England and Bath back Anthony Watson will be out of action until at least Christmas after sustaining a knee injury in their defeat by Harlequins.

Watson underwent an MRI scan on Monday to assess the extent of the injury, however he does not require surgery.

Meanwhile, club captain Charlie Ewels also limped off with a knee injury and has suffered a medial ligament tear.

"Both are collision injuries which happen and there's nothing we can do," director of rugby Stuart Hooper said.

Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol, Hooper continued: "Anthony is in a brace but doesn't require surgery and we get him back ready to perform as soon as possible.

"Charlie has a similar mechanism of injury. It's a knee injury. He's going to see the surgeon tomorrow to see what the best steps are next."

Watson has had problems with an Achilles injury over the past two seasons, which he ruptured for a second time during a photo shoot with NFL players.

"It's a short term thing that Anthony is working on and we need to get right. He is absolutely one of the most diligent professionals around," Hooper added.

"Anything to do with himself or getting ready to play on the field. Alongside our performance department will be working on it 24/7 to get him back as soon as possible."

MADERA, Calif. – The Carlos Vieira Foundation and their Race 2B Drug Free Campaign have joined forces with Madera Speedway to support the Nut Up Pro Late Model Series.

An additional $75,000 will be up for grabs during the Race 2B Drug Free BIG 3 on March 14, July 25, and Oct. 3.

Both the season opener on March 14 and the Summer Speedfest on July 25 will pay $5,000 to win, with $3,000 for second and $2,000 for third. The Short Track Shootout finale on Oct. 3 pays $10,000 to win, $5,000 for second, and $2,500 for third.  Each night’s B Main event will also see exciting purse increases, with $1,500 to win followed by $750 for second and $500 for third.

Drivers in the BIG 3 will be competing for a special point fund with $5,000 for the champion, $2,500 for second, and $1,000 for third.

A $10,000 bonus has been offered if any driver can sweep all three races. A $10,000 Triple Main Challenge will be offered for the fast-time qualifier.  If that driver can win the C Main, B Main and feature all from the rear of the field they will win the bonus. An additional $5,000 bonus will be awarded if a driver can sweep all three fast-time awards.  Additional $5,000 bonuses have also been posted for finishing in the top-three in all three races, leading the most laps in all three BIG 3 races, and a bonus for winning all three B Mains.

“I love the sport of racing and I believe that this sport is a great way to help in deterring some kids and adults from going down the wrong path in their life. Through our foundation and our Race 2B Drug Free Campaign, we are continually supporting ways to help kids stay away from drugs,” Carlos Vieira said.

The Race 2B Drug Free sponsors motivational speakers to visit schools, speaking first-hand about the consequences associated with experimenting with drugs. The foundation also helps by providing a safe place for kids to go after school.  The Carlos Vieira Foundation sponsors a free, afterschool boxing and Jujitsu program where kids can positively release aggression and self-threatening behavior. They help youth replace it with learning discipline, camaraderie, and self-wellness.

“By sponsoring the BIG 3 Race Series, we are hoping to support a successful event in which kids and adults can look forward to the sport of racing, which is thrilling and exhilarating but does not involve being out in the streets and getting in trouble,” Vieira said.

“We are passionate about youth in our community and partnering with the Carlos Vieira Foundation to gain more awareness for the Race 2B Drug Free campaign is a great way to bring more people to the Madera Speedway that would otherwise not gain exposure to our sport,” Promoter Kenny Shepherd said. “I also see this as a great opportunity for us to use the platform we have with the speedway and our MAVTV show to raise awareness for the campaign. We came up with the three-race series that will create record amounts of prize money available for the drivers while at the same time promoting a great cause.”

The heart of racing season may be over, but that doesn’t mean racing has stopped! With a few events on the schedule last week, were the any major changes in the SPEED SPORT Power Rankings? Click below to find out.

Every year, shots are hit in golf that we remember forever. At least for a for a long while.

Some result in monumental victories. Others are so good that they can only be pulled off by the best players in the world. And then there are some that we retain in our memories for other reasons.

This isn’t just a bunch of holes-in-one and albatrosses!

From Tiger Woods’ winning putt at the Masters (and many more Tiger shots) to Amy Bockerstette’s inspirational sand save in Phoenix, here are the shots that shaped 2019, in no particular order:

Take that, Phil!

Adam Long went head to head with Phil Mickelson down the stretch at the Desert Classic, prevailing after hitting this impressive approach shot from a very awkward lie to set up a winning birdie at the final hole and avoid a playoff.

Hang it in the Louvre!

Tiger Woods is racking up quite the hardware in this article. There’s moving the ball, and then there’s moving the ball like Bubba Watson did on Augusta National’s 10^th hole to win the 2012 Masters. Though it didn’t win him a green jacket, this bunker shot by Woods in Mexico – and epic follow-through – produced one of the most iconic shots of the year (see above image). The actual shot wasn’t bad, either.

