president/supervising sound mixer for NFL Films, from the opening weekend of augmenting crowd noise on game broadcasts is to emphasize optimism.
Caputo said that, by default, hometown crowds believe something good is going to happen. When a quarterback rolls out, for example, excitement builds.
“I felt like our operators were sometimes waiting for the ball to be caught or be incomplete and then saying, ‘Yay’ or ‘Nay,’ ” Caputo said of Week 1. “When you think about it, being in the stands, you see a receiver down the field, when it is halfway there, you start cheering positively. Hometown fans are optimistic.”
Jets fans, of course, might challenge that premise.
With the Gang Green’s home opener on Sunday against the 49ers, the familiar sounds of “J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets,” should be heard. Nevertheless, even with Adam Gase already on the hot seat, don’t expect cascading jeers.
“We are not going to boo a home team incessantly,” Caputo said. “That’s not going to happen. We do have boos. It is really reserved for a call that goes against your team or something like that.”
Viewers hear on TV hear more enhanced sound than players and personnel in the actual stadium. The NFL Films crowd noise is not played at the venues.
“It was pretty quiet,” Giants receiver Darius Slayton, who scored two touchdowns against the Steelers on Monday night at MetLife Stadium. “It was really nothing going on in the stadium beyond us, so you could hear everything. It was a little weird scoring a touchdown and it was like crickets.”
There is a little ambience for the players. On Sunday, the MetLife Stadium operations will have a public address announcer, music and the ability to play “J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets!” This will be heard by anyone in the stadium. The sounds will be audible on the telecast, as well.
Nevertheless, when fans watch TV, the in-stadium effects will be complemented by an NFL-sanctioned official working with a system hitting crowd noise buttons to correspond with the action.
During the project, the NFL hired local people, who were fans of the team in each market and provided them a unique briefcase of sounds. So, for example, the Jets’ system is completely different from the Giants and operated by a different person.
The enhanced broadcast noise is all the result of an arduous process that began in June with a combination of NFL Films, NFL broadcasting and Robert Brock from the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Arizona, among those working together.
In June, Onnie Bose, a VP for NFL broadcasting, asked Caputo what his group had in terms of resources. The goal was to prepare in case fans were not in the stands.
NFL Films happened to have just completed a four-year project in which they had collected crowd noise from all the NFL stadiums.
Films needed to take hundreds of hours to strip the crowd noise from the in-stadium music, public address, etc. that was recorded as they made their prototype which was built off M&T Stadium, home of the Ravens.
The eventual result was every team has its own team-specific stadium briefcase of sounds, even Vegas and Los Angeles, which have new homes.
The league declined to make available the Giants and Jets officials who are working the systems.
The operator has a lot of responsibility. In the opening week, Caputo said the difference from game-to-game was due to the operators learning on the job without spring training.
In Week 1, adept listeners heard how the NFL adapted from the early games leading into “Sunday Night Football” on NBC, which Caputo thought was the league’s best-sounding fan-less game.
“We learned so much on Sunday,” Caputo said. “I think it got better throughout the day. I think our best game of the day was the Sunday night game. We had kind of picked up a lot of intel during the day and shared it with the operator at night.”
— Additional reporting by Ryan Dunleavy


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Jets’ Quinnen Williams expects ‘much more’ out of himself

Gregg Williams said he believes Quinnen Williams has already taken “ the next step ” in his evolution as a player .
The Jets ’ second-year defensive lineman didn ’ t shoot down such praise from his defensive coordinator , yet there is so much more he feels capable of being able to do right now .
Week 1 , in his eyes , wasn ’ t good enough .
“ I got to do much more .
I have to go out there and give it my all — every single play , every single down , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I got to be a dog out there on the field , man.
” After a lackluster rookie year in which he missed three games because of injury and produced 2.5 sacks and 28 tackles in 13 games , Quinnen Williams got into better shape in the offseason , dropping six pounds and adding muscle after changing his diet and training routine .
In August , the third-overall pick of the 2019 draft said , “ I ’ m going to be unstoppable.
” “ That ’ s what I expect from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My standards are super high for myself , so I feel like I haven ’ t [ done ] what I can do and I should be doing.
” Williams was only credited with three tackles and half of a tackle for loss in the setback to the Bills , but Gregg Williams saw a player disrupting the opposing offense , creating pressure and helping to stop the run .
“ He was a part of , a major part of why the quarterback couldn ’ t step up into the pocket and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the defensive coordinator said .
“ He did a very good job of collapsing the pocket .
With him too , got to get the ball out , punch the ball out , or get the big quarterback down , but he ’ s taken the next step and you know , we ’ re only going to see him do that week , by week , by week .
He ’ s healthy and he ’ s playing very well.
” Asked to rate his own performance against the Bills , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
But he also indicated he was far from satisfied .
“ I know , ” he said , “ I can do more .
”

Gregg Williams said he believes Quinnen Williams has already taken “the next step” in his evolution as a player.
The Jets’ second-year defensive lineman didn’t shoot down such praise from his defensive coordinator, yet there is so much more he feels capable of being able to do right now.
Week 1, in his eyes, wasn’t good enough.
“I got to do much more. I have to go out there and give it my all — every single play, every single down,” the 6-foot-3, 303-pound lineman said Friday. “I got to be a dog out there on the field, man.”
After a lackluster rookie year in which he missed three games because of injury and produced 2.5 sacks and 28 tackles in 13 games, Quinnen Williams got into better shape in the offseason, dropping six pounds and adding muscle after changing his diet and training routine. In August, the third-overall pick of the 2019 draft said, “I’m going to be unstoppable.”
His mindset hasn’t changed.
“That’s what I expect from myself,” he said. “My standards are super high for myself, so I feel like I haven’t [done] what I can do and I should be doing.”
Williams was only credited with three tackles and half of a tackle for loss in the setback to the Bills, but Gregg Williams saw a player disrupting the opposing offense, creating pressure and helping to stop the run.
“He was a part of, a major part of why the quarterback couldn’t step up into the pocket and was bouncing out of the pocket,” the defensive coordinator said. “He did a very good job of collapsing the pocket. With him too, got to get the ball out, punch the ball out, or get the big quarterback down, but he’s taken the next step and you know, we’re only going to see him do that week, by week, by week. He’s healthy and he’s playing very well.”
Asked to rate his own performance against the Bills, Quinnen Williams said he felt good about it. But he also indicated he was far from satisfied.
“I know,” he said, “I can do more.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Justin Thomas struggles but stays in hunt at US Open

