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Los Angeles Football Club forward Gareth Bale has retired from professional soccer after a fruitful 18-year career. Bale announced this decision on Monday.
Gareth Bale joined LAFC last June after leaving La Liga’s Real Madrid. He scored one of the most memorable goals in MLS history, an extra-time header that sent the Black & Gold into Penalty kicks for their MLS Cup 2022 victory.
“We want to thank Gareth for everything he brought to our club,” John Torrington LAFC co-president and general manager said in a press release. “He arrived here with a goal to win championships in LA, and, like he has done everywhere else in his career – he succeeded.
“It was an honor to have one of the most talented, dynamic and exciting players of his generation finish his career with a title for LAFC, and we wish Gareth, his wife Emma, and their family nothing but the best in their future endeavors.”
Bale graced the list of the highest-profile players in MLS history, scoring three goals in 13 total appearances for the LAFC. He also helped the club win the Supporters’ Shield, making them the eighth MLS team to complete that single-season double.
Bale was once the most-expensive player transfer in the world when traded from Tottenham to Real Madrid. He won 21 trophies throughout a club career that began at Southampton. Five UEFA Champions League titles also grace his silverware cabinet.
This winter, Gareth captained Wales to their first FIFA World Cup appearance in 64 years and he retires as the Dragons’ all-time leader in appearances (111), and goals (40). After Wales’ Group B exit in Qatar, Bale said he wanted to participate in the 2024 Euros. But that plan changed.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have realized my dream of playing the sport I love,” Bale announced on his official channels. “It has truly given me some of the best moments of my life. The highest of highs over 17 seasons, that will be impossible to replicate, no matter what the next chapter has in store for me.”
Following Bale’s departure, the LAFC will now have an open spot for Designated Player to use for the 2023 season alongside forwards Carlos Vela and Denis Bouanga. Bale was on a guaranteed deal through the summer, then he reportedly became DP if a contract option was exercised.
Los Angeles Football Club are entering their second season under Steve Cherundolo the head coach and starting its title defense on February 25th against the LA Galaxy in a season-opening EL Trafico at the Rose Bowl (9:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
Winger secures 13th career hatty as Boston cruised 7-1 win over Ducks.
Hampus Lindholm may have seen David Pastrnak only twice a year during his time with the Anaheim Ducks, but there was one noteworthy performance by the Winger which is hard to forget:
Pastrnak’s only career four-game goal was scored against Anaheim on October 14th, 2019 at TD Garden.
“He’s a special player,” Lindholm said. “The way he can move the puck and put it in the back of the net, it’s really special. It’s fun to have him on my side finally.”
Lindholm delighted in the fact that on Sunday night when Pastrnak potted his 13th career hat trick in the Boston Bruins’ 7-1 drubbing of the Ducks at Honda Center. Pastrnak bolted past Johnny Bucyk for sole possession of third place on the B’s all-time hat tricks list and is now just one back of tying Cam Neely for second.
“It will never get old,” Pastrnak said when talking about his hat trick haul, which does not include two others in the postseason. “You’re scoring goals in the best league in the world. It’s not easy. I will never take it for granted. It’s my job to score goals. It still makes you happy.”
Boston was over the moon with Pastrnak’s performance as it secured a flawless 3-0 swing through California while extending their point streak to 14 games (11-0-3) and improving their overall record to an astounding 32-44 on the season.
The Black & Gold’s 68 points are the second-most through 40 games in NHL history (Boston, 71 in 1929-30), while their 32 wins also equal the second-most through 40 games in league legend with the 1944-45 Canadiens (the 1929-30 B’s has 35 wins).
David Pastrnak’s first goal of the night opened the scoring (his 62nd career game-opening goal) and secured his sixth career 30-goal season, making him just the seventh player in Bruins history to achieve that feat.
Phil Esposito and Rick Middleton, Johnny Bucyk -7, Peter McNab, Cam Neely, and Patrice Bergeon 6; were all players who attained this honour. The winger is also the third player this season to hit the 30-goal plateau, joining Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid (33) and Buffalo Sabers’ Tage Thompson (31).
“You can’t teach Krejci finding, buying time and Pasta just stopping there,” head coach Jim Montogomery said regarding the center’s feed from behind the net and Pastrnak’s one-timer finish from the right-wing circle to put Boston on top, 1-0, at 3:49 of the first. “Goal scorers know how to get open, that’s why they continue to score goals. That shot was amazing.”