Romo, man of the people

Tony Romo has gotten some flak for playing in PGA Tour events via sponsor exemptions, but there's no doubt the former NFL quarterback has serious game. He proved it during this year's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with this shot from the hospitality pavilion at No. 15.

‘I got this’

The par-3 16^th hole at TPC Scottsdale is one of the most intimidating holes in golf. But for Amy Bockerstette, it was no match, as the 20-year-old Special Olympian made the Par of the Year, getting up and down from the bunker during the Phoenix Open pro-am alongside Gary Woodland and Matt Kuchar. “To step up in front of all the people and the crowd and everything, and to hit the shots that she hit and make par,” Woodland said, “I never rooted so hard for somebody on a golf course.”

Rory’s first – and parting – shot at Portrush

OK, so this isn’t exactly a highlight, but of all the poor shots hit this year, none stung more than this. Not only did Rory McIlroy yank his opening tee ball out of bounds on Royal Portrush’s first hole en route to a quadruple-bogey 8, he also shot 79 to end his Open hopes before they even started. Luckily, Shane Lowry was able to give the Irish fans something to celebrate.

Splash! (x4)

As Tiger Woods put together another victorious Sunday at Augusta National, four contenders – Brooks Koepka, Ian Poulter, Francesco Molinari and Tony Finau found Rae’s Creek with their tee balls at No. 12. Molinari’s came when the Italian was leading by two shots and he walked to the 13^th tee tied with Woods.

The dagger

Of course, Tiger Woods’ Masters victory likely wouldn’t have been possible without this crucial approach to 4 feet at the par-3 16^th hole, which set up birdie to give Woods a two-shot cushion.

No. 15

Nine years after his last major victory, Tiger Woods put the finishing touches on major win No. 15 – and green jacket No. 5 – with this 1-foot putt. Who cares if it was for bogey?

Show JT the (Brooks Koepka) money!

When Justin Thomas holed out for eagle on the 16^th hole during the third round of the BMW Championship, it shed light on a season-long wager between he and Brooks Koepka. For the holeout, Thomas earned a nice $1,000. Of course, that paled in comparison to the nearly $1.7 million that Thomas collected for winning the season FedExCup playoff event.

Woodland’s Watson-like chip

Gary Woodland held off Mr. Major, Brooks Koepka, to win the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. No shot was more memorable than this chip from the fringe at No. 17.

Welcome to the show, Mr. Wolff

After hitting his second shot to the fringe at the par-5 18^th hole at TPC Twin Cities, 21-year-old Matthew Wolff appeared likely to go into a playoff at the 3M Open with Bryson DeChambeau and Collin Morikawa. Instead, Wolff, less than two months removed from winning the NCAA individual title, drained the eagle putt to win his first PGA Tour title and automatically earn his place in the big leagues.

Suzann’s Solheim walk-off

In the greatest Solheim Cup finish in history, Europe's Suzann Pettersen, who had been a controversial captain's pick, put an exclamation point on her Solheim Cup legend by sinking the winning birdie putt on the final hole at Gleneagles. Even better: Pettersen announced her retirement shortly after. What an ending!

When hitting bombs nearly results in an ace

For much of the year, hitting bombs didn’t exactly pay off for Phil Mickelson, who finished the season ranked T-165 in strokes gained off the tee. But during the second round of the CJ Cup, Mickelson almost bombed a drive right in the hole at the 353-yard, par-4 14^th hole at Nine Bridges. The flagstick, though, had the last laugh.

Most Creative Shot of the Year

During a match against Brandt Snedeker at the WGC-Dell Match Play, Tiger Woods found himself in a position us weekend warriors are quite familiar with. Only difference: Woods actually pulled the shot off, turning the club over and punching his ball out of the bushes left-handed, from his knees, to a few feet.

Better than ‘Better Than Most’

This 70-foot bomb by Jhonattan Vegas from the final round of the Players Championship set the record for longest putt ever made at TPC Sawgrass’ famed 17^th hole.

The glass slipper fits

It had some pace – boy, did it have some pace! – but in the end, it dropped, and Hinako Shibuno’s 25-foot birdie make earned the 20-year-old, nicknamed “Smiling Cinderella,” the Women’s British Open title in her first start outside of Japan.

Nothing but the bottom of the cup

It’s not uncommon for tee balls to miss the green at TPC Sawgrass’ island 17^th hole. But Ryan Moore’s tee shot in the first round of The Players was a rarity – it flew directly into the hole.

From the rough, over the tree, in the hole

As is the case with most years, 2019 produced its fair share of hole-outs. This one by Jason Day at the Memorial was arguably the most impressive from 100-plus yards out.

Albatross of the Year

Who doesn’t love a good double eagle? Harris English’s hole-out from 236 yards on TPC Sawgrass’ 11^th hole is this year’s best, well, according to this article.

Fantastic finale, Vol. I: Maggert's walk-off

Jeff Maggert holed out for eagle on the third playoff hole to win the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. No one was happier, though, than Scott McCarron, who gave Maggert a huge bear hug after Maggert's walk-off secured McCarron the $1 million Schwab Cup bonus.

