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Among the first reasons Phillies part-owner John Middleton provided for the organization’s selection of Andy MacPhail as its next president was his track record. In the eyes of Middleton and partners Jim and Pete Buck, the “ideal candidate” to succeed Pat Gillick after the season would be someone who had won World Series championships. He would have rebuilt several teams and led them to the playoffs….

For roughly four minutes last Tuesday, I watched doctors huddle around two women lying on the ground, one bleeding and motionless and the other kicking in pain. It wasn’t a crime scene. It was the Women’s World Cup semi-final game at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. U.S. midfielder Morgan Brian and German forward Alexandra Popp smashed noggins while trying to head the ball after a free kick. Then, they both…

For 29 years, the summer race at Daytona International Speedway was a part of the nation’s birthday. The event was always run on Independence Day, no matter what day of the week. The race was in the morning, and the drivers and their families were celebrating on the beach by late afternoon. The tradition that began in 1959 ended in 1988 when the event was moved into prime time on…

Olympians Phil Kessel, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter should be back for the 2016 World Cup. (USATSI) Things are winding down in the NHL offseason, as are the days of meaningful hockey conversations — for a few months, at least. But there is one topic that is ripe for examination and debates that could last from now through next season and deep into next summer. And with this being the…

As the USA Collegiate National Team and Cuba’s national team prepared to continue a series of “friendly” games Saturday night at Charlotte’s BB&T Ballpark, the Cubans were suddenly without two star players who defected while the teams played in North Carolina. The series began last week at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, with the second and third games played at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham. At…

facebook twitter googleplus tumblr pinterest Welcome to the night-game version of the free late DFS MLB Playbook for Saturday, July 4, courtesy of Sporting News partners FantasyAlarm.com. Every day, the experts at FantasyAlarm.com, who won the 2015 FanDuel Playboy Championship, will publish their top daily fantasy baseball plays at each position across various DFS sites in the Playbook. It’s a great place to start your MLB DFS research for the day, but there’s…

115:44 Foul by Martín Demichelis (Argentina). 115:32 Foul by Charles Aránguiz (Chile). 115:32 Lucas Biglia (Argentina) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 114:54 Foul by Jean Beausejour (Chile). 114:54 Lionel Messi (Argentina) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 113:49 Attempt missed. Charles Aránguiz (Chile) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Arturo Vidal. 113:06 Alexis Sánchez (Chile)…

By Nick Schwartz July 4, 2015 1:36 pm Follow @Nick_Schwartz

In a world where ‘Shark Week’ is the most anticipated week of television every year, the ‘Sharknado’ franchise is now on its third television movie, and a shark is throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to Jeff “Shark” Samardzija, the following lawsuit only makes sense. According to the Miami Herald, a fan who visited Marlins Park two years ago is now suing the Miami Marlins after alledgedly suffering neck and…

Star free-agent forward LaMarcus Aldridge has agreed to sign a four-year, $80 million maximum contract with the San Antonio Spurs, league sources told Yahoo Sports. Aldridge, who turns 30 on July 19, had spent all nine seasons of his NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers, developing into one of the league’s best big men. He informed the Trail Blazers on Friday night that he had narrowed his choices to…

facebook twitter googleplus tumblr pinterest Despite strong statements by NASCAR and its tracks to discourage fans from displaying the Confederate flag at races, the Stars and Bars were conspicuous at Daytona this weekend. “A handful” of flags were flying Friday at Daytona International Raceway as fans filed into the track for this weekend’s racing, capped by Sunday night’s Coke Zero 400, The Charlotte Observer reported. More flags have since been…

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR is the latest corporation to distance itself from Donald Trump. On the same day one of its top sponsors called on NASCAR to take a stance against Trump, the motorsports series said it will not hold its season-ending awards ceremony at the Trump National Doral Miami. “We looked at everything we saw coming down and what we heard from our sponsors and our partners and…

The other day, as he sat on a tour bus here surrounded by visitors from England, Joe Machnik – a former assistant coach on the US men’s soccer team and currently an analyst on Fox Sports – asked his fellow travellers a question he presumed obvious: “Are you here for the World Cup?” The tourists from the UK scoffed. “They pooh-poohed it – they said: ‘No, it’s women’s soccer.’” That…

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.  — The NASCAR Xfinity Series will hold its final restrictor-plate race of the season Saturday with the Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway. Here are the particulars (all times are ET): START: Jared the Subway Guy and U.S. Navy, Petty Officer Second Class John Casper will give the command for drivers to start their engines at 7:38 p.m. ET. The green flag is scheduled for 7:50 p.m….

The youngest members of the US women’s soccer team fly on team flights and stay in team hotels throughout the year. They run tirelessly in practice, rolling across fields, always ready to offer hugs and high-fives. The youngest members of the US women’s soccer team are also the most popular members of the team, loved by all and endlessly doted upon at team meetings, dinners and social gatherings. Related: Women’s…

By Nick Schwartz July 4, 2015 1:36 pm Follow @Nick_Schwartz

Joe Henderson III still remembers his maiden pilgrimage to Talladega Superspeedway. It was in the spring of 2004. He was 18 and making the drive to the famed haunted house of speed from Nashville, Tenn., with his father. This pair was more than just massive racing fans. They had skin in the game. Back in the day, Joe Jr. had crewed for Wendell Scott, stock car racing’s Jackie Robinson. Now,…

VANCOUVER — The taut matches and upset scares along the American team’s troublesome path to Sunday’s World Cup championship game illustrate the evolving landscape of women’s soccer and the challenge faced by the United States to remain a dominant force. Since women’s soccer was first recognized as a competitive international sport some 25 years ago, no country has enjoyed more success than the United States, which has won four of five…

Joe Henderson III still remembers his maiden pilgrimage to Talladega Superspeedway. It was in the spring of 2004. He was 18 and making the drive to the famed haunted house of speed from Nashville, Tenn., with his father. This pair was more than just massive racing fans. They had skin in the game. Back in the day, Joe Jr. had crewed for Wendell Scott, stock car racing’s Jackie Robinson. Now,…

VANCOUVER — The taut matches and upset scares along the American team’s troublesome path to Sunday’s World Cup championship game illustrate the evolving landscape of women’s soccer and the challenge faced by the United States to remain a dominant force. Since women’s soccer was first recognized as a competitive international sport some 25 years ago, no country has enjoyed more success than the United States, which has won four of five…