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No NBA team shifted its energy more than the Boston Celtics last season, and nobody shifts their energy better than Marcus Smart, which makes the eight-year veteran a uniquely impactful player in the league.

Yet, he never gets his due. Critics clamored all of last season for a traditional starting point guard to corral Boston's offense, even though, as Smart has said, he managed to steer the Celtics further than his All-Star predecessors Isaiah Thomas, Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker ever did. Even Smart's Defensive Player of the Year award drew criticism. People say he shoots too much or gambles too much or flops too much.

For as fiery as Smart is on the court, he is as thoughtful off of it, which is why, when the opportunity arose to sit down with him for an uninterrupted discussion, I thought it was worth letting him tell his own story.

We talked about everything from Boston's loss in the NBA Finals to the addition of Malcolm Brogdon, the latest trade rumors concerning Kevin Durant, the growth of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, his relationship with late Celtics legend Bill Russell, his recent charity work with Be The Match and ... yes, his passion for robes.

Marcus Smart is the starting point guard for the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics and the NBA's reigning Defensive Player of the Year. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

"Simple. Before we come together as a team and watch film, I'm watching film and tendencies. I'm looking at my matchup of who I could possibly guard. For me, unfortunately, I'm guarding every position, so that's a lot more work for me. Some guys I'm matched up on as I'm their primary defender. I'm going to see his favorite move, his favorite go-to move and his favorite counter for that go-to move, so I'm reading the tendency of guys before we even get together as a group. By the time we even come up with a scheme, I've already got in my head, when they do put the scheme together, how things are going to work."

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"You just kind of focus on the things that you can control. That's one of the things that helps us with not falling into that trap of the expectations. Let the outside noise be outside noise, and let them talk. We're inside the house, in our home, which is the Garden and every basketball arena. Everything else is outside. It's not getting in to hurt you. Focus on what you can control, and that's playing hard for your teammates and leaving it all on the court. That allows you to stay away from those traps of the expectations.

"Because you're human. It's tough, especially nowadays. You've got social media. You've got every outlet popping up at you and showing you everything and constantly throwing it in your face, so definitely being able to just focus on what you can control and allowing that to motivate you to continue to keep going."

"Kyrie, Terry, you named some good guys. Payton, Brogdon, all those guys, man. For us, it's more making sure we build that chemistry early on. When you've got a new group of guys, it's hard to build chemistry without spending time together and just being thrown into the fire. You have to build chemistry on the go.

"We've got great guys, we've got great players and we had great guys, we had great players but the difference now is we have more experience with each other. Me and Jayson and Jaylen, we've played four or five years together now, whereas at that time it was two, along with trying to develop yourself, as well as trying to do something for the team, alongside learning from guys who have already developed. There was a lot going into it, so we have to build that chemistry before we get on the court. That's what we have to do this year. We know who we have coming. We know who we have here. We know who left. We can build that chemistry now, instead of waiting until Game 3 or Game 4, trying to build the chemistry during the season."

"We experienced it this year. Everybody's seen how tough it really is to bring a new set of people in, who's also trying to prove themselves, to a certain extent, and produce for the team. We witnessed this past season how we handled that, where we're losing to teams we shouldn't be losing to. Nothing against those teams. It's just that we shouldn't have been losing. We're losing leads to the point where everybody's freaking out. We're under .500, and I think that right there tells you how difficult it is to get chemistry going when you have a new anything. We had a new coach and a new group of players and a new system to put in on both offense and defense, so of course nothing was going to go right for us right away.

"If we didn't have everybody, then we'd have to start this whole process over again from square one. What does this person like? OK, he doesn't like this. We'd be in the same situation, where we're using games to get our experience with each other, because there's nothing you can simulate better than a game itself."

"Guys like Draymond and myself, we're the guys who are going to do the dirty work, so that other players don't have to. I think that shows our character, where we're willing to sacrifice our health, our bodies, mentally, physically, however you want to do it, to make sure that our team and teammates succeed.

"I take it as a compliment. Draymond is very well-respected, rightfully so. His accolades and his play speaks for itself. He's a champion among champions, and he's that leader on their team. Vocally, emotionally, physically, he's the one who gets guys going. He's the one who guys follow when the energy needs to be shifted. It's rare. There's not a lot of people who have it, but the guys who do, you see the similarities in it, and when you see it, you can tell: That's that, I've seen that before. I don't see it a lot, but I've seen it, and that's who we are. We don't have to score 50 points to change the game and be effective.

"I haven't had the chance to talk to him yet, but Mikal Bridges. He was in the running, as well, for DPOY. If I didn't get it, I definitely would have voted for him to get it. He's another guy. Offensively, we know what he can do, but the things he's able to do for that Phoenix Suns team on the defensive end just speaks volumes. He doesn't have to say much, but he goes out there and proves it with the way he plays. Although he might not be as vocal as me and Draymond, he still has those attributes and similarities where we're going to go out there and do the dirty work and fight to help our team win, no matter what that is."

