Kenny Atkinson admits the Cavaliers got unlucky in their fourth-quarter collapse in Game 1 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cleveland Cavaliers had a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter of Game 1 against the New York Knicks. Unfortunately, the Cavs had a historic collapse, as they gave up a 44-11 run over the final 7:45 of regulation and overtime.

Sam Merrill had an opportunity to win with a game-winning three-pointer late in the fourth quarter, but it rimmed out. Even ESPN commentator Mike Breen had his iconic "Bang!" call lined up, but it did not go in.

Kenny Atkinson believes the Cavaliers were unlucky to lose Game 1

As the head coach of the Cavaliers, Kenny Atkinson has done a wonderful job of leading the team. Unfortunately, Game 1 against the Knicks was only good for three quarters because their late collapse was not a great look.

Jalen Brunson took over for the Knicks, as he scored 17 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. He spearheaded the comeback, and the Knicks never looked back, as they dominated the extra period. 

MORE: Even Jalen Brunson could not believe the Knicks' comeback against the Cavs in Game 1

Atkinson will always bat for his players, but it is hard to defend what happened. On Inside the NBA, Charles Barkley was quite candid in calling it a choke because it was a truly historic collapse for Cleveland.

"We got a little unlucky, quite honestly. Brunson took over in the fourth quarter. We started double-teaming him, tried to do different things, but listen, I'm super proud of how our group played tonight. We played great basketball for three quarters. Unfortunately, they dominated us in the fourth quarter," Atkinson said after the game in his press conference.

It will be hard for Atkinson and the Cavaliers to bounce back from this. They had the win in the bag, but they failed to close it out.

Of course, the Cavs have proven they can come back from adversity in this postseason. They will be back and motivated to prove everyone wrong again.

More NBA news:

• When Donovan Mitchell almost got traded to the New York Knicks
• Mike Brown got prepared to lead him to coach the New York Knicks
• Why it sounds like the New York Knicks fans are booing Miles McBride
• Sam Merrill's game-winner attempt made Mike Breen make a commentary mistake
• Charles Barkley gets enamored by this specific Cleveland Cavaliers player

Spurs' Victor Wembanyama may be breaking major NBA rule, analyst believes originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

San Antonio Spurs star center Victor Wembanyama orchestrated a two-way masterclass against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night. 

The former No. 1 overall pick did it all in the first game of the Western Conference Finals, using his unreal length/wingspan, wizard-like slashing ability, timely three-point shooting, and awe-inspiring rim protection to a hard-fought 122-115 victory over the defending champs. 

Wembanyama recorded 41 points, 24 rebounds, three assists, and three steals in 49 minutes. While the 22-year-old’s brilliance was the primary topic of discussion during the contest, another intriguing subject came to light. 

Late in the third quarter, NBA analyst Reggie Miller suggested that Wembanyama may be breaking a major NBA rule.

“Somewhere, Giannis Antetokounmpo is saying, ‘Wait a minute,” Miller stated. "Every time Wemby goes to the free-throw line, it’s very close and borderline to 10 seconds.” 

For clarity, Miller referenced Antetokounmpo because the two-time MVP has urged referees to closely monitor opponents at the foul line, as he’s under the impression that many of them are taking 10 or more seconds to launch their free throws.

To Miller’s point, Wembanyama did take his time while attempting his 13 free throws, mainly due to his cool, calm, and collected technique approach. That said, the generational center ended the game without getting whistled for a 10-second violation, indicating that he doesn’t need to adjust his methodical routine.

More NBA news:

• Knicks predicted to cut ties with Mikal Bridges, acquire $175 million 10-time All-Star

• Jazz, Hawks, Bulls, Nets named top landing spots for $53 million Lakers superstar

• Lakers predicted to cut ties with Dalton Knecht, acquire $175 million two-time

Summer is here, sort of, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Vikings fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Minnesota. 

Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Vikings, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Vikings fans can be the most informed fans. 

So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.

Film

• Wisconsin
• FAU
• Michigan

Background Info

• Listed at 6-5/230 lbs.
• 3-Star recruit according to 247 Sports
• Going to school to be a sports psychologist
• Honorable mention All-Big Ten in 2025

Notable career stats heading into 2026

• 163 tackles
• 15.5 combined tackles for a loss and sacks
• Generated 1 turnover

Notable numbers from PFF heading into 2026

• 66.3 Career PFF Run Defense Grade
• 61.8 Career PFF Coverage Grade
• 7 Hurries
• Missed tackle rate of 14.7%
• 73 Stops

Strengths

• Great size for the position
• Uses his size to win reps when blocked or tackling bigger offensive players
• Leads the middle of the defense for Maryland
• Shows promise stuffing the run 
• Has good instincts to not overcommit

Player Summary

Wingate is a more typical linebacker that you expect to see in the NFL. At Maryland, he has shown he has the ability of an NFL linebacker, too, but he needs to work on his coverage ability. Where he can contribute right now is as a run stuffer or even on special teams in the NFL. He doesn’t do anything great and does a lot in a good way, but between the coverage and processing, it seems he is a step behind. Once he speeds up his play, he could take another step in his development in 2026. 

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: 2027 Summer Scouting Report on Maryland LB Dylan Wingate

Oh No He Didn't: Kenny Atkinson: "I like to hold my timeouts. I try to hold them" OMG lol

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Kenny Atkinson:

"I like to hold my timeouts. I try to hold them"

OMG lol pic.twitter.com/T78C4bCNSK

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 20, 2026

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: "I like to hold my timeouts. I try to hold them"

Oh No He Didn't: Kenny Atkinson: "We weren't great defensively in the 4th quarter. The ball stuck a little bit too much. That was the key"

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: "We weren't great defensively in the 4th quarter. The …

Keerthika Uthayakumar: Cavs gave up 28 points off turnovers tonight, the 6th time they've allowed 25 or more points off TOs this postseason. That's the most such games by a team in single postseason over the last 30 years.

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Cavs gave up 28 points off turnovers tonight, the 6th …

Keerthika Uthayakumar: NBA teams were 3-747 when down by 20 or more in the 4th quarter of a playoff game over the last 30 years. They are now 4-747. Knicks come back from 22 in the fourth quarter, the second-largest 4th quarter comeback in the playoffs in the play-by-play era (since 1997).

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: NBA teams were 3-747 when down by 20 or more in the …

Keerthika Uthayakumar: Largest fourth quarter comeback playoffs wins in the play-by-play era: Clippers, down 24 vs MEM in 2012 Knicks, down 22 vs CLE tonight Celtics, down 21 vs NJN in 2002 Warriors, down 20 vs NOP in 2015

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Largest fourth quarter comeback playoffs wins in the …

The Boston Red Sox got a very good offensive game from speedy outfielder Jarren Duran on Tuesday night, but his best play of the night had nothing to do with his bat. 

With the Red Sox holding onto a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning and the Kansas City Royals having a man on third base, Salvador Perez hit a ball to left field that seemed destined to touch down on the warning track over Duran's head. While this is the case, he made a ridiculous jumping and twisting catch to keep Boston's lead at one. 

You've got to see the play to really know how difficult it was.

Do you have a take to get off your chest? Do you want to engage in a growing Red Sox community? Comment on our content alongside staff and fans alike!

Plus, Duran hit a homer and a double in the contest. If this is the version of Duran Boston fans will be seeing from here on out, the Red Sox are going to be just fine in the long run. This is the version of Duran that has thrived in a Boston uniform. He hasn't had the season he wanted, but Tuesday was nearly perfect for him.

More MLB: Red Sox's Craig Breslow Looks Like A Genius Thanks To One Move

With the start of the 2026 World Cup in North America now barely three weeks away, AFP Sport runs the rule over the leading contenders at the first-ever 48-team finals (world ranking in brackets):

France (1)

Les Bleus have won the World Cup twice and lost two finals on penalties in the last seven editions. This will be their last tournament before long-serving coach Didier Deschamps steps down. "It's a strange feeling," admitted Deschamps, in charge since 2012.

France beat Brazil 2-1 in March and then defeated Colombia 3-1 with an entirely different starting line-up, with those games both played in the US. Unbeaten in nine matches since last June, France have a fearsome attack featuring reigning Ballon d'Or Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Rayan Cherki. They will take some stopping.

Spain (2)

The European champions have not lost since winning Euro 2024. Luis de la Fuente's team are a perfectly-oiled machine in which the standout player is teenage superstar Lamine Yamal. But the 18-year-old Barcelona winger is currently out with a hamstring injury, and reports suggest he might miss their first two group games.

His Barcelona teammate Fermin Lopez is set to miss out entirely with a foot fracture. Arsenal's Mikel Merino, scorer of eight goals for Spain in 10 games in 2025, has not played since January due to injury. But La Roja still boast fearsome quality -- think 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, or Pedri. 

Argentina (3)

Lionel Scaloni's Argentina are dreaming of retaining the title they won in 2022. That tournament marked Lionel Messi's crowning glory, and it is hard to see how he can hit the same heights again given he turns 39 next month.

Nevertheless Messi is very much at home in the US now and has 12 goals in 13 MLS games for Inter Miami this year. 

Argentina also won the 2024 Copa America in the USA and comfortably topped South American qualifying. Beyond Messi they boast a wealth of attacking talent, including Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, and Nico Paz, the Tenerife-born attacking midfielder with Como.

England (4)

After several near misses under Gareth Southgate, with agonising defeats in the finals of the last two Euros and exits from the 2018 World Cup in the semi-finals and the 2022 quarters, England now hope German Thomas Tuchel can deliver a first title since 1966.

England cruised through qualifying and have formidable depth but there are some doubts. They drew with Uruguay and lost to Japan in March friendlies, while big names like Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer have not had straightforward campaigns. However, they will hope Harry Kane continues the remarkable form he has shown with Bayern Munich, for whom he has 58 goals this season.

Portugal (5)

Portugal, who have never gone beyond the semi-finals, are serious candidates -- provided they are not held back by the possibly overbearing presence of Cristiano Ronaldo.

At 41, this will be his sixth World Cup, but the quality of their midfield –- Vitinha, Joao Neves, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes –- could be the key.

UEFA Nations League winners last year, Portugal stumbled a little in qualifying, losing in Ireland as Ronaldo was sent off. Ronaldo did not play in their last game, a 2-0 friendly win over the USA in Atlanta.

Brazil (6)

Brazil's progress under new coach Carlo Ancelotti will be fascinating to watch. That the Selecao felt it necessary to turn to an Italian says much about Brazil's ongoing footballing identity crisis, and their current lack of depth has been exposed by Ancelotti's decision to name Neymar in his squad. 

Now 34 and playing for Santos, Neymar has not been capped since 2023, and Vinicius Junior is Brazil's attacking leader now.

Since winning their fifth title in 2002, Brazil have only reached the semi-finals once, when they were humiliated 7-1 by Germany as hosts in 2014. They finished fifth in South American qualifying, losing six of 18 games.

"The World Cup won't be won by a perfect team — because a perfect team doesn't exist," insists Ancelotti. "It will be won by the most resilient team." 

Germany (10)

Julian Nagelsmann's side sit behind the Netherlands, Morocco and Belgium in the rankings and it seems a stretch to suggest Germany could win a first World Cup since 2014.

They suffered group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022, and lost in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals as hosts. However, the class of Joshua Kimmich, Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz ensure Germany should be taken seriously.

as/bsp 

Major League Baseball is experiencing an epidemic of (mostly) guys being dudes.

At ballparks all across the country, groups consisting of mostly young men are joining in on the “Tarps Off” trend that's loud, goofy, infectious and new to the baseball world. Joining in on the fun is simple: Go to the section where the party is happening, take off your shirt and start twirling it above your head.

Soccer-like chants or singing usually follow — injecting a jolt of energy for a sport that is occasionally chided for its lack of energy inside the stadium.

After getting it's start in St. Louis last Friday, it has spread across the league to places like Detroit, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia and Anaheim, California.

“It’s hard not to have fun when the fans are like that," Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn said. “We’ve got the best fans in the world, but it seems like the younger generation makes it more like a college atmosphere.”

Ground zero for the shirtless outbreak was in St. Louis last Friday, when a club baseball team affiliated with Stephen F. Austin State University was in Alton, Illinois, for the National Club Baseball Division II World Series. The Cardinals offered tickets to the team, and 17 players attended.

That group started the fun, dozens of others joined and suddenly their were a couple hundred fans creating a ruckus in right field that helped propel the Cardinals to a 5-4 victory in 11 innings over the Kansas City Royals. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol loved the energy so much that he bought tickets for the shirtless revelers for Saturday's game and they returned.

Even the Cardinals' mascot Fredbird joined in on the fun.

Now it might be the start of a tradition — more shirtless fans cheered for the Cardinals in Tuesday's game against the Pirates. It certainly seems to be a boost for the club's homefield advantage: Ivan Herrera hit a three-run homer to lift the Cardinals to a 9-6 win in 10 innings.

A similar outbreak of shirtless fans broke out at a Tampa Bay Rays game on Monday and again Tuesday. Another small group celebrated in Philadelphia as the Reds and Phillies played in the rain. Angels' fans celebrated with a mix of joy and irritation, chanting for owner Arte Moreno to sell the team.

MLB certainly won't complain about the recent attention. Attendance is up at big-league stadiums so far this season, averaging roughly 1,000 more fans per game than a year ago through Monday's contests.

If the trend continues, baseball could average 30,000 fans per game for the first time since 2016.

More and more — they might just be shirtless.

___

AP freelance writer Warren Mayes contributed to this story.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

When the Colorado Rockies welcomed the Texas Rangers to Coors Field for Game 2, their hope was to pick up where they left off after getting a Monday night win. After all, it was “Bark in the Park,” so the vibes (and the dogs!) were good.

However, by the time the game ended, there was nothing to be heard but howls of disappointment from the Rockies side of Coors Field as the Rangers racked up a decisive 10-0 win.

The hits, they kept coming — for the Rangers

The Rangers got on the board first after a rough first inning from opener Sammy Peralta.

He opened by walking Andrew McCutchen on four pitches and then hitting Brandon Nimmo. Ezequiel Duran hit a double to bring them home. After that, Peralta issued yet another walk, loading the bases with one out for Alejandro Osuna. After Peralta struck out Osuna, bulk reliever Tanner Gordon entered the game to get the final out, which he did with just one pitch.

Still, the Rockies were down two runs before even sending a batter to the plate. Worth noting is that the Rangers are 17-3 when scoring first, and that trend continued tonight.

In their half of the first, the Rockies did not get a hit. Adding to the bad news, Brenton Doyle left the game after attempting a diving catch with a left-side contusion.

E1: Rangers 2, Rockies 0

That would be as good as it got for Gordon with the Rangers hitting him hard for the rest of the game.

The second inning saw the Rockies falling further behind as a Nimmo RBI single scored Joc Pederson. Following that, Duran singled to bring home Nimmo, and then a Jake Burger single brought home Josh Jung. When the Rockies finally got the third out, the Rangers had a 5-0 lead.

Rockies pitchers had already issued three walks before the top of the second had ended.

Kumar Rocker took over pitching duties for the Rangers in the second inning and never looked back. Troy Johnston — the second hitter Rocker faced — hit a single, the Rockies’ first hit of the game. Tyler Freeman, fresh off paternity leave, followed that with another single, but the Rockies failed to capitalized.

E2: Rangers 5, Rockies 0

After a scoreless third inning, the Rangers got back to work in the fourth. They scored two more runs — seven runs on 10 hits with the game not yet half over.

Although Ezequiel Tovar walked in the bottom half of the inning, he was unable to advance.

E4: Rangers 7, Rockies 0

The hits kept coming in the fifth inning as Pederson scored his third hit despite entering the game in the second inning. Justin Foscue hit a sacrifice fly to bring him Evan Carter, and the score was 8-0 Rangers.

In contrast, the Rockies did not have a single baserunner in the fifth.

E5: Rangers 8, Rockies 0

This is a pretty grim game recap, so please enjoy this catch from Mickey Moniak in the sixth:

Also worth noting is that the Rockies got three outs on four pitches. The sixth was that rare inning when the Rangers failed to put a runner on base.

In the seventh inning, the Rangers scored again on a — stop me if you’ve heard this one before — Joc Pederson single that scored Danny Jansen. Pederson went 4-for-4 with one RBI.

The Rockies managed a baserunner in the bottom of the inning after a Johnston single, his second of the evening and the Rockies third hit, but they were unable to score.

E7: Rangers 9, Rockies 0

Seth Halvorsen entered the game in the eighth and promptly surrendered two hits, two walks, and a run.

Catcher Brett Sullivan was preparing to enter the game to relieve Halvorsen when Willi Castro caught two quick line-outs to end the inning.

E8: Rangers 10, Rockies 0

The Rockies sent Sullivan to pitch the ninth. Things were grim, but watching the Rockies turn a double play never gets old, and the Rockies turned a nice one to end the inning for Sullivan. (Unfortunately, no video was available.)

Ezequiel Tovar drew a two-out walk in the ninth — worth noting, he walked twice in this game. They were unable to score in the ninth.

E9: Rangers 10, Rockies 0

For the Rangers, this marked a season high in terms of hits (16) and runs (10). Add to that, an excellent performance from Kumar Rocker who absolutely muzzled the Rockies.

“The slider was devastating,” said manager Warren Schaeffer after the game.

On the flip side, it marked an offensive wasteland for the Rockies. They had just three hits and no runs. They walked three times and had and had seven Ks.

The Rockies pitching, it was not good

This will not go down as the best-pitched game in Rockies history.

Opener Sammy Peralta went 0.2 IP giving up two runs (both earned) on two hits. He also walked to and struck out one on 23 pitches. Tanner Gordon did his best, but the Rangers dinged him for hits throughout the game.

He went 6.1 IP, allowing seven runs (all earned) on 12 hits. He walked one and struck out five while throwing 81 pitches. Although Gordon was not effective on the mound, he saved the bullpen.

“The length was extremely valuable to us tonight, ” Schaeffer said.

The eighth inning went to Halvorsen, who struggled much as Gordon did. When the inning ended, he had thrown 25 pitches and allowed one run (earned) on two hits. He also walked two and did not strike out a hitter.

Sullivan pitched the ninth inning as the Rockies waved the white flag. He went one inning, allowed no hits or runs, and walked one.

“He’s willing to do it, and he saved the ‘pen,” Schaeffer said. “That was big for us and good job by Sullivan.”

Up Next

Join us tomorrow for the rubber match when Jack Leiter will face Kyle Freeland. First pitch is at 1:10.

See you then.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

On Tuesday at the NFL Owners’ Meetings in Orlando, the owners approved a larger slate of International games moving forward. This year, a record nine games were scheduled outside the United States, but that has now been increased to 10, starting with the 2027 season.

And that ten doesn’t include the Jacksonville Jaguars’ annual game in London, so technically, there could be 11 games played internationally starting next year, pending the NFL Players Association approval.

Currently, each team with a ninth regular-season home game is eligible to host an international game while protecting two matchups from being selected, but in 2027, teams will no longer be able to protect any games from being moved.

That means we could see the Chicago Bears host the Green Bay Packers in Spain as soon as 2027. Spain is one of the Bears’ International markets, along with the United Kingdom. There are 22 global markets shared among the 32 clubs, but the League plans to open even more territories to market the sport.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said that 16 international games each year is the long-term goal, meaning every team’s ninth home game will be played outside the United States.

These games often have a Super Bowl feel for the host cities, so what are the chances the Super Bowl will be played abroad someday?

“I don’t know if I can fully parse that in terms of feasibility versus likelihood, but if you’re just talking feasibility, obviously, as we go to new stadiums around the world, we’re getting a better sense of those buildings,” NFL executive Peter O’Reilly said. “And, as we go around the whole world, we get a sense of the passion there, and the partnerships, governmental partnerships, private sector partnerships, and otherwise. So I think all of that strengthens the foundation that you need to perhaps someday on a far off horizon have an international Super Bowl.”

Jalen Brunson leads Knicks to historic 0.005% comeback in Game 1 vs. Cavaliers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Knicks were in a state of limbo for quite a time in Game 1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Their offense only came from Mitchell Robinson free throws which rarely found the bottom of the net. But something shifted in the clutch. James Harden and Donovan Mitchell looked like their basketball prowess was sucked out of them. Jalen Brunson and Co. then proceeded to make a historically unlikely comeback which only happens 0.005% of the time in NBA Playoffs history.

Brunson, Knicks stage comeback with only 0.005% odds of succeeding

At a certain point in Game 1, the Knicks trailed by as much as 22 to the Cavaliers. Coach Mike Brown had no answers for the barrage led by Donovan Mitchell. Then, the rain from the Cavaliers offense stopped. This is where Jalen Brunson stepped in. He started heating up and to send the game to overtime.

By the end of the game, Brunson dropped 38 points on a 51.72% field goal percentage. He also went 70% from the free throw line to will the Knicks back into life. When the final buzzer sounded, he helped the Knicks accomplish their biggest NBA Playoffs comeback in franchise history.

How huge were the odds that the Knicks and Brunson had to overcome?

Well, squads that go down 20 or more in the fourth quarter of an NBA Playoffs bout have only won thrice out of 747 tries prior to this Knicks comeback. When the numbers are crunched and this game is included, Brunson and the Knicks are only the fourth team among 747 others to beat the odds. To put that into perspective, overcoming this large of a fourth quarter deficit only happens 0.005% of the time in the NBA Playoffs, per Keerthika Uthayakumar.

Moreover, this is the second-largest fourth quarter comeback since the play-by-play era started in 1997. The Knicks usurped the Boston Celtics' 21-point comeback against the New Jersey Nets back in 2002 along with the Golden State Warriors overcoming a 20-point deficit against the New Orleans Pelicans in 2015. Only the Los Angeles Clippers' 24-point resurgence to beat the Memphis Grizzlies in 2012 had a bigger deficit than this feat.

Obviously, the Knicks will take an NBA Playoffs win regardless of how they get it. But schematic and rotational changes against the Cavaliers need to implemented in case they want to be more consistent as a title contender.

More Knicks News:

• Jalen Brunson in disbelief after the Knicks' magical comeback in Game 1 vs the Cavaliers

• Novig Promo Code TSNEWS50: Claim $50 Prediction Bonus for Game 1 of Cavs-Knicks

• Revisiting when the Knicks almost traded for Donovan Mitchell before Cavaliers acquired star

The New York Knicks weren’t supposed to be down 22 points in the fourth quarter in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at home in Madison Square Garden, especially coming off a week’s rest — and considering the Cleveland Cavaliers had just won a Game 7 against the Detroit Pistons less than 48 hours earlier.

But with 7:48 remaining in the game, the Cavaliers — 6.5-point underdogs entering the game — had a 93-71 lead. And one bettor was sweating through a series of five- and six-figure wagers on the Knicks.

A bettor at BetMGM had wagered $775,000 on a series of ladder bets on the Knicks to cover at various numbers before the game, ranging from Knicks -2.5 to Knicks -6.5. Here was the full range of wagers:

• $70,000 on Knicks -6.5 (-120)

• $95,000 on Knicks -5.5 (-140)

• $185,000 on Knicks -4.5 (-160)

• $350,000 on Knicks -3.5 (-185)

• $75,000 on Knicks -2.5 (-210)

Realistically, the bettor’s only chance to win any of these wagers was for the game to go to overtime — and that’s exactly what happened, as the Knicks staged a furious rally from that 22-point deficit to force overtime. And New York never trailed in OT, en route to a stunning 115-104 win.

The Knicks had moneyline odds of as high as 80-1 at one point in the fourth quarter at DraftKings.

New York ended up covering every one of the five wagers for this bettor — who has been making ladder bets throughout the playoffs and is up on his reported wagers — and the Cavs +6.5 will go down in history as an all-time bad beat for spread bettors.

It’s not often that the Mets score a bunch of runs in games started by Nolan McLean this season, but that’s exactly what they did on Tuesday night against the Washington Nationals after scoring five runs in the first two innings.

However, this time it was McLean who let his offense down after the right-hander allowed nine runs (six earned) in 5.2 innings. The six earned runs given up by McLean are a career-high and four of them came on one swing.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the second inning, James Wood attacked McLean’s first pitch sweeper and sent it deep to left center field, where the Mets couldn’t make a play on it, which resulted in an inside-the-park grand slam.

In fact, all three hits allowed by McLean in that second inning came on the first pitch. All three were on different pitches.

“They were ultra aggressive, especially that first time through,” manager Carlos Mendoza said about the Nationals. “… They were hacking first pitch, they were looking hard. The sinker, the cutter, 1-0 [count] and they were aggressive. Balls found holes, they attacked him.”

With how aggressive Washington’s hitters were, McLean found it difficult to make the necessary adjustments on his pitches because they wouldn’t allow him to get settled or find a rhythm.

“Sometimes it’s tough to make adjustments when they’re putting the first pitch in play on multiple different pitches,” McLean said. “… They were just up there pretty aggressive, so sometimes it’s tough to get to the adjustment as quick as normal.”

To make things more difficult for McLean, he clearly didn’t have his best stuff and had to battle with every pitch. On top of that, his fastball, which usually sits around 96 to 97 mph, was hovering around 94 mph for most of the night, perhaps due to the high heat and humidity.

