The Cyle Larin soap opera is nearing its final episode.
After the Canadian international striker was photographed in a Besiktas kit ahead of a medical in mid-January, Orlando City denied an agreement between the parties had been met.
The Lions appear to have conceded, with the MLS side releasing a statement Tuesday confirming an agreement with the Turkish league holder for an undisclosed fee.
Orlando didn’t pull any punches in its assessment of the move, saying, “Although the Club was disappointed with the unacceptable behavior of the athlete and his representatives, a decision was taken to guarantee compensation with the Club’s future in mind.”
“The Club looks forward to focusing on the upcoming season with staff and players who honor and respect the strong values of the Club and commitment to our community to lead us through 2018 and beyond.”
Besiktas has yet to comment on the matter, with Larin, 22, set to join fellow Canadian Atiba Hutchinson in Senol Gunes’ third-placed side.
Covered Vikings for Minneapolis Star Tribune, 1999-2008
The NFL Most Valuable Player Award is presented to the best of the best — the guy who makes the most singular contribution to his team’s success. According to ESPN’s final MVP Poll, that player was New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
But what about the most valuable player who wasn’t on the field? The 2017 season was notable for its long list of injuries to elite players. What follows is an attempt to identify the top five players whose ailments most impacted their respective team’s fortunes. It’s based, in part, on statistical analysis of the teams’ performances with and without what we’ll call their “Shadow MVPs.”
Injury: Torn right ACL | Games played: 7
Even as a rookie, Watson’s impact on the Texans was dramatic and clear. The team was 3-3 in games he started and 1-11 in the others. And don’t let that 3-3 record fool you. Even in those three losses, Watson still led the Texans’ offense to an average of 30.5 points per game. (Their defense gave up 36, 42 and 41 points, respectively, in those losses.) Watson also threw 19 of the Texans’ 28 total touchdown passes — in less than half of their games.
After he was injured in a Week 9 practice, the Texans’ offense averaged 12.89 points per game the rest of the way, the lowest in the NFL.
Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone in Week 6 against the Vikings. Brad Rempel/USA TODAY Sports
With Rodgers, the Packers were a Super Bowl contender. Without him, they couldn’t sniff the playoffs.
Injury: Torn left ACL | Games played: 0
Replacing Tannehill with Jay Cutler (14 starts) and Matt Moore (two) dropped the Dolphins from an average offense in 2016 to one of the worst in 2017. That’s the biggest reason why their record flipped from 10-6 to 6-10. Their 2017 offense ranked 28th in Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric, as compared to 14th in 2016. How much of that could be attributed to the quarterback drop-off? Cutler and Moore’s combined QBR (38.0) reflected a similar slide; it ranked 28th in the NFL, a year after Tannehill (54.2) ranked 16th. The Dolphins’ scoring fell 15 percent, and with Cutler and Moore at quarterback, they ranked 30th in turnovers (29). (They ranked 17th with Tannehill in 2016.)
No one would suggest that Tannehill is a top-end quarterback like Rodgers (or even Watson in his short stretch). Tannehill landed in Tier 3 of Mike Sando’s 2017 QB Tiers. But his injury, and the quality of his replacements, moved the Dolphins squarely out of the playoff mix.
Kirk Cousins. Jimmy Garoppolo. Le’Veon Bell. This class could get wild. Here’s everything to know heading into free agency, which begins March 12.
Injury: Ruptured left Achilles tendon | Games played: 1
The Chiefs’ defense dropped off notably in 2017, capped off by allowing 19 unanswered points in their wild-card loss to the Tennessee Titans. Kansas City finished the regular season ranked 30th in defensive DVOA, a 16-spot drop from 2016. Was it all due to Berry’s injury, which came in Week 1? It’s difficult to overestimate the loss of an All-Pro safety in today’s game. Without Berry’s ball hawking, the Chiefs created seven fewer turnovers in 2017, and their tackling efficiency fell on passing plays. They ranked 23rd in yards after first contact on receptions (1.6), down from 15th in 2016 (1.37).
Meanwhile, the impact of Berry’s run support could be traced through the slip in Kansas City’s rush defense. The Chiefs allowed an NFL-high 4.7 yards per carry, a year after ranking 17th (4.24).
Injury: Posterior right labrum tear | Games played: 0
This analysis must take into account multiple seasons. Luck’s shoulder troubles began in Week 3 of the 2015 season. What follows is a broader way to document Luck’s value to the Colts, traced through their record and Luck’s performance. Relatively healthy during the 2012-14 seasons, Luck led the Colts to a 33-15 regular-season record and three consecutive playoff appearances. Over that three-year period, Luck had the NFL’s ninth-best QBR (63.9). In 2015-16, Luck mostly stayed on the field but was limited by the shoulder and other ailments. The Colts went 8-8 in both seasons, as Luck’s QBR dropped to 56.1 (16th in the NFL). And without him at all in 2017, Indianapolis crashed to 4-12 as its quarterbacks ranked 29th in the NFL (38.0).