Fantastic finale, Vol. II: Rahm's Dubai double

Jon Rahm brought home both the DP World Tour Championship and Race to Dubai titles with a one-shot victory over Tommy Fleetwood in Dubai, a win that was clinched with this 72nd-hole sand save.

Fantastic finale, Vol. III: Kim's million-dollar putt

With the largest first-place prize in women's golf history on the line, Sei Young Kim holed this 25-foot birdie putt to win the CME Group Tour Championship.

Anything Na can do, Tiger can do…

It’s not often 3-foot putts make a list of top shots, but when they make you laugh as much as these “walk-ins” by Kevin Na and Tiger Woods, they deserve a place.

Ghim punches PGA Tour ticket … literally

Of all the players who secured their PGA Tour cards via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, few did so as emphatically as Doug Ghim. The Texas alum needed to make par on his 72^nd hole of the KFT Championship, and he did, delivering a huge fist pump in celebration.

We still can’t un-see…

The shots of Brooks Koepka, nude, in ESPN the Magazine’s Body Issue.

No. 82

Hello, Sam Snead! Tiger Woods tied the PGA Tour record for career wins with his 82nd title at the Zozo Championship. And unlike that closing bogey at Augusta, he sealed the deal with birdie.

Manchester United have included 19-year-old defender Max Taylor in their Europa League squad just 12 months after having chemotheraphy for testicular cancer.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side travel to the Kazakhstan capital to face Astana on Thursday with qualification to the round of 32 already assured. And Taylor is one of a number of youngsters to make the trip.

- Europa League group stage: All you need to know

Taylor only returned to training with United in September following his treatment.

"I feel immensely proud and happy to be back on the training pitch with my teammates and friends," Taylor to United's website at the time. "Without the invaluable support of my family, teammates and, of course, the nurses and doctors, my return to training at this stage would not have been possible.

"I want to thank all of the club's medical and sports-science staff that I have worked with throughout my rehabilitation.

"The next step is to continue working hard in the gym, and out on the grass, to hopefully make my return on the pitch."

United beat Astana 1-0 in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford with Mason Greenwood scoring the only goal.

ESPN FC correspondent Rob Dawson contributed to this report

"Six months back I could have told you about Afghanistan. Now I am with West Indies." - Phil Simmons.

Whatever insights West Indies' coach had about the team he had coached from December 2017 till the end of the 2019 World Cup was clearly not meant for publication. If you had asked him about the insights he had into the opposition in December 2017, he could have given the same answer with the team names inter-changed.

Simmons' record as coach has been excellent, but in spite of that, his first stint with West Indies had not ended well. Not due to the lack of results - they won the T20 World Cup under him - but due to what the WICB termed 'differences in culture and strategic approach', and what the rest of the world called a colossal management blunder.

With a new management in place at the board, Simmons' expertise was sought again, and he gladly accepted the role. While he stopped short of saying he had 'unfinished business' with West Indies, he does want to stop the wheel turning the way it has. The occasional peaks notwithstanding, the story that was written most often in the last two decades on Caribbean cricket was of West Indies' decline.

On Wednesday, there is the opportunity to take another step towards that when West Indies face Afghanistan in a one-off Test at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.

Technically, this is an 'away' game for West Indies and 'home' for Afghanistan. But it's not as simple as that. Afghanistan have moved to this ground just a month ago from Dehradun, their erstwhile home ground, and are as (un)familiar with it as West Indies are. The only time Lucknow has hosted a Test before this one was 25 years back, when the Ekana Stadium wasn't even a concept, and Afghanistan had as much chance of playing Test cricket as Belgium.

"I was very happy when they moved from Dehradun to here for this series," Simmons said. "Because they would have known everything about Dehradun. And now, it's (like a) neutral venue, so it makes it even for us."

Afghanistan have in their corner the knowledge that they turned around the last series played at this venue, albeit in a vastly different format. Down 1-0 in the T20Is after having lost 3-0 in the ODIs, they stormed back to win 2-1. Simmons acknowledged that Afghanistan were a "difficult" opponent, but felt that at three-Tests old only, inexperience would be a factor.

"Their format is T20, they've done well over the last two-three years in T20 cricket, so they were always going to fight back in that one," Simmons said. "They've had three Tests, and did well to win in Bangladesh, but it's still a learning phase for them and hopefully we can capitalise on that."

For Afghanistan coach Lance Klusener, the Test was all about focussing on his team's strengths and not worrying too much about what West Indies would throw at them.

"There's no hiding the fact that our strength is spin. We've got three of the best spin bowlers in the world," Klusener said, adding that the pitches were "receptive to spin".

"We'll just have small goals and plans as to how we want to go about things. It's a learning process as well. But in saying that, we want to be as positive as we can," Klusener said. "Batting is about scoring runs - whether it's Test cricket, one-day cricket or T20 cricket. It's just how you go about. That's the challenge for us, finding the balance between attacking an defending.

