April is on the verge, and Galaxy S25 users awaiting the One UI 8.5 update brace for an important month ahead. Samsung seems to have a different plan for the owners of its last year’s flagship lineup, which already feels frustrating.

It’s all about the One UI 8.5 update.

Galaxy S25 users want One UI 8.5, but Samsung is still crafting a security booster. March patch has arrived recently, and the April patch is expected next. As of now, we are not seeing the rollout of another Beta update for the users.

Samsung’s One UI 8.5 is available in Beta, but it’s a harsh truth that Samsung’s Beta testing system is not competitive. Beta Program is indeed impressive, but its limited availability hurts user sentiments, covering millions.

If you are living outside any of the ineligible Beta countries, you are already months behind. The irony is, the Beta Program isn’t short, but extensive. And we’ve noticed in recent years that Samsung significantly extended the period.

For reference, One UI 8.5 Beta dropped first in December. March has almost ended, completing four months of Beta testing. Yet, the users of the Galaxy S25 series are still waiting for the Stable update around the world.

Well, the One UI 8.5 update isn’t too far now. Samsung has entered rapid testing mode, with the 8th Beta already feeling like Stable. April patch may set the foundation, before Samsung deploys the new features and UI tweaks.

If you are in the Beta team, the Stable release won’t be very exciting. The update is a big deal for those witnessing screenshots on social media since it started. Stay ready for an adventurous week, that is April, literally!

Source – Samsung

The post Galaxy S25 users brace an important month ahead appeared first on Sammy Fans.

After the recent defeat against Croatia, Colombia are surrounded by serious doubts about their competitiveness, as they continue to show creative and scoring issues. As a result, they now face France, seeking a victory to dispel those concerns. However, this will be far from easy, as Les Bleus are in top form, building a highly competitive team that does not rely solely on Kylian Mbappé.

Not only do France boast a long winning streak, but their entire roster is in top form. Moreover, coach Didier Deschamps has stated that he will rotate the lineup, giving playing time to players like Marcus Thuram and Rayan Cherki, who remain key figures on top European teams. In addition, they will be looking for a win to keep them in top form for the 2026 World Cup.

Colombia rely on players such as Luis Díaz, Daniel Muñoz, and Jefferson Lerma, who shine at top European clubs. However, they still face certain attacking issues, as James Rodríguez has not been playing at a competitive rhythm as he has just arrived to MLS. In addition, coach Néstor Lorenzo has not been able to find consistent scoring output from Luis Suárez or Jhon Córdoba, increasing the doubts.

Far from being an easy match, the Cafeteros are aiming for a win that can ease concerns and solidify the team amid their attacking struggles. However, France arrive in top form, which could complicate their plans with an offensive prowess. Because of this, both teams are expected to deliver a competitive match, looking to build confidence ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Kylian Mbappe has become a focal point of conversation given the ongoing doubts surrounding his fitness, with Real Madrid fans growing increasingly concerned about his readiness for the 2026 World Cup. Amid the scrutiny, the French striker invoked the name of Cristiano Ronaldo to address the situation.

Currently in the United States with the France national team, Mbappe found himself at the center of reports about his knee injury, with the player himself having to push back against claims of a misdiagnosis by Real Madrid’s medical staff. With the World Cup now fewer than 80 days away, speculation has also grown among fans that Mbappe might prioritize his fitness for the tournament over his club commitments with Los Blancos.

Speaking from France’s training camp, Mbappe made his commitment to Real Madrid clear in an interview with Telefoot: “In Spain, they are a bit worried about that—that I might not play… and that I’ll head straight to the World Cup. The best way to prepare is to win everything beforehand with Madrid.“

The French star went on to address how the passionate nature of the Real Madrid fanbase can amplify concern beyond what might otherwise be warranted. “The people are very passionate. For them, Real Madrid is a religion. Everything to do with the club and with me creates a combination that makes everyone talk and speculate. Sometimes with reason, sometimes without it.”