"I would have to say that assessment, to a certain extent, is true and holds value. They were the more experienced team. Golden State was a lot more experienced. We have a lot of combined experience as well. Al [Horford]'s been in the playoffs for how long? I've been in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Jayson, Jaylen, we have experience playing in the playoffs. Now, Finals experience is different. We were trying so hard to prove to others and ourselves that we belonged there, we just let it slip away from us mentally.

"Having tasted that experience, now coming back to the situation, things are slowing down for us, because it's like, We've gone through that before. I know how we handled it, and this is what the outcome was, so maybe I shouldn't handle it that way. In terms of their experience, that aspect is definitely true, because every situation we threw at them, they've been in, so they knew how to react to it, whereas it might've taken us a game, a half, a few quarters to try to figure it out, and by that time they're running off with it.

"Coming into this season, it's definitely going to help us tremendously, because now we know what to expect, how to expect it, and we know how to look at it. Although we lost and we don't want to look at it that way they definitely taught us something, and we'll take it and run with it."

"I guess I'm more biased, and I have known them a little bit more, but each and every year they have grown and they have showed us something new that they've added and continued to add to their game. For their future, I only think it's going to increase. They're only going to get wiser and understand the game even more, and I think once they do that, they become even more dangerous than they already are. They're only 24, 25 these are relatively very young guys who are already here, but can go even higher, so I'm ecstatic and intrigued to see how much they have learned, how much growth they've made and to continue to see them get better individually. And I know as they continue to grow individually, the team will as well."

Oh, man. That's a tough one. I don't know. I guess it depends on the time of the game and how long I have to guard them. They're unique in different ways, but they can both hurt you in multiple ways. That's a tough one. There's no easy answer with that one. Whoever you get, you're going to wish you didn't have him."

I didn't know him too well personally. I was able to talk to him a couple times when he was here. I got to watch some old film that we had. But what he went through and sacrificed for us in the time that he was playing, and especially in this city around that time, to be able to say, 'You know what, I'm going to take the pain and the burden to open the doors for our younger generations to have an opportunity more equally than what I had,' he means so much to us in this game and to the African American community and people of color. At the time, it was very, very ugly. It still is ugly to this day, but back then it was a different type of ugly, and he decided he was going to take a stand by continuing to fight and paving that way for us."

"I got started with this, because what they do, what they've been doing for years, is providing care and helping patients from lower income who don't have the financial means to help with what they're going through. A lot of the work they do is some of the greatest I can think of, because they're giving back to people who they have no idea who they are, and that says everything you need to know about them.

"Be The Match is doing everything they can keeping people educated, explaining why we should be a donor, join the registry and really help kids, adults or whoever is going through these blood diseases, such as sickle cell, to say, 'You know what? Here's an option for you that we might have to save your life.'

"The only way for people who are going through some of these cancers and blood diseases to survive is with this transplant, so to have donors in the registry and give people options to save their lives is why I decided to work with Aflac and Be The Match. It hits home with me. I lost my mother [Camellia] to bone marrow cancer four years ago and my brother [Todd Westbrook] about 15 years ago to lung cancer, so when I did more research and continued to educate myself, this was the perfect match, and now I'm here trying to raise awareness for cancer, for sickle cell, for blood diseases, and begging people to get out there, register and become a donor. It's easy. It's simple. Swab your cheek and possibly save somebody else."

"It's tough. It is tough without having my mom and brother here to share it with, but growing up to where I am now, they made so many sacrifices in the time that they were here with us to give me an opportunity to live my dream. It hurt after we won the Eastern Conference finals. I cried at one point to my team for maybe about 10 minutes, and then cried on my own, talking to my mom and my brother, wishing they were here and understanding that they're looking down on me, and they're smiling. I know they're just as proud now than ever. There were a lot of emotions going through my head, my heart, but the one that I focused on was how happy my mom and my brother would be to see me on the biggest stage of my life right now."

I've got some new robes I might have to get to. I'm going to sporadically throw them into the season."

Ben Rohrbach is a staff writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @brohrbach

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A conversation with Boston Celtics culture-setter Marcus Smart, the NBA's reigning Defensive Player of the Year - Yahoo Sports

As Green Bay prepared for their season-opener at Minnesota, part of the discussion centered on how to start the game, namely throwing it deep to rookie Christian Watson on the very first offensive snap.

Maybe part of it was strategic: The Vikings wouldnt expect a home run shot on the first play. Maybe part of it was tactical: The Packers drafted Watson out of North Dakota State in part for the 4.36 speed he clocked at the scouting combine.

