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White Sox rally after blowing lead in 8th, beat Boston 8-7

José Abreu hit a two-run homer over the Green Monster and out of Fenway Park in the ninth inning on Wednesday as the Chicago White Sox recovered after blowing the lead in the eighth to beat the Boston Red Sox 8-7. Chicago had leads of 3-0, 5-2 and 6-4 before the Red Sox scored three in the eighth to take a 7-6 lead and hand White Sox closer Alex Colomé (3-1) his first blown save in 17 opportunities. But Matt Barnes (3-3) gave up three straight hits in the top of the ninth — Leury García was caught stealing — including Abreu's 19th homer of the season. Abreu had three hits and four RBIs, and García also had three hits for Chicago. James McCann had an RBI single and added a solo home run against Chris Sale as Chicago pounced on the Boston starter for five runs in the first three innings. Sale, who allowed six of the first seven batters to reach safely, retired the last 10 he faced, striking out the side in the sixth. He avoided the loss when Xander Bogaerts hit a two-run single in a three-run eighth inning to make it 7-6 — Boston's only lead of the game. Rafael Devers, who went 4-for-4 on Tuesday night, had three more hits and scored three times for Boston. J.D. Martinez hit a two-run homer and also had an RBI double for the Red Sox. The Red Sox were scheduled to leave for London after the game to play the New York Yankees. RED SOX RALLY Leading 6-4 in the eighth, Evan Marshall gave up a one-out single to Eduardo Núñez and a double to pinch-hitter Brock Holt. Colomé got Mookie Betts to hit a hard grounder and third baseman Jóse Rondón came home with it. Núñez slid in safely head-first. Devers grounded out to the pitcher, but Bogaerts bounced a single up the middle to give Boston a 7-6 lead. BAD PLAYS Both teams gave away runs on bad fielding plays. Ryan Cordell beat out a slow roller to third base in the third inning. Jon Jay, who had been on second, rounded third and scored easily while Red Sox first baseman Michael Chavis was looking at the umpire, delaying the throw home. Devers scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3 when pitcher Reynaldo López failed to cover home. OUCH AT HOME In all, Sale allowed six hits and a walk, hitting two batters and striking out 10 against his former team. Before his next start he will have gone 12 starts and an entire year without winning a regular-season game in Fenway Park. OUCH AT HOME II Home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz needed attention from the Red Sox medical staff in the third inning after taking a foul ball off his right forearm. He had it wrapped but remained in the game. McCann hit the next pitch into the Green Monster seats to make it 4-2. WRIGHT BACK Steven Wright made his season debut after serving an 80-game suspension for violating the policy against performance-enhancing drugs. The knuckleballer pitched the eighth, striking out one and hitting a batter. TRAINER'S ROOM White Sox: SS Tim Anderson was in a walking boot a day after spraining his right ankle while fielding a grounder. ... 3B Yóan Moncada was hit by a pitch on the right knee in the first inning and left the game. ... RF Charlie Tilson left the game with flu-like symptoms in the seventh inning. Red Sox: OF Andrew Benintendi was given the second straight day off to rest, but he was available off the bench. Manager Alex Cora said his 'legs felt heavy.' UP NEXT White Sox: Open a nine-game homestand on Friday night. Martin Pérez (7-3) pitches the opener against the Minnesota Twins. Red Sox: Travel to London for two-game series against the Yankees, Saturday and Sunday. Rick Porcello (5-7) will face Masahiro Tanaka (5-5) in the first game. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Bauer strikes out season-high 12; Indians top KC 5-3

Trevor Bauer struck out a season-high 12 in 6 2/3 innings, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Kansas City Royals 5-3 on Wednesday. Bauer (6-6) had the 23rd double-figure strikeout game of his career and his fourth this season. The right-hander gave up one run and didn't allow a hit until rookie Humberto Arteaga singled with two outs in the fifth. Bauer matched a career high by throwing 127 pitches and held the Royals to three hits. He got a standing ovation and tipped his cap on the way to the dugout after being removed with two on in the seventh. Jake Bauers and Tyler Naquin homered off Jakob Junis in the fourth. Bauers had gone 15 at-bats without a hit before his leadoff blast. Jason Kipnis, Oscar Mercado and Jordan Luplow also drove in runs for Cleveland. Francisco Lindor was 3 for 4 and scored two runs. Junis (4-7) allowed four runs in six innings and hasn't won since May 30. Lucas Duda homered in the ninth for Kansas City off Nick Wittgren. Pinch-hitter Alex Gordon singled in a run before Wittrgren struck our Billy