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GAYLORD ― We've nearly reached the end of the 2025-26 school year around Michigan, meaning the end of the spring high school sports season is almost upon us.

Districts for high school baseball and softball begin on Tuesday, May 26, followed by semifinals and finals action from Thursday, May 28 to Saturday, May 30. The district pairings are set for Gaylord, St. Mary and Johannesburg-Lewiston as the postseason quickly approaches, and it's time to find out when and where Gaylord-area teams are playing.

Gaylord baseball and St. Mary softball are hosting district tournaments, while the other area teams will be spread out around Northern Michigan. Take a look at the destinations and brackets for all six area baseball and softball teams:

Postseason dates, locations Key dates, locations for MHSAA spring sports postseason tournaments

Track and field Here are the Gaylord-area track and field regional champions, state qualifiers

First round, Tuesday, May 26: Petoskey vs. Sault Ste. Marie, 4 p.m.

Semifinals-Finals, Saturday, May 30: Sault/Petoskey vs. Cheboygan, 11 a.m.; Gaylord vs, Grayling, 1:30 p.m.

Semifinals-Finals, Thursday, May 28: Grayling vs. Petoskey, 11 a.m.; Gaylord vs. Sault Ste Marie, 1 p.m.

First round, Tuesday, May 26: Ellsworth vs. Central Lake, 4 p.m.; Bellaire vs. East Jordan, 5:30 p.m.

Semifinals-Finals, Saturday, May 30: Ellsworth/Central Lake vs. Boyne Falls, 4 p.m.; Gaylord St. Mary vs. Bellaire/East Jordan, 12 p.m.

First round, Tuesday, May 26: Gaylord St. Mary vs. Wolverine, 5 p.m.

Semifinals-Finals, Friday, May 29: St. Mary/Wolverine vs. Inland Lakes, 12 p.m.; Boyne Falls vs. Onaway, 2 p.m.

First round, Tuesday, May 26: Onaway vs. Posen, 3 p.m.; JoBurg vs. Atlanta, 5 p.m.

Semifinals-Finals, Saturday, May 30: Onaway/Posen vs. Hillman, 10 a.m.; JoBurg/Atlanta vs. Rogers City, 12 p.m.

First round, Tuesday, May 26: JoBurg vs. Posen, 4 p.m.

Semifinals-finals, Saturday, May 30: JoBurg/Posen vs. Hillman, 10 a.m.; Rogers City vs. Atlanta, 12 p.m.

Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Check out district brackets for Gaylord, GSM and JL baseball, softball

OG Anunoby headlines Knicks' injury report for ECF Game 1 vs Cavaliers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

New York Knicks star OG Anunoby is carrying a "probable" status heading into Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The game will be played at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks will look to start strong after sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the NBA playoffs.

Onunoby seems to have recovered from his right hamstring strain and has reportedly participated fully in practices during the week. Therefore, the forward is expected to play barring any last minute setback.

Apart from Onunoby, everyone else on the Knicks is healthy and ready to go. This includes Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and Miles McBride.

On the other hand, the Cavs are also healthy despite coming off a seven-game series against the Detroit Pistons in the other Eastern Conference NBA playoff semifinal.

Injuries 5/19

CLE:
None

NYK:
OG Anunoby - Probable

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 19, 2026

MORE: Knicks' OG Anunoby's Game 1 injury report status revealed by NBA insider

OG Anunoby suffered a hamstring injury during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the 76ers. He missed the final two games of the series.

Imaging showed that the Knicks forward reportedly avoided a serious tear and after getting a weeklong rest, he is looking forward to reclaiming his starting role on the Knicks. To do so, the Knicks will have to send Miles McBride back to the bench role.

Anunoby has proven to be valuable for the Knicks in these playoffs, averaging 21.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He is shooting over 61% from the field, including 53% from the 3-point range.

With Anunoby returning, the Knicks have raised the hopes for a 1-0 start against the battle-hardened Cavs.

Celtics reunite with Isaiah Thomas, but not in the way you'd expect

Jaylen Brown rips 'face of clickbait' Stephen A. Smith in latest NSFW rant: 'Tell this motherf—er to retire'

Wizards receiving inquiries on their No. 1 draft pick from multiple teams

To find a star worthy enough of filling one of the Indy 500’s most iconic roles, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway didn’t have to look far this year.

Indiana Fever megastar Caitlin Clark, whose seismic impact on the game of women’s basketball has made her a global name, has been named grand marshal for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.

The grand marshal’s role at most races is to give the command to start engines, but that is reserved for Roger Penske at Indy (part of a long history of the track owner saying “start your engines”). So Clark’s job will be to call drivers to their cars during the pre-race ceremonies, which are steeped in tradition.

“I’m looking forward to experiencing an iconic piece of what makes Indiana so special and being part of the time-honored tradition of ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,'” Clark said in a press release.

The ties between Clark and the Indy 500 are not just local. Gainbridge has been the presenting sponsor of the 500 since 2019, and Clark has been a brand ambassador for the company since her senior year of college (before she even began playing games at the Fever’s home arena, Gainbridge Fieldhouse).

IMS has wanted Clark to attend the Indy 500 for several years, and this year the timing finally worked out.

“Since being drafted by the Fever, fans have been clamoring to share the epic celebration and thrilling excitement of Indy 500 race day with Caitlin,” IndyCar and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “Through our incredible partnership with Gainbridge, everyone joining us for the world’s largest single-day spectator sporting event will get to do just that.”

The Indy 500 has already announced a grandstand sellout for the second consecutive year. With approximately 275,000 grandstand seats plus a massive infield, attendance is expected to be similar to last year’s 350,000 number on Sunday.

Recent grand marshals at the Indy 500 have included names like Major League Baseball legends Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez (who shared the role last year), actor Dylan Sprouse, “Encanto” star Stephanie Beatriz, and country music star Blake Shelton.

Clark isn’t the only big Indiana name involved in this year’s 500. Indiana University head football coach Curt Cignetti will be the honorary pace car driver and will drive a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X around the track before the race.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Indiana Fever, WNBA, Motorsports, Indy 500

2026 The Athletic Media Company

The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks haven’t even started their Eastern Conference finals series yet and they are already taking fire from Michael Wilbon.

Monday night saw the NBA’s Final Four tip off in the 2026 Playoffs with an epic contest between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. And Game 1 did not disappoint as it was one of the best playoff games in years with the Spurs and Victor Wembanyama finding a way to outlast the Thunder in double overtime.

As the nation was in awe over Wemby’s performance and the quality of basketball on both ends of the floor, it certainly looked and felt like an NBA Finals caliber series. And in talking about the Spurs-Thunder on Tuesday morning on ESPN’s Get Up and looking ahead to Knicks-Cavs, Wilbon couldn’t resist calling it as he saw it. And if it trolled some Knicks fans in New York, that was just a bonus.

“This is the junior varsity series. … Nothing we’re gonna see, out of Madison Square Garden, is gonna come close to last night.” @RealMikeWilbon doesn’t believe the Knicks-Cavs series can compare to the Spurs-Thunder pic.twitter.com/ufoAAOryuG

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) May 19, 2026

“Can I just be annoying and anger everybody in New York,” Wilbon asked host Mike Greenberg. “Nothing that we see here in this series in the Eastern Conference is going to approach last night. Nothing. Ok? This is the junior varsity series. It may be great. By the way, the winner if it’s the Knicks could survive and win the whole thing because these two could kill each other, go Ali-Frazier in Manilla and nothing’s left. But nothing we’re gonna see out of Madison Square Garden is gonna come close to what we saw last night.”

Maybe it’s not entirely fair to make that proclamation before the East finals even gets underway. And to compare it specifically to Game 1 of the West finals, which was one of the best playoff games in years, might not be entirely fair either. But the oddsmakers, and the vast majority of basketball fans, certainly agree with Michael Wilbon. The Thunder and Spurs are +125 and +155 to win the championship while the Knicks and Cavs are at +475 and +2000 respectively on DraftKings.

If there’s one thing the Knicks and Cavs have going for them it’s that Tony Kornheiser proclaimed the NBA Playoffs had too many blowouts and were lacking drama before the Thunder-Spurs instant classic. So judging by that reverse jinx philosophy from PTI hosts, Knicks-Cavs will be the greatest NBA playoff series of all time.

The post Michael Wilbon calls Knicks-Cavs ‘junior varsity’ series appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Lakers' Austin Reaves receives $168 million contract prediction to stay close to Luka Doncic originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Austin Reaves might be the best player available in free agency this summer.

The Los Angeles Lakers guard enjoyed a breakthrough 2025-26 season. Across 51 games, he averaged 23.3 points on 49 percent shooting while forming a close bond with Luka Doncic, the franchise's superstar.

MORE: LeBron James’ retirement or free agent decision gets warning from Spurs-Thunder series

Reaves' closeness with Doncic means the Lakers will prioritize retaining the 27-year-old in the summer once he declines his player option for next season. And for Reaves, it is financially advantageous for him to remain Los Angeles as opposed to heading elsewhere.

Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus predicts that Reaves will re-sign with the Lakers on a five-year, $168 million deal, far below the maximum he could make in Los Angeles but still worth close to $35 million per year.

But rebuilding teams willing to give Reaves a starring role could raise his price past the Lakers' comfort level.

"The challenge will be finding teams capable of spending if the Brooklyn Nets or Chicago Bulls are willing to drive up the price," Pincus wrote. "Other franchises could get involved by trading to create cap room or by attempting to initiate a sign-and-trade with the Lakers."

It all depends on what Reaves wants. And if he only has eyes on the Lakers, that gives leverage to Rob Pelinka in the LA front office.

• Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama receives contract prediction worth “all the money”

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander admits Spurs exposed major problem in Thunder loss

• Victor Wembanyama and Thunder just made Magic Johnson rethink West’s future

• Cowboys legend thinks Victor Wembanyama-SGA exposed what NBA lost years ago

Caitlin Clark named Grand Marshal for 110th Indianapolis 500 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The connection between Caitlin Clark and the state of Indiana continues to grow.

On Tuesday, it was announced that the Indiana Fever superstar has been named the Grand Marshal for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500, which takes place Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Clark reacted to the honor with a statement celebrating both the race and Indiana’s sports culture.

“I’m looking forward to experiencing an iconic piece of what makes Indiana so special and being part of the time-honored tradition of ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’”

The role of Grand Marshal is one of the most recognizable traditions tied to the Indy 500. The honorary position includes giving the ceremonial command for drivers to report to their cars during pre-race festivities before one of the biggest events in motorsports.

Clark now joins a long list of notable figures who have served as Grand Marshal over the decades. Previous names connected to the honor include Bob Hope, Larry Bird, Peyton Manning, Tamika Catchings and even the 2012 Indiana Fever championship team.

News: Caitlin Clark has been named Grand Marshal of the 110th Indianapolis 500, to be held on Sunday.

“I’m looking forward to experiencing an iconic piece of what makes Indiana so special and being part of the time-honored tradition of ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’”

— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) May 19, 2026

The Indianapolis 500 has long embraced major figures connected to Indiana sports and entertainment, making Clark a natural choice as her popularity continues to reshape the sports landscape in the state.

Clark’s arrival in Indianapolis has already had a major impact on the Fever and the WNBA overall. Attendance, television ratings and national attention around the franchise have surged since she entered the league.

The Indy 500 announcement is another reminder of how quickly Clark has become woven into Indiana sports culture beyond basketball.

MORE: WNBA’s officiating crackdown is already creating a new problem

From sold-out Fever games to national television appearances and community events around Indianapolis, Clark has become one of the most recognizable athletes in the country while helping introduce new fans to women’s basketball.

Now, she will add another memorable moment to her growing list of Indiana sports milestones when she helps lead pre-race ceremonies at “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday.

• WNBA’s officiating crackdown is already creating a new problem
• Caitlin Clark’s competitive fire is obvious, but Fever fans just saw a different side of her
• Azzi Fudd just showed why the Wings are so excited about her future
• Does Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever play tonight? Details on Friday’s game vs Mystics
• Kelsey Plum makes major off-court move during breakout WNBA moment

The Eastern AA divisional track meet is set for noon on Friday, May 22, at Memorial Stadium.

The C.M. Russell High and Great Falls High squads will host the eight-team meet as athletes look to improve state-qualifying marks or earn their way to next week’s state meet by way of a top eight finish.

Here are the Eastern AA boys leaders by event heading into the penultimate meet of the season.

More: Great Falls High track star Scarlet Harris aiming to finish strong again

More: Schultz leads CMR softball onslaught over Great Falls High with two homers

*Times/marks in parentheses denote state-qualifying standards

1. Westdon Kelley, Billings West, 10.87; 2. Elijah Gibson, Billings West, 10.89; 3. Wesley Ehret, Belgrade, 10.93; 4. Ryland Humphrey, Billings West, 11.01; 5. Dustine Clyde, Belgrade, 11.02; 6. Hudson White, Gallatin, 11.02; 7. Gary LaPier, Great Falls High, 11.08; 8. Josiah Coelho, Billings Senior, 11.15.

1. Ryland Humphrey, Billings West, 21.95; 2. Elijah Gibson, Billings West, 22.19; 3. Westdon Kelley, Billings West, 22.23; 4. Joseph Walker Roodell, Bozeman, 22.43; 5. Wesley Ehret, Belgrade, 22.47; 6. Gary LaPier, Great Falls High, 22.63; 7. Dustin Clyde, Belgrade, 22.73; 8. Teigan Blomquist, Billings West, 22.73.

1. Wilson Schmidt, Belgrade, 48.48; 2. Reid Bartholomew, Gallatin, 49.81; 3. Gage Wardell, Belgrade, 50.01; 4. Thatcher Schmidt, Belgrade, 50.33; 5. Ryland Humphrey, Billings West, 50.60; 6. Teigan Blomquist, Billings West, 50.68; 7. Aiden Ross, Gallatin, 50.76; 8. Santiago Soto, Billings Skyview, 50.76.

1. Wilson Schmidt, Belgrade, 1:52.28; 2. Reid Bartholomew, Gallatin, 1:53.55; 3. Taylor Neil, Bozeman, 1:53.75; 4. Miles Halvorsen, Bozeman, 1:56.93; 5. Branlin Foote, Bozeman, 1:57.04; 6. Christian Landers, Bozeman, 1:57.40; 7. Teigan Blomquist, Billings West, 1:57.52; 8. Emerson Hamma, CMR, 1:58.30.

1. Miles Halvorsen, Bozeman, 4:12.23; 2. Taylor Neil, Bozeman, 4:14.11; 3. Branlin Foote, Bozeman, 4:18.81; 4. Emerson Hamma, CMR, 4:18.98; 5. Branlin Foote, Bozeman, 4:21.23; 6. Christian Landers, Bozeman, 4:24.86; 7. Wilson Schmidt, Belgrade, 4:25.65; 8. Lucas Keith, Billings West, 4:25.65.

1. Miles Halvorsen, Bozeman, 9:17.92; 2. Emerson Hamma, CMR, 9:19.88; 3. Taylor Neil, Bozeman, 9:20.09; 4. Branlin Foote, Bozeman, 9:28.36; 5. Christian Landers, Bozeman, 9:40.83; 6. Lucas Keith, Billings West, 9:41.63; 7. Bridger Warner, Gallatin, 9:51.65; 8. Kye McAbee, Billings West, 9:57.15.

1. Camden Johnson, Billings West, 15.46; 2. Jameson Curtis, Billings West, 16.22; 3. Bladen Madel, Great Falls High, 16.27; 4. Easton Eggehorn, Great Falls High, 16.61; 5. Calvin Helske, Billings Skyview, 16.90; 6. Pennington Kiser, Great Falls High, 16.90; 7. Boston Kundert, Gallatin, 17.45; 8. Aiden Gogan, Billings Skyview, 17.54.

1. John Burroughs, Bozeman, 41.24; 2. Camden Johnson, Billings West, 42.17; 3. Gary LaPier, Great Falls High, 42.47; 4. Ethan Young, CMR, 42.54; 5. Pennington Kiser, Great Falls High, 43.31; 6. Brodie Zimmerman, Billings West, 43.79; 7. Beau Dringman, Billings West, 43.80; 8. Wade Stohlmann, Gallatin, 43.95.

1. Riley McGrath, Gallatin, 63-00; 2. Carsen Ross, Gallatin, 58-03; 3. Kolby Palm, Billings Senior, 54-09; 4. Greyson Murray, Gallatin, 51-07.5; 5. Sam Kenck, Bozeman, 50-03; 6. Merek Fisher, Billings Skyview, 50-00.5; 7. Lucas Jenkins, Gallatin, 49-10.5; 8. Kash Graves, Billings Senior, 49-02.5.

1. Riley McGrath, Gallatin, 194-05; 2. Lane Bradley, Billings Senior, 176-03; 3. Merek Fisher, Billings Skyview, 175-05; 4. Kolby Palm, Billings Senior, 173-09; 5. Micah McDaniel, Billings West, 170-11; 6. Carsen Ross, Gallatin, 156-04; 7. Greyson Murray, Gallatin, 148-00; 8. Aiden Burke, Billings West, 147-05.

1. Sam Kenck, Bozeman, 192-01; 2. Conner Lorash, Billings West, 172-05; 3. Walker Olson, Billings West, 161-07; 4. Damen Furthmyre, Great Falls High, 161-04; 5. Beckett Crouch, CMR, 159-05; 6. Steven Taimaino, Billings Skyview, 154-05; 7. Kael Herrick, Billings West, 153-10; 8. Seth McDaniel, Billings West, 148-11.

T1. Josiah Coelho, Billings Senior; Dylan Garcia, Billings West, 6-06; 3. Jaxsyn Baker Spivey, Billings Skyview, 6-04; T4. Hunter May, Gallatin; Bobby Gutzman, Gallatin; Trace Kastner, Belgrade; Paxton McConnell, Belgrade; Walker Olson, Billings West, 6-02.

1. Luke Allen, Great Falls High, 15-00; 2. Salvatore Bergeron, Great Falls High, 14-06; 3. Beau Dringman, Billings West, 14-00; 4. Syd Hilliard, Gallatin, 13-07; 5. Israel Madinger, Billings Senior, 13-06; 6. Easton Eggehorn, Great Falls High, 13-00; T7. Caleb Stevenson, CMR; Ethan Kimm, Gallatin, 12-06.

1. Sean Klem, Billings West, 22-06; 2. Dylan Garcia, Billings West, 22-04.5; 3. Josiah Coelho, Billings Senior, 22-04; 4. Joseph Walker Roodell, Bozeman, 21-06.5; 5. Jayden Bogunovich, Billings West, 21-05.5; 6. Isaiah Eckles, Bozeman, 21-03; 7. Boston Kundert, Gallatin, 21-01.25; 8. Walker Olson, Billings West, 21-01.

T1. Dylan Garcia, Billings West; Caleb Seaman, Belgrade, 46-05; 3. Sean Klem, Billings West, 45-06.5; 4. Paxton McConnell, Belgrade, 44-10; 5. Boston Kundert, Gallatin, 43-07; 6. Samson Sandoval, Gallatin, 43-03; 7. Kayden Davison, Great Falls High, 42-02; 8. Josiah Coelho, Billings Senior, 42-01.5.

This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Montana Eastern AA division boys track and field leaders

Colt Emerson could hardly have scripted a better first Major League hit.

The Seattle Mariners rookie announced himself with a three-run home run for his first MLB hit, turning an important personal milestone into a decisive team moment.

That swing mattered because it was not empty theatre. Emerson’s eighth-inning blast helped seal a 6-1 win over the Chicago White Sox and gave Seattle immediate evidence that their aggressive call-up made sense.

Seattle brought Emerson up after Brendan Donovan’s left groin issue opened a roster spot, and the timing only sharpened the pressure around the move.

The Mariners entered Tuesday at 23-26, one game back in the AL West, and badly needed a spark after a difficult recent run.

Emerson supplied one immediately. His first Major League hit was a three-run homer in the eighth inning, extending a 3-1 lead into a 6-1 advantage.

That does not mean one swing should turn him into a finished product. It does mean Seattle got the perfect early response from a player they have clearly decided is part of something bigger.

The Mariners were not treating Emerson like a standard emergency replacement. They had already handed him an eight-year, $95 million extension with a ninth-year club option before he had played a Major League game.

That is the context that makes this moment feel bigger than a rookie highlight. Emerson was also Seattle’s youngest debutant since Félix Hernández, and Justin Hollander said this was not a “15-at-bat or a 20-at-bat tryout”.

Still, Emerson’s first hit gave the Mariners a powerful first return on that belief. For a team searching for momentum, their new franchise piece could not have chosen a better way to arrive.

Read more:

• The Mets dropped 10 runs on Washington in the 12th inning, and the Nationals were already running on fumes
• The Marlins blanked Atlanta 12-0, and Max Meyer’s outing did something the rotation has been missing
• Jose Altuve hit the IL just as Jeremy Peña came back, and the Astros are not as whole as it looks

The New York Giants enter the next phase of their off-season program with the start of OTAs this week. The team celebrated the milestone in their calendar by holding a town hall at the Beacon Theater in NYC to preview the 2026 season.

Some of the biggest names around the Giants franchise were in attendance, including general manager Joe Schoen, head coach John Harbaugh, quarterback Jaxson Dart, running back Cam Skattebo, edge defenders Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. The Giants also had their rookies on the stage as well, with Arvell Reese, guard Francis Mauigoa, and cornerback Colton Hood all there.

Harbaugh was introduced to thunderous applause and praised Giants fans as “unbelievable” and shared a story from his decision to join the Giants earlier this year.

Harbaugh added that the team needs to win games for their fans.

The season starts as a clean slate for everyone, and it doesn’t matter what any of the Giants’ division rivals did a year ago. “All I care about,” Harbaugh said, “is tomorrow’s practice.”

That practice is the start of the Giants’ OTAs on Tuesday. “The guys have been working hard,” he said. “They’re ready to start OTAs tomorrow.”

Harbaugh believes his team will surprise people this year and wants the team to dictate terms for their opponents on offense in addition to defense.

There haven’t been many clues yet as to what the Giants’ offense will look like, but Harbaugh said that they want to be unpredictable on first and second down. “I don’t want to be at the mercy of the (opposing) defense,” he said. “We’ve got to make them decide if it’s run or pass.”

He added that he believes the Giants could have the best tight end room in the NFL between Isaiah Likely, Theo Johnson, Chris Manhertz, Thomas Fidone II, and Tanner Conner.

According to edge defender Kayvon Thibodeaux, it will all start with the head coach as Harbaugh is always testing the players’ limits. He believes that the pressure to meet and exceed their limits will pay dividends for the team. “This is a perfect year for a miracle story,” Thibodeaux said.

Jaxson Dart added that the coach holds himself to the same standards. “He’s working out in the weight room at 4:30 in the morning before we even get there.”

Mauigoa later spoke about a different kind of pressure — the pressure of keeping Dart upright.

“That’s the type of pressure you want,” he said. “I’d rather it be on me than anybody else.”

Second-year running back Cam Skattebo, who took the stage in typical fashion, is probably just as happy to see Mauigoa in Giants blue as Dart is. Skattebo told fans that he’ll be ready to go for Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys. He also added, “Wait until you see me for 17 games.”

Skattebo is predicting a big year for himself and the Giants. Not only is he predicting a playoff berth and a “17-plus” game schedule, but he’s set lofty expectations. “it’s going to be 300 carries for over 2,000 yards,” he said.

Turning to the defensive side of the ball, Harbaugh seemed almost giddy at how the defense has been transformed from a year ago.

He noted that he believes the Giants’ cornerbacks are wildly underrated and the “two safeties” (Jevon Holland and Tyler Nubin) have Pro Bowl potential. Likewise, he believes the Giants have four “high level” linebackers in Micah McFadden, Arvell Reese, Tremaine Edmunds, and Jack Kelly, to go with their three starting outside linebackers in Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Abdul Carter.

The tenor of the evening, and the feeling among the Giants as their offseason ramps up was probably best summed up by Brian Burns.

“First game, prime time. Man y’all be tuned, man, it’s gonna be a scary sight.”

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Sky forward Rickea Jackson suffered a torn ACL in her left knee in a win over the Minnesota Lynx, the team announced Tuesday.

Jackson injured her knee in the second quarter on Sunday and an MRI revealed the tear.

"We’re devastated that Rickea suffered this injury, but we are confident she will make a full recovery,” Chicago general manager Jeff Pagliocca said. “Rickea was playing at an All-Star and All-Defensive level early in the season. We are certain she was primed for a career year. Our world-class medical staff will work hard with Rickea, who is one of the toughest players in the league, to get her back on the court.”

The 6-foot-2 forward was acquired by Chicago in an offseason trade with Los Angeles. She was averaging 22 points a game.

The Sky were already dealing with a handful of injuries as DiJonai Carrington (foot), Azura Stevens (knee) and Courtney Vandersloot (knee) are yet to make their season debuts. Skylar Diggins, who signed as a free agent this offseason, missed Sunday’s game with an eye injury.

The Sky had gotten off to a strong start with wins in three of their first four games — all on the road. Chicago plays its next four at home, starting with Wednesday night's game against Dallas.

___

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

The Montreal Canadiens booked their place in the NHL‘s Eastern Conference Final after a thrilling 3-2 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres in Game 7 on Monday night.

While the victory sparked huge celebrations across Montreal, the scenes outside the Bell Centre later turned chaotic as police used tear gas to control a section of the crowd.

Forward Alex Newhook scored the decisive goal 11:21 into overtime at KeyBank Center. The 25-year-old delivered his second Game 7 series-clinching goal of the playoffs and helped Montreal complete a dramatic comeback run to the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.

MORE: Alex Newhook and Canadiens stun fans with ‘unbelievable’ OT win in Game 7

Soon after the winning goal, thousands of Canadiens fans poured into the streets around the Bell Centre. Sportsnet shared a video on X with the caption, “What a scene in the streets of Montreal 😅.”

The clip showed fans celebrating wildly inside the arena and across downtown Montreal. Fireworks could also be seen shooting high into the sky beside towering buildings as supporters waved flags, screamed in joy, and lit flares.

The celebrations later became tense near Peel Street and Sainte-Catherine Street. Montreal Gazette reporter Harry North posted a video on X and wrote, “Riot police charging at and also deploying some kind of tear gas/chemical irritant against #Habs fans in downtown Montreal.”

According to Montreal police, most supporters left the Bell Centre area peacefully after the overtime victory. However, officers said a small group became aggressive and threw trash bins and bottles toward police near the downtown intersection.

Riot police then moved in and used chemical irritants (tear gas) to disperse the crowd. Police loudspeakers also issued repeated warnings asking people to leave the area.

Authorities later confirmed that fireworks and pyrotechnics were also launched toward officers during the unrest. Two people received fines for public mischief, though no arrests were reported as of midnight.

MORE: Canadiens’ Alex Newhook embraces ‘Dangerous Team’ identity after Game 7 thriller

Despite the late-night chaos, the Canadiens’ dramatic playoff victory remained the biggest story in Montreal. Jakub Dobes made 37 saves, while Phillip Danault and Zachary Bolduc also scored in the memorable Game 7 triumph.

The Daily Merengue is a place where you can feel free to d all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name! Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job, Ezek, Valyrian Steel, Kung_Fu_Zizou, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco and yours truly, Felipejack.

• Per report, Mourinho will also request a second medical opinion on every injury.
• The contract will be signed only after Perez is re-elected Madrid’s President, especially considering that everything indicate that Riquelme is going to be an candidate (look below).

Honestly, with the issues we already have to play many players, aka Arda and Jude, I don’t think it’s wise to bring back Paz, unless there are sales/departures (and, to be clear, I don’t mean Ceballos)

The LSU Tigers made a massive addition to their men's basketball roster on Tuesday morning, adding the former 2025 Big East Player of the Year. However, there are some questions about the situation going forward.

According to multiple reports, former St. John's star RJ Luis has officially signed with LSU, coming off of a 2024-25 season where he averaged 18.2 points per game and was named the Big East Player of the Year. After not being selected in the 2025 NBA Draft, Luis went the G-League route, signing with the Utah Jazz and throwing his eligibility for the 2026 season into question.

Luis was later traded to the Boston Celtics in August as part of a package for forward Georges Niang. He didn’t appear in any G-League games and is now trying to jump-start his career again at the college level, something we've seen a handful of players attempt over the past couple of years.

According to On3's Pete Nakos, Luis is currently ineligible to play at the college level due to his NBA affiliation, but there is an expectation that he will take this issue to court, hoping to regain his final year of eligibility.

Should Luis be ruled eligible for the 2026-27 season, it would be a massive addition for the Tigers, who are looking for a spark on the hardwood, having missed out on the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons. This offseason, LSU rehired head coach Will Wade to lead the men's program, hoping to infuse some life into the team.

Adding a former Second-Team All-American would be a good start.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU Tigers sign St. John's star RJ Luis despite eligibility concerns

Hello everybody, and welcome back to another week of the WWE’s Men’s Power Rankings. With the Clash in Italy PLE next week on Sunday, May 31st, you can expect a new face on these rankings. That wrestler was on this list for a very long time before coming back and making a statement. Who is that wrestler? You’ll see soon enough. With that being said, let’s get to this week’s list after what turned out to be a great PLE. Have a great day, everyone, and may the slams be with you.

MORE: WWE 2026 Backlash Rankings

Making his return to the list at number 10 is none other than the number one-ranked wrestler to challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship. That happened when Gunther defeated Royce Keys on SmackDown last week. This match will take place at the Clash in Italy, where Rhodes should most likely retain. 

Seth “Freakin” Rollins makes his triumphant return to my list by taking over the ninth spot, while pushing Logan Paul out of the top 10. After losing to Bron Breakker at Backlash, Rollins was looking for some revenge on RAW last week, but couldn’t find any, as the Street Profits and he were beaten to a pulp by the Vision. 

Trick Williams had a non-title match against the Miz, who still seems to be cursed by Danhausen. Regardless, Williams didn’t need much help to dispatch the Miz, leading to another victory for him. 

Oba Femi issued an open challenge again this week, which was answered by Los Garza. Los Garza decided to bring Angel and Berto to the ring with him, which made the match a handicap match. That didn’t match as Femi destroyed them all and left them all lying in the ring.

Penta came out on RAW last week and called out Ethan Page for being a thorn in his side. The two bickered back and forth before Rusev had had enough. After Rusev interrupted them both, he turned his attention toward Page by saying he’s the one who carried them in their tag team match last week. After putting Page in his place, Je’Von Evans came out to complicate the Intercontinental Championship scene even more. 

Jey and Jimmy Uso have been up to their usual stuff, like backing up Roman Reigns and kicking some butt in their matches. However, Jacob Fatu had been beating them down pretty easily, which u feel is going to lead to Jey doing something outrageous, eventually. YEET!

Bron Breakker and the Vision kicked off Monday Night RAW last week to run their mouths, like usual. Instead of Rollins coming out, Joe Hendry and the Street Profits came out to sit them up. Unfortunately for them, they ended up getting beaten down after the match by Breakker and the Vision. 

C.M. Punk lost his World Heavyweight Championship to Roman Reigns in the main event at Wrestlemania. After cutting a promo with Reigns, he decided to say some things to Cody Rhodes, who seems to be Punk’s next target. While he was leaving the ring and walking up the ramp, Rhodes spoke up and told Punk he could have a shot anytime he wanted. Since then, Punk hasn’t been on T.V. much, but you can expect him back at some point soon. 

Roman Reigns and the Usos decided to have an acknowledgment ceremony in RAW last week that was brutally ended by Jacob Fatu. After Fatu laid out the Usos, he turned his attention toward Reigns, who used a chair to subdue the raging werewolf. That only worked for a few moments, because after that, Fatu got the upper hand and put Reigns through a table. 

Cody Rhodes is the number one, pound-for-pound, wrestler in the world, and whether you love or hate it, I’m right. Rhodes had it easy last week, but he still had to put up with some antics from Gunther. While they were getting ready to sign their contract for their match at Clash in Italy, Royce Keys came out and challenged Gunther to a number one contender’s match. Of course, Gunther won that match, meaning this week, Rhodes will most likely have to put up with some crap from Gunther for the next two weeks.

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LSU baseball announced its starting pitcher for its game on Tuesday. In the first round of the SEC Tournament against Oklahoma, the Tigers turn to one of their weekend starters.

William Schmidt gets the nod on the bump for LSU's first-round game vs. Oklahoma. The right-handed pitcher made 13 starts in his first full season as part of the weekend rotation. He comes into the game against the Sooners fresh off a 10-day break.

The sophomore leads the team with a 1.33 WHIP, 64 innings pitched and 85 strikeouts. Schmidt posted a 4.22 ERA in the regular season. His last appearance came at Georgia on May 8.

Schmidt pitched during the second game of a three-game set against Oklahoma in the regular season. Over four innings, He allowed one run on six hits and finished with seven strikeouts.

LSU's bullpen got its work over the weekend against Florida without Schmidt or fellow regular weekend starter Casan Evans available to begin the games. It hopes to get much-needed rest and a win out of Schmidt to keep the season alive.

LSU baseball vs. Oklahoma is the final game of the day on Tuesday with a tentative start time of 8:00 p.m. CT.

• Game 1: No. 16 Missouri vs No. 9 Ole Miss
• Game 2: No. 13 Kentucky vs No. 12 Vanderbilt
• Game 3: No. 15 South Carolina vs No. 10 Tennessee
• Game 4: No. 14 LSU vs No. 11 Oklahoma

• Game 5: Missouri OR Ole Miss vs. No. 8 Mississippi State
• Game 6: Kentucky OR Vanderbilt vs. No. 5 Florida
• Game 7: South Carolina OR Tennessee vs. No. 7 Arkansas
• Game 8: LSU OR Oklahoma vs. No. 6 Auburn

• Game 9: Missouri, Ole Miss, or Mississippi State vs. Georgia
• Game 10: Kentucky, Vanderbilt, or Florida vs. Alabama

• Game 11: South Carolina, Tennessee, or Arkansas vs. Texas
• Game 12: LSU, Oklahoma, or Auburn vs. Texas A&M

Both semi-final games will take place on Saturday, May 23. The first semi-final, Game 13, is slated for 12:00 p.m. CT. The second semi-final, Game 14, is slated for 4:00 p.m. CT.

The SEC Championship will be played on Sunday, May 24. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. CT on ABC.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU baseball starting best pitcher in SEC Tournament game today

Leonardo Bonucci has said that having Pep Guardiola as the Italy coach would be a ‘dream’, but for now, there are no concrete signs of this scenario materialising, with three main candidates emerging in the Italian media: Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri and Claudio Ranieri.

Guardiola is expected to leave Manchester City at the end of the season and be replaced by Italian tactician Enzo Maresca.

With Italy seeking a new coach after another World Cup heartbreak, Guardiola’s name has been mentioned for the job, not only by Italian media.

Azzurri legend Bonucci, who served as Gennaro Gattuso’s assistant until March, said that the Spaniard would be the ideal man for the job: “I think it’s very hard, but dreaming doesn’t cost anything,” argued the ex-defender.

It remains unclear what Guardiola will do after leaving Manchester City, and, as highlighted by Goal.com, the Spaniard may take a sabbatical after ten years at the Etihad Stadium.

LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 27: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, acknowledges the fans after the team’s victory during the Emirates FA Cup Semi Final match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on April 27, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Of all the Italian media, Gazzetta dello Sport has been the only one to truly advocate for Guardiola’s appointment, extensively reporting on Pep’s strong ties to Italy stemming from his previous role as a midfielder for Roma and Brescia.

Italy will not hire a new coach before June 22, 2026, when the FIGC presidential election occurs, and a new chief of the Italian FA is appointed.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 18: Antonio Conte, Head Coach of Napoli, gives the team instructions during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Manchester City and SSC Napoli at City of Manchester Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Contact has not yet been made with potential candidates, as the role of President of the Italian Federation remains vacant, with outgoing President Gabriele Gravina handling only administrative duties until next month.

As of today, however, the main candidates for the Azzurri job are Conte, Allegri and Ranieri.

The latter already turned down the opportunity to coach the Azzurri in June, following Spalletti’s dismissal.

“I said no to Italy before because I already had a job at Roma and could not do two jobs,” Ranieri told Sky Sport Italia earlier this month.

“At this point in time, I am free, so if anyone was to call, why not? Never say never.”

Allegri has one year left in his contract with Milan, but the deal will be extended to 2028 if the Rossoneri qualify for the Champions League.

The Italian tactician’s future at San Siro remains uncertain due to disagreements with Senior Advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic and CEO Giorgio Furlani.

Conte is expected to leave Napoli after just two seasons and has also publicly made himself available for a second stint as the Nazionale coach.

Manchester United will reportedly look to utilise Joshua Zirkzee in a player-plus-cash proposal for Rafael Leao.

That’s according to CaughtOffside, which adds that AC Milan would be willing to explore ‘creative offers’ that arrive for their star attacker this summer – despite his contract containing a £151.6 million release clause.

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United would’ve never been willing to commit to such a fee for Leao, so calling upon some of their own players who’ve been deemed surplus to requirements may be the best route to take.

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It was confirmed today that the 26-year-old, who’s tied to I Rossoneri until June 2028, had been included in Roberto Martinez’s World Cup squad ahead of the tournament getting underway next month.

Alas, it’s pretty safe to say that Leao won’t be focusing on the transfer speculation until Portugal’s campaign is finished, but that won’t deter United from testing the water once the window opens.

The Sporting CP graduate has returned 10 goals and three assists in 30 appearances across all competitions in 2025/2026.

His most prolific Serie A campaign for Milan came in 2022/2023, when he netted 15 goals and contributed a further 10 assists in 35 games and 2,430 minutes of action.

Leao’s record in all competitions for Milan

As for the out-of-favour Zirkzee, he has endured yet another quiet season at Old Trafford, once again only being used in a sporadic role.

Of the 23 appearances the Dutchman has made, just five have come from the off, and only one of those starts has been under Michael Carrick.

He has scored twice and assisted once, making it no surprise that Carrick has had reservations over Zirkzee’s ability to lead the line or impact a fixture.

The 24-year-old is contracted to United until 2029, though it’s widely anticipated he will be on the move in the coming months.

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Atletico Madrid fans will still be recovering from the departure of Antoine Griezmann, which to all intents and purposes took place on Sunday, when he bid an emotional farewell to the Metropolitano. Los Colchoneros will have to brace themselves for more emotional exits in the coming seasons though.

Despite refusing to give a straight answer in recent weeks, Koke Resurreccion is expected to extend his contract at Atletico Madrid for another year. Yet there are other veterans that could yet leave this summer. Veteran goalkeeper Jan Oblak told DAZN (via Diario AS) that “I always say that you never know what is going to happen in the future. I have a contract, but the summer is always long.” The Slovenian certainly left some doubt over his continuity.

The 33-year-old has been linked with an exit in the past too, and still has two years left on his current deal. It is precisely because he is one of the larger earners at the club that his exit could be more appealing for Los Colchoneros though. AS suggest that Oblak is considering a change of scenery currently, after seeing his number one position seriously threatened by Juan Musso for the first time since he won the number one spot from Miguel Angel Moya in 2014. They add that his €10.4m salary, the highest in the squad, mean Atletico will not stand in his way if he decides to leave.

Another veteran that could leave is defender Jose Maria Gimenez, the third captain behind Koke and Oblak, and ahead of the departing Griezmann. The Uruguayan has been hampered by injuries again this season, playing less than half of the minutes this year. Marca add that if an attractive offer appears, then Gimenez, also under contract until 2028, could also depart.

Meanwhile Thomas Lemar is another long-standing member of the squad who could exit. Currently on loan at Girona, the Catalan side will not move to hold onto Lemar, and the Frenchman still has another year on his deal too, but seems unlikely to have a place in the Atletico squad. Like Gimenez, Lemar has been battling injuries, making 27 appearances, but accumulating 1,291 minutes.

FOREST PARK, Ga. — The Panama City Panthers bounced back in a big way Saturday night, making the five-hour road trip worthwhile with an 18-8 victory over the Tri-State Phoenix.

The Panthers endured a rough start as quarterback Gray Stille threw two first-quarter interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, giving the Phoenix an early 8-0 lead. Panama City’s defense, one of the league’s best, settled in quickly and shut down Tri-State.

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Cornerbacks Tyvaugh Alexander and Travis King II recorded interceptions, while defensive linemen Adebanji Bamidele, Treysean Prentice, Silvio Martinez and Amos Bostick each registered sacks.

Stille responded before halftime, connecting with wide receiver Cordell Broy on a 30-yard fourth-down touchdown pass to trim the deficit to 8-6 at the break.

The Panthers controlled the second half behind relentless defensive pressure. Linebackers Zay Ross and Dontell Baxter delivered several hard hits, while safety O’Shea Williams and defensive backs Goldie Dorsey and Darrell Truitt helped keep the Phoenix at bay.

On offense, running back Jason Lewis provided the game’s biggest highlight, turning a fourth-down reception into a 50-yard touchdown after breaking five tackles. Running back Tyliek Mears sealed the win with a 2-yard rushing touchdown late in the game.

With the victory, the Panthers improved to 6-3, adding to a historic season as the APDFL playoffs approach.

Panama City will host its regular-season finale May 23 against the Port City Vikings.

1. Clarksville Chiefs (8–1), 2. Columbus Storm (6–2–1), Dalton Danger (4–4), Alabama Ravens (2–3), Georgia Allstars (2–5), Georgia Grizzlies (2–5), 6. Georgia Smoke (0–3), 7. Alabama Hitmen (0–4).

1. JXN Iron-Hide (4–1), 2. Alabama Wardawgs (5–2), 3. Panama City Panthers (6–3), 4. Port City Vikings (5–3), 5. Louisiana Gators (0–3), 6. Alabama Bandits (0-7).

Adebanji Bamidele is a sports reporter for the Panama City News Herald. He can be reached at abamidele@gannett.com or through X, formerly known as Twitter, @AdebanjiBamide1.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City Panthers football wins, makes franchise history

FC Barcelona are scanning the striker market far and wide in their search for a new No. 9 to replace Robert Lewandowski, who is leaving at the end of the season.

Julian Alvarez was seen as the top target, but that option is now practically ruled out due to the cost of the operation. Instead, the Blaugrana are now focusing on a move for Chelsea’s Joao Pedro, although the Blues remain reluctant to sell.

As such, the newly-crowned La Liga champions are also keeping an eye on other options that are liked internally and may be easier to negotiate.

As such, SPORT reports that Barcelona are considering reviving their pursuit of Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush if moves for none of their priority targets work out.

The Manchester City forward is considering leaving the Premier League and is waiting for developments from the Catalans in the coming weeks.

Marmoush is behing Erling Haaland at Man City. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

Marmoush has already decided to reject offers from Saudi Arabia because he wants to continue competing at the highest level in Europe.

Once the season ends and before joining his national team camp for the World Cup, he and his representatives are expected to meet with Manchester City to define his future.

Signed as a major arrival, he currently finds himself behind Erling Haaland and with limited chances of becoming a regular starter.

He does not want to play a secondary role and already has interest from major clubs across Europe, which could lead him to push for a move away.

Marmoush has many suitors. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Barcelona have been monitoring Marmoush since January. He is a player liked by both Deco and Hansi Flick. Internally, they believe he can operate across every attacking position and that his combination play would fit perfectly with Barcelona’s style.

From a sporting perspective, he suits the team, even if he may not be the type of signing that creates major excitement from a media standpoint.

However, Atletico Madrid are also following his situation closely, while AC Milan have him on their shortlist. Galatasaray, too, are said to be willing to spend heavily to secure him.

Manchester City invested €75 million in Marmoush’s signing and would want to recover that, although his current market valuation is considered lower. If his situation develops into a genuine market opportunity, Barcelona could seriously consider a move.

*Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on date of publication.

The manager of Maldon & Tiptree Football Club has confirmed he has stepped down from his role with immediate effect.

Kevin Horlock took charge in February 2025 for the second time, after previously managing the club between 2016 and 2018.

This season, he steered the team to the first round of the FA Cup - losing to Port Vale - as well as winning the Isthmian League North Division.

His departure comes two weeks after the arrests of Barrie and Scott Drewitt-Barlow - who have been high-profile figures since the Drewitt-Barlow Organisation took over the club.

In a statement on social media, Horlock said: "Unfortunately, my time as manager of Maldon & Tiptree FC has come to an end."

He thanked staff, players and supporters for their "incredible backing", paying tribute to their "commitment, hard work and togetherness".

Reflecting on the FA Cup journey - as well as securing promotion to the Isthmian Premier Division - Horlock said: "I'll always be proud of what we achieved together as a group.

"Thank you all."

The club offered Horlock its "sincere thanks… for an incredible year" and for his "hard work, commitment and dedication".

"Everyone at the club wishes Kevin all the very best for the future," a spokesperson said, adding that the club was inviting applications for the position of first team manager.

Horlock's appointment was one of the first decisions made by the Drewitt-Barlows when they arrived at Maldon & Tiptree FC, completing a multi-million pound takeover in February 2025.

The club said some players and fans had been subjected to verbal and online abuse following the arrests earlier this month.

Barrie, 57, and Scott Drewitt-Barlow, 32, appeared in court on 8 May accused of offences including rape and modern slavery trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Defence barrister Oliver Snodin said the pair "strenuously denied" the allegations.

The two men, of Southwood Close, Danbury, are due to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on 5 June.

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• Rival fans abuse football club after owners arrested
• Football club owners in court on rape charges

• Maldon & Tiptree FC

Red Bull Racing is enduring an absolute nightmare to kick off the 2026 Formula 1 regulation cycle. But do not blame the guy behind the wheel.

A viral graphic from the X account @racepluscom highlighted a striking quote from former F1 race winner and current Sky Sports Germany pundit Ralf Schumacher. According to Schumacher, despite the team’s massive performance drop-off, Max Verstappen remains “at least 0.2 faster than the rest of the Formula 1 grid” based strictly on raw human ability.

It is a brutal, direct reality check for the rest of the paddock. The message is clear: Red Bull’s current technical decline would have completely ruined any other driver’s season. Verstappen is simply masking the cracks.

To say Red Bull has dropped the ball in 2026 is a massive understatement. The internal management collapse from last season has bled directly onto the racetrack. This leaves Verstappen to wrestle an incredibly uncompetitive car.

The statistics from the opening rounds paint a horrific picture for the Milton Keynes squad. Verstappen’s new power unit is massively down on top-end speed. This left him nearly two seconds off the pace at a power-heavy circuit like Shanghai.

Furthermore, the car is plagued by severe mechanical imbalance and power delivery issues. This caused Verstappen to spin out of contention from the front row in Miami. He also crashed completely out of Q1 in Melbourne due to a locked rear axle.

Yet, despite driving what can only be described as a corporate disaster, Verstappen is still dragging the car into positions it has absolutely no right to be in. Schumacher’s point-two-second assessment reinforces a widely accepted paddock truth: Verstappen is performing at a level that completely transcends his machinery. He is out-driving an undriveable concept.

This isn’t just Ralf Schumacher praising a generational talent. It is a massive, flashing red warning sign for Red Bull’s future.

Schumacher has already publicly warned Verstappen against making an emotional switch to Ferrari. Speaking via MotorsportWeek, Schumacher noted, “Many drivers desperately want to go to Ferrari – it’s something very special as a brand in Formula 1… But I think Max feels very comfortable at Mercedes.” Schumacher pushed heavily for a partnership between the Dutchman and Mercedes. And it kinda makes sense.

Because currently the Silver Arrows boasts the best engine package on the 2026 grid. The team also allows Verstappen to run his favorite GT3 side-projects. Because of this, the visual of Max jumping ship looks more real by the day. 

If Verstappen is truly a quarter of a second faster than every other human being on Earth, Red Bull is wasting an irreplaceable asset. Once the reigning four-time World Champion realizes his driving talent is the only thing keeping the team from sinking into the midfield entirely, he won’t hesitate to walk out the door.

The Minnesota Vikings are entering a pivotal season in 2026. They are having yet another offseason that will be swirtled in quarterback controversey, they have a defense that lost some pieces, and yet, optimism remains. Fans and coaches alike think this roster is good enough to compete for an NFC North title.

What could be the ultimate decider on that front is whether or not the Vikings come out the gates firing on all cylinders. Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport gauged the start for all 32 NFL clubs and he came down to the Vikings and predicts they will have a "mild" start.

He explains, "The key to the start of the Kyler Murray era (He's starting at quarterback. You know it. I know it.) will be surviving the first couple games of the season—NFC North tilts at home against the Packers and at the division champion Chicago Bears. Get past that, and the road gets exponentially easier—the Vikings are at Tampa, at home against the woeful Dolphins and at New Orleans. A 3-2 record when the bye arrives is a reasonable expectation."

The Bucs matchup is far from a given for them as they, too, have retooled, and the same goes for the Saints. So while a mild start is predicted, a poor one could happen, where their lone win comes from the Miami Dolphins. But of course, the games have to be played, but the overall message is Vikings fans should temper expectations at the very least.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Vikings projected to have a 'mild' start in 2026

The Ohio Cardinal Conference has announced its postseason softball honors for the 2026 season.

Madison's Caliyah Clapper and Lexi Lewis were first team honorees. Clapper hit .514 with 36 hits, 12 doubles, a triple, 26 RBIs and 20 runs scored while also going 8-6 in the circle with a 3.17 earned run average with 98 strikeouts in 75 innings of work. Lewis hit .341 with 28 hits, nine doubles, 23 RBIs and 23 runs scored.

ALL-OCC BASEBALL: All-Ohio Cardinal Conference baseball honors highlight best players

Lexington's Alexis Cantrell and Quinn Patrick were first team honorees. Cantrell hit .382 with 29 hits, seven doubles, two triples, a home run, six RBIs and 33 runs scored. Patrick hit .380 with 27 hits, six doubles, 18 RBIs and 23 runs scored.