And maybe, just maybe, part of it was to answer the narrative and remind everyone in the league, let alone the Vikings, that they could still be dangerous despite losing All-Pro Davante Adams to Las Vegas and overhauling the wide receiver corps.

We talked about it during the week, Do you really want to start off with a bomb shot? quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. I said, Yes, what the hell, why not? This kid can really fly. Lets give him a chance.

And so they called the play and Watson did as expected. He got behind the secondary and free deep I thought Christian ran a great route.

And Rodgers, being Rodgers, threw an equally great ball, perfectly timed and placed.

It hit Watson right in the hands.

Then it hit the ground.

A sure-fire, 75-yard, season-opening touchdown pass and catch lost due to the self-inflicted error. Watson grabbed his helmet in humiliation. Rodgers rolled his eyes in frustration. The tone was set for the game, one where the Packers young receivers made error after error as the passing game ground to a halt.

Aaron Rodgers said the Packers need to clean up the mistakes after his team's ugly 23-7 loss to the Vikings in Sunday's season-opener. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Minnesota didnt just win 23-7. It held Rodgers to 195 yards passing, one interception and no touchdowns. Just 95 of those yards went to the wideouts. (Meanwhile, Adams had 10 catches for 141 yards all by himself in his Raiders debut.)

Weve got to make those plays, Rodgers said. ... It's the mental mistakes we have to clean up, there were too many of those to ignore.

We knew this was going to be growing pains, Rodgers said of the young players. This is real football. It counts. Its different. There are nerves.

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And now there are lingering doubts.

Its worth remembering, of course, that just one year ago the Packers were trounced 38-3 by New Orleans in Week 1. The performance was so bad, and Rodgers' body language so obviously frustrated, that the Fox pregame show the next week questioned whether his man-bun (seriously) was a sign of him not wanting to play football any longer.

Green Bay promptly reeled off seven consecutive victories en route to a 13-4 season. After the opening week debacle, Rodgers threw 37 touchdowns against just two interceptions and was named the league MVP.

So, in his words, R-E-L-A-X.

Feels like we had a much better performance [this year], scored four more points than we did that day, Rodgers said. Theres a lot more to build on when you compare those two. Its just tough to win in this league and definitely tough when you get in your own way.

The Packers host Chicago on Sunday night in their home opener and the debate around Wisconsin is pretty simple concern or no concern? Was this the sign of a post-Davante drought to come, or just another slow start for an offense that has seen them before?

Its worth noting that while Rodgers has not expressed such concern about the young wide receivers, he also hasnt not expressed such concern about the young wide receivers. Postgame on Sunday, he just kept saying theyd have to improve.

Look, weve got to have patience with those guys, Rodgers said. They are young. They haven't been in the fire. That patience will be thinner as the season goes on, but, the expectation will be high. We will keep them accountable but there will be drops. You hate to see it on the first play, but there will be drops throughout the season.

It happens.

The wide receivers werent the only issues. Rodgers acknowledged he made a bunch of mistakes as well. Pass protection was also a problem, but the line is without both starting tackles, even if Rodgers refused to blame injuries.

We're professionals so there is an expectation for performance, Rodgers said.

All in all, it was an ugly opener. Green Bay has seen those before. Can the young wideouts, the young players who surround Rodgers up and down the roster, regroup?

Rodgers returned to the NFL this season because he believed they could. Well see how long that belief remains.

More here:

Aaron Rodgers has dug the Packers out of a rut before. Can he do it again with a young receiving corps? - Yahoo Sports

The Spice Girls's Melanie Chisholm (better known as Mel C or Sporty Spice) has penned a new memoir, The Sporty One: My Life as a Spice Girl, in which she writes about having been sexually assaulted by a massage therapist in Istanbul, Turkey, on the night before the group's first live performance in the 90s.

"It happened to me on the night before the first ever Spice Girls live performance. And we'd never done a full-length concert before, so, obviously, we'd rehearsed for weeks ahead costume fittings, make-up, hair everything was leading towards the pinnacle of everything I'd ever wanted to do and ever wanted to be," Chisholm, now 48, said when asked about the incident on Tuesday's episode of the How to Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast. "And what drives me is being onstage, being a performer, so here we were the eve of the first ever Spice Girls show, so I treat myself to a massage in the hotel. And what happened to me, I kind of buried immediately, because there was other things to focus on. You know, I didn't want to make a fuss, but also I didn't have time to deal with it. And because I didn't deal with it at the time, I realize that I allowed that to be buried for years and years and years."

Mel C has written a memoir to be released Sept. 27. (Photo: Kate Green/Getty Images)

She explained that the assault wasn't initially going to be part of her book, but she realized that she had to share it in order to deal with what happened.

