The 2014 winners lost group matches to Mexico and South Korea as they failed to get past the group stage for the first time in their history. Lahm, who lifted the trophy four years ago, said it would be a bittersweet moment when he brings the trophy to Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium Sunday, but backs Joachim Low’s team to redevelop themselves as future winners. “I’ll be passing on the pride that German football has felt for the past four years....
The baffling mystery of Thomas Muller Under contract until 2018, Lahm announced his plan to quit ahead of schedule in the wake of Tuesday’s 1-0 DFB-Pokal win over Wolfsburg, having celebrated his 500th club appearance against Schalke on Saturday. “I will retire at the end of the season,” the 33-year-old confirmed to reporters when asked about his future. Bayern were keen to name Lahm as the club’s new sporting director ahead of next season, but the right-back has opted to take a sabbatical instead....
Los Angeles is without the injured Jordan Hill and the Knicks bought Amar’e Stoudemire out of his deal. He agreed to a deal with the Mavericks on Monday. MORE: Kings could reunite Afflalo, Karl | Suns want to re-sign Dragic Scheduled to make just $2.1 million next season, the small price tag is a bargain for the 6-11 big man. With Brandan Wright, Alex Len and the Morris twins in the Phoenix frontcourt, Plumlee has struggled to find playing time, averaging 4....
Emerging Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony earned the largest penalty, a 15-game suspension for one of the league’s top scorers. It was difficult for Anthony to debate the ruling after a hard right hand landed on the face of Knicks forward Jared Jeffries. MORE: Did Rajon Rondo actually spit on Chris Paul? This scuffle took place only two years removed from the “Malice at the Palace,” undoubtedly one of the darkest moments in league history....
That’s what Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak conceeded in a candid interview with ESPN. The GM said that Bryant’s retirement tour undeniably has taken emphasis off developing young players, such as rookie guard D’Angelo Russell and second-year forward Julius Randle, in favor of a celebration for the franchise legend. MORE: Kobe’s final season, in photos | Is this a distraction? “That’s 30-35 minutes (for Bryant) that you might give to a young player that you can’t,” Kupchak told ESPN....
Ball underwent X-rays, which came back negative, after the game, according to ESPN. He is considered day to day. The 21-year-old guard originally suffered the injury in the second quarter. He was examined by the Lakers’ training staff and taken to the locker room. Ball briefly returned at the start of the second half. But, he was replaced by Josh Hart and removed for good with nine minutes, 36 seconds to play in the third quarter....
Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and the rest of Lakers Nation believed bringing back Earvin “Magic” Johnson as president of basketball operations was the beginning of an era of sustained success. How could it not be? Everyone loves Magic. He’s the most celebrated player in franchise history, and he’s the face of the Los Angeles sports scene with his Lakers and Dodgers presence. POWER RANKINGS: Lakers keep tumbling down But so far, it’s been anything but “Showtime” at Staples Center....
Los Angeles is parting ways with director of player personnel Ryan West, according to report from The Athletic. West spent 10 years with the Lakers and is credited for drafting D’Angelo Russell in 2015 and is the son of Clippers executive board member Jerry West. Los Angeles has had some major turnover as of late. It sent Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram and three future first-round draft picks to the Pelicans in exchange for star forward Anthony Davis in June....
De Jong is already being hailed as the next big thing across Europe due to his ability to dictate play on the pitch. Despite being a central midfielder, the young Dutch prodigy has scored 3 goals and 1 assist in the league this season.. Barcelona were desperate to secure the services of the Ajax wonder kid. The Catalan giants knew the caliber of the Dutch midfielder, and his inclusion from the next season will be a huge boost for them....
The two familiar foes will undoubtedly continue to battle it out for football’s most prestigious individual and European honours with their respective sides, but in LaLiga at least a new face will have to step into Ronaldo’s boots to challenge the awesome Messi for the best in the division. For Los Blancos, Gareth Bale is the man many are tipping to fill at least some of the sizeable void left by Ronaldo’s dramatic departure, while on the other side of the capital Antoine Griezmann’s decision to remain with Atletico Madrid is a huge boost to Diego Simeone....