Ashland's Rowen Garn also earned first team honors after hitting .534 with 31 hits, a doubles, four triples, a home run, 18 RBIs and 21 runs scored.

Madison Campbell Kiser and Allie Shrader joined Lexington's Kylie Thornton and Addi Williams as second team selections. Ashland's Isla McFrederick and McKenna Chandler, Lexington's Mariana Molton and Kyra Boyd and Madison's Izzy Wamsley and Chloe Jeffers were all honorable mentions.

Here is the complete list of All-Ohio Cardinal Conference softball honorees for the 2026 season.

Ohio Cardinal Conference Player of the Year: Kayla Reid, Wooster.

Ohio Cardinal Conference Pitcher of the Year: Kara Lint, Dover.

Ohio Cardinal Conference Coach of the Year: Hannah Duff, Dover.

FIRST TEAM: Kayla Reid, Wooster; Kara Lint, Dover; Rowen Garn, Ashland; Sara Cardani, New Philadelphia; Caliyah Clapper, Madison; Zalina Proper, West Holmes; Abbey Lint, Dover; Alli Hupp, Dover; Ariana Immel, Dover; Avery Williams, Wooster; Lexi Lewis, Madison; Alexis Cantrell, Lexington; Quinn Patrick, Lexington.

SECOND TEAM: Campbell Kiser, Madison; Olivia McCue, Dover; Sophie Bantum, Dover; Madi Bantum, Dover; Kylie Thornton, Lexington; Addi Williams, Lexington; Briar Cline, West Holmes; McKenzie Dorris, Wooster; Easton Miller, New Philadelphia; Allie Shrader, Madison; Brylinne Smith, New Philadelphia.

HONORABLE MENTION: Isla McFrederick, Ashland; Jillian Howard, New Philadelphia; McKenna Chandler, Ashland; Abbey Sweitzer, New Philadelphia; Hailey Kuecher, Dover; Emma Miller, West Holmes; Elle Tonya, Dover; Gabby Fowler, West Holmes; Mariana Molton, Lexington; Sydney McAfoos, Wooster; Kyra Boyd, Lexington; Averee Karazsia, Wooster; Izzy Wamsley, Madison; Chloe Jeffers, Madison.

jfurr@usatodayco.com

740-244-9934

X: @JakeFurr11

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Lexington, Madison, Ashland softball players earn All-OCC honors

Yesterday we talked about which Liverpool players impressed fans most this season. The pickings were slim, with most agreeing the only real answer was industrious midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai and that the only real runner-up then was entertaining striker Hugo Ekitike.

With that out of the way, then, we’re on to trying to figure out which Liverpool player disappointed us the most this season. And whew lad are the pickings not slim on this side of the conversation.

That isn’t perhaps entirely fair to the players, as when everybody is bad it’s probably less about the players and more about larger issues. Team construction by the sporting director and upper management, tactical choices by the head coach, and a general de-emphasis on team fitness have all clearly made things more difficult than they had to be and many of the players struggled as a result.

Still, mitigating reasons aside an awful lot of Liverpool players were pretty, pretty bad. So. Let’s get to it.

Alexander Isak

It’s not Alexander Isak’s fault he’s injury prone and spent more of the season injured than available. It’s not his fault he missed pre-season as Liverpool pushed to get his transfer across the line. And it’s not his fault Liverpool paid £100M+ to sign him after already getting Hugo Ekitike and left themselves recklessly thin at other positions.

So while none of that might be Isak’s fault, there’s simply no way to look at the £100M+ Liverpool spent on him and be happy about what the club got in return over the past 12 months.

Alexis Mac Allister

Over two seasons, Mac Allister seemed to have established himself as the successor to Gini Wijnaldum, the tireless and tactically astute jack-of-all-trades who arrived with more of an attacking profile and grew into the glue that held together Liverpool’s midfield.

In 2025-26 he wasn’t that. He lacked fitness, he lacked sharpness, he was often outshined by Curtis Jones, and when paired with consistently poor performances his tendency to dive and flop began to rankle.

Cody Gakpo

The degree to which Gakpo became the scapegoat for everything wrong with Liverpool’s attack was probably harsh on the Dutch winger, but the departure of Luis Diaz and a tactical shift to move Mohamed Salah further from goal put a real spotlight on Gakpo—and fans didn’t like what they saw.

In a team that too often slowed things down, nobody slowed things down more than Gakpo. In a team that was far too predictable on the ball, nobody was more predictable than Gakpo. Ignore the overlapping fullback, shift inside, and blast a shot into the first defender before jogging back to defend half-heartedly. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Giorgi Mamardashvili

Liverpool’s second choice goalkeeper was never the biggest problem when he played, but for a player bought two years ago as the succession plan to Alisson Becker the Georgian international looked shockingly unprepared.

Regularly pressed into service as the Reds’ number one dealt with up his usual injury injuries, probably nobody will now be feeling confident about a post-Alisson future.

Ibrahima Konaté

Konaté went through a lot in his personal life last season and for many that will earn him something of a pass, yet even when the French international seemed to have returned to something resembling his best form he remained the Liverpool defender most prone to a shockingly sloppy individual error.

A lack of midfield help and rotating cast of never-fit and stop-gap right backs didn’t make things easy, but as with everyone else on this list the fact there are mitigating factors doesn’t change the fact that Konaté was the opposite of good this season.

Isa Torres is being recognized on the sport's biggest stage. USA Softball announced Monday that the Florida State shortstop Isa Torres is one of three finalists for the 2026 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, widely regarded as the highest individual honor in NCAA Division I softball.

Torres joins Nebraska senior Jordy Frahm and UCLA senior Megan Grant as the three finalists for the award. The announcement places Torres in elite company as she looks to become just the second Seminole to win the award, following former FSU standout Jessica Van der Linden, who won the award in 2004.

The case for Torres is as complete as any individual season in the ACC this year. The junior shortstop ranks among the top 5 nationally in batting average (3rd — .530), hits (3rd — 98), total bases (3rd — 181), doubles (5th — 21), on-base percentage (5th — .591), and runs per game (5th — 1.44). She also ranks in the top 10 nationally in runs scored (7th — 78), triples (8th — 7), doubles per game (9th — .39), and slugging percentage (10th — .978).

Her dominance was not limited to the plate. Torres earned 2026 ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors after posting a .989 fielding percentage at shortstop, adding to her ACC Player of the Year recognition as a player who leads the conference in batting average, hits, doubles, and triples. The double conference honor is a testament to the complete, two-way nature of what has been one of the most remarkable individual seasons in program history.

The competition is formidable. Grant leads the nation in home runs (40), home runs per game (.69), on-base percentage (.647), and slugging percentage (1.342) after breaking the NCAA single-season home run record during the Big Ten Tournament, surpassing the previous mark of 37 set by Lauren Espinoza of Arizona in 1995. Frahm, earning Big Ten Pitcher of the Year honors for the second consecutive season, ranks first nationally in saves (12) and fourth in earned run average (1.15) while accumulating 225 strikeouts — a finalist for the second straight year.

The 2026 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced on May 26 at the athlete banquet prior to the NCAA Women's College World Series, set to take place at the Softball Capital of the World from May 28 through June 5.

For a program that produced the 2004 winner in Van der Linden, Tallahassee knows exactly what it looks like when a Seminole is the best player in the country, and in 2026, Torres is making her case.

Follow us @FSUWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU's Isa Torres named USA Softball Player of the Year finalist

The NFL Honors represent one of the sport’s biggest stages for recognizing the incredible accomplishments of the NFL season. Not only on the field, but off it as well. Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jackson Smith-Njigba was among the many players honored after an incredible 2025 campaign.

Unfortunately for Smith-Njigba, much of the attention surrounding his Offensive Player of the Year award had little to do with his performance on the field. Even now, the awkward storyline continues.

MORE: NFC team needs to make push for Stefon Diggs

During the 2025 NFL Honors ceremony, social media influencer Druski repeatedly mispronounced Smith-Njigba’s name while presenting the award. It wasn’t a simple mistake, either. The repeated errors came across as exaggerated for comedic effect. Although Druski later maintained the mishap was unintentional, the moment still cast an unfortunate shadow over Smith-Njigba’s night.

Now, the award itself has added another layer to the strange saga. On Monday, Smith-Njigba received his official trophy — only to discover it labeled him as the “Defensive Player of the Year” instead of Offensive Player of the Year. Smith-Njigba posted the mistake on social media and wrote, “It’s getting disrespectful at this point.”

In a follow-up post on his Instagram story, Smith-Njigba added, “Just keep the award at this point. Leave it in the history books though.”

At this point, it’s hard to blame him for feeling slighted. First, the presenter appeared to mock the pronunciation of his name during the ceremony. Then, the NFL sent him the wrong trophy entirely. What should have been a celebration of one of the league’s best individual seasons instead became an increasingly bizarre series of missteps.

MORE: 8 worst college-to-pro head coaching jobs in NFL history

Still, none of the distractions should overshadow what Smith-Njigba accomplished in 2025.

The former Ohio State standout continued to prove why many consider him the best wide receiver from the 2023 NFL Draft class. More importantly, he may have established himself as one of the NFL’s elite receivers overall. Smith-Njigba finished the season with 119 receptions, 1,793 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. He also added 17 catches for 199 yards and two touchdowns during Seattle’s postseason run to a Super Bowl victory.

His signature performance came in the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams’ defense had no answer for him as he hauled in 10 receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown, helping send Seattle to the Super Bowl.

Despite the controversy surrounding what should have been one of the defining moments of his career, Smith-Njigba’s 2025 season will still stand among the best in recent NFL history. The only remaining question is whether he can build on it enough to enter the NFL MVP conversation in 2026.

Five-star offensive lineman Mark Matthews has committed to the Texas A&M Aggies. Matthews’ top three programs included the Georgia Bulldogs, who were a hat on the table for the five-star. However, the star lineman, who is a member of the class of 2027, has decided to play for the Aggies.

At 6-foot-3, 300 pounds, Matthews was one of the Dawgs’ top targets from the 2027 class. Matthews chose Texas A&M over Georgia and Miami. The Bulldogs were considered to be a top landing spot for the lineman until the very end of his recruitment. The talented big man had a hilarious commitment, where Matthews threw his Texas A&M hat into crowd before taking his sweater off to reveal an Aggies jersey. The Georgia and Texas A&M hats both got pushed off the table during Matthews' hyped up commitment announcement.

Matthews is ranked as the No. 1 offensive tackle and the No. 3 player from the class of 2027, per the 247Sports Rankings. He is the top recruit from Florida. The five-star plays high school football for St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Coach Kirby Smart and his staff will now turn elsewhere following Matthews’ commitment. Georgia’s defensive line could play against Matthews when the Dawgs travel to College Station in 2027.

Georgia has begun submitting offers to some of the top overall talent from the class of 2028 recently. The Dawgs have jumped in the mix for four-star quarterback Lukas Prock, while also submitting an offer to quarterback Kingston Preyear as well. 

The moment 5-star OT Mark Matthews committed to Texas A&M:

"ELKO ERA BABY, LET'S GO!!!" pic.twitter.com/rkmXEnefWb

— 247Sports (@247Sports) May 15, 2026

Follow UGA Wire on Instagram, Facebook, X or Threads for more Georgia football coverage!

This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Nation's No.1 OL announces commitment decision

The stakes are at an all-time high this weekend in Hoover, Ala., as the league's teams compete in the 2026 SEC Tournament.

According to D1 Baseball's latest Field of 64, the conference has 12 teams in the running to compete in an NCAA Regional following the league tournament. The results of this week's bracket at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium will play a massive role in the seeding of teams, including Texas A&M.

While most college baseball analysts project the Aggies to reel in a top-eight national seed, a solid performance against some of the top programs in the country will only help their odds of hosting a potential super regional at Blue Bell Park. Texas A&M still has a long way to go, but hosting postseason baseball at Olsen Field would give Michael Earley's crew a massive advantage, just one season removed from completely missing an opportunity to compete in the tournament.

As far as dominance goes, look no further than Athens, Ga., where Wes Johnson has renovated Georgia baseball into one of the most dangerous teams in the country. The Bulldogs secured the regular-season title with a 23-7 mark in conference play. Johnson was also named the SEC Coach of the Year for his remarkable job leading his club to become the top team in the league, while also locking down a national seed.

With another talented field of teams eager to garner momentum entering regional play, this week's ventures in Hoover will be intriguing and electrifying.

The first game of the SEC Tournament begins at 9:30 a.m. CT, as No. 9 seed Ole Miss takes on No. 16 seed Missouri. Game 2 features No. 12 seed Vanderbilt taking on No. 13 seed Kentucky shortly after Game 1, followed by No. 10 seed Tennessee taking on No. 15 seed South Carolina at 4:30 p.m. CT. The final contest on Tuesday between No. 11 Oklahoma and No. 14 LSU is scheduled for the nightcap at Hoover Met.

From our staff here at Aggies Wire, here are our SEC Tournament picks, including potential winners and sleepers you should look out for this week:

Cameron Ohnysty - Lead Writer

• Winner: Georgia
• Sleeper: Ole Miss

Jarrett Johnson - Contributor

• Winner: Mississippi State
• Sleeper: Auburn

Dylan Flippo - Contributor

• Winner: Georgia
• Sleeper: Tennessee

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Staff predictions for 2026 SEC Baseball Tournament

Over his coaching career, Bill Belichick achieved the highest highs. He won six Super Bowls, has the most playoff wins in NFL history and sits third in regular-season victories.

But it wasn’t enough to get Belichick inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during his first year on the ballot. You might have heard about that. It was a pretty big deal.

While early reports suggested Belichick was “puzzled” and “disappointed” by the decision, the coach hasn’t spoken much publicly about the snub. But Belichick did offer up some thoughts during an appearance on the “Hang out with Sean Hannity” podcast, which drops Tuesday.

When asked about the snub, Belichick responded in the most Belichick way possible, saying the decision was, “Out of my control.”

Bill Belichick reacts to not getting into the Hall of Fame and the support he received afterward.

Full episode drops tomorrow on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. pic.twitter.com/pnF1UNBATU

— Sean Hannity 🇺🇸 (@seanhannity) May 18, 2026

He very quickly pivoted to talking about North Carolina, saying coaching the team is his primary focus right now, not whether he makes the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Belichick, however, did admit that he was happy to see so many come to his defense after the Hall of Fame’s decision went public. He said it was meaningful to see people outside the football realm throw their support behind his candidacy. While a number of current and former NFL players and personalities defended Belichick, he also received support from President Donald Trump and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

Belichick was also asked about his relationship with former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. The coach had nothing but good things to say about working with Brady.

“Tom saw the game through a quarterback’s eyes. I saw the game through a coach’s eyes.”

Bill Belichick on what made his relationship with Tom Brady so successful.

Full episode drops tomorrow on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. pic.twitter.com/5ixrPouR4f

— Sean Hannity 🇺🇸 (@seanhannity) May 19, 2026

That shouldn’t necessarily come as a surprise. While there were reports of a schism between Brady and Belichick around the time Brady left the franchise, the two seem to have patched that up in recent years. Belichick and Brady have appeared together at a number of functions and have treated each other lovingly at those events. Brady was among the many who offered support to Belichick following the Hall of Fame snub, saying he didn’t “understand it.”

Belichick also spoke about his now-infamous interview with CBS, which was interrupted by his girlfriend Jordon Hudson. When Belichick was asked during that interview how the pair met, Hudson stepped in to shut down the question. That reportedly happened a number of times during the interview, though CBS cut out some of Hudson’s interruptions.

Belichick said during his chat with Hannity that he believes that interview was “done very deceptively.” Belichick said he’s asked CBS for the transcript of that interview, but it hasn’t been given to him.

The full interview with Belichick will drop Tuesday, and could provide a few more tantalizing clips. Then again, Belichick made a career on being gruff and not saying much, so perhaps the teaser clips are the best we’ll get from the coach’s chat with Hannity.

Rutgers University will host one of the world’s top soccer teams during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, bringing global attention — and economic impact — to Central Jersey.

Senegal’s national team has selected Rutgers’ Miller Practice Fields as its official training base, making the Piscataway campus part of a historic buildup to the tournament, which includes matches at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.

The decision places Rutgers at the center of a once-in-a-generation moment for New Jersey — and one that will extend well beyond game day.

Senegal will train at Rutgers’ Miller Practice Fields, which include two natural grass pitches built to international standards with modern irrigation and drainage systems.

University officials said the selection reflects both the quality of Rutgers’ athletic facilities and its location within a region with deep ties to global soccer.

More: Somerset towns land World Cup events boosting local business

“Rutgers University provides the facilities and environment our team needs to train at the highest level,” Abdoulaye Fall, president of the Senegalese Football Federation, said in a statement.

Rutgers President William F. Tate IV called the selection an honor and emphasized the broader significance for the state.

“New Jersey is the number one state in the country for soccer interest,” Tate said, adding that hosting a World Cup team highlights the university’s role on an international stage.

The presence of an international team for several weeks during the World Cup is expected to bring increased activity to the Rutgers area and nearby communities.

That includes:

• Hotel stays and tourism spending
• Visibility for local businesses
• Opportunities for fan engagement beyond stadium matches

The New York/New Jersey region is hosting eight World Cup matches, including the final, and has attracted one of the largest clusters of team base camps in North America.

Senegal is scheduled to play two group-stage matches at MetLife Stadium — against France on June 16 and Norway on June 22 — meaning thousands of fans are expected to travel through the region.

Officials say that footprint will extend into communities like Piscataway, where teams live and train during the tournament.

More: Morocco picks NJ base for World Cup, boosting local spotlight

Rutgers athletic director Keli Zinn said the selection underscores the role universities play in major global events.

“Hosting a World Cup team reflects the quality of our athletic facilities and the passion for soccer across this region,” Zinn said.

In addition to Rutgers, several other New Jersey locations will host teams:

• Brazil: Columbia Park Training Center, Morris Township
• Haiti: Stockton University, Galloway
• Morocco: Pingry School, Basking Ridge

Together, those sites highlight New Jersey’s infrastructure and accessibility — factors that helped draw multiple international teams.

Teams will arrive ahead of the June 2026 tournament, with training sessions and related activities expected to draw attention from fans and media alike.

For Central Jersey residents, the World Cup won’t just be happening up the Turnpike — it will be in their backyard.

This story was created by reporter Joe Martino, jmartino@usatodayco.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Rutgers chosen as Senegal World Cup base in Piscataway NJ

With Aaron Rodgers officially on the roster, the Steelers currently have four quarterbacks.

Veteran Mason Rudolph, second-year QB Will Howard, and rookie Drew Allar fill out the rest of the room.

Rodgers’ presence means there are now fewer reps to go around for the younger players, Howard and Allar. But offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio told reporters on Tuesday that is not an issue.

“You can never have enough quarterbacks,” Angelichio said, via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “With the system that's in place here, it's great that we have four quarterbacks. We have a plan on how all those guys are going to get reps.”

Angelichio is familiar with Rodgers from their shared time with the Packers, as Angelichio served as Green Bay’s tight ends coach from 2016-2018. With Rodgers potentially going into the final season of his career, Angelichio praised the QB for his willingness to help out his teammates.

“Aaron’s such a great mentor ... His feedback and the information he provides, you can't beat that,” Angelichio said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “He is very willing to help the players … I think that certainly is a big plus for us.”

With Rodgers set for at least one more ride with the Steelers in 2026, we likely won’t see the effects of his mentorship on the crop of younger QBs until a while down the road.

Wigan Warriors have made 10 changes to their matchday squad for Thursday's Super League trip to Challenge Cup final opponents Hull KR.

The Warriors visit the reigning treble winners this week before facing them again at Wembley on Saturday, 30 May.

Only 11 of the 21-man squad Matt Peet named for last Friday's win over Leeds Rhinos have been selected this week, with just a handful of regulars named.

Among a number of potential debutants from the club's academy is centre George O'Loughlin, the 19-year-old son of former Wigan skipper and current assistant coach Sean.

Wigan are the Challenge Cup's most successful team with 21 victories and most recently won the trophy in 2024, on the way to their single season quadruple.

Fourth-placed Hull KR, who are on the same number of points as the Warriors having played a game less, are without Arthur Mourgue who came off with a recurrence of his pectoral injury in their win over Leigh Leopards on Saturday.

Meanwhile Joe Burgess and Jack Charles drop out for Thursday's hosts.

Salford Red Devils were deducted two points last term having breached "a number of RFL operational rules" surrounding their team selection against St Helens.

The club, who were under the shadow of financial troubles at the start of last season, had named just 16 players for their 2025 opener, including eight debutants.

BBC Sport has contacted the Rugby Football League for comment.

Hull KR (from): Tom Davies, Peta Hiku, Oliver Gildart, Mikey Lewis, Tyrone May, Sauaso Sue, Jez Litten, Tom Amone, Dean Hadley, Elliot Minchella, Jack Broadbent, Sam Luckley, Jai Whitbread, Rhyse Martin, Jack Brown, Karl Lawton, Jordan Dezaria, Noah Booth, Bill Leyland, Harvey Horne, Ryan Hampshire.

Wigan Warriors (from): Zach Eckersley, Junior Nsemba, Patrick Mago, Jack Farrimond, Sam Eseh, Tom Forber, Kian McDermott, Taylor Kerr, Nathan Lowe, Lukas Mason, Noah Hodkinson, George O'Loughlin, Finlay Yeomans, Finn McMillan, George Marsden, Josh Cartwright, Austin Daniel, Charlie Yeomans, Lewis Daniels, Shea O'Connor, Kalum Rathbone.

The implosion of the Pac-12 was the conference's own fault. There were many reasons for this collapse. It was preventable, but no one was willing to stand up and do the right things. One of the right things was to give USC an uneven (extra) revenue share, given that the Trojans have long been the bellcow football program in the conference. The conference refused to do that, however. It paid a price, as USA TODAY Sports reports upon gathering a recent Pac-12 tax return:

"Ten teams left the Pac-12 in 2024 for two big reasons: more money and stability. This and other tax returns show how that played out. Oregon State and Washington State each received $29 million from the league, down from the $46 million each received in fiscal 2024. The other 10 Pac-12 members received about $30 million in fiscal year 2024 as part of a negotiated settlement.

"By comparison, former Pac-12 members UCLA and USC received $76 million and $78 million from the Big Ten in their first year as members of the Big Ten Conference, according to the Big Ten’s tax return for fiscal 2025. Former Pac-12 members Oregon and Washington received $47 million and $48 million – which are only partial shares as new members of the Big Ten. Both eventually will earn full shares as part of their agreements to join that league."

The math could not be any clearer. Conference members lost more than $15 million while USC's revenue soared in the Big Ten. Imagine if the Pac-12 had given USC an expanded distribution. The conference could have kept USC and UCLA in the fold, and its members would not have suffered a huge cut in revenue. This tax return shows, very clearly, how badly the Pac-12 miscalculated by playing hardball with USC instead of accommodating the Trojans.

"

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Pac-12 wouldn't treat USC with respect, paid a severe financial cost

Amen Thompson is expected to land a major extension with the Houston Rockets, but a full maximum contract is not guaranteed.

The 23-year-old is now eligible after averaging 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists last season, all career-high marks.

Houston still has to balance Thompson’s upside with roster flexibility, especially after consecutive 52-30 seasons ended in first-round playoff exits.

The key issue is not whether Thompson is valued. It is whether Houston believes his next deal should reach the full 25% max.

A report from Houston Chronicle suggests the Rockets could target a contract worth around 20% to 23% of the salary cap instead.

That range would still give Thompson a five-year deal worth roughly $201 million to $231 million, but below a projected $251 million max.

The argument is tied to his offensive profile. Thompson is already a high-level defender and transition threat, but questions remain over his shooting and half-court creation.

Houston also has precedent. Alperen Sengun signed a five-year, $185 million sub-max extension after becoming an All-Star.

That structure gave the Rockets more flexibility, and Rafael Stone could try to repeat the approach with another core player.

There is also timing pressure. If no extension is agreed before the 2026-27 regular season, Thompson can enter restricted free agency in 2027.

That still leaves Houston with matching rights, but an early deal would give both sides clarity before his rookie-scale salary jumps in 2027-28.

Read more:

• Dylan Harper joins Magic Johnson and Larry Bird’s rare company following insane WCF performance
• How Victor Wembanyama feels about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander winning MVP
• Discover wild Knicks ticket prices for ECF at MSG

The Detroit Lions made one of the more aggressive moves of the 2026 NFL Draft when they traded up in the second round to select Derrick Moore.

Now, thanks to newly released behind the scenes footage from the Baltimore Ravens draft room, fans can see exactly how Baltimore reacted when Detroit jumped in front of them.

And yes, there was definitely some frustration inside the Ravens war room.

Detroit moved from Pick No. 50 to Pick No. 44 in Round 2 to secure Moore, one of the draft’s most intriguing edge rushers out of University of Michigan.

The move immediately sparked speculation because Ravens head coach Jesse Minter previously coached Moore at Michigan.

Many believed Baltimore had significant interest in selecting him.

But according to the Ravens’ war room footage, the organization may actually have preferred another player.

Throughout the video, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta repeatedly discussed the team’s high grade on defensive end Zion Young.

“I think Young is worth taking, right?” DeCosta asked as quoted by Pride of Detroit.

Hall of Fame executive Ozzie Newsome agreed.

“We got a first round grade on Young,” DeCosta later added.

According to the video, Baltimore viewed Young as the second best player available entering Day 2 of the draft.

So when the Lions traded ahead of them, DeCosta initially believed Detroit was taking Young.

“Yeah, that’s gonna be for Zion Young… GOD!” DeCosta said in frustration after the trade was announced.

Moments later, the Lions selected Moore instead.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO

Another fascinating detail revealed in the footage was that Detroit actually had a potential trade framework in place with Baltimore.

According to the video, the Lions could have moved from Pick No. 50 to Pick No. 45 by sending:

Instead, Detroit pivoted and completed essentially the same deal one spot earlier, jumping Baltimore entirely to secure Moore.

The Ravens eventually selected Young at No. 45 overall.

The sequence was another example of Brad Holmes trusting his instincts and aggressively targeting players the Lions valued highly.

Detroit clearly viewed Moore as worth the move.

And if Moore develops into the disruptive pass rusher the Lions believe he can become, nobody in Detroit will care about surrendering the No. 128 pick to get him.

The Premier League looks set to lose one of its greatest managers this year, with reports claiming Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City at the end of this season. 

The Catalan coach has been the most dominant figure in the English top flight since his arrival a decade ago, winning every piece of silverware available to him.

Guardiola is one of only four managers to have ever won the Premier League title multiple times, while eight have lifted the trophy just the once. But where does the 55-year-old rank among the most successful managers in the division’s history?

Jose Mourinho arrived at Chelsea in 2004 on the back of his incredible UEFA Champions League win with FC Porto and made an immediate impact at Stamford Bridge. The Special One won the Premier League in his first season on the foundation of a watertight defence; they conceded just 15 goals in 38 games, a record that stands to this day.

The Blues retained their crown the following season, but relinquished it to Manchester United in 2007. Mourinho departed in September of that year, but he returned in 2013 and claimed his third title in his second season back in charge. That remains his last league winner’s medal, almost a decade on.

Tactical Analysis – The Special One’s formidable 2004-2006 Chelsea side

Arsene Wenger reinvented Arsenal from George Graham’s defensively disciplined and organised side into a silky, attack-minded outfit, and it led to great success in his first decade at the club.

Le Professeur ensured Manchester United didn’t hold a monopoly on the Premier League title, winning three of them between 1998 and 2004, the last of which saw the Gunners go unbeaten for an entire season.

The takeover of Chelsea by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2003 proved a huge obstacle to the Gunners, however, and Wenger’s insistence on trusting youth instead of buying star talent meant they seldom challenged for the title again. Their 22-year wait for the trophy may finally come to an end this year, though.

Read – Arsenal’s Invincibles: The five defining games of 2003/04

It might be hard to believe now, but when Guardiola first arrived at Manchester City in 2016, there was a sizeable contingent of football fans and members of the media who questioned his ability to adapt to the English game. They were briefly proven right when City finished third in his first season, a distant 15 points off winners Chelsea.

But the Catalan tactician inevitably proved them all wrong, winning six of the next eight Premier League titles. There is still a chance he could win his seventh before riding off into the sunset, although it’s looking more likely he will go two consecutive years without a league title for the first time in his managerial career.

Read – Pep Guardiola to leave as Man City line up replacement

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Alex Ferguson looks down on everyone from atop this list with an astonishing 13 Premier League titles. The Scot lifted the trophy in three different decades, rebuilding his team every few years to maintain a remarkable level of consistency.

Ferguson’s first title came in the maiden season of the Premier League following the breakaway in 1992/93 and he won it for the final time in his last season as a manager before retiring in 2013.

Read – The most assists recorded in a single Premier League season

Read More – Ten football managers who went back to their former club

See Also – Why Xabi Alonso preferred Chelsea to Liverpool

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LAS VEGAS — To get this far in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, you need good goaltending.

Carter Hart has been that for the Vegas Golden Knights. He may have to be better than good for his team to get past the Colorado Avalanche when the Western Conference Final begins Wednesday at Ball Arena.

The 27-year-old from the Edmonton suburbs has been in net for all 12 games in the postseason and has a 2.30 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage. He has faced some pretty good shooters so far, including Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther of Utah and Anaheim’s Beckett Sennecke and Alex Killorn and has managed to come out on top.

Now, the challenge is to get the better of Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Martin Necas and the rest of the Avalanche, which have lost only once in this year’s playoffs. That’s not going to be an easy task and it will likely take a total team effort in order to help Hart come out on top in a series that figures to be high scoring.

That means forwards coming back to help in their own end. It means the defensemen not getting caught in pinches and creating odd-man rushes for the Avs, who have speed to burn.

And ultimately, it means Hart delivering. not just making the routine saves, but perhaps being spectacular at times to deny Colorado’s explosive offense which has generated 37 goals and 95 total points to date in its nine games.

And while Hart has been good so far, there have been times where he hasn’t been. He’s been beaten from distance to his glove side on more than one occasion in the playoffs and I’m sure he and Sean Burke, the Knights’ goaltending coach, are aware of it and have discussed that part of his game.

Coach John Tortorella doesn’t seem too concerned about his goaltender. He has stuck with Hart through the rough patches of games and has been rewarded with overall quality playoff goaltending.

“To me, with him, it’s his mental growth,” Tortorella said. “The play itself speaks for itself. His preparation, how he’s handled a couple of situations he’s gone through in both series where he may struggled in a couple of games, how he’s bounces right back.

“I’ve been fortunate to have him for a few years. I think he really cares. I think that’s the bottom line with Carter, he cares about how he plays. He knows how important that position is for our team and he’s gotten stronger mentally.”



 The mental aspect of preparation has been a big part of Tortorella’s overall plan for this team. At this point, being on the ice isn’t as important as being ready mentally to play. So it’s more about video sessions rather than on-ice practices.

“I think practice is overrated at this time of the year,” Tortorella said. “It’s more important to be mentally prepared to play.”

Mitch Marner, the NHL’s leading playoff scorer with 18 points, said it’s a good way to prepare.

“t’s going to be a challenge playing against this team,” he said Monday.  “You take care of yourself as much as you need, keep the vibe light and go out and have fun.”

The Knights are still without Mark Stone, who was injured during the Anaheim series and Jeremy Lauzon, who did not play against the Ducks. Their availability for the Western Conference Final remains unknown as Game 1 approaches. Vegas advanced despite their captain’s absence and Dylan Coghlan has done a decent job replacing Lauzon in the lineup. But it would certainly enhance the Knights’ chances if they had Stone and Lauzon in the lineup.

But you play who you can play and that’s Tortorella’s focus. He knows what’s at stake and what it’s going to require to take the next step. And it starts with his goalie, who he has complete confidence in.

“I know their team is going to be prepared,” he said. “I know this team is going to be prepared, so let’s play.”

Have Axar Patel and Ravindra been dropped? Ajit Agarkar explains reason for absence in IND vs AFG Test and ODI 2026 squads originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

• Ravindra Jadeja rested for the Afghanistan series but confirmed as India's number one Test spinner.
• Axar Patel dropped from both squads amid poor form across IPL and international cricket.
• Young left-arm spinners Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar called up as future investments.

When the BCCI announced India's squads for the Afghanistan Test and ODI series on May 19, the two most striking absentees were Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, who have, between them, dominated India's spin bowling for the better part of a decade.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar was careful to frame Jadeja's absence as a rest rather than a drop, and confirmed that he remains India's premier spinner in Test cricket. However, the fuller picture carries more nuance than that reassurance suggests. 

Jadeja missed Rajasthan Royals' previous IPL 2026 match due to a niggle and since the standalone Test against Afghanistan falls outside the World Test Championship cycle, the selectors chose to manage his workload.

“Ravindra Jadeja has been rested for the Test. He remains an integral part of the Test team and remains our No 1 spinner. About One-day cricket, there are still 15-16 months to go for the ODI World Cup. We wanted to try and assess our options, particularly keeping in mind the conditions in South Africa,” Agarkar explained.

Harsh Dubey, 23, and Manav Suthar, also 23, are both left-arm spinning all-rounders who have made strong impressions in domestic cricket. Suthar claimed 18 wickets across five Ranji Trophy innings and contributed a century, while Dubey took 14 wickets in the same competition. They have been the latest entrants to the national setup.

MORE: No Samson in India squad for IND vs AFG ODI series 2026 as Kishan is picked

Axar Patel's omission from both squads reflects a difficult run across formats.

In the only Test he played against South Africa, he was used sparingly, just 20 overs across the match, suggesting the team management views him more as a backup option than a regular red-ball bowler.

In IPL 2026, he has bowled 40 overs for 10 wickets, and his batting average before back-to-back contributions of 56 and 34 in his final two matches was a deeply concerning 6.28. His overall IPL batting average this season stands at 16.75 at a strike rate of 125.23.

These are modest numbers for a player expected to contribute meaningfully in the lower middle order. A break from the pressure of selection may help him reset.

His return to the T20I setup for the Ireland and England tour later this year looks likely, but for Tests and ODIs, the selectors continue to place their trust in Kuldeep Yadav and fresher players. 

MORE:Rishabh Pant loses India Test vice-captaincy to KL Rahul 

Jadeja and Axar have served Indian cricket exceptionally well, and the instinct to protect and rest rather than abruptly discard is the right one.

But selectors must also be honest with themselves and with the players about what the future holds. Bringing in Dubey and Suthar is a sensible long-term move, but they will need consistent opportunities and clear roles to develop into reliable international options.

The worst outcome would be to use them for a series or two before reverting to the familiar names when things get tough. India's spin bowling has been a strength for years, and maintaining that while transitioning to a new generation requires patience, honesty and a clear plan. The Afghanistan series is the first step in that process.

To keep up to date with all the latest cricket news and share your opinion on the biggest topics visit our Facebook and X (Twitter) pages.

Have the Dallas Cowboys run out of opportunities? The NFL has paraded around their crown jewels for the greater part of a decade. The league has shifted from their 1980s and 1990s philosophies, allowing the Super Bowl to be played in team cities that wouldn't normally be a part of the rotation. Deathly afraid of bad weather, the league routinely had The Big Game take place in either California, New Orleans or Florida. Occasionally a different city was thrown a bone, but it wasn't until the 2000s when the rotation moved to other parts of the country.

The NFL Draft was even more static. For decades it only took place in New York City. From 1965 until 2004, it was New York, New York, New York. Then the league got smart and realized that it could make the three-day event a galvanizing spectacle and it's rotated between numerous cities and become an outdoor festival.

The City of Dallas has had a taste of both events, but will they ever see another?

ESPN is reporting that the locations for the next available events have been decided at the league meetings, with Minneapolis getting the 2028 NFL Draft, and Nashville getting the 2030 Super Bowl.

• 2027: Washington, DC
• 2028: Minneapolis, MN

• 2027: Inglewood, CA (SoFi Stadium)
• 2028: Atlanta, GA (Mercedes Benz Stadium)
• 2029: Las Vegas, VN (Allegiant Stadium)
• 2030: Nashville, TN

The Tennessee Titans will be moving into their new stadium for the 2027 season, and with the heavy investment cities make to build shrines for the billionaire owners, they are often rewarded with one of these events.

Dallas hosted the Super Bowl XLV, following the 2010 season, following the second season of AT&T Stadium's existence. It was seen as an unsuccessful event as a major ice storm impacted the area during Super Bowl week and Texas isn't exactly accustomed to dealing with that level of inclement weather.

Also, the walkability of the DFW area, specifically around the stadium in Arlington, was seen as a detriment to people's enjoyment of the week. Earlier this year, vice president Stephen Jones spoke of other difficulties in getting the next Super Bowl to town (via Dallas Morning News).

"I will say with all these new stadiums coming on board, that makes it hard," Cowboys co-owner Stephen Jones said. "When you build a new stadium, a part of that is in many cases, a Super Bowl is awarded. We'll see how it goes.

Owner Jerry Jones is betting that Dallas will see another sooner rather than later.

"I know the kind of venue we got," Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. "I know where we're located in the central part of the United States for people to be involved. We look good on television in the venue. All of those things, we have and I can promise — I'll bet on it — no ice storm the next time. I stand ready to bet on that."

But NFL clubs have to bid to be considered, and the Cowboys haven't pulled that lever in recent years. Now, the earliest it could happen would be following the 2030 season in February 2031.

The DFW hosted the NFL Draft in 2018, after Chicago hosted twice and then Philadelphia the year prior. With the cold-weather restrictions not in play for late April, it could be more than a decade before the event returns to Texas.

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Will Cowboys ever get a chance to host Super Bowl or NFL Draft again?

About once or twice per year, VikingsTerritory publishes an article detailing the fruit of Jordan Ta’amu’s labor in the UFL. The 2026 campaign is no different, but there’s a catch: Ta’amu is now hurt.

Ta’amu’s spring football rise added another unfortunate turn before the Defenders’ postseason push.

The man was cooking, but the Defenders must improvise.

It’s a blow for the champs.

Ta’amu Out for Year

NBC Sports‘ Mike Florio wrote Monday, “Even though the UFL has been generating solid TV ratings, it’s had a hard time moving the needle. That’s largely because the NFL continues to dominate the calendar, even in the months when NFL games aren’t being played. Still, certain developments merit a mention.”

“Like this one: D.C. Defenders quarterback Jordan Ta’amu has been lost for the season due to an injury suffered in a Week 8 loss to Louisville. The specific injury was not specified.”

Defenders head coach Shannon Harris said of the setback, “We never want to lose a quarterback of that caliber, especially a guy who’s been an MVP-level player and championship leader for us. But we still have a really good football team, and we are going to rally behind Spencer Sanders and Jason Bean.”

Time with the Vikings

Just before the 2023 regular season, the Vikings signed Ta’amu to bolster their preseason quarterback depth. He arrived with significant spring buzz, having won the XFL’s 2023 Offensive Player of the Year award five months earlier.

However, his tenure in Minnesota was brief. Ta’amu lasted only a week before being cut, eventually returning to the Defenders on February 22, 2024. The Vikings, already boasting Kirk Cousins, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall on their roster for the 2023 season, further solidified their quarterback room during that season by trading for Joshua Dobbs a couple of months later.

Last Year’s Masterclass

In 2025, the Defenders won the UFL Championship, as Ta’amu passed for 2,153 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions, along with 178 rushing yards and 2 scores, in nine games. Nearing the end of the current campaign, the Defenders have a 5-3 record, so they’re trending toward another championship push. Ta’amu has produced 1,516 passing yards, 14 passing touchdowns, and 9 picks, in addition to 196 rushing yards in 8 games.

Of course, the injury ends his dream of back-to-back titles and MVP awards. A brutal blow.

Pro Football Newsroom‘s James Larsen on the Defenders’ without Ta’amu: “Earlier this year, the Defenders traded for Jason Bean from the Kings. He seems like the perfect prospect to fill in, with his mobility – and ability to push the ball down the field. Through four weeks of play with the Louisville Kings, no QB in the UFL had more big-time throws than Bean, with 10.”

“The clock is ticking on what was shaping up to be another big year for DC. If any team can manage this instability – it’s the Defenders. Shannon Harris has chartered strange waters before, and now will have to lead DC to success without their signal caller of the past four seasons.”

Bean might be the meal ticket sans Ta’amu.

Larsen concluded, “Hopefully, this isn’t the last we’ll see of Jordan Ta’amu. He has been one of spring football’s best over the past several years, with two Championship appearances (and a win) in DC. The veteran is, no doubt, on the Mount Rushmore of spring football.”

Lucky Jackson Thriving

Another former Viking has stood out in the offshoot league: Jackson. He plays for the Louisville Kings, a club with a 4-4 mark through eight games, and has tabulated 27 receptions for 341 yards and 2 scores in eight games. Much in part due to his first name, Jackson is well-known in recent Vikings lore as a summer attraction and preseason stud.

And he’s been associated with the Vikings for a while, beginning around the time that Ta’aum initially entered the mix. Jackson signed with the Vikings in May 2023, sticking around for the whole summer and later reaching the 2023 practice squad. He earned active roster placement in late 2023 and signed a futures contract at the start of the 2024 offseason.

Then, he encountered the same arrangement from the summer prior in 2024 — an August cut, followed by a practice squad assignment. In 2025, Jackson actually flirted with becoming the team’s WR4 due to a notable training camp and preseason. But in the end, Minnesota dropped him on September 23, 2025. He signed with Louisville on February 18th — three months ago.

Overall, he’s known for his 4.36 speed coming out of college (Western Kentucky) in 2020.

The Ta’amu-less Defenders’ next game is Friday at the Orlando Storm. Ta’amu will turn 28 in December.

It seems like it’s a matter of when, not if, the New England Patriots trade wide receiver Kayshon Boutte.

Boutte has been the center of trade rumors all offseason long as the Patriots appear to be on the cusp of acquiring wide receiver A.J. Brown in a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported before the 2026 NFL Draft that Boutte was available, and Breer still believes teams can acquire him for a Day 3 pick.

“Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte, I think, could be had for a fifth- or sixth-round draft pick right now, if anyone has an interest in him,” Breer wrote.

Chances are there will be interest in Boutte, who has posted back-to-back 500-yard seasons.

The negative is that Boutte is in the final year of his deal, but at a reasonable price, that won’t be too big of a problem.

If Boutte is indeed available, here’s some teams that could look to acquire his services.

If the Eagles and New England Patriots are going to be pulling off a trade involving Brown, the Eagles could have interest in Boutte.

Granted, Philly has added Makai Lemon, Hollywood Brown and Dontayvion Wicks, but Lemon is unproven, Brown has had injury issues during his career, and Wicks only has one 500-yard season under his belt.

It might take a village to replace Brown if he gets traded, and Kayshon Boutte would be a strong resident in that village.

With DJ Moore traded to the Buffalo Bills, the Bears are relying on two unproven wideouts in Luther Burden and Rome Odunze to lead the room in 2026.

Chicago’s depth options aren’t great, either, with guys like Kalif Raymond, Scotty Miller, Jahdae Walker and rookie Zavion Thomas competing for significant snaps.

The problem with that group is Walker and Thomas are unestablished and Miller and Raymond haven’t produced much in recent years.

Kayshon Boutte could instantly step into the WR3 role in Chicago.

The Ravens have a solid No. 1 receiver in Zay Flowers but nothing but question marks behind him.

Rashod Bateman struggled with injury last season and wasn’t very effective when on the field, and there isn’t enough of a track record to trust Devontez Walker and rookies Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt for big roles.

The Ravens need another veteran in that group and Boutte would be just what the doctor ordered for Lamar Jackson and Co.

We love the promise Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy have shown, but the latter was a total disappointment amid an injury-plagued campaign last season.

The depth options aren’t great, either.

Tyquan Thornton mostly disappeared after a few big games early in 2025 and the jury is still out on guys like second-year wideout Jalen Royals and rookie Cyrus Allen.

For a team looking for a bounce-back campaign after missing the playoffs last season, the Chiefs need more options for Patrick Mahomes.

The Raiders have one of the most lackluster wide receiver rooms in the NFL and that’s bad news for Fernando Mendoza’s chances of succeeding in Year 1.

Las Vegas’ projected top three on the depth chart are Jalen Nailor, Tre Tucker and 2025 draft pick Jack Bech.

Nailor and Tucker have never been more than No. 3 options in a passing attack and Bech is coming off a very disappointing rookie campiagn.

While Boutte wouldn’t be the No. 1 the Raiders desperately need, he would at least add more depth to the room.

If the Giants want Jaxson Dart to take a step forward in 2026 under new head coach John Harbaugh, they should seriously consider adding more help at wide receiver.

The biggest issue is the uncertain status of Malik Nabers, who is a candidate to start the season on the PUP list as he recovers from a torn ACL.

If Nabers does sit out the first four games, the Giants will be relying on Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, Calvin Austin and rookie Malachi Fields to pick up the slack for almost a quarter of the season.

Nothing about that room is inspiring, so a trade for Boutte should be on the table.

The Falcons have a true No. 1 target in Drake London, but the rest of the room leaves a lot to be desired.

After cutting Darnell Mooney, the Falcons are depending on one of Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus and rookie Zachariah Branch to step into the No. 2 role.

The issue there is Zaccheaus and Dotson are No. 3 receivers, at best, and there’s no telling what Branch will provide in his first NFL season.

That’s not exactly an ideal situation for whoever starts at quarterback, whether that be Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa.

Retired UFC lightweight Dustin Poirier spent six of his pro fights competing against former champions Max Holloway and Conor McGregor, compiling a combined record of 4-2 while registering a submission victory over “Blessed” at UFC 143 and a knockout win over “Notorious” at UFC 257.

If anyone can tell you what it’s like to face the volume punching of the Hawaiian, or the knockout power of the Irishman, it’s “The Diamond.” Poirier recently gave his breakdown of the UFC 329 main event on July 11 in Las Vegas, where Holloway and McGregor will rematch to close out International Fight Week.

“I think Max smokes him like a brisket,” Poirier told Paramount’s Deep Waters” podcast. “The thing is, Conor has the power. No matter the injury, that’s going to be there still. The timing, other things matter. But the power’s going to be there. He has a puncher’s chance. Max for sure is a volume puncher, but at 155 when I fought him last, he has power behind his shots, and I’ve got to think at 170 he’s got to have even more power.”

But don’t run to the betting window just yet.

“Max can punch now,” Poirier added. “He’s not just a volume puncher. He can finish fights. The thing that I keep thinking about is in Max’s last three fights, he’s touched the canvas more times than he’s touched his whole career. (Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria) dropped him. I dropped him. That’s his last few fights. If Max’s chin is finally catching up to the style of fighting he does, Conor could put him down.”

McGregor’s last knockout came over a washed Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 in early 2020.

The 37-year-old Poirier (30-10, 1 NC) notched his final fight at UFC 318 last summer in New Orleans. His decision loss to Holloway marked the second straight defeat for the fading “Diamond,” who dropped four of his last six en route to a late 2025 retirement.

McGregor and Holloway may not be far behind him, depending on what happens at UFC 329.

After being a prolific scorer in college, Keyshawn Hall is looking to make an impact in the NBA. Hall led Auburn in scoring for the 2025-26 season with 19.3 points per game and 7.1 assists per game. He is projected by most draft analysts as a mid-to-late second-round pick or an undrafted free agent.

Hall was asked at the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on what part of his game could translate to the next level. Hall would answer by saying, "I'm gonna come in, play my role, what I have to do for a team to win." That is the right attitude for Hall to have, knowing where he will be drafted. However, his ability to take the basketball in isolation to either create an opportunity for himself or a teammate matches well with the current NBA. Also, he mentioned that the physicality, speed, and athleticism in the SEC prepared him to play in the NBA.

Overall, in his career, Hall showed how capable a scorer he was. During his four-year college career, he averaged 16.3 points per game. Before transferring to Auburn, he led the Big 12 in scoring for the UCF Golden Knights with 18.8 points per game. He played his first two seasons with UNLV and George Mason. Hall was named to the First Team All-SEC Team following his only season with the Tigers. He was a key player for Auburn, winning the 2026 NIT Championship. In the tournament, he averaged 15.8 points per game and nine rebounds.

“I’m gonna come in, play my role, what I have to do for a team to win”

Talked with Auburn’s Keyshawn Hall about his on-ball playmaking ability and how the SEC prepared him for the NBA: pic.twitter.com/5FRvTL34n1

— Finn Kuehl (@finleykuehl) May 14, 2026

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow Phillip on Twitter@PJordanSports

This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn's Keyshawn Hall talks with media at NBA Combine

The PWHL has officially unveiled all four of its expansion markets for the 2026-27 season: Detroit, Las Vegas, Hamilton, Ont., and San Jose, Calif.

San Jose was the latest (and final) new franchise to be announced Tuesday morning. The Athletic also reported the development Monday.

The San Jose team will play its home games at the SAP Center, home of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, which is getting a $425 million renovation. The team will also use Sharks Ice as a training facility.

As part of Tuesday’s announcement, the league also revealed San Jose’s colors: orange, blue and white.

The Athletic reported earlier this month that San Jose was a strong contender for expansion due to the Bay Area’s women’s sports boom. California ranks sixth in the nation in girls’ hockey participation behind five hockey hotbeds, four of which (Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York and now Michigan) already have PWHL teams.

“Between a deeply rooted hockey culture, rapidly booming women’s sports scene, and a community known for growth and innovation, San Jose offers a dynamic stage for the PWHL to expand its reach and build lasting momentum,” said Amy Scheer, the PWHL’s executive vice president of business operations.

With the addition of San Jose, the PWHL will have 12 teams across North America in 2026-27, doubling the league’s size since its inaugural season less than three years ago.