Hamilton and Whit Merrfield to end the game. The Royals struck out 16 times. Hunter Dozier, whose ninth-inning grand slam off closer Brad Hand gave the Royals an 8-6 win on Tuesday night, struck out in all four at-bats. Bauer hit Cam Gallagher with a 3-2 breaking pitch with one out in the third. Bauer also hit Jorge Soler in the left shoulder to lead off the seventh, prompting the Royals right fielder to stare at the pitcher before he slowly walked to first Bauer was removed after Gallagher drew a two-out walk, but Nick Goody retired Billy Hamilton on a popup. Arteaga hit a sharp ground ball under the glove of first baseman Bobby Bradley, who made a diving attempt in the fifth. After Gallagher singled to right, Hamilton's bloop double scored Arteaga. TRAINER'S ROOM Royals: C Salvador Pérez (right elbow) has been cleared to resume catching on the side, but is still not permitted to throw a baseball. The six-time All-Star underwent Tommy John surgery on March 6 and is not expected to play this season. Indians: RHP Corey Kluber will undergo tests on his broken right arm Thursday. He'll begin playing catch if the results show the bone is still healing properly. ... RHP Carlos Carrasco, who was diagnosed with a blood condition, has been playing catch with his teammates. 'It's not gonna hurt him in any way and they've encouraged him to have activity,' manager Terry Francona said. UP NEXT Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (3-3, 4.48 ERA) opens a four-game series Friday at Toronto. He pitched a season-high eight innings against Minnesota in a no-decision on June 22. Indians: RHP Mike Clevinger (1-1, 2.70), who sprained his left ankle on June 17 at Texas, will be activated off the 10-day injured list to start Friday at Baltimore. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Video review creates drama at Women's World Cup

Video review has created confusion at the Women's World Cup. The Video Assistant Referee, or VAR, was integrated into the men's World Cup in Russia last year, leading to calls for it to also be used for the women's tournament in France. But it certainly hasn't gone as smoothly as it did for the men. VAR has already led to a change in the rules for the knockout stage of the tournament. Some have suggested there has been an overreliance on the technology, and there have been complaints that it is causing delays and interrupting the flow of the game. FIFA officials insisted Wednesday that the system is working as intended. 'The VAR cannot be blind, cannot ignore. If you have a tool that offers you the possibility to check, you have to check,' said Pierluigi Collina, chairman of FIFA's refereeing committee. Through 44 matches at the Women's World Cup, there were 441 incidents checked through the course of play and 29 VAR reviews, FIFA said. That's one review per 1.52 matches. Of those reviews, 25 resulted in decisions being changed. Four were confirmed. There have been a record 23 penalty kicks heading into the quarterfinals, surpassing the 22 taken across the entire 2011 World Cup in Canada. Eleven were awarded with VAR assistance. Three were cancelled after VAR review. Collina maintains that VAR helps referees by making sure calls are correct in the high-pressure setting of the World Cup while also protecting teams from bad calls that might impact advancement in the tournament. Kari Seitz, FIFA's senior manager of refereeing, insisted VAR is not changing the way games are being officiated. 'We instruct the referees to referee as they would referee (without VAR), and that is really a critical point. They are out there officiating like they would officiate with or without VAR. That hasn't changed. Refereeing remains the same, but with the parachute, with the opportunity to correct those big mistakes, or those things the video evidence shows us,' Seitz said. Last week, the use of VAR prompted a rules change going into the round of 16. FIFA received approval from the game's lawmaking body to suspend a rule adopted right before the World Cup for penalty shootouts. The rule was meant to give goalkeepers more flexibility, making them keep just one foot, not two, on the goal-line during penalty kicks. But the use of VAR strictly enforced the rule, with goalkeepers given little time to adjust. FIFA feared more goalkeepers could be penalized and sent off, which was a concern because no substitutes are allowed during shootouts. The International Football Association Board granted the temporary dispensation Friday which means goalkeepers can only be booked at the tournament for stepping off the line during a penalty kick in normal time. But the law could be revisited at future meetings of the IFAB, which includes four FIFA delegates and a representative from each of the four British associations. The rule became an issue in the group stage when Scotland goalkeeper Lee Alexander saved a penalty kick by Argentina's Florencia Bonsegundo in stoppage time. A VAR review showed Alexander had moved just inches off her line and Bonsegundo scored on the retake, tying the game at 3-3 and scuttling Scotland's hopes of going through to the knockout stage. 