“I want to be a featured back,” Miller told WAXY-AM, via the Miami Herald. “I want the recognition I deserve.” FANTASY: Early RB rankings for 2016 | MORE: Top 25 free agents, right now Miller rushed for 872 yards and eight touchdowns on 194 carries last season. During his four-year career, Miller has 2,930 yards on a 4.6 yards per carry average. There’s little doubt Miller has the talent to become a featured back, but his size (5-10, 225 pounds) has led to durability concerns from some corners, despite those dimensions being optimal, according to others....
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich joked that Aldridge was such an ideal fit that when the recruitment process came around, “I spoke. I begged. I got on my knees. I offered my children. Things like that.” MORE: Grading the new NBA coaches | How Spurs have to adjust offense with Aldridge But Popovich has also witnessed some uncertainty on the part of Aldridge, now that his Spurs career has begun in earnest....
The talented big man came up big for the Spurs on offense in Monday night’s 106-79 win over the Nets, the team’s eighth in a row. MORE: All-time Spurs players Aldridge scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for San Antonio. Those numbers were nothing unusual for him in Portland, where he averaged a double-double in each of the last two seasons, but things are different now. For one, his minutes are down from 35....
Ball’s name was on the list of “professionals” given to teams Tuesday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported. The point guard played 12 games in the National Basketball League in Australia this past season, averaging 17 points, 6.8 assists and 7.6 rebounds per game. In a draft that seems wide-open, Ball is considered one of the few prospects with a chance to go first overall thanks to his 6-7 height and court vision reminiscent of his brother Lonzo....
Mourinho is under increasing pressure after seeing United collect just 10 points from their opening seven Premier League games. The Portuguese tactician endured a difficult week in which his side were knocked out of the EFL Cup by Lampard’s Derby County before losing to West Ham. Lampard, who played under Mourinho at Chelsea, said he felt for his former boss. “Everyone knows my feelings for Jose Mourinho as a manager,” Lampard said....
Soon after, Lana posted a tweet directed towards Morgan. She heaped praise on her current nemesis and stated that she would want her children to have her eyes. Lana added that Morgan has so much potential, but she wears a choker from 1999. She finished off the tweet by advising her to keep up with the times. Check out Lana’s tweet below: Also read: John Cena’s reaction to Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch’s relationship revealed...
In a rare turn of events however, the official reveal actually gave less information than the initial leaks. While Disney did confirm that some kind of “event series” called Lando was in development, there was almost no information about when it would arrive, what it would be about, or who would be playing the title role of Lando Calrissian himself. Of course, the obvious big star would be Donald Glover, who played the character in Solo: A Star Wars Story, and has been rumored to be involved in a Disney+ Star Wars show for a while now, but Disney wouldn’t say one way or another if that was the case....
Kiffin told The Washington Post Alabama would be back-to-back national champions today if he had been calling the offensive plays in the Crimson Tide’s College Football Playoff title game vs. Clemson. Alabama coach Nick Saban replaced Kiffin as coordinator with consultant Steve Sarkisian, a friend of Kiffin’s, after the Tide’s 24-7 CFP semifinal victory over Washington. MORE: New book digs into Saban’s ‘Process’ at Alabama Alabama lost to Clemson 35-31 after the Tigers scored in the final seconds of regulation....
“Control” is at the heart of the Rodney King affair. Many Angelenos see the beating as part of a larger pattern of brutality. They fear their police have grown too powerful, often behaving as if they were above the law. “The problem is that the Los Angeles Police Department is not accountable to the citizens it is sworn to protect,” said Warren Christopher, head of a special commission that proposes to rein in the police with stricter civilian oversight....
Kyle Rice was assaulted by someone targeting him with a green laser as he attended a call out in the downtown area of the city. Now the father-of-two said he has been left with severe headaches, poor balance and can no longer drive and fear his sight will never return following the incident on July 16. In a TV interview with NBC Los Angeles, Rice said: “I consider myself a pretty strong person, but these migraines have been bringing me to tears....