The PWHL debuted in January 2024 with six teams in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Boston, New York and Minnesota. It expanded for the first time last year, adding Vancouver and Seattle.

The league introduced Detroit as the first of four new expansion teams on May 6, then followed with the announcements for Las Vegas, Hamilton and San Jose in a busy two-week sprint concurrent with the ongoing PWHL playoffs. The league will continue to operate under a single-entity ownership model, which means that Mark Walter — the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers — and his wife, Kimbra, own the league and its 12 teams.

The new markets will continue expanding the league’s footprint beyond its predominantly Northeastern first six, with more teams in the West and another in the Midwest. Next season, the PWHL will have four teams in the Pacific time zone, which will offer “more balance for scheduling and travel,” the league said Tuesday in a news release.

The league has yet to announce the roster-building process for expansion or how the four new franchises will be integrated into the 2026 PWHL Draft, which will be held in Detroit on June 17. Earlier this month, the PWHL Players Association sent its members a guide to the expansion process that included multiple signing windows and no traditional expansion draft.

The new process, PWHLPA executive director Malaika Underwood wrote in a May 3 email to players, “is a significant change that gives players more opportunity to participate in the process through negotiation and choice.”

That process is reportedly set to begin June 2.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Sports Business, Women's Hockey

2026 The Athletic Media Company

The Indy 500 is just days away, and there are only a couple of hours of practice left before the field of 33 takes the green flag at the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Qualifying itself was full of drama, as rain meant the entire weekend was condensed into just one day, with Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou taking pole position.

However, even before the race itself, we have had two disqualifications that have reorganized the field of 33. All cars must go through post-qualifying inspection, and two cars were found in violation of the rules. These were the #4 entry from A.J. Foyt Racing, driven by rookie Caio Collet, and the #24 car entered by Dreyer & Reinbold Racing for Jack Harvey. The disqualification is particularly gruelling for Collet, who starred as a rookie with an impressive performance around the speedway.

These disqualifications follow on from the Penske saga of 2025, after the team's cars were found to have illegal rear attenuators, although this year's disqualifications have not been anywhere near as controversial as what we saw a year ago. Despite that, no team wants to suffer a qualifying disqualification, especially before the biggest race of the year.

Collet had qualified 10th and had advanced all the way into the top 12 in what was an impressive run. For Harvey, the disqualification won't hit as hard as he had only qualified 29th, and will instead start 33rd, with Collet one place ahead of him. This means Mick Schumacher for the Rahal team is now the top rookie, starting in 26th place for his first-ever Indy 500.

IndyCar released a statement on the disqualifications and why they had taken place. It said, "During post-qualifying inspection of car Nos. 4 and 24, INDYCAR Officiating discovered modifications to the Dallara-supplied Energy Management System (EMS) covers and cover-to-A-arm mounting points with unapproved hardware."

"According to the INDYCAR rulebook, EMS covers must be used as supplied," added the series. The two teams violated rule 14.12.1.1. EMS must be used as supplied by Dallara and approved by INDYCAR and rule 14.12.1.6. EMS covers may only be attached with the supplied hardware and Helicopter Tape. With this conclusion, both cars had their times disallowed, and they were re-ordered to the rear of the field, in order of their entrant points, hence Collet starting ahead of Harvey's one-off entry for the race.

While it is nowhere near the same level of controversy, the disqualifications have rekindled memories of the Penske situation from 2025. At least years Indy 500, the Penske cars of Josef Newgarden and Will Power had passed through technical inspection ahead of fast 12 qualifying. Suddenly, Penske mechanics began working frantically on the back of the two cars, with the third entry of Scott McLaughlin seemingly escaping whatever was happening.

It transpired there was a 'body fit violation' on the rear of Newgarden's car, while a re-check of Power's car saw that it too fell foul of the same violation. What made it worse was that Roger Penske, team owner, also owns both the IndyCar series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It came a year after the push-to-pass scandal of 2024, again involving the Penske team, when they used it at that year's season opener on restarts, which at the time was against the rules.

At the Indy 500, it was found that the seam between the parts of the rear attenuator had been filled and smoothed out, which isn't allowed in the rules. This potentially could have led to an aerodynamic advantage. Something that angered more people after the same modification was found on Newgarden's 2024 Indy 500 winning car on display at the IMS museum. Both Newgarden and Power were excluded from qualifying, and Penske then fired some of his most loyal team members, including president Tim Cindric.

NEWS: ECR announces Alexander Rossi underwent successful outpatient procedures to repair minor injuries to his left hand and right ankle sustained in today’s practice incident at @IMS.

The No. 20 driver remains under evaluation with the intent to compete in Friday's Carb Day… pic.twitter.com/St2Nz1hKTr

— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) May 19, 2026

While the disqualifications of Harvey and Collet were a big talking point this year, a more terrifying one was all anyone could talk about after Monday's practice session. During the post-qualifying practice, front-row starter Alexander Rossi spun out of turn two in his #20 Ed Carpenter Racing car and smashed into the wall. McLaren driver Pato O'Ward then spun in avoidance and hit Rossi, while Dale Coyne driver Romain Grosjean was also collected trying to avoid the debris.

Grosjean and O'Ward escaped uninjured, while Rossi was seen limping out of his #20 car. The 2016 Indy 500 winner, who looked to have one of the best packages for race day, had outpatient procedures on his left hand and right ankle after suffering minor injuries, but he intends to compete in final practice on Friday, or Carb Day, and race on Sunday, May 24th.

The Buccaneers selected WR Ted Hurst in the third round of the NFL draft. What is his realistic 2026 fantasy outlook, and how might his presence impact Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, and Jalen McMillan?

Last summer, rookie Emeka Egbuka became a fantasy thorn in the side of one of the best intra-team fantasy duos of the previous five years: Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. With Evans now in San Francisco, Tampa Bay decided its receiver room wasn’t strong enough and added Hurst.

It’s a fascinating situation that will shake out in the coming months. For now, a healthy Godwin should maintain top-40 value, making him a bargain at his WR40 ADP. Egbuka’s Year 2 breakout potential takes a slight hit, making him a somewhat risky bet at his WR17 ADP. McMillan (WR61 ADP) will begin camp as the #3, but with no guarantees that he keeps the job.

How Hurst transitions to the NFL is one of the big fantasy question marks, and his WR88 ADP suggests it won’t be easy. Managers should recognize that Hurst’s productivity at Georgia State (127-1,965-15 receiving line across two seasons) was due in part to the fact that he played on one of the worst teams in the NCAA Division I FBS. His Panthers had a 4-20 record during his brief tenure, giving up the 18th-most points in the country in 2024 and the fourth-most in 2025.

So, of course, his quarterbacks had to air it out early and often. He posted a 9-105 line against Appalachian State last year in a game where Georgia State trailed 38-6 in the third quarter. He put up 10 catches for 165 yards against Coastal Carolina a few weeks later while falling behind 40-14 in the fourth quarter.

If McMillan secures the #3 job this summer, it will be a clear sign that Hurst is not ready. It would give managers more confidence in McMillan, Godwin, and Egbuka.

However, if Hurst beats out McMillan, managers should be more wary of investing in Godwin and Egbuka, as it would signal that Hurst not only is ready for the NFL but also that he’s an upgrade over McMillan, thereby cutting at least a bit into his fellow starters’ ceilings.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: WR Ted Hurst rookie fantasy outlook and impact on WR teammates

Jamahl Mosley deserved better from the Orlando Magic.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the Magic were wrong to move on from him. Sometimes in sports — just like in life — two things can be true at the same time. A franchise can decide it needs a new voice while also acknowledging the old voice did an admirable job. A coach can fall short of postseason expectations while still elevating the organization. A breakup can happen without bitterness.

That’s why Orlando Magic fans should be rooting for Mosley to succeed as the new head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Not because fans owe him anything, but because he earned it. And because the way he carried himself during his five years in Orlando deserves appreciation, gratitude and respect – not petty resentment.

The Pelicans officially hired Mosley Monday, just two weeks after the Magic fired him following a crushing first-round playoff collapse against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. It didn’t take long for another franchise to recognize what many around the NBA already knew: Jamahl Mosley is widely respected, deeply connected to players and viewed as one of the league’s better culture-building coaches.

You don’t get hired that quickly after being fired unless people in league circles believe in you. Clearly, the Pelicans and their iconic head of basketball operations, Joe Dumars, did.

And honestly, they should.

In 2021, Mosley inherited a Magic franchise that was beginning yet another rebuild. The Magic weren’t just losing games back then; they were drifting aimlessly through the NBA wilderness without identity, relevance or hope. Mosley helped change that.

He brought energy, optimism and accountability. He connected with young players in a way that felt authentic instead of manufactured. Paolo Banchero blossomed into a star under his watch. Franz Wagner developed into one of the league’s most versatile two-way players. Jalen Suggs became the emotional heartbeat of the team. Most importantly, Mosley helped establish a defensive-minded culture that restored the Magic’s credibility.

Before Mosley arrived, Orlando had made the playoffs just twice in the previous 10 seasons. Under his leadership, the Magic reached the postseason three straight years. No, they never got out of the first round, and yes, ultimately, that mattered. In the NBA, coaches are almost always judged by playoff breakthroughs, not playoff appearances.

Fair or unfair, that’s reality.

But context matters, too.

The reality is, Mosley spent the last two seasons coaching injury-ravaged rosters that were constantly missing key pieces at the worst possible times. This past season alone, Orlando’s preferred starting lineup barely had a chance to build continuity together. Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs all missed significant stretches, and yet the Magic still won more than 40 games again, still defended at an elite level and still pushed the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference to seven games.

In fact, if Franz Wagner hadn’t been injured (again) in Game 4, the Magic might still be playing.

That’s the part many fans seem to conveniently forget now. Before Wagner’s calf injury in Game 4 against Detroit, Orlando led the series 3-1 and looked poised to pull off one of the biggest upsets in recent NBA playoff history. Once Wagner went down, the entire series shifted. Cade Cunningham suddenly became unstoppable, Orlando’s offense completely unraveled and the confidence disappeared.

Then came the infamous Game 6 collapse — blowing a 24-point second-half lead at home while scoring just 19 points after halftime. Once that happened, the narrative was set. In the NBA, somebody always pays for playoff humiliation, and usually it’s the coach.

Even Magic president Jeff Weltman admitted afterward that Mosley was not solely to blame for the Magic’s lack of success in the playoffs. That’s what made Mosley’s firing feel less like punishment for failure and more like collateral damage from circumstance. Sometimes organizations simply decide they need change even when the person they’re replacing isn’t necessarily the problem. That happens all the time in professional sports.

And judging by the way Weltman spoke about Mosley afterward, this didn’t feel personal. It felt procedural. Necessary, perhaps, from the franchise’s perspective — but still painful.

Which is exactly why Magic fans shouldn’t root against him now.

I understand the temptation because sports fandom is emotional. When a coach leaves, especially after disappointment, fans often treat it like an ugly breakup. There’s an instinctive part of human nature that doesn’t want the ex to suddenly thrive elsewhere. You want validation that moving on was the correct decision.

But rooting against Mosley would completely ignore everything he gave this franchise. He represented the organization with class every single day. He never threw players under the bus. He never publicly complained about injuries, even though he could have easily done so. He never created drama. He consistently absorbed pressure while protecting his locker room. Through all the losing early in his tenure, he never lost belief in what Orlando could become.

That matters.

There’s value in coaches who make organizations healthier, even if they don’t ultimately deliver championships. Mosley made the Magic healthier. He helped stabilize a franchise that desperately needed stability, made players want to compete for each other again and made Orlando respectable again.

That doesn’t disappear just because the ending was disappointing.

New Orleans Pelicans hire former Magic coach Jamahl Mosley

If anything, Magic fans should take pride in the fact that another franchise immediately identified Mosley as the kind of leader it wanted guiding its future. New Orleans isn’t hiring a failed coach. The Pelicans are hiring a coach they believe can build culture, develop young talent and establish long-term credibility — the exact same things he did in Orlando.

And honestly, I hope he succeeds.

Not because I want the Magic to regret moving on, and not because I think Orlando made some catastrophic mistake, but because good people in sports deserve good outcomes. Jamahl Mosley is one of the good people.

The NBA can be cold, transactional and unforgiving. Coaches are often disposable, blamed for problems that run much deeper than clipboard decisions and halftime speeches. Mosley handled all of that with grace.

So yes, Magic fans should root for him in New Orleans. They should root for the man who helped drag this franchise out of the irrelevance of yet another rebuild. They should root for the coach who represented Orlando with dignity. And they should root for someone who never stopped believing in the organization – even when the organization stopped believing in him.

Good luck, Coach Mose.

Email me at mbianchi@orlandosentinel.com. Hit me up on social media @BianchiWrites and listen to my radio show “Game On” every weekday from 3 to 6 p.m. on FM 96.9, AM 740 and 969TheGame.com/listen.

Roy Keane has given a refreshingly nuanced verdict on Mo Salah’s comments on social media over the weekend in which he aimed a thinly-veiled swipe at Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.

The Egyptian’s public grievances about the Reds results, tactics and culture this season have predictably received a fiery response from numerous pundits.

Steve Nicol bemoaned a ‘lack of class‘ from the winger, while Wayne Rooney went as far as insisting that our number 11 should be let ‘nowhere near the stadium‘ for what’ll be his farewell appearance at Anfield on Sunday.

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Speaking on Stick to Football, Keane didn’t get worked up over what Salah said on social media, instead claiming that Slot and Liverpool ought to have bigger priorities.

The ex-Manchested United captain said: “It’s not good from the manager’s point of view, but if you’re a player in the dressing room, I think you roll with all of that…I wouldn’t be losing sleep over it. If I was in the dressing room, would I be upset with him?

“I don’t know if it sounds good, but I wouldn’t be going, ‘Oh that’s out of order, that’s scandalous’. For a manager, you’re going, ‘That’s not nice, but it’s not my priority at the moment’. Salah is leaving; let him get off that chest and [Slot] is trying to rebuild the club for next year. If I was Slot, I’d be more annoyed with the players’ performances than that.”

When comparisons were made with the explosive manner of Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit from Old Trafford in 2022, Keane argued that mercurial players like Salah are indulged over such behaviour because they consistently deliver match-winning contributions.

He said: “We mentioned about Ronaldo – why do we let players off with this sort of thing? Pochettino was talking about going back to Maradona. Why do you tolerate all these boys? Because they win you the game at the weekend. You wouldn’t tolerate that from an average full-back.

“What comes with greatness – Ronnie O’Sullivan, go back to George Best – there’s an edge to them. They will get things off their chest, they will go drinking or go missing, but you go, ‘You know what? I kind of need you’.”

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While Keane isn’t necessarily condoning Salah for airing his grievances on social media, we get the sense that he doesn’t necessarily disagree with what the winger said and doesn’t view it as a particularly egregious thing to do.

With respect to the Irishman, who’s renowned for shooting from the lip in his punditry, his take on the Egyptian’s online activity is a nuanced one, acknowledging that the 33-year-old has so often delivered for his team when it counts the most.

We wouldn’t be surprised if Keane privately agreed with the player, with both men known for their relentless drive for excellence and minimal tolerance for those who compromise on standards – it infamously cost the now-Sky Sports pundit the honour of captaining his country at a World Cup.

Salah might’ve had his least productive season at Liverpool this year but his legend status among the fan base hasn’t been affected, considering his exceptional output over eight previous campaigns (257 goals, the third-highest in the club’s history).

Rest assured that he and Andy Robertson will both receive the most raucous of send-offs at Anfield next Sunday, and rightly so.

Manchester United took a gamble with Michael Carrick in January, and it has turned out to be a masterstroke. The Red Devils were looking for someone to steady the ship after parting ways with Ruben Amorim midway through the season.

The Portuguese head coach’s 14-month reign had failed to live up to expectations. Amorim initially replaced former manager Erik ten Hag in November 2024 after a poor start to the season.

However, the former Sporting manager had a mixed first six months at the Theatre of Dreams. He reached the Europa League final but lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur, while the Red Devils ended the season in 15th place in the Premier League table.

Amorim survived the summer, and United even invested heavily in the transfer market. However, the English giants ultimately ended the Portuguese’s stay at the turn of the year, handing Carrick the reins of the first team.

United wanted someone to hold the fort until a more established manager took over at the end of the season. INEOS opted for Carrick, who was part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s backroom staff and had briefly managed the first team after the Norwegian’s departure.

The Englishman was tasked with securing a top-four finish, which would enable qualification for next season’s Champions League. Carrick, however, defied expectation by guiding United to third place in the Premier League with a game remaining, thereby ensuring qualification for the premier European club competition.

United registered 11 wins and three draws in 16 games under the former midfielder, who gifted fans with exciting attacking football and loads of goals. Recent reports suggest that Carrick has already earned the permanent position, although an official announcement is pending.

However, it now appears that the Red Devils wanted a two-time Champions League-winning manager to take over at Old Trafford this summer.

According to acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano, Luis Enrique was a dream managerial appointment for some important people at United. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the Italian stated: “Look, on Luis Enrique I can tell you that he was the secret dream of some important, important people at Manchester United.”

“So Man United around January, February tried to understand if there was maybe a chance to land Luis Enrique to the club this summer. Was not possible because Luis Enrique is completely focused on the Paris Saint-Germain Project.”

“At Man United Michael Carrick is staying so that was not a possibility but Luis Enrique is now going to negotiate a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain which is already in the final stages because its very close to being completed. It’s just some small details to clarify, I think it’s going to happen after the Champions League final.”

Source: Wikipedia.

Enrique could have been a fantastic choice for the hot seat at Old Trafford, but Carrick has also shown promise in his brief spell so far. With the right backing in the transfer market this summer, the Englishman could work wonders at the Theatre of Dreams.

Featured image David Ramos via Getty Images

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Early Verdict On Pirates' Surprising Start originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Bragging about being in fourth place doesn't sound quite right. But when you're the Pittsburgh Pirates, and you have a record that's over .500, you take what you can get. 

Yes, the Pirates have a long way to go before returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2015. But Pittsburgh (24-23) could have a winning record come Memorial Day weekend. And that's something to celebrate.

"Improvements everywhere!" ESPN's David Schoenfield writes. "The holdovers are better and the three new additions -- rookie (Konnor) Griffin and the veteran acquisitions (Brandon) Lowe and (Ryan) O'Hearn -- have really helped to juice the offense.

"And Griffin's current .713 OPS is only going to go up as the 20-year-old is already showing rapid improvement from his first three weeks," Schoenfield notes. "Maybe Lowe is a little over his head with his .551 slugging percentage, but it's hard to classify it as a fluke considering he hit 31 home runs last year with the Rays.

"(Oneil) Cruz's numbers are believable, right in line with what he did in 2024 as opposed to last year's .200 batting average. In other words: These offensive gains feels like they can hold all season," Schoenfield adds.

As a result, Schoenfield believes the Pirates' surprising start is too legit to quit and and October could be hammer time in Pittsburgh.

"They need to clean up a few things, such as offense at DH and bullpen depth, but (Paul) Skenes' value is high enough that if the rest of the team is a .500 team, they should make the playoffs," Schoenfield concludes.

The Pirates can back up that vote of confidence this week by taking care of business against the third-place Cardinals, who open a three-game series against Pittsburgh tonight in St. Louis.

More MLB: Former MLB GM Reveals What Pirates Need At Trade Deadline

The Colts built a high-powered offense last season by avoiding reliance on one player to carry the load. Instead, they leaned on a deep group of skill players that kept defenses guessing about where the ball was going on every play.

As they got deeper into the season, they realized that Alec Pierce, Tyler Warren, and Jonathan Taylor were the true focal points of the offense. When there was a big play to be dialed up, the ball was normally going to go there way. 

While I’ve been critical of Michael Pittman Jr. over the years, his role in the offense is still important. He seldomly created big plays after the catch, he didn’t lift the coverage of a defense with speed, and he didn’t separate like some of the best in the league did. But what he did have was reliability. He could run rudimentary routes and you could trust that he would catch it. Over time, he became a lot tougher in the run game and could be relied on to execute difficult blocking assignments. If he was covered he could still make a play on the ball with his size. 

It was not worth the contract or a potential extension, but it did offer the Colts some much needed reliability as a Z WR.

Now that spot becomes awfully bare heading into to OTA’s and training camp. The company line seems to be “We love Josh Downs and think he needs the ball more.” 

I don’t deny that the Colts love Josh Downs— and maybe with the resurgence of the tiny WR, they believe they can use him similar to how Klint Kubiak and the Seahawks have used Jaxon Smith Njigba.

I have my doubts. But more on that later. 

THE SCHEMATIC ADVANTAGE OF HAVING A DEEP WR CORE

If you don’t have one of the elite WR’s in the game on your roster, then you better have a LOT of good WRs. If you can keep defenses guessing on where the ball is going to go, it forces them to defend every blade of grass. As we saw earlier in the year, sometimes that can be just as effective as having the dominant player. 

This is a good example of when that does NOT happen. 

The Colts are running a Sail concept. A sail concept is a vertical stretch concept where you’re attempting to create a hi/lo on a defender. Daniel Jones is expecting that nickel defender to match Michael Pittman vertical and create space for Tyler Warren on the Sail route (modified corner route). I wont speculate here but Michael Pittman is either not running this route at full speed, or is not capable of running this route at a speed fast enough to apply pressure on that nickel defender. Either way, it is bad.

What worries me about the Colts heading into next season is what happens when teams can do things like that. Ashton Dulin can play that specific role, but will teams really respect his ability to be a viable option in a progression? Do the Colts think he can do that after sitting on the bottom of the depth chart for numerous years now? Can Nick Westbrook-Ikhine be that guy? Can 7th round pick Deion Burks be that guy? What if there’s an injury at WR? 

The Colts need to improve the depth there but it’s not too late either.

WHO MIGHT FIT THE COLTS

There’s been a lot of Deebo Samuel smoke. I do not believe the Colts will look in that direction, personally. Deebo, at this stage in his career, is a gadget piece to an offense. You want to get the ball in his hands, but he’s not a guy who will fit this system in particular. 

Two names that are really interesting. 

First, Keenan Allen. Keenan has spent time with Shane Steichen in his past and put up a quiet 81 catch sub 800 yard season with the Chargers. Do I think he can replicate that in Indy? No. But could he be a piece that the Colts explore in training camp and see if he can add some depth to the room? Perhaps.

The second is Noah Brown. He’s 30 years old but had some really underrated season with the Cowboys a couple years ago. He’s battled some injuries last year, so that’s a bit of an unknown, but he has some traits I think the Colts like.

This is from 2022, but a sequence I could see Shane Steichen wanting to draw up for Michael Pittman Jr.

I don’t think Noah Brown is a game changer, but he’s one hell of a run blocker and has some redeemable qualities as a depth player.

BOTTOM LINE

The Colts have to find another WR at some point before week one. At the moment, there is far too much pressure on Alec Pierce and Josh Downs to play a full season.

Additionally, I just find it hard to imagine the Colts replicate their level of offensive success without more depth. There’s just not enough around their existing pieces to keep defenses guessing on where the ball might go.

Bill Belichick talking about Tom Brady’s rise will always matter, but it lands differently in 2026.

Belichick has now reflected on Tom Brady’s rise from an overlooked quarterback into the defining player of his coaching career. That is not just nostalgia.

It comes with Belichick now working as North Carolina head coach, away from the NFL machine that shaped his public image for more than two decades.

Brady’s story remains the cleanest example of Belichick’s football worldview. Status at the start means very little if the work, timing and development are right.

That is why the reminder still cuts through. Brady was the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, then became the quarterback who changed New England forever.

He later won Super Bowl XXXVI with the Patriots, turning a backup’s chance into the start of the most successful quarterback career in NFL history.

Belichick is most convincing when he talks about that kind of climb. It strips away mythology and returns the Brady story to what made it powerful in the first place.

The difference now is that Belichick’s public life is no longer only about football. Reports around Jordon Hudson have brought fresh attention, although a representative for the couple denied RadarOnline’s family claims.

That matters because Belichick has already drawn a clear line. He described Hudson as part of a personal relationship and said she does not have anything to do with football.

That is the key contrast. Belichick is navigating a noisier personal chapter, but his clearest public language still comes when the subject is football.

His Brady comments hit harder for that reason. They remind everyone that whatever surrounds Belichick now, his strongest legacy remains the one built through players, pressure and results.

Read more:

• Saints GM Mickey Loomis addresses futures of key veterans
• Steelers teammates overjoyed about Aaron Rodgers’ return to Pittsburgh
• Bill Belichick reveals truth behind Tom Brady’s journey to NFL icon status

Royals Slugger Praises Sonny Gray After Dominant Outing originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Sonny Gray had arguably the best start of his Boston Red Sox tenure on Monday in the team’s 3-1 win over the Kansas City Royals.

Gray was dominant as he went six-plus innings, allowing one run on five hits, while striking out nine. It was a stellar outing from the right-hander, and Royals slugger Vinnie Pasquantino was impressed with how the veteran right-hander pitched in the series opener.

“He spins the crap out of the ball, and he had the breaking ball working all night, running underneath the zone, and we were biting on it,” Pasquantino said postgame on Monday. "He was able to throw the cutter in to lefties. He was backing up the sinker with two strikes. He just did a nice job. We didn’t do enough.”

Pasquantino finished the game going 0-for-4, while he struck out twice, but only once to Gray. The slugger felt like Gray did a good job with the way he sequenced and the spin on the ball was stellar.

Red Sox’s interim manager Chad Tracy was also impressed with how Gray pitched on Monday to lead Boston to the series opener win.

“The same as we've seen the last two outings,” Tracy said. “Just in complete control, in and out, up, down, changing speeds. Had a nice front-door sinker, running it back on lefties, catching the inside corner. He was sensational.”

Since coming back from the injured list, Gray is 3-0 with a 1.06 ERA in three starts.

More MLB: Way-Too-Early Red Sox Trade Targets

ESPN's Mike Clay recently put together his stat projections for the Indianapolis Colts for the 2026 season. Whether or not this was the intention, these projections also tell us the outcomes of some key positional battles that will take place this summer.

Do we agree or disagree with the projected outcomes? Let's take a look.

As is expected, Jonathan Taylor dominates the carries and production at this position group. But second in attempts and yards is DJ Giddens over Seth McGowan.

Agree: While this battle could go either way, for now, I'll agree that Giddens has the advantage given his experience in Shane Steichen's offense.

The WR3 role behind Alec Pierce and Josh Downs is up for grabs, and presumably, it will be a three-way competition between the players listed above. ESPN has Westbrook-Ikhine finishing third among wide receivers in targets.

Agree -- sort of: I won't be shocked if Westbrook-Ikhine does see more opportunities than Dulin and Burks, but my guess right now is that these three share this role, with the matchup and in-game situations dictating who sees snaps.

This is one of the more under-the-radar competitions that will take place this summer for the Colts. While ESPN does have projected stats for Grupe, there aren't any for Shrader.

Agree: Grupe has more experience and isn't coming off an injury.

Key finishes second on the team at defensive end in snaps and production. The starting spot opposite of Laiatu Latu is up for grabs.

Agree: Key has had a steady track record of production, and he has far more NFL experience than Tuimoloau.

These four are presumably competing for the starting spot next to Cam Bynum. ESPN's projections have Thomas playing the most snaps of this group.

Disagree: Haulcy's versatility and past ball production will make it nearly impossible to keep him off the field.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts roster: ESPN projects winners of 5 training camp competitions

Chelsea are reportedly the favourites to sign highly-rated Sweden international forward Felicia Schröder.

Schröder is a part of the Häcken team that won the inaugural UEFA Europa Cup this season with the team having won all four of the opening Damallsvenskan so far this season.

The 19-year-old has impressed since breaking through and has a number of clubs interested including Chelsea and Real Madrid.

According to ESPN Deportes, it is the WSL side who are currently strong favourites to sign the player. Indeed, the Blues will certainly be in the market for new attacking talent with Sam Kerr leaving this summer and Catarina Macário having departed earlier in the season. 

Although Sonia Bompastor's side have been strongly linked with a move for the 2025/26 WSL Player of the Season, Bunny Shaw.

Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make history this summer, as he takes to the pitch in the United States with Portugal. The 41-year-old forward has been named as captain for the Selecao by Roberto Martinez, who announced their squad for the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday.

The Al-Nassr forward will lead Portugal out at the World Cup, and as Diario AS point out, if injury does not get in the way, it will be record sixth appearance at a World Cup for Ronaldo. No other player has managed the feat, which encompasses 20 years at the top level of football. Ronaldo is currently on 226 caps for his national side and 143 goals.

Two players can also equal Ronaldo’s record this summer. Rolling back to the 2006 World Cup, Argentina legend Lionel Messi was also present, as was Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo ‘Memo’ Ochoa. The latter may have a more difficult time of setting the record if he is not first choice in goal for Javier Aguirre. Messi on the other hand seems likely to make Lionel Scaloni’s squad, as he rounds into form for what will surely be his final World Cup. Despite casting doubt on his ability to play, Messi is rounding into form for Inter Miami. He will turn 39 during the tournament.

In total, four LaLiga players have been included in Martinez’s 26-man squad, which also features familiar faces suh as Rui Silva, Nelson Semedo, Joao Felix and Francisco Trincao. Three of those played for Barcelona, and this year Joao Cancelo will also be going.

Elsewhere, Villarreal centre-back Renato Veiga, RCD Mallorca midfielder Samu Costa and Real Sociedad forward Goncalo Guedes have also made the cut, the latter rounding into fine form in the second half of the season. The headline absences from Martinez’s squad are Joao Palhinha, Antonio Silva and Rodrigo Mora.

Lazio defender Alessio Romagnoli is still hoping to seal a transfer to Al-Sadd after the botched January move.

The 31-year-old has been irritated by Claudio Lotito’s broken promises regarding a pay raise, which dates back to 2023. In January, he was on the cusp of leaving Lazio and joining Roberto Mancini’s Al-Sadd.

The two clubs negotiated until the final hours before the Qatari transfer market deadline, but the move collapsed when the Lazio president asked the defender to waive three months of wages, and the centre-back refused the request as a matter of principle.

While Romagnoli rejoined Maurizio Sarri’s squad in early February, Al-Sadd’s interest never faded away. The Qatari champions had reportedly promised the former AC Milan captain to try to sign him again in the summer. In recent months, the player was said to be reluctant to join due to the ongoing unrest in the Middle East, but he has seemingly put these concerns behind him.

According to Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla, Romagnoli is still eager to sign for the Arabian club, and he hopes that they’ll keep their word by submitting a new offer in the summer.

The Italian defender still has one year left on his Lazio contract. And while donning the Aquile jersey was a dream come true for the club’s lifelong supporter, his deteriorating relationship with Lotito and the club’s shambolic status prompted him, along with others, to seek an escape rope. Therefore, Saturday’s contest against Pisa could well be Romagnoli’s last appearance in Lazio colors.

Juventus had been in strong form during the second half of the season, and only a few weeks ago it appeared increasingly likely that they would secure qualification for the Champions League.

At that stage, the Bianconeri had established a healthy gap over the teams chasing them in the league table, and there was growing confidence that they would finish the campaign strongly and confirm a top-four place.

However, recent results have significantly altered the situation. A home draw against Verona, followed by a defeat to Fiorentina in their most recent fixture, has left Juventus in a far more uncertain position regarding their European prospects.

If Juventus win their final match of the season and AS Roma lose theirs, they could still secure qualification for the Champions League. However, at present, it appears increasingly likely that they may instead be competing in the Europa League next season.

Despite this setback, the squad remains determined to finish the campaign on a positive note and demonstrate their quality in the final fixture. The players are expected to approach the match with intensity as they attempt to salvage a strong conclusion to what has become a difficult period.

Concerns have grown within the club following recent performances, particularly regarding consistency and mentality in key matches under pressure.

Former Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli has suggested that recent progress made under the current manager has been undermined by the team’s latest results and broader structural issues within the club.

He said via Calciomercato:

“Spalletti had put in a decent job, but it was lost yesterday , in a match in which Juve lacked grit and determination. There are problems at Juve: there is a management class that does not appear as it should appear. Spalletti must not speak to Elkann, but to the CEO and the president of Juve. Otherwise, all the hierarchies will be disavowed. This is one of the biggest misunderstandings within Juve.”

His comments highlight ongoing debate around leadership and organisation at Juventus, with questions being raised about decision-making structures and communication between key figures at the club.

As the season approaches its conclusion, Juventus face a decisive moment that will determine not only their European status but also the direction of the club heading into the next campaign.

Enzo Maresca is set to be Man City’s new manager – and Chelsea are expecting to get some compensation out of the move.

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It’s not yet confirmed, but all the rumours in the last 24 hours have been clear that Pep Guardiola is leaving Man City after ten years.

The man who will replace him is Enzo Maresca, who walked out of Chelsea in January after a rift with the club spiralled out of control. According to Nizaar Kinsella of the BBC, if Maresca does go to City, Chelsea believe they are entitled to compensation.

Without knowing the details from the inside, that does seem reasonable. Maresca left the job at Stamford Bridge on his own terms, but he had years left on his contract. City would have had to pay to get him out of that deal had he still been at Chelsea, so it wouldn’t be fair for Maresca’s decision to walk to get them off teh hook for that.

Compared to player transfer fees it will be pretty insignificant, and City may decide to just pay up and avoid any disputes. It would be the worst possible way to start their new era under the former Leicester boss.

Xabi Alonso has a “progressive” fitness coach who is going to bring something really new to the party at Cobham this summer according to reports.

There were major tactical considerations in appointing Xabi Alonso it seems, with Chelsea trying to avoid the situation they had some years ago when changing between two very different coaches.

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Mets appear ready to bet on youth with latest outfield shakeup originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Mets have reportedly promoted outfield prospect Nick Morabito. It may appear like a routine roster move on the surface, but there's a hidden message behind how the team is looking forward after a poor start to the season.

The news, first reported by Will Sammon, came just hours after Austin Slater was designated for assignment. It signals a priority shift within the organization.

After seeing Tommy Pham and Slater both fail to make their mark as platoon hitters, the Mets are moving on from the veterans to give opportunities to their young outfielders. It seems the Mets are done with short-term fixes and are ready to embrace what their internal development looks like.

With Carson Benge and AJ Ewing assuming everyday roles in the outfield, the Mets' message can't be any clearer.

MORE:Mets chose to DFA Austin Slater for this simple reason

Nick Morabito was selected in the second round of the 2022 MLB draft. He started this season at Triple-A Syracuse and did really well, batting .253 with a .364 on-base percentage, four home runs and 14 steals in 16 attempts.

While he doesn't have extremely strong power numbers, his upside lies in speed, plate discipline and defensive versatility.

It remains to be seen how the move changes the Mets' philosophy not only in the outfield but also in other areas and positions.

Mets’ higher-ups believed to be on the hot seat entering MLB trade deadline

Mets have obvious Bo Bichette trade to make with this one team

Blue Jays hitting coach sends Vladimir Guerrero Jr. message to Yankees during Toronto-New York series

Mets should cut ties with young former fan favorite in deal with Giants for Robbie Ray reason

Los Angeles Angels fans are expressing their opinions about owner Arte Moreno loud and clear. Fans want Moreno, who bought the franchise in 2003, to sell the team.

A group of out-of-state club baseball players recently started a “Tarps Off” trend during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals at Busch Stadium on Saturday. The fans in the right-field seats took off their shirts and waved them around while wildly cheering and chanting during the eighth inning.

The cheers ultimately helped fuel the Cardinals to a walk-off victory over the Royals. And now, the “Tarps Off” trend has carried over into other stadiums, including Angel Stadium on Monday night.

As a group of fans waved their shirts around in the air, they also chanted, “Sell the team!”

The Angels have struggled through a franchise-record 10 consecutive losing seasons, and the Halos are on track to add an 11th losing season to that record if something does not improve soon.

Under new manager Kurt Suzuki, Los Angeles holds a 17-31 record, which is the worst record across all MLB teams this season. The Colorado Rockies in the National League have the second-worst record in baseball (19-29).

Moreno has expressed some of priorities are keeping Angels game affordable and safe for families to attend.

“The number one thing fans want is affordability,” Moreno told reporters on February 20. “They want affordability. They want safety, and they want a good experience when they come to the ballpark. Believe it or not, winning is not in their top five.”

Although this seems like a good idea, many fans want the franchise to start spending more to land top players that can lead the Angels back to the postseason. The Angels have only been to postseason once since 2010, despite having superstars like Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani on the roster in previous seasons.

Moreno reportedly explored options to sell the team after the 2022 season. But as of now, it does not seem like Moreno has any intention of giving up the Angels.

“I love being an owner,” Moreno said in February, per MLB. “But then age gets to be a big part of it. But let’s put it this way. I’m not shopping.”

Photo Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The post Shirtless Fans Chant ‘Sell The Team’ During Angels Game appeared first on LA Sports Report.

Report: Patriots Hosting Chiefs Free Agent Defensive End For Work Out originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New England Patriots came into the offseason needing to improve their pass rush. They have addressed the need through the draft, but could still be looking for help.

The Patriots lost K'Lavon Chaisson in free agency, but replaced him by signing Dre'Mont Jones. They drafted Gabe Jacas in the second round of the NFL Draft and should also be getting a healthy version of Harold Landry III. However, that is not stopping them from still looking for potential help. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the team is working out Janarius Robinson.

#Chiefs free agent DE Janarius Robinson is working out for the #Patriots today, source says. A former #Vikings fourth round pick. pic.twitter.com/kQR2DPh6K6

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 19, 2026

Robinson was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs last offseason, but was placed on season-ending injured reserve before the season started. He was originally drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but he suffered a season-ending leg injury in rookie training camp.

After stints on the Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles practice squads, he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. In two seasons with the Raiders, he played in 16 games and had 1.5 sacks and 13 tackles. He only played 187 defensive snaps with the Raiders. He was a talented player in college, and the Patriots may be looking to see if he can still be that type of player.

He tested well in the pre-draft process and could be a solid depth piece for the Patriots if he can stay healthy. He has had very limited opportunities in the league so far, but perhaps that could change with the Patriots if they sign him.

More NFL: Tom Brady Hilariously Roasts Bill Belichick During Commencement Speech

San Jose landed a pro women’s hockey franchise on Tuesday with the PWHL completing its ambitious four-team expansion process with a first entry into California.

The league now has 12 teams entering its fourth season, and has doubled in size since the PWHL was established in June 2023. In selecting San Jose, the PWHL adds a region with a population of about 7.6 million, strengthens its geographic footprint with a third Pacific Coast-based franchise, and enters a market with a strong history of supporting women’s sports and girls hockey development.

The team will play out of the NHL home of the San Jose Sharks, the SAP Center, with the bid to land the franchise led by the city and Sharks Sports & Entertainment.

“Between a deeply rooted hockey culture, rapidly booming women’s sports scene, and a community known for growth and innovation, San Jose offers a dynamic stage for the PWHL to expand its reach and build lasting momentum,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL executive vice president of business operations.

San Jose’s selection closes the league’s second expansion process, which began with the addition of Detroit two weeks ago followed by Las Vegas and Hamilton, Ontario, a week later They join Seattle and Vancouver, who were added last year, and the PWHL's original six markets of Boston, New York, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Minnesota.

Scheer has previously said league officials are exploring splitting in either two conferences or multiple divisions. All four newcomers help fill geographical voids in reducing travel time between markets.

San Jose has also become a hockey hotbed in ranking sixth in the nation in girls hockey participation.

“From its humble beginnings with an NHL expansion team in 1991, San Jose is now truly a ‘hockey city,’" Sharks Sports & Entertainment president Jonathan Becher said.

The yet-to-be-named team’s colors will be orange — in a nod to the Sharks — blue and white, representing the coastline and sky.

The PWHL team will be the third major women’s professional franchise to come to the Bay Area in recent years, following Bay FC of the National Women’s Soccer League in 2024 and the Golden State Valkyries of the WNBA in 2025.

Bay FC ranked third in the NWSL in attendance last season and drew 40,091 fans to a game at Oracle Park in San Francisco for the third largest crowd in league history.

The Valkyries made the playoffs as an expansion team when they led the league in attendance with more than 18,000 fans a game at Chase Center. The team was recently valued at a league-high $850 million by Sportico after the ownership paid an expansion fee of $50 million in 2023.

The PWHL controls all of its franchises, and is privately financed by Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter and his wife Kimbra.

The fast-paced growth represents the surge in attention the league anticipated women’s hockey would enjoy following the Milan Cortina Olympics in February. Another factor is the league preparing for a bumper-crop of high-level talent declaring for this year’s draft.

The 235-player prospect class includes five collegians who won Olympic gold representing the United States, and headed by Wisconsin defender Caroline Harvey, as well as a growing number of Europeans making the jump to North America.

By growing to 12 teams, including seven in the U.S., the PWHL is also in better position to secure a national broadcast partner. Scripps Sports is the likely candidate with the broadcaster taking the first step this season by airing PWHL playoff games on ION, which reaches 126 million American households.

___

AP Sports Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.

___

AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

The Minnesota Vikings’ 2026 quarterback competition is officially on, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. On the latest episode of The Real Forno Show, Vikings beat writer and NFL draft analyst Tyler Forness breaks down exactly how both J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray can win the starting job — treating it as a true 50/50 competition. The episode also unpacks what Minnesota’s reduced undrafted free agent spending reveals about the current state of the roster.

Forness pulls no punches when evaluating McCarthy’s 2025 struggles. “He ranked last in EPA per play, success rate, and completion percentage over expected” in his first six starts, per advanced metrics from rbsdm.com. However, McCarthy’s final four games showed a dramatic turnaround — finishing fourth in EPA per play among qualifying quarterbacks — though Forness cautions those came against four of the worst defenses in the league. Kyler Murray, by contrast, posted top-15 numbers in EPA per play and eighth in success rate during his last full season in 2024, doing so with inferior weapons and a worse offensive line than what Minnesota offers. As Forness puts it, Murray is now being handed “a Rolls-Royce” in terms of skill position talent.

• McCarthy’s path to victory requires three things: improved mechanical consistency (“his footwork would be all over the place”), faster processing speed, and better ball placement — he posted a 23% uncatchable ball rate, one of the worst marks in the NFL last season.
• Murray’s path is simpler but not guaranteed: “All Murray needs to do is show some improvement in mechanics, handle the offense, and just play like Kyler Murray can play — and I think he runs away with this thing.”
• Justin Jefferson weighed in publicly, saying of Murray: “just coming here with a new team and being that vocal leader. — That I feel like that’s the main thing that we’re looking for especially out of him, being more vocal, being that leader that we’re looking for” Forness sees this as Jefferson firing both quarterbacks up rather than a genuine indictment.
• The UDFA class tells a roster story: The Vikings spent only $1.408 million on undrafted free agents — down significantly from $2 million-plus last year. Three players — WR Dillon Bell, OL Tristan Leigh, and DL Monkell Goodwine — received $247,500 in fully guaranteed base salary, signaling they’re the most likely to make the roster or practice squad.
• Forness on the bigger picture: “The only bad aspect of this conversation is they both stink. We just want a quarterback that’s gonna help lead us to a Super Bowl.”
• Producer Dave Stefano noted Warren Moon publicly questioned Murray’s leadership and motivation, “I hope he’s learned over the last couple of years, with all the criticism he’s taken and the injuries he’s gone through, that he has to give more of himself to his football team. He has to show people more about what he’s feeling and thinking. You have to do that as a quarterback in order to get people to follow you.” Adding another layer to an already compelling competition narrative.

Or on your favorite podcast aggregator.

If you want the sharpest, most analytically grounded coverage of the Minnesota Vikings — from film breakdowns and draft scouting to roster construction and quarterback debates — The Real Forno Show is essential viewing. Tyler Forness and Producer Dave Stefano deliver unfiltered, data-backed takes every week as part of the Vikings 1st & SKOL production. Subscribe on YouTube, leave a five-star review on iTunes, and ring the bell so you never miss an episode. SKOL Vikings.

Tyler Forness @TheRealForno of Vikings 1st & SKOL @Vikings1stSKOL and A to Z Sports @AtoZSportsNFL, with Dave Stefano @Luft_Krigare producing this Vikings 1st & SKOL production, the @RealFornoShow. Podcasts partnered with Fans First Sports Network @FansFirstSN.

Do you think the Vikings’ QB competition between J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray is truly 50/50 — or is one of them already the favorite heading into training camp?

May 19 (UPI) -- Cristiano Ronaldo leads the 27-man Portugal men's national team roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, coach Roberto Martinez announced Tuesday.

Ronaldo is to make his sixth appearance in the tournament, the most of any men's players. Longtime rival Lionel Messi, who is expected to join Argentina for the tournament, also is on track for his sixth World Cup.

Ronaldo, 41, is the only man to score in five separate World Cups. He is Portugal's all-time leader in appearances (226) and goals (143).

Midfielders Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Joao Neves and Bernardo Silva and defender Nuno Mendes are among other notable players on the squad.

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Joao Felix, Ronaldo's teammate at Al Nassr, Francisco Trincao, Francisco Conceicao, Rafael Leao, Pedro Neto, Goncalo Guedes and Goncalo Ramos joined Ronaldo as forwards selected for the squad.

Ruben Neves and Samuel Costa joined Neves, Vitinha, Fernandes and Silva as the midfielders on the roster.

Diogo Dalot, Matheus Nunes, Nelson Semedo, Joao Cancelo, Goncalo Inacio, Renato Veiga, Ruben Dias and Tomas Araujo join Mendes on defense.

Martinez selected Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Rui Silva and Ricardo Velho as Portugal's goalies.

The Portuguese, who sit at No. 5 in the FIFA world rankings, have the sixth-best odds to win the 2026 World Cup, according to some sports books.

They will host Chile in a friendly June 6 in Oeiras. They will then host Nigeria in their final pre-tournament friendly June 10 in Leiria.

Portugal will open Group K play against the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 17 in Houston.

Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has accused CBS News of using “deceptive” tactics in an infamous interview he gave on CBS News Sunday Morning last year.

Appearing on the latest episode of the Hang Out with Sean Hannity podcast, Belichick said he “couldn’t believe” the way he was treated by CBS and claimed that the network has refused to provide him with a transcript of the interview despite his requests.

After Hannity said he was “stunned” by the interview and suggested the multi-time Super Bowl-winning coach should sue CBS, Belichick responded, per the Daily Mail, “You know, as we’ve seen recently, there have been more editing problems, and they go back over a couple of years—multiple examples of editing and interview process and all that.”

He continued, “You know, I thought that the interview I had with them was done very deceptively. I’ve asked for the transcript from them and they won’t give it to me. They’ve done that with others. I’m not really sure what that policy is.”

The interview aired last April when Belichick sat down with Tony Dokoupil for an edition of CBS News Sunday Morning. During the one-on-one chat, Dokoupil asked the then-73-year-old coach about his relationship with then-24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson.

Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson attend the Kentucky Derby; Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Churchill Downs

Hudson, who was watching the interview off-camera, interrupted the question, saying, “We’re not talking about this.” Dokoupil also noted that Hudson “was a constant presence during our interview.”

At the time, viewers, including Piers Morgan, described the interview as “utterly excruciating,” while sports writer Jemele Hill wrote, “A 24 year old seems to have more influence over Bill Belichick than Tom Brady. Cold game.”

Speaking to Hannity, Belichick said, “I’m kind of confused about some of the things that they [CBS] say they are, but I don’t really see them living up to the trust that they talk about.”

Two days after the interview aired, Belichick, who serves as coach of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels, emailed Beth Keith, a senior associate vice chancellor in UNC’s Office of University Communication, to clarify the nature of his relationship with Hudson.

“Jordon and I have both a personal [and] professional relationship,” he wrote. “This is not a secret. Jordon assists me with my personal media, which is why I asked UNC to forward media requests (e.g. CBS’ 60 Minutes) to her. Jordon has zero involvement in the UNC football program, beyond the degree that my personal media intersects with it.”

He added that Hudson accompanied him to the CBS interview because his Simon & Schuster publicist wasn’t available. Belichick claimed that after about 35 minutes, the questions shifted away from his book, The Art of Winning, and moved to topics “outlined as off-limits.”

Belichick also claimed Hudson asked to sit “off-camera,” but CBS “secretly had a camera focused” on her throughout the interview.

In a statement at the time, CBS News said that Belichick had agreed to a wide-ranging interview. “There were no preconditions or limitations to this conversation,” the statement read. “This was confirmed repeatedly with his publisher before the interview took place and after it was completed.”

Read the latest entertainment news on TV Insider.

Jerry Jones just got worrying Dak Prescott message from Cowboys legend originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Troy Aikman raised doubts about Dak Prescott replicating his 2025 performance during an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up. The former Cowboys quarterback pointed to an important condition for the upcoming season.

“Can the offense continue to play at the level they did last year? That’s a big if,” Aikman said during a recent appearance on ESPN’s Get Up. The comment landed at a time when Dallas expects its roster to improve across the board.

Prescott entered the MVP conversation for half of last season. George Pickens and Javonte Williams each posted career years under Brian Schottenheimer. The Cowboys ranked in the top 10 in scoring and ran the ball effectively.

Those offensive numbers carried a hidden cause. Matt Eberflus directed the worst defense in the NFL. Dallas played from behind constantly and needed shootouts to stay competitive each week.

The inflated production stemmed from necessity rather than sustainable efficiency. When a defense surrenders points at that rate, the quarterback throws more, and the offense accelerates to compensate.

Christian Parker now controls the defensive unit. Several offseason additions and a productive draft class have created reasonable expectations for improvement on that side of the ball.

Jerry Jones invested in defensive upgrades this offseason. The front office added veteran signings and drafted players designed to fix the league’s worst unit from a year ago.