Justin Thomas spent Thursday at the U.S. Open plunging into the red to take the 18-hole lead at 5-under .
Friday he nearly gave it all back before rebounding to remain in striking position .
Thomas bogeyed four of his first eight holes and then double bogeyed another to drop to even par for the tournament , but was able to save his round and finished the day with a 3-over 73 , tied for third at 2-under through two rounds and just two shots behind leader Patrick Reed .
“ Every single person in this tournament is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bad run , especially here , ” Thomas said .
“ Mine just happened to be — I mean , I played probably a seven-hole stretch maybe 5-over or something like that .
So it is what it is .
I wasn ’ t driving it well , and then had a couple putts that easily could have gone in that kind of just stayed out , but I just stayed positive and kept fighting because I know that a 3-over is better than a 4-over , and today easily could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m proud of myself for how I hung in.
” Scores were up across the board at Winged Foot on Friday and Thomas was no exception .
But he didn ’ t let his tough start get out of control , recording birdies on the 18th , third and seventh holes to enter Saturday just two shots off the lead .
Thomas , who hit just one bogey on Thursday , pointed to his birdie on the par-3 third hole as the shot that helped turn his momentum back in the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world No .
3 golfer will be back Saturday in a solid spot to continue chasing his first U.S. Open title .
“ It ’ s a better position than I ’ ve been in a U.S. Open before , ” he said .
“ This isn ’ t exactly a place where you go out and try to shoot 6- or 7-under to catch up .
Just have to stay patient and play my own game .
I ’ m not going to worry about what everyone else is doing because you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you could shoot 68 .
I just need to stay focused , and most importantly , go home and get some rest because I ’ m pretty tired .
”

Justin Thomas spent Thursday at the U.S. Open plunging into the red to take the 18-hole lead at 5-under.
Friday he nearly gave it all back before rebounding to remain in striking position.
Thomas bogeyed four of his first eight holes and then double bogeyed another to drop to even par for the tournament, but was able to save his round and finished the day with a 3-over 73, tied for third at 2-under through two rounds and just two shots behind leader Patrick Reed.
“Every single person in this tournament is going to go through a stretch where they get a bad run, especially here,” Thomas said. “Mine just happened to be — I mean, I played probably a seven-hole stretch maybe 5-over or something like that. So it is what it is. I wasn’t driving it well, and then had a couple putts that easily could have gone in that kind of just stayed out, but I just stayed positive and kept fighting because I know that a 3-over is better than a 4-over, and today easily could have been a 6 or 7. I’m proud of myself for how I hung in.”
Scores were up across the board at Winged Foot on Friday and Thomas was no exception. But he didn’t let his tough start get out of control, recording birdies on the 18th, third and seventh holes to enter Saturday just two shots off the lead.
Thomas, who hit just one bogey on Thursday, pointed to his birdie on the par-3 third hole as the shot that helped turn his momentum back in the right direction. Because of it, the world No. 3 golfer will be back Saturday in a solid spot to continue chasing his first U.S. Open title.
“It’s a better position than I’ve been in a U.S. Open before,” he said. “This isn’t exactly a place where you go out and try to shoot 6- or 7-under to catch up. Just have to stay patient and play my own game. I’m not going to worry about what everyone else is doing because you could shoot 80 just as easily as you could shoot 68. I just need to stay focused, and most importantly, go home and get some rest because I’m pretty tired.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Golden Tate’s potential return may give boost to Giants’ offense

All signs pointed toward a breakout year for Giants tight ...

Sunday is shaping up to be the day the Giants have been impatiently waiting on for two seasons.
Though Golden Tate is listed as questionable on the injury report ahead of visiting the Bears, he was more active Friday than he was in the final practice before Week 1. Tate’s hamstring is the only foreseeable obstacle to Daniel Jones having a full complement of weapons — Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram and Saquon Barkley, too — together for the first time.
“It’s definitely really good to get Golden back in there,” Engram said. “Good veteran player [who] makes big plays week-in and week-out. It will be good to have a full force on offense to go compete.”
Tate was suspended during Jones’ first career start last season and then injuries began spreading and mounting. This will be Jones’ 14th start. Engram, Barkley and Tate have never lined up together, including during Eli Manning’s final four starts.
“He’s been working hard with the trainers,” coach Joe Judge said of Tate, “and has progressed nicely.”
Linebacker Carter Coughlin (hamstring) also is considered questionable after he was limited in practice. Defensive back Adrian Colbert (quad) is out.
Two of the Bears’ best defensive players — Khalil Mack (knee) and Robert Quinn (ankle) — are on the injury report. Quinn was a full practice participant Friday, but Mack was not.
“I’d be surprised if those players don’t play this week,” Judge said. “We’re fully anticipating seeing those top-end defensive players going as hard as they can for 60 minutes.”
Judge is tight-lipped when asked about injuries but pays attention to reports in case his counterpart (Matt Nagy this week) is not.
“Obviously, you’re looking at everything you can to try to gain some kind of information,” Judge said. “Matt plays it pretty close to the vest. Sometimes you have to read between the lines.”
Mack added a twist Friday when crediting Giants great Justin Tuck as a mentor when they were Raiders teammates in 2014-15. Mack was the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year in his third season.
Perhaps prompted by Tuck’s inclusion as one of 14 first-year nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as announced Thursday, Mack referred to him as “Justin Tuck, H.O.F” when relaying Tuck’s lasting message not to take anything for granted.
The Giants used pre-snap motion on an NFL-low 9.4 percent of offensive plays in Week 1, according to ESPN.
Usage of a no-huddle attack to start the game and at other times is not conducive to motion because that would allow the defense time to adjust rather than dictating the pace. Different opponents could mean more offensive motion.
“We used a lot of tempo in the game,” offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said. “That was a big part of it. When you’re doing that, you might be in the shifts and motions world a little bit less than you typically would be if you were coming out of the huddle.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Bryson DeChambeau not about to dial it back for Winged Foot

And on the second day of the 120th U.S. Open , ...