Further, into the game, Pastrnak also assisted on David Krejci’s first-period maker to double the Bruins’ lead, before burying two goals in the middle frame – just 17 seconds apart; including a gorgeous breakaway finish that had Boston ahead, 4-1, after 40 minutes.
“Elite, creative – he’s like an artist the different ways he scores,” Montgomery said. “Everyone talks about the one-timers, but he scores off his front foot, his back foot, his backhand, fakes. I would have broke my ankle if I was the goalie in the nets on that breakaway one.”
Pastrnak’s 30th goal of the season was scored in his 40th game, which set a new personal best after doing it in 42 games during the 2019-20 campaign. He is now the seventh different Bruin to score 30 or more goals in 40 games or fewer. Pastrnak joins the likes of Esposito (four times), Neely (1993-94), Dit Clapper (1929-30), Herb Cain (1943 -44), Bill Cowley (1943-44) and Cooney Weiland (1929-30).
“The puck went in, obviously, I had some good looks,” said Pastrnak. “I was able to capitalize. Games like this sometimes, it’s good. Overall, unbelievable trip for us. Let’s go home now.”
Lindholm Hampus’ Homecoming
For Lindholm Hampus, the Sunday night game vs Anaheim Ducks was a sort of homecoming for him, as he came back to Honda Center as a visitor. Hampus spent the first nine seasons of his career as an Anaheim player before he was traded to Bruins last March for Urho Vaakanainen, John Moore, a 2022 first-round pick, and two other draft picks.
“It was weird,” Lindholm recounted. “Walking in, I got lost walking around the locker room and didn’t really know where to go. It was a different feeling, but happy with the two points and the process. We’ve been playing good here on this road trip, so nice to be able to go back home after a big win.”
In the first period, the Ducks paid homage to Lindholm with a video tribute highlighting his play on the ice, personality, and community work away from the rink.
“It kind of shaped me in my first couple years in the NHL, being here,” said Lindholm. “The organization has been so good to me. I’ve had so many family and friends here. Great memories. I’m obviously super happy about all that, but it’s a new chapter for me now which I’m really excited about as well.”
Lindholm rounded off the night with his fifth goal of the season when he pinched down the wall all the way into the corner and fired a shot from a bad angle that sneaked past John Gibson Anaheim’s goalie, to extend the Bruins’ lead to 6-1 with 8:34 to go.
“I was shooting to score,” said Lindholm. “I’ve tried to get in my head to shoot a little bit more. Good things happen when you shoot, I feel like. It was nice to see it go in.”
Boston Bruins Displeasure
The Boston Bruins acknowledged that they were displeased with a scrum following Anaheim’s only goal late in the first period when Trevor Zegras seemingly barked something at Trent Frederic in front of the Boston Bench.
“Yeah, for sure. You can’t do that after a goal,” said Pastrnak. “You have to have some certain respect. You can’t score a goal and then yell at the opponent no matter what happened in the sequence before…it hypes everybody else up.”
Montogomery felt that the Bruins let emotion get the best of them in the second, although they put this behind them following Pastrnak’s back-to-back tallies.
“Well, it had an effect in injecting emotion into the game, right?” Montgomery said. “I think that’s why that scrum happened, but after the first period, I thought we got away from our game because of all that and we talked about our culture and how we want to represent ourselves and get back to playing real good hockey. I think we got back to our game.”
Boston Love
Boston Bruins was impressed by the wide number of fans that poured into the Honda Center on Sunday night and hyped up the team with pro-Bruins chants throughout the night.
“It was outstanding,” Pastrnak recalled. “I think the whole bench in the third period took a second. It was pretty loud there cheering by Bruins fans. Respect for them to coming and support us. They were pretty loud.”
Montogomery stated that he was surprised by the amount of support the Bruins received this season outside Boston, especially during their matches in California, Colorado, and Florida.
“You know what’s been amazing, having not played for an Original Six or a team that has great fans like the Bruins and travels so well is how well we’re represented everywhere,” he said. “It makes you feel very lucky to be a part of the Bruins.”
