Manchester City keeps edge in Premier race
It’s still advantage Manchester City in the English Premier League title race after the league leader and Liverpool won tricky away matches Saturday.
Liverpool won at Newcastle 1-0 to go briefly atop the table, but City won at Leeds 4-0 a few hours later to move back above Liverpool by a point.
There are four rounds left in their title fight.
Norwich was relegated after Dean Smith’s return to Aston Villa ended in a 2-0 defeat.
Watford is also on the brink of going straight back down to the Championship after it lost to Burnley 2-1 to become the first team in top-flight history to lose 11 straight home games.
Elsewhere: Real Madrid clinched a recordextending 35th Spanish league title when its reserve squad defeated Espanyol 4-0. Carlo Ancelotti
Abecame the first coach to lift trophies in the top five European leagues.
Marcelo also reached a milestone with his 24th career title with Madrid. … Napoli salvaged some pride as it crushed Sassuolo 6-1 in Milan to consolidate third place in Serie A. Napoli was still reeling from last week’s match at Empoli, where it was leading 2-0 before three goals in the final 10 minutes saw the home side win
3-2. ...
Rennes pulled within three points of secondplaced Marseille in the French race for Champions League spots after
Lovro Majer scored twice in Paris to help beat relegation-threatened SaintEtienne 2-0. ... Mino Raiola, the influential and often controversial sports agent to some of soccer's biggest players, has died in Milan, where he had been hospitalized. Raiola, 54, was the agent for stars including Erling Haaland, Paul Pogba and
Ibrahimović.
laws regarding how college players can benefit from their name, image and likeness.
“I am never going to do anything that is going to break a rule,” he said.
“We have 30 attorneys here. We provide contracts to UM, and we’re in contact with their compliance department.”
So how exactly is the process working? Ruiz explained:
He said that UM never calls encouraging him to offer NIL deals to any particular recruits or players in the portal. Ruiz said he and his sons — who both attended UM, as did his daughter — monitor recruiting and portal news closely.
He said nobody from UM has called to thank him, nor is he expecting that, but “I know the university is thankful. They are very thankful. I have spoken to [athletic director] Dan Radakovich because I’ve run into him. [With the coaches], on purpose, I try to keep a distance, though I know them all fairly well.”
UM declined to comment for this story, but a source in the administration said: “John is a great supporter and great businessman and in this case, his decision to partner with young people to promote his product launch is unique.”
Of the transfers signed by the football team and the men’s and women’s basketball teams, Ruiz said he spoke directly to only two before they decided to commit to UM: the Cavinder twins.
“I met with them and their parents,” he said. “We had a long conversation. They’re an incredible family. We didn’t talk too much about money. I thought the best platform for them was to create a podcast.”
The twins did not cite their deal with Ruiz as a major factor in their decision. “When we got on campus, there was just a
AAETC.
Tennis: Simona Halep played some of her best tennis at the Madrid Open again in defeating home crowd favorite Paula Badosa in straight sets to reach the last 16 for the seventh time in 11 appearances.
Avibe and a feeling you get when you know it is the right decision,” Haley Cavinder said.
Ruiz said he also spoke directly to five-star defensive end Shemar Stewart before Stewart picked Texas A&M over UM on National Signing Day in February. Stewart’s mentor has said he could end up at UM someday.
Ruiz said that before Pack picked UM, “I made sure I conveyed to him and his agent that it was my intention [to offer him an NIL deal], that I thought it was favorable for him.”
The deal reached that high value ($800,000 plus a car) because there was a competitive market for Pack, and Ruiz considered him one of the two best players in the portal. While many of the 109 players don’t want terms of their contracts revealed, Pack was an exception.
“I thought it was favorable for him, that if we were to disclose the amount it would be positive because it would provide him with even higher NIL value,” Ruiz said.
One of Pack’s NIL agents, Austin Walton, said the Ruiz offer “wasn’t the determining factor” in Pack’s decision to transfer to UM, adding that the Hurricanes “did an amazing job recruiting Nijel.”
Pack’s big deal apparently upset teammate Isaiah Wong, who previously received a reported $100,000 deal from Ruiz. But when Wong threatened to leave UM last week if his NIL compensation didn’t increase, Ruiz told him that he would not re-negotiate. Ruiz’s contract with Wong was nonexclusive, so Wong can seek more money elsewhere.
Ruiz said he had no direct contact with the UCLA transfers — Johnson and Agude — before they picked UM. As their recruiting unfolded, Ruiz said both of those players’ NIL agents called Ruiz
AAThe two-time Madrid Open champion had 21 winners as she defeated No. 2-ranked Badosa 6-3, 6-1 on the Caja Mágica center court.
“I knew that I have to be for every point focused and to give everything I have, and I did it great asking about Ruiz’s interest in signing both to NIL deals, and Ruiz was receptive to giving them use of luxury vehicles.
Neither player, in interviews, cited the NIL deals as primary factors in their decision to transfer to UM.
“Miami, the people are great,” Johnson told Canesport. “I love the way they coach, their energy in practice.”
Agude mentioned his high regard for UM’s coaches - and how they plan to use him - as a major reason for joining UM.
But Agude — with a new Cadillac, courtesy of Ruiz, told The Athletic: “Just meeting [Ruiz] you can just tell he cares about Miami. He doesn’t need to be doing this. But it’s just coming from his heart. He likes taking care of everyone. His house is ridiculous. It’s like a resort. I wasn’t expecting to get a car, but through my mom talking to him and he just asking me what I need, I got sent to the dealership. I said I like this car and then he took care of it.”
Ruiz has struck deals with five UM transfer football players — Henry Parrish, Frank Ladson, Agude, Johnson and the newest, Maryland’s Jackson.