The Colts’ management didn’t appreciate insinuations that the team’s success was largely the result of making the no-brainer decision to draft Luck in 2012, but it’s hard to argue with the numbers.
Taking into consideration recent domestic and continental results, along with underlying stats, we try to figure out which clubs are among Europe’s elite.
1. Barcelona (1st in La Liga)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
18-3-0
59
10
7.4
10.9
Previous rank: 1st
Lionel Messi had an average showing against Alaves … in that he only scored once, and it was a game-winning free-kick, and it was beautiful. But that’s just how it goes at Barcelona, which leads La Liga and the rest of Europe on the back of solid, consistent form and the sort of talent other teams just don’t boast. The Blaugrana only got stronger with the addition of Philippe Coutinho. – AB.
2. Manchester City (1st in Premier League)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
21-2-1
70
18
7.3
6.7
Previous rank: 2nd
Manchester City’s defence appeared a little shell-shocked following the mid-January defeat in Liverpool. Oft-toothless Newcastle United bagged a goal at the Etihad Stadium, and Bristol City scored two against Pep Guardiola’s throng despite firing blanks in the Championship. Sunday’s 2-0 FA Cup win at Cardiff City was a return to form, though, with the Premier League leader blending rhythmic attacks with controlled aggression. – DR
3. Paris Saint-Germain (1st in Ligue 1)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
19-2-2
72
17
6.9
9.6
Previous rank: 3rd
PSG suffered a bit of a setback in a 2-1 loss to Lyon, but it’ll take much more than that to unseat the Ligue 1 giant from the top of the table. An 8-0 win over Dijon as well as a 4-0 drubbing of Montpellier sees Unai Emery’s side sit pretty with an 11-point gap at the top of the table, though PSG has a game in hand on second-placed Lyon. If Edinson Cavani keeps up his record-shattering goal-scoring form, it’s hard to see PSG dropping out of our top five, either. – AB
4. Bayern Munich (1st in Bundesliga)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
16-2-2
49
16
7.2
8.9
Previous rank: 4th
Sixteen points separate Bayern Munich from the Bundesliga’s chasing pack, but the Bavarian club is keeping things interesting. Mark Uth and Serge Gnabry scored before Bayern roared back with five unanswered goals against Hoffenheim on Saturday. And with three goals and an assist in his last two outings, Robert Lewandowski is single-handedly ruining new arrival Sandro Wagner’s hopes of being a starter for Germany at the World Cup. – DR
5. Napoli (1st in Serie A)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
18-3-1
48
14
7.1
7.6
Previous rank: 8th
Sitting pretty atop the Serie A table, Napoli enjoyed a 1-0 win against Atalanta and a 3-1 win over Bologna to keep Juventus at bay. As a result, the new title challenger leapfrogs above the Old Lady in our rankings as well. Dries Mertens continues adding to his scoring tally and has 13 to his name in Serie A this season – a commendable return for the Belgian forward. – AB
6. Manchester United (2nd in Premier League)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
16-5-3
49
16
5
11.7
Previous rank: 10th
Jose Mourinho has little to complain about over the last couple of weeks, as Manchester United easily dispatched Burnley 1-0, then burned Yeovil Town in a 4-0 victory, all while adding Alexis Sanchez to its ranks in the winter transfer window. The Red Devils are now even stronger, and while the Premier League title is still out of reach, confidence is growing at Old Trafford. – AB
7. Juventus (2nd in Serie A)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
18-2-2
52
15
6.4
8.2
Previous rank: 7th
It’s business as usual at Juventus, which dispatched Genoa 1-0 and Chievo Verona 2-0 in the last couple weeks to keep pace with Napoli at the top of the table in Serie A. While the Old Lady isn’t enjoying its usual dominance atop the pile, the team remains defensively sound and offensively potent, and is transitioning from Gianluigi Buffon by starting Wojciech Szczesny. – AB
8. Chelsea (3rd in Premier League)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
15-5-4
45
16
6.3
9.8
Previous rank: 12th
It’s been a mixed bag for Chelsea over the last two weeks, with a 4-0 win over Brighton setting the stage for a proper showing against Arsenal in the League Cup, only for the Blues to lose 2-1. Antonio Conte’s side was then held to a 1-1 score in the FA Cup replay with Norwich City, before finding form again in a 3-0 victory over Newcastle. Chelsea is still a dangerous team, and with movement around it, a bump up into the top 10 is fair, if somewhat unexpected. – AB
9. Atletico Madrid (2nd in La Liga)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
13-7-1
32
9
4.5
11.4
Previous rank: 5th
Getting dumped out of the Copa del Rey with a pair of losses to Sevilla hurt Atletico Madrid this time around, as did a 1-1 draw with Girona. Diego Simeone won’t be pleased with the cup elimination, as a title challenge against Barcelona seems unlikely. As Diego Costa finds his feet in training, it is Fernando Torres who helped save the day against Las Palmas, where a 3-0 win helped correct course ever so slightly. – AB