It’s also possible the 45-minute rain delay at the start of the game threw off the right-hander.

“They made some pretty good swings on some decent pitches,” McLean said. “Obviously, I didn’t have my best stuff, but that’s no excuse for not going out there and competing better than I did.”

In the end, McLean went 5.2 innings before handing it off to Daniel Duarte, who saved the bullpen by finishing the game with 2.1 scoreless innings.

Still, it’s not the outing that McLean expects out of himself.

“Obviously, the bullpen’s been getting after it these last couple of days, but my job every time, whether we have a full bullpen or not, is to go out there and get at least seven, so I’m disappointed I didn’t do that,” he said.

But back to the biggest swing of the night, that inning actually began with McLean retiring the first two batters. A double kept the inning going, but after that McLean got ahead 0-2 to No. 8 hitter Drew Millas before hitting him with a curveball.

That mistake elongated the inning and proved costly as an infield single loaded the bases before Wood jumped the rookie.

“In that second inning there, with two outs, even after the double, the 0-2 hit by pitch was kinda like the killer there,” Mendoza said. “… The 0-2 hit by pitch ended up costing a lot in that inning. Overall, especially in those early innings, like I said, he wasn’t able to go to his secondary, make that adjustment… It was a battle for him.”

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Minnesota Vikings fired their last general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, on Jan. 30. The timeline was unusual after the hiring cycle for general manager openings had come and gone.

Longtime football administration executive Rob Brzezinski has served as interim general manager since. He is a candidate for the full opening. Would Minnesota consider someone whose primary experience is not in talent evaluation?

“There's some science to it,” team owner Mark Wilf told Yahoo Sports at the NFL’s May owners meetings on Tuesday. “There's of course some art. You have to see the person, know the person, get to know them and understand.

“This is a leadership position and someone needs to lead our football organization and that's kind of how we're viewing it. Of course, football expertise, football personnel, our entire staff and team and getting people to work together. All of it plays into a mix. I can't give you any scientific formula, but I'm confident as we spend more time with these candidates and get to know everybody better, it'll become clear to us.”

Todd Rosenberg via Getty Images

Some teams in recent years have bifurcated leadership into a head business/football administration role and a head talent evaluation role. Wilf does not plan to operate that way, he said.

“I think we still ultimately need to have a leader who represents ownership who can kind of bring the building together,” Wilf said. “It's not just the [scouts and executives], it's coaches, it's even on the business side.”

Several of the candidates whom Minnesota has interviewed were in Orlando for the league’s talent accelerator program. San Francisco 49ers assistant general manager RJ Gillen, Bills assistant GM Terrance Gray, Rams assistant GM John McKay and Seahawks assistant GM Nolan Teasley were all in Orlando at the same time as Wilf and Vikings leadership.

Did that advance their candidacy?

“I’m meeting people here in general because I think this accelerator program does great work,” Wilf said. “Some of them are candidates for our GM search and I'll have informal conversations with them. But of course, the meat of the conversations are in the interviews and spending time in the facility and getting to know them really better.”

NEW YORK — With just over seven minutes left in the third quarter of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals and the Knicks trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers by nine, Jalen Brunson gave an impassioned speech — a cry for help — to his teammates on the sidelines. The gist of the message? It had to be along the lines of lock-in defensively against a Cavaliers team surgically dismantling the Knicks defense through the three periods.

Four minutes later, a deafening silence fell about Madison Square Garden: The Knicks suddenly found themselves down by 14. The Cavaliers began intentionally fouling Mitchell Robinson — a poor free-throw shooter who’d been New York’s most impactful defender on the night. And as Robinson proceeded to miss six out of his eight ensuing free throws, the Cavaliers took an 83-69 lead into the fourth quarter. They went on to build a late-game lead as large as 22.

And just when it looked like the Cavaliers were set to make off with the heist of a century, with the same theft of home-court advantage the Indiana Pacers pulled in the conference finals last season, Brunson let his game do the rest of the talking for him.

He scored 15 points in the fourth quarter alone. Mikal Bridges hit the two biggest corner 3s of his Knicks career. And Landry Shamet’s corner 3 bounced around the rim several times before falling through the net, completing an epic Cavaliers meltdown — and yet another historic Knicks comeback.

“We don’t stop until the clock hits zero and shoutouts to our captain for holding it down for us,” Mikal Bridges said in his walk-off interview. “We learned from our mistakes and came out here and didn’t want the same things to happen [as last year].”

The Knicks, who came back from down 20 in Games 1 and 2 of their second-round series against the Boston Celtics last season, did it again on Tuesday. Only this time, the win moved them just three games shy of the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.

And yet the Knicks needed this, a wake-up call, a gut-check for a team that hasn’t been adequately tested on its playoff run. The Atlanta Hawks tested the Knicks, yes, when they took a 2-1 series lead in the first round, but they were outclassed by the Knicks, who blew them out over the final three games of the opening round. The Philadelphia 76ers posed little-to-no resistance in a four-game sweep in Round 2, even with a roster littered with talent in Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and V.J. Edgecombe.

Yet here were the Cavaliers, after going seven games against the new-and-improved Toronto Raptors, then seven more against the Eastern Conference’s No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons. The Cavaliers, as Mike Brown noted, boast four All-Stars and a competitive roster deep at virtually every position. And they were a 61-win team last season that revamped its roster midseason in separate deals for James Harden and both Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis.

The Cavaliers tested the Knicks: They tested their newfound offense running primarily through Karl-Anthony Towns and forced the Knicks back to Brunson, who has the biggest mismatch of the series against a Cavs backcourt incapable of guarding him. Towns finished with 13 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field. They tested New York’s resilience, too. The Knicks, as they’ve done all year, passed on Tuesday night with flying colors — and this time, they passed because Brunson rose to the level champions are made of.

“He carried us offensively when we needed him,” Bridges said while walking off the court. “We wouldn’t be here without Cap.”

The Knicks pulled off the improbable with OG Anunoby limited by a right hamstring injury. Anunoby, who’d been out since Game 2 of the first round, wore a wrap around his right leg while seated on the bench and.shot two-of-nine from the field for 13 points, even shooting an airball with under a minute left in the extra period.

It’s all a distant memory for a Knicks team that averted a crisis on Tuesday. Championship dreams nearly turned into familiar nightmares, and the Knicks still have work to do — but Brunson bailed the Knicks out with an all-time performance. The Knicks took the Cavs’ best punch and responded with haymakers of their own,

DENVER (AP) — Kumar Rocker tossed a career-high 7 2/3 innings, Brandon Nimmo homered, and the Texas Rangers beat the Colorado Rockies 10-0 on Tuesday night.

Ezequiel Duran continued his hot start to the series with two doubles and a single, giving the Texas shortstop six hits in the first two games. Joc Pederson had four of the Rangers' season-high 16 hits.

Rocker (2-4) entered in the second inning and held Colorado down while his offense built a lead. Troy Johnston and Tyler Freeman had consecutive one-out singles in the second but Rocker retired 14 of the next 15. He left after hitting Ezequiel Tovar with two outs in the ninth.

The third overall pick in the 2022 draft, Rocker fanned seven on a career-high 103 pitches. He hasn’t allowed a run in 13 1/3 innings.

Colorado center fielder Brenton Doyle left the game in the middle of the first inning when he was injured making a diving attempt on Duran’s double. He was replaced by Freeman, who had one of the three Rockies hits.

Catcher Brett Sullivan pitched a scoreless ninth for Colorado.

The teams played in chilly conditions for the second straight night. Temperatures were in the 40s Monday and Tuesday was overcast and 50 at first pitch.

Colorado opener Sammy Peralta, who made his first career start and season debut, didn’t last a full inning. Peralta (0-1) allowed two runs on two hits and hit a batter before being replaced by Tanner Gordon.

The Rangers got to Gordon in the second inning with three two-out RBI singles to build a 5-0 lead. Nimmo hit a two-run homer in the fourth, Justin Foscue had a sacrifice fly in the fifth, and Texas scored single runs in the seventh and eighth inning

Up next

Rangers RHP Jack Leiter (1-4, 4.35 ERA) will face Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-5, 7.22) to wrap up the series Wednesday.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Summer is here, sort of, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Bucs fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Tampa Bay. 

Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Bucs fans can be the most informed fans. 

So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.

Film

• Wisconsin
• FAU
• Michigan

Background Info

• Listed at 6-5/230 lbs.
• 3-Star recruit according to 247 Sports
• Going to school to be a sports psychologist
• Honorable mention All-Big Ten in 2025

Notable career stats heading into 2026

• 163 tackles
• 15.5 combined tackles for a loss and sacks
• Generated 1 turnover

Notable numbers from PFF heading into 2026

• 66.3 Career PFF Run Defense Grade
• 61.8 Career PFF Coverage Grade
• 7 Hurries
• Missed tackle rate of 14.7%
• 73 Stops

Strengths

• Great size for the position
• Uses his size to win reps when blocked or tackling bigger offensive players
• Leads the middle of the defense for Maryland
• Shows promise stuffing the run 
• Has good instincts to not overcommit

Player Summary

Wingate is a more typical linebacker that you expect to see in the NFL. At Maryland, he has shown he has the ability of an NFL linebacker, too, but he needs to work on his coverage ability. Where he can contribute right now is as a run stuffer or even on special teams in the NFL. He doesn’t do anything great and does a lot in a good way, but between the coverage and processing, it seems he is a step behind. Once he speeds up his play, he could take another step in his development in 2026. 

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2027 Summer Scouting Report on Maryland LB Dylan Wingate

As someone who has made much of his devotion to science, Bryson DeChambeau isn’t foolish enough to fall for any old conspiracy theory. But he does believe the moon landings may not have been all they seemed. And that interdimensional beings may be visiting Earth.

The two-time major champion appeared this week on a podcast hosted by Katie Miller, the wife of White House senior adviser Stephen Miller. During the interview DeChambeau spoke about conspiracy theories, golf and his friendship with Donald Trump.

Miller asked DeChambeau whether he believed astronaut Alan Shepard had played golf on the moon during the Apollo 14 mission in 1971.

“Oh, I don’t, here we, conspiracy theory, I don’t know,” DeChambeau said. “Look, Elon [Musk] says we’ve definitely gone there. So I tend to go that route, because he’s the man that knows quite a bit about all that. Artemis just went around the moon. So I do believe if we spent a lot of our resources like they say we did, I think we did. I don’t think the footage is real. But I think we did go to the moon. I don’t know about the footage. It’s quite, it’s quite wild.”

After suggesting thousands of people – including Shepard, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin – had not been entirely truthful about Nasa’s moon landings, DeChambeau dealt with other weighty topics.

Related: Bryson DeChambeau could give up golf for YouTube in his athletic prime. Is he right?

“I do think that there are interdimensional beings out there, for sure,” DeChambeau, who was a physics major in college, said. “I do believe in UAPs [Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena]. UAPs, UFOs, I think they’re more than just aliens from another world. Maybe aliens from another world. But I think there’s more. There’s a lot more to that story.”

DeChambeau was also asked about his relationship with Trump, the most powerful man in the world. “He gives me a lot of crap about pickles, actually,” said DeChambeau.

DeChambeau is one of the most prominent players on the LIV Golf, which faces an uncertain future after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced plans to withdraw funding. The American has said he may concentrate on his YouTube career if LIV does fail, a topic he returned to with Miller.

“I’m in that weird space right now, I don’t know what to do, either: Content creation or professional golf,” DeChambeau said. “I don’t know what to do right now.”

DeChambeau has missed the cut at the last two majors he has entered, the Masters and the US PGA Championship.

NEW YORK — Madison Square Garden has seen Eastern Conference finals heartbreak before. Tuesday night, the Knicks answered it with something far more satisfying.

A year after blowing a 17-point fourth-quarter lead against the Indiana Pacers in Game 1, the Knicks authored their own late-game stunner, rallying from 22 points down to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 115-104, in overtime in Tuesday’s Eastern Conference finals opener at the Garden.

It was the largest fourth-quarter comeback in the NBA playoffs in 13 years. Game 2 will be played in Manhattan on Thursday.

Jalen Brunson led the charge, finishing with a game-high 38 points on 15-for-29 shooting after catching fire late and dragging the Knicks back from the edge. And Donovan Mitchell dazzled for Cleveland with 29 points, five rebounds and three assists. Evan Mobley added 15 points and 14 rebounds.

The Knicks trailed by 22 in the fourth quarter. They looked buried. Then Brunson changed the entire night.

The Knicks outscored Cleveland 32-18 in the period, with Brunson pouring in 15 points on 7-for-9 shooting to fuel a furious comeback. He drove an 18-1 run that pulled the Knicks within eight with 4:08 remaining, pushing his total to 34 points and breathing life back into a building that had spent much of the second half in stunned silence.

Cleveland needed a response, and Mobley delivered one, burying a massive 3-pointer with 3:09 left to cool off Brunson, silence the Garden crowd and restore an eight-point Cavaliers lead.

Brunson answered anyway. He drilled a 3-pointer with 2:38 remaining to cut Cleveland’s advantage to four and keep the Knicks’ comeback alive. Then Landry Shamet finished the climb, burying yet another 3-pointer with 45 seconds left to tie the game at 99 and send the Garden into a frenzy.

The teams were tied again at 101 with 19 seconds remaining, leaving Cleveland with one last chance to steal it in regulation. Sam Merrill found a clean look as the clock wound down. He missed, sending Game 1 to overtime and giving the Knicks a second life they’d spent the entire fourth quarter fighting to create.

And they didn’t waste it. The Knicks opened overtime on a 9-0 run, seizing the extra period before Cleveland could regain its footing and finishing a comeback that had seemed far beyond reach only minutes earlier.

Game 1 needed time to become appointment television, but once it did, it stood shoulder to shoulder with Monday night’s Western Conference finals opener between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. The early possessions were ragged. The Knicks looked like a team shaking off a long layoff. Cleveland looked like a team still carrying two seven-game series. For a while, the flaws canceled each other out. By the fourth quarter, the Garden had a classic on its hands.

OG Anunoby returned to the starting lineup after missing the final two games of the second round with a left hamstring strain, but the Knicks’ offense didn’t resemble the version that cut through the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers. Passing seams closed quickly. Possessions crawled toward the end of the shot clock. The jump shooting didn’t settle.

The Cavaliers jumped ahead 10-4 midway through the first quarter and controlled the boards early, prompting Mike Brown to replace Josh Hart with Mitchell Robinson. The move drew a rousing ovation and immediately jolted the Knicks. Robinson checked in, stripped Jarrett Allen and helped the Knicks stiffen defensively. Brunson attacked at the other end.

By the end of the first quarter, the Knicks led 23-16. Brunson had 10 points. Cleveland had five turnovers, several of them careless. Brown had said before the game that the Knicks needed to “hit first” after their long break, and for a stretch, they did. Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson had also warned that the first five or six minutes could shape Cleveland’s night. The Knicks owned those early minutes. They just couldn’t build enough from them.

The Knicks tried to feature Karl-Anthony Towns early, but those actions didn’t give the offense much force. Towns went into halftime with two points, four assists and a 1-for-4 mark from the field. Brunson, Hart and Mikal Bridges combined for 32 first-half points. The rest of the Knicks totaled 14.

That imbalance helped Cleveland recover from its sloppy start. James Harden created back-to-back open 3-pointers in the second quarter, forcing Brown to call timeout after an 11-point Knicks lead had shrunk to three. The Cavaliers kept generating cleaner looks from deep. Mitchell closed the half with 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting, and Cleveland carried a 48-46 lead into the locker room.

The Cavaliers seemed to seize the night in the third quarter. Mitchell dictated terms. Mobley pushed deeper into the game. Midway through the period, Cleveland had opened a 63-54 lead. Mitchell had 22 points. Mobley had 10 points and seven rebounds. Every Knicks starter was minus-11 or worse.

The Garden went quiet. Soon, boos came down.

The Knicks’ defensive problems became more damaging than their missed shots. Cleveland found easy baskets. The Knicks blitzed Harden hard, and the pressure opened the floor instead of shrinking it. Harden had only seven points at one stage in the third quarter, but scoring wasn’t the point. He passed over the traps and let the Cavaliers attack space.

Atkinson had flagged that challenge before the game, saying Cleveland needed good decisions once it got into the paint against a Knicks defense that packs driving lanes. The Cavaliers found those decisions for long stretches. Cleveland also turned to a Hack-a-Mitch approach against Robinson in the third quarter, another way to disrupt the Knicks’ rhythm. By the end of the period, the Knicks trailed by 14. The deficit eventually reached 22.

Then Brunson detonated. Shamet followed. Merrill missed. The Knicks survived regulation, then stormed through overtime to complete one of the wildest playoff comebacks the Garden has seen.

Last year, the building watched a conference finals opener slip away.

This time, the Knicks ripped one back.

Right-hander Kaleb Wing was promoted from rookie ball ACL Cubs to Low-A Myrtle Beach.

Right-hander Luis A. Reyes went from the Pelicans down to Mesa.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs lost their eighth-straight game, 6-3 to the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals).

If you want some more bad news, Iowa starter Connor Noland had to be carted off the mound in this game after he was hit in the ankle by a line drive comebacker. Noland’s line on the game was one run on four hits over 1.1 innings. Noland struck out two and walked one.

If you want some good news, Ryan Jensen relieved Noland, stranded two runners and went on to pitch 2.1 scoreless innings. Jensen allowed two hits and walked two while striking out four.

The loss went to Yacksel Rios, who pitched two innings of relief and gave up one run on two hits. Rios walked two and struck out two.

Iowa pitchers walked a season-high 13 batters. Memphis got two runs with bases-loaded walks and two on sacrifice flies.

Left fielder Justin Dean hit a solo home run in the eighth inning, his third on the year. Dean was 1 for 3 with a walk.

James Triantos tripled in a run in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game 2-2. Triantos went 2 for 4.

Pedro Ramirez missed this game because of illness.

A Jensen strikeout.

The Triantos triple.

Dean goes 366 feet to right-center

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were fried by the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays), 3-1.

Starter Yenrri Rojas took the loss after allowing three runs on six hits over five innings. He struck out four and walked no one.

Jace Beck tossed the next three innings, gave up no runs and struck out seven. He allowed one hit and walked two.

The Smokies had just five hits. First baseman Edgar Alvarez went 1 for 2 with an RBI double in the seventh inning. He also walked once.

Alvarez’s double.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were taken out with the tide by the West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers), 6-4.

Nazier Mulé made his first start since returning from the Development List and got the loss. Mulé allowed one run on one hit over 1.1 innings. He walked four batters and struck out three.

Center fielder Kane Kepley was most of South Bend’s offense tonight as he hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning. It was Kepley’s second home run this year. Kepley went 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.

Shortstop Ty Southisene continued to hit for average in South Bend. Tonight he went 3 for 5 with a stolen base. Southisene is hitting .373 over 13 games in the Midwest League.

Kepley’s three-run home run.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

‘The Myrtle Beach Pelicans got splashed on by the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (White Sox), 3-1.

Pierce Coppola was terrific for the Birds even if his final line doesn’t completely show it. He no-hit the Cannon Ballers through five innings, although he did give up a run in the fourth inning on a walk, two stolen bases and a sac fly. He came out to pitch the sixth and exited after giving up a one-out walk and a single. Both of those runs scored off of reliever Mason McGwire, although to be honest, it was more an issue with the Pelicans defense than McGwire.

So Coppola ended up getting the loss after being charged with three runs on one hit over 5.1 innings. He walked three and struck out nine.

McGwire pitched 1.2 innings and allowed two hits and no runs of his own. He walked one and struck out one. But the two runs scored because of a high infield chopper that both shortstop Alexis Hernandez and third baseman Derniche Valdez just whiffed on, so it rolled into shallow left field for a double.

The only Pelicans run came on a single in the seventh inning by second baseman Jose Escobar. Escobar was 2 for 3 with a double.

Here’s that double by Kannapolis’ Javier Mogollon that I was talking about [VIDEO]. Low-A ball at its finest.

Some Coppola highlights.

ACL Cubs

Tied 6-6 with the Diamondbacks in the 7th inning.

Will Sanders made a rehab start in this game and got battered for five runs on six hits over 1.2 innings. Sanders struck out two and walked one. That’s not good, but as I always say, the only thing that matters about a rehab appearance is how the player feels afterwards. It’s about health, not results.

There's always curiosity surrounding how veteran players will respond when a franchise hires a new head coach, especially on a team with Super Bowl expectations already in place. Based on Derrick Henry's comments during Ravens OTA media availability, it sounds like Jesse Minter has already made a strong early impression inside the building.

Henry emphasized Minter's energy, preparation, and willingness to fully attack the opportunity in front of him. For a veteran like Henry, those details matter because experienced players can usually tell quickly whether a coach truly has command of the room and a clear vision for the team. During media availability, Henry said:

“[Jesse Minter] is a guy that's hungry. He’s somebody that wanted this opportunity, and when it presented itself, he took advantage of it, and he’s excited to be here, excited to get to work and put the work in so we get the results we want.”

That quote probably says a lot about what this coaching staff is trying to establish early. The Ravens don't sound interested in easing through the offseason. The tone appears centered around urgency, work ethic, and building something daily that can eventually translate into January football. 

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Derrick Henry on Ravens coach Jesse Minter's energy

Jalen Brunson in disbelief after the Knicks' magical comeback in Game 1 vs the Cavaliers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Knicks are now up 1-0 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was a magical comeback, as they were down 93-71 in the fourth quarter. It is the biggest comeback win in franchise history in the Playoffs for the Knicks.

Jalen Brunson was once again the superstar for New York, as he scored 17 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. Despite being the star player for the Knicks, he was in clear disbelief with what they pulled off in the comeback.

Jalen Brunson could not believe the Knicks came back in Game 1 vs the Cavs

Brunson was already having a good game despite the Knicks losing big. As the Knicks' captain and best player, he knew he needed to step it up further in the fourth quarter. Despite the 22-point deficit, he took over the game.

The Knicks looked so much livelier in the fourth quarter, and it kept pumping the team up. Brunson was the main catalyst, but the rest of the team was following his example with his scoring ability.

MORE: The box score for the Knicks' big Game 1 win vs the Cavaliers

It was an unbelievable comeback for the Knicks, and Brunson himself could not fathom what they did. After the game, Brunson was nearly speechless as he spoke to Lisa Salters after the final buzzer sounded.

"We got some stops, we kept fighting, kept believing. They were playing great basketball, we just found a way, I really don't have an answer," Brunson said to Lisa Salters in the ESPN post-game interview.

Brunson was in the zone, and he could not believe what he just did. Even on Inside the NBA, he was a bit shellshocked, but that will carry him further in the series because the Knicks showed what they are truly capable of against the Cavs.

More NBA news:

• Why New York Knicks fans sound like they are booing Deuce McBride when he has the ball
• When the Knicks almost traded for Donovan Mitchell
• How Mike Brown's coaching career prepared him for the Knicks job
• Madison Square Garden is ready to become the center of the basketball world
• Timothee Chalamet's diehard Knicks fandom explained

With Kris Bubic out with some elbow discomfort, the Kansas City Royals turned to ye olde “bullpen game” against the Boston Red Sox. While the bullpen held for most of the game, the Royals offense stayed sleepy and the Red Sox eventually did their damage, beating the Royals in a 7-1 slog.

Kansas City turned to Bailey Falter, whose ERA entering tonight’s game was an eye-watering 10.13. Falter did nothing to dispel the implication that his ERA suggested, immediately walking leadoff hitter Jarren Duran on four consecutive pitches.

Somewhat miraculously, Falter only gave up two runs in his two innings of work. A Willson Contreras single poked across one run in the first inning, and Falter escaped a bases loaded jam in the second inning while only allowing one run thanks to a Wilyer Abreu double play.

In the clubhouse, a visibly frustrated Falter answered the first question from our press corps simply and directly: “I haven’t been good since being acquired.” He took responsibility for not being good, but it sure doesn’t seem like he has any answers, unfortunately.

On the offensive side, the Royals drew blood quickly. Bobby Witt Jr. hit a bouncing single to opposite field. Salvador Perez—who was briefly possessed by Juan Soto during this game—challenged a strike call! At the plate! And won! And then walked! Lane Thomas then hit a hustle double (a questionable send, TBH, but that will be a theme) to tie the game at the time.

Then, one of the turning points happened. Against a tough lefty, Cags hit a dribbler to the right side. It sure seemed that he beat it out on replay. But New York upheld the call, making it two outs. It really should have been one, but a questionable call shouldn’t sink a whole team.

Oh, we should mention Duran here. Duran walked in the first inning. He also walked in the second inning. He also was flying everywhere on defense. In the second inning, Vinnie Pasquantino struck out looking bad against Red Sox starter Ranger Suarez, a lefty. But Nick Loftin came up to bat and swatted a beautiful line drive.

But then, Duran made a hell of a diving play. Out.

In the third inning, Salvador “Juan Soto” Perez walked, again, his second walk in three innings. Now, he didn’t score, but if Salvy can draw some walks, he can mitigate his declining hit tool a bit. Notably, Salvy was in the third spot in the order. Perez was the DH tonight, and Carter “Salvador Perez” Jensen threw out Isiah Kiner-Falefah on a delightful, perfectly thrown ball to second base.

