data-mm-id=”_fjhmizi3i”>The relationship between sports reporters and coaches isn't quite as intimate as it used to be. For instance, did you know former Yankees player and manager Billy Martin once beat up a journalist in the luxury box of a minor-league basketball game? Ah, the good ol' days. The year was 1978. The month, November. Martin, who had been relieved of his managing duties by George Steinbrenner halfway through the previous season, was being interviewed by Ray Hagar at halftime of a Reno Bighorns game against the Las Vegas Dealers of the Western Basketball Association. Initially, Martin said the 25-year-old sportswriter challenged him to a fight. Hagar denied it, saying the fight started because Martin wanted to see his notes and Hagar denied him. Regardless of who you believe(d), Martin was the aggressor, punching Hagar right in the eye and then landing a few more blows before the two were separated. “He hit me before I knew it," Hagar was quoted as saying at the time. "I didn't even get a punch in.”Six months later, on this day in 1979, Martin apologized to Hagar. Steinbrenner said Martin could only manage the Yankees again if he didn't have any legal issues brewing, hence the apology. An undisclosed settlement likely also helped ease the tension and end the legal battle, though there's no formal record of that. The incident was simply forgotten. Fast forward fifty years and Mets manager Mickey Callaway brought up the incident after berating Newsday reporter Tom Healey during the 2019 season. Healey got an apology too, but Callaway didn't throw any punches. Things really have changed through the decades.
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The Gunners took a 4-1 first-leg lead to Russia but found themselves 2-0 down and on the back foot early in the second half, with Fedor Chalov and Kirill Nababkin taking CSKA to within one goal of going through.
Wenger had switched to a five-man defence at the break but his side were consistently under pressure, until Danny Welbeck struck a fine goal 15 minutes from time to kill the home side s momentum.
Aaron Ramsey levelled the second-leg scoreline in injury time to spare the Gunners blushes further, but Wenger accepted the tie could have run away from his side.
The last time Sergio Aguero faced Chelsea at Wembley, he brought up 200 goals for Manchester City and netted a brace in August s 2-0 Community Shield win. He played them two weeks ago and scored a superb hat-trick in a 6-0 demolition.
When Aguero prepares for the big occasions with City, such as Sunday s EFL Cup final versus Maurizio Sarri s embattled team, there is a sense of expectation that skirts close to inevitability. The club s all-time record goalscorer has 43 in 64 Premier League appearances versus the big six .
The Chelsea treble was his 11th hat-trick in the division – the joint best alongside ex-England captain Alan Shearer, who labelled Aguero the Premier League s finest import earlier this season.
As he pursues a seventh major honour with City th…
Market: Mirassol draw no bet
Odds: 6/11 @
Looking to make a welcomed return to winning ways late on Tuesday night, Mirassol will welcome America MG to Sao Paulo.
Starting with the hosts, while Mirassol might have collected just a single point from any of their previous two Serie B appearances, the Yellows still find themselves pencilled in as a leading promotion contender this season. Smelling the chance to move within touching distance of top spot, Mozart’s men will be excited to make a return to Sao Paulo here. Suffering just a single defeat from any of their previous eight consecutive Serie B appearances a run that stems back to July 12th the former Guarani boss will be smelling the chance to claim a welcomed response in midweek. Signing off July with a 1-0…
Prediction: Both Sides to Score and Draw
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Two sides who have endured a somewhat rollercoaster season so far this season go head-to-head on Sunday as Arsenal and Everton clash at the Emirates Stadium.
Both teams have changed managerthroughout the course of the campaign and have enjoyed slight recoveries under Mikel Arteta and Carlo Ancelotti. As a result, they are now on the coat tails of the European places so a victory could be a huge morale boost.
Arsenal
Whilst the Gunners are still yet to totally to convince under their former midfielder, they are in good form as of late. They have not actually lost a game in any competition since their 2-1 reverse at the hands of Chelsea in December. As a matter of fact, following their 4-…
How much will it take to retain the services of Kylian Mbappe?