“If you’re a Cowboys fan, you hope the offensive numbers don’t look as good,” Aikman said. The logic follows a clear path.

A functional defense reduces the pressure on Prescott to perform at an extreme level every week. Lower offensive output would signal that Dallas no longer needs 30 points per game to win.

That shift would represent actual progress rather than statistical decline. Dallas opens 2026 against the Giants before hosting the Eagles on Thanksgiving Day. Those games will show whether Aikman’s concern was justified.

• Steelers players made their feelings on Aaron Rodgers impossible to ignore for the front office
• Patrick Mahomes return talk heats up but one big red flag remains
• Future Hall of Famer predicts Caleb Downs will do what only Micah Parsons has done as a Cowboy
• NFL VP Mike North has a blunt message for teams upset about scheduling
• Deion Sanders believes he has information Todd Monken needs to hear
• Tom Brady set to call his very first New England game as analyst

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — PWHL adds women's hockey franchise in San Jose, California, to complete four-team expansion process.

Ryan Garcia announced a fight with Conor Benn last night on “Late Night,” telling host Jimmy Fallon that the fight is set.

Before continuing, it should be said that Ryan Garcia has had a habit in his career of “announcing” fights before they’re actually concrete. The fight has been rumored and buzzed about for a bit now, and it makes sense for both sides, so it’s entirely possible this is all legit, but it is worth noting.

That said, Garcia says the fight with Benn will happen on September 12 in Las Vegas. We know that Canelo Alvarezwill also be fighting on September 12, albeit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, so it’s possible that the two shows could happen on the same date in very different time zones, which would lead to Canelo vs Mbilli wrapping up about when the Garcia vs Benn undercard would be starting.

“I can say that we are fighting September 12th, it will be in Vegas,” Garcia told Fallon. “I’ll just say his name. His name is Conor Benn. And he’s talking a lot, he’s talking crazy. He actually confronted me at an award show two years ago, and my wife was there he just pressed up on me, grabbed me. Yeah, so it’s a little personal.”

Garcia (25-2, 20 KO) beat Mario Barrios to win the WBC welterweight title on February 21 in Las Vegas, while Benn (25-1, 14 KO) labored through a fairly unimpressive decision victory over a clearly physically compromised Regis Prograis on April 11 in London.

Benn, 29, has not actually made the welterweight limit for a fight since April 2022, when he beat Chris van Heerden, the last fight he had before failing a drug test that put his career on hold for about a year and delayed a fight with Chris Eubank Jr for nearly three years.

Garcia, 27, also had a doping scandal in 2024, following a now-overturned win over Devin Haney.

After much debate and back-and-forth amid media speculation, Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has agreed to terms on a one-year deal to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers. If he can stay healthy, he could surpass Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning on the all-time passing touchdown list.

In what will be his 22nd season in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers sits at 527 career touchdown passes. Only 13 passes away from surpassing Peyton Manning, who has 539. If Rodgers can stay healthy, the record should be easily attainable before the halfway mark of the 2026 NFL season.

The number two spot is held by Drew Brees with 571, and Tom Brady sits atop the board with 649. In the same season, if Rodgers is a little off the pace as far as QB rating, he could slip down the leaderboard in that category behind the likes of Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson.

Rodgers also holds the all-time low interception percentage, at 1.41 percent. He has only thrown 123 interceptions out of 8,743 career passes thrown.

Ultimately, Rodgers is a competitor and doesn't necessarily care about individual stats, especially while turning 43 years old. He is coming back for a shot at another Super Bowl, and the Steelers are adding pieces to the puzzle to ensure he at least has a shot at it.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Aaron Rodgers should surpass Peyton Manning early in one category

NEW MIAMI — The New Miami High School softball team celebrated yet another lopsided postseason victory Monday, May 18.

But Vikings coach Donnie Howard knows the biggest challenge of his team’s breakthrough still waits ahead.

New Miami rolled past Middletown Christian 20-0 in a Division VII district semifinal, extending the Vikings’ winning streak to eight games and sending the program to a district final game on Wednesday, May 20 against sixth-ranked Southeastern at West Carrollton.

The win represents another step forward for the Vikings, who are enjoying their best season in more than a decade, Howard said.

New Miami improved to 18-5 overall and has won 13 of its last 15 games — outscoring its three postseason opponents 62-1 and marking the school’s most successful campaign since the 2010 Vikings went 15-6 before falling in a district semifinal.

“There’s been some ups and downs,” Howard said. “I just hope we come play good ball Wednesday. I want to play some more competitive games so our girls can get better and hopefully understand the game more, and then we can go deeper in the tournament.”

The Vikings showed little trouble against Middletown Christian.

Mikaela Lema powered the offensive eruption, driving in seven runs on three hits. The sophomore blasted an inside-the-park home run in the first inning, added a two-run single later in the frame and ripped a three-run triple in the third.

Lema also dominated in the circle, striking out 13 while allowing just three hits over five shutout innings. Lema leads the Miami Valley Conference in strikeouts and wins.

New Miami erupted for 13 runs in the opening inning. Lily Ivy, Brooklynn York and Jalin Williams each delivered RBI hits during the outburst, while the Vikings also took advantage of 15 walks and aggressive baserunning to quickly put the game away.

Ivy and Mariah Powell each collected multiple hits, and Whitney Wilson and Ryleigh Fox each stole multiple bases as New Miami finished with 13 hits and six stolen bases.

Howard believes the foundation for the turnaround is being built by a young core that has bought into the program.

“It’s freshmen,” Howard said when asked what people may not know about the team. “They are buying into the program. … I hope I can get nine more freshmen coming in just like that next year.”

Howard said the program’s recent growth has created optimism for the future, especially with the Vikings returning much of their roster.

“We only have two seniors,” Howard said. “I’m hoping we can get some freshmen to come in and buy into the program.”

The postseason success has also stirred memories of New Miami’s last deep tournament push in 2010, when the Vikings advanced to a district semifinal before suffering a season-ending loss to Felicity-Franklin.

Howard pointed to last season’s tournament run by Felicity-Franklin — which went into the postseason winless — as another reminder that anything can happen in Division VII softball.

“That’s a case in point,” Howard said. “Any given day, any team can be beat.”

The Vikings will try to prove it in a district final game against one of the state’s top-ranked teams. Howard said New Miami may adjust its approach against Southeastern, potentially mixing in more small ball and changing pitching speeds to keep hitters off balance.

“We’ll see what we can start out with,” Howard said. “We just want to go out there and compete.”

May 19—Centerville defeated Walnut Hills 10-0 to open Division I postseason play on Monday, May 18.

Caitlyn Belcher racked up 13 strikeouts in a five-inning one-hitter in the circle to lead the way.

Shelby Cotterman drove in four runs, Kenley Bakan went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and Ava Ponichtera was 2-for-2 with a double and one RBI to pace the Elks at the plate. Centerville bumped to 21-7 overall, with eight wins in its last nine games, and will face Lakota West at Lakota East on Wednesday, May 20.

Baseball

Fairfield 8, St. Xavier 5: Nathan Lisk doubled and drove in two, Dylan Pogozalski added two hits with two RBI and Fairfield scored four runs in the top of the seventh to take control of the game.

Troy 6, Fairmont 0: Jake Reinhardt struck out seven over seven shutout innings and Logan Akers and Colton Akins each tallied two hits with a run scored to help Troy improve to 21-3 overall. The Trojans will wrap up the regular season at Beavercreek on Wednesday, May 20.

Fenwick 8, Kings 4: Carter Shouse crushed a home run, Conner Enderle drove in three runs and Fenwick turned around a two-game losing streak to head into postseason play.

Monroe 5, Turpin 5: Keegan O'Hara tallied two hits with three RBI for Monroe in a game that was called due to darkness.

Bethel 4, Xenia 3: Troy Hunt whacked a home run, Reece Reittinger picked up the win in relief and Bethel picked up a rally victory.

Softball

TOURNAMENT

Division I

Beavercreek 5, Sycamore 4: Kayta Barrett pitched a complete game along with going 2-for-4 with three RBI at the plate to help Beavercreek win its sectional opener in rally fashion. 'Creek advances to play Lakota East on Wednesday, May 20.

Springboro 13, Wayne 3: Kylene Seibel broke the Springboro single season steals record in the win. 'Boro moves on to face Lebanon on Wednesday, May 20.

Lakota West 10, Seton 2: Ava Gilbert struck out 12 in a complete game while Mia Anderson and Leah Witmer each doubled and brought in two runs each to lead Lakota West.

Hamilton 5, Fairmont 2: Emili Schappacher tossed a complete game along with driving in the go-ahead run on a sac-fly for Hamilton, which moves on to play Colerain on Wednesday, May 20.

Division VII

New Miami 20, Middletown Christian 0: Mikaela Lema drove in seven runs off three hits, including an inside-the-park home run, along with pitching five shutout innings in an eighth consecutive win for New Miami.

Russia 6, Cedarville 4: Macy Smith singled in the go-ahead run to send Russia to the district finals.

PREP RESULTS

Baseball

Monday's Results

Bethel 4, Xenia 3: B: Hunt 2-4 HR, Stortenbecker 2-4 RBI. X: Salyers 2-2 2B 2 RBI.

Carlisle 3, Clinton Massie 2

Dayton Christian 8, Franklin 4

Fairbanks 5, Southeastern 1

Fairfield 8, St. Xavier 5: F: Lisk 2-3 2B 2 RBI, Pogozalski 2-2 2 RBI, Clemmons 1-3 RBI.

Fenwick 8, Kings 4: F: Shouse 2-4 HR 2 RBI, Enderle 1-2 3 RBI, Kauffman 3-4 2B RBI.

Indian Hill 4, Hamilton 1: H: Zettler RBI.

Moeller 9, Centerville 1: C: Vitas 2B RBI.

Monroe 5, Turpin 5

Northwestern 7, Tri-County North 4

Sycamore 6, Madeira 2

Troy 6, Fairmont 0: T: Reinhardt W 7 K, O'Leary 1-4 RBI.

West Jefferson 2, Unioto 1

Softball

TOURNAMENT

Monday's Results

Division I

Beavercreek 5, Sycamore 4: B: Barrett W 3 K, 2-4 3 RBI, Stankowski RBI.

Centerville 10, Walnut Hills 0: C: Cotterman 1-4 4 RBI, Bakan 2 RBI, Ponichtera 2-2 RBI, Belcher W 13 K.

Hamilton 5, Fairmont 2: Schappacher W, 2B RBI, Harness 3B RBI.

Lakota West 10, Seton 2: LW: Gilbert W 12 K, Anderson 2-3 2B 2 RBI, Witmer 2-4 2B 2 RBI.

Lebanon 22, Middletown 0

Milford 11, Springfield 1

Oak Hills 9, Fairfield 2

Springboro 13, Wayne 3

Division III

Jonathan Alder 16, Marion Harding 6

Division V

Georgetown 13, Cin. Christian 6

Liberty Union 13, Madison-Plains 0

North Union 6, Centerburg 1

Northmor 9, Fairbanks 0

Springfield Shawnee 5, Versailles 0

Division VII

New Miami 20, Middletown Christian 0: Lema W 13 K, 3B HR 7 RBI.

Russia 6, Cedarville 4

Southeastern 7, Ansonia 1

Sunday's Results

Division I

Lakota East 11, Colerain 1: LE: Y. Schulte 2-3 2B 3 RBI, Damen W 8 K, Crawford 2-3 3B 2 RBI.

Boys Tennis

SECTIONAL TOURNAMENT

Sunday's Results

At Centerville

Division I

Singles: 1. Lee (Centerville) d. Hunt (Beavercreek), 6-3 6-4; 3. Grismer (Bellbrook) d. Nazarov (Springboro), 7-5 6-3. Doubles: 1. Edwards/Critchfield (Centerville) d. Nelson/Mullins (Springboro), 7-5 4-6 6-4; 3. Wooton/Thambi-Pillai (Centerville) d. Hurlburt/Lipsky (Springboro), 6-3 3-6 6-4.

Division II

Singles: 1. Shope (Alter) d. Jain (Miami Valley), 6-0 6-1; 3. Mabarak (Alter) d. Nabors (Valley View), 6-2 6-3. Doubles: 1. Watson/Boehne (Oakwood) d. Zhou/Crowder (Oakwood), 7-5 2-6 6-1; 3. Petty/Monson (Dayton Christian) d. Monson/Manier (Dayton Christian), 5-7 6-3 6-3.

Girls Lacrosse

TOURNAMENT

Monday's Results

Division II

Madeira 14, Fenwick 4

REPORTING RESULTS

Contact Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun and Journal-News with scores and results as soon as possible after varsity high school athletic contests by email only at COPSports@coxincn.com. Please include any details from your contest that you would like published along with a contact name and phone number.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander admits Spurs exposed major problem in Thunder loss originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Oklahoma City lost 122-115 in double overtime to San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals opener. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander accepted full responsibility after the disappointing defeat on his MVP night.

Gilgeous-Alexander received his second consecutive MVP trophy before tipoff. He became the 14th player in NBA history to win back-to-back MVP awards. The pregame ceremony gave way to frustration.

“We just got to be better — me, in particular,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. San Antonio disrupted the rhythm of the league’s most valuable player throughout both overtime periods on his MVP presentation night.

The Spurs used their length and rim protection to deny driving lanes and contest shot attempts at the basket. Gilgeous-Alexander faced extra defenders on every possession in the extra sessions.

“I have to be better, especially against a team of this caliber,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Nothing more than that.” The admission carried weight from the newly crowned two-time MVP.

The Spurs executed a defensive game plan designed to force the ball out of Gilgeous-Alexander’s hands. His teammates could not convert the open looks when San Antonio collapsed toward the paint.

The loss raised questions about Oklahoma City’s ability to adjust when its primary creator faces elite defensive attention. San Antonio committed additional help defenders toward Gilgeous-Alexander during every overtime possession.

Gilgeous-Alexander has carried the Thunder all season. When his production drops against disciplined defensive schemes, the supporting cast must generate offense independently. That task proved difficult in Game 1.

Oklahoma City remains the defending champion with roster depth and coaching that has answered challenges all year. Coach Mark Daigneault has limited time to install corrections before Game 2.

The Thunder need a response on their home floor to avoid falling behind 0-2 in the series. Gilgeous-Alexander set the standard for accountability with his postgame comments.

His production must now match that standard when the Western Conference Finals resume for Game 2.

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• Victor Wembanyama is breaking the playoff blueprint in real time and Thunder can’t ignore it

Centerville defeated Walnut Hills 10-0 to open Division I postseason play on Monday, May 18.

Caitlyn Belcher racked up 13 strikeouts in a five-inning one-hitter in the circle to lead the way.

Shelby Cotterman drove in four runs, Kenley Bakan went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and Ava Ponichtera was 2-for-2 with a double and one RBI to pace the Elks at the plate. Centerville bumped to 21-7 overall, with eight wins in its last nine games, and will face Lakota West at Lakota East on Wednesday, May 20.

Baseball

Fairfield 8, St. Xavier 5: Nathan Lisk doubled and drove in two, Dylan Pogozalski added two hits with two RBI and Fairfield scored four runs in the top of the seventh to take control of the game.

Troy 6, Fairmont 0: Jake Reinhardt struck out seven over seven shutout innings and Logan Akers and Colton Akins each tallied two hits with a run scored to help Troy improve to 21-3 overall. The Trojans will wrap up the regular season at Beavercreek on Wednesday, May 20.

Fenwick 8, Kings 4: Carter Shouse crushed a home run, Conner Enderle drove in three runs and Fenwick turned around a two-game losing streak to head into postseason play.

Monroe 5, Turpin 5: Keegan O’Hara tallied two hits with three RBI for Monroe in a game that was called due to darkness.

Bethel 4, Xenia 3: Troy Hunt whacked a home run, Reece Reittinger picked up the win in relief and Bethel picked up a rally victory.

Softball

TOURNAMENT

Division I

Beavercreek 5, Sycamore 4: Kayta Barrett pitched a complete game along with going 2-for-4 with three RBI at the plate to help Beavercreek win its sectional opener in rally fashion. ‘Creek advances to play Lakota East on Wednesday, May 20.

Springboro 13, Wayne 3: Kylene Seibel broke the Springboro single season steals record in the win. ‘Boro moves on to face Lebanon on Wednesday, May 20.

Lakota West 10, Seton 2: Ava Gilbert struck out 12 in a complete game while Mia Anderson and Leah Witmer each doubled and brought in two runs each to lead Lakota West.

Hamilton 5, Fairmont 2: Emili Schappacher tossed a complete game along with driving in the go-ahead run on a sac-fly for Hamilton, which moves on to play Colerain on Wednesday, May 20.

Division VII

New Miami 20, Middletown Christian 0: Mikaela Lema drove in seven runs off three hits, including an inside-the-park home run, along with pitching five shutout innings in an eighth consecutive win for New Miami.

Russia 6, Cedarville 4: Macy Smith singled in the go-ahead run to send Russia to the district finals.

PREP RESULTS

Baseball

Monday’s Results

Bethel 4, Xenia 3: B: Hunt 2-4 HR, Stortenbecker 2-4 RBI. X: Salyers 2-2 2B 2 RBI.

Carlisle 3, Clinton Massie 2

Dayton Christian 8, Franklin 4

Fairbanks 5, Southeastern 1

Fairfield 8, St. Xavier 5: F: Lisk 2-3 2B 2 RBI, Pogozalski 2-2 2 RBI, Clemmons 1-3 RBI.

Fenwick 8, Kings 4: F: Shouse 2-4 HR 2 RBI, Enderle 1-2 3 RBI, Kauffman 3-4 2B RBI.

Indian Hill 4, Hamilton 1: H: Zettler RBI.

Moeller 9, Centerville 1: C: Vitas 2B RBI.

Monroe 5, Turpin 5

Northwestern 7, Tri-County North 4

Sycamore 6, Madeira 2

Troy 6, Fairmont 0: T: Reinhardt W 7 K, O’Leary 1-4 RBI.

West Jefferson 2, Unioto 1

Softball

TOURNAMENT

Monday’s Results

Division I

Beavercreek 5, Sycamore 4: B: Barrett W 3 K, 2-4 3 RBI, Stankowski RBI.

Centerville 10, Walnut Hills 0: C: Cotterman 1-4 4 RBI, Bakan 2 RBI, Ponichtera 2-2 RBI, Belcher W 13 K.

Hamilton 5, Fairmont 2: Schappacher W, 2B RBI, Harness 3B RBI.

Lakota West 10, Seton 2: LW: Gilbert W 12 K, Anderson 2-3 2B 2 RBI, Witmer 2-4 2B 2 RBI.

Lebanon 22, Middletown 0

Milford 11, Springfield 1

Oak Hills 9, Fairfield 2

Springboro 13, Wayne 3

Division III

Jonathan Alder 16, Marion Harding 6

Division V

Georgetown 13, Cin. Christian 6

Liberty Union 13, Madison-Plains 0

North Union 6, Centerburg 1

Northmor 9, Fairbanks 0

Springfield Shawnee 5, Versailles 0

Division VII

New Miami 20, Middletown Christian 0: Lema W 13 K, 3B HR 7 RBI.

Russia 6, Cedarville 4

Southeastern 7, Ansonia 1

Sunday’s Results

Division I

Lakota East 11, Colerain 1: LE: Y. Schulte 2-3 2B 3 RBI, Damen W 8 K, Crawford 2-3 3B 2 RBI.

Boys Tennis

SECTIONAL TOURNAMENT

Sunday’s Results

At Centerville

Division I

Singles: 1. Lee (Centerville) d. Hunt (Beavercreek), 6-3 6-4; 3. Grismer (Bellbrook) d. Nazarov (Springboro), 7-5 6-3. Doubles: 1. Edwards/Critchfield (Centerville) d. Nelson/Mullins (Springboro), 7-5 4-6 6-4; 3. Wooton/Thambi-Pillai (Centerville) d. Hurlburt/Lipsky (Springboro), 6-3 3-6 6-4.

Division II

Singles: 1. Shope (Alter) d. Jain (Miami Valley), 6-0 6-1; 3. Mabarak (Alter) d. Nabors (Valley View), 6-2 6-3. Doubles: 1. Watson/Boehne (Oakwood) d. Zhou/Crowder (Oakwood), 7-5 2-6 6-1; 3. Petty/Monson (Dayton Christian) d. Monson/Manier (Dayton Christian), 5-7 6-3 6-3.

Girls Lacrosse

TOURNAMENT

Monday’s Results

Division II

Madeira 14, Fenwick 4

REPORTING RESULTS

Contact Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun and Journal-News with scores and results as soon as possible after varsity high school athletic contests by email only at COPSports@coxincn.com. Please include any details from your contest that you would like published along with a contact name and phone number.

NFL Analyst Explains Why It's Time For Steelers To Finally Bite This Bullet originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

After adding to their roster and reuniting with Aaron Rodgers this offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers are "going for it" in 2026. Rather than trying to rebuild around one of their young quarterbacks, Will Howard or Drew Allar, the Steelers will try to contend with an aging roster and see if they can finally win a playoff game for the first time since early 2017.

On Monday's episode of "First Things First," NFL analyst Danny Parkins explained why he doesn't think that's a good idea.

"I think what frustrates me, the logical side of me is like, it's time for the Steelers to hit the rebuild button," Parkins said. "Jalen Ramsey is 32. T.J. Watt's 32. They still have value, but not if you can't win the Super Bowl. Those are pieces that I think a lot of organizations would trade for draft picks to jumpstart a rebuild."

"It's time for the Steelers to hit the rebuild button."@DannyParkins believes Pittsburgh is in no man's land with Aaron Rodgers 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/opvjlc6Gnc

— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) May 18, 2026

After losing in the wild card round again last season, Pittsburgh is doubling down on an old core that hasn't won a postseason game in nearly a decade and clearly doesn't have a championship ceiling.

"You've been to the playoffs five of the last six years, and you've come out of it with zero wins," Parkins continued. "They have this old, expensive roster with an old quarterback with a ceiling of maybe a wild card round win. I don't really get it when the whole point in Pittsburgh is put another trophy in the trophy case."

If the Steelers are serious about winning a Super Bowl in the near future, hitching their wagon to Rodgers and Mike McCarthy doesn't make a lot of sense. Rodgers has only reached one Super Bowl in his 21-year NFL career, and that was 15 years ago. He's 2-5 over his last seven playoff games, while McCarthy is 1-4 over his last five.

The Steelers have stubbornly refused to hit the reset button since Ben Roethlisberger retired, which is why they still haven't had a losing season since 2003. It's also why they haven't come close to winning a title recently, and why both of those trends will likely continue this year.

More NFL: Adam Schefter Reveals How Aaron Rodgers-Steelers Reunion Came Together

Canada manager Casey Stoney dedicated her induction into the Women's Super League Hall of Fame to friend Matt Beard, describing him as a "special" person.

Beard died in September at the age of 47 after an 18-year career in management during which he led Liverpool to back-to-back WSL titles in 2013 and 2014.

In an interview with BBC Sport this month, Beard's family urged football to introduce regular, mandatory mental-health checks for managers.

Former England captain Stoney played under Beard at Chelsea for two seasons and managed against him in the WSL during her time as Manchester United boss.

Stoney and Beard were joined in the Hall of Fame by former Birmingham City captain Kerys Harrop, who made 183 WSL appearances.

The inductees were honoured during the WSL Football awards ceremony in London.

"If you look around the room, you see how many people Beardy impacted in a positive way and how many he had time for," Stoney told BBC Sport.

"It didn't matter who you were, what your role was or whether you knew him for one minute or 10 years, he had time for you.

"He had a real innate ability to just make you laugh, even in the crappiest of times, and that is such a skill.

"To be able to stand alongside Matt, figuratively speaking, see his family here, and be honoured at the same time as him, is a privilege."

Stoney is hoping to lead Canada to the Women's World Cup in Brazil next year but has relished seeing the growth of the WSL from afar.

She managed Manchester United when they were reformed as a professional outfit in 2018, guiding them to the WSL and to back-to-back fourth-placed finishes before stepping down in 2021 because of frustrations over a lack of investment by the club.

Marc Skinner has managed the team since but United are yet to win a WSL title.

"It was quite public why I left and we all know the reasons. I think they have invested more since I left. Marc's had a decent budget," said Stoney.

"Are they at the level of the other clubs? Possibly not in terms of wages and recruitment. If they do want to go higher, they are going to have to invest in the squad and get more depth, especially if they play in the Champions League.

"They were doing OK this season until they got to March and the amount of games hit the players. There's not much rotation and they lost vital players at vital times.

"You're only ever as good as the team you can put out on the pitch. It's about the investment you're prepared to put in."

Arsenal may be within one victory of lifting their first Premier League title in 22 years - but midfielder Declan Rice has stressed that the Gunners "haven't won it yet".

Mikel Arteta's men edged out already-relegated Burnley on Monday in a nervy ending at Emirates Stadium, meaning Rice and his team-mates are close to achieving what the Arsenal faithful have been desperate for after three second-place finishes in a row.

Arsenal will be champions if Manchester City fail to beat Bournemouth on Tuesday. If City win, a victory for the Gunners at Crystal Palace on Sunday will be enough to clinch the title.

England international Rice, speaking after Monday's win, said: "It is in our hands. We have turned it around. We have won every [league] game since we last lost [against City on 19 April] and that is all we tried to do, to keep winning and to stay positive.

"We knew on the inside that we had the belief and we could still win it. We haven't won it yet, there is still one to go. And Sunday [at Palace] is going to be proper.

"But it's emotional because where this club has come from over the last 10 years - the ups and downs. I wasn't here before, but I knew about it, I heard about it and to be a part of what is going on now is so special.

"This club deserves really good things and we have worked really hard towards that, so let's keep pushing."

Their latest victory in their final home game of the season was Arsenal's fourth Premier League win in a row without conceding.

Much of the praise for the Gunners' title challenge has been based on their solidity in defence.

"I don't know where this club would be without the back four and the goalkeeper," Rice said.

"It is stuff I have never seen before. The way they commit to training every day, the way they are available every week and what they give to fight for this club is extraordinary.

"They deserve everything, on top of what they have done for the last few seasons, for the work they are putting in for all of us."

As West Ham contemplate possible relegation from the Premier League, BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club pundits are worried about the mood an already "vacuous" and "cavernous" London Stadium will bring next season.

"The club will get the odd game, maybe one or two fixtures, where they will be close to a sell out," former West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green predicted. "But, after that, I think we are talking 40,000 seats filled at best."

The Observer's Rory Smith added: "The prospect of playing at the London Stadium in the Championship, to me, means possibly a 30,000 to 35,000 turnout. That's if the club is doing well. The ground won't be full, it will be this cavernous kind of thing.

"They will also have to fill a £100m hole in their budget, which will mean selling Crysencio Summerville, Jarrod Bowen and Mateus Fernandes. Those three might just do it, but they also might have to lose some others."

However, former Premier League striker Chris Sutton argued: "They have been blaming the lack of atmosphere for so long now. They all have to let that go. The old Upton Park was the old Upton Park - it was great but they can't move back.

"There was also a large part of West Ham fans - I'm not saying all of them - that wanted David Moyes out. They wanted a new brand of football.

"Fans are able to influence owners into making changes, but look at what's happened: they are going down."

BBC Sport has also pinpointed four things that could be knock-on effects if West Ham are relegated:

1. Stadium complications: London taxpayers may have to pay an extra £2.5m if West Ham are relegated. Under the 99-year lease agreement for London Stadium, West Ham would pay the Greater London Authority about half their current annual rent of £4.4m if they are relegated.
2. Seven-figure loss in revenue: An expert says relegation would cost the club about £100m. In addition, West Ham have a wage bill four times that of the Championship average.
3. Jarrod Bowen's future: West Ham's club captain is likely to be top of the list of players the club might look to sell to ease the financial burden of relegation.
4. Another new manager? Nuno Espirito Santo's future is far from clear, despite signing a three-year contract when he joined in September 2025.

Watch the full episode of Monday Night Club on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

The thing about a draft bust is that the poor decision usually haunts a team for years.

And that’s certainly the case when it comes to the Las Vegas Raiders’ selection of offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood with the No. 17 overall pick in the 021 draft. Leatherwood didn’t even make it to his second season with the Raiders and is an all-time bust for a franchise that has plenty of them.

A recent post on X by PFF figures puts the Raiders’ choice of Leatherwood, who was widely considered a big reach when he was selected, in further question. You see, the 2021 draft class for offensive linemen was excellent. Check this out:

It stings that three of the five players listed above were taken after Leatherwood and three of the five play in the AFC West.

Rough.

In other Raiders’ news:

• Week 1 rankings: SB Nation ranks all of the Week 1 openers.
• Predictions:SB Nation predicts the season for all 32 squads.

Watch the panel on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club discuss the news that Pep Guardiola is expected to leave Manchester City at the end of the season.

"He doesn't have anything else to prove at City," said former Premier League striker Chris Sutton. "Ten years is a particularly long stint, he's given his all, and maybe he just wants a break or a different challenge."

The Observer's Rory Smith added: "I think City would have had a plan in place regardless and will have known what they want to do, but until recently I don't think their hierarchy knew one way or another.

"They knew it was a possibility Guardiola would go at the end of the season but I don't think they didn't have confirmation.

"I didn't think he wanted to go unless he won the Premier League or Champions League, but at the same time 10 years [in charge at City] is way longer than anyone thought."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

The New Orleans Saints are entering a transition under Kellen Moore, and three familiar names now face uncertain futures.

Speaking to the press before a charity golf event, according to Associated Press, Mickey Loomis has addressed Alvin Kamara, Cameron Jordan and Taysom Hill, with each case carrying a different contract and roster question.

That leaves the Saints balancing respect for franchise veterans with a clear need to reshape the squad and manage resources.

Jordan appears to have the clearest route back, as Loomis said the Saints have made the defensive end an offer after his 10.5-sack season.

Kamara’s situation is less settled. The general manager said New Orleans is assessing how he fits on the roster, while also pointing to a “resource management” element.

That phrase matters because Kamara is entering the final year of his deal, with a 2026 cap hit of roughly $10.4 million.

His future has become more complicated after the Saints signed Travis Etienne, giving Moore another major backfield option as the offense changes direction.

Hill is also unsigned, and his route back looks less advanced. Loomis said further talks are needed and confirmed there is no deadline on the process.

The 70-year-old general manager also stated those players have earned the right to self-determination. The next step is whether that respect turns into new deals or a clean break.

For the Saints, the decisions will show how quickly Moore’s new era moves away from the last one.

Read more:

• Steelers teammates overjoyed about Aaron Rodgers’ return to Pittsburgh
• Bill Belichick reveals truth behind Tom Brady’s journey to NFL icon status
• Battle for the Madden NFL 27 cover: 5 finalists revealed

The initial months of the MLB season are often filled with injuries, and this year is no different. Currently, there are 11 hitters and 18 pitchers who are sitting on the IL and have roster rates over 60%.

The good news is that the default Yahoo settings offer relief for those who have a bad run of injuries. Teams are allotted four IL slots, which should allow managers to stash all injured players who have the skills to make a notable impact when they return. But having space to stash an injured player only solves a small part of the problem. There is also the task of replacing injured players while remaining on track for a successful season.

Here are some concepts to consider.

A manager who is dealing with a rash of injuries needs to consider these three factors when deciding which players are the most important to them.

This is the most obvious criterion, as players who will return soon are much more appealing than those who are set to miss several months. Also, players who are in the midst of a short-term absence are dealing with a minor injury that is less likely than a major injury to impact their skill set.

An easy way to organize the potential of various injured players is to refer to their ADP during draft season. But March value can’t be everything, as the value of many players has changed in the past seven weeks. Additionally, some injuries are more likely than others to have a lingering effect on a player. For example, Cole Ragans got off to a poor start and is now dealing with an elbow injury. We may not see him at his best when he returns. The same could be said for Francisco Lindor, at least for a few weeks after he returns. After all, Lindor generates plenty of value with his base-stealing ability and is currently dealing with a calf injury.

A manager with Edwin Díaz who has three other save sources may decide that the Dodgers’ closer is not that important to their roster. Conversely, someone who has struggled to secure other closers may view the eventual return of Díaz as a potential turning point in their season.

Deciding what to do with your injured players is only part of the battle, as finding a useful replacement is vital. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

Does the replacement need to have a similar skill set? This question pertains only to those in categories leagues. For example, a manager who loses a speedster may look at their roster and decide to grab the speediest replacement in order to remain competitive in the steals category. But in other situations, a manager may look down their roster and see plenty of potential steals, which gives them the opportunity to shift the balance of their roster by adding a slugger.

Should you take the best available player? If there’s a silver lining to the injury cloud, it’s that an injury opens an opportunity for a manager to grab another player from the waiver wire. In some cases, that player could be a significant contributor who remains on the roster long after the injured player returns. For this reason, managers may want to grab the player whom they believe is the best one available, regardless of position or skill set.

Should you stream the spot? In the absence of an exciting waiver wire option, managers could choose to replace quality with quantity by streaming players through the vacated roster spot. This is an especially good plan for managers in head-to-head leagues who are off to a slow start and need to win their current matchups. Managers can look for hitters who are about to play a series at a hitter-friendly park or face a weak pitching staff. On the pitching side, they can stream hurlers with favorable upcoming matchups. We are here to help at Yahoo, as our Monday and Friday articles always offer short-term solutions.

Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournament

Should you solve your problem via the trade market? Managers who are dealing with a rash of injuries could choose to improve their missing depth by making a 2-for-1 or 3-for-1 deal in which they give up a top player for multiple good players. Although I’m not fully against this type of deal, I usually side against it. By losing one of their stars, the manager is reducing the overall ceiling of their roster.

My advice is to only make this type of trade if the package of players is much better than the combination of the departing star and options on the waiver wire.

I repeat — much better.

If the trade is only fair, the manager is better off keeping their star player and working the waiver wire aggressively. In an article that will be released tomorrow, we will analyze some recent trades involving injured players.

Managers who are having an especially bad run of injury luck could be faced with a difficult decision to either cut important injured players or leave them in their lineup and settle for zeros. My personal preference in a roto league is to never take zeros. The cumulative aspect of those leagues makes it essential to continue grinding with full lineups. But in head-to-head leagues, whether they are categories or points leagues, taking zeros in a lineup spot is a viable option.

This is especially true for managers who are off to an excellent start and can afford to lose a given week in order to hang onto their best talent for future weeks. In a head-to-head categories league, I would be more willing to work without a pitcher than to leave a hitting spot open. After all, with two of the five standard pitching categories involving ratios, adding a questionable pitcher has the potential to do more harm than good.

Here are tiers of players who are currently on the IL, which will help managers make tough decisions.

— Absolutely must be kept: Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet, Cal Raleigh, Francisco Lindor, Tyler Glasnow, Max Fried, Hunter Brown, Logan Webb, Josh Hader, Gerrit Cole

— Likely worth keeping: Roman Anthony, Wyatt Langford, Corey Seager, Eugenio Suárez, Cole Ragans, Ryan Helsley, Brandon Woodruff, Edwin Díaz, Hunter Greene, Ryan O’Hearn, Kris Bubic

— High upside and under-rostered: Jared Jones, Shane Bieber, Addison Barger

— Sure, if you don’t have any better stashes: José Altuve, Trevor Story, Heliot Ramos, Luis Robert Jr., Gleyber Torres, Yainer Díaz, Kerry Carpenter, Nick Pivetta, Taj Bradley, Emilio Pagán, Matthew Boyd, Mick Abel, José Caballero, Brendan Donovan, Blake Snell, Corbin Burnes

— Drop ‘em: Jacob Wilson, Giancarlo Stanton, Alejandro Kirk, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Francico Alvarez, Jordan Westburg, Carlos Estevez, Ryan Pepiot, Spencer Schwellenbach, Cade Horton, Joe Musgrove

Victor Wembanyama and Thunder just made Magic Johnson rethink West’s future originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

San Antonio defeated Oklahoma City 122-115 in double overtime of Game 1 in the 2026 Western Conference Finals. Victor Wembanyama finished with 41 points and 24 rebounds for the Spurs.

The performance pushed Johnson toward a bold claim about the conference. “They may not have a chance to win the Western Conference Finals for the next 5-7 years,” Johnson posted.

I hate to break the news to the rest of the Western Conference, but they may not have a chance to win the Western Conference Finals for the next 5-7 years. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are just that good! They are talented, deep, athletic and both teams are…

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 19, 2026

His reasoning follows the roster construction of both teams. Oklahoma City holds the defending championship with SGA winning consecutive MVP awards. Coach Mark Daigneault runs a system built on length and defensive pressure. The Thunder combine speed and depth across every position.

San Antonio counters with Wembanyama who remains just 22 years old and already controls games at both ends. “Talented, deep, athletic and both teams are well coached,” Johnson wrote.

The Spurs assembled their roster through smart drafting and targeted development. Reactions were divided quickly. Fans noted that Johnson, a Lakers legend, seemed to dismiss his own franchise from the conversation entirely.

Others reminded him that injuries and roster moves can shift the balance inside a single NBA season. Two contenders built around stars under 25 with stable coaching remain uncommon in the Western Conference right now.

Both franchises benefit from front office stability and organizational consistency that few teams can match. Denver, Dallas, and Minnesota retain enough assets to pivot quickly within that same window, though.

5 to 7 years covers a long stretch in professional basketball. Wembanyama hit a clutch 3-pointer late in regulation of Game 1. Both teams proved they can deliver on the conference finals stage.

The winner of this series advances to face the Eastern Conference champion in the NBA Finals. Both Oklahoma City and San Antonio have the roster talent to claim the title this season. The series continues with Game 2.

• Thunder's defense faces Victor Wembanyama test against Spurs in playoff
• Spurs’ secret weapon isn’t just Victor Wembanyama – it’s this 3-headed playmaking monster
• Bronny James and Bryce James look more like LeBron James than ever after this viral transformation
• Warriors' Steve Kerr news means it's time to talk about LeBron and Steph
• Victor Wembanyama is breaking the playoff blueprint in real time and Thunder can’t ignore it

Defensive end Markees Watts tried out for the Browns at their rookie minicamp this month and that went well enough to earn him an extended stay in Cleveland.

The Browns announced that they have signed Watts on Tuesday. They also signed wide receiver Aaron Anderson and linebacker Reid Carrico.

Watts spent the last three seasons with the Buccaneers. He appeared in 27 games and recorded 13 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

Anderson and Carrico were both undrafted this year and also took part in the minicamp on a tryout basis. Anderson had 106 receptions for 1,341 yards and five touchdowns while at LSU while Carrico spent time at West Virginia and Ohio State.

The Browns waived defensive tackle Bernard Gooden, tight end Caden Prieskorn, and wide receiver Isaiah Wooden in corresponding moves.

Last Monday, Alex Freeland was the odd man out in the Dodgers infield when Mookie Betts was activated off the injured list. Freeland was optioned to Triple-A, but made the most of things with Oklahoma City, winning Pacific Coast League player of the week in his first week back in the minors.

The switch-hitting Freeland hit .400/.464/.920 with three home runs — one hit right-handed, two left-handed — and two triples, with three walks, eight runs scored, and 11 runs batted in in five games on the road against the Albuquerque Isotopes, a Colorado Rockies affiliate.

A shortstop by trade, Freeland has played second base and third base in his major league time with the Dodgers last year and this year. Back with Oklahoma City last week, he started three times at third base and twice at second base.

Freeland is the second Comets player to win player of the week honors this season, joining first baseman and outfielder James Tibbs III for the week of March 31-April 5.

Freeland was not the only Dodgers minor leaguer to capture an award on Monday. Class-A Ontario Tower Buzzers right-hander Isaac Ayon took home California League pitcher of the week after his 10 strikeouts in five scoreless innings last Wednesday at home, allowing only one single and no walks to the San Jose Giants.

Ayon, drafted out of Oregon in the 18th round in 2024, has a 2.96 ERA in seven games, including five starts for Ontario this season, with 35 strikeouts against only five walks in his 27 1/3 innings. Among all Dodgers minor league pitchers with at least 20 innings in 2026, Ayon’s 28-percent strikeout-minus-walk rate ranks third, trailing only Christian Zazueta (33 percent) for High-A Great Lakes and Ayon’s Ontario teammate Brady Smith (29.9 percent).

Ayon is the second Tower Buzzers player to win weekly honors this season. Marlon Nieves was California League pitcher of the week for the week of April 6-12.

New Delhi, India — When Argentina’s Gonzalo Montiel converted a penalty to seal his country’s third FIFA World Cup title in December 2022 in Qatar, Lionel Messi fan Vishwas Banerjee celebrated the Albiceleste’s triumph with abandon in Bangalore, a football-crazy city in southeastern India.

Unable to hold back his excitement, Banerjee screamed and tossed his shirt away as he watched the match on a big screen at a street crossing close to midnight.

“It was one of the best nights, watching Messi lift the World Cup,” he told Al Jazeera.

“Everyone went crazy. We danced on the streets,” Banerjee said, reminiscing about the excitement felt more than 3,000 kilometres (1,900 miles) away in an otherwise cricket-mad country.

While Messi is expected to make his World Cup swan song at the upcoming tournament in North America, football fans in India, the world’s most populous nation, are set to miss out on watching the biggest sporting event.

With just over three weeks to the tournament’s kickoff in Mexico, organisers FIFA have not found any buyers for broadcasting its most coveted product in India.

Here’s what we know about the World Cup broadcast rights crisis in the South Asian nation:

When the World Cup was played in Qatar nearly four years ago, India trailed only China in overall engagement figures, with more than 745 million fans following the action across all media platforms in the country, according to figures released by FIFA.

In television viewing numbers, India was among the top 10 countries – ahead of World Cup participants Germany, France and England – with nearly 84 million viewers.

Digital viewership numbers were also significant in India. For the final alone, an unprecedented 32 million viewers tuned in on Reliance’s JioCinema – a subscription video-on-demand over-the-top streaming service – as the tournament clocked 40 billion minutes of watch time on the platform.

Reliance’s Jio paid $60m for tournament rights in 2022, while Sony Sports secured broadcasting rights for the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, as well as the Euro 2016 championship, for around $90m in 2013.

So when FIFA began selling media rights for the 2026 tournament and the 2027 Women’s Cup, it expected plenty of takers for an estimated price of $100m.

But with 23 days until the tournament and the asking price reportedly slashed significantly, FIFA is still struggling to find buyers in one of its biggest markets.

Experts say the kickoff times for the majority of the matches are the biggest concern for Indian broadcasters.

With the tournament being staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico, many games will be played at odd hours for the Indian audience, with a 10-12 hour time difference between the host cities and the South Asian nation.

Only 14 out of the total 104 World Cup games will begin before midnight for fans in India.

The final will be held in New Jersey on July 19, beginning at 12:30am in India (19:00 GMT). By comparison, 98.4 percent of matches at the 2018 World Cup started before midnight, and 82.5 percent at the following edition in Qatar.

Karan Taurani, executive vice president at investment firm Elara Capital, sees TV as a “struggling” medium in India.

“When you have these kinds of sporting events, effectively it is mostly digital that is monetising and raising big money,” Taurani told Al Jazeera. “That is a big reason why no one’s showing interest in the FIFA World Cup.”

Taurani explained that cricket leads the sports economy market in India.

“Only a small fraction of people who watch the Indian Premier League [IPL] will watch the FIFA World Cup,” he said, adding that an even smaller fraction tune in past midnight to watch a match.

For broadcasters and advertisers, Taurani explained, these factors shrink the target audience.

He also pointed out that a recent ban by the Indian government on fantasy real-money betting apps had reduced the macro form of money in the sports entertainment industry.

The World Cup begins 10 days after cricket’s IPL 2026 final, one of the most-watched sports events in India and one where major prime-time advertisers focus the majority of their annual sports spending.

The price of football streaming in India has been going down anyway. The English Premier League rights, which were sold for $145m for three seasons between 2013 and 2016, went for $65m for 2025-28. There are no major takers for La Liga matches in India.

FIFA appears increasingly concerned that weak broadcaster interest in India could dent both revenues and its long-term ambition to grow football in one of the world’s largest media markets.

In the capital New Delhi, the high court is hearing a plea on the lack of a tournament broadcast deal and has sought responses from India’s information and broadcasting ministry and Doordarshan, India’s state-owned public television broadcaster.

“Without timely judicial intervention by this court, the petitioner and millions of Indian citizens will be irreparably deprived of their fundamental rights with no adequate alternative remedy,” the petitioner, a lawyer and football fan, has said in the plea.

He claims that missing out on the tournament violates the constitutional protections of freedom of speech.

“It is important to note that by denying access to the information in question or by not taking necessary steps to broadcast the FIFA World Cup, the respondents have directly infringed the petitioner’s fundamental right to acquire and receive information, which is an integral part of freedom of speech and expression under the constitution,” the petitioner argued in the plea.

With China’s state broadcaster signing a late World Cup deal with FIFA last week, there’s still hope and time for football fans in India. However, if no deal is signed, all eyes will turn to Doordarshan, which last beamed the tournament in 1998.

The continuing uncertainty is chipping away at the excitement of the football World Cup. “I’m heartbroken that we will not have any reliable way to watch the World Cup this year,” said Banerjee, the Messi fan from Kolkata.

“But we will tune to pirated streams anyway,” he added. “No one can stop that.”

Hoping to put his squad ahead with three-plus minutes to go, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander created space from Dylan Harper. He went with his patented stepback 3-pointer. No dice. On a night filled with kill-shot attempts, none could go down for the two-time MVP winner as the excruciating moments piled up.

The Oklahoma City Thunder couldn't outlast the San Antonio Spurs in a stress-filled 122-115 double-overtime Game 1 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. They start these epic Western Conference Finals in a 0-1 series deficit.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 24 points on 7-of-23 shooting, 12 assists and three rebounds. He shot 2-of-7 from 3 and went 8-of-9 on free throws. He also had five steals.

I mean, you're just not going to win many high-intense playoff games when Gilgeous-Alexander plays this poorly. It's honestly a testament to OKC's depth that he had a chance to escape with late-game heroics. But the 27-year-old was completely out of character in this one — and it feels like you got to credit Victor Wembanyama's presence for that.

Absolutely zero luck on Gilgeous-Alexander's jumper. It was a mid-range feast as he avoided the paint like most great scorers do when Wembanyama is on the floor. Without his bread-and-butter drives to the basket, he was left scrambling to figure out other dimensions in the halfcourt to get his points.

Instead, Gilgeous-Alexander had a grotesque four points in the first half. He only had 10 through three quarters. He just had no rhythm in his looks. San Antonio's superb-athletic backcourt gave him fits. He couldn't create the separation he usually does in his sleep. It took him until the fourth quarter to finally get going and look like the MVP that he is.

Sparking OKC's late comeback, Gilgeous-Alexander had a dozen points in the fourth quarter. He finally had his first big moment of the series when he tied things up at the end of regulation with a baseline drive. Riding all of the momentum, the Thunder's fate were in his hands in overtime.

Instead, Gilgeous-Alexander only had two points in the two overtimes. Maybe it was exhaustion or just not finding the right angles or crests to attack, but he couldn't turn into the late-game hero he usually is for the Thunder. Instead, he faded into the background as all of his potential big-time shot attempts fell short.

"That's what this time of year is about. It's the highest level of basketball. You're going to find out exactly which type of player you are, what type of competitor you are and exactly what you need to get better," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "It's no different this time going on."

If you're the Thunder, you're hoping this is about as bad as it'll get for Gilgeous-Alexander. It's difficult to envision him playing any worse. I know this game had a lot to unpack in its cinematic 58-minute thriller, but you can really dumb down the final result to OKC's top two players putting up a combined stinker.

"We've been in this situation before. So this feeling is not really new, but it's also a completely different basketball team. But I think the thing that remains the same is that we have to get better with each game. We have to learn from the mistakes from the wins and the losses. Tonight, the losses. And continue to get better," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "We did that in the previous two when we lost Game 1. We have to do it in this series if we want to have a chance."

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander must be better after OKC's Game 1 loss to Spurs

Through the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a total of 506 players suit up for them, going back to their days in Minneapolis. Some were forgettable, some were serviceable, some were good and a select few were flat-out legendary.

During the Lakers' 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years.

When Christian Wood played in the NBA, he was the type of player who would flash his potential for extended stretches but never managed to put it all together and had serious flaws in his game. He went undrafted in 2015 out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and it took a while for him to develop, but once he did, he became a tantalizing player.

The 6-foot-8 big man averaged 16.8 points on 52% field-goal shooting and 38.2% from 3-point range and 8.2 rebounds in 27.2 minutes a game during a four-year stretch starting with the 2019-20 season. While he kept bouncing around from team to team, the Lakers saw enough in him to sign him to a veteran minimum contract prior to the 2023-24 campaign.

With them, Wood averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17.4 minutes a game and appeared in 50 regular-season contests. But his efficiency dropped to 46.6% from the field and 30.7% from downtown, and his defense left a lot to be desired. Late that season, he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, and he never played again in the NBA.

Over eight seasons in the league, Wood averaged 13.6 points and seven rebounds in 23.2 minutes per game.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers jersey history No. 35 — Christian Wood

The waiting is finally over. Today is officially voting day for the next NASCAR Hall of Fame class, and the long paddock debates are about to be settled.

According to updates from the NASCAR press corps, the voting panel meets at 12:30 p.m. ET. Fans will not have to wait long for the official results. The announcement drops today at 4 p.m. ET. You can stream the reveal live on the NASCAR Channel via Tubi. If you prefer, direct coverage is also running on NASCAR.com.