Duran continued his night in the fifth inning with a booming double. But Lane Thomas scooped up the ball quickly and rifled a throw to Witt, who unleashed a beautiful laser of his own to third base and cut Duran down. It was ruled a double, but you should know.

Amusingly, one of the Boston beat writers to my left confidently said “triple” as the ball sailed to center field. Well, welcome to Kansas City. Witt is in charge here, and the only triples allowed here are his own.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, more baserunning bad happened. Jensen hit a leadoff double, a ground ball just fair down the first base line. A Maikel Garcia line drive moved him to third base, but Garcia was thrown out at second base after the relay went home; he had slowed down at first base and almost belatedly decided he would do it. It looked odd at the moment.

After the game, Garcia—through a translator, which is not his standard practice—answered some questions. “We made too many mistakes running the bases,” he said. He elaborated that he wasn’t running hard out of the box, and that first base coach Damon Hollis sent him when the throw came in high. “Honestly, it was a mistake. Coach said ‘go,’ but he didn’t see me coming out of the box.” To be clear, I think that Garcia blamed himself, and interviews through translators always have a sort of margin for error. But it was interesting nonetheless.

Anyway, nobody scored. A fly ball from Witt was too shallow, and a blistered line drive from Perez wasn’t quite high enough to go over the fence, instead finding its way into, of course, Duran’s glove. Duran made a…questionable route, but a leaping catch looked very snazzy.

In the sixth inning, this seemed like a turning point in the game. After failing to push a run in scoring position across with one out, and with John Schreiber coming into the game, things seemed prime to fall apart.

Now, while it didn’t fall apart immediately, it did fall apart—it just took some time, with a baserunning farse detour along the way. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Thomas led off with a single. Cags struck out, but Starling Marte singled to put men on first and second…until Thomas got picked off at third base, the Royals’ second. A Vinnie line drive then ended the inning.

The pitching took a little bit to topple. I mentioned Schreiber—he actually pitched a clean sixth inning. Nick Mears struck out a pair in his two innings of work, giving up one run in the eighth inning off a Rafaela double and some productive out shenanigans. But it was the ninth inning where things really fell of the rails. Fresh from Triple-A Omaha, the Red Sox greeted reliever Eli Morgan with a flurry of hits. And then Duran, capping off an excellent game, smashed a three-run shot to expand Boston’s lead to 7-1. Red Sox social media called it a “dagger,” but let’s be real—the true dagger came three runs earlier.

In the ninth inning, the Royals were blessed with not needing to face Aroldis Chapman. It didn’t matter; lefty Jovani Moran might as well have been, as he mowed down Caglianone, Marte, and Pasquantino with three strikeouts.

A halfhearted chorus of boos percolated through the crowd. The game ended. The Royals fall to 20-29, but are not yet alone at the bottom of the division because the Detroit Tigers are inexplicably also 20-29. So it goes.

Tom Dundon has owned the Portland Trail Blazers for less than 30 days. Without clearly showing why penny pinching moves will translate into luring the best talent to a small market, he risks alienating not just fans, but free agents on the court and off.

Dundon and his group of investors purchased the Blazers for a reported $4.25 billion. Accumulating his wealth through subprime car loans and accused of predatory lending, Dundon is a break from two prior cornerstone ownership groups of the Blazers in Harry Glickman and Paul Allen. Where both wanted their touches on the club, neither decided that going bargain-basement shopping was the best route to do business.

Dundon has been framed as “cheap” due to cost-cutting measures. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said that Dundon “knows what he’s doing.”

“People are starting to say he’s not willing to spend the money,” Silver said. “You gotta remember, this is a guy who just won a bidding war, call it $4.5 billion to buy a team, and they’re calling him cheap. It just can’t be.”

Frugal or unconventional might be the kindest way to describe Dundon.

There were several events during the postseason that were not entirely Dundon’s fault that played into his “cheap” narrative, not all of which were entirely his fault. There was limited travel for support staff; the team and staff was notified the night before arriving in Phoenix that they had to check out of hotel early forcing them to hang in a in a ballroom; stopped offering free T-shirts to fans, although they is not entirely on Dundon. That was notably in the playoffs when other teams normally do, and; excluded two-way players from traveling with the team during the playoffs. Although on the latter, Dundon said he “made a mistake” saying he did so based on what he knows about the NHL, which ignores picking up the phone and asking the league how these things function in the NBA.

It’s not like he’s gone down this route before. When he purchased the Carolina Hurricanes, he notably let the radio broadcast team go, which featured Hall of Fame and long-time radio announcer Chuck Kaiton, in favor of airing a simulcast of the TV broadcast audio in 2018 when Kaiton wouldn’t take an 80% pay cut to stay with the team. One would hope Dundon wouldn’t attempt that in Portland, but if so, there’s the precedent.

Dundon is a man focused on the hustle. He expects his staff to hustle as he does. As a Sports Business Journal feature story outlined, Dundon learned to like money from an early age.

“I always wanted to have money if I didn’t have it,” Dundon recalled. “It’s always been enjoyable to me to figure out how to make money.”

Since the changes in Portland, he blown off his detractors.

“The Hurricanes, since I bought the team, have the first or second-best record in the league,” Dundon said to the Oregonian. “So, I’m just not going to waste $100MM, just because somebody wants to write an article calling me cheap. I’m just not going to do it. And so, it’s hard because I don’t think about a budget when it comes to the playing team and how to make sure we win. Some of the stuff that was blamed on money is actually not 100% true.”

There have been other owners across the pro sports landscape who have gone in and tossed over the tables. Notably, Jim Crane after he purchased the Houston Astros. Crane made it clear that ripping the roster down to the axels and investing more in analytics was something he saw would lead to success and mirrored his efforts around how the St. Louis Cardinals functioned. He was lambasted for the moves but ultimately proved wise given the Astros incredible run.

Dundon will say his track record with the Hurricanes will show he can do the same with the Blazers.

It’s more likely he poisons the well if his methods permeate his entire ownership tenure.

The penny pinching doesn’t exactly translate with the NBA, a players’ league and one where market size to elevate brand is difficult in Portland. Damian Lillard proved it could be done, but luring free agents to a small market with the cuts that affect players’ quality time with the club make it difficult as a destination.

To add, it’s been rumored that Dunton is going to go on the cheap for a new head coach, offering in the neighborhood of $1.5 million a year, which would rank at the bottom of the league’s head coach pay scale. Add that as one more reason for key player talent to avoid Portland.

And there are changes raising eyebrows with the Blazers’ fanbase, one of the most loyal in the league. On Tuesday, as many as 70 employees on the business side were laid off, including digital reporter Casey Holdahl.

“These changes impacted talented people who have helped shape the Trail Blazers over many years,” Dewayne Hankins, Portland Trail Blazers President of Business Operations, said in a statement. “We are deeply grateful for their contributions, their leadership and the care they showed every day for our team, our fans and the Portland community.”

Dundon can say that the Blazers have bloat, but if the high number of layoffs in the front office is true, you’re moving well past cutting fat and into bone compared to other NBA organizations.

And that leads to a core problem: who wants to work in a front office under those conditions, and how does that translate to the fan experience? As Dundon has shown during the playoffs, maybe the fan experience isn’t a priority.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see what Dundon’s game plan is, even if he’s been poor at communicating it the right way to fans who don’t follow what he’s done with the Hurricanes: winning cures everything.

In the near term, that means trades. Or maybe it’s not just the near term, but the overall way of roster building.

Rumors have circulated that a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo favors the Blazers given draft picks out of the Damian Lillard trade for 2028-30, and the fact that Giannis has played with Lillard and Jrue Holiday. If that were pulled off, it would mark a significant early prize for Dundon and prove to the fans that all the penny pinching is easy to push aside if it doesn’t affect improving the team. But, it’s not a given that a star of Antetokounmpo’s caliber is headed to Portland, and more than one sees the chances as a dark horse.

So, there’s a duality playing out with Dundon. He’ll point to the success of the Hurricanes and say that the track record and methods have proven their worth. The other is thinking that just because something works in the NHL doesn’t mean that it works in the NBA, and burning down the house and fanbase along the way isn’t the greatest way to start off. After all, the Blazers have been spoiled with incredible ownership for over 50 years, even if the fans maybe didn’t know it at the time.

The problem is, will Dundon push away talent, both on and off the court? The well isn’t poisoned… yet. After all, he’s only had 30 days to upend the Blazers.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

Notre Dame kept its season alive with a 5-4 win over the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the ACC Tournament. Jayce Lee was an absolute villain against the Tigers with a 3-3 performance that included two doubles and a home run. The Irish will now take on Virginia Tech in the next round. The two teams did not face each other during the regular season.

Notre Dame Baseball: Irish Take Down Tigers in ACC Tournament Opener

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Notre Dame baseball team battled their way to a 5-4 win over Clemson in the first round of the ACC Tournament at Truist Field on Tuesday evening.

Jack Radel capped off a three-up, three-down first inning with a strikeout for the Irish. Drew Berkland then put Notre Dame ahead with a solo home run to opposite field for a quick 1-0 lead. Radel, meanwhile, needed just seven pitches to retire the side in order in the top of the second.

The Tigers equalized the game with a solo homer of their own in the top of the third and used a two-out triple to drive in a second run. Bino Watters drew the Irish back even in the bottom half of the inning with an opposite-field shot of his own to make it a 2-2 game. Noah Coy kept the inning alive with a single to left-center field and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Jayce Lee battled his way to a double down the left field line, and Coy came around to score for a 3-2 Irish lead.

Radel forced the Tigers into stranding a runner at second with a strikeout and a ground out to end the top of the fourth. Radel then had a three-up, three-down effort in the top of the fifth to keep the game at 3-2 in favor of Notre Dame.

Jayce Lee drilled a 3-1 pitch to right-center field and beyond the wall to put the Irish up 4-2 through six complete.

The Tigers put a run on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh with a home run to cut the margin to one at 4-3 before Dylan Singleton closed out the inning with an infield ground out. Noah Rooney posted a perfect eighth inning to keep the Irish ahead.

Mark Quatrani led off the bottom of the eighth with a single before advancing on a wild pitch. A ground out allowed Quatrani to move to third, and Clemson intentionally walked Jayce Lee. Lee stole second, and Dylan Passo drove in Quatrani with a sacrifice fly for a 5-3 lead. 

The Tigers plated a run in the top of the ninth before putting the tying run on base. Noah Rooney, however, slammed the door shut with a strikeout to end the game by the 5-4 final score.

Jayce Lee went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a home run, two RBI and a run. Drew Berkland and Bino Watters each hit a home run in the win. Mark Quatrani had a 2-for-4 effort at the plate with a run, and Noah Coy added a hit and a run. Dylan Passo drove in a run with a sacrifice fly for the Irish. 

Jack Radel earned the win after going 6.1 with eight strikeouts on the night. Dylan Singleton posted two-thirds of an inning with a strikeout. Noah Rooney posted his sixth save of the season after going the final 2.0 innings on the hill with three strikeouts.

The Irish (31-21) now face Virginia Tech on day two of the ACC Tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. ET at Truist Field.

The Texas Rangers scored a girthy ten runs while the Colorado Rockies scored no runs at all.

This one’ll do wonders for the ol’ Pythagorean W-L.

Maybe last night’s loss was the kick in the butt moment the Rangers needed as they came out tonight and immediately scored a couple of runs before turning to a opener to help ease Kumar Rocker into one of his best outings as a big leaguer.

The first inning has been among the biggest trouble areas for Texas this season as they have given up a lion’s share of their runs allowed in the first frame while not scoring much of their own in the game’s first inning. That has put the Rangers in a hole in an exorbitant number of contests, which has only hindered a lineup that has clearly been pressing.

Tonight however, it felt like an upset that Texas scored only two runs in the first inning as Ezequiel Duran doubled in a pair before the Rangers left ‘em loaded.

Meanwhile, in the bottom of the first, on Rocker’s usual day, manager Skip Schumaker decided to go with reliever Tyler Alexander for an inning with Rocker being among the biggest first inning-issues offender this season.

The plan worked swimmingly as not only did Alexander enter with a lead and pitch a scoreless frame, by the time Rocker took the mound to start the second inning, the Rangers had scored three more runs to give Rocker a 5-0 lead to work with.

Big lead Rocker was a hit to put it mildly. The righty ended up going all but the final out with 7.2 shutout innings while allowing just three hits and three of walks with seven strikeouts.

Meanwhile, the Rockies also went for an opener and it, uh, didn’t work out as well for them. Left-handed opener Sammy Peralta didn’t even make it out of his opening inning and once he left, Schumaker inserted left-handed hitting Joc Pederson in for leadoff man Andrew McCutchen and Pederson ended up with four hits in five at-bats.

Texas scored runs in six of the nine innings and every member of the lineup contributed at least a hit, walk, or run scored.

The Rangers reached double digits in runs scored for the first time this season as the season-high ten runs allowed them to tie up this series ahead of tomorrow’s finale.

Player of the Game: The lineup had a lot to like tonight. Aside from Pederson, Brandon Nimmo had three hits including the game’s lone home run. Duran had three hits and drove in a team-high four runs. Justin Foscue doubled in a run and walked. Jake Burger had a couple of hits, walked, and drove in a run.

But then again, it’s hard to ignore what Rocker accomplished. 7.2 innings of shutout relief on 103 bullpen-saving pitches. It goes down as a win but it was the ultimate save!

Up Next: The Rangers close out this series against the Rockies with a day game finale with RHP Jack Leiter expected to pitch for Texas opposite LHP Kyle Freeland for Colorado.

The Wednesday afternoon first pitch from Coors Field is scheduled for 2:10 pm CDT and will be viewable via the Rangers Sports Network.

Cavs have a huge James Harden problem, and it's like they didn't notice originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It's like the Cleveland Cavaliers didn't realize they were allowed to do something different.

As the New York Knicks mounted one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the NBA playoffs, they continued to send the man James Harden was guarding to screen the guy guarding Jalen Brunson. The Cavs would switch, Harden would be on Brunson, and the Knicks' lefty guard would go to work against Cleveland's southpaw.

It was a total and utter mismatch.

Brunson carried the Knicks from 22 points down to force overtime, where they won Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final in a stunner.

The Cavs never changed their approach, and it cost them a game they had absolutely zero business losing.

JALEN BRUNSON JUST COOKED HARDEN. OMG. KNICKS ARE ROLLING. pic.twitter.com/kFEXyTD1KE

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 20, 2026

It's a bizarre plight of the modern NBA. Defenses are so switch-happy that even if a screener just sort of arrives in the area, the defense will switch.

It means it wasn't hard at all for the Knicks to get Harden on Brunson every time down the floor, and the aging Harden simply couldn't handle Brunson at all.

For a few possessions, fine, it happens. Eventually, though, it's shocking that Cleveland didn't do anything different.

Double team on the screen, or don't switch, or shade the big on the inside way in Harden's direction.

It was as if the Cavs truly believed they couldn't lose this game. Why else let Harden be on this island with no adjustment?

If Cleveland's season ends in this series, it will be in large part because of their historic blown lead in Game 1.

And the main culprit of that was Harden switching onto Brunson, over and over again, with no change in plan. 

The Cavs did a lot wrong down the stretch, but this defensive assignment was very controllable, and Cleveland let the Knicks get exactly what they wanted.

The Cavaliers will have to take a different approach in the games ahead, but after what Brunson already did to Harden, it might be too late.

MORE: How Jalen Brunson led Knicks to rally from 99.9% chance to lose

Jays 4 Yankees 5

I don’t know…..

Dylan Cease was pitching great and the Jays got three runs in the fourth. All seemed good in the world.

In that fourth:

• Daulton Varsho singled.
• Kazuma Okamoto walked.
• Yohendrick Piñango singled, and we had our first run.
• Jesús Sánchez singled in the second run, nice line drive hit, but his follow through caught catcher Austin Wells in the head and there was a delay while they looked at him.
• Andrés Giménez singled, scoring our third run. Unfortunately it ended there, Tyler Heineman popped out and George Springer ground out.

The long break seemed to affect Cease, he wasn’t great in the bottom of the fourth, giving up a couple of walks and a Ryan McMahon home run.

Cease gave up two more in the fifth, on a Ben Rice homer. 5 innings, 5 earned isn’t what we were hoping to see.

The bullpen did the job. Adam Macko (two outs), Chase Lee (one out, two walks), Mason Fluharty (one inning), Louis Varland (1 inning).

But we didn’t score again. We had chances:

• In the seventh, Vlad was hit by pitch and Varsho singled but Okamoto ground out.
• In the ninth, Giménez walked and Ernie Clement singled (have to admire that he came into the game since he was suffering from strep throat). But Springer lined one right at pitcher Camilo Doval, who managed to snag it. 90 mph and almost straight at his head (Baseball Savant has it at a .470 expected BA). Then Vlad lined one fairly deep to right-center (339 feet, I thought it was deeper when I first watched), but Trent Grisham made the catch (Baseball Savant says a .320 expected BA) that scored a run. Varsho beat out an infield single, putting runners on the corners. But Okamoto ground out and that was the game.

We had nine hits, and 3 walks, but again, no extra base hits, which seems to be the usual thing for out Jays.

Daulton went 4 for 5. No one else had more than one hit.

We had three guys in the lineup with batting average in the .100s, with Schneider’s .136 being the low mark. I don’t know how much more run way he has. You can tell he’s been bad, John had him bunt (and he did a good job of it). Heineman isn’t much better at .143.

Of note, the Yankees lost a challenge on a caught stealing call that the replay we saw made it look like he was easily safe. Aaron Boone was understandably upset.

And I always get irritated when announcers talk about how hard it will be for a pitcher when he sits a long and generally, when they come back for the next inning they are fine, but tonight was the time it came to pass that Clease (at least seemed) to be affected by the long inning.

Jays of the Day: Varsho (0.21 WPA), Clement (0.15) and Giménez (0.09).

Other Award: Cease (-0.36), Vlad (-0.18), Springer (-0.10), and Heineman (-0.10).

Tomorrow Trey Yesavage (1-1, 1.40) goes against Cam Schlittler (6-1, 1.35). The bullpen could use a big of a rest but Trey isn’t pitching deep into games.

There are plenty of NFL legacy prospects littered throughout the high school ranks and one of the most notable is Phoenix Mountain Pointe three-star safety Legarrette Blount Jr.

The son of former longtime NFL running back LeGarrette Blount, Blount Jr. is a class of 2028 prospect who’s gearing up for his junior season at the high school level. On Tuesday evening, he announced the biggest offer of his recruiting process thus far.

Oregon, his father’s alma mater, has offered Blount Jr.:

“(Let’s go) son son. So proud of you LB my guy. You deserve it,” the elder Blount wrote on X after his son announced the legacy offer.

[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]

Blount left his mark on Eugene, playing in 16 games across the 2008 and 09 seasons. He transferred to Oregon from East Mississippi Community College and made a splash in 08, rushing for 1,002 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Despite going undrafted in 2010, the bruiser made quite the career for himself in the NFL. The three-time Super Bowl champ played in 132 games across nine seasons and rushed for 6,306 yards and 56 touchdowns. He scored at least twice in all nine seasons.

Blount Jr. is likely to line up in the secondary at the college level, not the backfield. He’s currently the No. 578 overall prospect and No. 48 safety in the 2028 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies.

Playing in just five games as a sophomore due to transferring, Blount Jr. picked up 20 total tackles, a pair of interceptions, four pass-breakups and a sack while also scoring three touchdowns. He’s gearing up for a monster junior campaign as one of the best in Arizona.

Oregon assistant head coach Ra’Shaad Samples offered Blount Jr. The Ducks joins North Carolina, Marshall, Sacramento State, Southern Miss, Memphis, Colorado State, UNLV, Oregon State and San Diego State on his offer sheet, which will certainly continue to add schools as he works through his process.

Caitlin Clark, Fever enter Wednesday with history looming originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Indiana Fever have already become one of the biggest stories in sports behind Caitlin Clark, but Wednesday night’s matchup against the Portland Fire carries an added layer of significance for the franchise. When Indiana takes the floor at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Fever will officially face the Fire for the first time in franchise history as the WNBA continues its long-awaited expansion era. With Portland and the Toronto Tempo joining the league this season, the matchup represents another reminder of how quickly women’s basketball continues to grow, and how important the Fever have become to that momentum.

The timing also feels fitting considering Clark’s remarkable start to the 2026 season. Through four games, Clark has scored at least 20 points while recording five or more assists in every contest. That ties the longest streak to begin a season in WNBA history and further reinforces how dramatically the second-year superstar continues to elevate Indiana’s national profile.

Caitlin Clark keeps delivering on the biggest stage

At this point, historic performances from Clark almost feel expected, which says everything about the standard she has already created. Indiana enters Wednesday’s game at 2-2 after earning an impressive 89-78 win over the Seattle Storm on Sunday. The Fever looked far more comfortable offensively during that victory, with Clark once again controlling the pace while veterans Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham provided additional scoring support.

The Fever accomplished that despite missing Aliyah Boston, who sat out the first game of her WNBA career because of a lower leg injury. Boston returned to practice Tuesday and appears to be trending in the right direction ahead of Wednesday night’s matchup, which would provide Indiana with a major boost inside.

MORE: Aliyah Boston update could change everything for Fever against Portland

WNBA expansion creates another major moment

The arrival of the Fire is about more than simply adding another opponent to the schedule. It marks the latest step in the WNBA’s rapidly expanding future. Clark’s arrival last season helped fuel unprecedented television ratings, attendance figures and overall interest across the league. Now, as expansion teams begin entering the WNBA, Indiana finds itself directly connected to a transformational period for the sport.

That is part of what makes Wednesday feel bigger than an ordinary regular-season game. For the Fever, it is another opportunity to continue building momentum at home while also participating in a moment that reflects just how much the league has evolved in a short amount of time.

More WNBA news:

• Aliyah Boston update could change everything for Fever against Portland
• Caitlin Clark named Grand Marshal for 110th Indianapolis 500
• 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

Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has already made several upgrades to his team's roster during the 2026 offseason. Still, NFL insider James Palmer isn't sure that the veteran deal-maker's work is done.

During an appearance on the beloved morning program 'Up & Adams' this week, Palmer mentioned star wide receiver Stefon Diggs — who is currently a free agent — as a potential pass-catcher who could be a perfect fit for Kansas City's new-look offense.

Take a look at Palmer's full comments on Diggs' potential fit in Kansas City in this video, which was posted to Twitter by the official account of 'Up & Adams':

Stefon Diggs ➡️ Chiefs?

NFL Insider James Palmer breaks down why the move makes sense for both sides:@JamesPalmerTV | @heykayadamspic.twitter.com/3xuDzNGWb1

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 19, 2026

Diggs is among the NFL's most accomplished wideouts and is no stranger to facing the Chiefs, having played stints with the Minnesota Vikings, Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills, and New England Patriots.

It is unclear if Veach will actually move to acquire Diggs in free agency, but Palmer's assessment of the former Patriots' fit in Kansas City is sure to get Chiefs fans excited as the team prepares for OTAs later this month.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs rumors: Insider says this star WR could be ideal target for KC

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Iván Herrera hit a three-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning — one of four homers by St. Louis — as the Cardinals rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

Herrera’s 410-foot shot off of Mason Montgomery (1-1) was his first career walk-off RBI. It is the fifth walk-off win of the season for St. Louis, which improved to 7-1 in extra-inning games.

JJ Wetherholt, Nolan Gorman and Alec Burleson also homered as the Cardinals improved to 5-0 this season against their Central Division rivals.

Gorman hit a pitch from Pirates reliever Evan Sisk 436 feet over the right-centerfield wall in the sixth inning to give the Cardinals a 5-4 lead. Burleson led off the eighth with a solo shot to add to the St. Louis lead.

Spencer Horwitz’s pinch-hit single off Riley O’Brien in the ninth capped a two-run rally by the Pirates, tying the game at 6.

George Soriano (2-0) pitched a perfect 10th inning for the win.

Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore struck out a career-high nine, but allowed four runs in the fifth before being pulled after 4 2/3 innings. He gave up seven hits and walked two.

Wetherholt’s two-run homer off Pirates starter Mitch Keller broke a scoreless tie in the third. Three of Wetherholt’s nine career home runs have come against the Pirates.

Burleson singled to lead off the fourth and eventually scored on a Gorman double play, giving the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.

Brandon Lowe singled and scored on a wild pitch to spark a four-run Pirates rally in the fifth. Bryan Reynolds’ two-run double tied the game and Oneil Cruz’s RBI single gave Pittsburgh a 4-3 lead.

Keller allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings for the Pirates. He gave up four hits, struck out three and walked one.

Up next

Pirates RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (3-3, 4.40 ERA) will face Cardinals RHP Michael McGreevy (3-2, 2.10) on Wednesday.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Patriots UDFA RB Signed To Compete With Alabama Draft Pick For Final Spot originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New England Patriots brought in a pretty deep undrafted free agent class, all competing for a spot on the Super Bowl-contending roster. Of the 12-member class, none signed a richer contract than former Central Florida running back Myles Montgomery.