"We can take a lot of confidence out of the way we played in the practice game. And they're coming off a Test win in Bangladesh. So there's a lot of good things to look forward to. I guess our challenge is runs. If we can put enough runs on the board over the course of the Test match, we're going to be difficult to beat."

There appears to a widening gap between those at the top of the Test tree and those below it, according to Klusener, but as he pointed out, both teams in this contest fell on the same side of that divide.

"We just saw that there's quite a big rift between the lower teams that are not getting enough Test cricket to your Indias, Australias and Englands," Klusener said. "There's quite a big gap but it's a learning curve for us. We're going to have to toughen up a little bit, get stuck in and front up. We're certainly looking forward to this Test match, there's a lot of history playing against the West Indies as well."

There was a hint of a challenge in the way Klusener spoke of 'history' between the two teams. They've played seven T20Is, with West Indies winning four to Afghanistan's three. West Indies are ahead 5-3 in ODIs, but before the one-dayers on this tour, they were behind 2-3.

Test cricket though, is a a sporting animal unlike any other and Afghanistan's inexperience will be a factor. It could have been offset to some extent with home advantage. But the surface aside - which could still play a decisive role - there's not much 'home' advantage in playing at a new venue, facing a team whose coach knows you inside out.

Chris Gayle is not contemplating his future. He is planning it instead. Part of that plan is taking a "break" from cricket for the rest of 2019. Gayle will miss the ODIs against India in December after the selectors checked on his availability for the three-match series. Gayle will instead utilise the time to "recharge" and "reflect" on what he really wants in 2020.

On Sunday, on his way out of the MSL where he was playing for defending champions Jozi Stars. Gayle opened up on the "burden" he feels when he does not perform. Gayle's comments came in the wake of poor returns in this MSL: 101 runs from 6 innings including 54 on Sunday against Tswhane Spartans.

Gayle made it evident that he was hurt by the constant scrutiny not just from the media but also from franchise, owners, team managements, coaches and players. But he is not giving up, Gayle made it clear that he wanted to sort things out and return in 2020 with a clear mind.

That is what he told the West Indies selection panel which is headed by former allrounder Roger Harper. It is understood the squads for the India series comprising three T20s and three ODIs, have been finalised and will likely be announced this week by Cricket West Indies (CWI).

It is also understood that when the selectors checked with Gayle on his availability for the ODI series in India, he shared with them his thoughts about the break. "West Indies called me to play ODIs, but I am not going to play," Gayle said on Sunday during the media briefing after the Stars' defeat. "They (selectors) want me to play with the youngsters but for this year I am going to take a break."

Gayle said he would not be playing the Big Bash, too, this season and was surprised that his name had been listed in one of the teams in the Bangladesh Premier League. "I am not going to the Big Bash. I'm not sure what cricket will come up, I don't even know how my name reached the BPL, but I have been drafted in a team and I don't even know how that happened."

It could not be confirmed whether Gayle is part of the T20 World Cup plans where West Indies are the defending champions. But both Harper's panel and the team management comprising head coach Phil Simmons and Kieron Pollard, the ODI and T20 captain have stressed that the door is open to all players including the seniors like Gayle.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo recently at the T10 tournament, Pollard said he was excited to have Gayle around him because of the "wealth of knowledge" the Jamaican has accrued from over more than two decades of playing across formats. "You have Chris Gayle who is still playing T20 cricket around the world," Pollard said. "He has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the T20 arena, 50-over, in Test cricket, so he can share a lot of that."

Gayle, who turned 40 in September, last played for West Indies in the home ODI series against India in August. Everything about that match had a farewell feel to it.

Gayle had blasted 72 off 41 balls, helping West Indies record the highest 10-over score ever for a team batting first. The innings ended abruptly, but he walked off to a standing ovation from not just the sparsely filled Queen's Park Oval in Port-of-Spain but also Virat Kohli's India. Gayle, who had surpassed Brian Lara during the series to become the top ODI run-maker for West Indies, acknowledged the adulation by carrying his helmet atop his bat handle. He would lead the West Indies players out to the park later in the day to what everyone thought was one last time.

Minutes later he was asked by the CWI media manager if he had retired from ODI cricket. "I didn't announce any retirement," Gayle said with a chuckle and when asked to elaborate, added "until you hear further notice."

With Gayle surprises never cease to end. In March, having waltzed to the fastest half-century by a West Indies batsman, he declared it would be his last ODI series in the Caribbean. In February he had already pointed out the ODI World Cup would be his final tournament. Except, on the eve of West Indies' last match in that tournament, Gayle said he would like to play against India at home.

He had another opportunity to play India, this time away, but he has it turned down because he feels he needs the time away from the game as he seeks clarity about his future.

"I'm going to recharge my batteries and think ahead in life and try and plan it better and keep the people who are more real around you," Gayle said on Sunday. "There's a lot of things I am going to analyse. You never stop learning. Doesnt matter how long I have been playing. There's a lot of things for me to give back. 2020 is just around the corner. I will use now and next month to reflect on what I really want for 2020."