Mbappe then invoked some of the club’s all-time greats to put his own situation in perspective: “At Real Madrid, they have criticized everyone—Cristiano Ronaldo, Di Stefano… I don’t see why I should escape that kind of criticism. You have to deal with the critics. Stay calm, focus on the work, and have the confidence to believe that you can improve the situation on the pitch.“

Even Cristiano Ronaldo faced scrutiny

Despite his recent knee injury, Mbappe remains Real Madrid’s standout performer this season in front of goal. Through 35 appearances across all competitions in the 2025-26 campaign, he leads both the La Liga and UEFA Champions League scoring charts with 38 goals and six assists.

That status was once synonymous with Cristiano Ronaldo, who shattered records at Real Madrid as a goalscorer during his peak years at the club. Yet even as the team was winning back-to-back Champions League titles, the Portuguese star was not immune to criticism from the stands.

One of the most memorable episodes came in April when Real Madrid eliminated Bayern Munich, and despite Ronaldo scoring a hat-trick, he was still met with whistles from sections of the crowd. “I don’t tell them to be quiet, never, I only ask them not to whistle because I always give my best in every game. Even if I don’t score goals, I try to work hard to help Real Madrid,” he said after a Champions League quarterfinal.

Time for Mbappe to knock Bayern Munich out

Now facing a situation not unlike the one Ronaldo navigated, Mbappe is expected to be the decisive figure if Real Madrid are to go deep in the Champions League. Los Blancos face Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals over the first two weeks of April, and the Frenchman has made clear he is confident about getting past one of the competition’s most in-form sides.

“We are still involved in the two remaining competitions, La Liga and the Champions League. We are going to play against Bayern, who I believe are the most in-form team in Europe right now. But if there is one team that can beat that kind of side, it’s Real Madrid,” he said, sending a message of confidence to the club’s supporters.

Ferran Torres has gone from being an undisputed player at FC Barcelona to becoming a backup to Robert Lewandowski. With a contract running until 2027, the Spaniard’s future remains highly uncertain, as he has yet to renew and the Blaugrana would be open to a transfer. In this context, the 26-year-old striker is attracting interest from two major Premier League clubs, leaving his future unclear.

After starting the 2025-26 season in top form, Ferran has hit a significant slump in his performance. Having last scored on January 31 against Elche EF, the Spaniard has now gone two months without contributing a goal. As a result, Barcelona would be open to a transfer, reports Diario Sport. Given this situation, the 26-year-old striker is attracting interest from the Premier League.

According to TEAMtalk, Ferran Torres current situation at FC Barcelona has caught the attention of Manchester United and Arsenal. While his current form is not at its best, both clubs still have him on their radar since his time at Manchester City, as he can perform both as a striker and as a winger. In addition, the Blaugranas would be open to selling him if a strong offer arrives.

Red Devils are reportedly targeting Ferran Torres as the natural replacement for Joshua Zirkzee, who is expected to leave in the summer of 2026 after lacking playing time. Given his versatility and scoring ability, the Spaniard is a priority for Manchester United, alongside Iliman Ndiaye of Everton. This contrasts with Arsenal, who consider the 26-year-old star more as an option if he becomes available at a good price.

Barcelona may extend Ferran Torres deal amid Julián Álvarez uncertainty

Throughout the season, Barcelona have reportedly made Julián Álvarez a priority to strengthen their attack. However, Atlético Madrid are looking to keep him by offering a contract renewal. As a result, the Argentine’s potential move to the Blaugrana is at risk, meaning they could opt to renew Ferran Torres and rely on their current talents if they are unable to secure a top-level reinforcement.

After his re-election as president, Joan Laporta stated that the Blaugranas are in no rush to sign a striker: “We have two great center forwards, Ferran and Lewandowski, and I’m delighted with both of them,” he said, via Mundo Deportivo. With this perspective, they remain open to renewing Ferran Torres’ contract, as they do not appear ready to spend over €100 million on a new striker.

Türkiye Sigorta Basketbol Süper Ligi'nin 24. haftasında Karşıyaka, sahasında Mersinspor'u 92-87 yendi.

