While NBC Sports, Fox Sports and CBS Sports stood pat, ESPN’s cast purge was so complete that host Chris Berman was the last man standing from last season. MORE: Struggling TV star Bill Simmons planning writing comeback Out were Mike Ditka, Cris Carter, Keyshawn Johnson and Tom Jackson (Ditka and Johnson are still with ESPN in other roles; Jackson retired after 29 years). In were new studio analysts Charles Woodson, Matt Hasselbeck and Randy Moss....

Sources tell Sporting News that Fox Sports is interested in luring Wiley from ESPN, where he co-stars on “SportsNation” with Cari Champion and LZ Granderson (4 p.m. ET). The 43-year old Wiley could play multiple roles at FS1, the sources add, but the network is intrigued by the possibility of pairing the former NFL All-Pro defensive lineman with Jason Whitlock on “Speak for Yourself” (5 p.m. ET). Cowherd has told Fox executives and colleagues he plans to step down this year to focus on his TV/radio simulcast of “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” (noon ET) and on “Fox NFL Kickoff,” his NFL Sunday pregame show with Charissa Thompson (11 a....

The popular ESPN host dropped a few bombs on his employer’s competitor — Fox Sports. In a recent interview with The Washington Post, Van Pelt dogged the network’s ratings in comparison to the company that has branded itself as “the worldwide leader in sports.” For Fox, which has made a habit of hiring former ESPN talent such as Jason Whitlock, Colin Cowherd and, most recently, Skip Bayless, the facts hurt far more than fiction....

The New York Post’s Andrew Marchand reported Tuesday that the network has tabbed Mike Greenberg to replace Maria Taylor, who left ESPN for NBC earlier this year, as the host of “NBA Countdown.” Stephen A. Smith, Michael Wilbon, Jalen Rose and Magic Johnson will serve as analysts alongside Greenberg. MORE: Why did Katie Nolan leave ESPN? Additionally, ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski will continue to play a major role in NBA coverage, though his segments will focus on breaking news rather than opinions, per Marchand....

Smith challenged Schilling to a public debate on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Radio after the former MLB pitcher called ESPN an “outwardly bigoted” organization on “The Dan Patrick Show.” MORE: Bill Simmons takes shot at greedy NFL owners Schilling has also charged that a politically correct ESPN punishes political conservatives such as himself — while looking the other way when liberal on-air talkers such as Smith, Tony Kornheiser and Dan Le Batard express their views....

Vrabel’s house seems fine. He’s got a nice setup in front of him with a laptop and a large monitor. But the action going on behind Vrabel needs some explaining. There are two people behind him. One is wearing a 2007 Mike Vrabel Pro Bowl jersey which, fun fact, is the only year Vrabel made the Pro Bowl. MORE 2020 NFL DRAFT:Live grades | Pick tracker | Top 100 big board...

MORE: Fantasy Football cheat sheet | Top 200 rankings Filling 28 hours of content isn’t the easiest thing in the world, so the network came up with a lot of ideas, but one in particular caught the attention of viewers. On Monday night, ESPN aired a live auction draft, where they sold the player to the highest bidder. If you’re a fantasy football nerd like myself, you know that an auction draft is a different way to play fantasy football....

ESPN officials have told Olbermann to reel in the criticism of Goodell — or the run the risk of not getting a new deal to remain as commentator for the network, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Olbermann’s recent takedowns: Tom Brady | Redskins | Charles Barkley | Mayweather-Pacquiao | Penn State ESPN just four years ago made a $15.2 billion deal with the NFL for the rights to broadcast Monday Night Football games through the year 2021....

Pete Vlastelica, longtime digital chief for Fox Sports, has been named president and chief executive of Activision Blizzard’s Major League Gaming (MLG) . MORE: Video game power rankings Vlastelica marks another big hire for Activision Blizzard’s new e-sports division. The company previously recruited Steve Bornstein, the respected former chief executive officer of ESPN and NFL Network, to serve as chairman of the division. Already in place was gaming insider and senior vice president Mike Sepso, who co-founded MLG....