West Indies' next limited-overs assignment is the home series against Ireland in January comprising three ODis and three T20Is.

Additional reporting by Firdose Moonda and Barny Read

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo took ownership for the third-ranked Spartans' five-point upset loss in the Maui Invitational.

"I publicly want to apologize to maybe the greatest fan group that was here," Izzo said after Monday's loss in Hawai'i. "I feel like I let them down, and it's been an interesting couple of weeks and we just weren't as sharp today."

Michigan State lost 71-66 to unranked Virginia Tech to fall to 3-2 on the season.

"Well, I've said this for 20 years. Upsets happen," Izzo said. "And that's no insult to them, but it is an upset. Upsets happen."

Consensus preseason All-America selection Cassius Winston was in early foul trouble and held to seven points on 2-of-8 shooting.

Izzo was protective of Winston after the game. The senior's younger brother died earlier this month.

"I would like all the people in Hawai'i and everybody else to see, [Winston] was a shell of himself today," Izzo said. "I think it's been a lot on him. I told you that. No excuses for me. I did the poor job. But I couldn't do what that kid has done, no way. And he just looked tired the whole time. I think [it's] the mental stress that he's going through."

Michigan State next plays Tuesday against Georgia (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2).

JAN TEXTS ANDY. It is Saturday. Andy is in Baton Rouge, broadcasting the radio pregame show before Auburn plays LSU. Jan is at home in Auburn. She has a question: Josh, who is 16, has asked for more than the usual allowance of $75 that Jan and Andy give him every two weeks. Jan texts her husband: "What should I say?"

Andy's eyes go wide. He isn't used to texts like this. Jan's Saturday texts are usually things like "Good first quarter" or "How did we not score there?" During a commercial, he calls her.

They discuss the issue, as parents do. Jan thinks they shouldn't give in; learning how to budget is a part of getting older. Andy agrees. They hang up. Even though they're on the same page, Andy still feels unsteady. He sees Kirk Sampson, the longtime communications head for Auburn sports, walking by.

"Kirky!" he says, and Sampson stops. The pregame show goes on behind them as Andy tells Sampson, who has teenage sons, about the situation. "Will you check me on this?" Andy asks. He stares at Sampson intently. Sampson chuckles and says their thinking sounds right to him. Andy goes back on the radio.

At home, Josh pleads his case. He points out the progress he has made on keeping a budget lately. He has a job at a gift shop, but he also has a car now, and things are expensive. "I'm really working hard on this," he says, and Jan sympathizes. She does want to help him. She and Andy want him to be happy. "We know you're working hard," she says, and Josh brightens. Maybe there is a sliver of light here. But then Jan touches his arm and shakes her head. "We're very proud of you for that," she says. "Keep it up."

Josh realizes he has no chance. He goes to his room. Jan exhales and texts Andy. Andy exhales and gets ready to broadcast a football game. On this day, they've done what mothers and fathers do all the time: A child presented them with a choice. They talked about it. They made a decision. They followed through. It was, by almost any measure, a fairly ordinary act of parenting. Except for this: Josh is not their son.

THIS IS A story about a terrible accident and the unfairness of life and the ineffable compassion of friends and that spindly, ever-spreading spider web of emotion that we all bring to our own interpretations of family. But first, let's back up.

Andy Burcham meets Jan Gunnels through a Christian dating website in 2003. Both are in their 40s. Jan knows who Andy is because she has heard him on the radio. She likes Andy's kind eyes and thoughtfulness and the fact that he giggles at her jokes. Jan has a doctorate in education from Auburn, and Andy is smitten with her wit and smarts. He teases that he might walk out on their dinner after she reveals she likes mayonnaise on her hamburgers. They laugh a lot. One date becomes two becomes 10.

Andy proposes on Oct. 2, 2003, a Thursday. That night, he hosts "Tiger Talk," the weekly football radio show. The regular host, Rod Bramblett, is off. Rod and his wife, Paula, are at the hospital. Paula has just given birth to their second child. The baby boy is beautiful. Rod and Paula name him Josh.

Andy and Rod are best friends. Rod is the lead radio voice of Auburn sports. He does play-by-play for football and men's basketball. His most famous calls, like the "Kick Six" or his frantic "A miracle in Jordan-Hare! A miracle in Jordan-Hare!" play on loops in grocery stores and at gas stations all over town. Fans holler "Touchdown, Auburn!" when they see him in restaurants or in his car.

Andy is a sideline reporter during football season and calls women's basketball. He and Rod do play-by-play of Auburn baseball together, riding in vans to games all over the Southeastern Conference. They like listening to satellite radio. Over two decades, no matter the genre, Rod is virtually undefeated when it comes to playing "Name That Tune." When the broadcast crew eats out, Rod will sometimes secretly tell the waiter to ask Andy if he wants mayonnaise on his burger. He cackles when Andy is appalled.