Salon: Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Karşıyaka

Hakemler: Fatih Arslanoğlu, Ziya Özorhon, Tolga Akkuşoğlu

Karşıyaka: Young 25, Samet Geyik 6, Gordic , Bishop 13, Moody 12, Sokolowski 11, Serkan Menteşe, Manning 8, Alston 3, Mert Celep 14, Ege Özçelik

Mersinspor: Cowan 9, Cruz 16, Ergi Tırpancı 6, White 12, Enoch 2, Olaseni 18, Kartal Özmızrak 7, March, Leon Apaydın 15, Chassang, Hakan Sayılı 2

1.? ?Periyot: 21-34

Devre: 55-42

3.? ?Periyot: 74-72

Milli motosikletçi Bahattin Sofuoğlu, Dünya Superbike Şampiyonası'nın Portekiz etabında hafta sonunun ikinci yarışını geçirdiği kaza nedeniyle tamamlayamadı.

Dünya Superbike Şampiyonası'nda sezonun ikinci ayağında son yarış, Portimao kentinde yer alan Algarve Pisti'nde gerçekleştirildi.

Red Bull sporcusu Bahattin Sofuoğlu, Yamaha'nın Motoxracing Worldsbk takımıyla katıldığı 20 turluk yarışın 5. turunda bir virajda motorunu düşürdü. Kazanın ardından ayağa kalkan milli motosikletçi, garaja geri döndü ve yarışı tamamlayamadı. Portekiz'de son yarışta, Bahattin ile birlikte 7 sporcu bitiş çizgisine ulaşamadı.

Portekiz'de son yarışı, Aruba Ducati takımından İtalyan sürücü Nicolo Bulega birinci, Aruba Ducati takımının diğer pilotu İspanyol Iker Lecuona ikinci, ROKiT BMW Motorrad takımından Portekizli sürücü Miguel Oliveira ise üçüncü sırada bitirdi.

Dün Portekiz'de koşulan ilk yarışı da Bulega birinci, Lecuona ikinci ve Oliveira da üçüncü tamamlamıştı.

Dünya Superbike Şampiyonası'nda sezonun üçüncü ayağı, 17-19 Nisan tarihlerinde Hollanda'nın Assen şehrinde bulunan TT Assen Circuit Pisti'nde koşulacak.

Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu (TFF), Romanya Teknik Direktörü Mircea Lucescu için geçmiş olsun mesajı yayımladı.

TFF'nin internet sitesinden yapılan açıklamada, "Romanya Milli Takımı Teknik Direktörü Mircea Lucescu'nun, Slovakya ile oynanacak özel maç öncesinde takımı ile yaptığı bir toplantı sırasında rahatsızlanarak hastaneye kaldırıldığını büyük bir üzüntüyle öğrenmiş bulunuyoruz. Durumunu yakından takip ettiğimiz A Milli Takım eski teknik direktörümüzün sağlık durumu stabil olup hastanedeki tedavisi devam etmektedir. Türk futboluna gerek kulüp gerekse milli takım düzeyinde büyük katkılarda bulunmuş olan Mircea Lucescu'ya ve Romanya Futbol Federasyonuna geçmiş olsun dileklerimizi iletiyor, Rumen teknik adamın en kısa sürede sağlığına kavuşmasını diliyoruz." ifadeleri kullanıldı.

Voleybol Vodafone Sultanlar Ligi play-off 1-4 etabı ilk maçında Fenerbahçe Medicana, deplasmanda Zerenspor'u 3-0 yendi.

Fenerbahçe Medicana,Voleybol Vodafone Sultanlar Ligi play-off 1-4 etabı ilk maçında deplasmanda Zerenspor'u 3-0 yendi.

Karşılaşmaya iyi başlayan Fenerbahçe Medicana, Vargas ve Eda Erdem'in etkili oyunuyla 7-4 öne geçti. Başkent ekibi, Lazareva ve Uzelac ile rakibine karşılık vererek skoru eşitledi: 11-11. Defans hatalarıyla Fenerbahçe'nin 15-12 öne geçmesi sonrası Zerenspor mola aldı. Mola dönüşü bloktaki etkinliğini arttırarak üst üste üç sayı alan başkent temsilcisi, durumu 15-15 yaptı. Daha sonra oyuna ağırlığını koyan Fenerbahçe Medicana, rakibine fazla sayı şansı tanımadı ve seti 25-17 üstün bitirdi.