Of his 111 deals with UM athletes, only three of Ruiz’s deals involve free use of a vehicle: Agude, Johnson and Pack.
(Four other Hurricanes football players got car deals arranged by competing agents Drew Rosenhaus and Malki Kawa.)
Among portal targets being pursued by UM,
Ruiz said he doesn’t initiate most of the calls to the NIL agents.
“I got contacted by agents,” he said. “Most of the time I get called now, [it’s after] the kid has pretty much decided he will come to UM. Whoever comes to Miami I will provide a fair market deal to.” today," the 21st-ranked Halep said. "I’m really pleased with the way I played.”
Halep will next face Coco Gauff in the third round. The 18-year-old Delray Beach native defeated two-time French Open quarterfinalist Yulia
Ruiz said he has spoken to Class of 2023 and 2024 football recruits about the NIL possibilities if they enroll at UM.
He said UM players must make significant time commitments to promote his companies. “They come here and we film just about every Friday,” Ruiz said.
He couldn’t have dreamed of creating this type of brand awareness for his companies before this new NIL era of college sports.
“Everyone now knows LifeWallet and Cigarette and Nijel Pack,” Ruiz said. “Every school is scrambling to figure out how on Earth did LifeWallet and Cigarette come up with this platform and how have we made so much more progress than anyone in the country.”
AADOLPHINS DRAFT REACTION
Some feedback on Miami’s third round pick (Georgia linebacker Channing Tindall) and fourth round pick (Texas Tech receiver Erik Ezukanma):
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, on Tindall: “Big time speed, 4.4 speed. Wasn’t a full time player at Georgia [because there was so] much talent on that defense. Explosive tackler. Ask him to spy the quarterback, this is where that speed factors in. That was a big factor in that [championship game] against Alabama; he was able to close on Bryce Young.”
ESPN’s Booger McFarland, on Tindall: “He still has to work on his coverage skills, but as far as keying and diagnosing, coming downhill and being shot out of a cannon, he shows up on tape. Make explosive plays time and time again.”
ESPN’s Louis Riddick, on Tindall: “His measurables are just stupid: 4.47 [in the 40 yard dash] , 42 vertical, 11 broad jump. This guy, if he does make a mistake with his initial footwork, he is going to make up for it because he can absolutely fly.”
Jeremiah on Ezukanma: “Love it. They get a receiver with outstanding hands. Has some of the most incredible catches of anyone in this draft class. You can watch him against Florida International on the sidelines, just a ridiculous catch. Going to get down the field and win on jump balls. That’s what he does best.”
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein on Ezukanma: “Productive three-year starter with desired combination of size [6-2] and foot quickness. Ezukanma has enough speed to get down the field and challenge coverage while displaying an innate sense for protecting and finishing contested catches underneath.
AAAAAPutintseva, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, after converting six of her 21 break points.
Elsewhere: Danish teenager Holger Rune
will play Botic van de Zandschulp in the final of the BMW Open in Munich. Rune defeated home favorite Oscar Otte, 6-4 6-4, in both players’ first ATP Tour semifinal, and Van de Zandschulp rallied to defeat Miomir Kecmanovic, 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4.
College baseball:
University of Miami lefthander Carson Palmquist went seven innings and limited host Georgia Tech to two runs, but the No. 3 Hurricanes still lost 3-1 on Friday night in Atlanta.
Palmquist (6-3) surrendered only five hits to Tech (26-17, 11-11 ACC), which was averaging 9.7 runs per game. He struck out five.
The Hurricanes fell to 31-11, 16-6. They faced Georgia Tech again Saturday evening and wrap up the series at 1 p.m. Sunday.
AASize, ball skills and toughness work in his favor as a quality backup with some upside.”
PFF’s Ryan Smith noted that Ezukanma had 20 contested catches the past two years and forced defenders to miss 34 tackles the past three years…. Tindall had 15 sacks in just 131 pass rushing snaps in his career, which is excellent. He’s a skilled blitzer.
ACHATTER
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier tried to move up to draft Channing Tindall higher than 102 (where Miami got him), but Grier was adamant against giving up Miami’s first five picks in 2023 to move up this weekend for anyone (two first-rounders, a secondrounder and two thirdrounders).
Asked if the team will sit on its $20 million in cap space and carry it over to 2023, Grier said the team will continue to look, after the draft, for players who will help. So they’re not insistent on saving that space.
Canes news notes: UM needs to trim several players to get to the 85-player roster limit, and several who weren’t likely to play much at UM entered the portal this weekend: receiver Daz Worsham, punter Nelson Foley, linebacker Deshawn Troutman and defensive end Cameron Williams. A few more are likely on the way to the portal, with linebackers Sam Brooks and Tyler Johnson among those in questions.
Players nationally must enter the portal by Sunday to be eligible to play elsewhere in the 2022 season…. UM hopes to add a top receiver in the transfer portal…. UM cannot add any more basketball players unless Isaiah Wong turns pro or someone transfers.
Keep in mind that Philadelphia guard James Harden - in his one game against the Heat this season (for Brooklyn) - went 0 for 7 on 47 possessions when defended by Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo or PJ Tucker.
Bally Sports is permitted to carry the Panthers’ first-round series (with Steve Goldstein and Randy Moller) but is prohibited, by NBA rules, from airing any more Heat games. TNT, ESPN and ABC have NBA exclusivity moving forward.
The NBA and NHL make no attempt to avoid playoff conflicts in markets with two arenas, but the Heat and Panthers wouldn’t play on the same day in the next two weeks unless both of their impending series go to a seventh game (May 15).
AAAAABarry Jackson: 305-376-3491, @flasportsbuzz