10. Sevilla (6th in La Liga)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
10-3-8
27
29
4.5
12.2
Previous rank: NR
Vincenzo Montella’s inability to meld the expensively assembled squad at AC Milan cost him his job, and he suffered the worst initiation possible when his new employer, Sevilla, lost 5-3 at home to bitter rival Real Betis on Jan. 6. Things have fared better since, with a two-legged 5-2 shunning of Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey being a particular highlight. – DR
11. Lyon (2nd in Ligue 1)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
14-6-3
52
25
6.2
12.2
Previous rank: NR
Outside the lavishly paid ranks at Paris Saint-Germain, there is one standout player in Ligue 1. Nabil Fekir helped dismantle Les Parisiens on Jan. 21, scoring a delicious free-kick after two minutes and laying it off for Memphis Depay for the emphatic 94th-minute winner. Lyon probably won’t win the French title, but the club is still in fine fettle after the summer losses of Corentin Tolisso and Alexandre Lacazette. Bruno Genesio deserves credit. – DR
12. Real Madrid (4th in La Liga)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
11-5-4
43
19
7.3
9.5
Previous rank: NR
A 2-1 loss to Leganes saw Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid knocked out of the Copa del Rey, a setback the French tactician probably couldn’t afford to suffer, as Real sits fourth in La Liga, too. But that loss was sandwiched by a 7-1 victory over Deportivo La Coruna and a 4-1 win over third-place Valencia, perhaps signalling something of a comeback for Real Madrid, who welcomed its infamous “BBC” strike-force back for the first time in 279 days, too. – AB
13. FC Porto (1st in Primeira Liga)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
15-3-0
46
9
6.9
7.5
Previous rank: NR
Still undefeated in league play, FC Porto has won its last five matches in a row and remains in the Champions League hunt against a Liverpool team that has repeatedly demonstrated a weakness in defending. Luckily, Porto can rely on its backline, having conceded just nine goals in league play, which should help stave off the Reds’ attack while keeping hope alive for a surprise victory. – AB
14. Tottenham Hotspur (5th in Premier League)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
13-6-5
47
22
5.8
8.8
Previous rank: 9th
There’s something lacking at Tottenham. Mauricio Pochettino’s substitutions are sometimes too late and ill-advised, Dele Alli is yet to reach the heights of the previous two terms, and Mousa Dembele’s talents sadly appear to be dwindling. Christian Eriksen’s absence is the obvious deficiency, though, and it’s no coincidence the Dane was missing from draws at Southampton and lowly Newport County. – DR
15. PSV Eindhoven (1st in Eredivisie)
League record
GF
GA
Shots on target per match
Shots conceded per match
17-1-2
53
22
7.8
12.1
Previous rank: 15th
PSV wasn’t convincing in Saturday’s win at FC Twente. The relegation-threatened side should’ve equalised or even gone ahead after Hirving Lozano’s nodded opener, but instead fell to a 2-0 scoreline which flattered PSV when Santiago Arias nicked another in the final moments. Despite the off-colour performance, Phillip Cocu’s side was able to stretch a seven-point lead atop the Eredivisie after Ajax drew at FC Utrecht a day later. – DR
On the cusp: Arsenal, Galatasaray, Lazio, Liverpool, Lokomotiv Moscow
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady cut short his weekly interview Monday morning on sports radio WEEI, saying he was disappointed that one of the station’s hosts previously made disparaging remarks about his 5-year-old daughter when discussing the “Tom vs. Time” documentary.
“I’ve tried to come on this show for many years and showed you guys a lot of respect,” Brady said. “I’ve always tried and come on and do a good job for you guys. It’s very disappointing when you hear [the comments about my daughter], certainly. My daughter, or any child, certainly don’t deserve that.”
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady remains an impact player at age 40, following the path of 40 other athletes who have defied Father Time.
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Brady added that he would evaluate if he will appear on the station again.
“I really don’t have much to say this morning. Maybe I’ll speak with you guys some other time,” he said, before ending the interview.
Brady, whose family is a notable part of the “Tom vs. Time” documentary, appears on the “Kirk & Callahan Show” each week. The host who made a disparaging remark about his daughter, Alex Reimer, said it on a different show last week.
Reimer, who is in his mid-20s and sometimes appears on the “Kirk & Callahan Show,” called Brady’s daughter “an annoying little pissant.”
Kirk Minihane, one of the hosts of the show, said on the air Monday that Reimer had been suspended for the entire Super Bowl week.
Last week, WEEI’s parent company Entercom and the Patriots announced a multiyear partnership extension. In making the announcement, Entercom noted “the agreement includes broadcasting rights of ‘Patriots Monday’ and ‘Patriots Friday,’ headlined by five-time Super Bowl champion and four-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady.”