"When I was writing the book, it came to me in a dream, or I kind of woke up and it was in my mind. And I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I haven't even thought about having that in the book,'" Chisholm said. "Then, of course, I had to think, 'Well, do I want to? Do I want to reveal this?' And I just thought, 'Actually, I think it's really important for me to say it and to finally deal with it and process it."

The Spice Girls take the stage in the 1997 movie "Spice World." (Photo: Everett Collection)

So it was "cathartic" for her, but the singer also wanted to help others who had experienced something similar.

"I suppose in a version of sexual assault, it's a mild version, you know, but I felt violated. I felt very vulnerable. I felt embarrassed, you know, and then I felt unsure, 'Have I got this right, what's going on?'" Chisholm said. "I was in an environment where you take your clothes off with this professional person. So there were so many thoughts and feelings, and I just thought, you know what, I do want to talk about it, because It has affected me."

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As the host of the show noted, many sexual assault victims end up questioning themselves after an attack.

Chisholm connected it to the fact that she had been a people-pleaser.

"Everybody knows better than me. What if I'm wrong? I don't want to look stupid. I don't want to be stupid," Chisholm said she thought at the time. "As I've searched my soul, as I've got older and tried to overcome so many things in that trust your instinct. There's only one person on this planet who knows what is best for you, and that's you. Who knows what is right for you. Even if it wasn't that person's intention, it made you feel that way. And you have to let them know."

The singer is expected to reunite with all four of her former bandmates for a documentary next year.

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Mel C was sexually assaulted the night before the first live Spice Girls performance. Here's why she's talking about it now. - Yahoo Entertainment

Vice President Harris said in an interview broadcast on Sunday that she would again run on President Bidens ticket in 2024 if he decides to seek reelection.

The president has been very clear that he intends to run again, Harris told host Chuck Todd on NBCs Meet the Press.

And if he does, I will be running with him proudly, Harris added.

Biden and his aides have insisted the president plans to run for reelection if his health allows.

But some Democrats have dodged questions about whether they would support another White House bid by Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, who also faces low approval ratings.

His approval rating, however, has made gains in recent days following a string of recent legislative victories for Democrats and easing inflation, although it still remains underwater.

Harris also told Todd she was very proud to serve as Bidens vice president.

We talk about family a lot, she said. We talk about our hopes, we talk about our dreams, we talk about the things that concern us, that worry us, the things that keep us excited about everything we are doing.

Its a real friendship. We have a real friendship, and I cherish that, Harris added.

If Biden decides to run for a second term, his candidacy could lead to a rematch of the 2020 contest against former President Trump.

The former president has remained active in Republican politics since departing the White House, in particular focusing on endorsing candidates in the midterm elections who support his unfounded claims of mass election fraud.

Trump has said he already made a decision on whether he would mount a third White House bid, but he has not yet made a formal announcement.

A Yahoo-News-YouGov poll released last week found that Biden had a 6-point lead in a hypothetical rematch between the two presidents.

Forty-eight percent of registered voters said theyd vote for Biden, compared to 42 percent who said theyd vote for Trump.

The poll also found that an increasing percentage of Democrats want Biden to run in 2024, now outpacing those who say he shouldnt run. The pollster last month found a plurality of Democrats did not want Biden to seek reelection.

A separate USA Today-Ipsos poll last month found that more than half of Democratic voters 56 percent indicated they did not want Biden to run for a second term.

The rest is here:

Harris says she would proudly run with Biden if he seeks reelection - The Hill

As the Fed tightens monetary policy and asset prices come down, investors may wonder if there is anywhere to hide during a bear market.

In continuation of our series, "What to do in a bear market," Yahoo Finance asked some experts which ETFs, or exchange-traded funds, to consider during these volatile times.

Think of exchange-traded funds similar to a basket of securities that trade on an exchange, just like a stock does. EFTs may contain stocks within an industry, bonds, crude, metals, currencies, or any other type of investment. Exchange-traded funds have exploded in popularity over the years.

They're simple to buy and sell.

Healthcare

Healthcare Sector ETFs present the best opportunity for investors who want a defensive play to weather the bear market and would like to be set up for one of the best long-term growth plays for this decadehealthcare innovation, says Jamie Cox, managing partner at Harris Financial Group.

Josaphet Ramos, 8, gets a swab test by a healthcare worker at a COVID-19 mobile testing site hosted by the Manatee County Florida Department of Health in Palmetto, Florida, U.S., August 2, 2021. REUTERS/Octavio Jones

Cybersecurity

If we think about enterprise spending, we've heard comments that it's starting to slow. But we also know that the pace of cyberattacks just continues to accelerate, ransomware in particular. Companies need to continue to protect their crown jewels," Chris Versace, chief investment officer at Tematica Research recently told Yahoo Finance Live.

