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Mariners Fire Manager Scott Servais In Midst Of A Midseason Collapse

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SEATTLE — With rising rumours that a managerial change was imminent, Scott Servais learnt he would no longer be in control of the Seattle Mariners from a news alert flashing across a television screen, not from his supervisors.

The Mariners made a clumsy mistake Thursday. Just another error in two months in which the club crumbled, slipping from appearing on track for a division title to sitting on the verge of playoff contention in the American League.

Mariners Fire Manager Scott Servais In Midst Of A Midseason Collapse

“In what has been one of my least favourite days in my professional life, the worst part was the fact that Scott and (hitting coach Jarret DeHart) found out about this over the crawl of a news channel,” Mariners executive vice president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said. “That, it crushes me and I know it hurts them a great deal.”

Servais was fired in the middle of his eighth season as Mariners manager, but only after the team wasted a 10-game lead in the AL West and is now playing catch-up with only five weeks remaining in the regular season.

Former Seattle catcher Dan Wilson was named to replace Servais, the second manager to be fired this season, following Pedro Grifol of the Chicago White Sox. Wilson will be the manager in the future, not an interim manager for the remainder of the season.

“It has been a very difficult two-month stretch, a particularly tough 10 days, but trying to do what we can do with a team that is telling us we need to do something a little different than what we have,” Dipoto explained.

The decision to part ways with the 57-year-old Servais came during a catastrophic 1-8 road trip that put the Mariners to 64-64 after 13 games over 500 in mid-June.

On Thursday, the Mariners were five games behind Houston in the AL West and 7 1/2 games down in the wild-card rankings. However, nothing about Seattle’s play since leading the division by ten games on June 18 has given hope for a turnaround in the last five weeks of the regular season.

“Where we were in the middle of June and where we are today, it’s hard to believe actually how quickly it all dissolved for us and the way our team has played,” says Dipoto.

Servais joined Seattle before the 2016 season alongside Dipoto. Servais was 680-642 during his stint in Seattle, which included a massive reconstruction midway through his tenure that ultimately made the Mariners competitive — but not great. He was the second-longest-tenured manager in franchise history, trailing only Lou Piniella.

Servais issued a statement late Thursday, thanking players, ownership, and fans for his time with the Mariners.

“The city of Seattle welcomed my family and me, and we will be eternally thankful for your support. As this chapter comes to a conclusion, I leave feeling proud of what we’ve accomplished together and excited about what the future holds,” Servais added.

This season, the Mariners have struggled with a shortage of offense, which has been especially frustrating given that Seattle’s pitching staff has been statistically the best in baseball for most of the season.

Seattle’s pitching staff leads MLB in ERA, WHIP, and batting average against. Meanwhile, the Mariners rank 30th in hitting average, 29th in slugging, and have the league’s most strikeouts. Seattle has scored two runs or less 48 times in 128 games this season, going 6–42 in those games.

But the stretch of play since mid-June is what prompted the managerial change. On June 19, the Mariners were 44-31 and led the division by ten games. However, the Mariners have gone 20-33 since then, including a 7-15 record versus Detroit, Pittsburgh, Miami, and the Los Angeles Angels, all of which are below 500. Seattle’s trade deadline signings of Randy Arozarena and Justin Turner have not given the expected offensive spark, and injuries to Julio Rodríguez and J.P. Crawford have reduced expectations of turning around the skid.

Mariners Fire Manager Scott Servais In Midst Of A Midseason Collapse

The 55-year-old Wilson, whose first game in charge will be Friday night when the Mariners begin a series against the San Francisco Giants, has served in various capacities for the organization, including fill-in manager for the team’s Triple-A affiliate and analyst on the team’s television broadcasts. He has been the team’s special assistant for player development for the past seven years.

Wilson is the 21st manager in team history and the 18th full-time manager.

“We can’t know a person better than we know Dan Wilson, and I believe in both his baseball and who he is as a person,” Dipoto told reporters. “I think that will resonate very well with our players.”

Servais will be remembered in Seattle as the manager who helped the Mariners end baseball’s longest playoff drought by earning a wild-card spot in 2022. Servais was the party’s captain the night Seattle won, and the Mariners defeated Toronto in the wild-card series before falling to Houston in the ALDS.

Seattle was Servais’s first management job. He had worked in the front office for Texas and the Angels before joining the Mariners in the dugout.

SOURCE | AP

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The Masters Adds Two Hours Of Weekend Coverage On Paramount+

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The Masters and CBS will boost broadcast coverage by five hours next year, including two hours on Saturday and Sunday via CBS’s Paramount+ streaming service.

Augusta National recently announced another high-level corporate partner, Bank of America, raising the total number of “champion partners” for golf’s most-watched major to four.

The addition of Bank of America does not affect the commercial load. The Masters indicated the broadcast would continue with only four minutes of advertising per hour.