Used in conjunction with traditional medical treatments, scientific research suggests that compounds in certain essential oils can help ease the pain, swelling, and stiffness associated with RA. Though essential oils won’t stop the progression of a disease like RA, their potential benefits can be experienced in three ways: Inhaled (known as aromatherapy) Topically applied to the skin Ingested through the diet For people with RA, topical application of essential oils may be particularly effective....

The 35-year-old joined Persib from Panathinaikos in a one-year deal last March but has been linked with a shock exit recently, with several English Championship clubs and Chinese outfits believed to be among those interested in his services. Essien, who made 29 appearances last season and scored one goal, has three months left on his contract but reports in Indonesia suggest he would not return to the country after the Christmas holidays but his agent has a different story....

Michael Woods was the last player younger than Ampadu to step on the pitch for the Blues when he took the field against Nottingham Forest in January of 2007. Chelsea 4/1 to win EFL Cup Ampadu, who joined Chelsea from Exeter City in the summer, is the Blues’s ninth youngest player in their history after he was introduced as a substitute in the Carabao Cup tie with Forest. It turned out to be a big day for the young players at the club, with 20-year-old Charly Musonda getting his first start for the Blues and scoring his first goal along the way....

Reynders told German media group Funke that the EU froze $16.9 billion (17 billion euros) worth of Russian assets, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported. The figure increased from the $13.7 billion (13.8 billion euros) worth of frozen assets that the commissioner announced in July. Reynders at the time said that the EU froze assets that belonged to Russian oligarchs and “other entities” in five countries. “So far, the assets of 90 people have been frozen, more than 17 billion euros in seven member states, including 2....

The Three Lions’ first and hitherto only appearance in a game with a major trophy at stake came in 1966, when they defeated West Germany in the World Cup final. As was the case then, England will have the support of a raucous partisan crowd on Wednesday, with approximately 60,000 of the 66,000 fans that will pack Wembley Stadium in London expected to be English. “For them [the players] it’s just the next of a number of big games....

Don’t be fooled. Prodi and his federalists are right. The Convention on the Future of Europe has deliberated–and delivered a mouse. When they began their work 18 months ago, Prodi and other Euro-insiders were convinced that they would dominate. They intended to exploit the bold rhetoric of constitutionalism to craft an idealistic document that centralized ever more power and democratic control in Brussels. There was heady talk of a new name, “United Europe....

During a recent interview with French broadcaster TF1, EU Commissioner of internal markets, Thierry Breton said, “Let’s take a symbolic date: By July 14, we have the possibility of achieving immunity across the continent.” “We’re in the home stretch because we know that to beat this pandemic there’s just one solution: vaccination. The vaccines are arriving,” he added. French vaccination chief Alain Fischer made similar comments on Monday, when he said, “For a return to normal this is summer-autumn,” according to Reuters....

Leuna’s millions are only a small bit of a cancer that is rotting the heart of Europe. Open a newspaper in recent weeks, and it’s plain to see. In Germany, the ruling Social Democrats are embroiled in a series of bribery and embezzlement scandals involving dozens of local and national politicians, centered on a network of party cronies who siphoned tens of millions of euros off garbage-utility deals in Cologne and other cities....

European Tour player Haydn Porteous got down to the bare necessities Thursday in the opening round of the Tshwane Open in South Africa. Porteous’ second shot on the par-4 fourth hole found its way to the edge of a water hazard. MORE: Must-see photos of the week | Judge dismisses caddies’ $50 million lawsuit against PGA Tour Off came the shoes, socks, shirt and hat. He ended up taking a double-bogey on the hole, his 13th of the day....

Turner hit a running one-handed shot with 0.2 seconds remaining to give the Celtics a stunning 89-88 home victory over the Eastern Conference leaders. The fourth-year guard finished with 12 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in the win. MORE: Spurs are team no one wants to meet in playoffs | Augustin thriving as starter Turner was one of five players in double figures for the Celtics, who shot 92 percent from the free-throw line....