'I think most of the problems came after Argentina versus Scotland because of how the match went — 3-0 to 3-3. A few days before the same penalty kick was retaken in Jamaica versus Italy and nobody complained,' Collina said. 'We have to enforce the rules.' At the men's World Cup, FIFA claimed afterward that 99.3 percent of 'match-changing' plays were called correctly. Collina presented figures that showed VAR was used 20 times in 64 matches in Russia, with 17 decisions overturned and three confirmed. Seven penalties were awarded in Russia because of VAR. Two goals were given after being initially ruled offside, including one by South Korea that helped to eliminate world champion Germany. ___ AP Global Soccer Writer Rob Harris contributed to this report. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/apf-Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

For Berube, accountability led to a Stanley Cup for Blues

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong had his staff produce a list of coaching candidates after firing Mike Yeo in November. He hasn't looked at it since January. The Stanley Cup champions formally announced a three-year contract extension for coach Craig Berube on Wednesday, officially taking the interim tag off . maybe. 'He's going to stay as an interim for the next three years because we've had some success with that,' Armstrong quipped. Berube took over for Yeo in late November and led the Blues to one of the most dramatic turnarounds in NHL history, culminating with the first NHL championship in the franchise's 52-year history. The Blues went 38-19-6 during the regular season under Berube, climbing from dead last in the league standings in early January to third place in the Central Division. The Blues were one of only seven teams to make the postseason after being last in the league in points that late in the season — and they are the only team to win a playoff series after climbing out of that hole, let alone win it all. The 53-year-old Berube, a former NHL enforcer from a tiny hamlet in Alberta, Canada, won over the team by holding everyone accountable, including himself. 'Whether it's through ice time, where you fit in in the lineup on a nightly basis,' Berube said. 'It's really conversations with the players more than anything. It's just putting the team-first mindset and drilling it into the team. That's really, basically it. It takes a lot of work, it's every day, but it's getting that team-first mindset. Once we started to get that and once I started to see guys fitting in certain areas, we were playing pretty good hockey, we just weren't getting the wins and that started to come.' Armstrong told Berube that he would be the head coach in the final week of the regular season, but both sides agreed to hold off on negotiations until after the final game. That turned out to be a Game 7 win in the final last week. Financial terms were not disclosed. 'In any negotiation you walk in hoping it's going to go quickly and this one did go relatively quickly, but you can get some bumps on the road, some differing opinions and I certainly didn't want that walking into game two, or three or four of a playoff series,' Armstrong said. 'We wanted his mind focused on the task.' Last fall, Berube immediately took down the standings in the locker room when he took over. It was one of the many moves that convinced Armstrong to ditch that list of coaching candidates. 'I think when you come in in October and you look at the standings, you're excited that you're at the top and then as you're going lower and lower and lower, it gets depressing coming in on a Tuesday morning and looking up at 28 teams ahead of you,' Armstrong said. 'I thought it was a great idea to take those down. And really what he stressed to everyone in our group is, 'Let's live in the moment. You're not going to change yesterday and tomorrow is going to come soon enough, let's work on today.'' That mindset served the Blues well, especially in the postseason where nothing came easy. After winning the first two games on the road in the opening round against Winnipeg, St. Louis dropped the next two at home. The Blues went just 6-7 on Enterprise Center ice in the postseason, including losing Game 6 with a chance to win the Cup against Boston. St. Louis could have folded after Game 3 in the third round after losing to the San Jose Sharks in overtime on a goal scored directly off of an illegal hand pass that wasn't caught by the officials. Instead, taking their cue from Berube, the Blues won the next three games to close out the series. 'I thought Craig and his staff did a fabulous job of celebrating the victories through the end of that evening and then the next day coming back to work,' Armstrong said. 'We didn't get hung up on a bad loss or too high on a win. When you get into the playoffs, I thought that was a huge advantage for our team.' That mentality did not happen overnight. 'You've got to push it and prod and do all kinds of things to get everybody on the same page and to buy in, it takes a little time,' Berube said. 'They did a great job, our players. They wanted to be a good team and that obviously happened and they became a good team.' ___ More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Goalie Roberto Luongo retires after 19 NHL seasons