"This is a huge pain point for companies, and they're going to have to spend to address it," he said. "The preferred way we have is to get a well-rounded exposure using a cybersecurity ETF whether is CIBR (CIBR), or perhaps even HACK (HACK)."

Semiconductor Index

"The SOX (^SOX) index has been decimated and for a legitimate reason: The semiconductor cycle peaked months ago, valuations and expectations got out of whack, and demand for chips has been contracting at an unusually accelerating pace, says Professor Jeffrey Bierman, Chief Market Technician at TheoTrade.com.

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An engineer holds a chip while posing for a photo (REUTERS/Ann Wang)

With that said, the SOX index which is typically characterized as a growth sector play has been reduced to a VALUE sector play. But make no mistake, many of the components that comprise the SOX (Inetl (INTC), Micron (MU), Qualcomm (QCOM), e.g.) have way overshot their long-term, historical valuations to the downside and as a result, have become bargain basement opportunities and not just bottom-fishing plays, he added.

Several ETFs track the PHLX Semiconductor index, some of them including SMH (SMH), and SOXQ (SOXQ).

Cox of Harris Financial Group said that "most of the damage is done to the sectors folks should avoid in a bear market. Among them are consumer discretionary and technology. Oddly enough, however, is how poorly communication services have performed during this bear market."

She added: "Once a stalwart during many a bear market given their utility-like characteristics and strong dividend payouts, that is certainly not the case today. Strong competition and high capital outlay for 5G have made the sector one of the worst for 2022."

SPYDER S&P Homebuilder ETF (XHB)

Until interest rates top-tick, housing-related and home-building stocks are likely to be held in check," Bierman of TheoTrade.com said."

"Mortgage rates are closing in on 6% and consumers are reigning in their thirst for home searches. Granted the valuations on a laundry list of homebuilders like KBH, PHM and DHI appear to be at rock bottom.

"However, the housing market is a cyclical, non-continuous market impacted primarily by the stock market wealth effect which has been temporarily dashed, and affordable mortgage rates which have yet to reach an apex. Don't jump into buying this sector just because it's depressed."

SPYDER Gold Shares ETF (GLD) "For too long strategists and business news media pundits have espoused that gold is a hedge against rising inflation and/or a falling stock market," Bierman added." News flash: That is categorically false or misconstrued. Gold is a prisoner to the U.S. Dollar. In other words, there is an inverse relationship or correlation phenomenon between precious metals and the U.S. Dollar Index (DX-Y). Until the U.S. dollar against foreign currencies not just reverses for a few weeks, but technically breaks below the $1.00 (par level) gravity point, the price of gold will likely generate fits and starts, but not gain traction to the upside."

Ines Ferre is a reporter for Yahoo Finance covering the US stock market. Follow her on Twitter at @ines_ferre.

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Which ETFs to consider in a bear market: Experts weigh in - Yahoo Finance

The list of broadcasting companies to pass on the new LIV Golf series grew this week.

Amazon and Apple two of the biggest and newest players in the sports streaming market both declined to carry LIV on their platforms, according to The Wall Street Journal. Other companies like ESPN, CBS, NBC and Fox have also already refused to air the Saudi-backed league, according to the Journal.

It wasn't surprising when other major networks passed on LIV CBS, NBC and ESPN already have deals with LIV's biggest rival, the PGA Tour. But Amazon and Apple deciding against the upstart golf series is significant because of the two company's recent foray into live sporting events. Amazon is set to unveil its new "Thursday Night Football" broadcast this week after paying in the neighborhood of $100 billion for the NFL's slate of games. Apple, meanwhile, inked a 10-year, $2.5 billion deal to stream Major League Soccer matches on Apple TV+ and also airs one "Friday Night Baseball" game a week.

Currently, LIV streams live on Facebook and YouTube and has a worldwide broadcast deal with the sports-streaming service DAZN. LIV also has deals with international networks like ServusTV in Germany and Austria and Eleven Sports in Italy.

Representatives at LIV didn't sound too concerned with the recent news, though. CEO Greg Norman told ESPN 1000 Chicago on Wednesday that LIV is talking with "four different networks" and that the interest in the company "is enormous." An executive also told the Journal that LIV is still early in negotiating its media rights and plans to have a deal by the start of the league's first full season in 2023.

Were bullish about our prospects given our player field and the quality of our product, LIV Golf Chief Media Officer Will Staeger said, per the Journal.

LIV recently lured 2022 Open Championship winner Cameron Smith to join the league that already fields star golfers like Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson.

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Despite the talented roster, controversy still swirls around LIV because the series is funded by the Saudia Arabian government, which has been accused of countless human rights violations. Many have claimed the league exists only to repair the world's view of the Middle Eastern kingdom also known as "sportswashing" and even Mickelson described the Saudis as "scary" business partners.