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By assisting Pastrnak’s second goal, Patrice Bergeron notched his 600th career helper, becoming the fourth player in Bruins history to reach this mark. He joined the likes of Ray Bourque (1,111), Johnny Bucyk (794), and Bobby Orr (624).
David Krejci (goal, two assists) recorded his 188th career multi-point game, trying Ken Hodge for ninth most Bruins history, per NHL Stats.
Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves for his fourth win in six games (4-0-2), including victories in both of his starts during the West Coast swing. “Really solid,” said Montgomery. “They had a lot of dangerous chances in the first 25-30 minutes. I thought we really took over once we got those two Pastrnak goals. The air in the balloon came out, I think.”
Belt coming off a rough 2022 season that ended with a knee surgery
The Toronto Blue Jays have expanded their team, by adding one more left-handed bat, Brandon Belt as they work toward mixing up their right-heavy lineup.
Toronto has a one-year contract on the table with San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The Athletic says the deal is worth $9.3 million. The Blue Jays will be announcing the signing today.
Belt in April had already passed his physicals, which is remarkable considering he had season-ending surgery on his right knee in September. It is the third surgery Belt has had on the knee since 2018.
Last season, Brandon Belt witnessed what could be referred to as the worst of his 12-year career. He slashed .213/.326/.350 with eight home runs in 78 games, including .223/.319/.383 against righties. In 2021 he hit a robust .274/.378/.597 with 29 homers in only 97 games.
Multiple injuries have stunted Belt’s play to only 598 of 870 possible regular-season games since 2017, a not-very-nice 69 percent.
“Belt, who did not play after Aug. 20 because of knee woes, has conceded he may retire this winter if his ailment doesn’t improve. (Count Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper among those who believe he’s finished.) Even if Belt returns, it’s unclear how much he has left to offer. He had the worst season of his career by OPS+, and he’s a complete nonfactor against velocity. Indeed, Belt ranked in the second percentile in exit velocity against pitches 95 mph or greater, putting him in company with the likes of light-hitting (to be kind) infielders Nick Allen and Vidal Bruján. If this is the end — and it may be, one way or another — Belt deserves his flowers for a good career.”
Considering his knee trouble and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.s’ appearance at first base, Belt intends to step in as Toronto’s DH against righties. The Blue Jays have included Daulton Varsho, Kevin Kiermaier, and now Belt, who are all left-handed hitters to a lineup that was almost entirely right-handed at times last season.
Toronto BlueJays desperately needed lineup balance this offseason and have created it with Brandon Belt’s signing.
The team went 92-70 last season and was swept in the best-of-three Wild Card Series by the Seattle Mariners.
Lebron James is out for the Lakers Vs Nuggets due to ankle soreness
Although there is no specific timeline for his return, Lakers power forward Anthony Davis is reportedly set to return from his foot injury, and may not be sidelined much longer. Davis plans to start the “ramp-up process” to return to play later this week, according to Dave McMenamin from ESPN. While no time has been given for his return, the Los Angeles Lakers have announced that Davis is indefinitely out with his right foot injury; his foot is on the mend. He will begin pool workouts, running on an altered-gravity treadmill and start increasing his basketball workouts in the coming weeks. The Lakers will play without Davis for the foreseeable future, but the report on Monday indicates a glimmer of progress. Anthony Davis hasn’t played a game since he injured his right foot against Denver Nuggets on December 16. His right leg collided with Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic while in the paint, and he started hopping in pain. Davis was later diagnosed with a bone spur fracture and a stress reaction in his right foot. Davis will sit out his 13th consecutive game on Monday when the Lakers go against the Nuggets in Denver. Davis averaged 27.4 points and a career-high 12.1 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 60% from the field before he went down. Thomas Bryant has been picked as a replacement for Davis for the time being. Bryant, who signed a one-year deal with the LA Lakers this offseason, has averaged 17.1 points and 11.2 rebounds over the past 10 games. He had 29 points and 14 rebounds in the Lakers win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.