Roberto Luongo wanted to keep playing and keep chasing the elusive Stanley Cup, largely because he believes the Florida Panthers are finally in position to be a playoff contender. His body wanted otherwise. And Luongo ultimately listened. The most popular player in Panthers history announced his retirement Wednesday — doing so via Twitter in two different voices, one to support each side of his personality. The first was in his usual self-deprecating comic fashion, saying he 'decided to take my talents to a South Beach retirement home.' The other was a heartfelt open letter to fans, where he revealed that he cried when he told his children he was done. 'This is one of the toughest decisions I've faced in my life and it took me a long time to make it,' Luongo wrote. 'After thinking about it a lot over the past two months and listening to my body, I made up my mind. It just feels like the right time for me to step away from the game. I love the game so much, but the commitment I required to prepare, to keep my body ready, has become overwhelming.' Luongo never hoisted the Stanley Cup, though his legacy is secure regardless. His 489 career victories are third in NHL history behind only Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy, and Brodeur is the only goalie to have appeared in more games or made more saves than Luongo. It could be argued that no one was better for longer than Luongo was. Among the seven goaltenders to appear in at least 900 games, Luongo's .919 save percentage is the best. 'From the moment I was fortunate enough to share a locker room with him, Roberto has exemplified leadership for me,' Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck said in a statement distributed by the Panthers. 'There isn't a classier, more professional guy in this league. He's a great hockey player and somehow an even better person.' Luongo leaves as a five-time All-Star and the Montreal native helped Canada win Olympic gold in 2010 and 2014. Also in his collection: two world championship gold medals, along with another one from the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. The Panthers were prepared for the likelihood that Luongo may step away. General manager Dale Tallon said last week Luongo's career had been 'illustrious' and the franchise was giving its most beloved player all the time he needed to make his decision. 'The impact that he has had on the developing core of our team, its culture and our community are undeniable,' Tallon said. 'He has always approached everything with a determination and level of class that was second to none. He leaves not only a legacy in South Florida, but a legacy in the game itself.' Luongo was the fourth overall pick in the 1997 draft by the New York Islanders, with whom he made his NHL debut on Nov. 28, 1999. Luongo then spent five years with Florida, the next eight with Vancouver and returned to the Panthers on March 14, 2014. His last game was April 6, two days after his 40th birthday. 'I'm in awe of the legacy that he left on this franchise and on the sport,' Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said. One of the lasting memories of Luongo's time in Florida won't be anything that happened in a game. Luongo lives in Parkland, Florida, the town that is still grieving the 17 people who were shot and killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018. The Panthers' next home game was eight days later, and Luongo spoke for three minutes in a pregame on-ice ceremony that paid tribute to the victims. He's moving now, to a new home — but still in Parkland. He is never leaving there. 'I'm building a home in Parkland and it's going to be my family's permanent home for the rest of our time on this earth,' Luongo said. Hip problems took a toll on Luongo over the past couple years, requiring him to be at the rink hours before every practice and every game just to get the joint loose enough and strong enough to be on the ice. He went into this offseason with an open mind about coming back. But when it was time in May to resume offseason workouts, the fire wasn't there. And when he realized that he was dreading getting back onto the ice next month, the decision seemed academic. 