Paris Saint-Germain are desperate to ward off Real Madrid, who want to bring Mbappe to the Santiago Bernabeu.
A huge contract offer is reportedly on the horizon in Paris.
TOP STORY – PSG READYING BUMPER NEW DEAL FOR MBAPPE
Paris Saint-Germain have offered superstar Kylian Mbappe a five-year contract worth €32million per year amid interest from Real Madrid, according to journalist Nicolo Schira.
LaLiga giants Madrid are reportedly ready to go all out for Mbappe at the end of the season – head coach Zinedine Zidane desperate to work with his fellow Frenchman.
Amid doubts over Neymar s future in Paris as LaLiga champions Barcelona continue to be linked with a re…
Kalvin Phillips has revealed his loan move to West Ham ends a near two-year long pursuit by manager David Moyes.
The England midfielder has joined the Hammers for the remainder of the season after struggling for game time at Manchester City.
The 28-year-old has made just two Premier League starts for Pep Guardiola’s side since moving to the Etihad Stadium from Leeds in a £42million deal in the summer of 2022.
Phillips completed the move on Friday after West Ham rekindled an interest they first showed when he left Leeds.
Phillips told the club’s Iron Cast podcast: “I’m delighted. I was in Abu Dhabi with City, a warm-weather training camp, and all I could think about was getting a loan sorted.
“I spoke to ‘Moyesy’ over the phone while…
Mauricio Pochettino insisted the best team lost in the Trophee des Champions as Jocelyn Gourvennec dealt the first psychological blow of the 2021-22 campaign to collect Lille s first ever triumph in the competition.
Pochettino s men failed to secure a third domestic trophy of his tenure as they succumbed to a second straight 1-0 defeat against Lille, a result which ended PSG s eight-year reign in the Trophee des Champions.
PSG have enjoyed a productive transfer window, bringing in Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos, Achraf Hakimi and Georginio Wijnaldum, though only the latter two were able to feature on Sunday.
I think we were the best team on the pitch tonight, Pochettino said after the final loss. But we failed to realize our opportunities, and to win in foot…
According to a recent report from Tuttosport, Gonzalo Higuain is set to meet with Chelsea representatives regarding securing a deal that would bring him to Stamford Bridge. The Argentine forward is currently in Saudi Arabia preparing for the Italian Supercoppa, and the general belief is that the Blues’ representatives will meet him in Jeddah prior to the game. The rumours surrounding Higuain moving to Chelsea have been ongoing since the summer, but courtesy of his loan move to AC Milan, it seemed as if it was off the table.
The 31 year old, who has been playing for the Argentina national team since way back in 2009, has been with Milan since 2018 when he joined on loan from Juventus. Alas, while he’s had success over in Italy, many have wondered what would happen if he did …
New Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner warned he was “no magician” as he prepares for his first game in charge of the relegation-threatened side.
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Glasner, who led Eintracht Frankfurt to Europa League glory in 2022, takes over a Palace side five points clear of the relegation zone and 12 ahead of Saturday’s opponents Burnley, still missing a trio of their most influential players, and in recent weeks playing in front of an increasingly disillusioned fanbase.
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Inter have named the same starting XI that thrashed Shakhtar Donetsk for Friday s Europa League final with Sevilla, who have rewarded Luuk de Jong with a start after his late heroics in the semi-finals.
Antonio Conte s men crushed Shakhtar 5-0 on Monday to secure their passage to the final in emphatic fashion.
Lautaro Martinez and Romelu Lukaku – who scored four of the five goals between them last time – lead the line, while Danilo D Ambrosio lines up on the right having netted the other goal on Monday.
Victory for Inter will see them claim their first title since 2011.
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Here s your Nerazzurri team for the !
— Inter (@Inter_en)
As for Sevilla, hoping to lift this trophy for a sixth time having won it three…