LeBron James is out for the Lakers VS Nuggets with ankle soreness “I’ve already kind of had visions of what that could possibly look like with the frontcourt of myself, AD and Thomas on the floor together,” Lebron Jame said on Saturday, on ESPN. “I think it could be extremely beneficial for our ballclub … We’re just trying to hold it down until our big guy comes back. And Thomas has definitely done his part, and we’re all trying to chip in.” James did not play Monday’s game against the Nuggets because his left ankle was sore, the team announced this on Monday afternoon. The Los Angeles Lakers entered Monday’s game on a five-game win streak, which is the best they’ve had this season. James played in four of those games, sitting out only last week’s win over the Miami Heat due to a non-COVID-related illness. He put up a near triple-double of 47 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in the Lakers’ win over the Atalanta Hawks, and then backed it up with a 43-point outing against the Charlotte Hornets days later. This season, Lebron James has averaged 29.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game this season. After their two-game road trip, the Lakers will be going home. On Thursday, they will host the Dallas Mavericks. There is no telling if James will miss more than one game.
Damar Hamlin collapses and suffers on-field cardiac arrest.
Bills VS Bengals game suspended for the week, with no decision on resumption.
Hamlin currently sedated in the hospital and intensive care.
The game scheduled between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals’ has been suspended for this week, following Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest on Monday Night Football.
The 24-year-old Bills’ star collapsed during their game with the Bengals after he collided with Bengals’ Tee Higgins in the first quarter of the game.
Hamlin was immediately taken to the hospital with his mother at his side. A representative has announced that Damar is ‘fighting’ but is sedated and in critical condition.
The National Football League has maintained contact with Damar Hamlin’s medical team, the Bills and Bengals organizations and the NFL Players Association have done so too.
After a meeting with the two teams and the NFLPA leadership, NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell announced to the clubs that the Bills VS Bengals game will not be continuing this week.
During his address, Goodell said:
‘The NFL has made no decision regarding the possible resumption of the game at a later date.
‘The league has not made any changes to the Week 18 regular season schedule.
‘We will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available.’
The NFL industry is abuzz with speculations on whether the match will be voided since the playoffs are fast approaching.
Kansas City Chiefs and the Las Vegas Raiders face off this Saturday. If Patrick Mahomes and his team win, they will seal the No.1 seed spot for the playoffs. This will make the Bills-Bengals academic. But, if the Chiefs lose, the Bills can still claim the top seed.
In his memo to team executives and coaches, Roger Goddell while giving an update on Hamlin’s condition on Tuesday, stated:
‘During last night’s game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field.
‘Damar experienced cardiac arrest and was resuscitated by on-site club physicians and independent medical personnel, all of whom are highly trained in implementing the plans for medical emergencies.
‘Damar was stabilized and transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, a Level One trauma center, where he remains in ICU’.
Given the recent developments, the NFL has been criticized for their reluctance and sluggishness in postponing the game Monday night. But, the league dispelled the reports that they were planning to resume the game.
Goodell’s memo informed the teams that the NFL will give constant updates on Hamlin’s condition when they can. He told them that mental health and support resources were available.
Hamlin’s family also released a statement earlier in the day, thanking the ‘dedicated first responders who resuscitated Bills Safety.
‘On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time,’ the statement read.
‘We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words and donations from fans around the country.
‘We also want to acknowledge the dedicated first responders and healthcare professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have provided exceptional care to Damar.
‘We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bills organization and to have their support. We also want to thank Coach Taylor and the Bengals for everything they’ve done.
‘Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us. Please keep Damar in your prayers.’
NFL FULL MEMO TO TEAMS On Damil Hamlin’s Condition
‘During last night’s game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field.
‘Damar experienced cardiac arrest and was resuscitated by on-site club physicians and independent medical personnel, all of whom are highly trained in implementing the plans for medical emergencies.
‘Damar was stabilized and transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, a Level One trauma center, where he remains in ICU.
‘After speaking with both teams and NFLPA leadership, I decided to postpone last night’s game and have our focus remain on Damar and his family.
‘We are in regular contact with both clubs and with the medical team caring for Damar and will share additional information as we receive it.
‘Earlier today, the Head of Player Engagement and Team Clinician for each club received information from Dr Nyaka NiiLampti about mental health and support resources that are available to your players and staff.
‘Additional resources including on-site services can be available for any club that wishes this assistance. ‘If your club would like to make use of these additional resources, please have your Player Engagement lead or Team Clinician contact Dr NiiLampti.
‘A short time ago, and after discussions with the two teams and the NFLPA, we advised Buffalo and Cincinnati that last night’s game will not be resumed this week.