Montgomery put pen to paper on a three-year deal worth $272,500. He told ESPN's Mike Reiss that he chose the Patriots over the 31 other teams in the NFL because he believes he can win the competition to become the third running back on the roster. 

"(The contract) reflects how the Patriots had competition from others to sign Montgomery, who was timed at 4.44 in the 40-yard dash in the predraft process," Reiss wrote.

"Those close to the 23-year-old Montgomery say the Patriots appealed to him because of the opportunity to compete for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart with Terrell Jennings, Lan Larison and Jam Miller, and also the approach and success of the (Mike) Vrabel-led coaching staff."

Looking down this Patriots roster, the third running back slot could wind up being the only real roster battle this offseason. I suppose first-round draft pick Caleb Lomu could make a push for the right tackle position currently held by veteran Morgan Moses. But aside from that, fans generally know who they're going to see in Week 1. 

There is no reason Montgomery couldn't steal that spot if the 5-foot-10, 205-pound running back lives up to the hype. Terrell Jennings did nothing to set himself apart last season in his many opportunities after Antonio Gibson got hurt, while Lan Larrison did not make it through the preseason healthy. 

As an Alabama fan myself, I can confidently tell you that he never truly impressed in his four seasons with the Crimson Tide. He averaged less than four yards per carry his senior year and only found the endzone three times. 

Selfishly, I hope this story carries into training camp. It could be a very fun thread. 

More NFL: Insider Names Patriots' AFC Rival As Ideal Fit For Stefon Diggs

The New York Knicks, fueled by 38 points from Jalen Brunson, erased a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime Monday in game one of the NBA Eastern Conference finals.

The Knicks looked done for when they trailed 93-71 with 7:52 left in regulation.

But Brunson spearheaded an 18-1 New York run and banked in a floater to tie it at 101-101 with 19.3 seconds left in regulation.

When Cleveland's Sam Merrill missed a three-pointer they went to the extra session -- in which the Knicks scored the first nine points.

Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points to lead the Cavaliers and James Harden added 15.

But the Knicks will have a chance to double their lead in the best-of-seven series when they host game two on Thursday.

The winner of the series will face either the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs in the championship series.

The Spurs, fueled by a 41-point performance by Victor Wembanyama, beat the Thunder in double-overtime in game one of the Western Conference finals.

It's the first time in NBA history that the first two games of both conference finals have been decided in overtime.

bb/dh

The crypto ETFs were intended to be part of Trump Media & Technology Group’s broader crypto strategy, which included the launch of the Truth.fi financial platform.

Samsung's semiconductor division now appears destined for partial paralysis amid a general workers' strike that looks all but certain, especially after last-minute negotiations have collapsed again, with nary a reprieve in sight. Samsung's unionized workers now appear determined to go on an 18-day general strike on May 21 As per the reports that are just trickling out of South Korea, the last-minute negotiations between Samsung's unionized workers and its management have collapsed, setting the stage for the planned 18-day general strike to commence on May 21. In what is a rare bit of good news though, the union has expressed […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/samsung-strike-all-set-to-go-ahead-as-last-minute-negotiations-the-threat-of-a-100-million-daily-fine-and-government-intervention-all-fail/

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Samsung is now expanding its latest security patches to even more devices. The Galaxy A33 and A53 have started getting the May 2026 update. This release carries fixes for 39 vulnerabilities targeting Android and One UI.

Before the Galaxy A33 and Galaxy A53, Samsung’s May 2026 update was released for plenty of Galaxy devices, including the A54, A55, A56, and A57. In the meantime, the One UI 8.5 rollout is also underway for eligible models.

Galaxy A33 and A53 are listed in Samsung’s Quarterly support chart. This means the devices receive new software updates once every three months. The next OTA is likely to arrive by August 2026, and it could be the last one.

Software version information

• Galaxy A53 – A536NKSSHGZE2
• Galaxy A33 – A336NKSSFGZE2

Samsung’s update installation experience is simple. Head toward Settings and open the Software update page. Tap the Download and install button to initiate the firmware download, then tap Install now to complete the process.

One UI 8.5 rollout is underway, and it remains to be seen whether the update arrives on the Galaxy A33 and Galaxy A53. Both smartphones have been upgraded to the Android 16-based One UI 8.0 version in October 2025.

Samsung’s One UI 8.5 is also built on Android 16-based One UI 8.0. However, it has significant changes for the user interface and functions. Samsung should deliver One UI 8.5 to the A33 and A53 as part of the farewell update.

The post Galaxy A53 and A33 get 39 patches with May 2026 update appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Google is showcasing its software advancements at the I/O 2026 keynote. At the same time, the company has also pushed the Android 17 QPR1 Beta 3 update for Pixel phones, bringing bug fixes, UI tweaks, and new features.

Android 17 QPR1 Beta 3 has new Pixel features

Blur UI is widening

With QPR1 Beta 3, the operating system has expanded the blur user interface. Pixel users now have blur UI in the Power menu when long-pressing the button or from Quick Settings.

New bouncy animation for Quick Settings

Google has also refined the Quick Settings experience. Android’s bouncy animation is being expanded from the Notification panel to the Quick Settings window.

9to5Google reports that Pixel phones now display a new bouncy animation when pulling down the Quick Settings, and this UI tweak matches the Notification shade.

Screen recording improvements

Pixel’s screen recording feature now has a memory, and it remembers the last preferred app for the job. Triggering the screen recording menu opens the interactive interface, and it retains the last used app as well as single app setting.

Android 17 QPR1 Beta 3 brings the following bug fixes:

• A recurring system error in ContextHubClientManager that caused excessive logcat noise when attempting to send messages to unregistered clients.
• Clicking on the date on at a glance prompts to open the terminal
• Wi-Fi unexpectedly disconnects due to erroneous low-quality detection despite strong signal strength.
• Users experienced frequent crackling or distorted audio during media playback from any source.
• UI elements are partially cut off or positioned off-screen when apps are expanded to full-screen mode.
• Home screen widgets would disappear or become unavailable in the widget picker after a device reboot.
• The mobile data icon incorrectly remains active in the Quick Settings panel after Airplane Mode is enabled.

The post Android 17 QPR1 Beta 3 rolling out with blur UI tweaks, bouncy animation and more appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Itel has launched a new budget phone in India under its A100 series, called the Itel A100 Pro. The handset features a 6.6-inch display, a 5,000mAh battery, and an orange color option that bears a striking resemblance to the iPhone 17 Pro. The Itel A100 Pro is powered by the octa-core Unisoc T7100 chipset, paired with 3GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Luckily, the storage can be expanded further via a microSD card. On the front, the device sports a 6.6-inch LCD display with HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. The panel features relatively thick bezels and a waterdrop-style...

Lionel Messi has been the driving force behind an Inter Miami side that has spent the first portion of the 2026 season rediscovering the form that carried them to the MLS Cup title last year. The progress is now showing in the standings, with the Herons reclaiming their status as the top MLS club in the CONCACAF rankings, though they still find themselves outside the overall top three.

Back in March, Inter Miami suffered a significant setback with their Round of 16 exit from the CONCACAF Champions Cup at the hands of Nashville, and a string of poor results through early April sent them tumbling to seventh in the rankings. Since then, the club has undergone a reset, including the dismissal of Javier Mascherano and the appointment of Guillermo Hoyos, and the results on the pitch have followed.

With CONCACAF releasing its latest club ranking update on May 18, Inter Miami have climbed from sixth to fourth overall, now sitting as the highest-ranked MLS side on the list. LAFC and the Seattle Sounders had been positioned above them, but both clubs have shed points in the most recent update following difficult stretches of form.

After a strong start to the season, LAFC hit a wall in May, falling in the Champions Cup semifinals against Toluca and then collecting just one draw and three consecutive MLS defeats. The Sounders followed a similar trajectory, bowing out of the Champions Cup in the quarterfinals to Tigres UANL before managing only one win, two draws and one defeat in May league play.

Messi’s contribution to Inter Miami’s revival

Hoyos took charge of his first Inter Miami match on April 18 against the Colorado Rapids, and under the Argentine coach the team has found a level of consistency that was largely absent earlier in the season. A significant factor in that turnaround, beyond the improvement from several players across the squad, has been Lionel Messi returning to his best form.

Since that Colorado Rapids fixture, Messi has featured in seven games, scoring seven goals and adding five assists. In May alone across four appearances, he has posted four goals and four assists, performances that have positioned him as the leading candidate for the MLS Player of the Month award.

Who sits at the top of the CONCACAF rankings?

Over the stretch that includes the Colorado match, Inter Miami have posted five wins, one draw and one defeat with 20 goals scored, accumulating 1,241 points in the CONCACAF index. Despite the momentum, the gap between the Herons and the Liga MX clubs occupying the top three remains considerable.

Tigres UANL and Deportivo Toluca hold the top two spots with 1,277 and 1,276 points respectively, as the two CONCACAF Champions Cup finalists. Cruz Azul, who reached the quarterfinals and are set to face Pumas UNAM in the Liga MX Clausura final, sit third with 1,258 points, leaving a 17-point gap between them and the highest-ranked MLS club.

Zeekr launches upgraded 2026 009 MPV: enhanced intelligence and high-voltage performance.

The post 2026 Zeekr 009 launches with900V architecture in China, starting from 64,700 USD appeared first on CarNewsChina.com.

WASHINGTON (AP) — James Wood hit the majors’ first inside-the-park grand slam since 2022, and the Washington Nationals rallied from an early five-run deficit Tuesday night to defeat the New York Mets 9-6.

José Tena also homered for Washington, which avoided its first three-game skid since April 22-24.

Bo Bichette homered twice and drove in four runs and Juan Soto also went deep for New York, which had won six of seven.

Down 5-0, the Nationals loaded the bases with two outs in the second inning. Mets starter Nolan McLean (2-3) threw a first-pitch sweeper to Wood, who lofted it to deep left.

It glanced off the arm of the leaping Nick Morabito and caromed into center. Wood scampered around the bases in 15.15 seconds and dove into the plate well ahead of the throw for his first career grand slam.

It was the Nationals’ second inside-the-park grand slam since the franchise moved to Washington in 2005. Michael A. Taylor hit one on Sept. 8, 2017, at home against Philadelphia. It was the ninth inside-the-park grand slam since 1994 and the first since Toronto’s Raimel Tapia did it on July 22, 2022.

Tena led off the third with a homer to the Mets' bullpen in left. CJ Abrams scored the go-ahead run on catcher Luis Torrens’ passed ball later in the inning, and Jorbit Vivas’ sacrifice fly made it 7-5.

Washington tacked on two unearned runs in the fourth thanks to errors by second baseman Marcus Semien and Torrens.

Bichette hit two-run homers off Washington starter Foster Griffin (5-2) in the first and second innings. It was Bichette’s 10th career multi-homer game and first since signing with New York in January.

Griffin allowed five runs in five innings and struck out five.

Richard Lovelady pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save.

McLean surrendered nine runs — six earned — in 5 2/3 innings.

Morabito, making his major league debut, was 0 for 3 and was hit by a pitch.

The game was delayed 46 minutes at the start because of the threat of rain.

Up next

Washington’s RHP Zack Littell (2-4, 6.10 ERA) starts the third game of the series Wednesday. New York has not announced its pitching plans.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

May 19—If Lakeside sprinter Brody Doran has his way, a 1A state track and field championship will be secured long before the last event.

Lakeside fell a half point shy of a state title a year ago. King's leapfrogged past the Eagles of Nine Mile Falls to claim the championship in the last event, the 4x400-meter relay.

King's collected six points for third, finishing with 66.5 and Lakeside earned three for sixth for 60.

Accepting the trophy for second was difficult considering Lakeside, sitting in third in the relay finale, was third before being passed 5 meters from the finish line.

"It's definitely going to make us compete better, compete harder, and push ourselves to get as many points as we can," Doran said. "We really want to make a statement."

Doran, Jett Winger and Mel Hatch, all seniors, accounted for the majority of Lakeside's points last year. They'll carry the load again when state is held May 28-30 at Zaepfel Stadium in Yakima.

"They were pretty heartbroken," Lakeside coach Casey Monahan said. "They're back with a renewed focus."

Doran and Winger ran legs on Lakeside's state title-winning 4x100. Winger also captured gold in the javelin and Hatch did likewise in the discus and was second in the shot put.

"There were so many places where we could have gotten one more point," Hatch said. "If I had thrown it another four inches in the shot. If one of our other guys had made it to the finals in the 100. If we had passed one more person in the 4x400. There were so many variables and a lot of what ifs."

The trio has put what could have been behind them. They're focused on this week when Lakeside, Medical Lake and Riverside travel to Colville for the District 6 state-qualifying meet to be held over two days, Wednesday and Friday. As the smallest 1A district in the state, just one state berth is available in each event. To earn at-large berths athletes must best state qualifying standards.

Monahan knew his sprinters were talented last year, but when they surged late in the season they exceeded his expectations.

"By the time district came around, our speed just popped," Monahan said.

And has kept popping. In the 100, for example, Doran has the best time in the state at 10.60 seconds. Junior Bryan Delzer, the anchor on the 4x100, and Winger can each beat the qualifying time of 11.34.

Doran, who also has the state's top time in the 200 (21.67), will be joined in the event at district by junior Jacob Smith, who also runs the 4x100. Smith is capable of meeting the state qualifying time (22.77). His personal best this spring is 22.42.

The 100 and 200 state finals will be loaded. Doran took third in both events last year. The winners and runners-up in both are back.

Doran didn't crack 11 seconds in the 100 last year until May, eventually clocking a season-best 10.66 in a preliminary heat at state.

His best event, though, is likely the 200. He broke the school record when he did 21.52 at state.

Doran's personal best this season is 21.67, and he and his coach believe he's trending to break his record.

"The 100 at state is going to be a great race, but I don't know if Brody can be touched in the 200," Monahan said. "His win at the Pasco Invite was very impressive. He was moving down the track pretty clean and easy."

Said Doran: "I want to go sub 10.5 in the 100 and sub 21 in the 200."

Doran will try to qualify for state in a fourth event, the 4x400. He earned four state medals last year including sixth in the 4x400.

He owns four school records. The 4x100 foursome set the mark in the state final last year. Doran wanted the record in the 400 and Monahan gave him one shot in a regular-season ending meet and he got it.

A fifth school record could come in the 4x400. Doran teams with Smith, senior Silas Kaluza and junior Tanner Cummings in the longest sprint relay.

Doran, who has signed to continue running at the University of Montana, wants two individual state titles. If things go perfectly, he could leave Yakima with four gold medals.

Winger runs the first leg in the 4x100 and then hands the baton to Doran, who usually opens a significant lead before Smith and Delzer finish the race.

"(Jett) is one of the best starters I've seen in the 4x100," Monahan said. "He always eats up the stagger on anybody ahead of him. If he could start the 100 with runners ahead of him he'd probably be as fast as Brody. Jett is a competitor to the core."

Smith is the newest participant on the 4x100, replacing a runner who graduated.

"Jacob has waited his turn," Monahan said. "I always knew Jacob would take it to the next level."

Winger won the javelin title last year with a personal best of 202 feet, 6 inches. His best this season is 200-0.

He wants to defend his title and break the school record (203-1).

Winger, the state leader by more than 20 feet, credits the speed work in the 4x100 as a big asset in the javelin.

"The more speed I can have on the runway the farther the javelin is going to go," said Winger, who plans to throw at Eastern Washington.

Little did Winger's parents know their son would be speedy when they named him Jett.

"When he started to sprint it helped his javelin out a ton," Monahan said. "He can do anything. He was one of our best football players. He's really a great (guitarist). Anything he picks up and tries he's good at."

Winger practices with the javelin in hand no more than once a week and rarely lets loose in a meet before the postseason. It's part of his strategy to stay as fresh as possible for when it counts the most.

Hatch is the second-best thrower in the region that nobody knows about because of a large shadow cast by multitalented Simon Rosselli of Mead. Hatch broke the school record in the shot last year and broke it again this year (59-9). His personal best in the discus is 176-3 and he hopes to break the school record (185-1).

He wants to go out a double state winner in the throws and eclipse 60 feet in the shot.

"That was my goal coming into the year," said Hatch, who will serve a two-year mission through his church before going on to throw in college. "The dream is (NCAA) Division I."

Hatch is the state leader by more than five feet in the shot and second in the discus.

"Discus has always been his love, but he came on late in the shot last year," Monahan said.

Hatch was leading in the shot at state last year before Simon VanderWel of King's got the winning throw by four inches on his last attempt.

Extra motivation wasn't needed by Hatch this year. Coming so close in the shot and the team race has lit a fire under Hatch and his teammates.

"We've all put in the work and we really want the state title," Winger said.

What makes Lakeside's determination to capture a state title even more applaudable is the Eagles likely have the worst track in the state. Voters in April rejected a capital levy that included money to rebuild and resurface the track that is 16 years old. Most tracks are resurfaced after eight years.

"It's atrocious," Monahan said. "It's in the worst shape it's ever been. We have cracks all over where the foundation is unstable."

A rubberish material has been applied to fill in the cracks over time, but most have torn loose and worsened.

"It's not fair to the kids," Monahan said. "By far it's the worst track I've ever seen. There are a lot of things going against them and we just focus on what we can control."

That's why nothing would be sweeter than winning gold in two weeks.

State-qualifying meets

The quest for state berths in 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A, 2B and 1B district meets is this week across the area.

In addition to the state berths allocated for each classification, athletes can earn berths by meeting qualifying standards.

The 4A, 3A and 2A state meets are May 28-30 at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma. The 1A, 2B and 1B state meets are at the same time at Zaepfel Stadium in Yakima.

Here's a look at each district meet:

—District 6 4A/3A: Greater Spokane League and Mid-Columbia Conference athletes converge at Central Valley on Thursday and Friday.

The top three finishers in each event for 4A and 3A advance to state.

—GSL 2A teams gather at West Valley on Thursday.

The top two finishers in each advance qualify for state.

—Northeast A League teams will decide state berths over two days, beginning today and concluding Friday at Colville.

The winners of each event earn state berths.

—The District 6 2B meet is Thursday and Saturday at Whitworth's Pine Bowl.

The top four finishers in each event qualify for state.

—The District 6 1B meet is Wednesday and Friday at Valley Christian.

The top five finishes in the boys and top six placers in the girls advance to state.

Although there was a UFC event on the same night, it was Rousey vs. Carano on Netflix that created the most notable ranking movement this past week.

Inside the octagon, Arnold Allen maintained his position in the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie featherweight rankings with a main event victory over Melquizael Costa at UFC Fight Night 276 from the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.

In MVP MMA's hexagon, however, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou returned to MMA competition after nearly two years with a first-round knockout of Philipe Lins. Ngannou was not ranked due to inactivity, but is now eligible to rejoin the list.

Check out all of the moves in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, May 19: Francis Ngannou returns

DETROIT (AP) — Travis Bazzana hit a two-run homer, Cade Smith pitched out of a jam in the ninth inning, and the Cleveland Guardians held off the Detroit Tigers 4-3 on Tuesday night for their fourth straight victory.

Brayan Rocchio drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning with a groundout that allowed Steven Kwan to score.

Smith got into trouble in the ninth when Matt Vierling and Kevin McGonigle hit one-out singles to put runners on first and second. But Smith struck out Jahmal Jones looking and Dillon Dingler swinging for his 15th save in 17 opportunities, handing the Tigers a fourth straight loss.

Kyle Manzardo walked leading off the fourth against Keider Montero and Bazzana hit his second homer two pitches later to put the Guardians up 3-2.

Riley Greene singled leading off the bottom of the fourth against Parker Merrick and took second on a two-out base hit by Hao-Yu Lee. Greene scored to tie it 3-3 on a throwing error by catcher Austin Hedges.

Greene has reached base eight straight times in the first two games of the four-game series.

Kwan doubled off Tyler Holton (0-3) to begin the seventh and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Hedges.

Kwan hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning for a 1-0 lead.

Greene drew a one-out walk off Merrick in the bottom half and Spencer Torkelson hit the next pitch for his seventh homer to put the Tigers ahead 2-1.

Messick pitched five innings and gave up three runs — two earned — on four hits with three walks. Colin Holderman (1-0) pitched a scoreless sixth for the win.

Montero allowed three runs on two hits and four walks in five innings.

Up next

Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (0-6, 4.15) starts Wednesday. The Tigers have not named a starter.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The New England Patriots have long been viewed as a team that will acquire Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown on or after June 1.

However, according to NFL insider Jason La Canfora, a personnel executive mentioned the Jacksonville Jaguars as a possible fit for the three-time All-Pro wide receiver. Given the 2025 struggles of Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter being utilized more as a cornerback, La Canfora noted that a veteran playmaker like Brown could help the Jaguars.

La Canfora wrote:

"Another personnel exec mentioned Jacksonville as a potential fit for Brown. Jags receiver Brian Thomas, Jr. has regressed and been subject of trade rumors and 2025 top pick Travis Hunter is going to be playing way more cornerback than receiver moving forward and a vet like Brown could help fill a void there."

The Patriots have still widely been viewed as the likeliest landing spot for Brown, who already has a close relationship with head coach Mike Vrabel. New England also has a clear need for a No. 1 receiver to pair with Romeo Doubs.

However, things could get interesting if the Jaguars are willing to include Thomas in a trade. He racked up 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns in his rookie season in 2025. Could the Eagles be looking at a potential wide receiver corps of Thomas, Makai Lemon and DeVonta Smith?

More importantly, if the Patriots fail to land Brown, what would the pivot move be?

Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Latest update mentions potential dark horse in A.J. Brown trade talk

NFL Writer Names Rising AFC Team As 'Underrated' Fit For Stefon Diggs originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs is still on the open market, but that could change soon with OTAs kicking off across the NFL.

As teams look to finalize their rosters before training camp at the end of July, Bleacher Report's Alex Kay suggested that the Tennessee Titans could be an underrated option for Diggs.

"If Diggs joins the Tennessee Titans, who are coming off a 3-14 campaign, it wouldn't be a shock to see them become the latest team in what has become a trend of programs making worst-to-first jumps," Kay wrote on Tuesday.

"Their record may not indicate it, but the Titans already have several foundational pieces in place. The most notable is quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft. Ward lacked support as a rookie, but the Titans have completely overhauled what was one of the league's worst receiving corps this offseason and set the signal-caller up to make a massive Year 2 leap."

The Titans should consider bringing in Diggs, as he could play a crucial role in helping Ward leap in his second season. Diggs was instrumental in Drake Maye's improvement last season, his sophomore year, so why not replicate that success with the team in Tennessee?

Tennessee likely doesn't have the roster to make it to the Super Bowl like the Patriots did last season, but acquiring Diggs could help the Titans compete for the AFC South title.

More NFL: Bill Belichick Reacts To Hall Of Fame Snub Four Months After Controversial Decision

A Michigan State football recent commitment has received some high praise from a national recruiting analyst.

Tom Lemming of CBS Sports is high on Michigan State commitment Ohimai Ozolua of Chicago. Lemming recently spoke with Ozolua and considered him a player with five-star and future first round NFL Draft pick potential.

You can see the full social media post from Lemming on Ozolua below:

Ohimai Ozolua 6‘6“ 250 Chicago Saint Rita HS, IL already looks like an NFL DE. Long arms, violent and quick hands to go with a great first step. No doubt he has. 5* potential. Just might be the most underrated player in the Midwest.@ohimai21 1st rd potential. Ability is there. pic.twitter.com/19FOr1qZfN

— Tom Lemming (@LemmingReport) May 18, 2026

Ozolua is currently listed as a four-star prospect with a recruiting rating of 89 in 247Sports' system. He ranks as the No. 48 defensive lineman and No. 414 overall prospect in the 2027 class.

Michigan State picked up a verbal commitment from Ozolua over the likes of Illinois, Iowa, Miami (FL), Michigan, Missouri, Ohio State, Nebraska, Penn State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. He committed to the Spartans last month and is arguably their top current prospect in the class.

It's great to see Lemming give such high praise to Ozolua but it also makes me worry about some of those big-time programs continuing to pursue him on the recruiting trail. Michigan State is going to certainly need to keep actively recruiting Ozolua in order to retain this notable commitment.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: National recruiting analyst praise MSU football commit, says he has 'five-star potential'

Knicks vs. Cavaliers live score, updates, highlights from Game 1 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Finals playoff series originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Knicks erase a 21-point deficit in the 4th quarter to take Game 1 in overtime 115-104. Cleveland held a lead for the majority of this game. The second half included a 3rd quarter 'Cavalanche' that began to feel insurmountable. 

The explanation to how the Cavaliers could blow a 21-point 4th quarter lead came down to turnovers and an improved 3P% when New York needed it. At halftime, the Knicks were collectively shooting 11% from three. By the end of the game, they ended with a respectable 32%. Cleveland also committed eight turnovers in the last 13 minutes of the 4th quarter and overtime. 

Despite how the game went for the first three and a half quarters, the Knicks did what was expected and won Game 1 to maintain home court advantage. Whether it was fatigue after a 7 game series for Cleveland or determination by New York, the Cavs find themselves down 0-1 in the series after a game they should have won. 