Bryson DeChambeau to Winged Foot designer A.W. Tillinghast: “Give me your old-school, narrow, tree-lined, soul-crushing brute that is the West Course and I’ll raise you a 380-yard drive on your 557-yard par-5 ninth hole, leaving me a pitching wedge to the green and one putt for eagle.’’
DeChambeau to the USGA: “Give me your sadistic course setup with your gnarly, sneaker-swallowing rough and your bowling-alley-narrow fairways and I’ll raise you 3-under through 36 holes at the 120th U.S. Open whilst bombing drivers all over your yard. Dial-it-back be damned.’’
Golf’s quirky 27-year-old mad scientist is 36 holes away from winning his first career major championship — he’s one shot out of the lead held by Patrick Reed — and doing it the unconventional way in U.S. Opens: Fearlessly.
“Confidence is at an all-time high right now,’’ DeChambeau said. “I’m driving it well, iron play is fantastic, wedging is getting better each and every day and I’m putting it like I know I can. So very happy.’’
DeChambeau has been one of the prominent stories on the PGA Tour since it restarted its season in June after the pandemic pause because he reappeared as a hulking, long-driving “Popeye’’ cartoon character following several months of crazy workouts.
Along the way, his newfound length has left the game’s longest hitters, such as Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy, shaking their heads in disbelief as he airmails his tee shots past theirs.
DeChambeau began the restart with a tie for third at Colonial, a tie for eighth at Hilton Head and a tie for sixth at Hartford. Then he validated all of his work with a win at the Rocket Mortgage in Michigan.
His newfound strength and length, too, has seduced him into trouble, like at the Memorial, where he stubbornly twice tried to pound 3-wood from terrible lies in the rough and trees and hit it out of bounds both times to miss the cut.
But those bad moments have been far fewer than the good ones.
Like this week at Winged Foot.
No one is supposed to be able to overpower a U.S. Open course. It’s just not the way this tournament is set up. This tournament, with the courses it uses and the way the USGA sets them up, is designed to torment, not tantalize.
DeChambeau was asked, “Is it’s possible to impose your will on a U.S. Open?’’
“That’s a question for the gods,’’ he said. “That’s a question for God. I don’t know if you can. … I mean, Tiger has been able to do something like that many times before, so I think there is something. But human scientific research does not say that there’s anything about that.’’
Asked if he’s trying to impose his will on Winged Foot, DeChambeau said, “Oh yeah.’’
DeChambeau not only is driving it longer than anyone in the field, he’s hitting more fairways than most as well. That’s a deadly combination, a winning formula.
He hit 50 percent of the fairways on Friday while the field average was 39 percent. He ranked first in the field in strokes gained off the tee Friday at 2.23, which means he had more than a two-stroke advantage on every other player in the field.
“I felt like a lot of things were working well for me,’’ DeChambeau said. “I was driving it well. My iron play was impeccable. And I finished really well.’’
Yes, the eagle on No. 9, which was his final hole of the day because he started on No. 10, was a significant exclamation point on a day when Winged Foot yielded only three sub-par rounds among the 143 played.
Driver, pitching wedge, one putt on a par-5: Golf’s version of the perfect date.
“That was a fun way to finish off at a U.S. Open … so far,’’ DeChambeau said.
DeChambeau was the last person on the practice grounds Thursday night, hitting wedges until dark. So, to characterize him as a muscle-head who’s merely interested in bombing the long ball is off base. The guy is a perfectionist to a fault.
DeChambeau revealed some “great advice’’ he received from Phil Mickelson that has helped him this week.
“He said when he almost won back in 2006 [the last U.S. Open at Winged Foot], he said he had the best short game week of his life,’’ he said. “So that’s just a testament to showing that you have to have a great wedge game out here.’’
The conditions Friday, windier and cooler than Thursday, were more difficult. DeChambeau said he welcomed that and he hopes for more challenges over the weekend.
“I want it to play as hard as possible,’’ he said. “I feel like there’s so many holes out here that I can take advantage of that some people can’t.’’
So, caution can stay in the wind — along with DeChambeau’s towering, long drives.


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Breaking down roster issues facing Islanders next season

The Islanders’ longest playoff run in 27 years ended Thursday night, but the team had a strong season, coming just two wins away from qualifying for the Stanley Cup finals.
There are eight players who could be headed for free agency this offseason and the signing of highly-touted goaltending prospect Ilya Sorokin may complicate the situation in net. The Post’s Mollie Walker looks at what questions the Islanders are facing this offseason:
Goaltending
After the Islanders let Robin Lehner walk following the 2018-19 season, they signed Semyon Varlamov as a free agent to a four-year, $20 million deal in July 2019. Thomas Greiss, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent, has somewhat been bumped by Varlamov as the No. 1 goalie this postseason after seeing rather equal time during the regular season. To make matters even tighter for Greiss, the Islanders signed Sorokin in early July only to burn a year off his entry-level contract and sign him to an immediate one-year extension for the 2020-21 season worth $2 million.
Greiss carried a 2019-20 cap hit of $3.3 million. The Islanders have been anxiously waiting for Sorokin to come over to North America and after Varlamov won a handful of games for them this playoff run, Greiss may find himself on the outs.
Unrestricted Free Agents
Aside from Greiss, Andy Greene is the only part of the defense who will be an unrestricted free agent. Greene just finished out the five-year, $25 million deal he signed with the Devils in July 2014. When the Islanders traded for him in February, it reunited Greene with GM Lou Lamoriello, who took a shot on the undrafted defenseman in 2006. The Islanders have made it clear how highly they think of Greene and his veteran presence on their back end, but after bringing in a cap hit of $5 million, there likely will have to be a cut taken in order for him to remain on the team.
Usual fourth-line winger Matt Martin is finishing out the four-year, $10 million contract he signed with the Maple Leafs in 2016. As part of the Islanders’ fourth line, or Identity Line, next to Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck, Martin had a career playoff run with five goals and one assist. But the Islanders collectively paid $9.5 million dollars for their fourth line, and though a productive part of the team, that’s rather high. Martin’s cap hit was $2.5 million.
Former Ranger Derick Brassard is another pending unrestricted free agent after he signed a one-year deal with the Islanders in August 2019. Before the regular season was abruptly ended, Brassard scored 32 points in 66 games, including 10 goals. But he found himself as a healthy scratch a handful of times this postseason as he struggled offensively, putting up just two goals and six assists in 18 games. Carrying a cap hit of $1.2 million it’s questionable if there would be a bigger deal on the table.
Tom Kuhnhackl is also a pending UFA after signing back-to-back one-year contracts since he’s been with the Islanders. He had a cap hit of $700,000 during the 2018-19 season and signed a one-year extension this past season for $850,000.
Restricted Free Agents
Center Mathew Barzal, defensemen Devon Toews and Ryan Pulock are the only three restricted free agents. Pulock, 25, did a tremendous job on the top defensive-pairing with Adam Pelech and played a big part in the defensive core. Pulock signed a two-year contract in July 2018 after he finished second on the team in defensemen scoring and tied for first in goals. Pulock had a cap hit of $2 million for the 2019-20 season.
Lamoriello made it clear in March that Barzal would have an offer sheet matched by the Islanders if it ever got to that point. He even said it wasn’t the Islanders’ intention to let it get to that stage of negotiations. Barzal has proved his upside could be monumental, and that could mean a solid pay day for the 23-year-old center, especially after his cap hit sat at just $863,333 from his entry-level contract.
Toews is also set to become a RFA after his entry level contract expires. He carried a cap hit of $700,000.


