The NFL’s most disheartening franchise lost for the 20th time in 21 games under Hue Jackson. Suddenly, a winless season is looking alarmingly within reachAt 0-5 with a season schedule filled with playoff contenders and division champions, the Cleveland Browns must wonder today if they will win a game at all this season.On Sunday, the NFL’s most disheartening franchise found more agonizing ways to lose in falling 17-14 to the New York Jets. Their 19th defeat in their last 20 games, dating to last season, featured two interceptions and a lost fumble just three yards from a touchdown that could have given them the lead – and perhaps a win. Related: NFL round-up: Aaron Rodgers stuns Cowboys with final-reel touchdown...
Ticket sales and TV ratings are down after the president attacked player protests. But he also exposed plenty of ugly truths about AmericaThroughout these last two weeks of the NFL anthem wars, Donald Trump’s gift for telling people who do not answer to him what to do has been on majestic display. Players who kneel during the anthem? Fire or suspend! Football fans? Should boycott games! NFL administrators? Need to tell players to stand! Must change policy! It’s all proof, once again, that there’s no problem this man cannot fix, so long as he has no responsibility for its resolution. The bad news: it might be working. Look at the data and there’s reason to think the Great Extra-Jurisdictional Delegator’s...
The most popular driver in Nascar, a sport wrapped up in conservative America, is also an eloquent commentator on injustice and racismDale Earnhardt Jr’s monopoly on Nascar’s most popular driver award has endured for 14 years, about as long as he has competed at the highest level. His winning streak owes less to voter fraud (and his legion of supporters cast their ballots early and often) than to his self-effacing southern charm and a freewheeling racing pedigree one degree removed from Nascar’s patron saint. That would be Dale Earnhardt Sr, the seven-time champion who died in the 2001 Daytona 500 while protecting his son’s position in the race. All of this means when Earnhardt Jr talks, Nascar and its fans...
The midfielder was born in the UK but his career was made in America. As the US game struggles on the world stage fans need all the comfort they can getHas a call-up to the England Under-21 squad ever caused such a stir? When news broke on Sunday that Jack Harrison had been selected for Aidy Boothroyd’s squad, some of the game’s greats were quick to praise the New York City FC winger for his belated international recognition. “So happy for you,” Frank Lampard wrote on Instagram. “Top man, you deserve it and more.” David Villa went one step further. “Congrats golden boy,” the Spain World Cup winner eulogized on Twitter. “You deserve it, Jack! We are proud of you!” That...
New England are experts at coming back from a slow start but this season they’re gifting games to their opponentsBy now, the NFL should know that the New England Patriots treat the first month of the season like an extended training camp. Of course the Pats try to win their first four games but the winning sometimes seems secondary to the bigger goal of trying to build a champion at season’s end. “They are definitely a better second-half team,” former NFL general manager and current NFL Network analyst Charley Casserly told me a few weeks ago. “It seems the players learn the system more then and Bill Belichick learns more about the players and then they get better and better...