Etkili performansını ikinci sete de taşıyan Fenerbahçe Medicana, 13-7 öne geçti. Lazareva'nın etkili mücadelesiyle toparlanarak sayı bulan Zerenspor, farkı 3 sayıya (12-15) indirdi. Rakibinin yaptığı hataları iyi değerlendiren başkent ekibi, farkı 1 sayıya (21-22) düşürdü. Mücadeleyi bırakmayan Fenerbahçe Medicana, bu seti de 25-22 aldı.

Üçüncü setin ilk bölümünde Vargas ile etkili olan Fenerbahçe Medicana, 10-4 öne geçti. Başkent ekibi Gatina ile bulduğu sayılarla farkı eritmeye çalışırken, üstün oyununu devam ettiren sarı-lacivertli takım bu seti de 25-19 alarak müsabakayı 3-0 kazandı.

İki galibiyete ulaşan takımın tur atlayacağı seride ikinci maç, 2 Nisan Perşembe günü İstanbul'da Burhan Felek Vestel Voleybol Salonu'nda oynanacak.

Salon: TVF Ziraat Bankkart Voleybol

Hakemler: Koray Yılmazgil, Erkan Sarı

Zerenspor: Beyza Arıcı, Malinov, Uzelac, Janset Cemre Erkul, Lazareva,

Saliha Şahin (Özlem Güven, Ceren Önal, Eylül Karadaş, Kübra Akman, Gatina)

Fenerbahçe Medicana: Orro, Fedorovtseva, Aslı Kalaç, Vargas, Hande Baladın,

Eda Erdem Dündar (Gülce Güçtekin, Gizem Örge, Milenkovic, Ana Cristina)

Setler: 17-25, 22-25, 19-25

Süre: 85 dakika (24, 32, 29)

“Nyukasl”ın futbolçusu Sandro Tonali yayda klubunu dəyişə bilər.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, “Mançester Siti” və “Mançester Yunayted” italiyalı yarımmüdafiəçinin xidmətində maraqlıdır. Bu barədə “Goal” nəşri məlumat yayıb.

Tonali yayda klubdan ayrılmağa müsbət yanaşır. O, hələ seçimini etməyib.

Yarımmüdafiəçi bu mövsüm Premyer Liqada 29 oyunda 2 məhsuldar ötürmə edib.

Azərbaycan II Liqasında XX turun növbəti oyunları keçirilib.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, “Qaradağ Lökbatan” – “Şirvan” matçında 10 qol vurulub.

“Quba” “Ağstafa Gəncləri”ni məğlub edib.

Azərbaycan II Liqası
XX tur

29 mart

“Ağstafa Gəncləri” – “Quba” 0:1
Qol: Bəhram Köçərli, 32.

“Ağdaş” – “Araz Saatlı” 0:0

“Şəmkir” – “Göygöl” 0:0

“Qaradağ Lökbatan” – “Şirvan” 7:3
Qollar: Rəhman Quliyev, 3. Ramil Orucov, 40; 73. Rövşən Şahmuradov, 53; 60-pen. Emil Quluzadə, 86. Sabir Allahquliyev, 87 – Elgün Xəlilov, 13. Elcan Rəsulov, 43. Ramiz Məmmədov, 79.

“Tottenhem” baş məşqçisi İqor Tudorla vidalaşıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə klubun mətbuat xidməti məlumat yayıb. Mütəxəssislə müqaviləyə qarşılıqlı razılaşma əsasında xitam verilib.

Tudor ötən aydan komandaya rəhbərlik edirdi. “Tottenhem” onun başçılığı altında 7 oyunda 1 qələbə qazanıb, 5 dəfə uduzub.

Source

Italy changed their schedule ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup play-off in Bosnia, but it seems as if Gennaro Gattuso is not inclined to change his starting XI.

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday March 31 at 19.45 UK time.

The Azzurri laboured to a 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland in Thursday’s semi-final in Bergamo, with goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean.

Italy preparing for Bosnia trip

They had been due to fly out on Monday morning, but UEFA asked them to delay that because the pitch in Zenica is so bad that they fear two teams training on it will only cause further damage.

The situation is made worse by the weather conditions, as there has been heavy rain and on Saturday even snow.

Gattuso’s men therefore remained at the Coverciano camp today and the indications from Sky Sport Italia suggest there will be no changes to the starting XI.

It means Mateo Retegui should again be preferred to Inter striker Francesco Pio Esposito, and Matteo Politano chosen ahead of Marco Palestra.