‘No decision has been made regarding the possible resumption of the game at a later date and we have not announced any changes to this weekend’s schedule.
‘We will promptly advise all clubs of any decisions that are made regarding these matters. If you have any questions in the meantime, please call me or any of our senior staff.’
All MLS matches will air live on MLS Season Pass; Apple TV’s unprecedented streaming service on the app launching February 1.
Fans to enjoy consistent match windows Saturdays and on select Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. local time
Major League Soccer today, announced the release of the complete 2023 MLS regular season schedule. The inaugural campaign of the league’s 29th club, St. Louis CITY SC highlighted the announcement.
St. Louis City SC will not be the only new addition to the MLS making a debut. The 2023 season will also be graced with the MLS Season Pass, a joint subscription service created by Apple and Major League Soccer.
The MLS Season Pass will stream every match happening during the MLS regular season, Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, and Leagues Cup1 all on one platform, and with no blackouts.
With the MLS Season Pass, soccer fans can watch MLS matches across numerous devices through the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, game consoles, and on tv.apple.com.
The launching of MLS Season Pass on February 1, 2023, will officially mark the kickoff of the 10-year partnership between MLS and Apple, which is the first for a major professional sports league.
As a way to build a schedule that serves passionate fans best and increases viewing and attendance too, most of the games in the 2023 season will be set for Saturdays and select Wednesdays, with start times at 7:30 p.m. local times.
To complement this, MLS Season Pass will provide a five-hour live whip-around show, that captures all the key moments from every match from the beginning of the Eastern Conference games through the end of the Western Conference games (7:30 p.m. ET – 12:30 a.m. ET).
Furthermore, a selection of MLS and Leagues Cup matches, including big playoff matchups, will be made available at no extra cost to Apple TV+ subscribers, with a number of matches showing for free on the Apple TV app. Choice matches will also be available on FOX networks in the U.S., and on TSN and RDS in Canada.
Fox Sports will show 34 games in 2023, this includes 15 matches on FOX and 19 games on FS1, with all of the station’s broadcast providing Spanish-language of Fox Deportes.
In the following weeks, the extensive schedule for TSN and RDS regular season matches will be announced, with at least one match per week played by a Canadian team.
Find the full MLS schedule here. Highlights of the 2023 MLS Regular season schedule are listed out below:
“MLS Is Back” Opening Weekend
MLS is Back on Saturday, February 25, as the teams take to the pitch to make their 2023 debuts. Every match happening on the MLS is Back opening weekend will be available for free streaming on the Apple TV app.
Nashville SC will play the first match of the 2023 season. Landon Donovan, MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar will host the New York City Football Club, with Brazillian star Talles Magno at GEODIS Park at 4:30 p.m. ET, live on the Apple TV app and on FOX and FOX Deportes.
Opening day action will continue with a tense EL Tráfico match scaling new heights at the famous Rose Bowl, when LA Galaxy begins the season against reigning MLS Cup champions and crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Football Club at 9:30 p.m. ET, live on the Apple TV app.
St. Louis CITY SC’s Debut
The debut of the Major League Soccer’s expansion team St. Louis CITY SC marks the welcoming of a new club by the league.
St. Louis will kick off their inaugural campaign on the road against Austin FC at Q2 Stadium and live on MLS Season Pass, on Saturday, February 25th at 8:30 p.m. ET.
The new club will make their anticipated home debut as hosts to 2021 season’s newcomers Charlotte FC at CityPark on Saturday, March 4 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
With a 22,500 capacity and over 60,000 season ticket deposits at CityPark, St. Louis FC has everything it needs for a memorable home-field inauguration.
Rivalry Week Returns
Rivalry Week will feature four days of the MLS’ fiercest rivalry matches, showing from May 13-20.
Kicking off Saturday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET on MLS Season Pass, fans will witness a Southern competition featuring hosts, Atlanta United playing Charlotte FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. And at the same time, the New York Red Bulls will play Hudson River rivals NYCFC at Red Bull Arena.
California Clásico will force LA Galaxy to lock horns with San Jose Earthquakes live at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday, May 14 at 9:30 p.m.ET on MLS Season Pass, FS!, and Fox Deportes. After which, an intriguing slate of nine matches will bring Rivalry Week to an end on Saturday, May 20.
