World Sports

The number of children playing team sports is falling, with experts blaming a parent-driven focus on elite travel clubs, specialization in one sport and pursuit of scholarships for hurting the country’s youth sports leagues. Baseball, basketball, softball, soccer and touch football — long staples of American childhood — have all taken hits, worrying public health advocates, league organizers and professional sports organizations. More than 26 million children ages 6 to 17…

ESPN and sports commentator Jason Whitlock have parted ways. Again. After hiring Whitlock in August 2013 to be the founding editor for a still-yet-to-launch website (The Undefeated) on the intersection of race and sports—a talent acquisition that was also part of a spending spree to counter the launch of Fox Sports 1—ESPN has bought out the remainder of Whitlock’s contract. This ends the second go-around for ESPN and Whitlock, who…

Liverpool have sacked manager Brendan Rodgers after three and a half years in charge. Ex-Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp is first choice to take over. Rodgers was dismissed after Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Everton, which left the Reds 10th in the Premier League, but the decision was made before the game. “Although this has been a difficult decision, we believe it provides…

FARGO, N.D. (AP) With North Dakota State enjoying a stretch of four straight national football titles since it moved up to Division I athletics, a group of NDSU athlete alumni decided it was time for Bison Nation to have a new sports bar. The Herd & Horns bar and restaurant comes with something special: Lights, camera and action. A portable TV studio of sorts will serve as a real-world laboratory…

Liverpool have sacked manager Brendan Rodgers with immediate effect. The decision to dismiss Rodgers was made before Sunday’s draw at Everton, which left the Reds 10th in the Premier League and six points off top spot. “Although this has been a difficult decision, we believe it provides us with the best opportunity for success on the pitch,” said a club statement. Carlo…

For a list of all the latest deals, check out the transfers page. Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat, 68, is expected to leave the club in the next few days. (Sunday Telegraph)  Former West Ham manager Sam Allardyce, 60, is ready to succeed Advocaat. (Sunday Times – subscription required)  Sporting director Lee Congerton is set to join Advocaat in…

FOOTBALL GOSSIP Following Aberdeen’s 5-1 defeat at home by St Johnstone, Dons manager Derek McInnes warns his players that the rest of the teams in the Scottish Premiership will be gunning for them after they lost four goals at set pieces. (Sunday Mail) Aberdeen midfielder Barry Robson refuses to believe the Red Army has been stopped in its tracks and does not see the “bubble…

In this Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015, photo, Bear Duker, a marketing manager for strategic partnerships at DraftKings, a daily fantasy sports company, works at his computer in Boston. The daily fantasy sports industry is eyeing a breakout season as NFL games begin. And its two dominant companies, DraftKings and FanDuel, are touting lucrative opening week prizes to try to draw more customers as more competitors pop up.(Photo: Stephan Savoia/AP) Watching…

Andrew Dye/Journal William Orrell William Orrell, the winner of the World Sport Stacking Championships in Montreal earlier this year, was introduced to the sport by his physical education teacher at Shady Grove Elementary School. He currently has five Guinness World Records. William Orrell Orrell has an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records for speed stacking. Posted: Sunday, October 4, 2015 12:15 am Clemmons teenager at the pinnacle of…

Ken Denlinger, a longtime Washington Post sports columnist who also wrote books on college athletics, including one of the first to examine unscrupulous recruiting of young basketball players by some of the nation’s top college programs, died Oct. 3 at his home in Frederick, Md. He was 73. The cause was esophageal cancer, said his wife, Nancy Whitcomb Denlinger. Mr. Denlinger worked for The Post from 1965 to 2003, initially as…

For a list of all the latest deals, check out the transfers page. Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat is understood to be considering quitting the club after Saturday’s home game against West Ham, having become disillusioned with life on a limited budget. (Guardian)  The Daily Star lead with Arsene Wenger not pursuing a move for Anthony Martial because he did not…

The Arizona Diamondbacks entered Wednesday night’s game at Chase Field with a record of 76-81, all but the OED definition of mediocre and a dozen games adrift of the first-place Dodgers in the NL West. They are a middling ball club riding out the string in a sport where nearly all of the 2,430 games played in a season will be quickly forgotten, even by the players on the field….

The Arizona Diamondbacks entered Wednesday night’s game at Chase Field with a record of 76-81, all but the OED definition of mediocre and a dozen games adrift of the first-place Dodgers in the NL West. They are a middling ball club riding out the string in a sport where nearly all of the 2,430 games played in a season will be quickly forgotten, even by the players on the field….

The Premier League has agreed to expand its school sport programme to every primary school in England and Wales as part of a grassroots sport initiative, Downing Street has announced. Separately, the Premier League and the government are in discussions about setting up a grassroots sport fund with investment from the league. Further details will be announced as part of the government’s new strategy on sport later in the year….

Footy fans might be surprised to learn of a parallel world: at the top of the ladder sits an imperious Port Adelaide; at its foot lie the hapless Dogs. Gold Coast make the eight, the superior of the newest expansion teams. West Coast creeps into the eight too, but aren’t fancied beyond the first round. There will be no finals for the Crows. In this strange world, Port coach Ken…

The University of Louisville is investigating explosive allegations in a new book that claims a basketball staff member paid escorts to dance for and have sex with players and recruits, Yahoo Sports has learned. The book, “Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen,” is being published by IBJ Book Publishing of Indianapolis. The book is written by Louisville resident Katina Powell – the self-described madam who allegedly provided women…

Fifa president Sepp Blatter will not resign despite major sponsors Coca-Cola, Visa, Budweiser and McDonald’s calling for him to go immediately. The four each issued statements saying Blatter should quit after Swiss criminal proceedings were opened against him last week. Coca-Cola took the first step, saying: “Every day that passes Fifa’s image and reputation continues to tarnish.” McDonald’s said Blatter going would…

Erik Roner was 39, a husband and father to two small children. He was also an athlete, and he liked his sports extreme. He had been skydiving and BASE jumping for the last 15 years. He helped pioneer the sport of ski-BASE jumping, in which athletes ski off cliffs with parachutes on their backs. Last year he recreated a famous scene from the movie “Up” by flying through the air…

The University of Louisville is investigating explosive allegations in a new book that claims a basketball staff member paid escorts to dance for and have sex with players and recruits, Yahoo Sports has learned. The book, “Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen,” is being published by IBJ Book Publishing of Indianapolis. The book is written by Louisville resident Katina Powell – the self-described madam who allegedly provided women…