Atalanta forward Gianluca Scamacca took part in training, having missed the semi-final with a muscular issue.

Alessandro Bastoni shook off that knock to his ankle that made him a doubt for the Northern Ireland match.

The only other possible change mentioned in the media was Bryan Cristante for Manuel Locatelli, who Gattuso had criticised for sitting too deep, but here too it looks as if the same XI is being tested out.

Italy (3-5-2): Donnarumma; Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui

Christian Pulisic admits he has been going through ‘a tough patch’ with both Milan and the USMNT, but ‘a ball will hit off my knee and go in, and then things will change.’

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The striker had been on stunning form in 2025, but has not found the net for the Rossoneri at all in this calendar year, adding to an international drought that has been going since 2024.

He suffered another frustrating night when the USA warmed up for their host duties at the World Cup this summer with a 5-2 home defeat at the hands of Belgium.

Pulisic recognises difficult spell

“For me it’s disappointing,” Pulisic told reporters. “I feel I can do better on one of the chances. I missed that, and then they go and they score, and it changes the game. It’s frustrating for me for sure.”

The chance was when he ballooned over the bar at 1-1, followed moments later by Belgium taking the lead 2-1.

Now the 27-year-old is trying to think positive, despite the difficulties he is encountering in front of goal both at club and international level.

“It’s been a tough patch, but I feel confident in the way I’m playing,” he insisted.

“I feel good and I’m creating chances. So I just have to stay positive and keep going. But yeah, I have to be more clinical in those moments.”

Pulisic hopes that the old adage about goals being like a bottle of ketchup, once the blockage is over and the flow starts, it doesn’t stop, will be true in his case.

All he needs is that little bit of luck that every striker requires at a certain point in their careers.

“I know a ball will hit off my knee and go in, and then things will change. So I’m not going to panic – better now than the summer. Things are going to change.”

He has nonetheless got 10 goals and three assists in 27 official matches for Milan this season, but they all came before New Year’s Day.

Pulisic hasn’t found the net in Serie A since the 3-0 victory over Hellas Verona on December 28.

Carlos Augusto is pushing for more playing time, so could reportedly leave Inter for another Serie A adventure with Roma or Juventus.

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The 27-year-old is a Joker in the pack for Cristian Chivu, able to play in a variety of roles in a back three or on the left wing.

His current contract runs to June 2028 and he was purchased from Monza in 2024 for €13.25m.

Carlos Augusto appreciated within Serie A

So far this season, Carlos Augusto has amassed 37 competitive appearances, with two goals and two assists, but only 20 of them were in the starting XI.

According to the Corriere dello Sport, the Brazilian is frustrated at the lack of playing time and would be open to a situation with greater consistency.

Juventus had already been mentioned in recent weeks, but Roma are emerging as very strong contenders for his signature.

This is because Gian Piero Gasperini’s style of football would be suited to his talents, and they are likely to lose Zeki Celik as a free agent at the end of the season, sending Kostas Tsimikas back to Liverpool too.

Inter are seeking a player they can include in an exchange to lower the cost of their bid for midfielder Manu Koné, so along with Davide Frattesi, Carlos Augusto could also be involved in that deal.

However, the Corriere dello Sport insists this would be a separate agreement, with Inter requesting €20m for the Brazilian.

Arsenal duo Piero Hincapie and Martin Zubimendi have withdrawn from their respective national squads due to injury, leaving Mikel Arteta with a selection headache. The Gunners have now had 10 players return to north London to receive medical treatment or assessment. Hincapie left Ecuador’s squad on Sunday, having played 72 minutes of their 1-1 draw […]

The post Arsenal injury worries compounded with Hincapie, Zubimendi withdrawals appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Arsenal injury worries compounded with Hincapie, Zubimendi withdrawals appeared first on Soccer News.

One of the sadder sights on an otherwise brilliant night for the UFC on its visit to Seattle was of Niko Price trying to retire through the ceremony of Michael Chiesa’s own retirement. Price, who lasted just 63 seconds against Washington’s own Chiesa, could be seen cutting off the tape of his gloves, then laying them down in the center of the cage like an extra in a film, all while Daniel Cormier walked over the sacred act to talk to the man of the hour.