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Jumaane Williams’ vision doesn’t redefine public safety, it eliminates it

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has made a career of being ...

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams rolled out a vision last week he calls “Redefining Public Safety” — an earnest effort to flesh out what the less-extreme de-policing advocates want. But the better name is “Eliminating Public Safety.”
“People want to feel safe. Very often the thing that’s offered is simply more policing,” Williams lamented last week. “That’s a narrative that needs to change.”
Huh? Through Sept. 6, the number of people shot is nearly double last year’s figure (1,288 vs. 653). Many survived, thank goodness, but homicides are still up 35 percent from 2019. Burglaries are up 41 percent; auto thefts, 61 percent.
And the quality of life in the city, with vagrants and druggies terrorizing communities, is the worst in decades — a key reason people are fleeing.
Yet Williams wants less policing.
Not all his views are entirely off-base. It would be great if someone other than cops could handle crises of people with mental-health issues. Police aren’t mental-health experts or social workers, and don’t want to be.
He calls for “strengthening” the “community-based mental-health infrastructure,” which sounds fine (but no Thrive, please). Yet he also wants to “minimize” hospitalization, when it’s clear that more, not less, of the severely mentally ill should be in hospitals — the city’s shortage of psychiatric beds is a problem.
More important: His other alternatives to policing are downright absurd — exposing the hollowness of the entire de-policing approach. To Williams, for instance, gun violence isn’t a criminal matter; it’s a “public-health crisis.” To address it, he’d deploy “credible messengers,” “community groups” and “violence interrupters.”
He’d also make housing a “human right” (never mind supply) and “question” the city’s “over-reliance” on law enforcement in the subways. Feel safer yet?
In fact, more policing was the key to reining in violence during the pre-Giuliani bad old days. Two Democrats — Mayor David Dinkins and City Council Speaker Peter Vallone Sr. — added 5,000 cops to the force after murders peaked at 2,262 in 1990; Mayor Rudy Giuliani added thousands more. Upshot: Before the 2020 spike, murders since then fell 86 percent.
Meanwhile, Williams has spent much of his political life pushing for “reforms” (the rollback of broken windows policing, the emptying of jails, etc.) that have fueled the current wave of violence.
Ironically, he claims he’s looking out for minorities, yet they’re the biggest victims of his ideas. And they know it: For example, 80 percent of American blacks want more police in their areas, or at least as much as they have now, a recent Gallup poll showed. So do 83 percent of Hispanics.
Yes, many blacks and Hispanics want changes in policing and the criminal-justice system — but “de-policing” is just a bid to pawn off lefty fantasies as real answers.


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Why the country needs a filled Supreme Court for the 2020 election: Goodwin

If you thought the presidential election was already too hot ...

