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As Eagles broke down emotionally and physically, Jadeveon Clowney braced himself for vitriol over hit on Carson Wentz

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5 years ago

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PHILADELPHIA — When there was nothing more they could give, no more comebacks to be had, no more improbable Super Bowl runs left in them, the tears finally fell.

<p class=”canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm” type=”text” content=”Josh McCown&nbsp;had set out to be the latest&nbsp;Philadelphia Eagles&nbsp;backup quarterback to lift the team to postseason glory. But as the curtain closed on their final game of the season, and likely the last of his 17-year career, all he could do was drop to his knees and weep.” data-reactid=”16″>Josh McCown had set out to be the latest Philadelphia Eagles backup quarterback to lift the team to postseason glory. But as the curtain closed on their final game of the season, and likely the last of his 17-year career, all he could do was drop to his knees and weep.

He and his teammates lamented the lost opportunity, the plays they gave up and those they failed to make. Most of all, these bruised and battered Eagles rued the cruel twist of fate that left them without their young leader when it mattered most.

Jan 5, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) is hit by Seattle Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (90) during the first quarter in a NFC Wild Card playoff football game. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz is hit by Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney during the first quarter. (Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

<p class=”canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm” type=”text” content=”Carson Wentz&nbsp;had carried them on his shoulders for weeks, all the way to Sunday’s NFC wild-card round against Seattle. And for the first time in what felt like forever, Philly finally got to see the face of its franchise, healthy and under center, in the playoffs.&nbsp;” data-reactid=”29″>Carson Wentz had carried them on his shoulders for weeks, all the way to Sunday’s NFC wild-card round against Seattle. And for the first time in what felt like forever, Philly finally got to see the face of its franchise, healthy and under center, in the playoffs.

The moment would be short-lived.

<p class=”canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm” type=”text” content=”Wentz — the last healthy man standing in an&nbsp;offensive huddle littered with practice-squadders and backups plucked off the street&nbsp;— was forced out of the game late in the first quarter after a&nbsp;helmet-to-helmet hit from Seahawks pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney.&nbsp;” data-reactid=”31″>Wentz — the last healthy man standing in an offensive huddle littered with practice-squadders and backups plucked off the street — was forced out of the game late in the first quarter after a helmet-to-helmet hit from Seahawks pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney.

The 27-year-old suffered a concussion on the play and he never returned.

<p class=”canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm” type=”text” content=”“There might be death threats this week,” Clowney said, smiling, after&nbsp;Seattle outlasted the home team, 17-9, to set up a&nbsp;matchup with Green Bay in next week’s divisional round. “I’ll tell you once I get on my Instagram, because they usually light me up, tell me to go to hell, die, go to prison, you need to be in jail — you and your family, all of y’all. You should’ve seen the messages I had last year.”” data-reactid=”33″>“There might be death threats this week,” Clowney said, smiling, after Seattle outlasted the home team, 17-9, to set up a matchup with Green Bay in next week’s divisional round. “I’ll tell you once I get on my Instagram, because they usually light me up, tell me to go to hell, die, go to prison, you need to be in jail — you and your family, all of y’all. You should’ve seen the messages I had last year.”

<p class=”canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm” type=”text” content=”Philly fans are all too familiar with Clowney. Last year, when he was a member of the&nbsp;Houston Texans, he briefly knocked out Eagles backup quarterback&nbsp;Nick Foles&nbsp;during their Week 16 contest at Lincoln Financial Field.&nbsp;” data-reactid=”34″>Philly fans are all too familiar with Clowney. Last year, when he was a member of the Houston Texans, he briefly knocked out Eagles backup quarterback Nick Foles during their Week 16 contest at Lincoln Financial Field.

On Sunday, Clowney didn’t mince words when it came to the Philly faithful either, calling them the “worst fans in the world.”

While he downplayed the severity of his collision with Wentz, he insisted the hit wasn’t intentional.

“I was just playing fast,” Clowney said. “And he turned like he was running the ball, so I was trying to get him down. It was a bang-bang play. I don’t intend to hurt anybody in this league, let me just put that out there. I’ve been down the injury road. It’s not fun.”

Clowney drilled Wentz in the back of the head as Wentz was falling to the ground after trying to evade a first-quarter tackle. There was no flag, no penalty yards enforced at the time, and no initial indication that something was seriously wrong with the Eagles quarterback. It wasn’t until the Seahawks’ ensuing drive that Wentz was escorted to the locker room for testing.

