Month: September 2023

Inter Miami CF coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said Tuesday that Lionel Messi’s availability for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final will come down to a game-time decision.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s final against the Houston Dynamo, Martino said he will meet with Messi over the next two days to determine whether he can play: “We will decide tomorrow based on how he’s feeling,” and added that Jordi Alba is also doubtful for the match. The former Barcelona teammates both started last Wednesday’s 4-0 win over Toronto FC, but then left late in the first half. They also didn’t travel with the team for Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Orlando City SC. Messi, who also missed Miami’s loss in Atlanta 10 days ago, is said to be dealing with an old scar tissue problem, while Alba continues to deal with muscle soreness.

Speaking of Messi, Martino said: “In this case, we sit with him asking how he feels. Maybe other players, one makes a decision, but here we will make a decision we are in agreement over. Here, there are questions. The player, the [U.S. Open Cup] final, and what comes after. These three scenarios have to be evaluated; it is not just about the next game. Risk is always there, but we try to decrease the margin of risk .. If it wasn’t a final, we wouldn’t take any risk, but because it is a final, there is a chance we take that risk.”

Martino also said: “We are not trying to be mysterious with Leo. I say this with knowledge because of my time with Atlanta. Weekly there are reports of injuries and which players travel and don’t travel. This is a special situation. And if Leo were not here, we would not be discussing this. This is part of football. We are talking about the best player in football, and I have to give an answer that could affect the structure of the rival team. Why should I give that information if I can keep it to myself? We understand the desire [for the fans] to know, but we are not trying to be mysterious. We have a real situation.”

Editorial credit: Ringo Chiu / Shutterstock.com

The WNBA announced on Tuesday that NY Liberty forward Breanna Stewart has won the 2023 WNBA MVP award, the second of her career.  Stewart joined New York ahead of the 2023 season, and went on to a career-best scoring season in her first season with team. Stewart won the award for the first time in ’18 during her tenure with the Storm. She now becomes the eighth player in WNBA history to win the award multiple times, joining Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper, Elena Delle Donne, Candace Parker and A’ja Wilson.

The 29-year-old  Stewart edged out Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas and Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson, who won the 2022 award. Stewart earned 20 of the 60 first-place votes and 446 total points (23 second-place and 17 third-place votes). Thomas was second with 439 points (23 first-place votes) and Wilson third with 433 points (17 first-place votes). This is the second time in league history that the winner received fewer first-place votes than the runner-up. Sheryl Swoopes won the 2005 award over Lauren Jackson with four fewer first-place votes.

Stewart, Thomas and Wilson were all named to the All-Defensive Teams announced last week, and are playing in the WNBA semifinals.

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NFL Media reports that an MRI on Monday has confirmed that wide receiver Mike Williams has a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the season.  During the Chargers matchup against the Vikings on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium, Williams went down with less than two minutes left in the third, clutching his left knee. He remained on the turf until receiving assistance from trainers, and was helped off the field, then later carted to the locker room with Los Angeles up 21-17. The Chargers went on to defeat the Vikings, 28-24.  Before leaving the game, Williams hauled in six passes for 110 yards and a touchdown.

The seventh-year veteran had been off to a great start this season, with 230 receiving yards in the Chargers’ first three games. However, the injury-plagued Williams hasn’t played a full season since 2018, missing four regular-season games last season because of an ankle injury, and sidelined for a playoff game after a back injury in the regular-season finale at Denver.

In Williams absence, Joshua Palmer and first-round pick Quentin Johnston will be expected to pick up the slack. Keenan Allen, the Chargers’ top receiver, set a single-game franchise record with 18 receptions for 215 yards in Sunday’s game.

Editorial credit: Ringo Chiu / Shutterstock.com

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels told reporters on Monday that quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is in concussion protocol after the Raider fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night, 23-18.

Garoppolo played every snap in Sunday night’s game, and took four sacks and eight total QB hits. But he did not meet with reporters following the game as it was later revealed he was being evaluated for a concussion, though it remains unclear when the concussion might have occurred. Garoppolo finished 28 of 44 passing for 324 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Garoppolo must clear through concussion protocol to play in the Raiders’ (1-2) Week 4 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers (1-2). If Garoppolo is not cleared to take the field by then, it’s likely longtime New England Patriots backup quarterback Brian Hoyer would start vs. Justin Herbert, with rookie Aidan O’Connell as his backup.

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