"We know they killed [Washington Post journalist Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights," Mickelson said in February. "They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it [joining LIV]? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape how the PGA Tour operates. And the Saudi money has finally given us that leverage.

Months later, Norman brushed off the allegations against the Saudis and said "weve all made mistakes."

The existence of LIV also fractured the sport of golf after the PGA banned players from the tour if they defected. There are still questions about whether or not LIV golfers will be allowed to compete in major tournaments like the Masters next year as well.

For now, any American fans of the league can only watch online on Facebook, YouTube or DAZN.

LIV Golf won't be streamed on Amazon or Apple. (Richard Cashin-USA TODAY Sports)

Originally posted here:

Apple and Amazon join growing list of companies to pass on LIV Golf media rights - Yahoo Sports

Bob Stoops and Fran McCaffery say they didnt know they were sending Cameos about Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz.

With Iowas offense being flat-out abysmal through the first two weeks of the season, someone attempted to get the former Oklahoma football coach and current Iowa mens basketball coach to send messages of support to the Iowa assistant coach and son of head coach Kirk Ferentz.

The troll worked, too. By telling Stoops and McCaffery they were talking to Brian with no last name provided, the two fulfilled their Cameo obligations. Both Stoops and McCaffery told the anonymous Brian that he still was loved and supported by his family and his father.

But both coaches told The Athletic this week they had no idea that Ferentz was the subject of their Cameos. Stoops got his start as an Iowa assistant after playing defensive back for the Hawkeyes.

An Iowa mens basketball team spokesman said McCaffery unequivocally did not know.

I agreed to do Cameo on a regular basis to raise money for Coaches vs. Cancer, McCaffery said. I would never do anything to disparage any Hawkeye program and fully support Kirk, Brian and our football team.

Stoops, a Ferentz family friend for more than 40 years, said he had no idea.

Of course not, absolutely not, no idea whatsoever! Stoops texted The Athletic. Did that Cameo actually a week or two ago. Some sad people out there! I support Kirk, Brian and every coach there. Im a Hawkeye through and through!

Iowa has scored exactly seven points in each of its first two games of the season and the offense has gotten just one touchdown. The first seven points of the season in a 7-3 win over South Dakota State came via two safeties and a field goal. The Hawkeyes got a TD in Week 2 but lost 10-7 to Iowa State on a late field goal.

Iowa is averaging 157 yards of offense over those two games. The rushing attack is averaging less than two yards a carry and QB Spencer Petras is 23-of-51 passing for 201 yards and two interceptions. RB Leshon Williams is the teams leading rusher with 38 carries for 106 yards.

Despite the struggles, the Hawkeyes are still 23.5-point favorites in Week 3 over a rebuilding Nevada team thanks to a defense thats allowed just 13 points. And oddsmakers arent showing too much confidence in the Iowa offense despite the large spread. The total for the game is at just 39.5 points.

See the article here:

Bob Stoops and Fran McCaffery were both unaware they were making Cameos about Iowa's embattled offensive coordinator - Yahoo Sports

We found how how much Dak Prescott means to the point spread.

Last week, the lookahead line for Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys in Week 2 was Cowboys -2.5. Prescott went down with a thumb injury, and the line shifted in a big way. The Cowboys are now 7.5-point underdogs at BetMGM.

There's more to that 10-point shift than just going from Prescott to Cooper Rush. The Cowboys took on other injuries. Dallas looked absolutely miserable in a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and that was before Prescott's injury.

Still, 10 points is a lot. Especially against a Bengals team coming off a loss of its own in Week 1.

Rush doesn't have the pedigree that will excite anyone he was undrafted out of Central Michigan in 2017 but we've seen him start once and it was pretty good. He was a last-minute start in a Sunday night game against the Minnesota Vikings last season and threw for 325 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a surprise 20-16 win. It's hard to take much out of a one-game sample, but at least it was a good one.

The formula for the Cowboys the next few weeks without Prescott is clear. They'll want to rely on their running backs and play good defense. Having multiple offensive line injuries makes the former a tougher challenge, but the latter should work. Dallas' defense should be good this season. They can hopefully keep games close and maybe the offense steals a few.

Either way, 10 points seems like an overreaction, and there's no bigger overreaction week in sports than the one after the NFL's openers. It's not fun to take the Cowboys with Rush at QB, after what we saw last week. But taking a team nobody else will touch can be profitable in the NFL. Let's pick the Cowboys and the points. Sometimes, winning tickets can come from the ugliest teams.

Cooper Rush will start for the Dallas Cowboys in place of injured Dak Prescott. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Here are the rest of the against-the-spread picks for Week 2 of the NFL season, with the spreads from BetMGM:

As I said in today's Daily Sweat, if the Chargers are going to be a thing this season, this is a game they keep close. Or win.