NBA PLAYOFFS HQ: Live scores | Full schedule | Updated bracket

Cavaliers vs. Knicks live updates, highlights from NBA playoffs Game 1 

Full Game Team Stats

The New York Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime. 

OT-0.29: Evan Mobley missed a three-point attempt and the Knicks killed the clock. The Knicks win in come from behind fashion. Capping off the biggest playoff come from behind win in 13 years. 

OT-0:39: OG Anunoby hits two free throws after a foul on Merrill CLE could not afford. On the following possession, Bridges steals the ball from an unsuspecting Max Strus. On the other end, Merrill commits a kick ball violation. Cavs are unraveling. 

OT-1:45: Max Strus gets Cleveland off the scoreless streak with a timely elbow three. Knicks lead by 6. 

OT-1:48: The Knicks continue the onslaught. Landry Shamet hits a 25-foot three to extend the lead to 9 with only a shade under two minutes to play in the overtime period. 

OT-2:56: The Brunson and Anunoby show continues with an OG layup. The Knicks lead is now +6. 

OT-4:03: After a pair of OG Anunoby free throws and a Jalen Brunson layup, the Knicks jump out to a 4 point lead to start the overtime. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks are tied at the end of regulation

4th Quarter-0:19: After a Landry Shamet three and a Harden two, with 19 seconds left, Brunson ties the game with a banked in layup. Game tied at 101 and headed to overtime. 

4th Quarter-1:00: Down by only 4, the Knicks had a wide-open lane with Anunoby driving. Play called off as Karl Anthony Towns gets called of an offensive foul for pulling on the arm of a defender. 

4th Quarter-2:38: With the shot clock ticking down, Mikal Bridges hits an far elbow three as the shot clock expired. Cutting the lead to only 4. The Knicks are on a 22-4 run. 

4th Quarter-3:09: Evan Mobley hits an elbow three to stop the hemorrhaging. The Knicks have come back from down -20 to as close as 7. Mobley's three puts the lead back at 10. 

4th Quarter-4:03: Jalen Brunson has connected on midrange shots on consecutive possessions. Cutting the Cavs lead to 8. 

4th Quarter-7:03: It is clear the Knicks need Brunson to create. He is driving and taking on double teams on almost every 4th quarter possession. This time he loses control of the ball but it falls right to Karl Anthony Towns who finds an open Landry Shamet who buries a three from the top of the key. 

4th Quarter-8:39: Dennis Schroder finds Dean Wade for a 23-foot three-point shot. He was fouled on the play and made the extra free throw. Extending the Cavaliers lead to +20. 

A(nd)-1 PRIME DEAN WADE. @deanwade3232 | #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/D8jLBxrG4F

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 20, 2026

4th Quarter-9:17: Karl Anthony Towns makes a two-point shot. Putting an end to the scoreless streak by both teams to start the 4th quarter. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers lead the New York Knicks 83-69 after three quarters

3rd Quarter-1:09: Donovan Mitchell takes the inbounds pass and weaves coast to coast virtually untouched for a contested layup. Cavs lead by 14. 

3rd Quarter-1:52: Jalen Brunson makes a running layup between two Cleveland defenders. That is Brunson's first field goal since the end of the 2nd quarter. Cavaliers lead by 13. 

3rd Quarter-2:38: CLE has employed "hack-a-Robinson". He has been sent to the free throw line. Attempting to prevent him from getting hot as a shooter. As a team, the Knicks are shooting 17% from three on 23 attempts. 

3rd Quarter-3:05: The Knicks are sending two defenders when Mitchell gets the ball in the last few minutes. That has led to the Cavaliers finding an open shooter. With Sam Merrill being the beneficiary twice in the last two minutes. Cavs lead by 13. 

3rd Quarter-3:55: The 'Cavalanche' continues. CLE is on a 8-3 run. Including four consecutive points from Jarrett Allen. 

Sammy BUCKETS.@smerrill05 | #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/N9pNUMSrTe

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 20, 2026

3rd Quarter-6:40: Knicks call a timeout as the Cavaliers lead has ballooned to +9. "Knicks need a timeout and the Garden has gone quiet" -Mike Breen. 

3rd Quarter-7:24: Donovan Mitchell gets his 6th steal of the game and converts a driving layup. Mitchell remains the game's high scorer with 22. The next closest is Jalen Brunson with 14. 

3rd Quarter-8:59: Dean Wade and Evan Mobley make consecutive three-point shots. Extending the CLE lead to +4. 

3rd Quarter-10:27: Josh Hart takes a hard shot and falls to the floor for the second time in three possessions. Cleveland challenges the call. Official review. Officials ruled no flagrant foul as they opted to charge Karl Anthony Towns with an offensive foul before the contact with Hart. Call overturned, CLE retains their timeout. 

3rd Quarter-11:00: OG Anunoby misses a midrange jumper, but the deep rebound goes to Karl Anthony Towns. He misses the three-point shot, but another long rebound gives him a second chance. He pulls it back behind the three-point line and made that shot. That is only New York's third three after going 2-for-21. 

a long ball from 3️⃣2️⃣ pic.twitter.com/nDcQzlqOCn

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 20, 2026

Team Stats

The Cleveland Cavaliers lead the New York Knicks 48-46 at halftime

2nd Quarter-1:08: Max Strus makes a 25-foot three point shot off of an Evan Mobley screen. That shot ties the game for first time since 4 minutes left in the first quarter. Mitchell made a 26-foot three-point shot to take the lead just before halftime. 

2nd Quarter-2:01: Donovan Mitchell makes a 25-foot three-point shot. Mitchell was fouled on the play and makes the additional free throw. That puts Mitchell firmly at the top of the scoring for either team and cuts the lead to 1. 

2nd Quarter-4:26: James Harden and Sam Merrill hit back-to-back three-point shots (30 and 24 feet respectively). Capping an 8-0 run. Cutting the Knicks lead to +3. 

2nd Quarter-6:12: Jalen Brunson makes another driving layup. That score gets Brunson over the double-digit mark in scoring. Extending the Knicks lead to +8. 

2nd Quarter-7:56: Jose Alvarado makes an 8-foot driving floater. 

2nd Quarter-8:15: Dean Wade makes a 23-foot three-point shot. 

2nd Quarter-9:05: Evan Mobley makes a driving layup. 

2nd Quarter-9:52: Karl Anthony Towns makes a 1-foot layup. 

2nd Quarter-10:06: Evan Mobley makes a 9-foot two-point shot. 

2nd Quarter-10:23: Jose Alvarado makes a 1-foot driving floater. 

2nd Quarter-11:17: Donovan Mitchell makes a driving layup

the playoffs energy is electric 🔋 pic.twitter.com/c3vVf0mBWn

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 20, 2026

The New York Knicks lead the Cleveland Cavaliers 23-16 after the 1st Quarter

1st Quarter-0:33: Jordan Clarkson makes a 24-foot three-pointer

1st Quarter-0:47: Sam Merrill makes running layup. 

Muscle Man Sam. @smerrill05 | #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/tIFIWWS11y

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 20, 2026

1st Quarter-2:44: Mitchell Robinson makes alley oop dunk.

1st Quarter-3:33: Mikal Bridges makes a running dunk.

PAY THE BRIDGES TOLL‼️ pic.twitter.com/km27CDGDDy

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 20, 2026

1st Quarter-3:46: Jalen Brunson makes a 1-foot shot. 

the burner is lit.

8 PTS and counting for 11 🔥 pic.twitter.com/We4wWPz2dJ

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 20, 2026

1st Quarter-4:18: Mikal Bridges makes a driving layup. 

1st Quarter-5:38: Josh Hart makes a running layup. 

that hart hustle >>> pic.twitter.com/uY3enwcL3P

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 20, 2026

1st Quarter-6:01: Jalen Brunson makes a 16-foot pull up jumper. 

1st Quarter-8:08: Donovan Mitchell makes a driving layup. 

1st Quarter-8:22: Jalen Brunson makes a 9-foot floater. 

1st Quarter-8:44: Donovan Mitchell makes a running layup. 

1st Quarter-9:24: Donovan Mitchell makes a 25-foot three-point shot. 

We like to call that a "SPIDA BITE".@spidadmitchell | #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/exK4l6qIJt

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 20, 2026

1st Quarter-10:01: Mikal Bridges makes a 7-foot driving floater. 

mikal gets the floater to go 👏 pic.twitter.com/xyZtC7e6SF

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 20, 2026

1st Quarter-11:10: James Harden makes a 6-foot driving floater. 

UNO puts us on the board! @JHarden13 | #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/idppK2JnCZ

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 20, 2026

bring on the ECF 🙌 pic.twitter.com/w29lImifBh

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 18, 2026

We've got a Cavs champ calling the game tonight, folks. #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/sjeqG7QePj

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 19, 2026

back at @TheGarden 💙🧡 pic.twitter.com/RmRDQhHV8E

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 19, 2026

SPIDA. #LetEmKnowpic.twitter.com/DujS7HzfR8

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 19, 2026

How to Watch Game 1 Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers (0-0) vs Detroit Pistons (0-0)

Friday, May 19

Tip-off: 8 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN 

More NBA Playoff news:

• San Antonio has best NBA Playoff win since 1983
• Nuggets legend slams 'frugal billionaire' owner Stan Kroenke, doesn't expect offseason moves
• Everyone is saying the same thing about how the refs treated Lakers in Game 2
• Tyran Stokes is all over social media after tough adjustment before future NBA journey

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood hit the majors' first inside-the-park grand slam since 2022 against the New York Mets on Tuesday night.

Down 5-0, the Nationals loaded the bases with two outs in the second inning against Mets starter Nolan McLean. Wood hit a first-pitch sweeper to the opposite field, where it glanced off the leaping Nick Morabito's arm and bounded into center. Wood scampered around the bases in 15.15 seconds and slid headfirst across the plate well ahead of the throw for his first career grand slam and 13th homer of the season.

It was the ninth inside-the-park grand slam in the majors since 1994. The previous one was hit by Toronto's Raimel Tapia on July 22, 2022.

The Nationals have two inside-the-park grand slams since the franchise moved to Washington in 2005. Michael A. Taylor hit one Sept. 8, 2017, at home against Philadelphia.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Cavaliers vs. Knicks box score: Full stats from NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will try to play the role of giant killers against the New York Knicks. This year's Eastern Conference Finals is setting up to be a great matchup.

With the bright lights of Madison Square Garden shining and the Knicks coming into the series as the favorite, this is where the drama begins. The Cavs need James Harden and Donovan Mitchell to boost them to a ticket to The Finals.

On the other hand, Jalen Brunson looks to lead his team into uncharted territory with a chance to flex a bit. Detroit, the East's No. 1 seed, is gone. This leaves New York as the team to beat.

Cavaliers vs. Knicks Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 Box Score

Cleveland Cavaliers

More NBA Playoff news:

• San Antonio has best NBA Playoff win since 1983
• 10,170 days: Spurs vs. Thunder Western Conference Finals is a generational NBA Playoff series
• Spurs vs. Thunder: 2026 NBA Western Conference Finals schedule announced
• Full stats from NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals Game 1
• Spurs vs. Thunder final score, results: Victor Wembanyama goes off with 41 points, 24 rebounds in 2OT thriller

SEC baseball tournament 2026 bracket, schedule, scores, TV channel, live streams to watch originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Georgia put together one of the best regular-season showings SEC baseball has seen recently, but can the Bulldogs finally secure a tournament championship?

Ranked No. 4 nationally, the Bulldogs enter this week's festivities in Hoover, Alabama, as the No. 1 seed after going 23-7 in conference play and winning nine of their 10 series against SEC opponents. While that makes UGA the favorite this week, but the Bulldogs have never won the SEC tourney and haven't even reached the championship game since 1989. 

Georgia's snakebit tournament history aside, this is a difficult bracket for any team to navigate. The league has 10 teams ranked in the D1Baseball Top 25 this week and the single-game format puts everyone on upset alert at any time in a field this deep. 

Vanderbilt and Tennessee have alternated tourney titles the last four years but both will play on the first day in 2026, with the Commodores seeded 12th and the Vols 10th. Not to mention LSU, which has won two of the last three national titles, entering the tournament as the 14th seed. 

Anything can happen in Hoover. Here's everything you need to know to tune in to every game this week. 

SEC baseball tournament bracket 2026

The full seeding, bracket and team records for the 2026 SEC baseball tournament are below. 

SEC baseball tournament schedule 2026

The SEC tournament will be played at its traditional home, the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama.

Tuesday, May 19 - First Round

Wednesday, May 20 - Second Round

Thursday, May 21 - Quarterfinals

Friday, May 22 - Quarterfinals

Saturday, May 23 - Semifinals

Sunday, May 24 - Championship

Where to watch the SEC baseball tournament

• TV channels: SEC Network, ABC
• Live streams: fubo, ESPN app

The opening round through the semifinals of the SEC tournament will be broadcast on the SEC Network, with the championship game set to air on ABC. Fans can stream every game on the ESPN app or fubo. 

Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox and 100+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)

SEC baseball tournament champions list

Here are the last 10 SEC tournament champions and runners-up. There was no tournament in 2020 due to COVID-19.

Related Links

• Latest MLB news and rumors
• 2026 MLB schedule and scores
• MLB standings 2026
• How to bet on MLB

There has been ample to lament about the Cincinnati Reds of late.

They endured that brutal 8-game losing streak, one that featured record walk rates, bullpen meltdowns, and even a trio of consecutive walk-off defeats. They came back up for air briefly, but rode into Tuesday evening’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies once again on a 3-game skid, one that would put them officially under the .500 mark for the season if it continued.

The bullpen is a disaster. The starting rotation is in tatters. Leadoff man TJ Friedl has been effectively benched during his struggles, and 3B of the present (and future, per his contract) Ke’Bryan Hayes has basically been peak Homer Bailey in the batter’s box all season.

What the Cincinnati Reds do have, though, is Chase Burns, and nobody else does. And when Burns gets the ball, it’s an automatic that something brilliant is going to happen for the Reds regardless of the rest of their struggles.

Burns took the ball in Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday and breezed through the Phillies, firing 6.0 IP of 3 H, ER, 0 BB ball on 86 pitches. He struck out 9, never once looked the least bit fazed, and exited seemingly just fine despite the final out he recorded being a comebacker off the bat of Bryce Harper that hit him somewhere in between the waist and knees.

And for the first time in seemingly forever, handing the ball over to the Reds bullpen didn’t appear to be a problem.

The Reds posted a 4-1 victory that moved them to 25-24 on the season, with a couple timely hits, a series of sacrifice flies, some unequivocally poor defense from the Phils, and quality pitching all around in windy and rainy conditions contributing to their victory. Elly De La Cruz tripled, scored, and walked with the bases loaded to drive in a run, while Tyler Stephenson got a mighty OPS boost by singling and walking 3 times on the night.

It wasn’t a pretty game offensively, with precious few hard-hit lasers. It did feature Ke’Bryan Hayes twice hitting into double plays in big spots and grounding into a force play at home with the bases loaded on a ball that, if the Phillies weren’t playing in to prevent a run, would’ve been a third double-play. Still, the collective parts were good enough to bring home a much needed W for the good guys, and they’ll have a chance to take the series tomorrow afternoon with Andrew Abbott on the bump.

Thank heck for Chase Burns. The Reds would be woefully lost without him, and he’s only 18 starts into his big league career.

HOBBS, NM — For the third consecutive year, the Indian Hills Men's Track and Field squad brought home a top-five finish at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I Men's Outdoor National Championship. The Warriors placed fourth overall at the Ross Black Field of Champions in Hobbs, New Mexico.

The Warriors were led by sophomore Raynier Galvez who brought home his second consecutive NJCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track 800-meter national championship. The sophomore standout, who was tapped as the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Midwest Regio Track Athlete of the Year, crossed the line in 1:49.35 to take home the gold.

In total, the Warriors produced All-American honors in 14 separate events, including two relay events. Indian Hills boasted three national runner-up honors and a total of seven top-five performances to finish with 60 team points.

The Warriors continued an unprecedented run at the national championships with its third consecutive outdoor top-five finish. Indian Hills placed fifth in 2024, fourth in 2025, and fourth in 2026 in addition to the program's indoor national title in 2024.

Along with Galvez's dominant showing in the 800 meters, the sophomore powered the 4x800 relay squad to a silver medal with a time of 7:18.73. The mark proved to be a new national meet record, along with an Indian Hills school record, but the Warriors were edged by Iowa Central by just 0.46 seconds.

The Warriors produced a second relay silver medal with a runner-up finish in the 4x100 relay. The quartet of James Kokuro, Damor Miller, Izaiah Loveless and Hector Benjamin secured the second-place showing with a time of 39.33.

Sophomore Devonni Ferguson brought home a silver medal in the 400-meter dash with a time of 46.41, the best showing in the event for the Warriors since Kenny Bednarek captured the national championship in 2019.

Miller and Benjamin both starred for the Warriors in the sprint events. Miller captured a bronze medal in the 200-meter dash with a time of 20.15. Miller also finished 10th overall in the 100m dash for the Warriors. Benjamin wowed the crowd in the 100m dash with a preliminary time of 10.05, the second-fastest in school history, before placing sixth overall in the finals with a time of 10.09 to earn All-American honors. Benjamin also earned All-American honors in the 200-meter dash with an eighth place finish.

Yverson Alexandre placed fifth overall in the 110-meter hurdles with a new school record time of 13.85 to earn a spot on the podium. Alexandre becomes the highest individual finisher in the event for the Warriors. Dayton LaMar also earned All-American honors with a fifth-place showing and a school record mark of 7.48 in the men's long jump.

Joseph McDonald Jr. secured a spot on the All-American squad with a sixth-place finish in the high jump, clearing a mark of 2.02.

Kameron Hall took home All-American honors in the 400-meter hurdles, just the second individual in program history to do so, with a seventh-place finish in a time of 52.22 while both Kemarrio Bygrave and Kohlby Newsom earned All-American honors in the 800m and 1,500m events, respectively.

Galvez, the 2026 Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, capped an unprecedented career at Indian Hills that now features three national titles, 10 All-American honors, five school records, and a multitude of conference, regional, and national accolades.

The 14 separate All-American honors are the most for a Warrior squad at the NJCAA Outdoor National Championships in program history.

New Mexico Junior College took the team title with 97 points followed by South Plains College (TX) and Iowa Central Community College.

MORNING SUN — Survive and advance.

When it comes to the postseason in any sport, those are the three words any team will be happy to utter when the day is over.

After all, it's much better than 'the season's over.'

The Centerville girls golf team advanced to the Class 2A, Region 5 championship tournament by surviving tough conditions on a tough course. The Redettes posted a team score of 396, pulling away from Mediapolis and a pair of South Central Conference rivals to punch their ticket to the next round of postseason play.

"Anytime you get into any type of postseason, no matter what sport it is, you just want to advance," Centerville head girls golf coach Matt Kovacevich said. "We survived the day. We survived the conditions. The set-up of the course left a little bit to be desired. Our girls battled and did what they needed to do to get the job done and move forward."

Centerville produced three of the top 10 individual scores in the tournament, paced by Gracie Zaputil's round of 90 finishing fourth overall. Taya Belloma, who qualified for the state track and field meet in the girls shot put less than 24 hours earlier, finished sixth in the Region 5B tournament working her way around the Heritage Oaks course for a round of 95 denying Mediapolis sophomore Kate Wischmeier an individual regional berth.

"I was able to get done with my throws early over in Eddyville, so I was able to get over here and drive the course a little bit," Belloma said. "This course was hard, but I knew it was going to be difficult going in. I'm excited to be moving on. It's going to be a busy week. I'll be trying to qualify for state in golf on Wednesday before throwing at state on Thursday."

Albia senior Emma Kipfer returned to the regional finals after finishing third at Heritage Oaks, posting a round of 89. Kipfer found herself tied for the lead with Mid-Prairie junior Olivia Swartzendruber at six-over-par before a quadruple-bogey on the 14th hole dropped Kipfer out of the lead.

"I just started to not play very well," Kipfer said. "There are things I need to improve on. Everything needs to be critqued if I want to make it back to state."

Albia finished fourth overall as a team with score of 430, edging Davis County by three strokes as both SCC squads faded behind Centerville in the chase for a regional team berth. Mustang junior Jayden Koenig finished fifth overall in the Region 5A Tournament with a round of 92, extending her season.

"I did really good on the back nine, which is where I started, so I think I got a little bit ahead of myself," Koenig said. "I lost my ball twice on the front nine. That's when I started to get down. I started talking with the girls I was playing with and I realized there was no point in getting down on myself because it was only going to get worse.

"What happened was going to happen. I can't do anything about it in the moment. I focused on just trying to finish with a smile."

Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont's season came to a close at Heritage Oaks as the Rockets finished seventh with a team score of 467. Ella Stevens finished 20th overall to pace EBF with a round of 112.

In Class 1A, the Sigourney Savages were able to advance in regional play finishing third at the Brooklyn-Victor Club posting a score of 389. Ella Bruns led Sigourney to the Region 3 finals, finishing sixth overall with a score of 92.

"Our goal is to just keep getting through each round," Sigourney head golf coach Zach Tremmel said. "We've got some really good teams to go up against, but you never know when you show up. I definitely think Ella has a shot if she can get it together for 18 holes."

Van Buren County finished just short of advancing in Class 1A, Region 5 placing third at Deerwood Golf Course with a team score of 440. Sophia Jirak earned a trip to Heritage Oaks for the regional finals, winning the individual title at the 5C tournament with a round of 89.

FAIRFIELD — Fairfield players knew they would be part of opening night for the 2026 Iowa High School baseball season.

The Trojans just didn't realize they'd be starting so early.

With rain in the forecast for Monday night, Fairfield and Grinnell moved up the start of their season-opening contest in Jefferson County by two hours playing the varsity contest ahead of the scheduled junior varsity game. The Trojans took a little longer adjusting to the early start to the season, falling short despite scoring three runs in the final two innings as the Tigers held on late for a 5-3 road win as Trenton Huls forced Chase Countryman to ground out to second after a pair of two-out hits brought the tying run to the plate.

"We just didn't come into this game with enough energy," Fairfield senior Aiden Westercamp said. "We got our energy going in the last inning and I think that helped out a lot to get the tying run. There are a few minor things we need to work on, but I feel like there are a lot of good things we can take away from battling a really good team."

Even while trying to get adjusted to the earlier start time, the Trojans came within a hit of taking the early lead on Grinnell stranding three base runners in the first two innings. Huls, before recording the save on the mound, drove in the first run of the season for the Tigers (1-0) with a two-out RBI infield single to drive in Brooks Vosburg ahead of a wild pitch that scored Josh Ringler, giving Grinnell a 2-0 third-inning lead.

"We've got to have the energy from the very first inning. We had some new guys in new positions and had to adjust on the fly," Fairfield head baseball coach Josh Allison said. "We just needed that one little thing to turn things our way. We gave up a couple of free bases that came back to cost a couple of runs. When you look up at the final score, those free bases might have been the difference."

Dax Flanagan shut out Fairfield over 4 2/3 innings, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out four batters leaving with Grinnell leading 3-0 in the fifth after a solo home run in the top of the frame by Ringler. Vosburg doubled in Levi Jack in the sixth, giving the Tigers a 4-0 lead, before state track qualifier Jacob Crew drove in Fairfield's first run of the season with a two-out RBI single to left that plated Jaxon Coleman cutting Grinnell's lead to 4-1.

"I spent a lot of time thinking about how this would go," Crew said. "I got here about an hour before first pitch after track practice ended. I got a few swings in the batting cage. I just went up to the plate, stayed calm and pulled off some hits."

Huls had to retire the potential tying run in each of the final two innings, forcing Henry Konczal to ground out in the sixth stranding a pair of Fairfield baserunners before a two-out RBI hit by Jack gave the Tigers a 5-1 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. Westercamp doubled in Dain Burkhart with two outs in the final frame before scoring on an RBI single by Coleman, cutting Grinnell's four-run lead in half before Countryman's groundout to second ended Fairfield's final threat.

"I'm excited about the season," Allison said. "We got a few first-game jitters out of our system. We should have some good leadership from a good number of seniors. I don't think anything is going to overwhelm them. We're going to battle no matter what the situation is. I think that's going to lead us to more good things than bad this year."

Fairfield (0-1) hosts Oskaloosa on Tuesday night before hitting the road for the first time this season on Wednesday making a trip to Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont.

OTTUMWA — The Ottumwa Community School District Board of Education approved two of the more important pieces of the proposed renovations of Legion Memorial Field, as well as construction of a new high school softball field in Ottumwa Park.

During Monday's meeting at Career Campus, the board unanimously voted to go with Axiom Consulting and Engineers for the design of the project, and then approved the conception design that will house baseball and softball in the same place.

Superintendent Mike McGrory said the district has $5 million budgeted for the project, and that by going with a civil engineering firm, the district could save on costs. The district hopes the project will come in under budget, and adjustments to the baseball field could help that cause.

The contract is for $185,000, or about 3.7% of the total estimated cost of the project. McGrory said going with an architecture firm would have been more expensive. The project is scheduled to begin later this summer, and the new complex open for the 2027 season.