Expect pure drama on the Modern Era ballot. Because only two legends will secure a spot in this class. On top of that, the ballot itself is an absolute gauntlet of stock car royalty

• Greg Biffle
• Neil Bonnett
• Tim Brewer
• Jeff Burton
• Randy Dorton
• Ralph Elder
• Ernie Elliott
• Kevin Harvick
• Randy LaJoie
• Jack Sprague

Let’s be completely real. Kevin Harvick is an absolute no-brainer for a first-ballot lock. His modern dominance speaks for itself. But that second available slot? The voting is going to be incredibly tight. And well, the Pioneer ballot faces a similarly ruthless cut. The panel will select just one single inductee from the list. Five historic nominees are fighting for that lone honor. 

• Ray Fox
• Harry Hyde
• Banjo Matthews
• Ralph Moody (listed as Nab)
• Larry Phillips

The math is simply cruel. Only three total spots exist across both ballots. Because the space is so limited, several absolute icons of the sport are guaranteed to walk away empty-handed today. They will just have to wait for another year.

When the New York Giants hired John Harbaugh as head coach in January as part of a much-needed reformation, many players knew the party was over. It was time to work for a living again.

Like many Super Bowl-winning coaches, Harbaugh is a known task-master who is a stickler for details. He likes to practice hard and expects the players to be prepared at every twist and turn.

The new vibe was apparent at the team's annual Town Hall gathering at the Beacon Theater in New York City on Monday night. Fans saw a side to the Giants they haven't seen in years, from the front office all the way down to the new rookie class.

"This [expletive] is different," linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux said of the recent changes, via the New York Post. "It's hard. It's different in a great way. The future is now."

Quarterback Jaxson Dart, who, like Harbaugh, received a thunderous welcome from the audience of mostly fans, also chimed in on how things are changing under the new coach.

"Everything that he wants the team to be is himself when it comes to intensity, attention to detail," Dart said. "From a player perspective, when you see a coach who is able to sacrifice a lot but has a chip on the shoulder at the same time, it’s someone we can all respect and want to play for."

Harbaugh himself had many things to say, mostly to stoke the crowd, but his comments were littered with honesty. When Dexter Lawrence, the All-Pro defensive lineman who forced the team to trade him this offseason, was booed by the crowd, Harbaugh quickly ended any further conversation on the matter.

"That's right," he said in response to the boos. "He's got a life to live. We brought guys in here that wanted to be here."

Cheers. Sitting alongside general manager Joe Schoen, Harbaugh was clearly the star of the evening. In charge and flaunting it. It's time to be the New York Giants again.

"I could [not] care less about what’s happened last year or the year before that or 10 years before that," Harbaugh said. "All I care about is tomorrow's practice, because if tomorrow's practice is the way it's supposed to be, that will be one more step in the direction of being a good enough football team to kick the Cowboys' [expletive]."

"That hate is well placed," Harbaugh added. "Could you add a little bit for the Washington Commanders, too? Throw them in there."

Things are different, indeed. And that's exactly what this organization needed.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants stars describe life under John Harbaugh: 'It's hard'

Ross Chastain is not attempting "The Double," but he will try to complete an impressive feat this weekend. Chastain will attempt to complete 1,101 miles of racing during the NASCAR weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Trackhouse Racing driver will race in all three NASCAR levels, finishing with the 2026 Coca-Cola 600.

Chastain will drive the No. 45 truck for Niece Motorsports in the Truck Series on Friday before moving to the No. 9 car at JR Motorsports in the O'Reilly Series the next day. Then, Chastain will look to win his second straight Coca-Cola 600 in the No. 1 car for Trackhouse Racing on Sunday after a stunning victory in 2025.

"The Double" is 1,100 miles of racing on one day between the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600; however, Chastain's 1,101 miles would come in three races over the course of three days. It may not include an Indianapolis 500, but Chastain is looking to complete a lot of racing at Charlotte this weekend.

More: How to watch NASCAR live at Charlotte in May 2026, full schedule

This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Ross Chastain looks to complete 1,101 miles of racing at Charlotte

Nebraska baseball came in at No. 18 in the latest edition of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

The program had a successful weekend against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Huskers swept the Gophers, winning the first game on Thursday by a 12-7 margin and the second by a 7-6 score. This included a six-run comeback in the ninth inning as the Huskers trailed 6-1 heading into the last frame.

Finally, they completed the sweep on Saturday afternoon, winning 14-11. In this game, they recorded 14 hits while the Gophers committed five errors. The program was to seal the deal and capture another strong series win.

Nebraska will play in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinal game on Friday at 5 PM CT. This should be an exciting matchup, with the postseason play in full swing.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Nebraska baseball ranked No. 16 in USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

South African Garrick Higgo missed the cut at last weekend’s 108th PGA Championship by one stroke.

It’s easy to pinpoint where the 27-year-old Higgo went wrong. And it happened before he hit his first shot at Aronimink Golf Club.

MORE: Meet Aaron Rai’s wife, pro golfer Gaurika Bishnoi, before final round of PGA Championship

Higgo arrived late to the first tee before Thursday’s first round. Tournament officials assessed him a two-stroke penalty.

On Monday, Golfweek reported Higgo split with caddie Austin Gaugert. Golfweek cited Higgo’s agent, who said Higgo will play with Nick Cavendish-Pell on the bag at this week’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson event in Dallas.

After the first round, Higgo said Gaugert yelled at him to leave the putting green.

“No, it wasn’t a surprise. I was late. I mean my caddie was yelling at me to get to the tee. … I was there on time, but the rule is, if you’re one second late, you’re late,” Higgo said, explaining that he made it to the tee by 7:18 a.m., his tee time, but wasn’t there when the clock struck 7:18.

Incredibly, Higgo rallied to shoot a 1-under-par 69 on Thursday before struggling to a 76 on Friday. His total score of 5-over par sent him home for the weekend by one stroke.

Englishman Aaron Rai emerged from the pack to win his first major by three strokes. Jon Rahm and Alex Smalley tied for second.

Cavendish-Pell is no stranger to Higgo. He carried the bag for Higgo’s first of two PGA Tour wins, the 2021 Palmetto Championship at Congaree. Gaugert caddied during Higgo’s most recent victory, the 2025 Corales Puntacana Championship.

Higgo also owns three titles in the DP World Tour, formerly the European PGA Tour, and two in South Africa’s Sunshine Tour.

The CJ Cup Byron Nelson will take place Thursday through Sunday. It will be televised on Golf Channel and CBS and streamed on Paramount+.

The Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn., is the only PGA Tour event in New England.

As longtime golf fans well remember, Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton, Mass., used to host one as well. From the 1960s through the 1990s, Pleasant Valley was home to 32 PGA Tour events in addition to 13 LPGA Tour events.

Anyone who drives from the Worcester area to the Travelers at TPC River Highlands receives a reminder of Pleasant Valley’s glory days.

About a mile from the road leading to TPC River Highlands, you pass Pleasant Valley Road in Rocky Hill, Conn., just over the town line from Cromwell.

Last October, the Travelers paid homage to Pleasant Valley CC by holding its fall media day at the Sutton club.

“We like to name streets after every place we host media days,” Travelers tournament director Nathan Grube joked during the Travelers media day at TPC River Highlands earlier this month. “So there was a TPC Boston Street. I don’t know if you saw that. And a Pleasant Valley Road.”

In reality, Grube admitted he had never noticed Pleasant Valley Road. There isn’t a TPC Boston road, but he mentioned TPC Boston because in 2024, the Travelers held a fall media day at that club in Norton. TPC Boston hosted 17 PGA Tour events from 2003-2020 and will host the LPGA Tour’s FM Championship for the third consecutive year Aug. 27-30.

Andy Bessette, Travelers executive vice president and chief administrative officer, enjoyed attending the media day at Pleasant Valley CC last fall. He was well aware that Millbury resident Gary Young, the PGA Tour’s chief rules official, was head pro at PV for 12 years before joining the PGA Tour in 2007.

“Pleasant Valley is such a special place,” Bessette said. “To go there was just phenomenal.”

For the past two years, a different Pleasant Valley Country Club, one in Little Rock, Arkansas, has hosted the Simmons Bank Championship, a PGA Tour Champions playoff event.

The Travelers, which will take place June 25-28, embraces its role as New England’s PGA Tour event.

“One hundred percent,” Grube said. “No question. That’s why we do a fall media day. That’s why we do a media day in the spring here. When you look at zip codes of where people are buying tickets, it is New England’s event.”

Grube said people from 38 states purchase tickets to the Travelers Championship, but most are from New England.

Bessette said more people from Massachusetts attend the Travelers than any state other than Connecticut. The number is well into the thousands.

The Travelers also has volunteers from throughout New England and distributes funds to charities across the region.

Defending Travelers champion Keegan Bradley was in attendance during media day at Pleasant Valley last fall and he met with the media via Zoom during the Travelers’ spring media day on May 5.

More: Keegan Bradley manages 'insane' scene to birdie final hole, win Travelers Championship

Bradley, who also won the Travelers in 2023, gives the tournament a champion from New England. He grew up in Vermont, won an individual state golf championship in Massachusetts for Hopkinton High and has a home in Newburyport. His aunt, World Golf Hall of Famer Pat Bradley, grew up in Westford.

“For me,” Bradley said, “I really take representing New England very seriously in terms of golf. There's not a lot of us out there. So I feel an obligation to the region, but also to the younger players to show them that this is possible growing up in that area.”

The Travelers was the first PGA Tour event that Bradley attended as a child.

“Already a crazed golfer,” he said, “and had kicked it into hyperdrive being there. When I got my PGA Tour card, the first thought was, ‘Wow, I get to play in the Travelers, the tournament I always dreamt to play in.’”

Bradley struggled in the Travelers the first few years because he tried too hard to impress his fellow New Englanders.

“I learned how to manage that sort of pressure,” he said. “Now it’s turned into one of my better or best events that I play in. To be the champion of Travelers means everything to me. It truly does.”

“To listen to Keegan talk about how he dreamt about playing in this tournament,” Bessette said, “and being a part of this tournament for so many years is mind-boggling to me. He’s a little kid and he’s dreaming about this. I always think that’s really special.”

Bessette compared Bradley living his dream to when he was 7 years old and he dreamed of making the U.S. Olympic team. Bessette’s dream also came true. In 1980, he threw the hammer a record distance to win the U.S. Olympic Trials, but he didn’t compete in the Olympic Summer Games in Moscow because the U.S. was one of 65 nations that boycotted the Games due to Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan.

“I love it when little kids’ dreams come true,” Bessette said, “because I’m one, he’s one. And I think that’s a special, special thing.”

Grube referred to Bradley, a New Englander, winning two of the last three Travelers Championship events as “storybook.”

“You don’t get a ton of guys from this part of the country that make it in that sport,” Grube said. “Could we have scripted it any better?”

Bradley has won a PGA Tour event in each of the last four years and owns eight PGA Tour victories in all, including the 2011 PGA Championship.

As one of the PGA Tour’s eight Signature Events, the Travelers will be limited to 72 players, but nearly all of the top players are expected to take part to compete for a $20 purse.

“I always say in any professional league, NBA, NHL, baseball, football,” Bessette said, “you never really see the top 72 athletes in that sport in one day. So golf is very unique.”

Bradley said he’s no longer experiencing the twice-a-week nightmares he suffered for quite a while after captaining the U.S. Ryder Cup team to a 15-13 loss to Europe in September at the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, N.Y.

Bradley also played for two U.S. Ryder Cup teams that lost to Europe in 2012 and 2014 despite his 4-3 record in those matches.

“It's such a weird thing to love something like the Ryder Cup as much as I do,” he said, “and have it kick the (crap) out of you your whole life.”

Bradley, who turns 40 on June 7, hasn’t given up on returning to the Ryder Cup as a player.

“It’s in the back of my mind certainly,” he said. “I would love to go out there.”

Bradley was criticized after the U.S. Ryder Cup defeat and Grube feels bad for him.

“Whatever team you were rooting for, you knew what it meant to Keegan,” Grube said. “So yeah, watching it was hard, but yet exciting. It’s sports. You’re there to root for things. So it was amazing to watch and he was so open and honest about it.”

The Travelers does not announce attendance numbers, but the event usually draws 125,000-150,000 fans, second only to the WM Phoenix Open.

Last year, the Travelers donated more than $4 million to more than 215 non-profits, both record highs.

Among the media members who attended the Travelers media day at TPC River Highlands was Tom Roche, a coordinating producer for CBS Sports and former longtime producer for ESPN. Roche grew up in the Burncoat section of Worcester and he graduated from St. John’s High School.

—Contact Bill Doyle at bcdoyle15@charter.net.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Kicked by the Ryder Cup, Keegan Bradley is ready for a home game

In many ways, today’s couch-bound sports fan has it easy. If there’s a game from one of the top leagues being played somewhere, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll be able to watch it — even if accessing all the sports you want can be a costly affair.

Sports fans half a century ago couldn’t say the same. With the exceptions of local broadcasts of hometown teams, if a game wasn’t on network television, you weren’t going to be able to tune in. The spread of cable television broadened the opportunities for live broadcasts considerably, and with streaming services now fully established, it’s easy enough to track down all the sports you can handle.

Paying for it all, though, is another matter.

With leagues selling off their broadcast rights to multiple partners, the viewing landscape has become increasingly splintered. Just following a single team in a single sport could require multiple subscriptions to streaming platforms or channels, and those monthly fees definitely add up. Even the federal government is taking notice, with the U.S. Department of Justice looking into complaints alleging anticompetitive behavior by the NFL for moving some games exclusively to streaming platforms. Major League Baseball finds itself under scrutiny as well.

While you can question the motivation behind the Trump Administration’s sudden interest in fragmented sports broadcasting rights, it’s undeniable that fans who want to stay on top of their favorite teams and sports have to pay more for the privilege. But just how much more? I decided to find out by totaling up just how much a fan would have to pay to have a full selection of games for their streaming pleasure.

To set up parameters for my search into streaming costs, I opted to restrict my search to the four major North American sports leagues — MLB, the NFL, the NBA, and the NHL — along with MLS.

I’m also focusing on streaming services here, as their costs are fairly uniform regardless of where you live. Sports broadcasts remain a big part of cable television — perhaps the main reason to keep cable, you could argue — but cable subscription rates can vary based on region, channel packages, and other services like internet and phone services that get bundled into the cost. Keeping the spotlight on streaming platforms can give us a better fix on the potential monthly cost for sports fans while reflecting the reality that a growing number of games are becoming exclusive to streamers.

We’re going to present our totals as monthly costs. In instances where you’d pay for a full season, we’ll convert it to a monthly rate to keep cost comparisons consistent. And because it’s always the off-season somewhere, we’re going to use the rates for NBA and NHL packages available at the start of the 2025-26 season, while citing the current advertised costs for NFL, MLB, and MLS telecasts.

With the understanding that what you’re willing to pay for each league’s streaming packages might depend on the teams in your area, I decided to drill down and focus on a sports fan living in a city represented by teams from all five leagues I’m considering. That’s why I settled on Philadelphia, creating a hypothetical fan who wants to see as many Phillie, Eagle, Flyer, 76er, and Union games as possible. There’s a non-zero chance this made-up fan has tried to climb up a lamppost and has passionate thoughts about the Tush Push.

With those guidelines in place, here’s what I found out.

In-market Phillies games air on NBC Sports Philadelphia, which turns out to be good news for our mythical Philadelphian. Philadelphia is one of the markets where NBC’s regional sports network can be tacked on to a Peacock subscription. That means a fan of the Phillies could bundle those services together to get local coverage of the team plus Peacock’s Sunday Night Baseball games.

The cost of that bundle is less encouraging — getting live sports through Peacock requires a $10.99/month premium subscription, while the NBC Sports Philadelphia add-on is another $24.95. If our hypothetical fan also likes basketball and hockey, that $35.94 monthly total becomes a little more palatable, as NBC Sports Philadelphia also offers Sixers and Flyers games.

Depending on how much you like baseball, though, the costs can be even higher. To get access to Apple’s Friday broadcasts of MLB match-ups, you’ll need a $12.99/month Apple TV subscription. Adding out-of-market games to the mix requires MLB.TV, normally a $149/season package, though that’s been discounted to $139 as of this writing. Spreading the $149 cost over the course of MLB’s eight months of games would add roughly $18.63 to your monthly streaming budget.

A further complication comes with games airing on FS1 and TBS. Sling includes both channels in its various streaming packages, though they’re in separate Blue and Orange tiers, respectively. To get both, you’d have to pay for Sling’s Orange and Blue tier, which costs $60.99/month. Best to do what I do and opt for a $4.99 day pass at Sling if there’s a can’t-miss match-up, though that will only work for TBS games since Sling’s day passes are only available on its Orange tier.

Baseball streaming minimum monthly cost (in-market games): $35.94

Baseball streaming maximum monthly cost (in- and out-of-market games): $67.56

Football fans, take heart — most of the weekly games featuring your favorite team appear on free-to-air TV. For our Philadelphia fan, that means tuning in to Fox or CBS on Sundays if they want to see what the Eagles are up to.

But notice I said “most” there. As Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio has noted, the NFL’s claim that 87% of its games are free really doesn’t hold up to close inspection.

Monday Night Football games, for example, typically require an ESPN subscription, though they are sometimes simulcast on ABC. A standard ESPN subscription would cost $29.99/month, though football fans might be tempted to get the $39.99 NFL+ Premium package, which adds access to the NFL Network and NFL Red Zone. NFL Network will reportedly be included in the standard ESPN subscription before next season, however, as a result of ESPN’s recent equity deal with the NFL.

Adding Prime Video’s Thursday night games adds an additional $8.99 monthly cost, assuming you opt for the standalone Prime Video package rather than the full Prime membership, which is more expensive. And with Netflix adding more games, count on paying at least $8.99/month for an ad-supported subscription.

That’s probably sufficient for most football fans, though it’s worth noting that NFL Sunday Ticket would require a separate subscription via either YouTube TV or YouTube’s Sunday Ticket add-on. The latter option costs $20/month for 12 months for new subscribers, but the fine print notes that you need to pay for a full year — there’s no canceling once the NFL season ends, as you can with a lot of other streaming packages. Returning customers pay $31.50 per month across 12 mandatory payments.

Football streaming minimum monthly cost (includes ESPN, Prime Video, Netflix): $47.99

Football streaming maximum monthly cost (includes Sunday Ticket w/ new subscriber discount): $67.99

As with baseball, the option of bundling a regional sports network with a Peacock streaming subscription gives our Philly fans access to local Flyers telecasts. But that’s not the full picture.

ESPN and TNT also carry hockey games, including the Stanley Cup playoffs. An ESPN Select (formerly ESPN Plus) subscription would give you access to plenty of regular-season hockey games for $12.99/month. Access to sports on TNT is available through the $18.49 monthly tier of the HBO Max streaming app. That combined cost is still less than the $45.99 Sling Orange package, which includes both ESPN and TNT, though without it you may be left in the lurch for playoff games airing on ESPN.

Hockey streaming minimum monthly cost (in-market games): $35.94

Hockey streaming maximum monthly cost (in- and out-of-market games): $67.43

Another sport, another chance to bundle an RSN with a streaming sports service. And with Peacock also offering NBA games of its own, our Philadelphia-based fan is really getting their money’s worth when it comes to watching the 76ers and other basketball games for $35.94/month.

Beyond that, though, our fan would also want to tack on an ESPN subscription ($29.99/month) to get the NBA action airing on that channel, as well as the standalone $8.99 Prime Video subscription. That said, for $16.99/month, NBA League Pass includes access to Prime Video games along with other out-of-market action.

Basketball streaming minimum monthly cost (in-market games): $35.94

Basketball streaming maximum monthly cost (in- and out-of-market games): $82.97

Say this for Major League Soccer: it’s got the most straightforward path to streaming matches. All you need to do is subscribe to Apple TV, and every single MLS match is available to view. You don’t even have to buy a separate season pass on top of the regular subscription fee, as you have in past seasons. Instead, Apple TV’s $12.99/monthly rate covers it all.

Soccer streaming monthly cost: $12.99

Getting a firm figure on what it costs to be a TV-watching sports fan these days isn’t simply a matter of toting up the figures across different sports. Seasons overlap, and a single service might provide access to games from multiple teams and leagues. The Philadelphia sports fan in our example could get a lot of Phillies, Flyers, and Sixers games for just $35.94 per month with a Peacock/NBC Sports Philadelphia bundle.

But not everyone’s going to be that lucky. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, which means I can also bundle an NBC regional sports network with my Peacock account. However, the San Jose Sharks are on a different RSN from the San Francisco Giants and Golden State Warriors — if I wanted to watch all three teams, I’d have to pay for two separate $17.95 add-ons each month on top of my regular Peacock subscription.

But the big burden on fans isn’t the cost of getting a basic package to see your favorite teams and sports in action. It’s the fact that, MLS aside, leagues are spreading their broadcast rights across multiple venues, forcing fans to scramble to make sure they can see all the games they want.

That’s costly in a couple of ways. This exercise of detailing how much each individual service costs shows how subscription fees can add up, making you feel like your budget is being slowly pecked into pieces. There’s also the administrative hassle of trying to keep all those subscriptions straight, remembering what to cancel once certain seasons are over, and when to renew once a new season gets underway.

It’s certainly true that we have more viewing options for sports than we did a few generations ago. But staring at the list of spiraling costs for streaming services, I’m not sure if it’s much of an improvement over the way things were.

The post The true cost of sports fandom in the streaming age appeared first on Awful Announcing.

In Season 3, Episode 9 of Portfolio Players presented by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley, entrepreneur and former Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban discusses the changing economics of sports ownership, the rise of NIL, and the evolving media landscape around professional leagues.

Cuban reflects on why he sold the Mavericks, what ownership looks like in today’s NBA compared to two decades ago, and whether he would ever consider buying the franchise again. He also shares how he became involved with Indiana athletics and NIL, including helping support quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

From sports betting partnerships and Vegas expansion to NBA Europe and shifting media consumption habits, Cuban offers a candid perspective on where leagues are headed next. He also explains why traditional TV ratings matter less than ever and why he believes the NBA should shorten games to improve the fan experience.

The post Mark Cuban Peels Back the Curtain appeared first on Front Office Sports.

In August of 2024, I published the first article I ever wrote for this site. It was a preview of Davis Fogle, Gonzaga’s most exciting incoming recruit, and I spent most of it arguing that fans should cool their expectations. Few rarely plays freshmen, I wrote. Fogle would probably come off the bench. He might have to learn a new position. He was closer to Dusty Stromer than Jalen Suggs. The hype, I implied, was getting ahead of the reality.

I wasn’t wrong exactly. But I wasn’t entirely right either, and the gap between those two things is, in retrospect, the most interesting part of Davis Fogle’s freshman season.

Fogle finished 2025-26 having played in all 30 games with one start, averaging 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 16.8 minutes per game on 51.8% shooting from the field and 35% from three. Those are solid numbers for a freshman coming off the bench, and they don’t fully capture what those of us who watched every game already know: Fogle didn’t just survive his first year in Spokane. He grew into it, steadily and visibly, until by March he was one of the more dangerous players on the floor in the WCC Tournament and a genuine factor in the NCAA’s first round. He enters his sophomore year with significant momentum and, among the people paying attention, a reputation as one of the more likely breakout candidates in the conference.

Davis Fogle’s freshman season happened in two distinct phases, and the dividing line between them was January 14, 2026, the day Braden Huff dislocated his left knee in practice.

Before Huff’s season-ending injury Fogle was a bucket-getter in blowouts. Through the opening stretch of the season, the 20z25-26 Zags looked like the deepest team Few had ever assembled, with nine different players averaging between 16 and 26 minutes per night. Fogle appeared in nine of the team’s first 13 games mainly in garbage time, averaging just eight minutes but nearly seven points per contest in that span. When he got bigger minutes he was hard to ignore: 45 points in 43 total minutes across three games against Texas Southern, Southern Utah, and North Florida, shooting 67.8% from the field. The honest read on those performances, though, was that they did not necessarily translate to tighter games, stiffer competition, or a bigger stage. On the year to that point, while he was lighting up teams in the final 10 minutes, he had also recorded four assists and five turnovers.

Before his injury, Huff was averaging 17.8 points per game on 66.2% shooting, leading the nation in total field goals. His absence created a scoring vacuum and, for Fogle, a path into meaningful minutes. January 22nd against Pepperdine: 17 points, 8-of-10 from the line. January 25th against SF: 15 points and 9 rebounds in 32 minutes, the first time Few trusted him in a close game. February 11th against WSU: 17 points, 8-of-11, three blocks, three steals, his most complete performance of the season. Over the 11 games following Huff’s injury, Fogle averaged 10.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.9 steals in 22.5 minutes, scoring in double figures six times.

Defensively, his length produced real results by the season’s post-Huff second half: 14 blocks and 21 steals on the year, a steal-to-turnover ratio of 1.1. The WCC Final against Santa Clara (13 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals in 27 minutes) was his broadest stat line of the year. Over the final 14 games including the postseason, he averaged 24 minutes and 11 points per game. That’s not a role player who found a niche. That’s a player who was, by March, one of the five most impactful guys on a 30-win team.

In the 2024 preview, I made several specific, falsifiable predictions about what fans could reasonably expect from Fogle. The bench call was correct. Fogle started one of 30 games and averaged 16.8 minutes. That’s roughly where my accuracy peaks.

I wrote that he was “skills-wise more akin to Dusty Stromer than he is Jalen Suggs,” and offered the Hunter Sallis scenario as a genuine risk: “a player of jaw-dropping potential who just never got comfortable with his role in the rotation.” Neither comparison held. Fogle shot 52% from the field in under 17 minutes a night, which is a player being selective and efficient, not a player searching for his footing. His scoring efficiency ranked fifth on the roster, ahead of veterans Braeden Smith, Tyon Grant-Foster, and Adam Miller. I spent a fair amount of words in that piece urging fans to temper their expectations. Fogle spent the season making me look like an idiot for it, and I couldn’t be happier about that.

The one prediction that held up was the Julian Strawther parallel, specifically that Fogle’s size and shooting profile would push him toward the wing regardless of how he was recruited. He’s still listed as a guard, but his 1.2 offensive rebounds per game in 17 minutes, his 14 blocks on the season, and the way his best scoring performances came in space rather than off ball screens all point to a player already functioning like a wing. That one I’ll take.

In 2024 I suggested that Davis Fogle was probably closer to Dusty Stromer than Jalen Suggs, urged reasonable expectations, and got humbled for it. So when I tell you the case for a breakout in 2026-27 is genuinely compelling, understand that I am a man who has learned his lesson.

Jalen Warley, Emmanuel Innocenti, Tyon Grant-Foster, Steele Venters, and Adam Miller are all gone. Fogle is understood to be one of the focal points of Gonzaga’s offense as a sophomore, expected to contribute in a much bigger way. He enters the year as a likely starter alongside a healthy Braden Huff and Mario Saint-Supery on a roster that will otherwise be extremely inexperienced and new to the system.

The Strawther parallel is worth taking seriously in this specific context. Strawther averaged 3.4 points per game as a freshman before stepping into the starting lineup as a sophomore and averaging 11.8 points and 5.4 rebounds. By his junior year he was averaging 15.2 points and 6.2 rebounds and went in the first round of the NBA Draft. That trajectory is precisely the arc Fogle is now positioned to follow, with the difference that Fogle’s freshman efficiency was already better than Strawther’s was at the same stage.

Since the season ended, Fogle has been putting up 500-600 shots per day and has been in the film room with assistant coach Stephen Gentry twice daily. His stated priorities are adding strength, refining his three-point shot, and deepening his film work. His 35% from three is functional but not yet a weapon. If that number climbs toward 40%, opposing defenses will have a significantly harder problem on their hands.

The one real caveat is the Pac-12. The competition is meaningfully stiffer than the WCC, and players who look dominant in one conference sometimes need an adjustment period in another. Fogle’s athleticism and finishing should translate. The three-point shot and defensive consistency will be tested more rigorously than they were last year.

The hype two years ago was not misplaced. It was just early.

Fogle’s 2027 NBA Draft stock has already been climbing, with scouts projecting him as a potential lottery pick if his three-point shooting develops. The consistent scouting concern is an inconsistent release from three and a frame that still needs to fill out. Those are fixable problems. If the sophomore season goes as expected, there is a real chance this is the last full year we get to watch him in a Gonzaga uniform.

Based on his late-season production, his projected starting role, and the departure of the veterans ahead of him, here is a reasonable stat line for 2026-27: 30-32 minutes a night, 15-17 points, 5-6 rebounds, 2.5-3 assists, shooting 48-52% from the field and somewhere in the 38-40% range from three if the offseason work pays off. His 3.1 rebounds per game in limited minutes last year already suggested someone with real instincts on the glass, and more floor time should push his rebounding numbers up significantly. The Pac-12 is a legitimate step up in competition, and a slight efficiency dip wouldn’t be surprising or alarming. What would be alarming is if the three-point shot didn’t improve, because a credible threat from deep is essentially a prerequisite for the next level.

Two years ago I wrote that Davis Fogle had “a tough row to hoe.” He did, and he hoed it. If the sophomore season goes the way the evidence suggests it might, I may be writing a very different kind of recap this time next year, probably one that includes the words “NBA Draft” and “lottery pick.” In the meantime, unlike I did in August of 2024, I am not going to be the one urging reasonable expectations for the 2026-27 season.

Welcome back to A Pod of Their Own, an all-women led Home Run Applesauce podcast where we talk all things Mets, social justice issues in baseball, and normalize female voices in the sports podcasting space. 

This week, we begin by discussing the Mets’ improved run of play in the month of May, mostly driven by the youth movement, and what it would take to believe again. We also talk about the sacrifices that needed to be made the injury gods to make it happen.

Next, we talk about the messy ex-Mets, particularly Edwin Díaz’s cockfighting ring. 

Finally, we wrap things up with Walk-off Wins, where each of us talks about what’s making us happy this week, baseball-related or otherwise. 

You can listen or subscribe to all of our wonderful Home Run Applesauce podcasts through Apple Podcasts, where we encourage you to leave a review if you enjoy the show. It really helps! And you can find us on the Stitcher app, Spotify, or listen wherever you get podcasts. You can also support our work by subscribing to our Patreon, which will get you bonus episodes, access to our Discord server, livestream experiences, an exclusive monthly playlist, and more!

You can follow A Pod of Their Own on Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky (@apodoftheirown) and you can follow Home Run Applesauce on Twitter and Instagram (@HRApplesauce). You can also follow our co-hosts on Twitter and Bluesky: Allison McCague (@PetitePhD), Maggie Wiggin (@maggie162), and LindaSurovich (@LindaSurovich). You can also email the show at aa.apodoftheirown@gmail.com. 

Look for A Pod of Their Own in your feeds every week and don’t forget: there’s no crying in podcasting!

Diamondbacks get production from entire lineup in win over Giants by Alex Weiner [Arizona Sports]

Not to be lost on Monday was a solid performance from D-backs starter Zac Gallen, who delivered his first quality start (six-plus innings, three earned runs or fewer) since April 1. That was the game when he blanked the Detroit Tigers for six innings, outdueling Tarik Skubal.

Gallen allowed two runs in the first three innings but settled down, retiring the final seven batters he faced. He only threw 81 pitches in the blowout.

Arenado’s 1st inning slam sets the tone in D-backs 10-run win by Steve Gilbert [DBacks.com]

Everyone got into the act with each member of the starting lineup collecting at least one hit, as the Diamondbacks won for the fourth time in their last five games.

Nolan Arenado set the tone with a grand slam as the fourth batter in the first inning, and Gabriel Moreno added a two-run shot in the fifth.

Diamondbacks’ A.J. Puk to start facing live hitters in big step toward return by Alex Weiner [Arizona Sports]

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher A.J. Puk is scheduled to face live hitters at Salt River Fields on Tuesday, the first time he will do so since undergoing elbow surgery last summer, manager Torey Lovullo said on Monday.

Puk entered 2025 as a co-closer with Justin Martinez, and they along with starter Corbin Burnes made up the big three, so-to-speak, of key pitchers who needed season-ending elbow surgeries. Puk is ahead of Martinez (potentially August) and Burnes (July target) on their respective return timelines.

If all goes well on Tuesday, Puk could return to game action this weekend in the Arizona Complex League.

Examining five struggling D-backs: Reasons for optimism and concern by Brent Maguire [DBacks.com]

Zac Gallen, RHP

Reasons for optimism: Gallen has a 5.65 ERA in nine starts but he still has plenty of time to turn it around. The velocity and pitch movement are largely in line with his career norms and he’s still only 30, so there aren’t many physical reasons to fret too much. Even with the decline he’s shown in recent years, he’s never been this bad, and some ERA indicators (4.69 FIP, 4.51 xFIP) suggest he should be a bit better.

Reasons for concern: That aforementioned decline is hard to ignore at this point. His ERA and overall production has consistently regressed each season since his peak from 2022-23 and there are even more worrying trends this year. His strikeout rate is at a career-low 15 percent (he’s never been below 21.5 percent in a season) as is his 18.5 percent whiff rate. Until the whiffs come back, Gallen will likely continue to struggle.

D-backs, Mike Hazen Make 6-Figure Donation to Ivy Brain Tumor Center by Alex D’Agostino [SI]

Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen, in partnership with the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation and the Barrow Women’s Board, will present a sizable donation to the Ivy Brain Tumor Center and Dr. Nader Sanai during Monday night’s pre-game festivities, the team announced in a press release.

Mike Hazen, alongside his sons John and Sam Hazen, will take the opportunity to honor late wife and mother Nicole Hazen, who tragically passed away from a brain tumor in 2022. The donation will be worth $200,000, as part of Brain Tumor Awareness night at Chase Field.

How the Hall of Pretty Good became your favorite players’ favorite account by Michael Clair [MLB]

Like a modern Mount Olympus, the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s doors open only to the greatest of the greats, those remarkable ballplayers who stood out from their big league brethren the way the Greek gods towered over us mere mortals.

But for those players who didn’t put together the numbers necessary to reach Cooperstown, they no longer need worry about being forgotten by time’s cruel march forward. Enter: The Hall of Pretty Good.

Yes, in a world where social media seems hellbent on division and discord, there is one place on the internet that is a bastion of baseball positivity. It’s a place where fans and their ballplaying heroes can unite, sharing memories together in the Hall of Pretty Good’s comment section — a space traditionally reserved for only the foulest of trolls.

Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong regrets words in heated exchange with fan by Jesse Rogers [ESPN]

The incident occurred in the fifth inning after Crow-Armstrong crashed into the wall attempting to catch a fly ball off the bat of White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas. As Crow-Armstrong sat on the ground — in front of fans seated below the bleachers and near the visitors bullpen — a woman heckled him, leading to a vulgar response from the Cubs’ third-year player.

The interaction was captured by camera phones and went viral.

“I saw the cameras in my face, it’s not like I didn’t,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I’m definitely aware of the fact that it has blown up. … I am intense on the field. In a moment like that, I think I let it get away from me a little bit.”

Everybody Who’s Anybody is Getting Loose Bodies, and Now It’s Blake Snell’s Turn by Jay Jaffe [FanGraphs]

It would be inaccurate to say that that Blake Snell saw what teammate Edwin Díaz and fellow two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal both had and decided he wanted in. Clusters of injuries, such as the wave of broken hamate bones from this spring or the more recent outbreak of loose bodies in pitchers’ elbows, are just coincidences instead of sudden fads or outbreaks. Nonetheless, like Díaz and Skubal before him, Snell will undergo surgery on Tuesday, with the expectation that he’ll return this season.

Rangers Place Corey Seager on Injury List by Darragh McDonald [MLB Trade Rumors]

The Rangers announced that shortstop Corey Seager has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 15th, due to lower back inflammation. Infielder/outfielder Michael Helman has been recalled as the corresponding move. Prior to the official announcement, president of baseball operations Chris Young revealed the Seager news on 105.3 The Fan, per Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News and Kennedi Landry of MLB.com noted that Helman was with the club in Colorado.

It’s been a rough campaign for Seager so far. He currently has a batting line of .179/.286/.353. His defensive metrics are also notably worse than last year. He last played on Wednesday, with the back issue keeping him sidelined since then. It was reported yesterday that he had undergone an MRI and would be visiting a specialist. It appears the Rangers decided that he could use a bit more time off. Due to the backdating, he could be back in a week, though it’s unclear if that’s a realistic expectation.

You can’t really call a game in mid-May with the team still in comfortable playoff position and only two games behind the leaders a “must win,” but for vibes reasons, the Yankees sure could’ve used a victory on Monday. They got one, but it was quite the nerve-wracker.

For one, they had to come from behind, taking a lead on a Jazz Chisholm Jr. home run off the foul pole. Then after Sunday’s adventure, they still called on David Bednar for the save, but he made things as stressful as possible before getting Vladmir Guerrero Jr. — of all people — to ground out to end the game.

With the Yankees at least halting their woes for the day, let’s see if the win allowed them to gain any ground anywhere, as it’s time for today’s Rivalry Roundup.

Unfortunately for the Yankees, the Rays stayed hot, as they scored early and often to crush the Orioles.

Tampa Bay took an initial lead on Ryan Vilade’s sac fly in the first inning, but they fully broke things open in the second. The Rays batted around, recording five runs on six hits and a walk. The biggest blow came on a two-run double from Johnny DeLuca, which took the lead from four to six.

Baltimore got on the board themselves after that, but the Rays, answered and then kept the offense coming. They cracked double digits by the fifth inning and ended up with 16 runs on 18 hits for the game. Both Yandy Díaz and Junior Caminero had four-RBI days, with Díaz going 4-for-5, while only one Tampa Bay starter failed to reach base at least once.

On the mound, Shane McClanahan wasn’t even particularly good, allowing four runs in five innings. The Orioles’ six runs on 12 hits would be enough to win plenty of games, it just didn’t come particularly close in this one.

• Cleveland Guardians (27-22) 8, Detroit Tigers (20-28) 2: While the Tigers struck first, the Guardians slowly and surely pulled away to gain more breathing room in the AL Central. José Ramírez was, well, José Ramírez, going 3-for-4 with a walk and three RBI, including a late home run to put the game away. The Guardians also got 7.1 good innings from Slade Cecconi, who allowed only two runs on five hits.

• Boston Red Sox (20-27) 3, Kansas City Royals (20-28) 1: Willson Contreras’ two-run homer led the way for Boston as they won a low-scoring game over the Royals. Sonny Gray was also solid on the mound for the Red Sox, allowing just one run in six innings, while striking out nine.

• Colorado Rockies (19-29) 7, Texas Rangers (22-25) 6: The Rangers made a charge late, but they ended up falling one run short against the Rockies. Led by Ezequiel Tovar and Brenton Doyle, the Rockies jumped out to a 7-3 lead through six innings. Texas chipped away at that deficit in the eighth, getting within one run, and putting the go-ahead run in scoring position, but were unable to complete the comeback.

• Seattle Mariners (23-26) 6, Chicago White Sox (24-23): The Mariners cooled off the hot White Sox thanks to a strong outing from Bryan Woo. The Seattle starter allowed no runs on three hits in six innings, while a three-RBI game from recent call-up Colt Emerson, including his first major league hit/home run, allowed the M’s to win without much trouble.

Memphis is serving up plenty of fun this summer with the return of the Memphis Classic at Leftwich Tennis Center! Taking place July 25 through August 2, the WTA 250 tournament is part of the WTA Tour’s U.S. summer hard-court season and will bring world-class women’s tennis back to the Mid-South. Organizers recently released first-look renderings of the temporary stadium, along with plans for custom touches designed to make the fan experience even better. And honestly? We’re already ready to grab a courtside seat.

Meant to be one of the largest sporting events in Memphis this year, the return of elite women’s tennis to the 901 is a major win for the city’s sports and entertainment landscape. Taking place at the start of the U.S. summer hard-court season, the tournament will feature eight days of premium-level matches while showcasing what organizers hope will be a world-class atmosphere unique to Memphis.

“The Memphis Classic will deliver eight days of elite competition, creating new opportunities for fans, partners, and the community to connect with the global game,” says Sam Duvall with Topnotch Management, who counts the Memphis Classic among its portfolio of tennis events produced nationwide.

The temporary stadium buildout at Leftwich Tennis Center will include seating for more than 2,000 spectators, along with premium hospitality experiences such as VIP suites, end-court suites, and exclusive courtside boxes.

This increased capacity offers a more intimate atmosphere, high energy, and closer seats to the action. The buildout is part of a long-term goal to cement Memphis as a “must-stop” on the professional tennis circuit, and it’s well on its way!

“Memphis knows pro tennis, and we are so excited to bring it back. No pun intended, but it really was a perfect match,” says Cara Greenstein, VP Public Engagement of DCA Memphis. “We chose this market for many reasons, one of which is how great a facility Leftwich is. It’s a perfect foundation with practice courts and plenty of room for hospitality, and from there we’ll construct our custom-built grandstand stadium for the matches themselves.”

Along with the stadium reveal, The Memphis Classic launched a limited-time “First Come, First Served” premium ticket deposit program.

Courtside box and premium tickets are now on sale, with weekend-long options for tennis matches that include perks like priority access for next year’s tickets, VIP lounge access, appetizers and snacks, and much more. Tickets go on sale May 20, and the player draw will be announced four weeks before the tournament.

For longtime tennis fans in Memphis, the tournament (operated by Topnotch Management in partnership with Tennis Memphis and a coalition of civic and corporate partners) marks the highly anticipated return of professional women’s tennis to the Bluff City.

Tennis Memphis is also involved in expanding the sport citywide. This local organization offers year-round tennis and educational programming for kids and adults through after-school programs, free clinics, outreach and inclusion efforts, and USTA programming.

It’s one of only 10 organizations nationwide selected as a USTA Community Impact Hub and currently manages seven City of Memphis public tennis centers, including Leftwich Tennis Center, where the Memphis Classic will take place.

“Across the eight days of exhibitions and programming (which includes both a Kids Day and College Night), attendees can expect local vendors and partners, from food and beverage to live entertainment,” Cara tells us. “Volunteers are also invited to submit their interest now to support guest services, credentials, and even ball persons on the court.”

Game, set, match!

**********

To find out more about what’s happening in and around Memphis, subscribe to StyleBlueprint!

Welcome to Tuesday everyone!

We were treated to some grade-A pitching last night from young right-hander J.T. Ginn. For eight innings the 26-year-old only allowed one walk while taking a no-hitter into the ninth. We’re going to ignore what happened in the final inning from last night’s game because we can.

That performance dropped Ginn’s season ERA to a nice 2.98 through 11 games. That number alone is good for ninth-best in the American League but his dominance goes deeper than that. One must remember that Ginn didn’t even begin the season in the starting rotation, instead acting as a long man out of the bullpen for the first couple turns through the rotation. If we’re only looking at his starting appearances that number drops to 2.64 in eight starts.

Not a lot of people expected Ginn to take off quite like he has this year. In his first cup of coffee in 2024 he showed glimpses of what had the A’s so high on him. He had some bumps and bruises in his first extended action last year though, going from starter to reliever and back to starter again as a rookie. Not an easy situation for anyone to deal with, especially someone who is still trying to find their footing in the big leagues. Add on top of that Ginn allowing 17 runs in 16 innings of work this spring and no one would blame you for being caught off guard by Ginn’s ascent.

Since getting his shot he’s done what tons of pitchers in this league try and fail to accomplish: take advantage of their opportunity. Ginn could have very easily been a spot-starter had he struggled, with someone like Mason Barnett waiting in the wings for his own chance. Instead he’s relied on terrific command while keeping the ball in the ballpark. The strikeouts aren’t the name of his game as he’s instead relying on that heavy sinker to get the ground balls he wants. That’s especially useful in a hitter’s park like Sutter Health Park.

Going forward it’s good to be hopeful that Ginn has truly unlocked something and this isn’t just a hot streak. Every A’s fan was perfectly happy to let Ginn go for history tonight, pitch count be damned. That said, it may be prudent to keep a handle on his innings count going forward. Acquired in the trade that sent Chris Bassitt to New York, Ginn already has a Tommy John surgery on his ledger and he pitched a career-high 112 1/3 frames last year. He’s already departed one game earlier this year with “arm soreness”.

How high is the limit for Ginn? Scouts always believes he would, at best, settle in as a backend 4th/5th starter type but he’s making everyone rethink that calculus. And if he keeps this up he’s going to be in the rotation long-term, waiting for guys like Gage Jump and Jamie Arnold to hurry up and join him in the big league rotation.

Same time same place for tonight’s game. Have a great day A’s fans.

• A’s Suffer Heartbreaker to Open Road Trip
• ‘Gut-wrenching’: Ginn takes no-no into ninth only to give up walk-off home run
• Athletics Outright Michael Stefanic
• A’s Bullpen, Defense Collapse in Series-Deciding Loss to Giants
• How John Fisher betrayed Oakland (again) by finally spending on the Athletics
• A’s Drop Saturday Contest To Giants 6-4
• Kurtz Blasts the A’s to a 5-2 Victory Over the Giants
• The Giants-A’s rivalry is officially dead
• A’s get lefty reliever Suarez in trade with Mariners
• Bolte Flashes In Athletics’ Win Over Cardinals
• Kurtz shakes off pain, crushes massive grand slam to lift A’s
• A’s roster moves: Bolte, Stefanic recalled; Wilson to IL; Harris optioned, Nuñez DFA’d
• There’s Forcing Your Way Up And There’s Bolte — Is There A Spot For Him?
• May Roster Shuffle Could Help The A’s — But They’d Have To Want It
• Athletics’ Wei-En Lin Continues Rising The Ranks
• Now that we’ve seen a two-way player, what about a three-way player?
• A Walk In The Park Is Nice…To A Point
• Three Things To Watch For The Athletics In May

• Dodgers’ Glasnow has setback; Snell set for NanoScope procedure
• Yankees consider bringing ace Gerrit Cole back early
• Seager placed on injured list with lower back inflammation
• Houston Astros Activate Star Shortstop Jeremy Peña
• Jake Fraley To Undergo Sports Hernia Procedure
• Rangers’ MacKenzie Gore leaves with muscle tightness in back
• Kyle Teel Shut Down With LCL Sprain
• Nationals To Recall Dylan Crews
• Mets achieve rare extra-inning feat not seen in 43 years
• Today in Baseball History

Injury updates!

Updated prospect list:

Stefanic heading down to Triple-A:

The streak continues:

It’s pretty good:

A’s great Gio Urshela riding off into the sunset:

Over the next six weeks — every Tuesday and Thursday through late June — I’ll have a first look opponent preview for each of WVU’s 12 regular season opponents. I’ve been digging through spring game footage, press conference transcripts, and whatever else I could find to get a real idea of who these teams are right now, before depth charts get shuffled in August and everything changes anyway.

We’re starting with the season opener. Here’s your First Look at Coastal Carolina.

When: Saturday, September 5, 2026

Where: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, West Virginia

Series Record: West Virginia and Coastal Carolina have only met once — a 31-0 WVU shutout in the 2010 season opener, back when the Chanticleers were still an FCS program.

2025 Record: 6-7 (5-3 Sun Belt)

Head Coach: Ryan Beard (1st year)

Tim Beck went 8-5 in his first year at Coastal Carolina, won the Hawaii Bowl, and then went 6-6 twice in a row and got fired the day after the regular season finale. Ryan Beard was hired less than two weeks later and while roster turnover with a new coaching staff is expected, Coastal didn’t hemorrhage players the way most programs do. Beard painted his “out-hit, out-hustle” message everywhere around the Chants’ facility, and by all accounts it landed and the energy around the program feels genuinely different from the Beck years.

Off the field, it appears Beard has done everything right so far. On it, there are still a lot of questions.

Coastal’s offensive line is unsettled with two projected starters missing all of spring due to injury. The quarterback competition features four guys learning the offense — Missouri State transfer Deuce Bailey, FCS transfer Tre Guerra, Arkansas transfer Trever Jackson, and freshman Osiris Lopez — and Beard says no clear frontrunner has emerged. The offense is run by Nick Petrino, who made the move with Beard from Missouri State and operates the same system his father Bobby made famous — and who also happens to be Ryan Beard’s brother-in-law. Petrino has acknowledged he’s still figuring out his own personnel as much as his players are figuring out the scheme. Receiver Tristan Gardner projects as the alpha in the passing game, with Robby Washington and Clayton Coppock Jr. behind him, and Dominic Knicely looks like the early frontrunner at running back.

The one unit that looks the most legit for Coastal right now is their defensive front. Defensive coordinator L.D. Scott rebuilt the d-line almost from scratch, bringing Mitchell Toney and Ahmad Poole with him from Missouri State and leaning on Ibrahim Diawara as the unit’s veteran anchor and de facto team leader all spring. They’re physical and can generate interior pressure. Scott switched his scheme from a 3-3-5 to a 4-2-5 specifically to get more athleticism on the field, and linebacker Se’Von McDowell said he feels more comfortable in the two-linebacker set. The Chants’ defensive front should be one of the better units in the Sun Belt by September.

There are a couple storylines worth knowing beyond the X’s and O’s. Zeke Durham-Campbell transferred to WVU from Coastal this offseason after posting 5.5 sacks for the Chanticleers last season. He’ll be lining up against his former team, who already know exactly what he can do. On the other side, Obinna Onwuka, one of Coastal’s defensive ends, previously played for the Mountaineers. He was a part of Neal Brown’s last recruiting class. Also worth noting, Grayson McCall, the quarterback who piloted Coastal’s 11-1 run in 2021, is now on Beard’s staff.

A new staff, an unsettled offensive line, and four quarterbacks competing for one job is too much uncertainty for a road opener. The Mountaineers’ defense should be able to create havoc and force Coastal into a hole the offense can’t climb out of. If WVU’s offensive line holds up, this one’s comfortable by the fourth quarter.

West Virginia 34, Coastal Carolina 14

We’ve looked at the forwards and the defense; now, we’ll examine the final and, as some may argue, the most critical position for both the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights: goaltending.