Paula and Jan become close too. They cook for each other when Rod and Andy are on road trips. They joke about how Rod and Andy spend more time in hotel rooms with each other than with their wives. Several times a month, the two couples get together for dinner, especially on Friday nights before football home games. Rod and Paula talk about how Josh is doing in school or how their daughter, Shelby, is doing in basketball. Andy and Jan, who do not have kids, talk about their dogs and their travels and what it's like to be the fun aunt and uncle. Everyone talks about football.

One Friday in the fall of 2018, the four are eating at Venditori's, an Italian restaurant in Auburn. This is one of their regular spots. Rod loves the fried cheese, and Andy likes the sausage Parmesan. All four adore the bread balls soaked in melted butter and garlic. After the entrees are cleared, Rod looks across the table. "We have an important question," he says. "We would like for you to be the guardians of our children if something should happen to us."

Andy and Jan glance at each other. "Can we have a few days to think about this?" Andy says after a long moment, even though he and Jan already know the answer. Dessert is served. The next week in the office, Andy tells Rod that he and Jan would be honored to accept the responsibility. Then they go back to talking about Auburn's next game.

Months go by. In May 2019, just before the SEC baseball tournament, Rod asks Andy for his and Jan's official names; he and Paula are finally getting around to the paperwork. Over dinner that same week, Rod and Paula mention to Josh and Shelby that they asked the Burchams to be guardians. It is a heavy subject, but Rod and Paula present it lightly. They joke that by doing it this way, Shelby will never have to spend any of her own money on her brother. Josh nods. Shelby eats her french fries. Everyone chuckles. The conversation moves on.

A FEW DAYS later, on May 25, 2019, Andy and Jan are at their niece's high school graduation party in Huntsville, more than three hours from Auburn. The party is at a bowling alley. Andy is the kind of bowler who is ecstatic to break 100, but he is having fun. The mood is bright.

His phone rings. It's a friend who is a police officer in Auburn. "Andy, I need to tell you something. There's been a wreck, an accident. It's very serious, and it involves Rod and Paula."

Andy shivers. His throat catches. He croaks, "How serious?" and hears his friend hesitate. "It's very serious."

Jan and Andy leave the bowling alley. They rush to Jan's mother's place, where they've been staying, so they can get their bags. Before they even get back to the car, the phone rings again: Paula is dead. Rod is in critical condition and being airlifted to a hospital in Birmingham.

Andy reels. Jan sits on a bench and calls Shelby. She is 20 now, in North Carolina with friends. When Shelby gets on the phone, Jan says, as gently as she can, "Your mother didn't make it." She tells Shelby that the accident was severe and that the doctors think Paula wasn't conscious after impact. They believe she didn't suffer. Jan's words are swallowed up by Shelby's sobbing.

Andy and Jan begin driving. The highway churns by in a haze of streetlights and brake lights. One hundred miles later, they pull off in Birmingham. They park on the street and speed-walk to the entrance of the hospital. Chris Davis, head of Auburn's radio network, is there. So is Chad Prewett, an assistant basketball coach who happened to be in Birmingham for a wedding and ran over once he heard the news.

They all go into one of the hospital's consultation rooms, small and sterile. They wait. Eventually, the trauma surgeon comes in. He is direct: Rod is dead. Andy bursts into tears.

Jan calls Shelby again. "Where are you? Are you driving?" she asks, worried that Shelby might be behind the wheel. Shelby says her friend is driving, and Jan chokes up. How do you do this once, let alone twice? She tells Shelby that her father did not make it either. She doesn't know what else to say, so she sits on the phone with Shelby and listens to her weep.

In the room at the hospital, Chris and Chad and Andy look at one another. They talk in half sentences and unformed thoughts. The disbelief comes out in sputters. Should we call ...? What about ...? How do we ...?

At one point, Andy raises his head. His eyes are wet. His face is drooped. He opens his mouth and finally speaks out loud what has been pounding in his head ever since the policeman called him at the bowling alley. "You know," he says, "they asked us to be the guardians."

THE FAUCET IS open, and the days rush by. Josh and Shelby stay at Rod's mother's home. There are lawyers to see. Arrangements to make. Conversations to have. Friends send food that piles up on tables and counters. One day, Josh asks if Andy and Jan are planning to move their stuff into his family's house. Andy and Jan stammer. Then they explain that Josh will be moving into their house.

There is a memorial service on campus. Andy gives a eulogy. He talks about the joy Rod and Paula found in each other. He talks about how Rod said he never thought it was possible to love someone as much as he loved Shelby until Josh was born. He tells a funny story about the one time Rod ever got mad at Paula. She bought expensive Bon Jovi tickets on the sly and then, to top it off, didn't even invite Rod to the concert. Paula adored Bon Jovi.

Andy says the road trips he took with Rod rivaled the games themselves. He names their old haunts littered all over the South: Herman's and the Old Hickory Steakhouse and Blue Marlin and the Hullabaloo Diner and Ballyhoo. He dabs his face with a tissue. Then he confesses that his one regret is that he never told Rod he loved him. "I never uttered those words," he says, just above a whisper. He begs those in the crowd not to make the same mistake.