MLS 2023 All-Star Game By Target
Target will present the 2023 MLA All-Star Game which is set for Wednesday, July 19 at Audi Field, home of D.C. United. The opponent for this Major League Soccer showcase event is yet to be announced.
Leagues Cup Break
In a noteworthy new chapter for North American Soccer, starting from 2023, all 47 MLS and LIGA MX clubs will play in a totally reimagined Leagues Cup. This is an annual, month-long, Concacaf-sanctioned tournament.
Leagues Cup 2023 will make history as the first major soccer tournament to feature all the teams from a pair of top-flight leagues.
On July 15, the MLS regular season will take a break following the games for Leagues Cup play and resume as usual on August 20th.
MLS Cup Rematch
There will be a rematch on September 23rd, live on MLS Season Pass for the 2022 MLS Cup and last year’s two best regular season teams will feature Philadelphia Union VS LAFC.
MLS Decision Day 2023
For the final day of action, October 21st, every club will face intraconference opponents with everything placed on the line in a battle for playoff spots and seeding. Kickoff times for MLS Decision Day will be announced at a later date.
Further details on the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs will also be announced at a later date.
MLS Conference Alignment
Following St. Louis CITY SC’s addition to the Western Conference, Nashville SC will rejoin the Eastern Conference.
MLS Schedule Construction
The 15 Eastern Conference teams will play:
Two games vs. each intraconference opponent (28 games)
One game vs. six different cross-conference opponents (6 games)
The 14 Western Conference teams will play:
Two games vs. each intraconference opponent (26 games)
One game vs. 1 or 2 additional intraconference opponents (1-2 games)
One game vs 6 or 7 different cross-conference opponents (6-7 games)
Extra Notes about the 2023 MLS Schedule
During the October and November FIFA international windows, the MLS will take a break. MLS clubs received the option to play in the June and September FIFA international window, and 13 clubs elected to do so.
The five MLS teams that qualified for the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League will kick off the first leg of Round of 16 play on March 7-9. Competing teams include – Austin FC, LAFC, Orlando City SC, Philadelphia Union, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Learn more about the official Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League schedule.
Seattle Sounders FC will compete in the FIFA Club World Cup, kicking off on February 1-11 in Morocco. Match dates and times are to be confirmed.
Follow MLS Clubs on the Apple TV App and Apple News
Major League Soccer fans can catch all the action in 2023 by following their favorite teams through My Sports on the Apple TV app.
Using iOS 16, Apple launched a new My Sports section across iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV so that user can conveniently follow their favorite clubs, teams, and leagues.
Fans can visit apple.co/MySportsMLS on their iPhone or iPad to access the Apple TV app and keep up with their favorites, receive notifications for upcoming games, follow scores in real-time, etc.
With My Sports, fans can also get personalized, real-time sports coverage from Apple News. They can stay updated with the best stories from top publications and get live scores, schedules, standings, and highlights.
Subscribing to MLS Season Pass
From February 1st, fans can subscribe to the MLS Season Pass via the Apple TV app for $14.99 monthly during the season or 99$ per season. Apple TV+ subscribers can sign up at $12.99 a month and $79 a season.
Subscribing to the MLS Season Pass comes with a full-season ticket account. By using Family Sharing, up to six family members can share a subscription using their individual Apple ID and password.
Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup for viewers in Mexico are excluded.
The Matt Rhule experiment is now officially over in Carolina. The Panthers have decided to move on from their head coach after a very bad 1-4 start to their season. There was some excitement with Baker Mayfield coming over to supplant Sam Darnold at the starting quarterback position, but it just didn’t end up helping at al. They still only won one of their first five games with that victory being shaky as well.
Now, the hiring of Rhule was questionable to being with. He signed onto a seven-year; $62 million dollar deal back in 2020. That’s never really a good sign for a team to do especially when the coach in question has no professional experience. Rhule was excellent for both Temple and Baylor and was known to be a savior of teams. It’s why they jumped the gun on hiring him.
The success just didn’t follow this time. Over his two plus seasons, he had an 11-27 overall record. Back-to-back years saw him post just five-win seasons. Oh, and he’s now the first Panthers head coach to serve fewer than three full seasons. Carolina has been in the bottom five of offense every year since Rhule came around. They rank in the bottom of the barrel of every single stat such as points per game, yards per game, third-down percentage, red-zone percentage and passer rating.