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The Masters Adds Two Hours Of Weekend Coverage On Paramount+

“The Masters Tournament has had the great fortune of enjoying an extraordinary relationship with CBS Sports for nearly 70 years,” said Augusta National and Masters chairman Fred Ridley. “Alongside our friends at the network, we are pleased to extend the tournament’s weekend coverage and ultimately deliver more live golf for Masters fans.”

CBS will extend Saturday’s show by one hour. Next year, it will run from 2 to 7 p.m. EDT, rather than 3 p.m. The third and fourth rounds will be shown exclusively on Paramount+ from noon to 2 p.m. and will be available on the streaming service until the 7 p.m. finale.

This extends the overall coverage to 23 hours, including ESPN’s broadcast from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.

CBS also produces extensive digital coverage via The Master’s app, which includes features including Amen Corner, holes 4-6, holes 15-16, and featured pairings.

CBS has made its live coverage of athletic events available on Paramount Plus. The extra two hours on weekends will be part of its exclusive material, which is the first time it has offered golf-related content.

The Masters and CBS have had an annual relationship since 1956 when the network televised the last four holes with six cameras. Only 25 years ago, CBS broadcast only 10 1/2 hours of live Masters coverage, including three hours on Sunday.

Bank of America joins a tiny group of key corporate sponsors at the Masters, including AT&T, IBM, and Mercedes-Benz, all of whom have expanded their agreements. The club does not publish the specifics of those contracts.

Bank of America has had a long-standing partnership with Augusta National, serving as the presenting sponsor of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur since its establishment in 2019, as well as the Asia-Pacific Amateur and Latin America Amateur since 2022.

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The Masters Adds Two Hours Of Weekend Coverage On Paramount+

“Through Bank of America’s support of our community initiatives and amateur events, they have become an impactful and committed partner in our organization’s mission in Augusta and around the globe,” Ridley told the crowd.

He stated that adding Bank of America as a top-tier sponsor broadens the partnership and improves the Masters “for many years to come.”

The Masters will be hosted on April 10-13 next year, continuing its history of taking place during the first full week of April. Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion.

SOURCE | AP

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The Eagles Lose to the Atlanta Falcons 22-21 Because of a Key Drop Late in the Fourth Quarter.

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(VOR News) – Saquon Barkley would have secured at least a first down, if not a touchdown, in order to secure a victory in the Eagles’ home opener.

Barkley was unable to maintain possession of a pass from Jalen Hurts, as a result of a fumble. The Eagles were compelled to settle for a field goal and halt the clock late in the game when a significant error occurred on third down at Atlanta’s 10-yard line with 1:46 remaining.

The Atlanta Falcons capitalised on Barkley’s error to execute an impeccable drive that the Eagles were unable to replicate, culminating in an extraordinary play. Kirk Cousins concluded the winning drive with a touchdown pass to Drake London, and Atlanta stunned Philadelphia 22–21 in their home opener on Monday night. Barkley stated unequivocally, “I erred.”

Today, I will depart from my gathering. The defence was incorrectly placed in that situation. If I succeed in making the reception, the game is over. Barkley and Hurts engaged in a brief conversation in the locker room following the contest.

Hurts’ fourth-quarter 1-yard push-push gave the Eagles an 18-15 lead.

Barkley was still in Hurts’ good graces, as the message was unambiguous. Barkley stated, “He is going to trust me in that situation every time.” Jake Elliott executed a 28-yard field goal subsequent to Barkley’s interception, as opposed to the Eagles’ effort at a fourth-down touchdown.

“Our objective was to increase by six points.” Coach Nick Sirianni declared, “It was unsuccessful.” “I intended for them to score a touchdown and attempt to drive on the field.” Additionally, they executed it.

Barkley has signed a three-year contract worth a guaranteed $26 million, making him the highest-paid running back in franchise history. The 27-year-old former New York Giant did have a propensity for fumbling the ball while a member of an NFC East opponent.

Hurts declared, “I have confidence in his ability to execute a play every day of the week.” In the same manner as all other individuals. It will be advantageous for us.

Barkley may be sufficiently trusted by the Eagles to proceed directly to first down in the future.

The Eagles had 34 seconds to propel Elliott into field goal range after London scored a touchdown by tormenting cornerback Darius Slay. Instead, Jessie Bates III intercepted Hurts’ pass, effectively ending Philadelphia’s remarkable comeback.

Sirianni declared, “The objective of that play was to advance down the field.” “The guy made a great play, and he took a chance.”

Slay, like Barkley, acknowledged his role in the loss after London’s touchdown secured the victory. “That is my responsibility, Philadelphia!” I have one to distribute to each of you. Oh my God! Slay posted writing on social media.

The Eagles, who began the season with a 10-1 record, are currently 1-1 and have remaining games against New Orleans and Tampa Bay.

Barkley made his home debut one week after rushing for 109 yards and three touchdowns against Green Bay, accumulating 95 yards. Eagles supporters jeered when Barkley failed to contact the ball on the game’s opening drive. Bradley Cooper, a Hollywood celebrity, scored two consecutive touchdowns from nine yards out to commence the second drive, causing Eagles supporters to go wild.