"We vetted this with other schools that had gone with a civil engineer, and they had a lot of success with it," McGrory told the board. "An architect would probably be between 7.5 and 8.5, so it's a significant cost savings, and we're utilizing this as an opportunity to save costs on the project."

The project will place grass at Legion Memorial Field and install turf, based on the wishes of a committee formed to examine what the playing surface would look like. A committee overwhelmingly wanted grass for the softball field, which will be located off the first-base side of the baseball field.

District officials seemed to be won over by turf for the baseball field after a visit to Duane Banks Field on the University of Iowa campus. By installing turf, the district expects to save more money as well by bringing in the outfield fences, perhaps up to 40 feet, narrowing foul territory and shortening the backstop area behind home plate.

The softball field will have red stone instead of dirt, but also have its own amenities shuch as bullpens, a storage building, batting cages and grandstand. The middle school field, which also serves at the field for Babe Ruth League, will see lighting improvements and playing surface improvements.

However, with a turf baseball field, the middle school field will likely be used for more practice time, activities director Brandon Brooks said.

He also said a turf baseball field will allow for more time on the field, one of the positive aspects district staff learned on its visit to Iowa City.

"We're going to be able to get on this field, on a nice day in January or February to let kids get some reps in," Brooks said. "I think other programs will be able to get on there too, including softball or the middle school program, just to be able to get reps earlier."

Assistant superintendent Brad McCloskey pointed out another positive aspect to the complex.

"One thing that impressed me, with the conception design, is that we're forecasting 500 parking spots," he said. "I think it's going to be just an amazing complez. I couldn't be happier with where the conceptual design is right now."

The board will approve the construction design package in Juy, with bid approval in August, followed quickly by breaking ground.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Yandy Díaz went 2 for 3 with a home run and an RBI double, Griffin Jax allowed one run and had six strikeouts in five innings, and Tampa Bay beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 on Tuesday night for the Rays' third consecutive win.

Tampa Bay has won 20 of 24, has the best record in MLB at 32-15 and is a season-high 17 games above .500.

Jax gave up three hits and walked one before Kevin Kelly (3-1) earned the win with a scoreless sixth. Bryan Baker pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 13th save.

Díaz homered to leadoff the sixth and give the Rays a 2-1 lead.

Taylor Ward hit a home run to leadoff the game for the Orioles' only run.

Kyle Bradish (2-6) allowed two runs and four hits, walked three and stuck out six.

Samuel Basallo went 0 for 3 and had his career-best 10-game hitting streak snapped. It was the longest active streak of its kind and the longest by an Orioles player this season. The 21-year-old’s string of five consecutive games with a run scored also came to an end.

After Jonathan Aranda walked with two out, Díaz hit an RBI double that made it 1-1 going in the second inning.

Díaz was hit by a pitch with two out in the eighth and was replaced by pinch-runner Carson Williams. After Rico Garcia relieved Yennier Cano, Richie Palacios doubled to drive in Williams and advanced to third on the throw home. He scored when Jonny DeLuca singled to make it 4-1.

The Rays set or tied season highs in runs (16), hits (18), doubles (six), extra-base hits (eight), and walks (seven, T-1st) in their 16-6 win Monday.

Up next

Orioles RHP Shane Baz (1-5, 5.26 ERA) starts Wednesday in the finale of a three-game series. The Rays haven't announced their starter.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

After already making one blockbuster trade for Trent McDuffie this offseason, the Los Angeles Rams attempted to make another. They explored a deal for Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown, which likely would have involved Davante Adams, but the two sides never got a trade done.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network talked about just how close the Rams were to acquiring Brown during an appearance on the “Rich Eisen Show” Tuesday, and it sounds like they nearly got across the finish line.

"That was really close," Garafolo said. "It was closer than it got with the Patriots. That was really close. There was one point where overnight it sort of died. It was like, 'Late one night, this could be going down by the next morning. You know what, there's too many moving parts here.'"

Les Snead and Sean McVay have both admitted the Rams talked to the Eagles about a deal for Brown, but they decided against it and chose to keep Adams instead. It’s hard to imagine them bringing Brown in and keeping Adams, but Garafolo isn’t ruling out the possibility of Los Angeles restarting talks.

”I wouldn’t be surprised if the Rams re-emerge,” he said, citing the uncertainty with Puka Nacua’s off-field situation. “I wouldn’t not be surprised if the Rams at some point re-engage and check in, and he checks in with them.”

Garafolo doesn’t know if Brown will end up with the Rams, but it sounds like the door is at least open for talks to start back up.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: LA Rams, Eagles were ‘really close’ to A.J. Brown trade

Keon Coleman knows it's now or never.

The Buffalo Bills receiver has been the subject of criticism through his first two seasons and hasn't lived up to big expectations. Drafted with the 33rd pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Coleman was penciled in to be the solution to the Bills' receiving issues.

Instead, he's become the poster child for them, especially after team owner Terry Pegula took aim at Coleman earlier this offseason. Coleman dismissed those comments when he met with reporters at Bills' organized team activities (OTAs) on May 19 and shifted the focus to the upcoming season.

"For me, it's make or break," Coleman said.

"[If you are] (expletive), you might not be here. Simple as that, [simply] put, man. ... I know what I'm capable of. So, if I fall anything short of that, I'm doing myself a disservice and my team."

Coleman noted that it's time for him to put it all together, but he isn't worried about the outside noise.

"I mean, it's on the outside," Coleman said. "That's why it's on the outside. I just don't let it bother me. So it just is what it is.

"I know what they saying. I hear it. I just don't care. You know what I'm saying? None of them going to come lace them up and try to stand in front of me. None of those things. So, it's just people say they going to say what they want to say. At the end of the day, my job is to come out here, put my cleats on, strap them up, and prove my worth."

Coleman finished his second season with 38 catches, 404 receiving yards and four touchdowns in only 13 games. The receiver found himself on the sidelines more than he would've liked, another thing he addressed on May 19.

"Getting benched four games, some (expletive) like that. Unacceptable," Coleman said. "Ended off on a decent note, had a touchdown [in the playoffs], so that was – I wouldn't even call that a confidence boost, it was just a positive to end the season on. But we lost. So, that was another negative to erase that. But, I mean, I don't need self-motivation, though. I know what I am here to do and what I am capable of doing."

When asked, the receiver said he hasn't spoken to Pegula, adding that he's in the building so there's nothing to talk about.

The owner didn't hold back his displeasure with Coleman during a press conference on Jan. 21, when Pegula opted to defend general manager Brandon Beane's decision to draft the often-criticized player.

"The coaching staff pushed to draft Keon," Pegula said. "I'm not saying Brandon wouldn't have drafted him, but he wasn't his next choice. That was Brandon being a team player and taking advice of his coaching staff, who felt strongly about the player.

"He's taking, for some reason, heat over it and not saying a word about it, but I'm here to tell you the true story."

The Bills made sure to add some receiving help this offseason, swinging a trade with the Chicago Bears for DJ Moore and drafting Skyler Bell out of UConn. It means that Coleman is likely to find himself in a battle for snaps going into the season, since the depth chart has gotten more crowded.

At best, Coleman is penciled in at WR4 on the depth chart, behind Moore, Khalil Shakir and Joshua Palmer.

If he puts it all together, however, the former Florida State standout might be the missing piece that puts the Bills over the top.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Keon Coleman addresses Terry Pegula comments, upcoming Bills season

Michigan State baseball will play for the opportunity to punch their ticket to the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday evening.

The Spartans are one win away from locking up a spot in the single elimination format of the Big Ten Tournament. Michigan State topped No. 5 seed Purdue in their first Big Ten Tournament game on Tuesday, and now will play No. No. 8 seed Iowa on Wednesday evening with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line.

First pitch between the Spartans and Hawkeyes is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

The winner of this matchup between Michigan State and Iowa will play No. 4 seed USC on Friday morning in the quarterfinals. The loser of this matchup will play on Thursday afternoon in a win-or-go-home game to reach the quarterfinals.

Stay with Spartans Wire for additional coverage on Michigan State baseball during the Big Ten Tournament.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: How to watch Michigan State baseball in Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday

With the Boston Celtics now in their offseason after losing to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs, retooling the roster is a given. But in the meantime, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are locked in a battle for the ages that is giving 28 other front offices pause when it comes to building a competitive contender.

And we can and should include Boston and Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens in that camp, meaning teams that want to compete for titles will need a roster able to counter the buzzsaw that is the Thunder AND the Victor Wembanyama-led Spurs behemoth arising out of the West. To get a better idea of how OKC and San Antonio might be looking at the future (and the series mentioned above, yikes), the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with Thunder Wire editor and OKC beat writer Clemente Almanza.

Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say about what the Celtics and the rest of the NBA need to consider when building contenders, just how worried we ought to be about Wemby, and more.

Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:

Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp

iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47

YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3

This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: How the Thunder and the Spurs are changing Celtics, NBA plans

Duke, UNC battling for No. 1 point guard in 2027 class, brother of 15.0 PPG Magic guard originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It’s a longstanding tradition for Duke and North Carolina to have their sights set on the same high-profile prospects on the recruiting trail. 

The two blue bloods have mastered the art of enticing high school standouts looking to join well-respected and storied Power 4/mid-major programs.

The Blue Devils and Tar Heels have reportedly done it again, as they both appear to be in the mix for Beckham Black, the No. 1-rated point guard in the Class of 2027 and brother of Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black, who averaged 15.0 points per game this season.

While UNC was already in the mix for Beckham, Duke joined the mix on Monday.

“Blessed to receive a offer from Duke University,” Beckham stated on X/Twitter. 

The Blue Devils and Tar Heels will certainly have their work cut out for them, as Beckham currently holds 22 offers ahead of his senior season at Southeastern Prep. 

Per 247Sports, those offers include Arkansas, Kentucky, Texas, USC, Georgetown, Auburn, California, Cincinnati, Duke, Miami, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Virginia, SMU, Creighton, Villanova, and Florida A&M. 

Even if Black removes Florida A&M from his list of potential landing spots, there will still be 19 other programs set to compete with and Jon Scheyer and Michael Malone's respective clubs to land the highly sought-after 6-foot-3 lead guard.

Needless to say, there’s no telling where Black will end up before the start of the 2027-28 college basketball season.

More college basketball:

• Michael Malone, UNC lose former four-star recruit to South Florida​​​​​
• Michael Malone, UNC sign son of Tar Heels legend, two-time NBA champion
• We now know real reason why UNC cut ties with five-star recruit two months after his commitment

More international games are soon to come for the NFL and surely the Arizona Cardinals. At the league's spring meeting in Orlando, Florida, owners voted 32-0 to approve allowing up to 10 international games a year. There will be an unprecedented nine in the 2026 season.

Owners also approved a measure that eliminated all protections to eliminate certain opponents for international games, essentially making any matchup a potential international matchup.

The moves are a step in the direction that many feel will be inevitable — an 18-game regular-season with 16 international games, with every team playing in one.

Such moves are good for the league's bottom line, which ultimately is good for players, as they get a percentage of revenues. It is good for fans abroad and for the league in terms of growing its popularity.

It does make it tough for the coaches and players, but it comes with the possibility of an experience abroad these players might not normally have.

The Cardinals do not have an international game this coming season and has not been in an international games since they played the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City in 2022.

Their time is coming.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: NFL owners approve increase in max number of international games

Through its social media channels, River Plate announced the squad list for its match against Bragantino on matchday five of the Copa Sudamericana group stage. 

Coudet faced a major challenge due to the many injury absences affecting the Millonario squad, which is why the list includes several surprises.

Among them, the return of Kendry Páez stands out, along with youth players Lucero and Spiff, the latter a 19-year-old Nigerian player receiving his first call-up to the senior team. 

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

Not long ago, the Oregon Ducks were flying high on the recruiting trail. Earlier in the month, the Ducks stacked commitments from four-star offensive linemen Gus Corsair and Cameron Wagner and appeared to be unstoppable. Now, some of the momentum has slowed.

On Tuesday, the Ducks missed out on three recruits they were pursuing heavily. Four-star defensive lineman Tevita Nonu committed to the Ducks' rival, Washington. The big 6-foot-4, 270-pound defender chose the Huskies over Notre Dame, Michigan, Arizona and Oregon. The Ducks made a big push for Nonu, but the ability to stay close to home was too much to pass up for the Seattle recruit. Nonu is the top defensive recruit from Washington.

Four-star running back Javian Jones-Priest from Texas was the next domino to fall, opting to commit to Virginia Tech. Jones-Priest took an early official visit to the Hokies and the momentum quickly swung in their direction. He chose the Hokies over Oregon, which pushed hard by getting him on campus twice in the offseason, and TCU, where both of his parents graduated from. Jones-Priest ran for 1,154 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior in high school.

Lastly, the Ducks fell victim to another recruit opting to stay close to home, as four-star offensive tackle Jake Hildebrand chose to join former Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham in the Valley by committing to Arizona State. Hildebrand is the No. 92 overall player and No. 8 offensive tackle in the 2027 class, per the Rivals Industry Ranking. He chose the Sun Devils over Oregon, Utah and Texas A&M.

The Ducks were contenders for all three highly sought-after targets. After catching fire in April, Oregon's momentum on the recruiting trail has fallen off. The Ducks recently lost top-100 corner Ai'King Hall, who flipped from Oregon to Miami. The Ducks also missed out on Georgia commit Donte Wright, who was long expected to flip to Oregon but eventually jumped ship to Miami as well.

All hope is not lost, however. Oregon is still preparing for the official visit season to begin, and plenty of high-profile recruits are scheduled to make their way to Eugene in the summer. The Ducks are hosting several blue-chippers at the end of the month, with four-star linebacker Toa Satele being the most notable target.

In June, the Ducks will have three consecutive busy recruiting weekends on campus. Among those visiting are four-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant (June 5), five-star defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou and five-star corner Hayden Stepp (June 12), and four-star offensive lineman Ismael Camara (June 19).

There are plenty of recruits coming to visit, and the Ducks are expecting a few commitments to help offset these tough losses. Oregon currently has the No. 10 class in the nation, per Rivals.

Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon misses out on trio of 2027 recruiting targets

The Columbus Blue Jackets should be looking to improve their roster this off-season after failing to make the playoffs again this year. When looking at their current group, one area that they should be aiming to upgrade is their defense. 

This year's free agent class has some interesting potential options for the Blue Jackets to consider. One specific pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) who stands out as an interesting potential target for the Blue Jackets is San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro.

If the Blue Jackets landed Ferraro, he would give them another strong option to work with in their top four due to his ability to play both sides. However, even if he played on their bottom pairing and penalty kill, he would have the potential to be a very good addition to Columbus' blueline due to his steady defensive play and grit. 

Ferraro appeared in 82 games this season with the Sharks, where he recorded seven goals, 16 assists, 23 points, 137 hits, and 150 blocks. With numbers like these, Ferraro provides a bit of everything from the point and would be a very solid player for the Blue Jackets to add to their blueline this off-season because of it. 

However, if Ferraro ends up hitting the free-agent market and the Blue Jackets target him im, they would need to offer him a pretty high payday to successfully land him. This is because Ferraro is a legitimate top-four defenseman and one of the top pending UFAs heading into the summer. Because of this, interest in his services will be incredibly high, and this only helps raise his value. With this, Ferraro will certainly be looking for a raise from his current $3.25 million AAV.

Yet, with the Blue Jackets being in need of some help on their blueline, bringing in a hard-nosed defenseman who is strong defensively like Ferraro would make sense for them. He may not be the flashiest of blueliners, but he is dependable, and it also does not hurt that he is right in his prime at 27 years old. 

However, with how important of a defenseman Ferraro is to the Sharks' blueline, it is very likely that they will be working hard to keep him around in San Jose. Yet, if he ends up testing free agency, the Blue Jackets should make a real push for him.

In 490 career NHL games over seven seasons, Ferraro has recorded 24 goals, 90 assists, 114 points, 216 penalty minutes, 920 blocks, and 955 hits. 

Netflix put up a solid showing for its most recent combat sports card, but it fell short of its other previous promotions.

According to multiple reports, Saturday’s MMA card headlined by Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano drew 12.4 million global viewers live and on-demand within 24 hours. Global viewership for the event peaked at nearly 17 million viewers. The figure, which includes measurements from VideoAmp, G&G Closed Circuit Events, and internal Netflix data, cannot be compared to traditional Nielsen data.

17 million global viewers tuned in to watch Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano on Netflix, averaging 12.4 million viewers across the triple main event! #RouseyCaranopic.twitter.com/p4TMQ3cPBn

— Netflix (@netflix) May 19, 2026

In the United States, Saturday’s card averaged 9.3 million viewers and peaked at 11.6 million viewers when Rousey submitted Carano early in the first round.

No matter how you slice it, Rousey-Carano was not nearly the same viewership draw as other fights Netflix has promoted. For instance, the boxing match between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua averaged 33 million viewers in December, and Terence Crawford-Canelo Alvarez captured 36.6 million viewers for the streamer.

It is difficult to put any fight viewership data Netflix releases into context considering the streamer uses different measurement firms for live events than the rest of the industry, which treats Nielsen data as the gold standard. However, assuming Netflix hasn’t meaningfully changed how it measures its own events, it is reasonable to compare the Netflix fights to each other.

While Rousey-Carano did not live up to the peaks that Netflix has captured, like 60 million viewers for Jake Paul-Mike Tyson in 2024, it did beat out the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano fight last summer, which drew 6 million viewers.

Even if Rousey-Carano was on the low end for a Netflix fight, few other sporting events are capturing eight-figure audiences, albeit with the big caveat that these figures could look much different if measured by Nielsen. The fights also fit perfectly into Netflix’s events-based sports strategy.

It’s pretty clear Netflix has a good thing going with its foray into combat sports, but there are still legitimate questions about how well these events can draw without a huge name like Rousey anchoring the card.

The post Netflix claims 12.4 million global viewers for Ronda Rousey-Gina Carano fight appeared first on Awful Announcing.

The Boston Red Sox — and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow — have taken a lot of heat so far this season. 

While this is the case, there is one move that Breslow made before the 2026 season that arguably stands above the rest and that was the acquisition of Willson Contreras from the St. Louis Cardinals. Boston got the three-time All-Star and cash in exchange for Hunter Dobbins and prospects Yhoiker Fajardo, and Blake Aita. 

Boston got Contreras and cash for three players that are currently down in the minors in the Cardinals' system. For Boston, Contreras has been electric. He entered the day on Tuesday slashing .253/.360/.481 with an .841 OPS, 10 homers, and 27 RBIs. The offense in general has been brutal, but Contreras and Wilyer Abreu have carried the load for Boston. That's not all, though. He's under contract next season at just $17 million and has a $20 million club option for 2028. 

As good as he has been offensively, he arguably has been better defensively over at first base as well. 

Do you have a take to get off your chest? Do you want to engage in a growing Red Sox community? Comment on our content alongside staff and fans alike!

With Triston Casas dealing with multiple serious injuries over the last few years, Contreras has been a consistent breath of fresh air for Boston. 

It's easy to be upset with how the Red Sox have played in general this season, but Contreras is a star and Boston fans should be happy about him, at least.

More MLB: Red Sox-Pirates Blockbuster Will Come Back to Haunt Boston

Another Former Celtic Signs Deal To Return To College Basketball originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

College basketball is in a weird place, and new LSU Tigers head coach Will Wade is taking full advantage of it. 

Yesterday, I wrote a story about 2020 second-round draft pick Yam Madar committing to LSU after a six-year professional career. Madar reportedly accepted a $5 million NIL deal that took him out of the EuroLeague and into the NCAA.

Hours after I hit post, another story dropped reporting that Wade and the Tigers had once again gone to the former Boston Celtics pipeline to find a commit. 

BREAKING: Former pro guard RJ Luis Jr. has signed with LSU, @PeteNakos reports🐯

Luis was the 2025 Big East player of the year.https://t.co/mzMe9luCgHpic.twitter.com/ZdUDJKoec3

— On3 (@On3) May 19, 2026

RJ Luis Jr.'s story is somehow even more bizarre than Madar's. 

"After a terrific 2024-25 campaign for the Red Storm, Luis entered the transfer portal and entered the NBA draft," wrote ESPN's Jeff Borzello. "He remained in the draft past the withdrawal deadline before going undrafted. Luis then signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz before being traded to the Boston Celtics in early August in exchange for Georges Niang and two future second-round picks."

He did not make the Celtics team. He was waived and sent to Maine to play for the G League affiliate. However, an injury prevented him from ever suiting up for the Maine Celtics. 

Luis went from a conference player of the year to an undrafted free agent before being traded for in exchange for an NBA vet and some serious draft capital, only to end up right back where he started two years later.

Stories like this are going to dominate the college basketball offseason as athletes and universities continue to see how far they can push the NCAA's flimsy eligibility rules. 

More NBA: Celtics Work Out Star Final Four Guard, Son Of NBA All-Star

One night after the Orioles lost to the Rays because their pitching staff imploded, they lost again to the Rays because their offense failed to show up. Gotta hand it to the O’s — they might always lose, but they’re always keeping it fresh!

The O’s suffered a 4-1 defeat at Tropicana Field in game two of the series, wasting a solid Kyle Bradish effort because they failed to score any runs after the second pitch of the game. An Orioles defensive meltdown in the eighth inning turned a one-run game into a comfortable Rays win and left the Birds seven games under .500.

It’s not great. But at least the Orioles didn’t lose by 10 runs again. So…progress?

Things actually started out OK for the Orioles, who wasted no time taking their first lead of the series. On the second pitch of the game, leadoff man Taylor Ward jumped on a fastball and launched it into the left-field seats for his second home run of the year and first in exactly one month. I must say I didn’t expect Ward, who hit 36 homers last year, to have just two dingers by May 19. But I also didn’t expect him to lead the league in doubles and walks, so I suppose we’ll take what we can get. The O’s were up, 1-0.

The lead didn’t even last an inning. Orioles starter Kyle Bradish came storming out of the gates with two quick strikeouts in the bottom of the first, but an extended Jonathan Aranda at-bat seemed to break his concentration. Aranda battled Bradish for 10 pitches, eventually working a walk, and a rattled Bradish promptly coughed up an RBI double to Yandy Díaz and another walk before Samuel Basallo bailed him out of the inning, alertly challenging a 2-2 pitch to Jonny DeLuca and getting it reversed to an inning-ending strikeout. Bradish had to throw 36 pitches in that opening inning, and it seemed we might be on track for an early Albert Suárez appearance.

But Bradish settled in. He worked past a leadoff baserunner in both the second and third innings to keep the Rays off the board, and followed with a perfect fourth. By the time he got to the fifth, he had retired eight batters in a row, and another scoreless frame left his pitch count at 94. That’s a perfectly reasonable total considering how laborious his first inning was.

Manager Craig Albernaz tried to push Bradish for one more inning, which proved to be a mistake. The first batter of the sixth, Díaz, walloped a go-ahead home run to straightaway center field. Welp. Bradish lasted one more batter before exiting. It was a gutsy effort by the right-hander, who threw 102 pitches in 5.1 innings and held the Rays to two runs. On most nights — or on a better team — Bradish’s performance would’ve been more than enough to earn the win.

Sadly, the team Bradish plays for is the Orioles, who are not good at that whole “winning” thing. His laudable effort was rendered moot by a hapless O’s offense that did nothing against Griffin Jax, a 31-year-old righty who has just recently been converted back to a starter after four seasons in the bullpen. I’d say the starter experiment is going pretty well for Jax, or maybe the Orioles just have a habit of making pitchers look better than they really are.

Jax worked five full innings for just the second time this year, and the Ward home run on his second pitch was the only damage he allowed. The O’s couldn’t do anything with the few scoring opportunities they had. Pete Alonso grounded into a double play after an Adley Rutschman single in the first. In both the third and fourth innings, the O’s put a runner at second with one out but failed to cash in their runners in scoring position. Jax escaped the third-inning jam on strikeouts of Ward and Gunnar Henderson, then wriggled out of the fourth by fanning Samuel Basallo and inducing a Leody Taveras groundout.

The good news for the Orioles was that the still-getting-stretched-out Jax left the game after five innings and 62 pitches. The bad news is that the O’s were equally inept against the Rays’ bullpen. Right-hander Kevin Kelly worked a scoreless sixth, erasing a Henderson single on a Rutschman double play, and lefty Ian Seymour retired all four batters he faced.

Casey Legumina, which I’m not convinced is the real name of a real person, issued a walk to Coby Mayo in the eighth. Pinch-runner Blaze Alexander stole second (overturned on replay after initially being called out) by making a nifty swim move to beat the tag, putting the tying run in scoring position. It didn’t matter. Ward flied out harmlessly just two pitches later, ending the inning. The O’s were 0-for-5 with RISP in this game.

A horrific bottom of the eighth inning truly put the game out of reach. After Yennier Cano retired the first two batters, he drilled Díaz on the hand to keep the inning alive. Albernaz, wanting to keep it a one-run game, turned to his best reliever, Rico Garcia. Unfortunately Garcia’s magic didn’t show up on this night, but mainly the Orioles’ defense is to blame.