By telling Senate Republicans Saturday they have an obligation to fill “without delay” the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, President Trump sets in motion a process that could dominate the remaining weeks of the presidential election. The issue will further galvanize core supporters for both sides, but if either the GOP or Democrats are looking for additional motivation, they could do worse than to shout, “Remember the Hanging Chad!”
As battle cries go, that one might not make the blood run hotter but should at least stir memories. Those would be the memories of the Supreme Court deciding the 2000 presidential election by settling disputes over paper ballots.
A key ruling in Bush v. Gore held that Florida’s use of different standards for counting votes in different counties was unconstitutional, by a 7-2 vote. And, by a 5-4 vote, the court also said there was no time to fix the process before the Electoral College met to certify the election.
The result was George W. Bush won Florida’s 25 electoral votes, giving him 271 to Al Gore’s 266.
To many Americans, the case probably seems like ancient history, if they know it at all, but there’s a strong chance the Supreme Court will have to make rulings in this presidential race, too. All the more reason, then, why the court should have its full complement of nine justices.
Democrats vehemently vow to oppose the prospect of a sixth constitutional conservative on the bench, and already far-leftists are threatening violence. If nothing else, that should stiffen the spines of some Republican senators who are leery of taking up the issue.
It is their job, and slinking into the fetal position in the face of controversy and threats is unspeakable cowardice.
Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have precedents on their side in that history is sprinkled with election-year high-court nominations and confirmations when the White House and Senate are controlled by the same party. Dem Presidents FDR and Woodrow Wilson did it, with Wilson having two nominations confirmed in 1916 as he sought re-election. However, I cannot find any examples that came so close to Election Day as the current case.
But as Sen. Ted Cruz noted, the calendar should be a reason to move forward, not an excuse to delay. Cruz, a Texas Republican, argues that a 4-4 ruling in a case like Bush v. Gore would create a “constitutional crisis” and must be prevented.
If the outcome of the election depended on a court ruling, which is certainly possible given the passions and the potential machinations involved in universal mail-in voting, a tie vote at the Supreme Court could leave America without a president and no way to resolve the issue.
Politically motivated violence is already spreading, so imagine what might happen if the election remains undecided. America’s great history of the peaceful transfer of power could be at risk.
If that sounds far-fetched, consider some of the suspect decisions already being made in various states that deliberately weaken ballot security. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, for example, voted last week along party lines (the judges are elected) that county drop boxes, including unattended ones, could be used to collect votes.
Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, and his party supported the measure, which reached the court by lawsuits, thus avoiding GOP control of both legislative chambers.
The decision obviously opens the door to potential fraud because ballots in unsecured drop boxes could be tampered with or stolen. “This ruling is not about ensuring fair elections — it is about allowing one party to steal this election,” two top state Republican legislators said in a statement.
New Jersey’s Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy also made some curious decisions. A Jersey friend sent me a mailer he received that was addressed only to “Residential Customer.”
Inside, a pamphlet from the county clerk in Bergen County said that a Murphy order “requires” every county to mail a ballot to “every active registered voter.” That raises the chances of thousands of unmarked ballots being stolen from the post office or front porches, practices not exactly unheard of in New Jersey.
In fact, a recent Post story revealed the dirty tricks and fraud committed by a longtime Dem operative in the state, who says mail-in ballots are a gold mine for those who want to cheat.
That becomes even easier under the new rules. Jersey voters can mail their ballots back, hand deliver them to polling sites by Nov. 3 or put them into those vulnerable drop boxes scattered around each county.
In what seems like an invitation for manipulation, the pamphlet also promises that if a ballot is rejected because of a “missing or discrepant signature,” the voter will be contacted and offered the chance to “cure the defect” under rules “established” by the secretary of state.
Then there was this Associated Press story from Atlanta: “In a presidential election year, there’s always a push to get people registered to vote. For one Atlanta family, that push got a little interesting.
“Ron Tims said he checked his mail Wednesday and found a voter registration application addressed to Cody Tims — his cat, who died 12 years ago.”
Giving a cat a ballot is one thing — but a dead cat? The secretary of state’s office said it had nothing to do with the application, blaming “out-of-town activists” trying to register voters in hopes of swaying the election. How comforting.
Although most of these decisions are tied to the coronavirus, the potential for cheating and mistakes multiplies when voters are never required to present themselves in person to register or vote. Most state systems are not designed to handle mass mail-in voting, which is why the decisions to create new, extra-lenient rules on the fly are so troubling.
The argument that every vote should count is valid only to the extent that every voter’s identity has been verified. That is especially important in states and municipalities that allow noncitizens, including illegal immigrants, to vote in local elections.
It would be a crime if they voted in federal elections — if they are caught. But with the guardrails removed, who is to catch them?
Because disputes are certain to emerge over how and what votes are counted in November, Trump and Joe Biden are loading up with lawyers ready to fight it out in swing states.
The approach makes it almost certain some cases will get to federal courts, and one or more likely will make it to the high court.
While it might seem a no-brainer for Dems to oppose a lifetime Trump nominee as they aim to win the White House and Senate, the prospect of a deadlocked Supreme Court on the election presents an unacceptable danger for the entire nation. Elections need to be seen as fair and final if Americans are to keep what little faith we still have in our government institutions.


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Ex-NBA guard Ty Lawson banned from Chinese team for ‘inappropriate comments’

Former NBA player Ty Lawson has been banned from the Chinese Basketball Association after allegedly making derogatory and offensive Instagram posts regarding Chinese women , according to multiple reports .
The Fujian Sturgeons — the Chinese team Lawson has played for since 2019 — said the 32-year-old Lawson will no longer be on the team , severing ties with the guard because of “ inappropriate comments ” he allegedly posted on social media , according to ESPN .
The Sturgeons said in a statement that Lawson — who played in the NBA for eight seasons from 2009-2017 — posted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it a violation of the team ’ s “ social responsibilities and core values ” policy .
“ His inappropriate words are inconsistent with the social responsibilities and values abided by our club and have brought serious adverse social impacts to the club and the league .
We will not sign him for the new season , ” the Sturgeons said in a statement , according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua .
The team did not say more about the incident , just that Lawson wouldn ’ t be signed to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t commented on his departure — led Fujian to the playoffs last season and has been in China since the end of the season .
NBA sources told Sports Illustrated that alcohol may have been a factor in the alleged posts .
Lawson has been arrested four time for driving while intoxicated , the last taking place in 2015 , according to SI.com .
Lawson was a first-round pick in 2009 NBA Draft , selected 18th by the Minnesota Timberwolves before being traded to the Denver Nuggets .
Lawson averaged 12.7 points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career , which included stops with the Houston Rockets , Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings .
He also was a star at North Carolina and was named ACC Player of the Year in 2009 as a junior .

Former NBA player Ty Lawson has been banned from the Chinese Basketball Association after allegedly making derogatory and offensive Instagram posts regarding Chinese women, according to multiple reports.
The Fujian Sturgeons — the Chinese team Lawson has played for since 2019 — said the 32-year-old Lawson will no longer be on the team, severing ties with the guard because of “inappropriate comments” he allegedly posted on social media, according to ESPN.
The Sturgeons said in a statement that Lawson — who played in the NBA for eight seasons from 2009-2017 — posted the inappropriate comments on Sept. 18, calling it a violation of the team’s “social responsibilities and core values” policy.
“His inappropriate words are inconsistent with the social responsibilities and values abided by our club and have brought serious adverse social impacts to the club and the league. We will not sign him for the new season,” the Sturgeons said in a statement, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
The team did not say more about the incident, just that Lawson wouldn’t be signed to a new deal.
Lawson — who hasn’t commented on his departure — led Fujian to the playoffs last season and has been in China since the end of the season.
NBA sources told Sports Illustrated that alcohol may have been a factor in the alleged posts. Lawson has been arrested four time for driving while intoxicated, the last taking place in 2015, according to SI.com.
Lawson was a first-round pick in 2009 NBA Draft, selected 18th by the Minnesota Timberwolves before being traded to the Denver Nuggets.
Lawson averaged 12.7 points and six assists per game in NBA career, which included stops with the Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings. He also was a star at North Carolina and was named ACC Player of the Year in 2009 as a junior.