Matt Rhule Wasn’t Only To Blame
Rhule put the blame on their offensive coordinator Joe Brady, firing him in 2021. However, we all knew back then that this was a bit of a scapegoat move to make. The same goes for the trade for Baker and now how everybody has sort of started to blame solely him for the offensive woes. Mayfield is certainly the problem without a doubt, but this is a bad offensive situation going on in Carolina that isn’t one person’s fault.
Multiple other quarterbacks have started and failed with this offense since Rhule has been there. The first was Teddy Bridgewater who is known for being a solid bridge signal caller. Christian McCaffrey wasn’t healthy at all during this year so Bridgewater was left with practically zero talent around him. Then Darnold stepped up to the plate and started out with a hot 3-0 record. Though they fell consistently after that and ended 5-12. Even Cam Newton was sent out there to start for a few games and had one good performance, but then instantly fell back down to what everybody expected from him when he signed on.
Don’t feel terrible for Rhule though. He is still expected to receive $40 million of this contract from the Panthers. Even when losing, the man was able to make a bag in his less than three seasons of coaching in the NFL. Plus, he is already receiving HEAVY interest from colleges to get him back into their program. It likely won’t take much time for him to find another coaching gig at some type of team or program. Bottom line though, this entire situation has been a massive swing and a miss for the Panthers. Who might even go into a rebuild at this stage.
The Miami Dolphins certainly came to play in the second half of their game against the Baltimore Ravens. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen this group play to the abilities they showcased on Sunday.
Miami Dolphins Had Phenomenal Game
Many have doubted the young signal caller Tua Tagovailoa. He’s been one of the most heckled quarterbacks in the league by quite a substantial margin in these past few years. He proved all of the doubters wrong by throwing for 469 yards and SIX touchdown passes to lead a vicious comeback. The Dolphins found themselves down by three touchdowns at the start of the fourth quarter when Tua started lighting it up in the passing game to bring it back. Tua’s legendary performance helped the Dolphins pull away at the end of regulation with a 42-38 final.
Now, the Miami Dolphins didn’t just get success out of only their quarterback. They clearly needed wide receivers to be getting open consistently. Luckily, they had the speedster duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to get the job done in that department. Waddle had 171 yards and two touchdowns through the air while Hill poured on 190 yards and two touchdowns of his own. These two teammates putting up stat lines like this in the same game will end up going down in history.
It’s great to see a player like Tua thrive under the right leadership and teammates. He’s had a very rough go in the NFL due to circumstances out of his control. The former Dolphins head coach, Brian Flores, had concerns about him throughout their time together. Flores would consistently switch out hits two quarterbacks, starting Tua on some games until he felt that he underperformed and swapped back to the journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick. Speaking of Ryan, he once told reporters that Tagovailoa was “limited physically.”
Tua Facing Tremendous Hate Since Joining Dolphins
It’s been unfair to see this much criticism in just a few years in the league. Especially when Tua came into the NFL with a major hip injury that he was working his way back from. His new head coach Mike McDaniel was thrilled about the confidence Tagovailoa showed in this last game against Baltimore. When they asked him about his quarterback’s performance, he said, “Now maybe Tua will finally listen to me. What I mean by that is, it’s awesome to be critical of yourself. It is good. He has a high standard for himself. The absolute worst thing could have happened in the beginning of the game, the contested ball, not really his fault on the first interception and then he starts pressing and throws it up for the second interception”
Mike continued by saying, “He stopped worrying about the last play and went and played and took his responsibility seriously to his teammates…. It was a moment, I think, he’ll never forget and hopefully he can use it moving forward.”
With this type of motivation surrounding Tua and these 2-0 Miami Dolphins, there is a genuine shot that we could be witnessing the birth of something incredible down there. Here’s to hoping that they can keep on pushing forward in 2022 with these strong performances!
Baltimore Raven fans look away. All offseason we’ve been paying attention to the drama surrounding Lamar Jackson and his much-deserved contract extension. Recently, Jackson made it clear that he would not be signing an extension if they couldn’t agree by the end of the week. This is because he is choosing not to battle for an extension right in the middle of the regular season. Something that a good chunk of players opt not to do.