Richie Palacios lined a sharp shot to deep right field. Colton Cowser got turned around and tried to make the catch at the wall, but the ball nicked off his glove as he banged into the fence. It wasn’t an easy play, but one that he probably should have made. Still, the O’s had plenty of time to throw out pinch-runner Carson Williams trying to score. The throw home beat the runner by approximately 10 minutes, but Basallo inexplicably muffed the catch, and Williams scored safely. Just a brutal play by both Cowser and Basallo. Palacios then scored on a DeLuca RBI single, tagging Garcia with just his second earned run of the season. Again, the inning should’ve been over before that ever happened. What a mess.

The demoralized Orioles went down 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth against Rays closer and former Oriole Bryan Baker, sealing another woeful, uncompetitive loss. Can this season be over yet?

MLB fans are slamming Pete Crow-Armstrong after the Chicago Cubs star was heard using vulgar language with a fan on Sunday, May 17, 2026. After the clip began gaining traction, Crow-Armstrong, known as PCA, seemed to apologize for his words, admitting the emotional response wasn’t like him at all.

Pete Crow-Armstrong Heard On Camera Using NSFW Language With A Female Fan During A Chicago Cubs Game

It all went on down on Sunday, May 17, when the Cubs took on their cross-town rivals, the Chicago White Sox.

During the fifth inning, PCA was seen running on the field, trying to track down a fly ball. However, things didn’t go his way, as he slammed into the fence and later sat on the ground, appearing dumbfounded by what had happened.

It was in that moment that a female White Sox fan could be seen on camera crashing out, heckling PCA over the drop.

Instead of ignoring the fans’ words, the 24-year-old shot back with a vulgar statement: “Suck my f-cking d–k b–ch.”

Pete Crow-Armstrong Appears Apologetic Over His Comments, Telling Reporters That It Wasn’t Like Him

Speaking with ESPN, PCA admitted he had regrets about his “choice of words,” especially because of how they would affect those closest to him.

“Directly or indirectly, I don’t think that any of the women in my life would think I would say those kinds of words regularly. I’m just bummed out about the word choice and a bunch of little kids going to social media and seeing that as well,” he said.

Despite being on camera, PCA said that the heat of the moment sparked his emotional response. “I saw the cameras in my face, it’s not like I didn’t,” he said, admitting he knew the clip had gone viral.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell also responded to the video, seemingly offering grace and understanding to his young star.

“Pete made a mistake with his choice of words,” Counsell said. “He’s aware of that. … It’s the reality of this job. Fan interactions happen. You want to try and keep them positive even when they’re not.”

MLB Fans Lay Into Pete Crow-Armstrong Online After His Words Go Viral

MLB fans have shared their reactions to PCA’s NSFW response on Reddit, and many appear unamused by the All-Star’s words or apology.

“A very over emotional reaction. Makes you wonder if he can handle the pressures of major league baseball. Should probably send him down for the next two days,” someone wrote, while another said, “He regrets that there were mics that picked it up. That’s all.”

Someone else condemned his words, writing, “Didn’t do his family proud there. I’m shocked how easily those words came out to a woman… even if she was heckling.”

And another added: “I’m guessing that wasn’t the first time that came out of his mouth. Watch the dudes that say stuff like that so effortlessly when insulted or challenged.”

One MLB Player Faced Backlash After Using A Homophobic Slur During A Game

PCA isn’t the first professional baseball player to be criticized by the public over comments some deem inappropriate.

According to MLB News, Boston Red Sox player Jarren Duran was under scrutiny in 2024 after calling a heckler a “f—-t” while at bat.

His words were so loud that they were captured and aired during the live MLB broadcast.

Durran received an unpaid two-game suspension by the Red Sox, and that portion of his salary was donated to PFLAG Boston, an offshoot of PFLAG National, one of the country’s biggest LGBTQ+ organizations.

Duran Issued An Apology For His Words

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A post shared by MLB Español ⚾️ (@mlbespanol)

Duran also issued an apology after the incident, admitting he used a “truly horrific word when responding to a fan.”

Duran explained that he felt “awful” knowing he hurt people in the community before apologizing to the Red Sox team and “the entire LGBTQ community.”

“Our young fans are supposed to be able to look up to me as a role model, but tonight I fell far short of that responsibility. I will use this opportunity to educate myself and my teammates and to grow as a person,” he finished.

The Red Sox, too, released a statement, condemning Duran’s comments and offering support to the queer community.

“We strive to be an organization that welcomes all fans to Fenway Park, and we will continue to educate our employees, players, coaches and staff on the importance of inclusivity,” the statement finished.

The MLB Fans Blast Pete Crow-Armstrong Over NSFW Outburst During Cubs Game first appeared on The Blast

The Michigan Wolverines won their first game of the Big Ten Tournament in Omaha on Tuesday night in blowout fashion, beating Rutgers by a final score of 10-0.

Michigan got things started in the first inning courtesy of a two-out solo home run by Brayden Jefferis. The game very well could have just ended there.

Evan Haeger and Noah Miller hit back-to-back homers in the seventh inning. The game later ended in the seventh via the run-rule following a Colby Turner two-run single.

Up next will be the winner of Washington and Ohio State at 10 p.m. tomorrow night.

The Los Angeles Rams are the only team in the NFL with international marketing rights in Japan. As part of their expanded venture into the Pacific, which included a partnership with the Hawaii Tourism Authority for the 2025 season and the team's campaign in Australia, the Rams have secured marketing rights with seven different countries.

Those nations, all connected by the Pacific Ocean, are regions for which the NFL has expressed tremendous interest. With an expanding international schedule, including the Rams' season opener in Melbourne, they could be headed back west as soon as next season, with the league looking to break into Asia.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported on the latest from the NFL, noting that league EVP Peter O’Reilly mentioned Tuesday that Japan is on the list of countries that could host a game.

A couple more notes from NFL EVP Peter O’Reilly …

• The owners resolution gives league the ability to move towards 11 international games in 2027, but they’d have to have NFLPA approval to go beyond 10.

• O’Reilly mentioned Japan specifically as a future frontier.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 19, 2026

A quick caveat to the resolution is the Jacksonville Jaguars' annual London game, meaning the NFL could have 11 contests outside of the United States instead of 10.

If the NFL is going to Japan, it's highly likely the Rams will be a part of that contest.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: With NFL looking to play in Japan, could Rams help make it happen?

The SEC baseball tournament opened Tuesday with the first round at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.

No. 10 seed Tennessee (38-19, 15-15 SEC) defeated No. 15 seed South Carolina (22-35, 7-23 SEC), 11-6. The Vols advance to face No. 7 seed Arkansas on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. EDT.

On Tuesday, Cam Appenzeller (6-1) started for the Vols and pitched five innings, earning his sixth win of the season. He recorded five strikeouts 84 pitches, including 52 strikes, against 23 batters.

Brayden Krenzel pitched 1.2 innings in relief for the Vols. He totaled two strikeouts and 28 pitches (19 strikes) against nine batters.

Will Haas earned his first save of the season.

Tennessee's offense totaled 15 hits against the Gamecocks. Henry Ford and Garrett Wright hit one home run each for the Vols. Wright went 4-for-5 and recorded three RBIs and two runs.

Nate Eisfelder started in right field for Tennessee in replace of Reese Chapman.

Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Vols eliminate South Carolina baseball in SEC Tournament

The SEC baseball tournament gets underway later today in Hoover, Alabama.

And you might want to pay attention.

As is often the case, the SEC baseball tournament sports a very deep field. According to the latest projections, 12 teams from the conference are expected to earn spots in the field of 64 come Selection Monday, but teams that are on the outside looking in — like Vanderbilt — could help themselves with a deep run down in Hoover.

But at the top of the conference, teams like Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M, Auburn, and Alabama are looking to lock down spots as regional hosts in the field of 64.

Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 SEC baseball tournament.

What is the format for the SEC baseball tournament?

The SEC baseball championship is a 16-team, single-elimination tournament. All 16 teams are entered.

The top four teams in the conference — Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M, and Alabama — are seeded No. 1 through No. 4, and all receive byes to the Quarterfinals, which begin on Thursday. The next four teams in the standings — Florida, Auburn, Arkansas, and Mississippi State — are seeded No. 5 through No. 8 and receive byes to the second round.

The remaining eight teams will meet in the first round.

All games are single elimination, building to Sunday’s SEC Championship Game.

What are the seeds for the SEC baseball tournament?

Here are the seeds for the SEC baseball tournament, along with conference record:

1. Georgia (24-6)
2. Texas (19-10)
3. Texas A&M (18-11)
4. Alabama (18-12)
5. Florida (18-12)
6. Auburn (17-13)
7. Arkansas (17-13)
8. Mississippi State (16-14)
9. Ole Miss (15-15)
10. Tennessee (15-15)
11. Oklahoma (14-16)
12. Vanderbilt (14-16)
13. Kentucky (13-17)
14. LSU (9-21)
15. South Carolina (7-23)
16. Missouri (6-24)

What is the bracket for the SEC baseball tournament?

Here is the SEC baseball tournament bracket, courtesy of the conference:

Who are the favorites for the SEC baseball tournament?

As is often the case, the SEC has one of the deepest conferences in all of college baseball.

According to the latest projections for the field of 64, the conference is expected to see 12 teams in the overall field come Selection Monday. Five SEC teams — Georgia, Texas, Auburn, Alabama, and Texas A&M — are expected to be top eight seeds in the field. In addition Mississippi State and Florida are projected to be regional hosts.

Georgia is the top seed in the tournament, and with good reason. The Bulldogs posted a 23-7 record in SEC play, and finished 43-12 overall. Georgia also can lean on the SEC Player of the Year in catcher Daniel Jackson, who secured the conference Triple Crown with a .394 batting average, 27 home runs, and 77 runs batted in. Jackson was one of four Bulldogs to earn All-SEC honors, along with third baseman Tre Phelps, outfielder Rylan Lugo, and shortstop Kolby Branch, who was an All-SEC Second-Team selection.

Jackson is also the first catcher in Division 1 history to post a 25/25 season, as he added 25 stolen bases along with his 27 home runs.

Texas comes into the tournament as the No. 2 seed, and the Longhorns are a balanced squad with some of the top arms in the conference. But Texas also has some youth, as outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. was named the SEC Freshman of the Year after slashing .360/.479/.559 while swiping 20 bases. The Longhorns also have freshman closer Sam Cozart, who posted an ERA of 1.59 along with a WHIP of 0.640, securing eight saves over the season.

Then there is ace Dylan Volantis. The lefty was a First-Team All-SEC selection for the second consecutive season, after finishing the year with an 8-1 record and an ERA of 2.05. He posted a WHIP of 0.991 and notched 105 strikeouts, third-most in the SEC.

But again, this is a very deep conference. Any of the top seeds in the SEC tournament, including Texas A&M, Alabama, Florida, Auburn, Arkansas, and Mississippi State, could make a deep run this week in Hoover.

ACC baseball tournament schedule and scores

Here is the schedule, and scores, for the 2026 SEC baseball tournament.

All games are in Hoover, Alabama. The lower seed will be the visiting team for each game.

First round: Tuesday, May 19

Game 1: No. 16 Missouri 10, No. 9 Ole Miss 8 (Ole Miss eliminated)
Game 2: No. 12 Vanderbilt 8, No. 13 Kentucky 5 (Kentucky eliminated)
Game 3: No. 10. Tennessee 11, No. 15 South Carolina 6 (South Carolina eliminated)
Game 4: No. 11 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 LSU, 9:00 p.m. Eastern

Second Round: Wednesday, May 20

Game 5: No. 16 Missouri vs. No. 8 Mississippi State, 10:30 a.m. Eastern
Game 6: No. 12 Vanderbilt vs. No. 5 Florida, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Game 7: No. 10 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Arkansas, 5:30 p.m. Eastern
Game 8: Game 4 Winner vs. No. 6 Auburn, 9:00 p.m. Eastern

Quarterfinals: Thursday, May 21

Game 9: Game 5 Winner vs. No. 1 Georgia, 4:00 p.m. Eastern
Game 10: Game 6 Winner vs. No. 4 Alabama, 8:00 p.m. Eastern

Quarterfinals: Friday, May 22

Game 11: Game 7 Winner vs. No. 2 Texas, 4:00 p.m. Eastern
Game 12: Game 8 Winner vs. No. 3 Texas A&M, 8:00 p.m. Easter

Semifinals: Saturday, May 23

Game 13: Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner, 1:00 p.m. Eastern
Game 14: Game 11 Winner vs. Game 12 Winner, 5:00 p.m. Eastern

Championship: Sunday, May 24

Game 15: Game 13 Winner vs. Game 14 Winner

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Offense has been hard to come by for the Angels as of late, but one bright spot in the lineup has been right fielder Jo Adell. 

Coming off a career year that saw him hit 37 home runs, Adell’s start to this season was interesting because he was getting hits, but not tapping into the power that he’s known to possess. 

Through his first 38 games, Adell hit .258, but he had only six extra-base hits for a lowly .351 slugging percentage. 

“It was pretty bad weather for hitting early on, especially when he went to Chicago, but that's when he probably felt his worst and he was still surviving and getting some line drive singles,” Angels hitting coach Brady Anderson said. “That sort of is the hallmark of hitters who have a lot of success in the league, is they know how to get through their rough times without being shut out, and that's what he was able to do.”

Adell’s strikeout rate in that span was 22.4%, which is about league average and well below his career average. So he was putting more balls in play than he normally does, but the quality of contact was missing. 

“Just trying to stay over the ball a little bit more,” Adell said. “In weeks prior, I think I've been pulling off the ball a little bit, which is causing me to kind of just really mishit some of those pitches, and really outer half pitches that I've been pulling that have been not hit very well, versus like the other night against the Dodgers when I went backside on that double. That was more kind of the way that I'm used to hitting the ball, is all parts of the field with good exit (velocities). So I think we just got in the cage and worked on staying over the ball a little bit more, and knowing there's going to be outer lane attack for me and just be able to get more barrel there.”

From adjusting to staying over the ball, Adell has more than doubled his hard hit rate from 30.2% in his first 38 games to 65.2% over his last 10 games. In these past 10 games, Adell has hit six extra-base hits as well to double his season total with four doubles and a pair of home runs.

Adell has also drawn more walks as a result, drawing just four walks in his first 38 games and drawing three in his last 10 games. 

“Typically, people are pulling off the ball because they feel like they're late and so when they're late on the heater, they're pulling off, trying to catch up is a typical move,” Anderson said. “That leaves you susceptible to the sliders low and away. So that's the never-ending battle, being on time so you don't have to pull off so you can recognize all pitches in the zone.

“That's something that when you see a lot of hitters. If they're landing their first move as the right-hander is left. That becomes problematic. You have to be very disciplined with your upper body if that’s the case. That's what he means by that, staying a little more square, making sure that when he lands, and that also improves pitch recognition. A lot of times you're swinging at a lot of bad pitches, well, he doesn't know they're bad, he's not in a position to see the ball.”

Despite keeping his batting average just about the same, Adell has raised his slugging percentage by 37 points and his OPS by 42 points over his last 10 games. And if the Angels' offense wants to turn things around, Adell will have to keep up the quality of his contact. 

“We're definitely always on the same page of just trying to get to a spot to where anywhere in the strike zone that I'm ready to pull off a swing, no matter what the count is, and just being aggressive in those swings and we can live with the rest,” Adell said of his work with Anderson. “So really kept it simple, and that's kind of what we're shooting for is just at any point in time during the AB, I'm going to recognize who I am, but be ready to attack any pitch in the strike zone and put off my swing.”

Ben Joyce Update

Ahead of the Angels’ Tuesday night matchup against the Athletics, Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said right-hander Ben Joyce is now at the team’s complex in Arizona doing more rehabbing on his shoulder.

Joyce had surgery on his shoulder to repair his labrum last May, but paused his rehab assignment after feeling soreness in his shoulder last week.

Suzuki said he’s in Arizona to “take a step back” and build up strength before resuming his rehab assignment. Suzuki also said he’s unsure if Joyce has been playing catch since getting to Arizona. 

Selection Monday is just one week away, but until the field of 64 teams is announced, there is just one small matter of business.

The conference tournaments.

While the Patriot League begins play on Monday, the bulk of the conference tournaments kick off on Tuesday, including the ACC Tournament. The ACC is expected to get a host of teams into the field of 64, with some of the latest projections focusing on nine teams, but there are some teams that need a deep run this week in Charlotte to improve their chances of getting into the tournament. According to some of the latest projections three teams in particular — Clemson, Pittsburgh, and NC State — begin the week on the bubble.

Here is a look at how the ACC baseball tournament works, the bracket, and more.

What is the format for the ACC baseball tournament?

All 16 teams that play baseball in the ACC qualify for the ACC conference tournament. Syracuse and SMU do not currently field baseball teams.

The top four teams in the standings — Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Florida State, and Boston College — are seeded No. 1 through No. 4 and all receive byes to the Quarterfinals, which begin on Thursday. The next four teams in the standings — Miami, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, and Virginia — are seeded No. 5 through No. 8 and receive byes to the second round.

The remaining eight teams will meet in the first round.

All games are single elimination, building to Sunday’s ACC Championship Game.

What are the seeds for the ACC baseball tournament?

Here are the seedings for the 2026 ACC baseball tournament, along with conference records:

1. Georgia Tech (25-5)
2. North Carolina (22-8)
3. Florida State (19-11)
4. Boston College (18-14)
5. Miami (16-14)
6. Wake Forest (16-14)
7. Virginia Tech (15-15)
8. Virginia (14-16)
9. NC State (14-16)
10. Notre Dame (13-17)
11. Louisville (13-17)
12. Stanford (13-17)
13. California (12-18)
14. Pittsburgh (11-19)
15. Clemson (10-20)
16. Duke (10-20)

What is the bracket for the ACC baseball tournament?

Here is the bracket for this year’s ACC baseball tournament, courtesy of the ACC:

Who are the favorites in the ACC baseball tournament?

We start at the top of the standings with Georgia Tech.

The Yellow Jackets are coming off the greatest regular season in school history. Georgia Tech polished off its second consecutive regular-season title this weekend, sweeping Boston College on the road to clinch the regular-season conference championship. And they closed out the regular season with another run-rule victory, defeating Boston College by a final score of 15-2 in just seven innings. It was the sixth sweep of an ACC series this season, and in those three wins over the Eagles, Georgia Tech won by a combined score of 38-3, the most lopsided sweep over a Top 25 opponent in school history.

The Yellow Jackets can absolutely mash, and enter the conference tournament leading all of baseball in several offensive categories including batting average (.358), hits (674), on-base percentage (.469), scoring (10.7 runs per game), and slugging percentage (.630).

However, the Yellow Jackets are the No. 3 team in the country according to the latest Top 25 from D1 Baseball, as North Carolina clocks in at No. 2. While Georgia Tech finished the year with a 45-9 regular-season record North Carolina came in at 43-10-1. When these two teams met in Chapel Hill back in mid-April, North Carolina took two games of the three-game series.

ACC baseball tournament schedule and scores

Here is the schedule, and scores, for the ACC baseball tournament.

All games are in Charlotte, North Carolina. The lower seed will be the visiting team for each game.

First Round: Tuesday, May 19

Game 1: No. 16 Duke 21, No. 9 NC State 12 (NC State eliminated)
Game 2: No. 12 Stanford 11, No. 13 California 4 (California eliminated)
Game 3: No. 10 Notre Dame 5, No. 15 Clemson 4 (Clemson eliminated)
Game 4: No. 11 Louisville vs. No. 14 Pittsburgh, 9:00 p.m. Eastern

Second Round: Wednesday, May 20

Game 5: No. 16 Duke vs. No. 8 Virginia, 9:00 a.m., Eastern
Game 6: No. 12 Stanford vs. No. 5 Miami, 1:00 p.m., Eastern
Game 7: No. 10 Notre Dame vs. No. 7 Virginia Tech, 5:00 p.m., Eastern
Game 8: Game 4 Winner vs. No. 6 Wake Forest, 9:00 p.m., Eastern

Quarterfinals: Thursday, May 21

Game 9: Game 5 Winner vs. No. 1 Georgia Tech, 3:00 p.m., Eastern
Game 10: Game 6 Winner vs. No. 4 Boston College, 7:00 p.m., Eastern

Quarterfinals: Friday, May 22

Game 11: Game 7 Winner vs. No. 2 North Carolina, 3:00 p.m., Eastern
Game 12: Game 8 Winner vs. No. 3 Florida State, 7:00 p.m., Eastern

Semifinals: Saturday, May 23

Game 13: Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner, 1:00 p.m., Eastern
Game 14: Game 11 Winner vs. Game 12 Winner, 5:00 p.m., Eastern

Championship: Sunday, May 24

Game 15: Game 13 Winner vs. Game 14 Winner, 12:00 p.m., Eastern

Masai Ujiri wasted no time making his mark in Dallas.

Less than a month after being named team president, the Mavericks and Ujiri decided to part ways with head coach Jason Kidd, the franchise announced.

It ended a five-season tenure the team described as a mutual decision.

Kidd leaves with a 205-205 overall record, going 22-18 in the playoffs and guiding Dallas to the 2022 Western Conference finals and the 2024 NBA Finals. The California native had four years remaining on his contract, according to DLLS Sports’ Marc Stein.

Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont, who extended Kidd’s contract during Dallas’ NBA Finals run in 2024 and again before last season after the franchise declined the New York Knicks’ request to interview him, gave new president Masai Ujiri full authority to determine the coach’s future with the franchise.

“He’s done a great job, but we are going to look at this thing from head to toe,” Ujiri said of Kidd during his introductory news conference.

Ujiri told DLLS Sports he planned to speak with Kidd the day after his introductory news conference. After taking more than two weeks to weigh the decision, Ujiri concluded it was time for the team to move in a new direction.

“Jason has had a meaningful impact on the Dallas Mavericks, both as a Hall of Fame player and as the head coach who helped lead this franchise back to the NBA Finals,” Ujiri said in a team statement. “As we evaluate the future of our basketball program, we believe this is the right moment for a new direction for our team.”

Kidd forged strong relationships with both of the Mavericks’ stars, forward Cooper Flagg and guard Kyrie Irving, during his time in Dallas. Flagg, 19, just completed his rookie season and has three years remaining on his contract. Irving has one year left on his deal before he can exercise a player option in the summer of 2027.

Multiple teams have expressed interest in Irving’s services next season, sources tell DLLS Sports. But Ujiri may look to pair the NBA champion with Flagg going forward.

“You dream like me, man. I can’t wait. I want to see that,” Ujiri said at his introductory news conference. “Kyrie Irving is one of the best players, and I know he’s the best ball handler in the game. His experience. He’s a championship player. I’m excited to see that, we all are. His injury was unfortunate, but I know he’s moved past that. I think it’s going to be pretty cool, and I know it’s going to help Cooper, because Kyrie likes to play off the ball too, and this is going to be interesting for us.”

Ujiri has never been quick to pull the trigger on coaches. In Denver, he kept George Karl. In Toronto, he held onto Dwane Casey for years before parting ways. But something about Dallas felt different  and Kidd paid the price.

Now the Mavericks face a coaching search at a pivotal moment, tasked with finding the right voice to shepherd 19-year-old Cooper Flagg into stardom. It is a job that did not exist 15 months ago, before the franchise shipped out Luka Dončić — the very superstar Kidd was brought to Dallas to coach.

Matt Riccardi, a Plano native who served as the Mavericks’ co-interim general manager, is out along with several other staff members as Ujiri continues reshaping the organization, sources told DLLS Sports.

The Dallas Mavericks will hold a news conference at American Airlines Center with Ujiri at 10:30 a.m. CT Wednesday.

When the NFL tells you what its regular season is going to look like, believe it. That’s the message that should be taken from Tuesday’s installment of the owners’ meetings in Orlando, when another step in the league’s (carefully planned) relentless march into future schedule expansion was established.

The latest move was via an amendment that will allow a new maximum of 10 league-run international games each season. The ceiling was eight prior to Tuesday’s change. Technically, the league’s international series is already at nine games this season, with the Jacksonville Jaguars taking part in back-to-back contests in London during the 2026 season as Everbank Stadium continues $1.4 billion in renovations. However, one of those two games was established through the Jaguars choosing to operate as the home team, sacrificing one date in Jacksonville, which allowed for nine international games this season rather than eight.

Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s executive vice president of club business, international and league events, framed the expansion to 10 games as sooner rather than later when meeting with media.

“There’s a path to 10 [international games] in 2027,” O’Reilly said.

Find NFL tickets on Gametime | More NFL team schedules

One of Yahoo Sports’ 25 game changers to watch in 2025, O’Reilly has been a power player in stewarding the league’s international strategy. He was even dubbed “the most impactful league employee not named Roger Goodell” by a highly influential NFL team president who spoke with Yahoo Sports about O’Reilly’s place in the NFL. And Tuesday’s vote to expand the international series showcases why, as it acts as another stepping stone to the league’s push toward 18 regular-season games.

picture alliance via Getty Images

Goodell, the league’s commissioner, along with O’Reilly and the NFL’s heaviest-hitting club owners, continue to lay the groundwork for an annual 16-game international season. The primary goal of that kind of international season would be to create a “33rd” NFL franchise in a foreign-based aggregate, driving an expansion of NFL popularity outside the continental 48 states in North America. In turn, the league would aim to create markets for expanded overseas television rights contracts, along with a multitude of other new revenue drivers that help offset the cost of rising player salaries, more expensive stadium complex builds, other renovations and overall costs. Not to mention a general expansion of the league’s bottom line, which was once aimed at $25 billion by Goodell but is being recalculated to blast beyond that mark in the coming decade.