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Gemini Man’ On Amazon Prime Video, Where Will Smith Plays A Sniper On The Run

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Gemini Man’ On Amazon Prime Video, Where Will Smith Plays A Sniper On The Run From His Younger Self

Ang Lee may have one of the most diverse resumes of any working director ; the man behind Sense & Sensibility , Brokeback Mountain , and Life of Pi has never shied away from the most daring of projects .
Gemini Man , now streaming on Amazon Prime Video , is no exception .
The groundbreaking sci-fi thriller pits a sniper played by Will Smith against a clone of his younger self , and the technology is mind-boggling .
Is Lee ’ s latest flick a bullseye ?
Or does it miss the mark completely ?
GEMINI MAN : STREAM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Will Smith stars as Henry Brogan , a career sniper for the Defense Intelligence Agency .
After a job nearly goes wrong , he makes the decision to retire , and soon discovers that this job may end up costing him his life .
As he tries to settle into his retirement , he meets a boat rental manager named Danny ( Mary Elizabeth Winstead ) who is actually a DIA agent sent to surveil Henry .
The two wind up connecting and at the center of something much bigger than either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out that Henry ’ s last hit – the one that drove him to retirement – was actually an innocent man , a scientist employed by an elite private military sector called GEMINI .
Now that Henry knows the truth , he must be eliminated .
After he saves Danny from being assassinated , she decides to help him , and the two of them make a run for it .
Henry easily thwarts many of the individuals sent to kill him , but his world is turned upside down when he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar skills to his own .
To Henry ’ s horror , he soon comes face to face with himself – well , the cloned , younger , stronger , faster version of himself .
In a brilliant ( and unhinged ) move , the government cloned Henry – the most efficient killing machine in the world – without his knowledge .
Now that the real Henry is in their way , they ( and the coldblooded Clayton Verris , played by Clive Owen ) have sent the clone to take him out… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his clone discover the truth about what they are a part of , things get bloodier and the stakes get higher , until they ’ re finally forced to make decisions that will change their lives – and the course of history – forever .
What Movies Will It Remind You Of ?
: Gemini Man doesn ’ t try to reinvent the action movie wheel , and hits a lot of the same beats we ’ re used to seeing these days in franchises like Mission : Impossible and The Bourne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubles element from Looper tossed in .
Performance Worth Watching : Woof , these actors do the best they can with what they ’ re given , but there are very few standout performances in Gemini Man .
And it ’ s a fantastic cast !
Mary Elizabeth Winstead is one of my favorite working performers at the moment .
Smith is great , per usual , as both himself and his clone , but it ’ s hard to know when the tears cried by his clone are real or computer-generated , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sliiiightly off about it all .
Memorable Dialogue : I got ta be honest .
The dialogue in this movie was garbage .
Even painful at times .
I will concede that Smith ’ s performance helped sell some lines like “ When I saw him , it was like I was seeing a ghost .
Like every trigger I ’ ve ever pulled.
” But for the most part , the conversations in Gemini Man are stilted , cliched , and generally lifeless .
Sex and Skin : Refreshingly so , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crazy sweaty sexy scenes in between all the fighting .
Or a giant age gap between a graying leading man and a fresh young ingenue .
That is one point in Gemini Man ‘ s favor .
Our Take : Oh , I wanted Gemini Man to be good so badly !
What a strange , soulless movie with so much squandered potential .
The decision to shoot it at 120 frames per second ( the typical movie is shot at 24 ! )
, creating a strange , hyperrealistic effect , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be watching a video game play out .
The film ’ s set pieces feel strangely underwhelming , the performances flat .
And it almost makes the clone technology seem a little less convincing .
This isn ’ t my biggest gripe with Gemini Man , but it ’ s certainly a large issue that might have helped it sing a little more as a thrilling , well , thriller .
A gimmick can ’ t keep a movie afloat .
That ’ s the truth .
And while it is totally exciting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has come , Will Smith and his clone aren ’ t able to make Gemini Man work on their own .
The script is clunky and on occasion eye-roll inducing ; the scenes that involve the discovery of the clone and his origins are genuinely painful to endure – it feels like stuff from an introductory screenwriting class .
We don ’ t want to be spoon-fed .
We can figure it out .
And if Gemini Man had let us do a little more of the homework ourselves , it would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it decides to put on a dazzling light show that leaves you feeling pretty empty by the end , an entertaining but forgettable ( and kind of terrifying ? )
glimpse of what the future of filmmaking may hold .
The story , though ?
Well , there isn ’ t much of that here .
And with a director and a cast like this , there are very few excuses for it .
It ’ s not that Gemini Man is offensively bad or particularly difficult to watch ; it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might let play on the TV while you move around the house doing other things , or choose if it ’ s free on an airplane .
It ’ s passable .
It ’ s fun .
With a few tweaks , it could have been a great , mindless summer popcorn movie .
But when there are top-notch , emotionally impactful action movies coming out by the handful these days , Gemini Man doesn ’ t come anywhere near making the mark .
It just doesn ’ t have the heart .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the technology and visuals are undeniably breathtaking , Gemini Man doesn ’ t really have a soul ( or much of a script ) .
It ’ s a real shame , because at its core , the concept is actually a pretty interesting one , but a gimmick can ’ t save a movie .
While it may make acceptable airplane viewing fare , a few minutes of this film make it obvious that there ’ s a reason it was in development hell for two decades .
Jade Budowski is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes .
Follow her on Twitter : @ jadebudowski .