If that weren’t enough, the UFC then showed a montage of Chiesa’s career, spanning his beginnings as a boxcar sensation on "The Ultimate Fighter" all the way to the present-day graybeard before us. Price, a perennial B-side who had 21 fights in the UFC, obviously didn’t think the whole thing through. You don’t retire spontaneously when somebody advertises their last fight, as Chiesa did, on home soil.

By the time the celebration of Chiesa’s career was over, only Price’s gloves remained. It's the cruel nature of the game that some guys get trumpets on the way out, while some slink into the night without so much as a distant party horn.

The bigger wonder on Saturday night was whether two-time UFC champion Israel Adesanya, now into his own midnight showings, would walk away from the game if he were to lose against a comer like Joe Pyfer. Adesanya is one of the more celebrated ex-champions going, still with plenty of magnetism and pluck, yet to see him in the lead role on a Fight Night felt like a reluctant return to the ordinary.

Ordinary isn’t something we naturally use to describe Izzy; in that same cruel manner of the game, it’s something you fall to. Where would another loss drop him to next?

As you’d expect, the UFC turned down the house lights when Adesanya made his walk. The crowd in Seattle, nearly 18,000 partisans of "The Last Stylebender,” let up a roar. The hope was that the earthbound matchmaking might drag out a vintage Adesanya performance, and he tried to give it. Adesanya brought the fight to Pyfer, landing leg kicks from range and returning fire to Pyfer’s head, high hats to that sweet chin music he likes to play.

It wasn’t going badly for Izzy in what was his 77th professional combat mission, yet in the second round, after he’d eaten a couple of shots that seemed to galvanize a kind of inner-dog’s response, he decided caution wasn’t for him. He opted to stand with Pyfer. He was right in front of him, engaging in some roulette. It was as if he was as curious as the rest of us as to what was left, and besides, defiance was where he made his name.

“I said coming into this fight, it’s been 13 months,” Izzy explained after the fight, when pressed on the decision to brawl. “I wanted to feel like I’ve been in a fight, and he gave me just that.”

Izzy landed a couple of shots, snapping numbers in the wheelhouse that did recall a vintage form, but he couldn’t get out of the way of the punches coming at him in return. The big shots that landed hurt him. There was a left hand. A clean right. Then a takedown in which Pyfer went almost instantaneously into mount.

From there Pyfer slowly broke Adesanya the rest of the way down, first with the threat of a choke, and finally with a series of punches as Izzy laid flattened on his stomach. It was a hard visual to take in for Adesanya fans. The referee had no choice but to intervene. And just like that, it’s a four-fight losing streak for one of the UFC’s biggest recent star-like figures.

These twilight moments feel so ceremonial, especially when all around Adesanya were reminders of his past. There was Alex Pereira sitting cage-side, Izzy’s great rival for all those years dating back to GLORY Kickboxing. Pereira arrived to the UFC as the bane of Adesanya’s existence, but you could tell he was pulling for his nemesis. The profound connection of wars past. There was Eugene Bareman, of course, who helped construct Adesanya as a champion. And there was Yousri Belgaouri, who had lost to Adesanya twice in 2016 in the kickboxing ring, still glowing after having his biggest moment to date in beating Mansur Abdul-Malek on the prelims.

“I knew this was [Pyfer’s] biggest fight ever, I knew he was going to bring his best and he did,’ Adesanya told Cormier in the post-fight interview. “There was nothing surprising, I expected the best and he brought the best.”

Maybe what separates Adesanya is how he handles the cruel nature of the game. Even with the loss he seemed genuinely happy for Pyfer, who scored the biggest win of his career after what he described as a spiritual renaissance. Though it was skipped over in the commotion, Pyfer said he nearly took his life a couple of weeks back before finding God.

Instead, he kept going, and now with Adesanya’s scalp in his collection, he will be considered a contender in the middleweight division. None of it was lost on the former champion, who understands the dog-eat-dog nature of the thing he’s involved in.

As for Adesanya, who at 36 years old has now lost five of his past six fights? He intends to do what Pyfer did, which is press on.

“You keep going, again and again,” the former champ said. “And again, and again, and again. I’m not f***ing leaving. You’ll never stop me. I might get beaten, but I’ll always remain undefeated.”