Chris Davis helps Josh and Shelby clean out Rod's office. They find a Lego Batmobile that Rod and Josh built together. They find a piece of paper that says: "To Shelby: War Eagle! Cam Newton." They find a page of basic Italian words and phrases that Rod scratched out; he and Paula had planned a summertime European vacation.

An internet GoFundMe campaign designed to collect donations for Josh's and Shelby's futures raises more than $300,000. Everywhere they go, Andy and Jan and Josh and Shelby see people looking at them. Pursing their lips. Offering a kind word under their breath. Some people call them heroes or saints, and they are that, all four of them. Their strength is mind-boggling. But it also isn't easy. There is no manual for how to put shattered worlds back together, and as Jan, an associate dean for education at Columbus State, says to friends, "This isn't a Lifetime movie." She doesn't mean it coldly, not even a little. She just knows the truth: In real life, we don't live out only the epic parts of our good deeds. We live the get-by of it all. The little stuff. The marrow.

It's things like groceries. Andy can eat Grape-Nuts all day long, but Josh likes Frosted Flakes with marshmallows. He has a favorite soap. And snacks. And sweets. And fruit. Suddenly, everything is a quiz. Laundry piles up in ways never seen before in the Burcham house. Jan answers the phone, and it's the school. Driver's education is starting tomorrow, a voice says, and there will be crash videos shown to the students. Will Josh be OK? Jan has no idea.

Life has become like searching for the light switch in a dark room. Progress is relative. A few weeks after Josh moves in, he is sitting on the couch while Jan cooks dinner. From the stove, Jan asks Josh how his day has gone, how he is feeling. She hears him say, "I feel ... safe here," and her hands tighten on the spoon. Her pulse races.

Another day, Josh calls to tell Jan that he has a project he needs to do that night. "Do we have a glue gun in our house?" he asks, and Jan freezes again. Our house. She glows. Things are going well. Then Josh and Jan have a few tense words at a restaurant while Andy is doing the "Tiger Talk" broadcast, and several friends come up to ask Jan if Josh is "doing OK." She feels confused and self-conscious. Emotions rise and fall and rise again.

Then there is Shelby. She is over 18 and, officially, an adult. She is a junior at Auburn and lives in an apartment with friends. But Andy and Jan want to include her. They want her to feel as if she is a part of everything, if she wants to be. When Andy is named as Rod's replacement in July, becoming the new voice of Auburn sports, Shelby comes to the news conference. She wants to be supportive too.

Yet she is also racked by guilt. Jan takes her to lunch one afternoon. Shelby tells Jan how she knows that, given a choice, Josh would want Shelby to be his guardian, not the Burchams. If Shelby had said that to the lawyers, she says, it might have happened.

She has tried to make peace with it, but it is hard. "How could I be his mother and his sister?" she says. She knows it is impossible. Jan squeezes her hand. Shelby tells Jan that she has thought about it a lot, and she feels certain in her heart that they made the right choice. Josh's parents are already gone, she says. His sister can't be.

That night before bed, Jan tells Andy about her conversation with Shelby because these are the things they talk about now. They used to riff on where they might go on their next vacation or a TV show or an upcoming game that is months down the line. Now they shrink their focus. It is the only way they can sleep.

"You know, Shelby is going to get married someday, right?" Andy says from his side of the bed one evening before Halloween. He looks worried. His mind is racing. Jan cuts him off. "Put it away," she says. "We don't have to deal with it now."

Andy nods. "What about Christmas? What are we going to do for Christmas?" he asks, but even that is too far away. Jan is firm. "Put it away," she says. "We don't have to deal with it right now."

ANDY IS ANXIOUS about being the voice of Auburn. It is the kind of job he wanted his whole life, but its arrival is coated in pain. Everything feels new. For years, Andy drove home after games with Rod, and they would listen to Rod's calls being played on the postgame show. Now he hears himself and drives alone. For the first few weeks, Paul Ellen, who does scoreboard updates during the games, had to catch himself from saying, "That's your update, Rod!" as he threw it back to Andy. When Andy screams "Touchdown, Auburn!" his call is charged and boundless, but it is also higher-pitched than Rod's and a bit more staccato.

There are new responsibilities for Andy as well: dinners with sponsors and hosting events and recording commercials or interviews. He is recognized more. He is asked to do more. It is a whirlwind, but in some ways it feels simple compared with the bigger changes at home.

Josh likes writing. He likes vintage sweaters. He likes music and antiques. He likes Polaroid cameras and Converse sneakers and the sleek metal typewriter he has in his room, which used to be a guest room. Josh calls New York "the city" and the area around western Paris "the 92," because that is what the friends he met on Instagram who live there call it. He wants to live in France someday.

Sports are not a big part of his life. And this is different for Andy and Jan, who know they have to adapt. They are past the caretaker stage now, past simply giving Josh a bed and a roof to sleep under and food to eat. They want to go beyond just providing him a space. It is what they promised after the dinner at Venditori's.