Ang Lee may have one of the most diverse resumes of any working director; the man behind Sense & Sensibility, Brokeback Mountain, and Life of Pi has never shied away from the most daring of projects. Gemini Man, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, is no exception. The groundbreaking sci-fi thriller pits a sniper played by Will Smith against a clone of his younger self, and the technology is mind-boggling. Is Lee’s latest flick a bullseye? Or does it miss the mark completely?
GEMINI MAN: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
The Gist: Will Smith stars as Henry Brogan, a career sniper for the Defense Intelligence Agency. After a job nearly goes wrong, he makes the decision to retire, and soon discovers that this job may end up costing him his life. As he tries to settle into his retirement, he meets a boat rental manager named Danny (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who is actually a DIA agent sent to surveil Henry. The two wind up connecting and at the center of something much bigger than either of them every anticipated. It turns out that Henry’s last hit – the one that drove him to retirement – was actually an innocent man, a scientist employed by an elite private military sector called GEMINI. Now that Henry knows the truth, he must be eliminated. After he saves Danny from being assassinated, she decides to help him, and the two of them make a run for it.
Henry easily thwarts many of the individuals sent to kill him, but his world is turned upside down when he’s finally hunted by someone with eerily similar skills to his own. To Henry’s horror, he soon comes face to face with himself – well, the cloned, younger, stronger, faster version of himself. In a brilliant (and unhinged) move, the government cloned Henry – the most efficient killing machine in the world – without his knowledge. Now that the real Henry is in their way, they (and the coldblooded Clayton Verris, played by Clive Owen) have sent the clone to take him out… and take his place. As Henry and his clone discover the truth about what they are a part of, things get bloodier and the stakes get higher, until they’re finally forced to make decisions that will change their lives – and the course of history – forever.
What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Gemini Man doesn’t try to reinvent the action movie wheel, and hits a lot of the same beats we’re used to seeing these days in franchises like Mission: Impossible and The Bourne movies, with a little of the doubles element from Looper tossed in.
Performance Worth Watching: Woof, these actors do the best they can with what they’re given, but there are very few standout performances in Gemini Man. And it’s a fantastic cast! Mary Elizabeth Winstead is one of my favorite working performers at the moment. Smith is great, per usual, as both himself and his clone, but it’s hard to know when the tears cried by his clone are real or computer-generated, and there’s still something just sliiiightly off about it all.
Memorable Dialogue: I gotta be honest. The dialogue in this movie was garbage. Even painful at times. I will concede that Smith’s performance helped sell some lines like “When I saw him, it was like I was seeing a ghost. Like every trigger I’ve ever pulled.” But for the most part, the conversations in Gemini Man are stilted, cliched, and generally lifeless.
Sex and Skin: Refreshingly so, this is not the kinda action thriller with crazy sweaty sexy scenes in between all the fighting. Or a giant age gap between a graying leading man and a fresh young ingenue. That is one point in Gemini Man‘s favor.
Our Take: Oh, I wanted Gemini Man to be good so badly! What a strange, soulless movie with so much squandered potential. The decision to shoot it at 120 frames per second (the typical movie is shot at 24!), creating a strange, hyperrealistic effect, one that makes you feel like you might be watching a video game play out. The film’s set pieces feel strangely underwhelming, the performances flat. And it almost makes the clone technology seem a little less convincing. This isn’t my biggest gripe with Gemini Man, but it’s certainly a large issue that might have helped it sing a little more as a thrilling, well, thriller.
A gimmick can’t keep a movie afloat. That’s the truth. And while it is totally exciting and mind-blowing to see how far technology has come, Will Smith and his clone aren’t able to make Gemini Man work on their own. The script is clunky and on occasion eye-roll inducing; the scenes that involve the discovery of the clone and his origins are genuinely painful to endure – it feels like stuff from an introductory screenwriting class. We don’t want to be spoon-fed. We can figure it out. And if Gemini Man had let us do a little more of the homework ourselves, it would be a much better movie. But instead, it decides to put on a dazzling light show that leaves you feeling pretty empty by the end, an entertaining but forgettable (and kind of terrifying?) glimpse of what the future of filmmaking may hold. The story, though? Well, there isn’t much of that here. And with a director and a cast like this, there are very few excuses for it.
It’s not that Gemini Man is offensively bad or particularly difficult to watch; it’s exactly the kind of movie you might let play on the TV while you move around the house doing other things, or choose if it’s free on an airplane. It’s passable. It’s fun. With a few tweaks, it could have been a great, mindless summer popcorn movie. But when there are top-notch, emotionally impactful action movies coming out by the handful these days, Gemini Man doesn’t come anywhere near making the mark. It just doesn’t have the heart.
Our Call: SKIP IT. While the technology and visuals are undeniably breathtaking, Gemini Man doesn’t really have a soul (or much of a script). It’s a real shame, because at its core, the concept is actually a pretty interesting one, but a gimmick can’t save a movie. While it may make acceptable airplane viewing fare, a few minutes of this film make it obvious that there’s a reason it was in development hell for two decades.
Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.
Stream Gemini Man on Amazon Prime Video


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--Notre Dame demolishes South Florida to extend home win streak

Snap a shot of the Top 25 .
It won ’ t look ...

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Ian Book ran for three first-half touchdowns and No. 7 Notre Dame won its 20th straight home game 52-0 against South Florida on Saturday.
Coach Brian Kelly’s Fighting Irish (2-0) led 35-0 at halftime and for the second year in a row posted a 52-point shutout for defensive coordinator Clark Lea.
“We talked all week about the standard we had set for our football team, and it’s really just a mindset for our offense,” Kelly said. “It was a point of emphasis and we got off to that fast start and obviously that set the tone for the day.”
Book, who started with three straight completions, capped the opening drive with a 4-yard touchdown run. He is the first quarterback in Notre Dame’s modern era to run for three touchdowns in one half. He added 143 yards on 12-of-19 passing before exiting with 2:21 left in the third quarter as freshman Drew Pyne took over.
“Ian was better today — he managed the things we wanted him to do,” Kelly said. “He led the team to the fast start we wanted. He was tuned in and had a great week of practice. I liked his calmness in the pocket.”
Freshman Chris Tyree scored from a yard out about five minutes after Book’s first TD. It never got better for the first-year coach Jeff Scott’s Bulls (1-1), who were a late add to Notre Dame’s schedule after the Irish joined the Atlantic Coast Conference for this off season in a pandemic.
“They’ve got a playoff-caliber team and they really dominated the game from the beginning to the end,” said Scott, a former co-offensive coordinator for Dabo Swinney at Clemson. “I felt like I was playing Clemson there for the majority of the day.”
Reserve C’Bo Flemister ran for a career-best 127 yards for Notre Dame as the Irish spread the touches around between starter Kyren Williams (62 yards on 10 carries) and Tyree (65 on eight). The Irish finished with 281 rushing yards and 429 total yards.
Jafar Armstrong added a 5-yard TD run to close out the scoring for the Irish.
Meanwhile, the Irish defense limited USF to 65 yards in the first half and 231 total while breaking in three new starters. A total of nine players missed the game with safety Kyle Hamilton’s ankle injury and wide receiver Ben Skowronek (hamstring) out with injuries. Notre Dame did not disclose the reasons the other eight did not play.
The Irish special teams got into the act in the third quarter with the help of a high snap over the head of USF punter Trent Schneider. When the Australian picked it up 36 yards behind the line of scrimmage, Osita Ekwonu blocked Schneider’s kick and freshman Jordan Botelho recovered the ball as it was going into the end zone for a 45-0 lead with 3:23 left in the third quarter.
The Irish beat Bowling Green 52-0 last season.