Projected Starter: Scott Wedgewood

Projected Backup: Mackenzie Blackwood

The tandem effort of Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood powered the Avalanche to the top of the NHL for the near entirety of the NHL regular season, but it’s been Scott Wedgewood who has emerged as Jared Bednar’s go-to netminder for the Avs’ 2026 playoff run. Wedgewood, who’s had a storybook year as one-half of the Jennings Trophy winning duo for Colorado, has put together an impressive, albeit small, body of work. On the eve of his first Western Conference Final as a starter, Wedgewood’s 2.21 goals against average and .914 save percentage rank seventh and sixth, respectively among playoff goaltenders. His only blemish was the 5-1 loss in Game Three to Minnesota, which snapped a six consecutive win streak that stretched over a first round sweep of the Los Angeles Kings and halfway through the second round against the Minnesota Wild.

Not bad for a goaltender who never started in a playoff game before.

The solid play of Wedgewood has limited Blackwood to relief duties to this point in the Avs playoff run. To his credit, Blackwood provided stability in a critical Game Four, stopping 19 of 22 shots to put the Avs in position to eliminate Minnesota two nights later. Unfortunately, a flaccid first period by the Avs in Game Five spelled an early exit for Blackwood, but a vastly improved effort by the Avs—and seven saves by the returning Wedgewood—led to the eventual knockout blow in overtime. Without Blackwood’s solid play in Minnesota, things could have played out much differently. Even though he got the hook in Game Five, his efforts in Game Four played a pivotal role in the Avs success in the second round.

Thanks to the Avs making quick work of their opponents, Wedgewood’s 435 minutes of game time puts him at ninth overall among playoff goaltenders. However, two other active goaltenders, Montréal’s Jakub Dobeš and Vegas’ Carter Hart (more on him later) have played more postseason minutes. Despite playing fewer games than Hart through two rounds, the reduced workload could favor Wedgewood and the Avs if this series goes the distance.

With only one postseason loss, and an incredible comeback win to close out Minnesota, Wedgewood certainly shouldn’t be lacking in confidence heading into this series against Vegas. Wedgewood is undefeated on Ball Arena in postseason play, and both of his regular season victories over Vegas—including another remarkable 6-5 comeback win—took place at T-Mobile Arena. Should he stumble, the Avs have the option to go to Blackwood for that opportunity to reset.

Just don’t expect the reset to last for very long.

Projected Starter: Carter Hart

Projected Backup: Adin Hill

When Vegas succeeded Colorado as Stanley Cup champions in 2023, they did so off an incredible run by Adin Hill. Three years later, injuries limited Hill to twenty-seven regular season games, and controversial free agent signee Carter Hart has since guided Vegas into the playoffs. Hart’s signing back in October certainly raised eyebrows, but his play in the postseason has paid dividends for a franchise that leans into controversy instead of shying away from it.

Hart has started all twelve playoff games for Vegas and is tied with Dobeš and Carolina’s Frederik Anderson for the lead in playoff wins (8). Having defeated both Utah and Anaheim in consecutive six game series, Hart has compiled a 8-4 record as he makes his first appearance in a Western Conference Final. His 2.37 goals against average and .917 save percentage eighth and fifth, respectively, among playoff goaltenders. Going head to head by these numbers, Hart fares slightly worse than Wedgewood when it comes to GAA, but owns a slightly better save percentage.

Hart’s 322 total saves also ranks second to Dobeš (363) among playoff goaltenders. While this certainly is an impressively high number, the problem is that it is an impressively high number: while Wedgewood’s 171 total saves—eighth among playoff goaltenders—can be attributed to playing fewer games through two rounds, Hart’s total also points seeing an average of just over 29 shots per game. With Colorado averaging over 31 shots on goaltenders per game in these playoffs, Hart will continue to stay busy in this series. Staying busy hasn’t been an issue for Hart (yet), as his 758 minutes of playing time trails only Dobeš among playoff goaltenders (858).

Despite the high save volume, Hart didn’t get off to the best start in the first round. He gave up nineteen goals against Utah—including four goals in three consecutive games—compared to the six goals allowed by Wedgewood in Colorado’s first round sweep of Los Angeles. He improved through the second round, however, limiting Anaheim to two goals or less in each of his wins. Despite allowing twelve total goals in the series against Anaheim, this figure bests both Wedgewood and Blackwood’s seventeen allowed goals against Minnesota.

Hill, who last played on April 9 (a 4-3 shootout decision over Seattle), could be pressed into service should Hart struggle against the potent Colorado offense. If Vegas is forced to roll the dice on Hill, it wouldn’t be the worst gamble to turn back to the goaltender that backstopped them to their first championship. Hill has met the pressure of the moment before, and already knows the expectations to meet that moment again.

Stepping into that moment, especially against the playoff juggernaut that is the Colorado Avalanche isn’t for the faint of…heart.

This group of articles will take a look at the newly released Panthers schedule, review the opponents, and take our best guess at predicting the outcomes of each game. Here, we’re starting with the second “quarter” of the schedule, the second four games just after the Week 5 bye.

The Eagles are a tough team to figure out this year. They drafted Makai Lemon in the first round and added a couple other wide receivers, and rumors are swirling about AJ Brown’s impending trade. They also added to an already elite front four by trading for former Vikings pass rusher Jonathan Greenard and retaining Nolan Smith. Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean are young superstars, and the team added Riq Woolen in free agency to bolster that group even more. While Nakobe Dean walked in free agency, the team drafted Jihaad Campbell last year to help fill that void. Eli Stowers was drafted as well, combining with Dallas Goedert to make a quality tight end group.

The Eagles are always talented, but oftentimes they are a bit Jekyll and Hyde. This might continue this year as Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni are still in town. Their defense is still elite, especially along the line and in the secondary. Saquon Barkley is not exactly in his prime, but Tank Bigsby was added as depth. DeVonta Smith combines with the other pass catchers to make a deep and versatile group. Any time a player of AJ Brown’s caliber leaves your team, however, there is bound to be some growing pains.

Final: Eagles 24 – Panthers 13

A couple notorious Panthers killers are no longer in Tampa Bay as Lavonte David retired and Mike Evans and Rachaad White left in free agency. They did add quite a bit to their defense, though, signing veterans Alex Anzalone and A’Shawn Robinson. They also drafted Rueben Bain and Josiah Trotter. Baker Mayfield and the coaching staff is mostly intact from last year, though they do have yet another new offensive coordinator. Todd Bowles is undoubtedly on the hot seat, however.

The Bucs do still have some talent, including Vita Vea plugging up the middle with Calijah Kancey. Ted Hurst was drafted in the third round to help replace the loss of Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin should be back healthy this season after missing a good chunk of last year.

Final: Panthers 28 – Buccaneers 20

The Panthers second prime time game of the year is a Thursday night game at Lambeau. Luckily it’s early enough in the season that the weather should not be too bad. The Packers lost a couple wide receivers in Romeo Doubbs and Dontayvion Wicks. Rashan Gary was traded this offseason, largely because the team hopes Micah Parsons will be back and fully healthy at some point this season. Jordan Love is still the man under center, but they also added Tyrod Taylor as a fully capable backup.

The team largely revolves around Love and that dynamic offense. Christian Watson is joined by second year receiver Matthew Golden, free agent Skyy Moore in the receiver room. A relatively weak secondary was addressed in the draft by taking Brandon Cisse and in free agency by signing Benjamin St-Juste. The depth at edge is also a bit of a weakness, especially with Parsons coming back from a torn ACL. The Packers are also going through some transitions on the offensive line, which could cause some issues. Starting left tackle Rasheed Walker left for the Panthers and Elgton Jenkins left in free agency as well.

Final: Packers 27 – Panthers 23

The Denver Broncos surprised a lot of people last year, ripping off a 14-3 record largely led by their elite defense. To help on offense, the team added Jaylen Waddle and JK Dobbins. Bo Nix is still under center, and old nemesis Sean Payton and his permanent duck face is still the head coach. The team also still has a very good offensive line together, which will be important with Nix coming off a major ankle injury. The Broncos did not have a pick this year until the third round, so an influx of big name young players did not happen.

The Broncos still have possibly the best defense in the league, especially in the secondary. Pat Surtain II is about as good as it gets at corner (along with Jaycee Horn). The additions made on offense should make that group more reliable and explosive, though Bo Nix could experience a regression especially coming off an injury. Overall, the Broncos are a very talented roster, and their 14-3 record wasn’t much of a fluke.

Final: Panthers 23 – Broncos 20

While NFL teams don’t get to outright choose which international game they want to play it, it’s clear the Detroit Lions made a push in 2026 to get the game in Munich. They already had international marketing rights in Germany, Amon-Ra St. Brown is an instant draw to the local crowd given his German roots, and the Lions were overdue for an international trip given their last overseas game was in 2015.

So, as the NFL said on a conference call last Friday, the Lions (via president Rod Wood) and the league essentially came to an agreement.

“We knew that Germany game was going to be a mere two weeks before Thanksgiving, and it was important enough to Rod, to the organization, to our international folks, certainly to your wide receiver [St. Brown] that it made a lot of sense for the Lions to play in that Germany game,” NFL vice president of broadcasting planning Mike North said.

But that choice came with a price for the Lions. With the game so close to their annual Thanksgiving Day game, it meant the league was almost certainly not going to give them a bye week following their international trip, setting up a tough 12-day stretch that includes three games and an intercontinental flight. This was a risk the Lions were apparently well aware of and okay with. Wood only asked that after their Thanksgiving game, that the Lions would not have to play another Thursday game. That way, they’d at least have a mini-bye. That request was granted by the league.

The question becomes whether that trade-off was worth it. Should the Lions have pushed for a different international game and potentially been given a bye week? Or did Rod Wood make the best out of a tough situation? One thing to consider: only three of 16 teams playing an international game this year will get a bye week immediately the game.

We debate that all on this week’s PODcast, where we break down all of the Lions’ 2026 schedule, make some record predictions, and even talk about Detroit’s schedule release video.

Catch the episode in the Spotify embed below, or on your favorite podcasting platform by searching “Pride of Detroit.” Don’t forget to give us a review on Apple Podcasts, as we try to reach 1,000 reviews by the start of the season.

You can also catch the video portion of our podcast on our YouTube and Twitch pages.

Back on October 9th of last year, an announcement came from the Atlanta Braves that may not have raised a ton of eyebrows at the time. However the effects of that move are being felt right now in a very noticeable way in the team’s farm system.

That move in question is the Braves parting ways with Paul Davis, who had been the team’s director of pitching development since 2020. Davis was there for the rise of pitchers like Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Hurston Waldrep among others who have already established themselves in the big leagues, and the likes of JR Ritchie, Didier Fuentes, Jhancarlos Lara, and Owen Murphy who are now right there or just on the doorstep.

How big of an impact is this move having? Well let’s take a look at the ERA’s of the Braves full season affiliates for this year against the last few years to give you a better idea. Note that the FCL isn’t being mentioned due to the small sample size, and the DSL is yet to begin their season.

2021 was a team 3.72 ERA, 2022 was a 4.37 ERA, 2023 was 4.95, 2024 was 4.33, and 2025 was 4.07. Through 45 games the ERA is 4.33 this year. Note this is probably the level least effected, as a lot of these guys are more veterans than true prospects.

2025 had a 3.92 ERA, and is as far as we will go back here as the team was in Mississippi before 2025, and different park factors are at play. This year the ERA is 5.60 through 38 games, or almost 2 full runs higher than last year.

2021 was a 3.97 ERA, as was 2022. In 2023 it was 4.09, followed by 3.47 in 2024. Last year it was 3.72. Through 39 games it is 4.82 this year, more than a full run higher than two of the five previous years and almost a full run higher than two more.

2021 had a 5.11 ERA, which went down to 4.52 in 2022. In 2023 it was 4.41, then 4.04 in 2024. Last year it was at 3.70. Through 39 games it is 4.65 this year, which is quite a bit higher than four of the five years we have looked at.

It’s not just the affiliates that have struggled this year. In fact multiple Braves pitching prospects have seen their results go backwards as well, without many making the big leap in their development.

Jhancarlos Lara is pitching to a 9.28 ERA in Double-A and walking nearly two guys per inning through 10.2 innings. Fellow Columbus reliever Elison Joseph has also seen the walks skyrocket, while dropping nearly four off his K/9 total from the same level last year, and hasn’t looked to have the same stuff.

While it’s not an apples to apples comparison since he spent last year in Low-A and is in High-A this year, Cam Caminiti has also seemed to regress a bit. Cam is missing less bats, while giving up nearly 10 hits per nine innings pitched. Fellow top prospect Owen Murphy is in a similar boat, facing better competition this year and struggling more with his command than we had ever seen from him.

The examples there could go on and on, like Lucas Braun missing less bats. After making his big league debut last year following complete domination across the minors, Hayden Harris is walking guys at a career high rate and has 1.64 WHIP in 17.2 innings. Sixth round pick Landon Beidelschies is giving up almost two hits per inning in Low-A. Even Garrett Baumann is having more issues with his command than we’ve previously ever seen from him, leading to more hits and walks allowed than we’ve ever seen from him.

It may or may not have been the right call to move on from Davis after last season ended, as the pitching injuries had been an issue for the past couple of seasons for young Braves pitchers. However the changes they have made have had the opposite effect to date, and the Braves are going to need to take a really close look at this as soon as possible, in order to do something to right the ship and not cost all of these pitching prospects a year of lost development.

Note that I initially wrote this article last week, and over the last four to five games, things have gone slightly better overall. Team ERA’s have actually dropped by a little, while some of the individual pitchers have actually improved their numbers a bit – Lara, Baumann, and Cade Kuehler in particular. Still to this point, we have seen far more pitchers take a step backwards this year than forwards – really only Ethan Bagwell seems to have taken a step forward, and some of that is simply on the fact he is now healthy again after dealing with injury last season.

Newcastle United are monitoring PSG striker Goncalo Ramos as they look to strengthen the forward corps this summer.

“Newcastle are keeping tabs on Ramos’ availability as he struggles to nail down a consistent starting berth with the Parisians,” Football Insider reported on May 10.

The striker has struggled to secure a consistent role at Paris Saint-Germain, prompting interest from clubs seeking attacking reinforcements. However, that doesn’t mean the Champions League reigning champions and finalists will give him away for free.

“PSG will only allow Goncalo Ramos to leave for a sizeable fee this summer as Newcastle United eye a move for his services,” the report says. “He’s under contract until 2028 at PSG, so it wouldn’t be a cheap deal to do either because they’d be looking to recoup a huge transfer fee for Ramos.”

Eddie Howe’s side are expected to prioritize a forward addition after issues in front of goal this season, with the trio of Will Osula, Yoanne Wissa, and Nick Woltemade underperforming wildly.

“Eddie Howe wants to bolster his attacking ranks in the summer window as Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa have each failed to score regularly,” the report adds.

PSG bought Ramos from Benfica for €65 million in Jan. 2024 following a loan spell at Paris the prior few months.

Running the football is etched into the culture of the Seattle Seahawks. Whether its Curt Warner, Shaun Alexander, Ricky Watters, Marshawn Lynch, or recent Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, the Seahawks have had their offense go through the run game. With that comes the need for offensive lineman who create holes for the running backs to run through. In the 2025 draft, the Seahawks added Grey Zabel, Mason Richman, and Bryce Cabeldue to help establish that stout offensive line. In 2026, the Seahawks traded up into the 5th round and used their 4th pick in the draft on Iowa guard Beau Stephens to continue to add to the offensive line.

As the video above shows, Beau can definitely assist in the run, with Iowa being a run heavy team. Emory Hunt notes in his Draft Guide that Beau, “Does a good job of using the defender’s momentum against him, will effectively wash/escort him to the side in which he’s going, clearing out space in the run game.”

The question is, though, is how well will Beau fit in with the Seahawks? In my continued series on deep diving into the Seahawks draft picks, we will take a look at Beau and what he brings to the team.

Beau coming to Seattle is reunited with fellow Iowa offensive lineman Mason Richman, which will help settle in with the team. That continuity and connection with a college teammate seems to be something that coach Mike Macdonald does key in on, with Zabel and Jalen Sundell being a recent example of that. It has worked out in the Seahawks favor, going from ranking around 32nd in 2024 to 15th per PFF in 2025. It is not all on Zabel and Sundell; offensive line coach John Benton, assistant offensive line coach Justin Outten and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak had a lot to do with the offensive line’s success. It is true, though, that continuity is big in an offensive line’s success, and having Zabel and Sundell play side-by-side definitely played a part. Bringing Beau into the Seahawks and reuniting with Richman will continue on with that philosophy.

Another note is scheme fit. Iowa runs a wide zone offense, which is the kind of offensive scheme that Mike wants the Seahawks to run. He hired Klint with that in mind in 2025, and did the same with new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury. Beau will have a smooth transition with learning the scheme. He did not allow a single sack the last three seasons, and allowed no quarterback hits and only four hurries in 2025. Beau also ranked in the 89th percentile in zone run-blocking grade, which is a hand-in-glove fit for the Seahawks. He will have to compete at right guard, with Zabel solidly situated at starting left guard. With Anthony Bradford on the last year of his deal, Cabeldue, Beau, Christian Haynes, and Richman will all be pushing him for that position. It is a deep competition, with Bradford having won the starting position each of the last two years with two different coaches. With Beau’s physicality and refined technique, he will have a chance to become a contender for starting RG.

While it will be tough for the rookie to become a year one starter, it is within the realm of possibility. He was a part of the Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line, which is awarded to the best offensive line in college football, and Beau was a central part of its success. At 6’5” and 315lbs, he is around the archetype of offensive lineman Mike wants on the team (average on the Seahawksis around 6’4” and 311lbs with a few outliers). With a Relative Athletic Score of 7.73, he is solidly athletic for an offensive lineman, with a size and athletic testing comp being Will Clapp, who had a solid eight-year career with the Saints, Chargers and Bills. While his combine testing numbers were seen as average, his play tape tells a different story. He would push defenders back to the second level to open run lanes for runners, creating an anchor to prevent defenders from getting to the quarterback, and as shown in the video below, would pancake defensive tackles.

Beau also has experience playing both left and right guard in college and taking snaps at center at the Senior Bowl, showing his versatility, which as previous deep dives have noted is something the coaching staff values. He is also a silent leader. Dane Brugler pointed out in The Beast, Beau would pull younger teammates aside to help them out, which shows his maturity and willingness to be a mentor. Fits the Seahawks Mission Over BS philosophy, and having leaders on the team.

Will Beau make an impact in 2026? With the team trading up to get back into the 5th round, it seems as though the team has high hopes for the young man. Benton had a large grin speaking the Beau on the phone as they prepared to draft him. While he will need to compete to get a starting position, he has the proper mentality and work ethic to fight for it. Beau fits the culture, the philosophy, and the athleticism of a Seahawks player, and has the chance to be a long term contributor to the offensive line.

Dylan Harper turned a desperate San Antonio Spurs situation into a historic rookie statement in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.

Victor Wembanyama owned the night, but Harper made sure San Antonio’s double-overtime win over the Oklahoma City Thunder was not a one-man story.

The rookie guard stepped into a massive role and left with a stat line that placed him beside some of the sport’s biggest names.

StatMuse highlighted Dylan Harper becoming the first player since Larry Bird with a 20-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist, and 5-steal Conference Finals game.

Harper finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and 7 steals as the Spurs beat the Thunder 122-115 in double overtime.

The rookie part is what makes the line feel absurd. Conference Finals games usually expose young guards, especially on the road against a team as physical and disruptive as Oklahoma City.

Harper did not just survive the stage. He controlled large stretches of it with defensive reads, downhill pressure and poise late in possessions.

The Larry Bird comparison adds real weight because this was not a cherry-picked scoring record. It was an all-around playoff line built on production, toughness and feel.

NBA on X noted that Harper joined Magic Johnson as the only rookies since 1973–74 to record 15-plus points, 5-plus rebounds, and 5-plus steals in a Conference Finals game.

That cutoff matters because 1973–74 was the first season steals were fully recorded. Harper did not just land in rare rookie territory, he reached a historical marker that has barely been touched in 50 years.

The seven steals also showed why his performance mattered beyond offense. Oklahoma City forces guards into mistakes, but Harper flipped that pressure back on the Thunder.

He played 47 minutes, shot 8-of-20 from the field, and made all seven of his free throws. More importantly, he committed only one turnover in a game that lasted two overtimes.

San Antonio needed that steadiness with De’Aaron Fox sidelined by ankle soreness. Harper answered with the kind of mature, two-way performance teams usually hope to get from veterans.

Read more:

• LeBron James claps back at Ron Harper for calling out his influence on Bronny James
• Ron Harper’s cheeky shot at LeBron James ahead of NBA All-Star game is going viral
• Spurs fans all feel the same about Dylan Harper for Giannis Antetokounmpo trade

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Mountain West fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The Syracuse Orange track teams wrapped up competition at the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships over the weekend.

Sophomore Jamir Brown continued to excel in his first season with the Orange as he took the title in the 110m hurdles in a new Syracuse record of 13.25 seconds.

The meet was delayed by weather for three and a half hours, but that didn’t stop Brown from becoming the third Orange hurdler to win an ACC 110m title joining Donald Pollit and Freddie Crittenden. He’ll head into the NCAA Regionals as one of the favorites to advance to Eugene.

Another Syracuse runner with a good chance to get to Nationals is Benne Anderson, who finished 3rd in the men’s 1500m run in a time of 3:41.07. Joining Anderson in the scoring column in the event was Drew Zundell who placed 6th in 3:42.15.

Assaf Harari and Conner Ackley finished 7th and 8th respectively in the 10k to complete the scoring for the men who finished 14th. The Syracuse women completed the meet without earning a point, but several Orange have a chance to compete at Regionals with hopes of advancing to the NCAA Championships.

The Clemson women and Virginia men were the team champions this year. Eastern Regionals will be held next week in Lexington, Kentucky and we will have a preview once the final entries are declared.

When the NFL schedule is released, it always leads to some of the boldest predictions one will come across throughout the year. Almost everyone sees a path to the playoffs; some fans even struggle to see where their team will lose more than a couple of games.

Alas, the Who Dat Nation is no different. Optimism abounds at this time of the offseason. But looking at the schedule released this week, might the Saints have a realistic chance of winning every game at home?

While we already knew the opponents on the calendar, the finalization of the schedule has given me even more reason to believe in the Caesars Superdome (and the Stade de France!) becoming a fortress for the black and gold. Here’s why.

Barring the Monday Night Football tilt with the Falcons that precedes the visit of the Vikings six days later, the Saints don’t face the prospect of a home game on short rest. The bye week sits nicely between the Steelers matchup overseas and the Browns game set for Week 9.

Outside of those four games, there remain the other pair of always winnable divisional matchups, the lowly Cardinals and Raiders, and the Packers.

After two formidable road games to start the campaign, six of the next seven games are at home (including, of course, the Paris game), presenting a real chance for Kellen Moore’s team to take advantage of their home crowd and string some wins together.

New Orleans has flirted with an undefeated home campaign in recent times, most notably in 2017 when they won out after dropping the home opener to New England. But it’s something they haven’t achieved since doing it twice in three years on either side of Sean Payton’s suspension in 2012.

Nevertheless, the list of home opponents this season leads me to believe that with some injury luck and the type of performances many believe the roster to be capable of, it might be the best chance the Saints have had to win every game on home turf since Drew Brees retired.

Do you agree? Which home games do you think will give the black and gold the most trouble? Let us know in the comments below!

Chelsea host relegation-threatened Tottenham aiming to move into contention for European football next season in the penultimate game before Xabi Alonso’s arrival to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have cycled through two permanent managers and fallen out of the top eight, with Europe now hanging in the balance, and require wins against Spurs and Sunderland in their final two games to give themselves a chance of qualifying.

But their opponents will be just as desperate for a victory that would keep them in the English top flight while relegating fellow London rivals West Ham, who lost at Newcastle 3-1 yesterday, with one game to spare.

Calum McFarlane, fresh off of a 1-0 defeat to Man City in the FA Cup final, will be keen to end the rot of seven games without a win, last tasting victory in March when they impressively beat Aston Villa 4-1 and rose to fifth under Liam Rosenior.

That win came as the former Chelsea boss claimed that his side were running out of time to reduce the gap to the Champions League, but their chances of qualifying for the prestigious club competition have since vanished.

Chelsea are 10 points behind fifth-placed Liverpool, on 59 points, with only six left to play for.

McFarlane has struggled to get the Blues firing again, winning just one of his five games in charge and has the task of safely guiding the club through the transition into a new era Alonso was announced as the team’s new manager on Sunday.

Joao Pedro, who has a point to prove after his omission from Brazil’s final World Cup squad, was taken off as a precaution in the FA Cup final but his injury doesn’t seem bad enough to keep him away from the first-team.

Midfielder Romeo Lavia missed the FA Cup final with a knock, yet may been available to feature this evening, but wingers Estevao and Jesse Derry are still recovering from their hamstring and head injuries respectively.

Jamie Byone-Gittens will miss the remainder of the season, also suffering from a hamstring injury, adding to a further set of frustrations for Chelsea fans as he has yet to deliver on his £55m price tag.

As for Spurs, Roberto De Zerbi has done exactly what White Heart Lane were praying for by steering the side out of the relegation zone with two games to go.

Draws to Brighton and Leeds were either side of victories over Wolves and Aston Villa that has them within touching distance of confirming their Premier League survival after a dismal season.

Thomas Frank was sacked in mid-February with just two wins in 17, but his former club have recorded as many wins in the whole of 2026 and have also hired and fired Croatian Igor Tudor before De Zerbi’s arrival.

The Italian has since steered the ship and Spurs appear almost certain of Premier League survival, especially thanks to West Ham’s fall of in form that came to ahead in a 3-1 defeat at St. James’ Park on Sunday.

Spurs’ massive injury crisis has been well-documented and consistent this season, as Xavi Simmons, Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski have all sustained anteriror cruciate ligaments over the past year while captain Romero will miss the remaining games and the World Cup with a knee injury he sustained at Sunderland.

Winger Mohammed Kudus is also out with a thigh injury that De Zerbi has confirmed will require surgery and Dominik Solanke will potentially be available on Sunday but will definitely miss this game at the Bridge.

There is a smidge of good news for Tottenham, however, as goalkeeper Gugliemo Vicario has recovered from his surgery and will be fit to make the squad.

Tuesday’s game represents a chance for Tottenham to finally rescue their season once and for all, but with no defeats at home to De Zerbi’s men for Chelsea since 2018 there may be an air of doubt despite the hosts’ poor recent form.

Dana White and Hunter Campbell had a good idea that Ronda Rousey was going to dispatch Gina Carano rather quickly and that ultimately played a part in deciding not to promote the fight, which eventually ended up under Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions with the event airing live on Netflix this past Saturday night.

In her first fight back in a decade, Rousey scored an early takedown and snatched her signature armbar submission to finish Carano in just 17 seconds. Of course, Rousey was a massive favorite heading into the fight and the result wasn’t totally unexpected, especially after the Olympic bronze medalist in judo became a superstar dismantling her opposition in similar fashion after arriving in the UFC.

In the leadup to the event, Rousey routinely bashed Campbell, who is the UFC’s chief business officer, and it turns out her anger might have stemmed from his opinion on the fight against Carano.

“We’re in the true MMA business in a meaningful, consistent basis,” TKO Group Holdings president and chief operating officer Mark Shapiro during the J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications Conference on Monday. “When we looked at this potential matchup, keep in mind there’s a real art and skill to matchmaking. When you ask Hunter Campbell and Dana White what they think about that matchup prior to the fight happening, the answers we got back — and I mean Ari Emanuel and myself — was that fight will be over in 20 seconds. They were off by a few seconds.”

Shapiro argued that kind of mismatch and quick ending for a fight that wasn’t ultimately going to build towards anything else with Rousey openly stating she was only returning to face Carano and then retiring again just wasn’t made for the UFC.  

“I don’t believe that a fight like that, just the way that it played out, is really good for MMA,” Shapiro said. “Especially because it’s Netflix, and they have such an incredible global audience and it’s a massive audience, a highly engaged audience that is going to sample — depending on what comes up on the front page with Netflix — for them to then go to that fight and think that’s what MMA is, I don’t believe is good for the sport longterm. We saw it that way and decided to pass on it.”

While Rousey maintained that she would never say a bad word about White or the UFC’s former owners, Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, a huge part of every interview and press conference leading up to the event was spent with her bashing TKO Group Holdings and how the UFC is running these days.

For his part, Shapiro said the company still has the utmost respect for Rousey and her long list of accomplishments but they just had no interest in promoting the Carano fight.

“Taking nothing away from the legend obviously that Ronda Rousey is and the win that she got,” Shapiro said. “I guarantee incredible viewership numbers that Netflix will soon report. But for us, it was more of a stunt than a meaningful MMA event.”

 Of course, Shapiro understood why the event appealed to Netflix because the executives behind the largest streaming platform have repeatedly stated that the company is only interested in big marquee events when it comes to sports programming.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has stated that the streamer doesn’t want to invest in a full season package for any major professional sport but landing special events like the deal with the NFL to air games on Christmas make perfect sense.

That’s why Netflix was previously pursuing part of the UFC’s broadcast rights package but the network was only interested in the numbered events (pay-per-views) rather than the multitude of Fight Night cards that decorate the calendar.

“It was pitched to us beforehand and we did turn it down,” Shapiro said about Rousey vs. Carano. “That’s to take nothing away from Netflix. First of all, they’re a great partner and clearly they know what they’re doing. Across the board in every genre right now. You don’t get to 300 million or 350 million [subscribers] for nothing. Their content offering is unique and really distinct and really has something for everyone.

“They’re in the big event business. They’ve been very clear about that. They’re not looking necessarily to buy out leagues. That’s why they did the Major League Baseball opener. That’s why they’ll do the Homerun Derby. That’s why they just did a five game package with the NFL. They want big, spectacle events and they saw this as a big spectacle event.”

Arsenal has won 13 English league titles, third-most all time behind the 20 for both Liverpool and Manchester United, but it has been 22 years since the Gunners last raised the Premier League trophy. Now, the club is on the verge of ending that drought.

Arsenal sits five points ahead of Manchester City, who have a game in hand, and both teams are playing their season finale on Sunday. Kalshi has Arsenal trading at 86% chance of winning a title, up from 47% a month ago. The club has also punched its ticket to the Champions League final on May 30 against Paris Saint-German; Arsenal has never won the European competition.

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An Arsenal crown or two would continue a stunning sporting run for owner Stan Kroenke. And Arsenal isn’t the only Kroenke-owned team near a title right now; the Colorado Avalanche are one of the last four standing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Avalanche are the Cup favorites, according to FanDuel.

Kroenke has accumulated the most valuable portfolio of assets in team sports, worth $23 billion, according to Sportico’s most recent team valuations. In addition to Arsenal and the Avalanche, his Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) holdings include the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, MLS’ Colorado Rapids and National Lacrosse League’s Colorado Mammoth.

The Rams ($10.43 billion) rank as the third most valuable sports team in the world behind the Dallas Cowboys ($12.8 billion) and the Golden State Warriors ($11.33 billion).

Kroenke, who will turn 79 in July, bought his first stake in a sports team in 1995—a minority interest in the Rams that helped Georgia Frontiere move the team from Los Angeles to St. Louis. In 2000, he added the Nuggets, Avalanche and their arena—Pepsi Center, since renamed Ball Arena—to his roster for $450 million. A decade later, Kroenke exercised his right to buy the 60% of the Rams he didn’t already own in a deal that valued the team at $750 million. He bought the Rapids in 2004, and shortly after started buying shares in Arsenal, becoming the sole owner in 2018.

Winning on the field is not new for Kroenke. During the first six months of 2022, the Rams, Avalanche and Mammoth all won their respective league championships. A year later, the Nuggets captured their first NBA title.

Since taking full ownership of Arsenal, Kroenke and his son Josh have looked to impart a common DNA across all teams in the KSE organization, sharing best practices on the sporting and business side. KSE’s training and analytics staff swap information liberally, and the U.S. team employees gather every summer for a summit (during that time, Arsenal is typically on an exhibition tour, with European soccer having almost no offseason).

Rams head coach Sean McVay and Arsenal manger Mikel Arteta have built a friendship during their KSE tenures; both took over their respective teams in their 30s and led franchise turnarounds. McVay joined Josh and Kevin Demoff, KSE president of team & media operations, at the Champions League semifinal second leg against Atlético Madrid at Emirates Stadium.

On the business side, Arsenal has played a pair of exhibition matches at the Rams’ SoFi Stadium home. Visit Rwanda’s eight-year Arsenal sleeve sponsorship will expire after this season, but the country’s tourism board tapped the Rams last year in a multiyear sponsorship. KSE is exploring more ways to expand the business connections across clubs.

Kroenke was a pioneer in the multi-team ownership model across leagues that has picked up in recent years, as David Blitzer, Josh Harris, Jimmy Haslam, John Henry, Rogers Communications and others have expanded their team assets.

The success of Arsenal’s 2025-26 season won’t mean the club sitting out the summer transfer window. “Between us, we are building something very special and, wherever this month of May takes us, there will be no standing still when the season ends,” Stan and Josh wrote in a Monday letter to fans, indicating potential moves.

The Kroenkes’ winning streak likely still has some legs. The Rams are the favorites at almost every sportsbook to win next year’s Super Bowl.

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Cards on the table: as annoying as the pre-release stuff is for the NFL schedule, I do like digging into some of the nitty gritty of the ins and outs of the schedule.

Does it matter? Not to me, of course. I don’t have to play the games. But it is important, as our Paul Noonan points out. You can find real advantages in the schedule, and there are fun historical nuggets in there too, like the fact that there are very few Packers fans alive who have ever seen the Packers play a game on a Wednesday.

And there are real mechanisms that spring into action once the actual schedule is published. When you know when games are going to take place, all sorts of downstream industries like hotels and travel start to feel the effects.

So no, the NFL doesn’t need to drag it out as long as they do, but it does matter, and it matters well beyond the field itself.

Most expensive Packers games this season are at Lambeau Field | Packers News

Planning to check out Packers/Bears? Plan to spend big.

Patriots hit with bizarre scheduling quirk the NFL hasn’t seen in 40 years, plus 21 other schedule oddities | CBS Sports

The schedule is so big there are bound to be some weird things in it, and boy are there this year.

Matthew Golden Makes All-Breakout Team; Here’s Why Packers Are Optimistic | Sports Illustrated

There’s good reason to think Golden is headed in the right direction this year.

Could Packers provide landing spot for FA edge rusher AJ Epenesa? | Packers Wire

ESPN floats this idea, and Packers Wire explores it.

Packers’ takeaway efforts will hinge on finishing plays  | Packers.com

The Packers defense wants takeaways! Who knew?

Museum’s ‘Knight Rider’ replica car got a speeding ticket. It hasn’t gone anywhere in years | Associated Press

Here’s a weird one with an explanation that makes sense but is still pretty weird.

The 2025 season was a painful one for Michigan football for a multitude of reasons. The team didn’t develop as much as anticipated, the hated Buckeyes escaped Ann Arbor with a win, and Sherrone Moore was dismissed with cause. An added pain to consider is the Wolverines’ 2025 schedule was pretty easy, and Michigan didn’t capitalize on it.

The same cannot be said of the 2026 schedule.

Last season, Michigan ended the season with the 24th-toughest strength of schedule in the nation, according to ESPN’s FPI. While that may sound impressive, it shouldn’t, as the Big Ten and SEC front-load the nationwide SOS rankings — 17 of the 18 Big Ten teams landed in the top-45, with 11 Big Ten teams taking up spots in the top-25. By all accounts, Michigan’s schedule was pretty lenient by avoiding Indiana and Oregon, while playing Ohio State at home. Yes, playing at Oklahoma was always going to be tough, but nine Big Ten teams had tougher paths than the Wolverines.

Things look vastly different in 2026. The program has renewed hope with a mostly brand new coaching staff. The staff was able to retain most of last year’s key players and appears set to take a step forward this fall.

However, the schedule is an entirely different animal. While you can only trust preseason projections as far as you can throw them, CBS Sports has the Wolverines with the fourth-toughest schedule among top-25 teams. College Football News has the Wolverines with the seventh-toughest schedule in the land.

The Wolverines have their first four games of the year at home. Key among those games is a Week 2 showdown with Oklahoma with a chance for revenge. In mid-October, the Wolverines host a newly revamped Penn State squad and the Indiana Hoosiers in back-to-back weeks. A month later, Michigan has to travel to Autzen Stadium to face an Oregon team with championship aspirations. Two weeks later, the season concludes at Ohio State.

There’s a very real chance the 2026 Michigan Wolverines are vastly improved from last year, but they could still end up with the same record or worse. It’s not far-fetched to envision Michigan losing three or four games despite being a much better team, on paper at least, than last year. Michigan will likely need to win at least two of its toughest games in order to stay in the College Football Playoff picture by season’s end. That is a tough hill to climb for a brand new coaching staff, but not impossible by any means.

Who’s getting on the train? Who’s staying on the platform?

This carousel lists all the national teams that have unveiled their squad for the 2026 World Cup.

At the start of this week, Portugal and Brazil officially announced their World Cup squads.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

Applications are now open for football coaching courses at Glasgow Clyde College starting this August, in partnership with the Celtic FC Soccer Academy!

If you’ve always dreamed of working in football and are looking to develop your coaching skills, these courses are the perfect way to turn your dreams into a reality.

Two 18-week NQ Level 6 courses will help you brush up on your performance on the pitch and give you the essential coaching skills for a career in football. You’ll develop your technical abilities and your tactical game via weekly coaching sessions from the Celtic Soccer Academy, and earn a range of SFA Awards along the way. As this is a pathway course, it can also lead to further studies or even possible opportunities with Celtic Football Club, Celtic Soccer Academy or the Celtic Foundation.

FIND OUT MORE

For a more in-depth education, there’s a two-year full-time course to earn an HND in Football Coaching and Developing Sport. You’ll gain the knowledge and skills you need to pursue a career in sport and you’ll also get the chance to be involved in specialised football coaching sessions.

You’ll learn about support structures for players and athletes while developing the skills, expertise, and vocational qualifications essential for a future in the football industry. You’ll also be on the path for certification as a football coach, potentially paving the way for employment opportunities. There’s even a chance to hear from some top coaches, including the First Team Manager and coaching staff.

FIND OUT MORE

The Soccer Academy has been partnered with Glasgow Clyde College for the past 10 years and they work hard to provide students with first-class education and plenty of invaluable opportunities like observing sessions at Barrowfield and attending our International Coaches Convention.

Find out more about the courses through Glasgow Clyde College and submit your application now ahead of the start dates in August 2026.

FIND OUT MORE

Good morning! Last night’s Mariners win had just about everything: a first inning Julio homer, a wacky obstruction call in the third inning, a dominant Bryan Woo outing, and an incredible moment for Colt Emerson’s first major league hit in the form of a three-run home run.

Bryce Miller will hope to build on the momentum from the 6-1 win as he takes the mound tonight at 6:40 PM against Chicago White Sox LHP Anthony Kay.

• Luis Castillo has been moved to the bullpen prior to his “piggyback” start with Bryce Miller. It is assumed that Miller with throw the first four to five innings tonight and Castillo will follow with a few innings of relief.
• The Mariners announced a series of roster moves prior to last night’s game, including Patrick Wisdom’s activation from the IL and Leo Rivas heading back down to Triple-A Tacoma.
• Matt Brash is very close to returning from the IL after a pair of rehab outings in Triple-A Tacoma, and Gabe Speier is reportedly not far behind.

• Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager has been placed on the 10-day IL with lower back inflammation.
• MLB veteran Gio Urshela has announced his retirement from baseball after 10 seasons with eight different teams.
• Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel will be shut down for another 3-6 weeks after injuring his knee while rehabbing his hamstring in Triple-A Charlotte.
• The New York Mets scored a whopping 10 runs in the 12th inning of their 16-7 win over the Washington Nationals last night.
• Somehow, a second team scored 16 runs yesterday as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 16-6 with a season-high 18 hits.
• The Kansas City Royals have placed LHP Kris Bubic on the 15-day IL due to left elbow soreness.
• Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers is seeing drastic improvements at the plate this season after changing multiple aspects of his approach.
• After finding themselves just three outs away from being no-hit, the Los Angeles Angels managed to walk-off the Athletics with a home run from shortstop Zach Neto.

Former Lady Vols basketball star Rickea Jackson suffered a torn ACL, ending a promising first season with the Chicago Sky four games in.

Jackson went down with a non-contact injury during a game against the Minnesota Lynx on May 17. The Sky announced May 19 that Jackson's MRI revealed a torn ACL, and she would miss the remainder of the 2026 season.

"We're devastated that Rickea suffered this injury, but we are confident she will make a full recovery," Chicago Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca said in a statement. "Rickea was playing at an All-Star and All-Defensive level early in the season. We are certain she was primed for a career year.

"Our world-class medical staff will work hard with Rickea, who is one of the toughest players in the league, to get her back on the court."

This will be the second straight season that a former Lady Vol has missed the season due to a torn ACL. Former Lady Vols star Jordan Horston tore her ACL ahead of the 2025 season and just made her return to the court May 8.

Rickea Jackson underwent an MRI that revealed a left torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), an injury she sustained in the May 17 game against Minnesota. Jackson will miss the remainder of the 2026 WNBA season and undergo surgery to repair the injury.

We’re with you every step… pic.twitter.com/8WauK7o29D

— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) May 19, 2026

Jackson was averaging 18 points, 4.8 rebounds, two assists and 1.8 blocks in 29 minutes per game. She was the only player in the league to rank top 10 in scoring and blocks before her injury.

The game before she tore her ACL, Jackson had 29 points on 10-for-22 shooting with six rebounds and three blocks against the Phoenix Mercury. She also shot 40% on 10 attempts from 3-point range.

Jackson was traded to the Sky in free agency after playing the first two seasons of her career. The Sparks traded her for Ariel Atkins in a straight-up player swap.

Jackson was selected No. 4 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Sparks. She was the highest draft pick out of Tennessee since Diamond DeShields was picked No. 3 overall by the Chicago Sky in 2018.

Jackson was a key player for the Sparks the last two seasons, and she earned WNBA All-Rookie honors in 2024. In her two seasons in Los Angeles, Jackson averaged 14 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and shot 43.9% from the field and 34.7% on four attempts from 3-point range per game. She started in 72 of her 78 games and averaged 29.8 minutes.

Jackson started her college career at Mississippi State as a five-star McDonald's All-American out of Detroit. She transferred to Tennessee and played for the Lady Vols for two seasons, quickly becoming a fan favorite.

Jackson left Tennessee ranked sixth all-time in career scoring, her 2,261 career points only trailing Cindy Brogdon, Chamique Holdsclaw, Jill Rankin, Bridgette Gordon and Patricia Roberts.

She scored 1,176 points in 60 games with the Lady Vols, and that alone ranks 34th in the program's all-time scoring list. Jackson led Tennessee in scoring both of her seasons and averaged 20.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists as a senior.

Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social‬. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Rickea Jackson suffers torn ACL, ending promising season with Chicago Sky

How will teams balance depth and talent in the NIL era?

Player compensation provides athletes a real choice to delaying their entry into the NFL.  Surprisingly there isn’t a lot of multi-year information available, but references were all similar to those in this chart. 

It still generally holds true that a player not projected to go in the 1st 3 rounds should finish their eligibility before entering the draft.

Nil provides an incentive for players projected to be drafted in the 1st 2 rounds to try to improve their draft stock.  With NFL draft contracts set for 4 years, a player can make up a loss by delaying entry just by moving up in the draft approx. 1/3 a round.

Program shared revenue has helped balance the player compensation amounts among P4 teams.  Most programs are allocating approx. $15 million of the allowed shared revenue to football.  For example, in 2024 OSU is reported to have compensated their roster to the tune of about $25 million from NIL.  If another program raised $10 million NIL, it is only 40% of OSU’s expenditures.

In 2025 OSU is reported to have compensated players $40 million, about $25 million from NIL plus $15 million from shared revenue.  If another program followed suit, they would have their $10 million from NIL plus $15 million from shared revenue for a total of $25 million, closing the gap from 40% to over 60% of what OSU spent, an amount that can be made up on depth and a few players.

Recruiting is still key.  Programs usually pay less to retain players than try to attract talent through the portal.  Before the modern age I would claim you could take assemble a roster from the best talent in the MAC and challenge for the B1G title.  The portal made it easier to bring in transfers, NIL and shared revenue provides a strong incentive.

We see a lot of overlooked HS talent blossom in college, I suspect the result of talented athletes without the resources to attend development camps, playing for schools whose system or overall lack of roster talent doesn’t allow them to stand out, generally poor position coaching at the HS level, and getting little attention at schools not heavily scouted (there’s over 14,000 high school football programs, some players are certain to get overlooked).  This seems particularly true for the OL and DL positions.

Enter the Age of NCAAF Moneyball.  Over time programs will develop roster strategies to remain competitive; the unpredictability of relying primarily on a favorable conference schedule will become less common.

Programs can adjust how they play, this was key to baseball’s moneyball approach.  For example, there are bargains to be had at RB, interior linemen on both offense and defense, and LB.  Lower budget teams might find success focusing on these positions, becoming run first, using 2 TE sets and throwing more to the TE, switching to a 3-4 defense using LBs to get a pass rush, rely on a smaller faster DL, etc. (essentially think of what the academies do to remain competitive).  In hindsight, Wisconsin shifting away from a run dominated offense was the opposite of what they should have done to keep pace.

Programs could try to make runs every other year or every 3rd year (let the 2010s NW be your goal).  Unlike shared revenue, NIL money can be accumulated.  Programs could try to be average across their roster, then dig into their NIL reserves to boost spending when they discover they recruited some hidden gems and just need to bring in a few top players.

Relying on the portal for OL and DT could become the norm.  These positions typically take longer to develop and success is harder to predict than other positions, so it can be better financially to snipe after they’ve developed for 2 or 3 years on someone else’s dime.

Expect all programs to pay little for depth.  Programs are now incentivized to be quicker to cut highly compensated juniors, seniors, and injured players who aren’t expected to start to break their NIL contracts – they will no longer be maintained on the roster for depth and special teams.

Thanks to ProveIt for a great series, and my apologies for not being a more faithful steward of these articles — I’m grateful for the off-season content and hope you’ve all enjoyed it. We’ll have the horseshoe sandwiches coming out just as soon as I’m done with Finals grading. Be well in the meantime. —MNW

The Green Bay Packers are signing rookie cornerback Marlon Jones, an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.

Jones (6-0, 190) was Dane Brugler's No. 215 ranked cornerback in the 2026 draft class. An Eastern Washington transfer, Jones missed the 2024 season while undergoing cancer treatment but returned to the field in 2025, playing 122 snaps for Vanderbilt.

More on Jones beating stage 3 cancer can be found here, at The Athletic.

According to Brugler, Jones ran the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds (1.53 10-yard split), hit 39" in the vertical leap, covered 10-6 in the broad jump, finished the short shuttle in 4.44 seconds and the 3-cone drill in 7.09 seconds and completed 16 reps on the bench press during the pre-draft process. His Relative Athletic Score is 8.26 out of 10.0, with elite measurements in the leaps and an elite 10-yard split.

Per PFF, Jones allowed nine touchdown passes but also intercepted nine passes over four seasons at Eastern Washington. In 2023, his final year at the school, he earned an 84.3 coverage grade and allowed a passer rating into his coverage of only 49.2. Jones got experience playing inside in the slot and outside at perimeter corner at Eastern Washington.

In Green Bay, Jones will join a cornerback room featuring free agent signing Benjamin St-Juste, second-round pick Brandon Cisse, sixth-round pick Domani Jackson and waiver wire addition MJ Devonshire.

The Packers have an open roster spot and do not need to make a corresponding roster move.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers signing rookie cornerback Marlon Jones to roster

The Charlotte Hornets are asking Charlotte City Council for permission to upgrade one of their most visible video boards.

The Hornets want to replace the 324-square-foot video monitor on East Trade Street with a 2,200-square-foot one.

The team plans to move the smaller video board to either 5th Street or Caldwell Street.

The city council held a hearing about the request last night and will vote as soon as next month.

Bruins Mocked To Draft 'Highly Skilled' Swedish Winger originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Bruins had a chance to have the sixth or seventh overall pick as well as their own first-round pick, but after the Toronto Maple Leafs won the draft lottery, Boston will only have the 23rd overall pick.

Although not getting a top-10 pick is disappointing, the Bruins still can add a solid prospect at 23rd overall to be a future impact player for Boston. Ahead of the NHL Draft, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman released their latest mock draft and had Boston selecting right winger Elton Hermansson out of MoDo.

“The Bruins had success drafting a talented winger out of HockeyAllsvenskan in the late first round once before,” Wheeler wrote in an article published on Tuesday. “We won’t set those kinds of expectations for the highly skilled Hermansson, but the Bruins are willing to try to go two-for-two. His 21 points in 38 games isn’t far off from the 24 points in 36 games that a certain someone produced in 2013-14, either!”

Hermansson played his first season in the top Swedish league and as an 18-year-old rookie, recorded 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points in 38 games. And, as Wheeler noted, his point total in the top Swedish league as an 18-year-old isn’t far off from what David Pastrnak did, which should give Boston fans some excitement.

The 6-foot-1 right winger would add some more offense to the Bruins top-six, but would likely be a year or two away from reaching the NHL.

The 2026 NHL Draft is set for June 26-27 in Buffalo.

Brad Holmes “strongly” considered moving up in the NFL draft before selecting Blake Miller with the 17th overall pick, and one of the deals the Detroit Lions general manager had in place but chose not to execute was with the Baltimore Ravens.