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Is it possible we're too excited about the Dolphins after one game? Bill Belichick caught some flak for saying, "It was really a pretty even game. Two big plays, 14 points, really skewed the game," but he wasn't wrong. Miami out-gained New England 307-271, had 18 first downs to 17 for New England, averaged 5.2 yards per play to 5.0 for the Patriots ... Miami won, but it didn't blow out New England. A scoop-and-score on a fumble and an inexcusable breakdown by New England to allow Jaylen Waddle a 47-yard touchdown at the end of the half accounted for the difference. Baltimore was solid in Week 1, but it's hard to tell against the Jets. I liked the Ravens a lot in the preseason and I'll ride with them.

It's not like the Browns are all that exciting and I'm not sure I trust their offense all that much, but the Jets just looked miserable last week.

The Lions are favored for the first time since November of 2020, snapping a 24-game streak as an underdog that ESPN said is the longest of the Super Bowl era. Congrats to Detroit. If the Lions can't win this one, all that preseason excitement will seem quite silly, won't it?

Not a comfortable pick. I want to believe in the Jaguars turning a corner, but Week 1 was a step back. I'm starting to be very concerned about Trevor Lawrence. But it's still a reasonable home underdog, so let's ride with that.

All of the attention was on the Cowboys on Sunday night, but it wasn't a great night for the Bucs. They took on two big injuries when receiver Chris Godwin and left tackle Donovan Smith left the game. We'll see if they play this week or how effective they are. The Bucs defense was good against Dallas but the offense had its issues. And the Saints defense has done very well against Tampa Bay since Tom Brady came to Florida. I'd rather have +3 or better, but I'll still take the Saints.

This is the one game on the board I'd skip, but since I pick every game each week, let's flip a coin here. The Giants had a nice win last week and Saquon Barkley looked reborn, but it's still a team I'm not sold on for the season. The Panthers are a team I did like a bit coming into the season, so let's go with them and the points.

Does it concern me that the Steelers were plus-five in turnover differential and needed a blocked extra point and missed 29-yard field goal, when the Bengals had an emergency long snapper, to win? Absolutely. And T.J. Watt's injury is one of the rare non-QB injuries that should change the line. Mac Jones should be good to go after some back spasms. Maybe I'm being stubborn on the Patriots but I think they can win an absolutely ugly game.

The Falcons haven't looked that bad, dating back to the preseason (whatever the preseason means). They probably should have beaten the Saints. The Rams are obviously still good, though offensive line injuries worry me some. With every double-digit NFL spread I start by making a case for the underdog, and I'll stick with it.

Not an overreaction to the weird Geno Smith mania we saw in the first half on Monday night. In the second half, Geno was Geno. But it wasn't a bad night for the Seahawks. All we have from the 49ers so far is a bad loss at Chicago. And while I was a big supporter of Trey Lance this offseason, there's a scenario in which San Francisco is in full freakout mode over their new quarterback by Sunday night. And it's a higher percentage than I want to admit.

Houston might be a team that covers a lot of spreads. The Texans looked very good for three quarters last week. There's some concern about them fading in the fourth quarter, especially given Denver's well-known dominance in the thin air at home during September, but I'll still take the Texans to cover.

Yes, I might be overreacting to the Cardinals loss. It's just one game against a good Chiefs team. But it was really bad. I didn't like one thing I saw from Arizona in Week 1. Meanwhile, the Raiders might be pretty good. They lost to the Chargers, but we'll find there's no shame in that.

I can't bring myself to take the Bears, unless they play in another monsoon. Green Bay will bounce back after a Week 1 loss. Their defense will show up and they'll run the ball just fine.

This is an overreaction line. The Bills looked great. The Titans lost at home to the Giants. I picked the Bills to win the Super Bowl and didn't pick the Titans to make the playoffs so I get why people would be betting the Bills. But let's not forget the Titans beat the Bills last season. I don't think they're a bottom feeder. If the Bills cover this easily, every spread for them the rest of the season will be inflated.

There's a lot of overreaction involved in this game, too. The Vikings looked good in beating the Packers, but that was a very good spot for them in Week 1. The Eagles looked good, too, for most of their win over the Lions, but they allowed a lot late and the final score made it seem like the game was closer than it was. If the Vikings win in the second Monday night game of Week 2, they're a serious contender in the NFC. I'm not going that far yet.

Last week: 7-9

More here:

NFL against-the-spread picks: Can we really take the Cooper Rush-led Cowboys? - Yahoo Sports

ESPN paid a high price to land a high-profile "Monday Night Football" booth of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. One week in, the returns are looking good.

Monday night's game between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks was ESPN's most-watched MNF game since 2009 and its third-best regular season game since taking over the timeslot from ABC in 2006, the network announced Tuesday.