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--New on TV this week: 7 movies and shows to watch live

Sunday 8 p.m. , ABC “ Everybody Loves Raymond ” co-stars Ray Romano and Brad Garrett compete against each other while rock bands Fall Out Boy and Weezer go head-to-head — all for charity .
Steve Harvey hosts .
Tuesday , 8 p.m. , The CW In the season finale , “ Hive-Mother , ” Meg ( Alexa Davies ) , Nicky ( Will Merrick ) and the others are set to complete Kingdom Scrolls — and decide to make a weekend out of it by cosplaying the final level .
Wednesday , 8 p.m. , Fox The top-rated reality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ host Nick Cannon and panelists Jenny McCarthy , Nicole Scherzinger and Robin Thicke — and a new cast of masked celebrity singers .
Thursday , 9 p.m. , ABC It ’ s a blast from the past as legendary contestants from the original game-show series return 35 years later alongside three other hopefuls vying for the grand prize .
Elizabeth Banks hosts .
Saturday , 9 p.m. , Hallmark Lily ( Clark Backo ) , an activities director at a cozy mountain hotel , is tasked with helping a handsome workaholic , Noah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his sister ’ s wedding .
Monday , 9 p.m. , Fox After the patriarch of a mega-rich Southern family dies in a plane crash , his wife and family are stunned to learn that he fathered three illegitimate children — all of whom are written into his will .
Starring Kim Cattrall and Benjamin Levy Aguilar .
Friday on Amazon This five-part docuseries takes a look at Formula One World Champion Fernando Alonso , exploring his life on and off the racing circuit during the months leading up to the famous Dakar @ @

The Equalizer
Kelly Rowland in “The Equalizer”. CBS
Sunday, 8 p.m., CBS
FALL FINALE. A superstar singer (Kelly Rowland) decides to retire after receiving a terrifying fan letter — and McCall (Queen Latifah) is called in.Tory Kittles, Adam Goldberg and Lorraine Toussaint co-star.
Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields
Tuesday on Netflix
An overgrown field and a stretch of highway in Texas connect a string of grisly murders spanning several decades as grieving families search for answers. The docuseries is executive-produced by Brian Grazer and Joe Berlinger.
Call Me Kat
Mayim Bialik and Cheyenne Jackson Lisa Rose/ Â©2022 FOX
Thursday, 9:30 p.m., Fox
Kat’s (Mayim Bialik) murder-mystery-themed Friendsgiving dinner is not a crowdpleaser. Meanwhile, she tries to encourage Max’s (Cheyenne Jackson) career ambitions. Swoosie Kurtz co-stars.
Money Court
Kevin O’Leary and Bethany Frankel Patrick Randak/CNBC
Wednesday, 10 p.m., CNBC
Bethenny Frankel joins host Kevin O’Leary for Season 2 of the series in which they weigh in on and resolve a wide range of business disputes and chart a path forward.
The Great Holiday Bake War
Saturday, 9 p.m., OWN
When former pastry school rivals Julian (Finesse Mitchell) and Brianna (LeToya Luckett) meet years later in a TV baking competition, the sparks — and flour — fly as they battle for the winning prize money and learn how to work together.
Battle of the Bling
HGTV
Friday, Dec. 9, 9:30 p.m. on HGTV
Singer/dancer/social media influencer Todrick Hall and HGTV designer Kim Myles (”High Design”) find the flashiest, most over-the-top, outrageous home in America as they tour 15 bold properties (nominated by homeowners) over five episodes.
Whitstable Pearl
Kerry Godliman as Pearl Nolan in “Whitstable Pearl”. Mark Bourdillon/AcornTV
Monday on Acorn TV
In the Season 2 premiere, Pearl (Kerry Godliman) and Mike (Howard Charles) team up to try to find a boy kidnapped by his father, an ex-soldier, while visiting France. A second episode follows, in which Mike, laid up with a broken ankle, is convinced his neighbor is planning to murder his wife.


newyorkpost--2020-09-19--NYCFC extend unbeaten streak with hard-earned tie

FOXBOROUGH , Mass .
— Sean Johnson had seven saves for his third shutout in the last four games and @ @ @ @ @ New England Revolution to a 0-0 tie Saturday .
Johnson had a pair of diving @ @ @ @ @ minutes and added two saves in the closing minutes .
He has five shutouts this @ @ @ @ @ just three goals in the last eight games .
New York City ( 5-5-2 ) @ @ @ @ @ wins , in its last six games .
NYCFC had a chance in the 70th @ @ @ @ @ ball to Alexander Ring , who slipped a pass through three defenders to Alexandru Mitrita @ @ @ @ @ the area but New York City ’ s Andrew Farrell raced from the far side @ @ @ @ @ .
New England ( 3-3-6 ) has just one win in its last five games @

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Sean Johnson had seven saves for his third shutout in the last four games and New York City played the New England Revolution to a 0-0 tie Saturday.
Johnson had a pair of diving stops in the first 20 minutes and added two saves in the closing minutes. He has five shutouts this season, and has allowed just three goals in the last eight games.
New York City (5-5-2) is unbeaten, with four wins, in its last six games.
NYCFC had a chance in the 70th when Anton Tinnerholm centered a ball to Alexander Ring, who slipped a pass through three defenders to Alexandru Mitrita in the right side of the area but New York City’s Andrew Farrell raced from the far side and made a sliding block.
New England (3-3-6) has just one win in its last five games.