'For the first time in my career, I wasn't excited about it,' Luongo said. 'That was the sign for me. It's not that I don't love playing hockey anymore, but I had to listen to my body. I'm at the point where my body was telling me it just needed a rest. It didn't really want to get going.' Luongo was under contract for three more seasons. He is giving up about $10 million in future salary. He is also giving up a chance to play for a Panthers team that has designs on becoming a major contender. Florida hired Joel Quenneville as coach earlier this offseason, and is believed to be a front-runner to sign top free agent goalie Sergei Bobrovsky along with Artemi Panerin — both of whom were in Florida earlier this week to meet with the Panthers in advance of the signing period that starts Monday. Bobrovsky was a top priority for Florida even before Luongo let the team know that he was retiring. 'We play the game to win the Stanley Cup, to give ourselves a chance,' Luongo said. 'It's hard because I think that this team is right there, close to taking the next step. I wanted nothing more than to be a part of that. With Coach Q coming in, it's an exciting time for the Florida Panthers.' He will undoubtedly have a role with the Panthers going forward. 'For now though, I'm just another retiree in South Florida,' Luongo said. 'I'll be going to get my senior citizen's card here pretty soon.' ___ More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Former Georgia WR Jeremiah ‘J.J.’ Holloman enters NCAA transfer portal, his case inactive

ATHENS Former Georgia football receiver Jeremiah 'J.J.' Holloman has entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal after being dismissed from the Bulldogs team last Friday. Holloman was set to be the go-to target on a Georgia team expected to compete for the SEC championship this season before a police report surfaced in which he allegedly admitted to striking an ex-girlfriend following the 2018 UGA G-Day game. The victim did not file a report of the incident that allegedly occurred on April 22, 2018, with the University of Georgia Police Department until June 2, 2019. The police report states that the victim 'did not want to pursue an investigation for this incident' and 'wouldn't want him to be subject to criminal charges.' Due to that, the police report lists the case as 'inactive.' Georgia coach Kirby Smart issued a statement after the police report surfaced in the media, first in Holloman's hometown paper, the Covington News. 'We expect every member of our team to uphold the highest standards and values of the University of Georgia and Georgia football,' Smart said. 'It is disappointing when this does not happen.' RELATED: Georgia title hopes take hit, transfers must step up The Bulldogs lost three receivers to the NFL Draft along with their top receiving tight end from the 2018 season. Holloman's dismissal leaves Georgia without its top five pass catchers from last season. Georgia will likely lean heaviest on incoming Miami graduate transfer Lawrence Cager, along with 2018 transfer Demetris Robertson and returning senior Tyler Simmons at the start of fall camp. UGA also added Tennessee graduate transfer tight end Eli Wolf. The Bulldogs also lost three players to transfers during this offseason. Backup freshman quarterback Justin Fields elected to transfer to Ohio State, freshman tight end Luke Ford chose to transfer back to his home state of Illinois, and reserve linebacker Jaden Hunter transferred to Western Kentucky. Fields was granted immediate eligibility with the Buckeyes, but Ford's request for a waiver to play immediately has been denied. Ford had high-profile attorney Tom Mars helping him make his case, leaving some surprised by the result. Mars helped paved the way for Fields' successful bid to gain immediate eligibility. Hunter played in only four games last season, which constitutes a redshirt under new NCAA rules. Former Georgia defensive back Deangelo Gibbs was suspended indefinitely when he transferred to the University of Tennessee, where he will be eligible to play this season. Former UGA reserve safety Tray Bishop, once a 4-star U.S. Army All-American recruit from Dawson, Ga, is also in the transfer portal. Bishop took part in the 2018 G-Day Game before being arrested in May of 2018 as a result of a 2017 incident. He did not appear in any games for Georgia. The post Former Georgia WR Jeremiah J.J.' Holloman enters NCAA transfer portal, his case inactive appeared first on DawgNation.

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Former Georgia WR Jeremiah ‘J.J.’ Holloman enters NCAA transfer portal, his case inactive

