Sports News Roundup: Red Sox and Yankees dream start, LeBron hires armed guards

Red Sox and Yankees a dream start for MLB playoffs

Baseball fans got the dream match-up they wanted as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox provide the start to a Major League Baseball post-season that any World Series would be hard pressed to top for hype and history. As far as opening acts go there is none more compelling or mesmerizing than the Yankees and Red Sox, given the storied rivalry considered to be among the sporting world's greatest.

Take 5: Breakout stars of the MLB postseason

In a game in which stars Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton each hit home runs, a relatively unknown first baseman had perhaps the biggest hit of all for the New York Yankees in their American League wild-card win over the Oakland Athletics. Luke Voit stepped up with runners on first and third in the sixth inning and launched a two-run triple off the top of the wall in right field. The hit gave the Yankees a 5-0 lead and represented a finishing nail in the coffin of the A's, who was unable to regain momentum and eventually fell 7-2.

Mixed Martial Arts-Tardy McGregor angers Nurmagomedov ahead of the showdown

Khabib Nurmagomedov stormed out of the final media conference ahead of his lightweight title fight against Conor McGregor on Thursday, in response to the Irishman not turning up on time. McGregor turned up almost 25 minutes late for the media conference, about 10 minutes after the Russian champion had left the stage.

Sherman: NFL rules let average QBs play like HOFers

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman sees the NFL on pace to be the highest-scoring season in league history, and he thinks he knows why: the movement over the past few years limiting physical contact with quarterbacks. "This is what the league wanted. They want record passing numbers," Sherman told reporters Thursday. "You've got an average quarterback; the average quarterback's passer rating is like 92 and that used to be Hall of Fame numbers.

LeBron hires armed guards for L.A. home: report

Amid a rash of burglaries at the homes of celebrities in the Los Angeles area, LeBron James has hired armed guards to protect his property, according to a report. TMZ Sports reported Thursday that the Los Angeles Lakers star's security team includes off-duty police officers and that NBA also is assisting in security.

SEC extends commissioner Sankey through 2023

Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey has agreed on a contract extension through at least 2023, the SEC announced on Thursday. Sankey has served as commissioner of the league since June 1, 2015.

Olympics- Ball now in Russia's court after RUSADA reinstatement - IOC

The decision to reinstate the Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA) last month has put the ball in Russia's court and the agency must now stick to agreed conditions to keep the ban lifted, IOC President Thomas Bach said on Thursday. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Sept. 20 lifted the ban on RUSADA amid vocal opposition from some athletes and anti-doping agencies as the Russian agency had not fulfilled criteria set out for reinstatement when it was banned three years ago.

Yanks tab Happ for Game 1 vs. Red Sox

The New York Yankees will counter ace left-hander Chris Sale with a southpaw of their own, sending J.A. Happ to the mound against the Red Sox for Game 1 of the teams' American League Division Series on Friday night at Fenway Park in Boston. Happ hasn't lost since joining the Yankees via trade from the Toronto Blue Jays in July. He's 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA in 11 starts for New York.

Saints QB Brees on history's doorstep with Redskins up next

Drew Brees says it's not about him, but, of course, it is. After playing 253 games in 18 NFL seasons, the 39-year-old quarterback of the New Orleans Saints is on the cusp of breaking one of the greatest NFL passing records of all-time - Peyton Manning's 71,940 career passing yards, accomplished over 18 seasons and 266 games.

Take 5: Mahomes vs. Sacksonville highlights Week 5

The crown jewel of Week 5 will be Sunday's game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. In the best matchup on one side of the ball we've seen this season, the NFL's stingiest scoring D (14.0 points per game) will try to slow down Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid's top-scoring unit (36.2). Mahomes has already torn up the Chargers' and 49ers' defences -- which branch from the same Cover-3-heavy tree as Jacksonville's scheme -- but the Jags offer more schematic complexity and an entirely different level of talent.

(With inputs from Reuters)