Barkley’s Eagles could not maintain success.

Cousins and the long play were unable to be stopped by the defence for the entire 60 minutes. Under the guidance of new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, the Eagles established a pattern of allowing extended drives to conclude with three scores, rather than seven.

In the third quarter, Atlanta’s Younghoe Koo scored field goals from 39, 22, and 34 yards. The latter of these made his team lead 9–7. During their initial possession at the 20-yard line, the Eagles restricted the Packers to only three field goals.

The Cousins, who had signed a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason, demonstrated significant improvement during the second half.

Cousins connected with Darnell Mooney on a 41-yard touchdown pass, resulting in a 15–10 Atlanta lead. Cousins later connected with Mooney for 21 and 26 yards on consecutive plays during the critical drive.

Brandon Graham, the defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles, stated, “We are vulnerable to defeat, particularly if we fail to capitalise on our opportunities.”

DeVonta Smith spearheaded the Eagles during the absence of starting receiver A.J. Brown, who sustained a hamstring injury, by making seven receptions for 76 yards and scoring a touchdown. Sirianni expressed ambiguity regarding Brown’s duration of absence.

Hurt observed, “He has been missed, of course.” “I remain optimistic that others will take the initiative, despite this.” At that moment, we were unable to establish a connection. Tonight, it was not our night.

SOURCE: AP

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Buescher Tries Not To Think About Missed Shot For NASCAR Playoff Spot After Win At The Glen

Caleb Williams, The Quarterback, Sustained an Injury after the Houston Texans Sacked Him Seven Times.

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Buescher Tries Not To Think About Missed Shot For NASCAR Playoff Spot After Win At The Glen

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Watkins Glen, New York – Chris Buescher lost a playoff berth at Kansas when Kyle Larson clipped him on the final lap to win the closest finish in NASCAR history.

Buescher fought with Tyler Reddick after being denied a shot at the checkered flag following a late collision at Darlington, enraged that another postseason bid had been ruined.

Who knows. If Chris had made it to NASCAR’s postseason, he could have been a dark horse to defeat for the Cup title.

Buescher

Buescher Tries Not To Think About Missed Shot For NASCAR Playoff Spot After Win At The Glen

Chris had to play spoiler on Sunday at Watkins Glen’s road course.

Buescher’s last lap overtake on road-course ace Shane van Gisbergen in overtime propelled the RFK Racing driver to victory.

Chris led five consecutive non-playoff drivers to victory in a road-course race that played havoc on Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, and a few title candidates.

“We’re going to play spoiler as much as we can in the next seven or eight weeks, as well,” Buescher told me.

Let the playoff field of 16 worry about their Cup championship chances heading into Saturday’s cutoff race at Bristol.

Instead, Chris had to figure out how to get all the champagne out of a large bottle of wine he had brought with him from Victory Lane.

“Looks ridiculous, don’t it?” Buescher cracked.

With title contenders well behind them, Buescher and van Gisbergen battled door-to-door to a dramatic finish on The Glen’s 2.45-mile road course. Van Gisbergen, who won his NASCAR debut at the Chicago street race last season, claimed the lead from the second row on a three-wide move during an overtime restart. Buescher pursued him in the No. 17 Ford, and the two cars collided at the “Bus Stop” – a vital inner loop on the circuit — before Buescher sped past van Gisbergen.

“I knew Chris was going to send it and push me if he could get there,” van Gisbergen explained. “I twisted, became a little loose, and clipped the interior wall. There was a driver error. I’m gutted.

Buescher outperformed the New Zealand driver in NASCAR’s second playoff race of the season. Carson Hocevar placed third, followed by Ross Chastain and Zane Smith.

Yes, it was that type of race.

Buescher, who won three times last season, qualified 24th and won his sixth Cup race.

“If we’re going to be blunt about it, not having to think about points at all on the playoff-side of it, or any cutoffs, opened up more opportunities for us today to go out there and get that win,” Buescher reported.

He also scored his second postseason upset in three seasons. Buescher won the third playoff race at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2022 for RFK Racing, the long-time Jack Roush-owned squad that competed with Keselowski in the ownership group two years previously. It was the first occasion in this iteration of NASCAR’s postseason that a playoff driver failed to win a race in a round.

Buescher Tries Not To Think About Missed Shot For NASCAR Playoff Spot After Win At The Glen

Joey Logano won the playoff opener in Atlanta last weekend and is the only driver who is guaranteed to advance to the next round.

After a few difficult seasons — Buescher went winless from 2017 to 2021 — he has tried not to concentrate on the close calls this season that robbed him of a postseason spot. He only wanted to savor the checkered flag and the rewards that come with it, such as a large bottle of champagne.

“Missing the playoffs hurt,” Buescher admitted. “It stung there. The season we had, with so many close calls and near misses, did not feel good. It’s a nice old-fashioned win. In that way, it’s incredibly meaningful for me and the crew to get this Mustang to victory lane.”

SOURCE | AP

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