Between ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes, 19,845,000 viewers tuned in for the game.

The only other two regular season games to see more viewers were both in 2009, with 21.8 million tuning for a Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers game (Brett Favre's return to Green Bay) and 21.4 million watching a 10-0 New Orleans Saints team face the New England Patriots. Last postseason's Dallas Cowboys-Philadelphia Eagles game also saw more viewers with 20.2 million.

ESPN landed Troy Aikman and Joe Buck with some major money last offseason. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/WireImage)

All of that is very encouraging for ESPN, which gave Aikman and Buck a reported $165 million combined to jump over from Fox Sports. Of course, the ratings win isn't purely attributable to the pair, as the game itself obviously presented the compelling story of Russell Wilson's Week 1 return to Seattle after his blockbuster trade last offseason.

The highly anticipated game ended with drama and controversy (ESPN's two favorite words), as new Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett made the puzzling decision to attempt a 64-yard field goal rather than go for it on fourth-and-5. Kicker Brandon McManus, who had never made a field goal longer than 61 yards in his career, missed wide left.

After a full night of criticism, Hackett admitted he "definitely" should have gone for it on Tuesday.

Also aiding that number was ESPN2's "Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli" garnering 1,502,000 viewers, an 86 percent increase from last year's Week 1 debut, per ESPN.

ESPN will try to build on that momentum next week with a "Monday Night Football" double bill, featuring Buck and Aikman on a Minnesota Vikings- Philadelphia Eagles game at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC and last year's crew of Steve Levy, Dan Orlovsky, Louis Riddick handling Tennessee Titans-Buffalo Bills game at 7:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.

See more here:

ESPN starts its Joe Buck-Troy Aikman 'Monday Night Football' era with a massive ratings win - Yahoo Sports

The advantage the New York Mets have in the NL East race is that every fifth day, when Jacob deGrom is on the mound, they should be able to count on a win.

The odds have reflected deGrom's dominance, with the Mets reaching longer than -400 odds a few times in his starts. And then Tuesday happened.

The Mets lost as a -455 favorite against the Chicago Cubs, the biggest MLB favorite to lose this season, according to ESPN Stats and Info. Chicago got three runs off deGrom, added another off the bullpen and the Mets didn't score until the ninth inning in the 4-1 loss. That's the kind of game you don't want to lose with the Atlanta Braves right behind you.

The Mets' lead is down to a half game over the Braves as they face the Cubs again on Wednesday. The good news is the Mets are -200 favorites at BetMGM for Wednesday's game.

The NL East is the rare division that hasn't been decided yet. The AL Central is the only other one in which the first-place team's lead is less than six games. The Cleveland Guardians lead the AL Central by three games.

The Braves have been excellent since a slow start and the Mets can't shake them. The Mets have been good most of the season but 4-6 in their last 10 including losses to the Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Miami Marlins and Cubs. They're letting the Braves hang around.

The best news for the Mets is their remaining schedule is incredibly soft. There are three games left at the Braves but if the Mets handle business against teams like the Pirates, Nationals and Oakland A's the rest of the way, they should be just fine. But Tuesday night was a sign it might not be as easy as it seems. A few big underdogs have cashed tickets against the Mets lately. Maybe the pressure of the pennant race is affecting them.

Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs rounds the bases past Pete Alonso of the New York Mets after Happ hit a home run on Tuesday night. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)

Here's the first look at the sports betting slate for Wednesday:

The best game is the Tampa Bay Rays at the Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays have taken two of three in the series so far including a doubleheader split on Tuesday. Considering both of those teams and the Seattle Mariners are all at least five games clear in the wild-card race, and the Rays and Jays are both at least six games back in the AL East, there's not a lot of drama in the standings. But at least it's two good teams facing off. The Jays are -120 favorites.

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The other highlight on the schedule is the San Diego Padres at the Mariners. The Padres are two games up on the Milwaukee Brewers for the last wild-card spot and got a big 2-0 win on Wednesday. The Mariners are -150 favorites for Wednesday.

Not too much. There's no midweek college football yet. The WNBA Finals continues with Game 3 on Thursday. There are a bunch of Champions League soccer matches to bet on at least. But mostly we're all just waiting on that Los Angeles Chargers-Kansas City Chiefs game on Thursday night.

It has been hard to bet baseball, with so many teams way out of the playoff picture and the lack of drama in the playoff races. We'll try anyway. The Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians have a surprisingly fun game. Angels starter Patrick Sandoval has been very good lately, but so has Guardians starter Cal Quantrill. The Guardians are -120 favorites, and the Guardians are the far superior team regardless of Mike Trout's recent hot streak. I'll ride with the Guardians as a small favorite.

Link:

The Daily Sweat: Mets try to rebound after the biggest upset of the MLB season - Yahoo Sports