In their behind-the-scenes draft video released Monday, May 18, the Ravens are shown exploring two trade-downs with the Lions, including one in the first round.

Around the 24-minute mark of the video, during the string of picks that came off the board in front of them – Caleb Downs to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 11, Kadyn Proctor to the Miami Dolphins at No. 12 and Ty Simpson to the Los Angeles Rams at No. 13 – general manager Eric DeCosta tells his draft room, “We have a trade offer.”

DeCosta never mentions the Lions by name, but Ravens vice president of football administration Nick Matteo explains the deal: The Ravens’ pick at No. 14, for Picks No. 17 and 118 – the Lions’ first- and fourth-round choices – and a third-round pick in the 2027 draft.

Moments later, after the Rams made Simpson the surprise pick of the first round, Matteo phones an unnamed Lions executive and asks, “Would you do your original offer, 14 for 17, 118 and next year’s three?”

With a couple minutes left on the clock, the Lions appeared to think better of the trade.

“You’re out?” Matteo repeats into the phone. “All right, thanks.”

HELP WANTED: 5 players who could assist Detroit Lions in NFL free agency

The Ravens took Penn State guard Vega Ioane with the 14th pick, and after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers followed with defensive end Reuben Bain Jr. and the New York Jets took tight end Kenyon Sadiq, the Lions took Miller at No. 17 to be their right tackle of the future.

Holmes said after the draft he talked to teams about moving “way up” but decided to stay put after the Rams’ selection.

“We definitely explored strongly about trading up and just kind of seeing how it started to fall,” Holmes said. “Probably about ... right after L.A. took the quarterback, I felt pretty good that we might be able to just get Blake. Because the other thing is that there’s just a little scare of, OK, I felt like from the outside looking in we had this big tackle target on our back, so if a team behind us was in the tackle market, then they might want to jump us, as well. So we definitely explored that. But right about 14, I felt pretty good that we’d be able to keep our assets and still get Blake.”

Miller was the fourth offensive tackle and fifth offensive lineman taken, and two other tackles went in the next four picks.

Holmes did pull off a second-round trade, sending the Lions’ second fourth-round pick, No. 128 overall, to the New York Jets to move up six spots and take Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore at No. 44.

In the New York Giants’ behind-the-scenes draft video, general manager Joe Schoen rebuffed the Lions’ offer of both fourth-round picks and a fifth-round choice to move down from No. 37 to No. 50.

Matteo also shared a text with a second-round offer from the Lions: The Ravens’ pick at No. 45 for the Lions’ Picks No. 50 and 128 “if their guy is there.”

When the Lions made the same deal with the Jets, DeCosta worried they were moving up for Missouri defensive end Zion Young – whom Baltimore took with its pick at 45.

Holmes said after the draft Moore was the Lions’ top available edge rusher entering Day 2 and the last player left in the cluster of players they had atop the board at the start of the round.

Asked if he felt the need to trade up in front of the Ravens because he worried they would take Moore, Holmes said, “I don’t know if they wanted him or not, but kind of got a sense that they were in the edge rusher market, though.”

Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions nearly pulled off 2 NFL draft-day trades with Ravens

Italy and Norway meet on Tuesday in Group B play of the 2026 IIHF World Championship. Tune in to NHL Network to see what happens in this matchup.

• When: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
• Time: 10:00 AM ET
• TV Channel: NHL Network
• Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)

Italy’s hopes of advancing to the knockout stage look thin at the moment, as the team sits seventh out of the eight teams in the group with two losses in two games. At this point, the bigger question for Italy is if the team can avoid dropping to Division I A for next year, which would mean the team wouldn’t qualify for the 2027 IIHF World Championship. At the moment, the team has a -9 goal differential, two better than Denmark, though the Danes have played one extra game.

Norway, meanwhile, is currently in a position to advance to the quarterfinals. The team sits in fourth in the group standings with three points and currently holds the tiebreaker over Sweden by one goal in goal differential.

The IIHF World Championship continues through May 31, with U.S. television coverage on NHL Network. Last year, the United States won the title for the third time, with Switzerland finishing second, Sweden third, and Denmark fourth.

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It's been a tough old season for the Killie faithful but our excellent form in the closing weeks gives us all great hope for the next campaign.

Our final fixture at Livingston may have been meaningless but 1700 fans travelled to show their appreciation for the management and players with their excellent run since the turn of the year.

The manager will now be working hard at strengthening the squad and the fans let it be known they would like to see Findlay Curtis here for another year.

The young winger - who is World Cup bound with Scotland this summer - has been superb and although Rangers will probably want him back I can't help but think his development would be best served at the Theatre of Pies where he would play every week.

I have a good feeling that Max Stryjek will sign a new deal and if we can add some quality in defence and midfield we may just be next year's surprise package.

Sandy Armour is editor of The Killie Hippo fanzine

The Astros dynasty did not end with one swing. It ended with an injury report that makes the truth impossible to ignore. One of the most dominant dynasties of the past 25 years in MLB might have had its last domino fall. Jose Altuve is going on the injured list with a Grade 2 left oblique strain, confirmed after an MRI, and Houston manager Joe Espada did not offer a timeline for his return. Altuve got hurt on an eighth-inning swing, grimaced after contact, did not run out a grounder, and had to leave before the ninth. 

MORE: MLB catcher power rankings entering week 9

One injury doesn’t signal the end. But Houston is not just missing one star. The Astros are already without Carlos Correa, who had season-ending ankle surgery, and Jeremy Peña, who has been out since April 11 with a hamstring injury (though he could return soon). And that is just the beginning of a long injury list that includes names like Hunter Brown, Josh Hader, Yainer Diaz, and Jake Meyers. At 19-29, this is not a slump – it’s erosion.

Altuve’s numbers this season were not vintage anyway – .245, four homers, 12 RBIs in 42 games. But stopping there underestimates the real impact – he is the remaining connective tissue from the championship core. He is the player whose standard follows him around the clubhouse. Sets the tone.

Now the younger guys get the opportunities not because they’ve earned it, but because Houston has no choice. Espada said the young players will continue getting chances, which is basically saying “rebuild incoming.”

That is why this feels like the official end. Dynasties do not usually just collapse in one clean moment (ahem, Chicago Bulls). They get older, thinner, more expensive, more injured, and less inevitable. The snowball that becomes the avalanche.

With the Altuve injury, everybody should stop pretending. The Astros are not just hurt – they look finished.

— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

Chicago Sky star Rickea Jackson suffered a torn ACL in her left knee and will miss the remainder of the season, the team announced on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old leader scorer for the Sky suffered the injury during the first half of Sunday's win over the Minnesota Lynx. Jackson went down after planting her left leg following a drive to the backet. After being tended to for a few minutes on the court, she was taken back to the dressing room to be further evaluated.

"We're devastated that Rickea suffered this injury, but we are confident she will make a full recovery" said Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca in a statement. "Rickea was playing at an All-Star and All-Defensive level early in the season. We are certain she was primed for a career year. "Our world-class medical staff will work hard with Rickea, who is one of the toughest players in the league, to get her back on the court."

Rickea Jackson underwent an MRI that revealed a left torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), an injury she sustained in the May 17 game against Minnesota. Jackson will miss the remainder of the 2026 WNBA season and undergo surgery to repair the injury.

We’re with you every step… pic.twitter.com/8WauK7o29D

— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) May 19, 2026

This story will be updated.

Despite a scary crash during Monday’s practice session for the 110th Indianapolis 500, and subsequent surgeries, Alexander Rossi is expected to drive in the race later this weekend.

During Monday’s practice session at the Indianapolis 500, Rossi lost the rear end midway through Turn 2, sliding into the wall at substantial speed. Rossi then endured a second impact from Pato O’Ward, who was behind him on the track and despite his best efforts, could not avoid a collision.

You can see the incident here:

Here is another look at the incident, which also collected Romain Grosjean:

Grosjean spoke after the accident, calling the incident “not ideal” but expressing gratitude that everyone was “okay:”

Like Grosjean, Rossi was taken to the care center, and was then taken for a pair of outpatient procedures on Monday night to repair what Ed Carpenter Racing described as “minor injuries to a finger on his left hand and his right ankle.” According to the statement from the team, he will be monitored “with the full intent of participating in final practice on Friday, May 22 and the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 24.”

On Tuesday morning, Rossi himself provided an incredible update on his status on social media:

Rossi is set to start second, next to pole-sitter Alex Palou, in Sunday’s 110th Indianapolis 500.

Good morning, Chargers fans!

You know what to do!

And now for today’s links.

Here’s how the NFL created the Chargers 2026 regular season schedule (Chargers.com)

Eight takeaways from the Chargers 2026 schedule (Chargers Wire)

Has Joe Hortiz given the Chargers a sneaky advantage over the AFC West? (Bolt Beat)

Mike McDaniel is to blame for some of the Chargers’ most difficult games on their schedule (Charger Report)

Minneapolis is expected to be announced as the host of the 2028 NFL Draft (ESPN)

Check out this way-to-early 2027 mock draft with three quarterbacks going in the top five (CBS Sports)

Who will grace the cover of Madden 2027? Matthew Stafford? Bijan Robinson? (NFL.com)

Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Offensive Player of the Year trophy says “Defensive” (Pro Football Talk)

Mike LaFleur addressed Jacoby Brissett’s absence from OTAs (Sports Illustrated)

Who is the best-kept secret on every NFL team? (Bleacher Report)

Mohamed Salah’s social media statement may have dominated headlines across Liverpool, but during the latest Media Matters podcast on Anfield Index, the discussion quickly shifted towards something David Lynch considered even more significant, the reaction from the Liverpool squad itself.

Speaking alongside Dave Davis, David Lynch argued that the response from Liverpool players online revealed a dressing room increasingly unconvinced by the direction under Arne Slot.

Salah’s original statement criticised Liverpool’s performances this season and called for the club to return to an identity built around aggressive attacking football and trophy success. Lynch admitted the message carried clear criticism of Slot.

“Without question it’s another dig at Slot,” he said.

Yet for Lynch, the bigger issue was not the statement itself. It was the number of Liverpool players publicly engaging with it on social media.

Dave Davis pointed out that several senior Liverpool players appeared to support Salah’s comments online, saying: “The players will be against him. Well, funnily enough, as he put the statement out, he was enjoying dinner somewhere, wasn’t he, with pals who are liking his statement and don’t seem too dismayed.”

Lynch believed that reaction was hugely revealing.

“So many players liked that when there is a criticism of Slot there,” he said. “That to me completely undermines his authority.”

The point carried weight because the discussion throughout the podcast repeatedly questioned whether Liverpool’s squad still fully believe in Slot’s methods. Liverpool’s performances this season have been described by Lynch as “a complete mess”, with the team lacking structure, cohesion and tactical clarity.

Against that backdrop, the public support for Salah’s comments felt impossible to dismiss.

Lynch argued the reaction to Salah’s statement now extends beyond supporter frustration or media criticism.

“It’s not just the fans,” he explained. “It’s also the players who have to produce the performances on the pitch are now convinced that he’s not the right man to do this job.”

That comment perhaps represented the strongest warning sign of the entire discussion. Managers can often survive difficult periods when dressing room support remains intact, but Lynch suggested Liverpool may now be moving into more dangerous territory.

He also warned that the situation leaves Liverpool’s owners in a difficult position.

“FSG can be as determined as they want to stick with Slot,” Lynch said, before stressing that the growing disconnect inside the squad could become impossible to ignore.

Photo: IMAGO

Interestingly, Lynch did not entirely agree with Salah making the statement publicly. He admitted he would “rather it hadn’t been said” and questioned whether the timing helped Liverpool ahead of a crucial fixture against Brentford.

Even so, he understood why the message resonated so strongly within the squad.

“They’re obviously talking about this stuff and they’re obviously agreeing and they feel similarly,” Lynch said when discussing Salah and his teammates.

Stamford senior McKenna Hoyt made Class D First Team All-State in the girls basketball post-season awards given out by the New York Sportswriters Association, which were announced Monday, May 18.

Hoyt, who led her team to Delaware League and Section IV titles, as well as the Class D Final Four, will play college basketball at Division I Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia.

According to league and section records, Hoyt is the leading scorer in girls basketball history for the Delaware League. She is third all-time in Section IV girls basketball scoring, finishing with 2,372 points. She is also third all-time in girls basketball in the state in rebounding, with 1,526 rebounds. Hoyt averaged 27 points per game this season.

Hoyt was The Daily Star’s Player of the Year for girls basketball in 2025-2026.

Stamford/Jefferson went 22-3, losing in the state semifinals to eventual Class D champion Notre Dame from Batavia.

Two local players were named Second Team All-Stars, Delaware Academy freshman Danielle Ennist in Class C and Richfield Springs senior Issy Seamon in Class D. Delaware Academy also won a section title and made the Final Four this season, losing in the state semifinals to eventual champion Frewsburg. Seamon led the Eagles to a section title in soccer last fall and was the Star's Co-Player of the Year in 2025. She scored her 1,000th varsity point in basketball early this year. The Eagles lost to Hoyt’s S/J team in the section semifinals.

Ennist’s teammate, junior point guard Tyler Abts, made Fourth Team in Class C.

The highest honored Class B players locally were Nayla Miley from Sidney and Grace Walley from Walton, who were both Fifth Team All-Stars.

Also making Fifth Team All-Stars were Cooperstown eighth grader Emma Johnson in Class C, and Laurens senior Kyrah Andrades and Cherry Valley-Springfield sophomore Mackenzie McGovern in Class D.

In Class D, S/J’s Tierney Turner and Zarie Barbic from Sharon Springs were Eighth Team All-Stars and Edmeston junior Brenna Bolton was Ninth Team.

In Class C, Cooperstown freshman Lanie Nelen was named to the 10th Team.

Honorable mention in Class B were: Bella Conroy and Chloe van der Sommen from Sidney.

Honorable mention in Class C were: Lexi Davis and Rebecca Verspoor from Delaware Academy, Marissa Mayo and Jayslin Henderson from Bainbridge-Guilford, and Raelynn Parks and Harly Birdsall from Unatego.

Honorable mention in Class D were: Brinlee Wright from Charlotte Valley, Rylee Rupakus from Afton, Lily Constable from Hunter-Tannersville, Bella Garlick from Milford and Gabby Seamon from Richfield Springs.

When the Raiders signed Kirk Cousins as a free agent, they added a veteran quarterback with experience playing for head coach Klint Kubiak and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko from their time in Minnesota.

Fernando Mendoza does not share that background. The first overall pick has been getting to know the offense over the course of the offseason and Janocko said that the fresh eyes have been beneficial to all involved. Janocko called Mendoza "a sponge" who "wants to know the whys of everything, the story behind everything" that the team is doing.

"He's asking questions that you might not have thought about in a couple of years," Janocko said, via the team's website. "It also makes you evaluate everything. 'I know we've had some success doing it one way, but we could do it another way and be even better.'"

It remains to be seen if Cousins or Mendoza is on the field against the Dolphins in Week 1, but Mendoza is the long-term answer for the franchise and anything he does now to create a fit for himself in the offense will pay dividends for the Raiders whenever he's under center.

Victor Wembanyama entered the Western Conference Finals with individual context following him, after finishing third in the NBA MVP race behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.

The Spurs centre had already won Defensive Player of the Year unanimously, but the MVP result placed him behind two more established offensive stars.

His answer came on the floor first. Wembanyama produced 41 points, 24 rebounds and three blocks as San Antonio beat Oklahoma City 122-115 in double overtime.

After Game 1, Wembanyama was asked about how he felt about Gilgeous-Alexander winning MVP before the series opened in Oklahoma City.

“Feels like I still got a lot to learn, and I want to get that trophy many times in my career,” the Frenchman said.

The answer was brief, but it fitted the night. Wembanyama did not dismiss Gilgeous-Alexander’s award, yet he made clear that MVP is now part of his own long-term target.

That matters because the matchup put the league’s present and future together. The Canadian guard had the trophy, while Wembanyama had the decisive Game 1 performance.

The wider numbers strengthened that point. The talented center became the youngest player to record a 40-point, 20-rebound playoff game, moving the conversation beyond regular-season voting.

For San Antonio, the win gave them an important 1-0 series lead as they started the series away.

On the other hand, for Wembanyama, it was a sign of what could be expected from him in future MVP races.

Read more:

• What Victor Wembanyama feels about ‘8 billion opinions’ on his best NBA player status
• Knicks aim to break historic curse in Eastern Conference Finals
• Victor Wembanyama dominates Game 1: new face of the NBA is born

Penguins Mocked To Select 'Versatile' Russian Center In First Round originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft after reaching the playoffs this past season.

Pittsburgh surprised many by making the playoffs, but the Penguins were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers in six games. Although Pittsburgh made the playoffs, general manager Kyle Dubas believes the team still has a long way to go to be a Stanley Cup contender.

With that, adding talent in the draft is key, and The Athletic’s Corey Pronman has the Penguins selecting Russian center Ilia Morozov out of Miami Ohio in the NCAA.

“The Penguins get a versatile two-way center with size in Morozov, who had a productive 17-year-old season in the NCHC while also displaying a detailed, physical game off the puck,” Pronman wrote in an article published on Tuesday.

The 6-foot-3 Russian centerman played 36 games at Miami (OH) and recorded eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points in 36 games. Before that, he played in the USHL and had 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points in 59 games.

Morozov likely is a couple of years away from turning pro, but the versatile Russian would add some more depth to the middle of the ice, and can be a solid second or third-line center in the NHL if he continues to develop.

The 2026 NHL Draft is set for June 26-27 in Buffalo.

More NHL: Penguins GM Makes Bold Comment On Team's Outlook After Playoff Exit

IndyCar drivers are simply wired differently. Case in point: Alexander Rossi.

During Monday’s practice session for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500, the former race winner suffered a severe on-track incident. The crash into the IMS retaining wall was violent enough that the Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR) driver required immediate medical intervention.

According to an official statement released by ECR INDY, Rossi underwent “successful outpatient procedures this evening” to treat his injuries. The team confirmed the surgical procedures were required to repair “minor injuries to a finger on his left hand and his right ankle”.

In most other professional sports, undergoing surgery to repair your hand and foot would completely sideline you for weeks. In the NTT IndyCar Series, it just means you have a tighter schedule for Carb Day.

Because the team confirmed that Rossi is currently in “good spirits and has no additional injuries”. Even more incredibly, ECR explicitly stated that Rossi is progressing with the “full intent of participating in final practice on Friday, May 22, and the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 24”. As of now, Rossi’s aggressive recovery timeline is currently being overseen by INDYCAR Medical Director Dr. Julia Vaizer and the series’ medical team.

However, while the driver is recovering, his mechanics are facing their own brutal, sleep-deprived endurance test in the Gasoline Alley garages. The practice crash heavily damaged his primary machine. ECR noted that the “No. 20 Java House Chevrolet crew will prepare a backup car and return to the track for final practice on Friday”.

Wrestling a downforce-heavy IndyCar around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at 230 mph is arguably the most physically punishing task in motorsport. Attempting to do it in a hastily prepared backup car, just days after surgeons repaired your shifting hand and throttle foot, proves that Rossi possesses a terrifying level of grit.

DOVER – High temperatures during the Division II district tennis tournament proved difficult for Cambridge's Jacob Vincent that ultimately cost him a chance to advance to the state tournament.

Vincent who entered the district tournament as the top seed, a distinction he earned last week by winning the sectional and the district seeding matches against the same competition. But Vincent battled with bad case of leg cramps during the action at Dover City Park

On Monday, Vincent won his first match beating Claymont's Cooper Newton 6-2, 4-6, 6-0 to move into the championship match. Vincent would face off against Zanesville's third seed Subh Patel who upset his teammate Conner Baldwin in the first round.

Vincent came out strong winning the first set 6-2 but started developing severe leg cramps. The second set went to Patel 3-6, with Vincent stopping again with leg cramps. The third and final set ended up 3-6 in Patel's favor. 

"Jacob had a great season ending up 15 and 2 in singles play,” Cambridge head coach Tim Gibson said. “I know this was not the way that Jacob wanted to end the season. We didn't play in any heat all season long and today it became a stumbling block.”

Also in action in doubles play, the Bobcats team of Silas Hutchison and Quentin Stora faced a tough round one match-up versus the top-seeded St. Clairsville team of Mavrik Malin and Caiden Straub and dropped a 6-0, 6-1 decision to end their day.

“They played much better than the scoreboard showed,” Gibson said. “The good news is both Silas and Quentin will return next season.”

KSutton1@gannett.com; X: @KSuttonDJSports; Instagram: kevinsutton_dailyjeffsports

This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Cambridge netters suffer tough day at Division II district tournament

The New York Knicks host the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, and the ticket market has already made the point before tip-off.

This is not being priced like a normal playoff opener.

It is being priced like one of the biggest basketball nights New York has had in years, with the lowest listed MSG ticket at $510 including fees at the time of publication.

That number matters because it says what the city already feels. Knicks against Cavaliers is a serious Eastern Conference Finals matchup, but at Madison Square Garden it is something bigger.

It is a Brunson night. It is a Mitchell night. It is a chance for New York to turn belief into something real.

The Knicks and Cavaliers are scheduled to open the series with Game 1 at Madison Square Garden, before Game 2 also takes place in New York.

The Knicks also hold home-court advantage, with Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 scheduled for MSG if the series goes the distance.

That setting is driving a huge price. The get-in cost alone has climbed past $500, which is already enough to show how much demand surrounds this matchup.

The stronger number is even more telling. A separate ticket-market report said Game 1 had an average purchase price of $1,078, a figure that puts the opener in rare territory.

That is the real story. Fans are not just paying for a seat. They are paying for the feeling that this Knicks team has reached a moment worth seeing in person.

There is always a New York premium. MSG always carries weight. But this is different because the basketball case matches the market noise.

The price would feel hollow without the players to justify it. Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell give this series the star power it needs.

Brunson has been the face of the Knicks’ rise, and his playoff production entering the series backs up the demand around him.

He is not just a popular New York guard. He is carrying himself like a postseason centrepiece.

Mitchell brings the other side of the argument. His scoring threat gives Cleveland the type of lead guard who can walk into MSG and make the building nervous.

That is exactly why this series has bite. New York has the home crowd and the belief. Cleveland has the star capable of turning that noise into pressure.

Mitchell already acknowledged the challenge, saying the Cavaliers had to be “locked in and ready to go” because the Knicks are a tough team.

That is the right tone for this series. No gimmicks are needed. The matchup sells itself.

The Knicks enter this series with a real basketball advantage, not just a louder arena.

They had nine days of rest after completing their sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers, while Cleveland had to finish a seven-game series against Detroit.

That gap matters in May. Legs matter. Recovery matters. So does having time to prepare for a matchup this large.

New York also expects OG Anunoby to be available after his hamstring issue, with his Game 1 status offering another boost before the opener.

That does not guarantee anything. It does explain why Knicks fans are treating this as more than a celebration of getting this far.

The bigger historical shadow is still there. New York has not reached the NBA Finals since 1999, and that drought gives every home game in this series extra weight.

That is why the ticket prices do not feel random. They feel like a market reading the room correctly.

MSG is expensive because New York believes this team has earned a night like this. The Cavaliers can still spoil it, and Mitchell is dangerous enough to do exactly that.

But before Game 1 even starts, the price of admission has already said something clear. This is not just another Eastern Conference Finals opener. In New York, it already feels bigger than that.

Read more:

• What Victor Wembanyama feels about ‘8 billion opinions’ on his best NBA player status
• Knicks aim to break historic curse in Eastern Conference Finals
• Victor Wembanyama dominates Game 1: new face of the NBA is born

Dave Portnoy Comes To Celtics Jaylen Brown's Defense Amid Stephen A. Smith Beef originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Celtics season is over, but Jaylen Brown and Stephen A. Smith are giving fans plenty to pay attention to.

The tw have been exchanging words through the media. It started when Smith called out Brown's comments about officiating in the playoffs and his saying that last season was his favorite. It escalated to Smith saying the Celtics should trade Brown and saying that Brown needs to "be quiet." Brown recently called out Smith, saying he is using his platform as a journalist to spread clickbait.

"Did he just say I needed to be quiet? Be quiet for who?" Brown said Sunday night. "Man, (expletive) Stephen A. Stephen A, Stephen B, Stephen C. My offer still stands. You want me to be quiet and stop streaming, well, I want you to be quiet and get off these networks because you’re not using your platform to do real journalism. You’re using your platform to use clickbait. Tell this (expletive) to retire because he’s the face of clickbait media at the point and maybe with his retirement we can spark a movement to get the rest of these (expletive) out of here — or to also have some type of … forget journalistic integrity, actual integrity in order to hold themselves accountable to the (expletive) takes they put out."

Smith responded on "First Take" by warning Brown that Smith could start reporting on how Brown is perceived in Boston, but he may not like what he hears.

"Jaylen Brown, be careful what you wish for," Smith said on Monday. "You really want me to start reporting on that level? You understand? Locker room, how the organization might think about you, how the city may feel about you, how Jayson Tatum may or may not feel about you, sneaker deals, endorsement deals, the list goes on and on. The season is over bro. You're on Twitch trying to do what I do and talking about me needing to step away. It makes no sense."

Well, now Dave Portnoy, owner of Barstool Sports and an avid Boston Sports fan, has come to defend Brown on social media. He responded to Smith insinuating that the city of Boston may not love Brown like he thinks they do.

"JB won a title," Portnoy commented on a clip of Smith's comments on X. "City loves him."

It's safe to assume Brown will respond to Smith again soon. Smith is essentially claiming that Brown is not as loved by the city, organization and team as much as he thinks. 

More NBA: NBA Insider Urges Celtics To Avoid Giannis Antetokounmpo-Jaylen Brown Swap For This Reason

On Monday night, Athletics starting pitcher J.T. Ginn was cruising. He reached the bottom of the ninth against the Los Angeles Angels without allowing a hit, and had ten strikeouts to his credit as he took the bump to close out the contest.

Six pitches later he had lost the no-hitter, and the game.

Ginn was masterful through the first eight innings, allowing just two batters to reach base, one via a walk and another via a hit-by-pitch. He was also perfect through the first 4.1 innings of the game, the Angels failed to even put a runner on base. As the ninth inning began the Athletics held a slim 1-0 lead, but with Ginn on just 99 pitches and yet to allow a hit, he took the mound hoping to close out his third win of the season, and a no-hitter.

But the tide turned, and rather quickly.

Infielder Adam Frazier, the number nine hitter in the Angels’ lineup, led off the inning and laced an 0-2 pitch low and away over the shortstop’s head for a single, breaking up Ginn’s bid for a no-hitter:

That brought Zach Neto to the plate, the batter that Ginn had plunked in the sixth inning.

Neto got his revenge:

Ginn fell behind in the count 2-0, and Neto drilled a 93-mph sinker low in the zone to deep center field, giving the Angels a 2-1 win.

Had he completed the no-hitter, Ginn would have thrown the first no-no since Shota Imanaga combined with Chicago Cubs relievers Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge for a 12-0 win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 4, 2024.

Instead, he fell to 2-2 on the season with a loss.

Victor Wembanyama admits it's personal going against SGA, Thunder after MVP snub: ‘I want to get that trophy’ originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

If Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals was any indication, Victor Wembanyama is out for blood against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

He has plenty of reasons for extra motivation; not only is a trip to his first NBA Finals on the line, but the Spurs and Thunder also built a rivalry in the regular season that saw Wembanyama's side win four different games, some of the few OKC losses all year.

When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named the NBA's back-to-back MVP on Sunday, it gave Wembanyama yet another reason to take the matchup personally — and he showed out by dominated Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder.

Here's a look at the Game 1 numbers from Wembanyama and Gilgeous-Alexander, and what the Spurs star had to say about his MVP snub.

NBA PLAYOFFS HQ:Live NBA scores | NBA playoff schedule | NBA playoff bracket

The final numbers for Gilgeous-Alexander were much more on-par with his stardom, masking an extremely slow start. But it's also no understatement to say that Game 1 on Monday night may have been one of his worst performances of the 2025-26 season.

Coming off the heels of his MVP announcement, Gilgeous-Alexander went for 24 points, but on 7-of-23 shooting (30.4%) from the floor. He did add 12 assists and five steals with five turnovers, but his plus-minus sat at -15, the worst on the Thunder.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed more shots in Q4/OT tonight than he did the previous two months COMBINED pic.twitter.com/7tyXQRl2iV

— Underdog (@Underdog) May 19, 2026

Wembanyama, meanwhile, put forth perhaps the most dominant performance of his career to date, considering the circumstances: in his first playoff run, he guided his team to a Game 1 win on the road of the Western Conference Finals by commanding both ends of the floor.

Not only did Wembanyama play a new career-high 49 minutes, but he was outstanding in all 49. He finished with 41 points, 24 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and three turnovers while shooting 14-of-25 (56.0%) from the floor, with his plus-minus of +16 being the Spurs' best.

Between his total figures, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to post 40 points and 20 rebounds in a playoff game, and his collection of clutch plays, including a stunning 3-pointer from near the logo to tie it at 108 in overtime, Wembanyama looked like the best basketball player in the world on Monday night.

Victor Wembanyama 41 PTS, 24 REBS (9 Off), 1 STL, 3 BLKS, 12/13 FT, 67% TS on 14/25 FG

UNREAL — 20 PTS in the 4th thru 2OT pic.twitter.com/DjJdbY7Aeqhttps://t.co/JeuRMCMdPp

— NBA Performances (@NBARewinds) May 19, 2026

MORE: Where Victor Wembanyama, SGA rank among best remaining players in NBA playoffs

Wembanyama's performance came just one day after Gilgeous-Alexander officially finished first on MVP ballots, receiving 83 first-place votes, while he finished in third with five first-place votes.

Postgame, Wembanyama was asked if "any part of tonight" felt personal due to the MVP results. 

"Yeah, for sure. Everything you just said," Wembanyama said, agreeing with the notion that he took the matchup personally.

Wemby on whether Game 1 was personal after watching Shai win MVP 😤 pic.twitter.com/dTSTEuOMTo

— ESPN (@espn) May 19, 2026

A follow-up question asked Wembanyama what it felt like to see Gilgeous-Alexander get the MVP award, then go out and dominate in Game 1.

"Feels like I still got a lot to learn," Wembanyama said. "I want to get that trophy many times in my career." 

Victor Wembanyama on how he felt watching Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP ceremony:

"Feels like I still got a lot to learn... I want to get that trophy many times in my career." pic.twitter.com/1HcHgSHvZW

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 19, 2026

MORE:Why Victor Wembanyama's clutch 3-pointer is drawing 2016 Steph Curry comparisons 

It's not every day a cutman intervenes in a major fight and advises the referee to call off the bout.

Jacob "Stitch" Duran understands the weight of such a decision. Nate Diaz trusts him so much so that Duran's presence at Saturday's event was solely to work the corners Team Diaz. Even as uncomfortable as it was, he prioritized his fighter's health and safety when he called off Diaz's bout vs. Mike Perry.

Diaz (21-14) was split open in multiple spots. The cut on the right side of his forehead was squirting blood. Duran gave it his best effort to stop the bleeding, but he's a cutman, not a magician.

"He ended up with 15 staples, 20 stitches all together," Duran said in an interview Monday with MMA Junkie Radio. "He was beat up. He was too strong for him. I always look at it as a judge, and at that point, he was getting his ass whooped. Mike was just too strong, too aggressive and he was working him. Then, Nate broke his finger right about here. He said, 'I couldn't do nothing.' The cuts were so big here, it kept pulsating. It kept going and then his nose kept bleeding. It was the sign of maybe a broken nose. I told Nate, 'I'm going to have the doctor stop the fight, man.' I said, 'It's too much blood and you keep bleeding.' The referee said, 'Come on, let's go.' I said, 'No, no, no. He's not going out.'"

The crowd at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. didn't love Duran's decision, and they let him know with boos. Duran saw the detractors commenting on social media, as well.

Two days later, he's as confident as ever he made the correct call. And what better reassurance than words of appreciation from Diaz himself.

"Nate thanked me," Duran said. "He said, 'Thanks.' I said, 'Of course.' I was there to take care of him. That was a proper move. The thing about it is he said he couldn't see. That's always No. 1. It wasn't a hard decision to make. ... He had blood everywhere. So it wasn't that hard of a decision to make. My job is to protect the fighter. That's exactly what I did with Nate. At the end, when we were saying goodbye, he gives me a hug, 'I love you.' His dad was there. He thanked me. So of course I did the right thing. No question about it."

While fans want to see action and the co-main event of Netflix's Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano bout ending in anticlimactic stoppage between Round 2 and Round 3 put an end to that potential, Duran said he's received compliments from other industry experts – including a boxing legend.

"You know what's cool?" Duran said. "I got a message from Marco Antonio Barrera from Guadalajara. He thanked me. He said great job. I got a lot of compliments from guys within the industry. They understand. My only job is to give that guy one more round and if he can't go one more round, to take care of him. So I'm glad I was there for Nate."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Cutman explains why he stopped Nate Diaz fight on stool

ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania faced plenty of criticism for reporting the 2026 NBA MVP award several hours ahead of Prime Video’s official announcement on Sunday.

“Multiple sources tell me this morning that Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been voted as the NBA’s most valuable player,” Charania said on a Sunday edition of SportsCenter after initially breaking the news in a post on X. “This means he’s won back-to-back MVP awards.”

During the pregame show ahead of Game 7 of the second-round series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons, the NBA on Prime crew called out Charania for the early announcement before they officially delivered the news.

And on Monday, Charania defended his SGA NBA MVP announcement: “My job is to report the news.”

Well, more criticism of the early report from Charania arrived on Monday, from four-time NBA champion Draymond Green.

Along with being a forward for the Golden State Warriors, Green has been an analyst on Inside the NBA over the years, including earlier this month. He will also serve as an Inside the NBA guest analyst during the Eastern Conference Finals. And Inside the NBA is now, of course, on ESPN, the same network on which Charania serves as the prominent lead NBA insider.

Green, who has certainly never been afraid to speak his mind, called the Charania reporting the NBA MVP before Prime Video’s official announcement “embarrassing” for the NBA, and he said that the NBA “has to do something about that.” He also referred to the early report as “pathetic.”

Draymond Green on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP announcement blunder:

“I think the NBA has to do something about that. You’re the NBA. You control the media… To tweet at 6 o’clock in the morning who the NBA MVP is, it’s actually embarrassing. Like, it makes our league look like… pic.twitter.com/fhx2v1JOIi

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 19, 2026

“Listen, I think the NBA has to do something about that,” Green said on his podcast. “Ultimately, you’re the NBA. You control the media. Shams is an NBA reporter with ESPN, who’s a partner of the NBA. To tweet at six o’clock in the morning who the NBA MVP is, it’s actually embarrassing. It makes our league look like we have no organization. It makes our league look like… That’s child’s play. We can’t hold the winner of the most prestigious individual award in the NBA; we can’t hold those results until it’s actually time to be announced?”

“That was a little disappointing,” Green continued. “There’s no way that can happen. If there’s supposed to be an announcement on Amazon Prime, the announcement has to happen on Amazon Prime. This is something Commissioner Silver has to do something about. This can’t happen. Come on. You leak it on Twitter? It also can’t be that important to leak information. Come on. I thought that was pretty pathetic, if I’m being honest. The NBA has to do something. That can’t be the case. The MVP gets leaked at six o’clock in the morning.”

“I actually thought it was fake, because I saw somebody else tweet it,” Green explained. “I had to start searching… and then go on Instagram, and, like, oh, no, it’s true…. Come on. Something has to be done. That cannot happen. The leak of the NBA MVP.”

“What are we doing?” Green added. “It would be one thing if it’s not a prominent reporter in the NBA. But, like, it’s Shams. Shams has to be in partnership with the NBA to be as prominent as he is. That can’t happen. I thought that was embarrassing.”

The post Draymond Green calls Shams Charania tipping NBA MVP announcement ‘pathetic’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.

An ex-NFL star just made wild claim about Victor Wembanyama's transformation after Timberwolves ejection  originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Oklahoma City Thunder were widely viewed as the team capable of slowing down Victor Wembanyama’s postseason dominance. Instead, the San Antonio Spurs star handed them their first playoff defeat of the season after Oklahoma City had swept both the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers to open the playoffs.

Wembanyama’s momentum had briefly stalled when he was ejected in the second quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, he avoided suspension and has been on a strong run ever since, triggering a conspiracy-style comment from former NFL player Breiden Fehoko.

“What did Gregg Popovich tell Wemby at the airport cause since that ejection this mf been playing unearthly,” Fehoko tweeted.

For context, after Wembanyama’s ejection, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich made a notable gesture by meeting the young star directly on the tarmac when the team plane returned to San Antonio.

As for Wembanyama’s historic performance on Monday, he dropped 41 points and ripped down 24 rebounds across 49 minutes of play. He forced overtime with a clutch three-pointer and scored 9 of the team’s final 14 points in the closing stretch to seal the win.

When asked if Wembanyama considers himself the best player in the world, he had a response.

“Do I feel like it right now? I feel tired,” Wembanyama said. “But it’s not a question I’m wondering right now. We’ll see. The world is 8 billion people, so it’s 8 billion opinions.”

As Nick Wright noted, on May 24, 1995, Hakeem Olajuwon watched David Robinson win the MVP he believed he deserved and responded with a 41-point, 16-rebound performance in a win. Nearly three decades later, to the same approximate date, Wembanyama saw Shai Gilgeous-Alexander win the MVP he had been campaigning for and answered with the 41-point performance.

• Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama has serious bad blood with Thunder star Chet Holmgren — at least fans think so
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• Victor Wembanyama is breaking the playoff blueprint in real time and Thunder can’t ignore it

Way-Too-Early Red Sox Trade Targets originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It's getting late early for the Boston Red Sox, thanks to their 20-27 record which has them in last place in the American League East, 11.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. 

However the club has gone 7-6 over its last 13 games giving Red Sox Nation reason to believe 2026 won't be a lost season.

But if Boston is going to make a playoff push, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow needs to find ways to improve the club down the stretch.

Yes, we are still a long way off from the MLB trade deadline. But here are a couple of names to keep in mind: Robbie Ray and Freddy Peralta.

Wait. Why would the Red Sox target starting pitching, you ask. After all, Sonny Gray, Connelly Early, Payton Tolle and Ranger Suarez all look locked in right now. If Garrett Crochet can return from the injured list and recapture the form which made him a Cy Young contender last season, there's no reason to doubt the Red Sox starting rotation.

But if there's one thing Breslow knows all too well is that you can never have enough starting pitching. At some point, someone will struggle or someone will get hurt. Should neither of those things happen, a sixth arm would allow interim manager Chad Tracy to give his starters some breathing room by building in extra days off. 

Both the New York Post's Jon Heyman and Fansided's Robert Murray identified the left-handed Ray and right-handed Peralta as starting pitchers who could be on the trade market.

The 34-year-old Ray is in his third season with the San Francisco Giants. Currently he's 3-5 with a 3.04 ERA in nine starts. And he's no stranger to the AL East, having won the 2021 American League Cy Young Award while pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays. The two-time All-Star will be a free agent after the season, meaning it shouldn't cost an arm and a leg to add the expiring contract before the trade deadline.

Then there's Peralta, who like Ray will be a free agent this winter. The New York Mets traded for the righty in January when the club had World Series aspirations. But if the Mets can't climb out of last place in the National League East, Peralta could be on the trade market. 

The 29-year-old is 3-3 with a 3.31 ERA in 10 starts this season. Also a two-time All-Star, Peralta finished fifth in voting last year for the National League Cy Young Award.

More MLB: Sonny Gray Called 'One Of The Best Pitchers In Baseball' After Royals Outing

On Monday night, the Giants held their annual Town Hall event. For the first time arguably since the days of Bill Parcells, the team has a good head coach who is also a clear and direct (and at times blunt) communicator.

Art Stapleton of USA Today has posted a snippet from the event that will be music to the ears of Giants fans.

Here's the question to John Harbaugh, from one of the folks in the crowd: "We turn on the TV on Sundays, and then we face the Eagles and the Cowboys, and a lot of the time they just kick our butts. How confident are you, Coach, that going into this season we'll go into those Dallas games, those Eagles games, and those Commanders games, and we'll take them down?"

"I could care less about what's happened last year, the year before that, or ten years before that," Harbaugh said. "Honestly, I don't give a crap about any of it. Not one bit. All I care about is tomorrow's practice. Because if tomorrow's practice is the way it's supposed to be, that'll be one more step in the direction of being a good enough football team to kick the Cowboys' ass."

And with that, the room exploded in cheers.

"That's our job," Harbaugh added. "That's our job to be good enough to do that. We gotta make ourselves good enough to do that. That's our responsibility."

And the countdown to Week 1 continues. With the Cowboys coming to town to face the Giants in Harbaugh's first game of his first year in New York.

While the proof will be in the proverbial pudding, Harbaugh has the fans more excited than they've been in a long time.

Enzo Maresca has emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Pep Guardiola as Manchester City manager if the Spanish boss walks away from the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season.

The 46-year-old Italian is reportedly in advanced talks to take over from Guardiola, whose 10 years at City are set to come to an end following Sunday’s final game of the campaign against Aston Villa.

Here, the Press Association looks at whether former Chelsea boss Maresca is the right fit for City and what are the challenges heading his way.

After a playing career as a midfielder that began at West Brom and stopped off in Italy, Spain and Greece, Maresca spent 18 months as one of Manuel Pellegrini’s assistant managers at West Ham until December 2019.

He was appointed manager of Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad in August 2020, winning the Premier League 2 title before a short-lived spell in charge of Italian Serie B club Parma.

Yes. Maresca returned as Guardiola’s assistant for the 2022-23 season.

It would prove to be a historic campaign as City won the treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.

But Maresca did not hang around in Manchester and became manager of Championship club Leicester in June 2023.

Maresca led Leicester City to the Championship title in 2024, overcoming a mid-season wobble to hold off Ipswich by one point.

A month later, he was on his way to Chelsea after signing a five-year deal as head coach with an option to extend for a further year.

Chelsea’s fast start under Maresca saw them labelled title contenders, but a young Blues side eventually fell away to finish fourth.

Silverware came in the Conference League and last summer’s expanded FIFA Club World Cup, with the future looking bright at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca’s 18 months in charge came to an end on New Year’s Day 2026 with the club fifth in the Premier League table – 15 points adrift of leaders Arsenal – and after one win in seven top-flight games.

Speculation about Maresca’s future had intensified amid reports he endured a strained relationship with key club figures.

It was reported that Maresca had informed Chelsea he had been in contact on multiple occasions with City about taking over from Guardiola, despite having three-and-a-half years of his contract to run.

Guardiola is leaving a squad expected to challenge for major honours next season.

Heavy investment over the last two windows has seen Antoine Semenyo, Marc Guehi, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Ryan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders all signed.

Nottingham Forest’s England midfielder Elliot Anderson is one potential target with club greats Bernardo Silva and John Stones leaving and rumours linking midfield lynchpin Rodri to Real Madrid.

But Maresca’s biggest task could simply be following Guardiola – a man who won 20 trophies in 10 years at City.

Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama receives contract prediction worth “all the money” originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Victor Wembanyama is a living, breathing cheat code. The kind of player you build in a lab and on whom anyone can project their wildest basketball fantasies.

Wembanyama isn't just a fascination at 7'5'' -- he's blossoming before our eyes into becoming one of his generation's defining players.

In Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Monday night, Wembanyama delivered a historic performance: 41 points, 24 rebounds and three blocks in 49 minutes. He did it all as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 122-115, in double overtime.

Victor Wembanyama in Game 1 win vs. Thunder:

41 PTS
24 REB
3 AST
3 BLK
14-25 FG
12-13 FT
49 MIN

Joins Charles Barkley, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Moses Malone as the only players in NBA history with 40+ PTS and 20+ REB in a conference finals game. pic.twitter.com/cCfIcypev1

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 19, 2026

MORE: Why Victor Wembanyama's clutch 3-pointer is drawing eerily similar comparisons to Steph Curry's 2016 shot vs. OKC

A player whose length and height have changed opponents' entire offensive strategies being the same player who can drill a logo 3-pointer in overtime is easily one of the most unique talents in the history of basketball.

And all that's left to decide is how much the Spurs are going to pay him next year.

By the time Wembanyama signs a contract extension -- which Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus says should be worth "all the money" -- he may already be an NBA champion, in addition to the Defensive Player of the Year trophy he secured last month.

If he plays 65 games next season, Wembanyama will be eligible to sign a contract extension worth $306 million over five years. Even that feels like an underpay, given the value that Wemby offers the Spurs franchise at just 22 years old. He's already the Thunder's biggest nightmare, and figures to be so for years to come as the two teams jostle for prominence -- and titles -- in the West.

• A shocked NFL player delivers viral Victor Wembanyama take after Thunder heartbreak game

• Victor Wembanyama stuns MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as Thunder reportedly “afraid” to attack the paint

• Why Victor Wembanyama took Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and OKC personally in Game 1

• Victor Wembanyama may have sent SGA NBA’s coldest MVP message yet

Now that the Tennessee Titans have locked up Ramon Foster to be their next gameday color analyst for Titans Radio, the broadcast team took another hit and will have to again find someone to help round out their coverage.

Titans’ reporter Paul Kuharsky took to social media to announce that Amie Wells, Tennessee’s director of broadcast & content strategy and home game sideline report, has decided to move on from the organization.

Amie Wells, #Titans director of broadcast & content strategy, has left the team.

She joined the franchise in 2013 in the online department, quickly moved to communications and joined the broadcast team in 2020.

— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) May 19, 2026

Wells originally joined the Titans’ online department in 2013, after two public relations internships with the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts, and quickly found her footing by moving into communications, eventually joining the broadcast team in 2020. The University of Missouri graduate continued to grow throughout her 13-year career, eventually moving into the director of broadcast & content strategy role.

There has been no official announcement from the organization about her departure or what is next for the sideline reporter position. Stay tuned to Titans Wire for all of the updates as the Titans continue to make changes throughout this offseason.

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans director of broadcast Amie Wells is moving on

Sunday's team selection found Craig McLeish between a rock (please, just win something before the play-off and create some momentum, score at least once) and a hard place (please, don't get injured, don't get suspended).

In the end, McLeish listened to his better (play the weans!) angels and took a pragmatic approach to a game against opponents firmly locked into seventh place and their first airport pints.

Where senior players needed minutes, they got them. Where bodies like Mikael Mandron and Killian Phillips needed some respite, they got it. Miguel Freckleton and Mark O'Hara steered the ship for a half before presumably being bundled into the proverbial cotton wool. Marcus Fraser got an hour back in the tank, Liam Donnelly wasn't risked; so far, so sensible.

What, then, did we learn from this most deceased of elastic, waterproof polymers (thank you Wikipedia)?

We learned that Luke Douglas, recognised by Scotland regularly at age group level and touted as the natural successor in Paisley to Evan Mooney's "get him on the pitch, he's better than them surely" crowd moniker, might well be the real deal.

Highly familiar to the Saints interim gaffer from his journey through multiple age rungs of the academy, Douglas had made cameo appearances in recent weeks as squad depth demanded. However, Sunday offered the 16-year-old the opportunity to start a senior fixture for the first time - and, boy, did he make the most of it.

The teen was denied a dream arrival on the top-flight stage by only the offside flag, a half yard of daylight and a half second's delay on Freckleton's through ball.

Despite this, the youngster showed the kind of movement, grit and bullishness in front of goal the frustratingly profligate Saints have missed for most of the league season.

Reconciling the cup side that crashed in nine goals at Hampden this season with the league side that sit bottom of the goals scored standings by a full 10 is a brain-scratching task.

Douglas was not alone in grabbing his opportunity and sparking some intrigue amongst the PA3 crowd. In a squad depleted of left-sided strength in the absence of Declan John (injury, definitely) and Conor McMenamin (injury, probably), Thomas Falconer starred in his second-half runout.

His strike off the base of the post came so close to writing the following day's headlines, not to mention his impressive running to cover his flank at both ends of the pitch.

Caiden McMillan, in making his senior debut, made it four teenage appearance makers on the day when he joined loanee Jacob Devaney on the pitch to see out the final stages. Although his cameo was altogether briefer, he had sufficient time to drive forward as the Saints chased a winner and looked far from out of place in his surroundings.

A point, in the end, did little for the Saints' final points tally or in making a statement of intent before Thursday's away leg in Maryhill.

However, the green shoots of young reinforcements bolstering a squad that has looked tired since lifting the League Cup in December gave rise to a little bit of cautious optimism to a following crowd much in need of it.

The demand, now, is simple. Get it done over the next week and ensure the 150th chapter in Saints' history is written in the top flight.

Mark Jardine can be found at Misery Hunters

The Big Race is drawing near and Indy 500 fans face some tough questions: What's on the menu at Indianapolis Motor Speedway? Where is the best parking? And, of course: Will I need to bring an umbrella?

IndyStar is helping race fans prepare their outfits and accessories for the spectacle by publishing daily updates as race day draws near.

IndyStar's historic weather analysis (provided below) shows that it's rained only once on May 24 since 2006 and the average temperature for the past 20 years has been in the upper 60s. That said, multiple current forecasts call for some precipitation this year on Sunday, May 24.

The National Weather Service predicts a 30% chance of rain for the Indy 500 with possible thunderstorms in the mix. Skies will be mostly cloudy with temperatures peaking around 81 degrees.

AccuWeather forecasters are also calling for a 30% chance of rain on Race Day with variable clouds and a thunderstorm possible. Meteorologists there wrote, "rain can delay or cancel the race," on the service's website. High temperatures will be near 75 degrees.

An hour-by-hour forecast from Weather Underground shows a 60% chance of rain with precipitation beginning at 12 a.m. and lasting throughout the entire day except for a short window of dry conditions at 8 p.m. Temperatures will top out around 75 degrees.