As part of that effort, the league’s team owners also struck down scheduling protections Tuesday as it pertained to international games. Previously, franchises were granted the right to protect two scheduled opponents from being chosen for international games. The NFL eliminated that protection as part of the new ceiling of 10 international games.

In some ways, it mirrors the NFL’s aggressive scheduling blitz over the last several seasons, which went from Thursday night games to expanding the Thanksgiving schedule to a Thanksgiving Eve game, three Thanksgiving Day games, a Black Friday game, three Christmas Day games and a Wednesday season-opener. All of this despite complaints from players and the NFL Players Association about the schedule grind throwing chaos into recovery times between some games — and an international game in Week 1 in Melbourne, Australia between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers that will be a test cast of far-flung “complex” international games that stretch the limits of teams and travel.

This push, particularly from an international standpoint, was foreshadowed in comments from powerful team owners who have thrown support behind the strategy. That includes the New England Patriots’ Robert Kraft, who laid out the plans involving both international games and expanding platforms (like Netflix) in unambiguous terms last January when speaking with the team’s flagship network, 98.5 The Sports Hub.

“We’re gonna push like the dickens now, to make international [exposure] more important with us,” Kraft said in the January interview. “Every team will go to 18 [games] and two [exhibition games] and eliminate one of the preseason games. Every team every year will play one game overseas. Part of the reason is so we can continue to grow the cap and keep our labor happy. Because we’re sort of getting near the top here, you know, with the [domestic] coverage.”

“Ninety-three of the top 100 programs on television are NFL games,” Kraft continued. “Think about that. It’s really amazing. … You know, we had that Amazon game on Thursday a couple weeks ago — 31 million people streamed in. So as long as we can keep growing revenue, we can keep long-term labor peace.”

Make no mistake, Tuesday was part of that “push like the dickens” plan. Where it goes now depends on future labor negotiations — both on an 18-game regular-season schedule and possibly raising the international limit beyond 10 games. To go beyond 10 games in the future, the NFL would have to negotiate a new cap with the players’ union under the current collective bargaining agreement. As it stands, the union, which recently elected new executive director JC Tretter, has resisted expanding to an 18-game schedule.

Masai Ujiri is making his presence felt with the Dallas Mavericks already.

The team’s new president parted ways with head coach Jason Kidd, the franchise announced Tuesday evening.

Kidd had four years and more than $40 million remaining on his contract, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

“Jason has had a meaningful impact on the Dallas Mavericks, both as a Hall of Fame player and as the head coach who helped lead this franchise back to the NBA Finals,” Ujiri said in a statement. “We are thankful for Jason’s leadership, his professionalism and his commitment to the team. In my short time here, I’ve developed an enormous amount of respect for what he has built. He will always be an important part of the Mavericks family.”

Kidd, 53, won an NBA championship with the team asaplayer (2011). He coached the Mavericks for five seasons, taking the team to the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals in 2024. Dallas finished 26-56 this season.

“As we evaluate the future of our basketball program, we believe this is the right moment for a new direction for our team,” Ujiri said. “We have high expectations for this franchise and a responsibility to build a basketball organization capable of sustained championship contention. We will conduct a thorough, disciplined search for our next head coach and continue to evaluate our entire basketball operations staff to ensure we compete at the standard Mavs fans expect and deserve.”

Former Dallas GM Nico Harrison traded Luka Doncic at the deadline in 2025 in what is considered by many among the worst trades in NBA history, if not the worst.

The Mavericks then proceeded to win the NBA Draft Lottery and earned the right to draft Duke star Cooper Flagg last summer. Flagg, who enjoyed a close relationship with Kidd, went on to win NBA Rookie of the Year honors.

Harrison was fired last November and the Mavericks finished 26-56 this past season while dealing with a slew of injuries, including to Kyrie Irving (ACL) and Dereck Lively II (foot surgery).

The Mavericks own the No. 9 and 30 picks in this summer’s NBA Draft.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

The honeymoon ended fast for Adam Foote, whose tenure behind the bench of the Vancouver Canucks came crashing to an abrupt and unforgiving end.

Former Vancouver head coach Adam Foote is out in Vancouver, ending a turbulent run behind the bench that never fully gained traction despite the organization’s hopes for internal continuity.

Foote’s dismissal closes a brief and frustrating chapter for a Canucks team that entered the season believing stability would follow after promoting a familiar voice from within the organization. Instead, Vancouver spiraled through inconsistency, defensive breakdowns, and mounting pressure that eventually forced management to make a change.

The move also reignites speculation surrounding Foote’s future — and whether another opportunity could emerge elsewhere around the league, including possible ties to the Colorado Avalanche organization where he built much of his legacy as a player.

Foote had been viewed internally as a culture-setting presence when Vancouver elevated him into the role. The organization valued his direct communication style, defensive mindset, and longstanding relationships within the room. But as losses mounted and expectations slipped further out of reach, patience inside the market rapidly evaporated.

Expectations Collided With Reality

Canucks president Jim Rutherford had publicly praised Foote’s leadership qualities when the organization committed to him behind the bench.

“Adam is a strong leader, good teacher and person who knows what it takes to build a great culture and winning attitude,” Rutherford said. “His past experiences on the ice have translated nicely into a coaching style that fits our organization’s goals and vision. He has worked extremely hard the past few years, gaining our players’ respect and trust for his strong communication and honest straightforward opinion.”

Foote also embraced the opportunity enthusiastically at the time of his hiring.

“I’m very honored to become the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks,” Foote said. “This is something I have worked very hard towards for a long time. I would like to thank the Aquilini family, Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin for their belief in me. We have a great group of players and a very determined coaching staff and support team in place already. I know this fanbase is passionate and loyal, and I’m excited to get started.”

But the optimism surrounding the hire eventually gave way to frustration.

Vancouver struggled to establish a reliable identity under Foote, particularly during high-pressure stretches where defensive lapses and offensive inconsistency repeatedly surfaced. In a Canadian market where scrutiny escalates quickly, the noise surrounding the team became impossible to ignore.

For Foote, the firing represents another harsh reminder of how quickly momentum can disappear behind an NHL bench. Respected assistants often receive opportunities based on leadership, communication, and tactical promise — but translating those qualities into sustained success as a head coach is an entirely different challenge.

Now, one of the most recognizable former players in Avalanche history finds himself back on the coaching market, with questions already beginning about what comes next.

Solana futures funding turned negative as demand for SOL and its associated decentralized exchanges fell. Will traders buy the dip or is $78 next?

Pixo is an AI agent video platform where a conversational agent handles your entire creative workflow, from scripting and storyboarding to asset generation and final editing. Built on a storyboard-first approach, it gives you intuitive control over every scene and shot. Pixo integrates multiple leading models—Kling, Seedance 2.0, Image2, and Grok—in one platform, so you get the best output without switching tools.

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Kourze is a course platform for creators. You upload a lesson, and the AI detects the viral moment, generates 9:16 clips with subtitles, and automatically posts them on TikTok, Reels, X, and LinkedIn to attract sales. It includes a Claude-based tutor that answers student questions 24/7 in your voice and context, plus a video player, community, certificates, and your own storefront. Start free and build your first course in minutes, then scale with custom domains, bundles, and affiliates.

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Samsung just kicked off the One UI 9 beta program for the Galaxy S26 series in mid-May 2026. If you own one of those new flagships, you can already sign up through the Samsung Members app in countries like the US, UK, Germany, Korea, and soon India and Poland. But what about the rest of us? Based on how Samsung has handled betas in the past, here’s a clear picture of what to expect next.

Samsung almost always starts with the latest S series phones. The same is happening with the S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra. These devices have the latest hardware, which is perfect for testing new software. But what about the One UI 9 beta program for other devices?

You should not expect it tomorrow, but history shows the previous year’s flagships join the beta program quickly. For example, the S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, and even the S25 FE are strong candidates to join the One UI 9 beta soon, probably by next month. The S25 owners are currently busy getting the stable One UI 8.5 update, so Samsung is rolling out the stable update first before moving to the next big beta testing program.

After the S25 lineup, look for the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 (and possibly the new Fold8/Flip8 around the July launch). Foldables usually get early access because these devices are premium, and Samsung wants feedback on the flexible screen experience. The stable One UI 9 version is expected to drop alongside the new foldables in July 2026, so the beta could open in June, around the same time as the S25 series.

Then the rollout widens. Older flagships like the Galaxy S24 and S23 series often join in the following weeks or months. FE models, some Tab S series tablets, and higher-end A-series phones usually come later in the beta phase. Samsung promises 4 to 7 years of updates for its recent flagships, so most S23 and newer devices should eventually get One UI 9.

Keep in mind that betas are not perfect. Beta builds can have bugs, battery drain, or app crashes. Only join if you are okay with troubleshooting and reporting issues to help Samsung improve the stable version. To get a beta update, you need to sign up in the Samsung Members app, and availability depends on your country and carrier.

The full stable One UI 9 should start rolling out in July or August 2026, starting with the newest phones and foldables, then spreading to others through the rest of the year.

If you have an older device, don’t worry, your turn will come. Just keep an eye on the Samsung Members app and official news.

The post Samsung One UI 9 Beta eligible devices: Android 17 beta expected list appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Yesterday, RedMagic unveiled the 11S Pro and 11S Pro+ gaming smartphones for the Chinese market, and in light of that you may have been wondering when to expect an international launch. RedMagic is usually quite quick to bring its devices to global markets, and the situation is similar in this case. The brand has just revealed that the global launch will be taking place on May 27 at 8 AM EDT, which is 1 PM in London, 2 PM in Central Europe, 3 PM in Eastern Europe, and 5:30 PM in India. It appears as if only one device is making the international trip. This will be called RedMagic...

Many teams reach the World Cup with very good players in their squad. Spain are one of them, mainly because of the great midfielders they usually have, with an outstanding Pedri among them. The Barcelona midfielder spoke about their chances at an event organized by Adidas.

Pedri said: “I’m very keen on the World Cup. We all dream about winning the star, but winning it isn’t easy. We have a great team. I’d like to finish the tournament with the feeling of having heavy arms from lifting the trophy.”

The midfielder is not just there to be part of the squad. His most likely role in Luis de la Fuente’s lineup is to be one of the team’s key players. In great form to finish the season with his club, Pedri looks like a player to watch.

Pedri on Fermín López

With nothing at stake for Barcelona, an unfortunate situation came up in a meaningless match against Betis in a La Liga season that had already been won by the club. Fermín López was the main figure, with the midfielder leaving the field at halftime with an injury from a win that has ruled him out of the World Cup, with an expected recovery of around three months.

The club confirmed his injury in a statement: “Fermín has undergone successful surgery for the fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. The recovery time will be determined based on his progress.”

Pedri said: “Fermín was very sad. Missing the World Cup is not an easy pill to swallow. I just hope he recovers well. It was a blow for everyone; I have a very good relationship with him. Soccer can be cruel sometimes. I wish him a quick recovery.”

Pedri on José Mourinho rumors

The midfielder was also asked about Real Madrid, especially about the manager who could replace Álvaro Arbeloa next season after serving as interim coach, as José Mourinho is being mentioned most often for the job. Pedri said: “It is not official and it is not the time to talk about it if he comes. It does not make sense.”

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The first live MMA event broadcast on Netflix — featuring a double-comeback bout between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano — attracted the most U.S. viewers in the sport's history.

Netflix and Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions reported on Tuesday that Saturday's event in Inglewood, California, drew as many as 17 million viewers worldwide, including a peak of 11.6 million in the U.S.

The U.S. figure surpassed the previous MMA record of 8.8 million in 2011 for UFC on FOX 1.

The 39-year-old Rousey, performing in a mixed martial arts cage for the first time in nearly a decade, defeated the 44-year-old Carano with her signature armbar move just 17 seconds into the bout. Carano was fighting for the first time in 17 years.

Other featured bouts at the Intuit Dome on Saturday included a fight between UFC veterans Mike Perry and Nate Diaz. Perry won the welterweight matchup on a doctor's stoppage after bloodying Diaz.

In another bout, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou knocked out Philipe Lins in the first round.

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports

After today’s victory against the Miami Marlins, Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss told reporters that catcher Drake Baldwin’s MRI results came back with a mild Grade 1 oblique strain.

Baldwin was placed on the 10-day IL earlier today as part of a bevy of moves. With Sean Murphy also on the injured list with a fractured finger, the Braves will now have veterans Sandy Leon and Chadwick Tromp as their primary backstops – barring a move to bring in a catcher from outside the organization – for at least the next week-and-a-half, although the length of Baldwin’s stay on the IL in unknown. Murphy isn’t expected back until next month, at the earliest.

This is some slightly good news for Atlanta and their star catcher. Baldwin, who has amassed 2.2 fWAR already this season behind 13 home runs and a 160 wRC+, seemed likely to be headed to his first All-Star game with a performance that has positioned him among the top catchers in the game.

Everyone has bad days, even world class athletes. Any number of circumstances can cause someone who’s been training their entire life to simply miss the moment; be it physical, mental, or just plain bad luck.

It happened to Simone Biles when she got the the “twisties” and became disoriented in the air during what should have been a pinnacle moment in her Olympic career. It happened to golfer Greg Norman when he squandered an unprecedented six-stroke lead at the 1996 Masters in a stunning collapse.

The best athletes, and people, aren’t defined by perfection, however. They’re defined by what they do after they fail.

Bowler Tom Daugherty puts on one of the worst performances of all time

Bowling, while not a premier sport in the minds of most viewers, comes with a ton of pressure. It’s a highly technical sport where being just a millimeter or a fraction of a second off in your technique can be disastrous.

Tom Daugherty found this out firsthand in what has became a legendary game…but not legendary for the reasons he’d like.

In 2011, Daugherty faced off with Mike Koiveniemi in a semifinal match of the PBA Tournament of Champions. The event was televised, and the pressure was high. Luck, however, was not on Daugherty’s side that day. He rolled his way into every conceivable bad split you could possibly imagine.

The round was a nightmare, and Daugherty found himself facing his final shot of the night with a score under 100. His opponent, meanwhile, finished with a 299—nearly a perfect game. For reference, a 70-100 is roughly an achievable score for people who only bowl a few times per year and are not trained at all in form and technique. Yikes.

When Daugherty’s last shot connected, it put his final score at 100 exactly: triple digits. He reacted by running around and high-fiving the crowd, determined not to let himself get down.

His 199-point loss is one of the worst margins in professional bowling history, and his score of 100 is the lowest that’s ever been televised.

Daugherty did not let the humiliation define him, and came back stronger

Through it all, Tom Daugherty kept an impressive sense of humor about what could have been the greatest failure of his career, to date.

As the third place winner in the tournament, he won $50,000. He joked that he was excited to have won “$500 per pin.”

Later, he was quoted as saying: “That 100 game was the best thing that ever happened to me. I have no problem with it. No one would remember me if I hadn’t bowled that game.”

The positive attitude served him well. The very next year, he returned to another PBA tournament—this time the Bowlers Journal Scorpion Championship at the World Series of Bowling in Las Vegas—in his first televised performance since the infamous “100 game.”

Daugherty won the whole thing, snagging his first PBA title.

Since then, he’s gone on to have a fantastic career that features four PBA Tour titles, including one major title at the 2021 PBA World Championship.

In 2026, he even got a rematch against his opponent from the famed 100-game—and beat him.

Athletes like Daugherty give us a good blueprint for how to deal with failure

Anyone who performs at the highest level of their chosen endeavor is going to fail and suffer setbacks. We can learn a lot from how they pick themselves back up afterwards.

Kevin Chapman, PhD, clinical psychologist and founder of The Kentucky Center for Anxiety and Related Disorder, writes: “People who have a high standard for themselves understand that failure is part of the journey towards growth and success. On the other hand, people who are perfectionistic view failure as unacceptable, which is actually very limiting. When you view failure as just another part of the process, then significant learning can occur as a result. You fix it and then move forward.”

It would be easy for anyone to implode after a performance like Daugherty’s. The way he handled the epic loss with humility and humor, though, no doubt helped him get in the right mindset for next time. He was able to learn where things had gone wrong for him in 2011 and come back a far better bowler the very next year when he won it all.

The post 15 years ago pro bowler Tom Daugherty was humiliated. He turned it into the sport’s greatest comeback story. appeared first on Upworthy.

West Palm Beach (Fla.) Palm Beach Lakes three-star safety Turmarian Moreland has accrued offers from myriad Power Four programs, but as he heads into the summer, three have stood above the rest.

On Tuesday, Moreland told 247Sports’ Riley Alberts that Auburn, Georgia and Virginia Tech are his three finalists and he plans to commit on the Fourth of July.

Moreland is the No. 495 overall prospect and No. 46 safety in the 2027 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 42 recruit in the Sunshine State.

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The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder is coming off a string of spring visits that have helped create separation. He’s already locked in official visits to each — Virginia Tech (May 29), Auburn (June 5), Georgia (June 12) — too.

Auburn is the program with the slight edge for Moreland, according to the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine. He was back on The Plains back in March and was visited by AU defensive backs coach DeMarcus Van Dyke earlier in the year.

“Auburn is strongly positioned for defensive back Turmarian Moreland,” Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong wrote on March 20.

He was also at Georgia in March. Recapping the trip with Rivals’ Chad Simmons, Moreland said he’s been feeling like a priority to the defensive staff in Athens.

“They get around fast and coach hard,” Moreland said. “Everything you would expect. Seeing it in person is different though. It was fast, physical and intense. It was Georgia football.”

“They’ve been on me hard,” Moreland said. “Not just wanted, but needed. Coach T-Rob (Travares Robinson), Coach Donte and the other coaches have been recruiting me hard.”

The speedster plays on both sides of the ball at the high school level. He tallied 45 total tackles and seven pass deflections as a junior last fall, according to MaxPreps.

Moreland’s Palm Beach Lakes squad went 6-6 in 2025 and finished as the No. 292 team in Florida, according to the Rivals Composite Rankings. He’ll look to lead the Rams as a senior captain this coming season.

The National Off-Road Racing Association (NORRA) hosts some of the best off-road racing on the planet. With varied terrain and courses plus an enormous variety of vehicles-- from UTVs to full-size race rigs to dirt bikes-- it's a fantastic spectacle that is helping champion the sport. With the organization's 60th birthday coming up, they're putting on an enormous event to celebrate.

Racing will span ten full days (April 27 to May 8, 2027) and the course, instead of a traditional loop, is set up in a way that racers have to hit an end point and then double back on the same track, albeit going effectively the opposite way. It's slated to run from Ensenada to San José del Cabo, with the first six days including racing, the following two being "rest" days, and the final four will be to race back to the start point.

The race is obviously still a long way out, and NORRA is hoping to use that time to solicit feedback from participants. By entering the event, you can help the team design the actual track, structure classes, and even provide input on the end-of-event parties. Pretty cool if you ask us.

Stay tuned as things develop, and mark your calendars for the 2027 Mexican 1000.

The stage is set for a nail-biting final-day showdown between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United as both clubs battle to preserve their Premier League status. With the last weekend of the 2025/26 season approaching, neither side has managed to secure their top-flight survival, and the outcome remains firmly in the balance.

Roberto De Zerbi's Spurs had a golden opportunity to seal their Premier League safety on Tuesday when they faced Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. A single point would have been enough to secure their position and simultaneously condemn West Ham to the Championship.

However, strikes from Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos condemned the North Londoners to yet another loss, despite Richarlison pulling one back. That said, the equation remains straightforward for Spurs heading into the season's finale, as per The Mirror.

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Avoid defeat against Everton on the final day - and bank on West Ham failing to beat Leeds by 12 goals or more - and Spurs will retain their Premier League status. A victory would guarantee their survival outright, regardless of what the Hammers manage against Leeds.

Should Spurs lose, they will be desperately hoping West Ham fails to overcome Leeds. If the Hammers do win, it will be West Ham who survive at Spurs' expense.

Away from the relegation drama, Tuesday also brought the title race to a conclusion. Spurs' North London rivals Arsenal were officially crowned Premier League champions.

Arsenal put themselves on the brink of the title with Monday's 1-0 victory over Burnley, and were able to pop the champagne corks just 24 hours later as AFC Bournemouth held Pep Guardiola's Manchester City to a 1-1 draw.

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That result also secured Bournemouth a spot in the Premier League's top eight, which should be enough for the Cherries to punch their ticket to European competition.

A win for Bournemouth would have set up a final-day battle for a Champions League berth, but they now require a six-goal swing on the last day to leapfrog Liverpool. The two sides are scheduled to face off on Sunday at Anfield.

On the European front, several clubs remain in contention for a spot in continental competition. Brighton and Hove Albion, Chelsea, Brentford, and Sunderland could all sneak into the top eight on the final day of the season.

Another member of the Smith-Njigba family is taking aim at the NFL.

Just one day after Seattle Seahawks star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba said he felt disrespected by the league for sending him a mislabeled NFL "Oefensive" Player of the Year award trophy, his brother, Canaan, also voiced his displeasure. Canaan, who played 18 games across two seasons with MLB's Pittsburgh Pirates, had plenty to say about the league his brother represents.

"The NFL quickly collected a fine for the dunk celebration, then used those same images for promotion," Canaan said in a May 19 post on X. "The Offensive Player of the Year was turned into a comedy segment with Druski, minimizing an award earned through elite performance and hard work."

"NFL Honors never acknowledged the poor representation of one of the league’s top individual awards. The 'prestigious' ceremony didn’t even air the pre-recorded acceptance speech. After months to prepare and ship the award, the only offensive player selected received a Defensive Player of the Year trophy. At some point, professionalism, respect, and attention to detail should matter."

Jaxon was unable to attend NFL Honors to receive his award in person, since he was preparing for Super Bowl 60 – a game the Seahawks went on to win, 29-13. In addition to receiving the award and winning his first ring, Jaxon also went on to ink a four-year, $168.6 million extension in Seattle.

In between those personal highlights have been multiple outside lowlights.

The Druski comments came as the comedian struggled to pronounce Smith-Njigba's last name when announcing the receiver as the winner of the award at the 2026 NFL Honors, an incident for which the comedian has since apologized.

While it appeared that the NFL Honors fiasco was behind the star receiver, the drama came into focus again when Jaxon's trophy arrived on May 18.

"It's getting disrespectful guys," he said, while holding his trophy up to the camera and referencing that it appeared to say "Defensive" instead of "Offensive."

The award also featured a typo, in which "TheYear" was combined into one word, with no space between.

It's an error that the league has since apologized for, saying that the misspelling was actually "Oefensive" – a misspelling of "Offensive" – rather than "Defensive."

Regardless, a new trophy is in production for the Seahawks star. The NFL might want to proofread that one a couple of times as it tries to make amends with the Smith-Njigba family.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jaxon Smith-Njigba's brother, Canaan, has issue with NFL trophy error

Lakers should part with Dalton Knecht, acquire Luka Doncic's $54 million ex-Mavericks lob threat originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Lakers must return to the drawing board on the lob threat front. 

Deandre Ayton, who signed a two-year, $16 million deal with the Lakers last offseason, was supposed to build a daunting pick-and-roll partnership with Luka Doncic this season. However, Ayton’s inability to give maximum effort and impose himself on the offensive end could lead to the franchise searching for his replacement this summer. 

CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn recently floated Doncic’s 27-year-old former Dallas Mavericks lob threat as a potential trade target for the Lakers this summer.

“The Mavericks have an entirely new front office,” Quinn wrote last Tuesday. “How attached are they to either of Doncic's former centers, (Daniel) Gafford or (Dereck) Lively? Would ownership allow another trade with the Lakers? It's worth the call, but it's hard to imagine these teams working together again.”

Given Dalton Knecht’s rapid decline in Los Angeles and eagerness for a fresh start with a franchise that could develop him correctly, the Tennessee product is an asset the Lakers should be comfortable using in a trade to land Gafford or any other frontcourt contributor.

Why would Gafford be a solid return for the Lakers in a potential trade sending Knecht to the Mavericks? Well, besides the obvious reason (his proven chemistry with Doncic), the former Washington Wizards forward/center is a high-energy big man who can be depended on to attack every loose ball, high-point lobs, and score efficiently in the low post. 

Gafford averaged 9.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game with the Mavericks this season, shooting 65.5% from the field in 55 contests. Combine that with the fact that a Gafford-Doncic pairing has already resulted in an NBA Finals appearance, and the Lakers have clear motivation to strike another big-time deal with the Mavericks.

More NBA news:

• Knicks predicted to cut ties with Mikal Bridges, acquire $175 million 10-time All-Star

• Jazz, Hawks, Bulls, Nets named top landing spots for $53 million Lakers superstar

• Lakers predicted to cut ties with Dalton Knecht, acquire $175 million two-time MVP