ATHENS Former Georgia football receiver Jeremiah 'J.J.' Holloman has entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal after being dismissed from the Bulldogs team last Friday. Holloman was set to be the go-to target on a Georgia team expected to compete for the SEC championship this season before a police report surfaced in which he allegedly admitted to striking an ex-girlfriend following the 2018 UGA G-Day game. The victim did not file a report of the incident that allegedly occurred on April 22, 2018, with the University of Georgia Police Department until June 2, 2019. The police report states that the victim 'did not want to pursue an investigation for this incident' and 'wouldn't want him to be subject to criminal charges.' Due to that, the police report lists the case as 'inactive.' Georgia coach Kirby Smart issued a statement after the police report surfaced in the media, first in Holloman's hometown paper, the Covington News. 'We expect every member of our team to uphold the highest standards and values of the University of Georgia and Georgia football,' Smart said. 'It is disappointing when this does not happen.' RELATED: Georgia title hopes take hit, transfers must step up The Bulldogs lost three receivers to the NFL Draft along with their top receiving tight end from the 2018 season. Holloman's dismissal leaves Georgia without its top five pass catchers from last season. Georgia will likely lean heaviest on incoming Miami graduate transfer Lawrence Cager, along with 2018 transfer Demetris Robertson and returning senior Tyler Simmons at the start of fall camp. UGA also added Tennessee graduate transfer tight end Eli Wolf. The Bulldogs also lost three players to transfers during this offseason. Backup freshman quarterback Justin Fields elected to transfer to Ohio State, freshman tight end Luke Ford chose to transfer back to his home state of Illinois, and reserve linebacker Jaden Hunter transferred to Western Kentucky. Fields was granted immediate eligibility with the Buckeyes, but Ford's request for a waiver to play immediately has been denied. Ford had high-profile attorney Tom Mars helping him make his case, leaving some surprised by the result. Mars helped paved the way for Fields' successful bid to gain immediate eligibility. Hunter played in only four games last season, which constitutes a redshirt under new NCAA rules. Former Georgia defensive back Deangelo Gibbs was suspended indefinitely when he transferred to the University of Tennessee, where he will be eligible to play this season. Former UGA reserve safety Tray Bishop, once a 4-star U.S. Army All-American recruit from Dawson, Ga, is also in the transfer portal. Bishop took part in the 2018 G-Day Game before being arrested in May of 2018 as a result of a 2017 incident. He did not appear in any games for Georgia. The post Former Georgia WR Jeremiah J.J.' Holloman enters NCAA transfer portal, his case inactive appeared first on DawgNation.
WATCH: Georgia basketball’s Anthony ‘Antman’ Edwards already projected No. 1 in NBA draft

ATHENS Georgia basketball freshman Anthony 'Antman' Edwards has yet to play a second in a college game, but already, he's a legend in the making. RELATED: High-flying Antman' dazzles in McDonald's All-American Game Edwards, who's expected to start for Coach Tom Crean's Bulldogs this season, is being projected as the No. 1 overall pick by Bleacher Report in its 'Way-Too-Soon 2020 NBA Lottery Mock Draft.' 'He's a scoring 2-guard with secondary playmaking ability in the mold of Victor Oladipo,' writes Jonathan Wasserman, comparing the UGA freshman to the top-five NBA pick Crean developed at Indiana. 'Edwards has developed into a ball-screen weapon who can also create his own shot with drives, pull-ups and step-backs.' Edwards recently sat down with the WSB Bulldogs Game Day show and made it clear his mindset is to make it about 'team' at Georgia. 'I came to Georgia where we're a team, we were all highly recruited,' said Edwards, a consensus top-five national recruit out of Atlanta's Holy Spirit Prepatory School. 'We're in this together, no one is separate, and I love all my guys,' he said. 'We're all gelling together, getting to know each other, spending time with each other, building our chemistry and trying to get better as a team.' How's life at @UGABasketball with all the new recruits now in Athens? Here's Ant Man, Anthony Edwards! Go Dawgs! More on the Dawgs Saturdays at 10am on @WSBbulldogs on @wsbtv. pic.twitter.com/Gx2fUcZ4Ek Bulldogs Game Day (@WSBbulldogs) June 25, 2019 Some of that time together has been spent on the football field for conditioning, pushing sleds. DAWG SLEDS pic.twitter.com/SscBZ1PPCL Georgia Basketball (@UGABasketball) June 25, 2019 'We're gonna really kick the training up this offseason after this mandatory seven-day break,' Crean said after last season. 'This is not going to be business as usual.' The post WATCH: Georgia basketball's Anthony Antman' Edwards already projected No. 1 in NBA draft appeared first on DawgNation.
Former Georgia baseball players have made their professional debuts

Former Georgia baseball players have made their professional debuts.