“I hope he’s OK,” Clowney added. “Like I said, I didn’t intend to hurt him. I didn’t even know he went out of the game until the next series. I thought it was just a small hit, but everybody was going crazy on the sidelines. I was just trying to finish the play, but it happened.”

<p class=”canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm” type=”text” content=”While Eagles coach Doug Pederson and several of players said they didn’t see the hit, there was one person who took extreme offense to it: Wentz’s left tackle,&nbsp;Jason Peters.” data-reactid=”44″>While Eagles coach Doug Pederson and several of players said they didn’t see the hit, there was one person who took extreme offense to it: Wentz’s left tackle, Jason Peters.

“I just told him, ‘Man, that’s a dirty play,’” Peters said, disclosing his in-game conversation with Clowney. “And he’s like, ‘My bad,’ and we just kept playing. But I kept reminding him, ‘C’mon man, stay off my quarterback.’ I didn’t even know he was out until that next series.”

The officials saw things differently, of course. Asked about the no-call, NFL referee Shawn Smith said of Wentz: “He was a runner and he did not give himself up. We saw incidental helmet contact, and in our judgment, we didn’t rule that to be a foul.”

<p class=”canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm” type=”text” content=”The team that was guided to the 2017 season’s Super Bowl title by Foles now needed a different substitute to carry the team in Wentz’s absence. And with 1:22 remaining in the first quarter, McCown trotted onto the field looking to lift the spirits of this city and his team. Instead of ripping off the first win in another unlikely Super Bowl run, the Eagles succumbed to their mountain of injuries and the wizardry of Seahawks quarterback&nbsp;Russell Wilson&nbsp;(18-for-30, 325 yards, one touchdown).” data-reactid=”51″>The team that was guided to the 2017 season’s Super Bowl title by Foles now needed a different substitute to carry the team in Wentz’s absence. And with 1:22 remaining in the first quarter, McCown trotted onto the field looking to lift the spirits of this city and his team. Instead of ripping off the first win in another unlikely Super Bowl run, the Eagles succumbed to their mountain of injuries and the wizardry of Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (18-for-30, 325 yards, one touchdown).

Despite getting no first-team reps in practice, McCown did a serviceable job, completing 18 of 24 passes for 174 yards and keeping the Eagles within striking distance in the final minutes of the game. But Philly never found its way into the end zone.

“As a quarterback you want to do more, and you feel like you can do more,” said McCown, who became the first player in NFL history to make his postseason debut at age 40. “… You feel like you let those people down that come to the building. That’s a hurt feeling.”

Emotions were raw inside the Eagles locker room. Understandably so.

Quivering voices told the story of a team that had defied the odds all season long. They spoke of their collective toughness, their resilience and their willingness to sacrifice their bodies for the love of the game and each other. And they spoke of Wentz’s heart and his efforts en route to becoming NFC East Division champs.

“It’s been rough for him, obviously,” Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins said of Wentz’s injuries in recent years. “It’s obviously out of his control. I know he probably feels like he let us down, but we wouldn’t be in this situation without him. We love him. It’s just a tough pill for us to swallow.”

When it was all over, McCown limped toward the locker room, his pulled hamstring burning with every step. His eyes were red-rimmed, his demeanor deflated. And soon, his body sunk to the floor in the hallway leading to the locker room.

Perhaps it was fitting that in that intimate moment of dejection, tight end Zach Ertz — Wentz’s trusted safety blanket on the field — was in prime position to help out his other quarterback.

In the aftermath of this crushing defeat, Ertz bent down beside McCown and offered words of encouragement to the veteran leader who wasn’t even on their roster when the season started.

“This team embodies this city,” said Ertz, who disclosed after the game that he suffered two non-displaced rib fractures and a kidney injury in Week 16, which resulted in him being rushed to the hospital. “It is a resilient city, a tough city, and I feel like the character of this team the past couple of years has been the reflection of their city. We do everything we can to try and win on Sundays, and sometimes we just come up a little short.”

<p class=”canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm” type=”text” content=”More from Yahoo Sports:” data-reactid=”61″>More from Yahoo Sports:

Source: – Yahoo News Canada

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

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4 days ago

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November 8, 2024

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LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

AP cricket:

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

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4 days ago

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November 8, 2024

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

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4 days ago

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November 8, 2024

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Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

—

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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