The weekend is now upon us, and the two sides couldn’t agree whatsoever. The team’s General Manager Eric DeCosta said, “Despite best efforts on both sides, we were unable to reach a contract extension with Lamar Jackson. We greatly appreciate how he has handled this process. And we are excited about our team with Lamar leading the way. We will continue to work towards a long-term contract after the season, but for now we are looking forward to a successful 2022 campaign.”
Again, this certainly wasn’t the news that Ravens fans wanted to hear. Head coach John Harbaugh said, “I wasn’t directly involved with any back and forth, but you’re hopeful.” He continued by saying, “He and I talked about it yesterday a little bit, like, hey man, let’s go be our best and go focus on football.” It’s clear that both Harbaugh and Jackson are putting all of their efforts on the season opener on Sunday.
Lamar Jackson Not Signing Was Unexpected
A few months ago in March, DeCosta came out and shared a ton of hope to sign Lamar. He made it unbelievably clear that re-signing him was their highest priority way back at the NFL combine. All these months past and it’s looked like they’ve gotten further apart then before. At one point, DeCosta even said, “He knows how to find me; I know how to find him.”
One could imagine that the contract Deshaun Watson recently signed impacted these negotiations. Watson didn’t play for an entire season and made $230 million, fully guaranteed. Obviously, Lamar believes that he deserves more and how can you blame him for that? He was the 2019 NFL MVP and has consistently dragged Baltimore’s offense forward with his speed and athleticism.
It hasn’t just been Watson who tipped the quarterback market. We all know that Patrick Mahomes signed that $500 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs a few years ago. Then Josh Allen signed a six-year, $258 million deal a little over a year ago. Lamar Jackson might not be demanding more than those guys, but it’s not easy to argue that he is looking for something close to those numbers. Jackson hasn’t had much playoff success with the organization, though they likely wouldn’t be even in contention without him leading the charge the past four years.
Hopefully, Jackson is able to stay healthy throughout the year to eventually get the contract he deserves from the Ravens. I know one thing is for sure though, Baltimore will definitely regret not inking Lamar to an extension if he gets up and leaves in the offseason.
Austin Meadows, the Detroit Tigers outfielder, has announced that he will not be returning to the diamond this year as he prioritizes mental health. Meadows had been getting in extra work these past few months as he continues to work his way back from an Achilles injury.
Meadows recently came out and said this, “What I have told very few people is that I also have been struggling with my mental health in a way that has extended my time away from the game that I love so much. I’ve been dealing with this privately with a great team of professionals. But I need to continue to put in the hard work off the field towards feeling mentally healthy.”
He continued by mentioning that he has been back in the team clubhouse lately, and wants to stick around for the rest of this season. The only problem is that he just isn’t ready to get himself back onto the field yet, but he has made it clear that the teammates and professionals around him are helping him push through this difficult time.
Manager A.J. Hinch said this regarding Meadow’s announcement, “He wanted to share with everyone what he’s going through. I commend him for doing it. I’m very proud of him. It’s not easy in this sport, as an athlete, as a competitor, to admit when you need help outside the normal scope of baseball. We’ll offer him all the support we can, and we have been. It’s tough to hear, but I very much feel good about the path ahead. He’s on a great path, surrounded by a lot of great people. He’s got a ton of support, and his statement speaks for itself.”
Austin Meadows Has Suffered A Rough Stretch
Tigers was previously on the Tampa Bay Rays before he got traded to the Tigers before the end of Spring Training. He was flipped over in exchange for infielder Isaac Paredes. Meadows blasted away 33 home runs in 2019 for the Rays. Followed by another 27 home runs for the organization last year.
The injuries have just begun piling up for him over the years. Meadows picked up a non-COVID illness back in May. This started an entire cycle. When he was coming in and out of the rotation because of it, he fell onto the injured list with vertigo a few weeks later. Shortly after that, he was once again sick. This time on the COVID-19 list. Then finally, he was working at Triple-A Toledo during a rehab assignment. This was when his Achilles started to flare up on both of his feet.
Meadows wasn’t pressured into this decision to speak up about his mental health, it was entirely his choice. This isn’t the first athlete in professional sports to come out and speak about the important of mental health. Something everybody should be paying attention to. It’s good to hear that Meadows is getting the help and attention that he needs. Hopefully we will be able to see him on the field again shortly.