Georgia football position groups SEC ranking with Athlon, too high or too low

ATHENS It has been said that perception can overtake reality, and while in some instances that's true, it doesn't apply to SEC football. So while it's always a fun read to pick up the preseason magazines, people do so knowing the season will bear out where teams really stand, and how good players and position groups really are. That said, it's worth reviewing how Nashville-based Athlon Magazine editors Steven Lassan and Mitch Light view Georgia, from their preseason rank, to how they think the Bulldogs' position groups stack up. Georgia is the magazine's preseason No. 3 team, and Athlon is predicting the Bulldogs run the table in the regular season before losing to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. That seems to be the most common narrative across the country: Until the Bulldogs finish the job and beat the Crimson Tide, people won't be convinced. RELATED: Tebow says Kirby ahead of schedule, but needs to beat Bama Never mind that Georgia has led or been tied with the Tide118 minutes and 54 seconds of 120 minutes and 281 of 290 plays of the past two meetings in the CFP title game and SEC title game. Here's where Athlon has the Georgia position groups ranked among the top five, and a quick take on whether it's too high, or too low: Running backs 1. Alabama; 2. Georgia; 3. Florida; 4. Vanderbilt; 5. Auburn About right. If the UGA backfield stays healthy QB Jake Fromm and D'Andre Swift the Bulldogs will beat Alabama in the SEC Championship Game and can claim the best RB unit. Wide receivers 1. Alabama; 2. Florida; 3. Texas A&M; 4. LSU; 5. Missouri Too low. The rankings go seven deep, and Georgia is among those seven. It's understandable, but considering how transfers Lawrence Cager and Demetris Robertson project, UGA should be top 5. Offensive line 1. Georgia; 2. Alabama; 3. Missouri; 4. Auburn; 5. LSU. Spot on. Georgia has six offensive linemen returning with starting experience, including three former FWAA Freshman All-Americans. Four of the five projected starters are likely top 100 NFL Draft picks in 2020. Defensive line 1. Auburn, 2. Alabama; 3. Florida; 4. Texas A&M; 5. LSU; 6. Georgia About right. Sophomore Jordan Davis ranks is a rising star, but this is UGA's weakest group, and that's alarming considering there are five seniors in the rotation. Linebackers 1. Alabama; 2. Georgia; 3. LSU; 4. Mississippi State; 5. Florida Too high. Tae Crowder leads unsettled group. Can Monty Rice stay healthy? Sort out: Azeez Ojulari, Nolan Smith, Brenton Cox, Jermaine Johnson, Adam Anderson, Walter Grant, Nakobe Dean, Channing Tindall, Robert Beal Jr., Quay Walker and Nate McBride. Defensive backs 1. LSU, 2. Florida, 3. Alabama, 4. Georgia, 5. Auburn. Too low. Richard LeCounte and J.R. Reed are the best safety duo in the league, and Eric Stokes and Tyson Campbell rank among the league's best cornerbacks. There's quality depth, as well, with Otis Reese, Divaad Wilson, and Tyrique McGhee pushing, and newcomers DJ Daniel and Tyrique Stevenson impressing. The post Georgia football position groups SEC ranking with Athlon, too high or too low appeared first on DawgNation.
The best former 3-, 4- and 5-star prospects on Georgia’s 2019 roster

Welcome to Good Day, UGA , your one-stop shop for Georgia footballnews and takes. Check us out every weekday morning for everything you need to know about Georgia football, recruiting, basketball and more. The best former 3-star, 4-star and 5-star prospects on the Georgia football team All recruiting rankings are based on 247Sports Composite rankings 3-star recruit: J.R. Reed, senior safety Despite all of Georgia's recruiting success over the past three cycles, Georgia will still be getting a number of contributions from 3-star recruits in 2019. On the offensive side of the ball, Solomon Kindley will be holding things down at left guard. He's started double-digit games in each of the last two seasons, and barring an injury will do so again. Running back Brian Herrien also figures to play an important role, as does wide receiver Tyler Simmons, following the dismissal of Jeremiah Holloman. But it's on the defensive side of the ball where there is even more 3-star talent. Monty Rice is expected to be a starter at one of the inside linebacker spots. Cornerback Eric Stokes had an excellent spring after a strong close to the 2018 season. And he might not even end up being the best 3-star prospect in the secondary, with senior J.R. Reed entering his third season as a starter. Reed wasn't highly thought of as a recruit or as a transfer from Tulsa. But he's become a key piece in the Georgia secondary. After bypassing the 2019 NFL Draft, Reed is expected to be a leader for the Georgia defense in 2019. And it's a challenge that the former No. 1856th ranked prospect in the country is ready for entering his final season in Athens. 'I have to take my role more seriously,' Reed said of his senior season. 