Some of it is simply filling a void. Josh loved going to breakfast with Rod, so Andy offers once or twice a week. He and Josh go to Waffle House or Chick-fil-A for biscuits before school and sit in the parking lot. There isn't much conversation, and that's fine; Andy just wants the time. The presence. The comfort.

Josh is thoughtful and introspective. He is cautious. He is also a teenager with a wicked sense of humor. One day, he tells Jan that he wants to get a Jesus doll for the dashboard of his car. Jan smiles and says, "OK, but if you get a dashboard Jesus, you also have to come to church with us." Josh deliberates. Then he says, with sweetness, "Maybe I'll get some fuzzy dice instead."

The breakthroughs come when Andy and Jan least expect it. On a drive home from Cracker Barrel a few weeks ago, Josh suddenly asks if Andy and Jan would like to hear some of his writing. They can't say yes fast enough.

Jan is driving. Andy is in the passenger seat. Josh is in the back. He reads a poem he has saved on his phone. It is about his mother. His voice is tender.

the black canary's song was never so sweet

as your eyes and your embrace.

your voice was like chocolate melting slowly in

the pot,

as the music plays the curtain draws,

i wonder who decided your fate.

was it me? Or was it just the hymn of the canary,

just singing away.

There is a beat of silence when Josh finishes. Andy and Jan marvel at what they have heard. Then Andy says, "Josh, what was your inspiration when you wrote that?" and Josh thinks for a second.

Finally, he says, "It's just how I was feeling that day."

SHELBY TURNS 21 on Nov. 5. It should be a joyous day, but Nov. 5 was also Rod's birthday, so the emotions are complicated. During the day, orange and blue flowers are placed at Rod's grave. At night, Shelby and Josh and Andy and Jan and Rod's mother go to dinner at a Japanese steakhouse. They watch the fire show and the flashing knives and the flipping shrimp. Everyone sings to Shelby, and she smiles.

Normal is elusive. There are fits and starts. Some things make sense, others don't. A vacation for the four of them to New York is terrific. Discussions about whether Josh should put a location-tracking app on his phone for Andy and Jan are less idyllic. The Brambletts' Shih Tzu poodle, Cooper, gets along just fine with the Burchams' rescue beagle, Taylor. Shelby still calls Jan "Miss Jan" and Andy "Mr. Andy" because that is what she always called them before. It would be strange for her to change.

As a foursome, they are walking right next to one another but still figuring out just the right way to hold hands. Jan will sometimes say to people who ask her about the situation that "we're not a family yet," and she says it that way because she doesn't want to be presumptuous. She doesn't want to assume that's what Josh or Shelby needs or wants. She doesn't want to assume that Josh will want Andy and her in his life after he turns 18. She and Andy don't want to act as if they are simply understudies who were called in to lead.

They can only do what comes naturally to them, big or small. At restaurants, Rod used to order for the table. Now, when the server comes, Andy and Jan say, "Josh, tell him what you'd like." When Josh leaves in the morning, Andy says, "Have a good day, Josh. I love you." He says it more than he ever has, and it doesn't matter whether Josh says it back. Andy says it because he knows it is good for Josh to hear it.

No one talks much about the accident. The police arrested a local teenager, and he has been charged with two counts of manslaughter. Going nearly 90 mph, he plowed into the back of the Brambletts' car while it was stopped at a red light. The youth says he fell asleep at the wheel. Toxicology reports found marijuana in his system. Josh and Shelby don't care much about what happens with the case, although Shelby doesn't like when she hears news reporters talk about how "three lives were ruined that day." She laughs at the idea that it was only three.

All she wants is what Josh and Andy and Jan want as well: to look forward together, even if everything around them has a hint of the past. So the steps come slowly.

One recent afternoon, Jan gets a call from the district attorney. The teenager who crashed into the Brambletts has been charged as an adult. His lawyers are petitioning for him to be sentenced as a minor. The difference is massive, the attorney explains to Jan. As a minor, he might get three years in prison; as an adult, he would be facing more than 20. The attorney wants to know what Josh and Shelby think.

Jan brings it up to Josh. She is nervous about what he will feel, what he will say. But Josh doesn't lash out. He doesn't run from it. He doesn't brood.

He says, very simply, that he believes there should be real consequences for the teen's actions. And then he says, "Someday, I'm going to have children, and my kids will never know their grandparents. They'll never know them."

Josh pauses. "But they'll have y'all," he says to Jan. "They'll know you."

Andy Murray has told BBC Radio 5 Live about his long-term injury, rehabilitation and return to tennis.

The three-time Grand Slam champion won his first singles title since career-saving hip surgery by beating Stan Wawrinka at the European Open in October.

Speaking to 5 Live Breakfast, Murray said: “You’re always putting up a front and a brave face, because you’re not supposed to show emotion in sport.”

A documentary following his surgery and recovery will be shown on Amazon Prime from Friday.