The National Weather Service is predicting a 40% chance of rain for Memorial Day with mostly cloudy skies and a high around 83 degrees.

Weather Underground shows a 41% chance of rain for Monday, May 25, with temperatures reaching 75 degrees.

This year's Indy 500 Legends Day takes place Saturday, May 23, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The National Weather Service forecast shows rain and thunderstorms mid-morning with precipitation lasting through the afternoon. Thunderstorms could pick up again into the evening. Temperatures will reach highs near 78 degrees.

This year's Indy 500 Carb Day is on Friday, May 22. The day-long party includes the Oscar Mayer Wienie 500 and the Pit Stop Competition.

The National Weather Service forecast says showers are likely Friday with a chance of thunderstorms beginning after 2 p.m. Chances of rain are 90% and temperatures will be in the low 70s.

IndyStar analyzed 20 years of historic data from Weather Underground for May 24, this year's Race Day.

Daily temperatures averaged in the high 60s and it has rained only one day out of the last 20 since 2006. Precipitation totals on rainy days were light, with the highest on record at only one-tenth of an inch.

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On previous race days, temperatures varied wildly from a high of 92 degrees in 1937 and a low of 37 degrees in 1947, according to the National Weather Service.

The most rain fell on May 30, 2004, when Race Day was inundated with nearly 4 inches of precipitation. The race eventually ran but was cut short due to a tornado in the area.

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis weather forecasts for Indy 500 call for chance of rain

The Big Race is drawing near and Indy 500 fans face some tough questions: What's on the menu at Indianapolis Motor Speedway? Where is the best parking? And, of course: Will I need to bring an umbrella?

IndyStar is helping race fans prepare their outfits and accessories for the spectacle by publishing daily updates as race day draws near.

IndyStar's historic weather analysis (provided below) shows that it's rained only once on May 24 since 2006 and the average temperature for the past 20 years has been in the upper 60s. That said, multiple current forecasts call for some precipitation this year on Sunday, May 24.

The National Weather Service predicts a 30% chance of rain for the Indy 500 with possible thunderstorms in the mix. Skies will be mostly cloudy with temperatures peaking around 81 degrees.

AccuWeather forecasters are also calling for a 30% chance of rain on Race Day with variable clouds and a thunderstorm possible. Meteorologists there wrote, "rain can delay or cancel the race," on the service's website. High temperatures will be near 75 degrees.

An hour-by-hour forecast from Weather Underground shows a 60% chance of rain with precipitation beginning at 12 a.m. and lasting throughout the entire day except for a short window of dry conditions at 8 p.m. Temperatures will top out around 75 degrees.

The National Weather Service is predicting a 40% chance of rain for Memorial Day with mostly cloudy skies and a high around 83 degrees.

Weather Underground shows a 41% chance of rain for Monday, May 25, with temperatures reaching 75 degrees.

This year's Indy 500 Legends Day takes place Saturday, May 23, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The National Weather Service forecast shows rain and thunderstorms mid-morning with precipitation lasting through the afternoon. Thunderstorms could pick up again into the evening. Temperatures will reach highs near 78 degrees.

This year's Indy 500 Carb Day is on Friday, May 22. The day-long party includes the Oscar Mayer Wienie 500 and the Pit Stop Competition.

The National Weather Service forecast says showers are likely Friday with a chance of thunderstorms beginning after 2 p.m. Chances of rain are 90% and temperatures will be in the low 70s.

IndyStar analyzed 20 years of historic data from Weather Underground for May 24, this year's Race Day.

Daily temperatures averaged in the high 60s and it has rained only one day out of the last 20 since 2006. Precipitation totals on rainy days were light, with the highest on record at only one-tenth of an inch.

.oembed-frame {width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;border:0;}

On previous race days, temperatures varied wildly from a high of 92 degrees in 1937 and a low of 37 degrees in 1947, according to the National Weather Service.

The most rain fell on May 30, 2004, when Race Day was inundated with nearly 4 inches of precipitation. The race eventually ran but was cut short due to a tornado in the area.

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis weather forecasts for Indy 500 call for chance of rain

WNBA’s officiating crackdown is already creating a new problem originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The WNBA knew it had an officiating problem last season. What the league may not have expected is how quickly its attempt to fix that problem would create a brand-new debate across the sport.

After years of complaints about missed calls, escalating physicality and inconsistent whistles, the league responded by forming an offseason officiating task force that included some of the biggest coaching and front-office voices in the game. Now, only days into the 2026 season, the results are impossible to ignore. Fouls are up. Free throws are soaring. Coaches are frustrated. Players are openly confused. And games are suddenly taking much longer to finish.

What started as an effort to restore control may now be testing the balance between physical basketball and over-officiated basketball.

The league’s renewed officiating emphasis traces directly back to one game.

Indiana’s June 17 win over Connecticut last season became the example league officials repeatedly referenced when explaining why changes were necessary. That game spiraled physically and emotionally throughout the night before boiling over late when Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham wrapped up Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon under the basket, leading to multiple ejections.

But according to WNBA referee development officials, the real issue started much earlier.

Caitlin Clark was poked in the eye. Marina Mabrey delivered a hard body check that league officials later believed should have resulted in an ejection. Hair pulls reportedly went uncalled. The physicality escalated possession by possession because, in the league’s view, officials failed to establish control early enough.

That game became the symbol of everything the WNBA wanted to eliminate entering 2026.

MORE: Caitlin Clark’s competitive fire is obvious, but Fever fans just saw a different side of her

The numbers already show how dramatic the adjustment has been.

Through the opening stretch of the season, foul calls and free throw attempts have jumped significantly compared to last year. Coaches involved in the offseason discussions admitted they expected tighter whistles, but the early reaction around the league suggests many believe things may have swung too far in the opposite direction.

Stephanie White acknowledged that the league essentially asked officials to “call everything” after years of complaints about missed contact. Cheryl Reeve quickly pushed back after Minnesota played in a whistle-heavy opener featuring 52 free throws. Breanna Stewart called the lack of flow “insane” after one Liberty game stretched nearly three hours.

Even rookie Azzi Fudd admitted she was unsure how physical defenders are even allowed to be anymore.

That may be the biggest challenge facing the WNBA now. The league wanted to eliminate unchecked physicality, especially after several nationally discussed incidents involving Caitlin Clark and the Fever last season. But basketball rhythm matters too, and right now many players sound like they are still trying to figure out where the line actually exists.

What makes this different from previous seasons is the structure behind it. The league created a dedicated officiating task force separate from the normal competition committee. Prominent coaches and executives across the WNBA are involved, including White, Reeve and Becky Hammon. Officials are being graded constantly through an internal review platform, and performance can directly impact assignments and promotions throughout the season.

The WNBA is also openly discussing additional accountability measures, including a potential Last Two Minute Report system similar to the NBA’s. That level of transparency matters because officiating criticism around the league has been building for years. Coaches have routinely blasted inconsistency. Players have questioned standards from crew to crew. Last postseason only intensified the scrutiny.

Now the WNBA is trying to prove it is taking those concerns seriously.

The biggest question now is whether the league can find a middle ground before frustration grows louder. Nobody around the WNBA seems to disagree that last season featured too many dangerous or missed situations. The Fever-Sun matchup became too chaotic for the league to simply ignore. But players and coaches also do not want every possession turning into a parade to the free throw line.

That is why the next few weeks could be critical. The WNBA appears committed to enforcing freedom-of-movement rules more aggressively than ever before. The challenge is making sure tighter officiating improves the game instead of disrupting it.

Right now, the league may still be searching for that balance.

• Caitlin Clark’s competitive fire is obvious, but Fever fans just saw a different side of her
• Azzi Fudd just showed why the Wings are so excited about her future
• Does Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever play tonight? Details on Friday’s game vs Mystics
• Kelsey Plum makes major off-court move during breakout WNBA moment

• Fresh off scoring the decisive goal in Manchester City’s FA Cup Final victory over Chelsea, Antoine Semenyo is turning attentions back to the Premier League.
• Semenyo jokingly labeled himself “the problem” at Bournemouth, pointing out the Cherries’ spectacular unbeaten run since his January departure to the Etihad Stadium.
• The Ghanaian forward is set to return to the Vitality Stadium this week for a crucial clash with significant implications for both the title race and Europe.
• Semenyo revealed his former teammates have been teasing him daily, promising they are going to “kick” him when they meet on the pitch.

Antoine Semenyo has taken a light-hearted approach to his reunion with Bournemouth this week, jokingly suggesting that he was “the problem” at his now-former club amid their surge in exceptional end-of-season form.

The 26-year-old forward is currently riding the highest wave of his career to date after writing his name into Manchester City history on Saturday afternoon by expertly steering home an Erling Haaland cross to secure a 1-0 FA Cup Final victory over Chelsea.

Victory at Wembley Stadium handed Manchester City and Pep Guardiola their 20th trophy of the Catalan’s tenure at the club, whilst simultaneously wrapping up a domestic cup double this season.

However, the relentless nature of the 2025/26 campaign leaves little time for celebration with City immediately pivoting back to Premier League action for a midweek trip to the South Coast.

Semenyo will be returning to face an incredibly in-form Bournemouth side that has completely transformed under Andoni Iraola since the turn of the year, hurtling towards qualification for one of UEFA’s European competitions next season.

Speaking to reporters off the back of his FA Cup Final success against Chelsea on Saturday afternoon, Antoine Semenyo has looked ahead to returning to the Vitality Stadium for the first time since leaving the club in January.

“I was the problem,” Semenyo joked, with Bournemouth currently unbeaten in the Premier League since the Ghanaian’s exit from the South Coast side during the January transfer window.

“I am happy they are doing so well and hopefully they get into Europe too,” he continued. “It’s going to be tough. They’ve got something to fight for so they’re going to make it tough for us. It won’t be weird going back.”

Semenyo added, “It’ll be good to see everyone again. I still speak to them every day, to be honest, they’ve been giving me a lot of cr*p, just like they’re going to kick me and this and that but it’ll be good to see them all.

“And obviously, it’s going to be a tough game. So I’m looking forward to the challenge and hopefully we win.”

While the banter between Antoine Semenyo and his former teammates remains light-hearted off the pitch, the stakes could not be higher when referee Anthony Taylor gets the action going on Tuesday night.

Manchester City continue to find themselves in a cutthroat, final-week sprint against Arsenal for the Premier League crown, meaning anything less than three points on the South Coast could prove fatal to their title defence depending on the Gunners’ result against Burnley.

Bournemouth’s staggering post-January form has put them firmly in the hunt for a historic European qualification spot, and Iraola’s men will have no intention of rolling out the red carpet for their former talisman this week.

Barcelona could be about to return to the so-called ‘1:1 rule’ for the first time in three years, and La Liga have hinted that it is indeed the case. For the past three years, it has not been, despite consistent promises from the hierarchy at the club that it would be the case.

The Blaugrana have been briefing in recent months that they are just €11-12m in income short of increasing their salary limit to encapsulate their spend on their squad. That would allow them to spend with less restrictions this summer in the transfer market. Since the pandemic, Barcelona have only been within their salary limit once in 2022, following the inflated limits as a result of the infamous economic levers, or asset sales.

During a media event on Tuesday, La Liga CEO Javier Gomez responded to questions and gave the following answer when asked about Barcelona’s salary limit situation.

“We can’t make assessments; you can. But there is public data. The auditor has accepted, for example, around €70m from the VIP boxes. Then there’s Lewandowski’s departure, he has a high salary cost. They’re going to open a new stand at Camp Nou. That’s enough to form an opinion,” he told Sport.

“We have to take into account the impact and amortization of Lewandowski. There’s a club that has a specific squad budget for the 2026/27 season. They have a player who consumes a lot of their resources and who won’t be there anymore. Even though it was planned that he wouldn’t continue, they’ve already done their calculations. No club knows yet if they’re over budget or not, but almost 95% of them already have a rough idea of ​​what their situation will be.”

The 1:1 rule refers to teams that are within their salary limit, and are able to use the totality of the money they make from sales and savings. Teams in excess of their salary limit can only use 60% of the additional income made from wage savings and transfers, while those within their limit can put all of the money from those revenue streams into registering new players. It should be noted this is not the first time that La Liga have been positive about Barcelona’s salary limit situation in recent years without the 1:1 rule coming to pass.

Cole Moody hit a grand slam in the third inning and 11th-seeded Muhlenberg went on to knock off third-seeded Waynesboro 9-7 in the District 3 Class 6A baseball quarterfinals on Monday at Waynesboro.

The Muhls (13-7) have beaten two higher seeds in the tourney and now face second-seeded Ephrata at 7 p.m. Thursday at War Memorial Stadium.

Last Friday, Muhlenberg beat sixth-seeded Manheim Township 6-3.

In the other semifinal on Thursday, No. 5 Chambersburg plays at top-seeded Hempfield.

Trailing 3-0 heading into the top of third, Moody’s grand slam was the big blow in a seven-run inning. The Muhls tacked on two more runs in the fifth for a 9-4 lead. Waynesboro scored single runs in each of the last four innings and stranded a total of 12 runners on base in the game.

Carter Burr had two RBIs for the Muhls, and Aiden Bonte had two hits.

Ryan Rosenberry came on to pitch for Muhlenberg in the third inning and threw four innings, giving up three runs and striking out five to get the win. Cooper Burr pitched the seventh inning.

East Pennsboro 10, Oley Valley 3

Sophomore Elijah Brown went 4 for 4 with five RBIs to lead third-seeded East Pennsboro to a 10-3 District 3 Class 4A quarterfinal win over No. 6 Oley Valley on Monday.

East Pennsboro (18-3) hosts seventh-seeded Big Spring in a semifinal game on Thursday.

Gryffin Cappellano, Luke Manwiller and Danny Fries each had RBIs for Oley, which finishes its season 15-5.

Three East Pennsboro pitchers combined on a three-hitter.

Elliot Knutsen and Chris Bergstrom combined on a five-hitter as Kutztown beat Wyomissing 6-1 in the quarterfinals of the District 3 Class 3A baseball tournament on Monday.

The fourth-seeded Cougars (14-7) advance to play top-seeded Bermudian Springs (18-2) in the semifinals at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Bermudian Springs.

Bergstrom and Zane Cherrie were each 1 for 3 with 2 RBIs for Kutztown.

Ryan Walters and Chase Schuler also knocked in runs and each had one one hit.

Knutsen pitched four innings, allowing three hits, walking four and striking out three. Bergstrom struck out seven and allowed one earned run.

Wyomissing finishes the season 11-9. Ryan Graham had two hits for the Spartans.

In the other 3A quarterfinal game on Monday, third-seeded Berks Catholic defeated sixth-seeded Pequea Valley 5-3 as Victor Mejia tripled and drove in three runs.

Henry Pflomm pitched the first four innings for the Saints (15-5) giving up seven hits and two runs, one of them unearned. Freshman Austin Acevedo pitched the last three innings, allowing one hit, one unearned run and striking out four.

Pflomm and Gio DiSabatino each had a hit and an RBI for the Saints.

Berks Catholic plays at second-seeded Trinity (16-4) at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Bermudian Springs and Trinity had byes into the semifinals. The championship game is Monday at 10:30 a.m. at Penn Medicine Park in Lancaster.

Sonny Gray Called 'One Of The Best Pitchers In Baseball' After Royals Outing originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras believes Sonny Gray is proving he’s one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Gray took the mound on Monday in the first game of a three-game road trip against the Kansas City Royals, and he was dominant. The right-hander recorded a season-high nine strikeouts in six-plus innings, while allowing just one run on five hits.

It was a stellar outing from Gray, and following Boston’s 3-1 win, Willson Contreras had high praise for the right-hander.

“I think he can be one of the best pitchers in baseball,” Contreras said postgame on Monday. “He's been doing it for a long time. He’s a vet. He knows what he's doing, he knows the hitter, he knows the count, he knows everything. His preparation is off the charts, and that's what happens when you prepare yourself well and execute pitches.”

After another stellar outing, Gray went 5-1 with a 2.93 ERA in eight starts this season, as he’s been a saviour of the rotation amid all the injuries to the pitching staff.

With the win on Monday, Boston is now 20-27 and will look for the series win on Tuesday at 7:40 p.m. ET. Ranger Suarez will take the mound for Boston, while Bailey Falter will start for the Royals.

More MLB: Garrett Crochet Has High Praise For Payton Tolle

English golfer Marco Penge announced on social media that he is taking a break from the PGA Tour to concentrate on his mental health.

Penge, 28, won three times on the DP World Tour and nearly made the European Ryder Cup team last season with his hot play. As a rookie on the PGA Tour, he’s made seven cuts in 12 starts this season, with a T-4 at the Valspar Championship in March, and ranked 83rd in the FedEx Cup. He missed the cut last week at the PGA Championship.

“This week didn’t go the way I wanted it to but that’s golf,” he wrote on Instagram. “Moving forward, I have decided that I am going to take some time off to get my health back to where it needs to be. Thank you for your support as always. I’ll be back soon.” 

More: Marco Penge is primed to be the PGA Tour’s next breakout star in 2026

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Penge previously had posted on X that he had been dealing with a sinus infection and vertigo symptoms and underwent an MRI on his brain and neck recently. 

“Thankfully the images were great and so a few of the doubts I have had have gone away, which is a big relief,” he wrote. “I’m battling to get fully fit again and hopefully that’s not too far away.”

Penge and his wife, Sophie, welcomed their second child, a son named Romeo, on Feb. 24. Romeo was born with underdeveloped lungs and spent 21 days in a Florida hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) before going home. The couple also has an older son, Enzo, born in 2024. Penge is also adjusting to living in a new country for the first time. At the Players, he said he missed visiting familiar cities such as London and Rome, but was enjoying playing the great golf courses in the U.S., including Cypress Point. 

“I feel like this is where I belong, where I was always destined to be,” he said in March about playing on the PGA Tour. “I haven’t fulfilled my potential but I’m trying my best to fulfill that.”

Penge is ranked No. 43 in the Official World Golf Ranking after ending last season at a career-best of 29th. 

Pros taking mental health breaks has become a more accepted practice since the death of Grayson Murray. Veteran pro Brendon Todd took an extended break last season and has mounted a comeback this year thanks to a medical exemption.

Adam Schupak is a senior writer for Golfweek, covering the PGA Tour.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: PGA Tour golfer Marco Penge takes mental health break

May 19 (UPI) -- Jacob Fatu raised the stakes in his feud with Roman Reigns by challenging the World Heavyweight Champion to Tribal Combat.

Fatu, on Monday, immediately called out Reigns to meet him in the ring at the start of Raw.

Reigns arrived to the arena where he was greeted by general manager Adam Pearce who stated he was going to fire Fatu for attacking WWE officials in recent weeks. Reigns said he needed to handle business first and started heading towards the ring.

Jimmy and Jey Uso reached Fatu first inside the ring. Jimmy Uso attempted to plead with his cousin but when words didn't work, Jey Uso attacked Fatu with a steel chair.

Fatu was able to overwhelm The Usos when Reigns finally arrived onto the scene. After an intense brawl, Reigns and The Usos gained the advantage.

Reigns nailed Fatu with a Superman Punch after he was tied up in the ropes. The Usos also hit Fatu with a flurry of their special moves and ended the beat down when Reigns delivered a Spear.

It was then that Pearce walked to the entrance ramp and prepared to fire Fatu. As Pearce started to speak, Fatu interrupted and screamed "Tribal Combat!"

The Usos and Pearce tried to talk Roman out of accepting the match, but the champion agreed. Reigns will defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Fatu at Clash in Italy on May 31.

A Tribal Combat match has no rules. The loser must bow and acknowledge the winner as the Tribal Chief.

Also on Raw, Oba Femi continued his open challenge when he was suddenly and shockingly attacked from behind by his foe Brock Lesnar.

Lesnar hit Femi with a number of F5's that left the towering competitor decimated.

Femi had defeated Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 in April. Lesnar, after having lost the match, appeared to retire after he left his boots and gloves in the middle of the ring. WWE had also moved Lesnar to their alumni section but at least for now, The Beast is back.

View this post on InstagramA post shared by WWE (@wwe)

Brynley Biehl and Lainee Guldner each drove in two runs as Fleetwood defeated Hamburg 9-5 in a District 3 Class 4A quarterfinal softball game on Monday.

The fourth-seeded Tigers (17-3) play at top-seeded Kennard-Dale (19-0) at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the semifinals. The other semifinal game is No. 3 Northern Lebanon at No. 2 Big Spring.

Winning pitcher Sophia Breidegam went the distance, giving up nine hits and four earned runs.

Hamburg committed eight errors in the game, as only two of Fleetwood’s nine runs were earned.

For the Hawks (15-6), Molly Krick and Norah Davey each drove in two runs.

Kutztown 8, Biglerville 0

BCIAA champion Kutztown opened District 3 play with an 8-0 win over Biglerville in Class 3A as two Cougar pitchers combined on a two-hitter.

Savannah Follweiler threw the first five innings, allowing just one hit and striking out five.

Paityn Ziegler pitched the last two innings, striking out three and giving up one hit.

Felicia Oldt had two hits and two RBIs for the Cougars, and Ava Kutz had two RBIs.

The second-seeded Cougars (17-4) host No. 3 Littlestown (18-3) at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Kutztown Park in a semifinal game. Thursday’s other semifinal pits top-seeded and defending champ Susquenita against Trinity.

Brandywine Heights 13, Camp Hill 2

Lizzie Tomaine and Gennie Aul each drove in three runs as Brandywine Heights defeated Camp Hill 13-2 in five innings in a District 3 Class 2A softball semifinal on Monday.

The second-seeded Bullets (11-7) play top-seeded Halifax (14-7) at 4 p.m. Thursday at Millersville University for the district title.

Jenna Christ was 2 for 4 with four runs scored for Brandywine and Kailyn Fegley drove in two runs. Winning pitcher Kaitlyn Steventon went five innings, striking out five and giving up three hits and two earned runs.

Wilson 10, Manheim Township 5

Layla Kope hit a home run, doubled and drove in five runs as No. 3 Wilson defeated No. 14 Manheim Township 10-5 in the first round of the Class 6A tournament on Monday.

The Bulldogs (18-3) host No. 6 Central York at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in a quarterfinal game.

Ava Legath also homered for Wilson and pitched the last six innings to earn the win. She gave up four hits, four unearned runs and struck out three. Wilson committed five errors in the game.

Abby Zerbe and Rylea Fick each went 3 for 3 for Wilson. One of Fick’s hits was a double. Maddy Snyder had two RBIs.

Twin Valley 10, Lampeter-Strasburg 2

Maggie Stoltzfus went 2 for 4 with a home run and drove in four runs as 10th-seeded Twin Valley defeated seventh-seeded Lampeter-Strasburg 10-2 in a Class 5A first round game.

The Raiders (16-4) advance to play at second-seeded Greencastle-Antrim at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Also for Twin Valley, Emma Naugle homered and drove in two runs.

Class 5A: No. 4 Red Land 15, No. 13 Exeter 5.

Class 3A: No. 1 Susquenita 10, No. 8 Tulpehocken 0; No. 3 Littlestown 5, No. 6 Schuylkill Valley 2.

Cubs' Carson Kelly is the 'King of ABS' originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The dawn of the ABS challenge system in Major League Baseball in 2026 has brought with it all new statistics.

Some players are good at challenging balls and strikes. Others aren't so good.

There's the additional nuance of challenges from the catcher as opposed to challenges from the hitter (and while pitchers can challenge, that's quite rare).

Someone has to be the best at this new stat, right? 

Yep, and it's Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly.

ESPN's Bradford Doolittle, in a new article on Tuesday, called Kelly the "King of ABS."

Kelly has been lights out challenging behind the plate to help out his pitching staff.

"He's 21-4 in challenges while catching, an 84% success rate that Baseball Savant translates to 2.3 runs above expectation, far and away the highest total of any catcher, hitter or pitcher," Doolittle writes. "He is also one-for-one challenging as a hitter, which is worth another 0.3 runs."

MORE: The Phillies intentionally got rid of their DH and put their closer in the 3-spot

It's fun that Kelly has hardly challenged as a hitter. It essentially says that he wants to save those to use for his pitchers.

"If Carson Kelly were a team, his 2.6 runs above expectation for ABS challenges would rank seventh in MLB," Doolittle writes. "Who needs AI when we've got CK?"

It's hard to know whether this is a stat that could regress some to the mean, or if Kelly is simply so locked in on the ABS strike zone that he'll just keep getting challenges right, and not challenging when he's likely to be wrong.

It definitely makes sense that some guys would be better and some worse. Kelly clearly is adept at this.

And it really does add value for the Cubs. Kelly can wear this crown proudly.

MORE: Bo Bichette reveals his plans for his opt-out clause

ESPN doc shows Lions pulled trade offer to move up in 2026 NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Before the Detroit Lions drafted offensive tackle Blake Miller in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, they had a trade offer on the table to move up in Round 1.

This was revealed in the ESPN documentary "The Pick Is In."

The offer was to the Baltimore Ravens and saw the Lions offer pick Nos. 17 and 118 (fourth round), and a 2027 third-round pick for the No. 14 pick.

Baltimore looked to be ready to take the offer, but the Lions decided to pull it when the Ravens were on the clock.

Because the Lions pulled the offer after offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor was picked in the No. 12 spot by the Miami Dolphins, the belief is that the Lions were aiming for the Alabama product.

The conversations that happen inside the war room on draft night are ones fans rarely get to hear. Until now.

See more on Wired at 8 p.m.: https://t.co/to1BNtNYs3pic.twitter.com/Dty8qQoIpn

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) May 18, 2026

According to the Jimmy Johnson Trade Value Chart, the Ravens' No. 14 pick was worth 1,100 points, while the two 2026 selections of the Lions were offering were worth 1,038. Third-round picks are valued at anywhere from 265 to 100 points, so Detroit would have been overpaying to move up.

Along with taking Miller in Round 1, the Lions used that No. 118 overall pick on Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder.

Now, the expectation is Miller will get the nod at right tackle in 2026 and Detroit will move Penei Sewell over to the left side to replace Taylor Decker, who asked for and was granted his release earlier this offseason.

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The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) has been under fire the last few days regarding an official’s decision to disqualify a Mallard Creek’s boys’ track team runner due to a unsportsmanlike conduct for raising his hand at a state track meet.

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Mallard Creek principal Dr. Jared Thompson officially sent in a written appeal and grievance to the NCHSAA regarding the decision, which will now go to the Independent Interscholastic Athletic Appeals Board administered by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for review.

The NCHSAA released a new statement regarding the appeal by Mallard Creek, stating they will have no further comments while the process is ongoing:

Over the past several days, the conclusion of the 8A Men’s Track and Field Championship has generated significant discussion across North Carolina and beyond. The NCHSAA recognizes and understands there is deep disappointment experienced by the student-athletes, coaches, and the school community involved. As previously stated, officiating decisions made during competition are judgment calls administered by certified meet officials under NFHS playing rules and NCHSAA rules relative to unsporting behavior and actions, and are considered final decisions. The Association appreciates the efforts of the officials who are tasked with applying and enforcing those rules during our championship events. Under state law, an aggrieved party may challenge the decision of an official that results in disqualification by appealing to an independent appeals board appointed by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. This process is intended to provide a fair opportunity for a thorough review of the officiating decision. Following the established appeals process outlined in the NCHSAA Handbook and state procedures, Mallard Creek High School has exercised its right to such an appeal through the Independent Interscholastic Athletic Appeals Board administered by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The NCHSAA respects the right of member schools to utilize that process and appreciates the importance of ensuring all concerns are heard through the appropriate review structure.  Because that process is underway, the NCHSAA will not provide further public comment regarding the specifics of the matter.

Had the Mallard Creek runner not been assessed the unsportsmanlike conduct after winning the 4×400 relay race, the Mavericks would have been crowned state champions. Instead, the boys team was denied winning the state title, finishing second overall.

NCHSAA commissioner Que Tucker released an initial statement regarding the association’s decision to disqualify Mallard Creek’s boys’ track team runner, denying the Mavericks a state championship.

“Judgment decisions made by meet officials are done with the full knowledge of NFHS Track & Field Rules as well as rules and expectations of the NCHSAA relative to unsporting behavior and actions,” Tucker said. “We recognize there is deep disappointment experienced by the student-athletes, coaches, and the school community involved.”

Mallard Creek High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, boasts a comprehensive athletic program with offerings in sports such as football, basketball, soccer, and track. The school is dedicated to promoting athletic excellence and personal development, emphasizing teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship. Mallard Creek’s athletic department provides students with opportunities to compete at high levels while balancing academics and athletics, fostering a supportive and dynamic environment for its student-athletes.

From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about cause and effect. We will explore domino-effect scenarios that could impact OSU’s season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”If This, Then That” articles here.

Despite bringing home the bacon in the 2024 National Championship, Ryan Day’s repeated failure to beat Ohio State’s rival loomed like a cloud over his career. 

It’s not that winning a single game is more important than winning it all. Certainly, national titles are both the end goal for the team and the bigger picture for the program long-term by way of recruiting and talent retention. 

Still, any Buckeye fan who is being honest with themselves knows that beating Michigan is often the metric by which we measure a season’s success, and heading into 2025, Day was certainly being honest with himself, too. He was well aware of the pressure to win The Game, one that felt to many, myself included, like a make-or-break moment for his legacy. 

Day didn’t just resolve to rise to the occasion. He stepped up with a confident focus, proving he was unafraid to adjust his approach. It resulted in a commanding 27-9 Buckeye victory, finally leaving no doubt that Day has what it takes to lead the program in all aspects. 

Now, he has a chance to do it again, this time against a Wolverine program with a new head coach in Kyle Whittingham (who comes to Ann Arbor after 21 seasons as the head coach at Utah, as Sherrone Moore’s replacement).

If I were to distill the problems in all the rivalry losses preceding 2025 into one common theme, it would be this: It seemed that Day focused too much on beating Michigan at its own game rather than forcing it to play Ohio State’s game. Cautious playcalling gave the games a “backs against the wall” feel that left a pit in the collective stomach of Buckeye fans. 

In 2025, it seemed like Day finally figured out how to stop playing scared. The Buckeyes controlled the ground game, sure, but they also brought an explosive passing game, a destructive defensive scheme, and a “don’t mess with us” attitude that resulted in a decisive victory. No longer were the Buckeyes adapting to Michigan’s rules. They were making their own, playing a fast, assertive (some might even say “aggressive”) game. 

That is, Ohio State’s identity was the one in control of The Game. Michigan couldn’t adapt, and the scoreboard reflected it.  

So perhaps the true takeaway is that whichever team’s identity shines through the most tends to walk away with the win. In this case, we don’t know with certainty what the Wolverines’ identity will be under Whittingham. We can take a few guesses based on his time at Utah, but it won’t be an exact replica. 

Ohio State’s identity could see some shifts of its own. Former offensive coordinator Brian Hartline will be the new head coach at the University of South Florida, with Arthur Smith taking over Hartline’s role at OSU. 

However its identity shakes out, Day needs to lean in with the same confidence we saw in 2025. 

From leaning into quarterback Julian Sayin’s arm (especially on first down) to going for it on fourth down, OSU was able to control the tempo of the game, and in doing so, they controlled its outcome. 

Perhaps the most important piece of this is the psychological toll it takes on opponents. The Buckeyes didn’t play a perfect game in 2025, but at no point were they playing scared. That kind of confidence is unnerving for opponents. If the Wolverines are unable to get their defense off the field or establish any real offensive momentum, OSU has the talent to turn The Game into a bloodbath. 

With a year of experience under Sayin’s belt, the Buckeyes have even more reason to trust his arm and their offense as a whole. Plus, this year, they have the added benefit of playing at home. Off the bat, the hostility hurdle is gone, and the monkey is off Day’s back. 

There’s no reason for them to fear failure, and if Day leads the charge, expecting to win again and bringing that same level of aggression in 2026, expect to see the Buckeyes on the winning side of The Game. 

Neymar will play in the 2026 World Cup.

One day after his call-up was confirmed, he posted the video showing his reaction at the moment Carlo Ancelotti read out his name.

Watch:

Although he had not previously been called up by Ancelotti, Neymar appeared on the final squad list and became the main talking point of the selection.

At 34, he will play in his fourth World Cup for Brazil.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

Late May in the college baseball world means conference tournament time. Your North Carolina Tar Heels, who earned the ACC Tournament's second seed, start their postseason run Friday at 3 p.m.

UNC (43-10-1, 22-8 ACC) won its ninth-straight conference series to close regular season action, dominating NC State in the first two games of that annual rivalry series. Outside of a big loss vs. Coastal Carolina and early-season struggles vs. East Carolina and Virginia, the Diamond Heels beat virtually everyone with little resistance.

As North Carolina heads into postseason play, it stays second overall in the May 18 D1Baseball rankings. This is UNC's fourth-consecutive week at second overall, with UCLA continuing to lead the polls.

The Diamond Heels have a few days of much-needed rest, but they can't enter conference tournament play rusty. 7-seed Virginia Tech, 10-seed Notre Dame and 15-seed Clemson are all fighting for the right to face North Carolina on Friday afternoon. UNC won regular season series at both the Fighting Irish and Tigers, but never previously faced the Hokies.

The Diamond Heels have a strong team every year, but something feels different about their 2026 squad. North Carolina has arguably its deepest pitching group ever, anchored by Jason DeCaro in the starting rotation, while Walker McDuffie and Caden Glauber mow down hitters in the bullpen.

UNC doesn't have any First-Team All-American hitters, but instead a powerful, balanced group with newcomers like Owen Hull and Jake Schaffner. Gavin Gallaher, no stranger to postseason heroics, looks to deliver another memorable moment (or two) in the NCAA Tournament.

Rankings are great, but championships are memorable. Can the Diamond Heels win their second-straight ACC Tournament crown and, more importantly, their first CWS title in program history?

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Baseball: Tar Heels land at No. 2 in latest D1Baseball rankings

There is no way around what happened in the 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway. The new format, which included all 36 competitors starting the All-Star Race, put "open" and "locked in" drivers in the same field. It all went downhill in the first two minutes after a big wreck damaged Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and Ryan Blaney.

It only got worse throughout the first and second segments, as over half of the "locked in" drivers had damage or accidents before the 200-lap main event was even underway. While Dover produced great racing in the last 200 laps, the format was a disaster, and it is time for NASCAR to make some big changes to fix the All-Star Race.

It starts with the location. Dover deserves a points race in the NASCAR Cup Series, so that should be a priority in 2027. In its place, Charlotte Motor Speedway should regain the All-Star Race, which would be its third oval date in a season. The All-Star Race makes sense at Charlotte, and it's time to bring back the festivities.

Instead of a complicated format, NASCAR should bring back the Open with the top two finishers and the Fan Vote winner advancing to the main event. The three drivers would join those who have won during the 2026/2027 seasons, previous All-Star Race winners, and Cup Series champions.

Denny Hamlin wins the All-Star Race at Dover! pic.twitter.com/bqsYNQZl9X

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 17, 2026

Finally, the main event should be simple. Instead of stages or segments, NASCAR should implement a 100-lap race with only a scheduled halfway break for pit stops. This is a traditional format that NASCAR could use for a long time, and it should work very well. Sometimes, a format doesn't need to be complicated to be good.

The NASCAR All-Star Race has lost its meaning in favor of entertainment. While it is fair for an exhibition race to lean toward entertainment, the fans and sponsors deserve a true All-Star Race featuring the best stock car drivers in the world. On Sunday, everyone was robbed of that due to a format that wasn't All-Star Race worthy.

NASCAR has addressed several key issues over the last few seasons, including the need for a new playoff format. The sport brought back a revitalized version of the Chase in 2026. Nothing is stopping NASCAR from doing the same with the All-Star Race. After all, the sport really needs to go back to the basics after the mess on Sunday.

More: Denny Hamlin wins 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway

This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: How NASCAR can fix the All-Star Race for the 2027 season

When it was reported during last night’s game that Dylan Crews was making his way back to the big league club, most assumed the corresponding move would either be an injured list stint for Jacob Young, who wore 93 to the ribs from former Florida Gator teammate Christian Scott, or a DFA’ing of Joey Wiemer, who had performed about as could be expected of a 4th outfielder ever since his absurd start to the year, and also wore a pitch off the wrist in the late innings. As it turns out, the answer was neither, as Brady House was optioned to Triple-A Rochester postgame, and Jacob Young and Joey Wiemer both had negative X-rays and are listed as day to day.

House made improvements with his bat from 2025 to 2026, raising his wRC+ from 56 to 88 while lifting the ball more and chasing a little less, but he was also whiffing more than ever, and his defense went from above average to nearly the worst in baseball, with his 8 errors being tied for the worst in the National League with CJ Abrams. He’ll now join a Rochester lineup which features a red-hot Yohandy Morales, a rebounding Harry Ford, and latest call up Seaver King, among others.

Still just 22 years old, the move to Rochester is a chance for a mental reset and to figure out the holes in his game, much like what Dylan Crews did in the first month and a half of the year. House has the raw power to be at least an average big league hitter one day, but he won’t be able to tap into it consistently enough while he has a 1st percentile zone-contact rate. He also needs to get back to the basics on defense and find whatever worked for him in 2025, as his sluggish bat is an easier pill to swallow when he is a wall at third base.

A multitude of young Nats hitters, such as Dylan Crews and Seaver King, have benefitted from swinging much less in 2026 than ever, and a similar change for Brady House could be beneficial. A more patient approach could help House cut down his chase rate even more and even eliminate some in-zone swing and miss by having House keyhole for pitches he wants early in counts. It’s not an easy fix, as House has spent his entire professional career with a swing-happy approach, but if done right, it could help House drive the ball with authority while also taking more free passes.

For Crews, this big league stint is a massive one for him, as he hasn’t shown much in his first 2 big league seasons to suggest he’s a building block of the Nationals rebuild. His plate approach has looked much improved over the last 2 weeks at Rochester, combining high-end exit velocities with less chase and more in-zone contact, and the result has been some of the best expected numbers in the minors. Hopefully, these changes stick in his transition back to the bigs, and he can show why he was such a hyped prospect coming out of college and into the big leagues in 2024.

According to a report from Abendzeitung journalist Maximilian Koch (as captured by @iMiaSanMia), VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel, a Bayern Munich player who has spent the last three seasons on loan with Die Schwaben, could see his World Cup roster spot in jeopardy because of a poor relationship with Manuel Neuer.

If Nübel is omitted, FC Augsburg’s Finn Dahmen or Eintracht Frankfurt’s Noah Atubolu could get the callup:

Alexander Nübel is uncertain to be called up for the World Cup. Manuel Neuer does not have the best of relationships with Nübel. This could cost the latter his World Cup spot. Nagelsmann would then choose between Dahmen and Atubolu.

A rift between Neuer and Nübel has been rumored for years, but this would seem to be extreme and unnecessary even for the most petty of rivalries as it could hurt the German national team, Bayern Munich, and Nübel alike.

It should also be noted that nothing has been released by the German national team as of yet, so all of this could change and should be considered unofficial.

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

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Victor Wembanyama had every reason to embrace the best-player-in-the-world conversation, but he chose a calmer answer after a massive Game 1.

The question came after a performance that made the debate feel unavoidable. Wembanyama had just carried the San Antonio Spurs through a double-overtime fight against the OKC Thunder.

Instead of turning the moment into a personal coronation, he treated it like noise around a bigger playoff mission.

After being asked by Jared Weiss if he feels like the best basketball player in the world now, Victor Wembanyama gave a measured answer.

Wembanyama said, “Do I feel like it right now? I feel tired. But it’s not a question I’m wondering right now. We’ll see. The world is 8 billion people, so it’s 8 billion opinions.”

It was the perfect response for the moment. Wembanyama did not reject the conversation, but he also refused to chase it after one exhausting playoff win.

That matters because the hype around him is no longer about future potential. The discussion has shifted toward what he already is, and Game 1 gave everyone plenty to work with.

The Spurs star sounded more interested in recovery, preparation and winning the next game than proving a point in a press conference. That is usually how the best players handle praise before a series is close to finished.

The best-player debate grew because Wembanyama’s Game 1 was not just impressive, it was historic. He finished with 41 points, 24 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks as San Antonio beat Oklahoma City 122-115 in double overtime.

He played 49 minutes, shot 14-of-25 from the field, and made 12 of his 13 free throws. The workload alone would have explained the tired answer.

The timing added even more weight. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had just been celebrated as MVP, and Wembanyama responded by producing the defining performance of the night.

Teammates and analysts can argue about where he ranks. Wembanyama’s answer showed he knows those debates will always follow him.

For now, the stronger message is on the floor. If he keeps playing like this, the 8 billion opinions may start moving in the same direction.

Read more:

• Victor Wembanyama dominates Game 1: new face of the NBA is born
• Udonis Haslem makes ‘just like us’ admission about Victor Wembanyama after Game 1 heroics vs. Thunder
• San Antonio’s silent crisis: The Thunder puzzle they can’t afford to ignore

Where to watch Bournemouth vs. Man City live stream, TV channel, start time for Premier League match originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Manchester City must beat Bournemouth to take their Premier League title hopes to the final day of the season, and give Pep Guardiola the chance of a glorious farewell.

News emerged on Monday night that Guardiola will bring down the curtain on a glorious 10-year stay in Manchester at the end of this season.

More significantly, purely in terms of the ongoing title race, Arsenal held their nerve in a dogged 1-0 win over relegated Burnley as the Guardiola exit story picked up pace.

It put Arsenal five points clear at the summit, a lead that will become unassailable if City drop points against a Champions League-chasing Bournemouth side who are on a 15-match unbeaten run in the top flight.

Andoni Iraola will take charge of the Cherries for a final time at the Vitality Stadium, meaning this is set to be an emotionally-charged occasion for both sets of fans. 

The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the weekly schedule.

Here's how to watch this Premier League match in English across the United States:

TV channel: USA Network
Live stream:DIRECTV

This match will be broadcast on USA Network. 

The channel can also be accessed on DIRECTV. Catch every game – try DIRECTV FREE today! Stream live MLB, March Madness, soccer and more with must-have sports channels like TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, FS1, and NFL Network—all included with DIRECTV.

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This Premier League clash takes place at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England and kicks off on Tuesday, May 19, at 8 p.m. local time.

Here's how that time translates across the United States:

Dylan Harper reveals one clear mindset behind Spurs’ game 1 upset over Thunder  originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The San Antonio Spurs officially seized homecourt advantage against the Oklahoma City Thunder, with Dylan Harper playing a major role in the result. Even as a rookie, he delivered a standout performance in the 122-115 double-overtime win over the Thunder in the Game 1 opener of the Western Conference finals.

After the game, Harper explained that his focus was simply on winning and not on the historic significance of the dramatic Game 1 battle.

"I'm just trying to win, that's the biggest thing on my mind,” Harper said. “We all went in there with the mindset of if it takes two overtimes, let’s double down and win.”

"I'm just trying to win, that's the biggest thing on my mind."

Dylan Harper talks about how his main focus was on securing the victory and not realizing the historic nature of tonight's epic Game 1. pic.twitter.com/fGusAGLvSu

— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 19, 2026

With this performance, Harper made NBA history by becoming the first rookie ever to post 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, 6+ assists, and 7+ steals in a playoff game. He also became just the second rookie to record at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals in a playoff outing, joining Magic Johnson.

Harper also joined elite Spurs company, alongside Kawhi Leonard, Manu Ginobili, Avery Johnson, and Alvin Robertson, as the only players in franchise playoff history to record six steals in a game, according to Stathead. He also became just the third player since the 1973-74 season to record 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists, and 5+ steals in a conference finals game, joining Larry Bird and Julius Erving.

Harper gave credit to his teammates for helping him reach the franchise-record seven steals.

“My 7 steals was kind of a team thing. It was more just rotations and for me being in the right spots and letting my instincts take over.”

Alongside Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, Harper helped form the first trio in NBA history where all three teammates aged 22 or younger recorded double-doubles in a single playoff game.

• Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama has serious bad blood with Thunder star Chet Holmgren — at least fans think so
• Spurs’ secret weapon isn’t just Victor Wembanyama – it’s this 3-headed playmaking monster
• Bronny James and Bryce James look more like LeBron James than ever after this viral transformation
• Warriors' Steve Kerr news means it's time to talk about LeBron and Steph
• Victor Wembanyama is breaking the playoff blueprint in real time and Thunder can’t ignore it

Insider Would Not Be Surprised If Kayshon Boutte Is Asking For Trade Amid A.J. Brown Rumors originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New England Patriots are expected to acquire A.J. Brown after June 1, and many believe Kayshon Boutte's absence from voluntary offseason workouts could be related to that move.

After releasing Stefon Diggs, the Patriots already signed Romeo Doubs. Adding Brown would significantly hurt Boutte's target share. He has been working out alone and has not joined the team yet. It could be nothing, but he is one year away from free agency and could be looking to get moved. There are no reports of him demanding a trade, but Patriots insider Tom E. Curran would not be surprised if he was asking to get moved.

"He's done everything he possibly could for a sixth-round pick for a few years," Curran said on Monday. "His numbers are down because he doesn't get the ball enough, so he's not going to have a huge bounty as an X receiver when he does get to become a free agent, so I wouldn't blame him if he's saying, 'you know what? That was fun, but it would be better for my career if I were to play someplace else.' Whether he's trying to force a trade or register, 'I'm not that into it, or whether he's just saying, 'I like working out on my own.' I don't know, but it wouldn't me if he’s saying 'anything we can do about moving me?'"

The reality is that the Patriots will not need to re-sign him if they land Brown. They will have Doubs and Brown for the next few years and could look to utilize Kyle Williams as the No. 3 receiver. Boutte likely sees the writing on the wall for him to be let go, and he may want to play somewhere he can produce more before hitting the open market.

Right now, it's unclear what's going on with Boutte. However, it would not be illogical to assume he may want to get traded.

More NFL: Tom Brady Hilariously Roasts Bill Belichick During Commencement Speech

Cincinnati Bengals players see what many outsiders consider a negative as something of a strength. 

After the NFL schedule release, one Bengals player was unbothered by a scheduling quirk. 

Add Joe Burrow to the list. 

Speaking about his Bengals’ early Week 6 bye, Burrow said the Bengals need to leverage it into a run.

"Week Six, you're into the flow of the season, and you're geared up and still ready to go," Burrow said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. "You probably won't be ready for it physically and mentally. We've to figure out a way to take advantage of it … it's something we've done before."

The Week 6 bye is the earliest of the Zac Taylor era. It’s also a year or so removed from the NFL letting teams put byes after international trips. Instead of a break right after the Week 9 game in Madrid, the Bengals come home and play two straight primetime games, then seven more games right after that. 

Granted, Burrow and the Bengals have hit on big runs before. The criticism of the bye week positioning is more due to concern about rest and health. If things go their way, though, outsiders have seen the Bengals turn in big win streaks regardless of breaks.

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Joe Burrow has interesting thoughts on Bengals' schedule problem

As the debate over who is the best player in the NBA intensifies, Victor Wembanyama is opting out of the traditional hype cycle. Instead, the San Antonio Spurs’ 22-year-old phenom is taking a big-picture approach to the "greatest in the world" discourse, viewing it from a humble and unique perspective. By suggesting that greatness is merely one of 8 billion opinions, Wembanyama is reframing the pressure of his sophomore trajectory in the league.

Following Wemby's unbelievable 41-point, 24-rebound performance in the Spurs' Game 1 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, he gave an honest yet refreshing response when asked about whether he's the best player in basketball.

"We'll see... the world is 8 billion people, so there's 8 billion opinions." - Wemby on if he believes he's the best player in the world pic.twitter.com/TOe2ChAIiz

— Spurs Culture (@SpursCulture) May 19, 2026

"Do I feel like it right now? I feel tired," Wembanyama joked. "...We'll see, the world is 8 billion people, so there's 8 billion opinions."

Although Wemby has addressed this topic several times throughout the early stages of his stellar career, it would have been malpractice not to mention it again after Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Western Conference Finals. Wembanyama logged 49 minutes in the double overtime thriller, which included a clutch logo three-pointer that even Steph Curry would tip his cap to (and one the Golden State Warriors star nailed before, in the very same building). The towering 7-foot-6 Wemby, who plays like a guard but dominates like a big man, also shot 56 percent from the field while dominating the two overtime sessions.

All this culminated in the Spurs stealing Game 1 on the road from the Thunder 122-115, going toe-to-toe with the player who beat him out for the 2026 NBA MVP award, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And following the game, Wemby even admitted that Game 1 was personal after watching SGA take home the award.

Wemby on whether Game 1 was personal after watching Shai win MVP 😤 pic.twitter.com/dTSTEuOMTo

— ESPN (@espn) May 19, 2026

As dominant as Wembanyama has been throughout the early stages of his career, it's quickly become apparent that facing the Spurs star with a chip on his shoulder creates an entirely new set of problems for opponents.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Victor Wembanyama on 'greatest in the world' talk after Spurs - Thunder

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will be Germany's number one during the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the Bild newspaper said on Monday.

According to the report, coach Julian Nagelsmann has informed Hoffenheim keeper Oliver Baumann during a call on Monday that he has been demoted and that 2014 World Cup champion Neuer will be the national team's starting keeper.

Baumann reportedly assured the coach that he would be available to the squad as a backup goalkeeper.

Nagelsmann is to announce his 26-man squad on Thursday and Neuer would be the biggest surprise.

The Bayern player retired from the national team after Euro 2024. Former Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen (now at Girona) was set to become his successor, but was plagued by several long-term injuries.

Nagelsmann eventually handed the position to Baumann, who was the starter during the World Cup qualifiers.

Nagelsmann and Neuer have been recently asked about the matter but so far refused to make any clear statement.