'It is a different role than I have had in the past. Now, a lot of it comes on your shoulders. We just have to get everybody leaning in the same direction.' Related: Georgia safety J.R. Reed puts NFL dream on hold to pursue championship goals with Bulldogs 4-star recruit: Andrew Thomas, junior offensive tackle In the four recruiting classes that Kirby Smart has signed, he's landed a total of 58 4-star prospects. Some of them have played well above that already high ranking, as several multi-year starters on Georgia's 2019 team were 4-star recruits. Perhaps the most important 4-star recruit Smart has landed is quarterback Jake Fromm. He was ranked as the No. 44 overall player in the 2017 class, just missing out on 5-star status. In his two seasons at Georgia, he's racked up 23 wins as a starter and thrown 54 touchdown passes. Defensively, nose guard Jordan Davis proved to be a huge difference-maker on the defensive line last season, while outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari has been pegged as a possible breakout player by ESPN. But in terms of pure talent and how they rank amongst their peers, there is no better 4-star recruit on Georgia's 2019 roster than left tackle Andrew Thomas. As a freshman, he started every game at right tackle for a team that played for a national championship. As a sophomore, he started 13 games at left tackle and earned First Team All-SEC honors in doing so. As a recruit, he was the No. 45 overall prospect in the 2017 class, one spot below Fromm. Next April, he's got a very realistic chance of being the first offensive tackle taken in the NFL draft. And while Thomas might not grab or garner a ton of headlines, he might end up being the most talented player on Georgia's team, regardless of their high school recruiting ranking. 5-star recruit: D'Andre Swift, junior running back Georgia has signed 18 5-star recruits under Smart, the most in the country. He's signed a 5-star prospect at every position group and in 2019 signed the No. 1 overall player in the country in Nolan Smith. Guys like offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson and safety Richard LeCounte are both entering their second seasons as starters. Linebacker Nakobe Dean and Smith had standout springs for Georgia. And given Holloman's dismissal, there's a chance we're talking a lot about freshman wide receiver George Pickens come the end of the 2019 season. But running back D'Andre Swift like he often does against opposing defense has put a healthy gap between himself in the field. After rushing for over 600 yards in his freshman season, he topped the 1,000-yard mark as a sophomore. Swift was rated as the No. 33 overall prospect in the 2017 class and just barely earned his 5-star status. Related: NFL draft expert explains what 2 traits really help D'Andre Swift shine Swift is expected to be the focal point of the Georgia offense heading into his junior and possibly final season in Athens. If he can improve off of what he did in 2018, there's going to be a very good chance that Georgia has an incredibly special 2019. UGA WR commit Marcus Rosemy wins Rivals Five-Star Challenge MVP Georgia wide receiver Marcus Rosemy isn't a 5-star prospect. But after his performance in Atlanta on Tuesday, he might be headed that way. Rosemy was named the wide receiver MVP of the Rivals Five-Star Challenge, which featured some of the top wide receiver prospects in the country. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native showed off some of his impressive ball skills in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. #UGA commit Marcus Rosemy comes to #Rivals5StarChallenge against a field of the nation's best and walks away as wide receiver MVP. Earned it. pic.twitter.com/hUvSuBOCio Jake Reuse (@ReuseRecruiting) June 25, 2019 Recent 4-star UGA commit WR Marcus Rosemy and QB Brock Vandagriff have been on the same page so far in the #Rivals5StarChallenge 7-on-7 tournament. This was 1 of 3 connections this drive. @ReuseRecruiting @SmallwoodTrent @patrickgarbin @UGASportscom pic.twitter.com/WbqP9AastQ Jack Austin (@jackaustin663) June 25, 2019 #UGA WR commit Marcus Rosemy pulls down the tough grab. #RivalsChallenge pic.twitter.com/4Iy9qPceBw Trent Smallwood (@SmallwoodTrent) June 25, 2019 Rosemy committed to the Bulldogs last week, as he ended up picking Georgia over the Florida Gators. He is rated as the No. 6 overall wide receiver in the class and the No. 39 overall prospect. If he were to just remain at those rankings, he would be the third highest ranked wide receiver Georgia has signed in the past decade, behind only 2019 signees George Pickens and Dominick Blaylock. Related: Expectations rise for freshmen George Pickens, Dominick Blaylock following Jeremiah Holloman dismissal Rosemy is the highest rated of the three wide receiver commits in Georgia's 2020 recruiting class. The other two wide receivers in the class are 4-star prospect Justin Robinson and 3-star prospect Corey Wren. Like Rosemy, Wren also committed to the program last week. Georgia has the No. 4 overall recruiting class in the 2020 cycle, behind only Clemson, Alabama and LSU. 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