Some guys were meant for the cruelest of games.

Mets' Luis Robert Jr. walk-off home run may have masked a problem originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

There are two ways to look at Luis Robert Jr.'s walk-off home run from Saturday night.

Either -- it wakes Robert up after a slow start to the season, or it masks a serious problem for the New York Mets' centerfielder.

Robert has been bumpy at the plate each of the past two seasons with the Chicago White Sox, but the hope for the Mets was that getting him to a change of scenery and more competitive team would wake him up.

Even with the homer, though, Robert's early-season analytics are bad.

Robert has the lowest average exit velocity of anyone in baseball with at least four batted ball events this season. 

He's hitting the ball at just 67.7 miles per hour on average.

MORE: Yankees break franchise record set by 1908 New York Highlanders

Robert is also pounding the ball into the ground, with a negative-9.5 degree launch angle.

The home run wasn't even crushed too much -- 94.2 MPH was just enough to get it out of the ballpark.

It's obviously a great moment that may awaken Robert going forward after just a slow start to the season in an admittedly very small sample size. 

But if Robert stays cold, keep an eye on his exit velocity and his launch angle. Robert has the tools to do great things, but he has to execute well in the box to get to those good outcomes, or it may look like more struggles going forward.

More MLB news:

• Wrigley Field wind impacted potential HR by more than 100 feet
• Aaron Judge ties Dodgers legend on MLB all-time record list
• Roman Anthony joins feat of 9 Hall of Famers
• Reds make umpire CB Bucknor look bad with ABS challenges
• Paul Skenes trade rumors involving Yankees are back
• The Mets already have a Bo Bichette problem

Cowboys’ George Pickens gets intriguing contract update originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Dallas Cowboys haven't done many things right over the past few years, and much of that has left them not the team they need to be on both sides of the ball. Offensively speaking, Dallas is typically really good, as Dak Prescott was awesome last season, and CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are both very good players. 

There's even an argument that they're the best duo in the NFL. However, the Cowboys now have to decide what they want to do with Pickens contract, and it doesn't sound like it'll be all sunshine and rainbows. 

According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, it could become the biggest question of the offseason.

“It feels like the George Pickens situation with the #Cowboys is poised to become the most interesting WR situation we have this offseason,” Schultz wrote.

Considering most wide receiver situations are somewhat done, at least on the free agency market, it makes sense that Pickens' situation will get the weirdest out of the bunch now. 

However, it's always tough for Cowboys fans to hear that they're going to be in another weird situation after what Jerry Jones has done over the past few seasons. 

After what Pickens did last season, there's not much of a reason not to keep him around. I understand not wanting to pay two wide receivers big money, but he was incredible a year ago.

More NFL news:

• Former Seahawks star Richard Sherman gives his honest thoughts on Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s contract
• Browns predicted to get major haul for Myles Garrett that would set team up well for future
• Lions trade idea brings in top edge rusher in football after Browns’ Myles Garrett trade report was shut down
• Report indicates that Raiders’ Maxx Crosby trade will still happen eventually
• Dolphins trade proposal replaces Jaylen Waddle with young Packers receiver
• Ex-Dolphins QB returns to football and breaks silence on why after signing with Lions

Notre Dame vs. UConn box score: Full stats from 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

UConn and Notre Dame will face each other for the first time with a Final Four bid on the line. The winner of Sunday's final in Fort Worth Regional 1 will fill the first slot for the Final Four in Phoenix.

Out of the eight times these two programs have previously met in the tourney, the Huskies are 5-3. However, they're 2-2 going back to the 2013-14 season. These two met earlier this year with UConn protecting home court in a 85-47 blowout win. 

The sixth-seeded Irish (25-10) is in its first Elite Eight since 2019 and taking on the defending national champion and top overall seed Huskies (37-0), who have a 53-game winning streak. For Notre Dame to beat UConn, they'll have to play mistake free basketball on both ends of the floor. 

More:UConn's Geno Auriemma fires off blunt message about women's college hoops

Here is a look at the box score from Sunday's Elite Eight Regional 1 in Fort Worth.

Notre Dame vs. UConn March Madness box score

Notre Dame stats 

UConn stats

What channel is Notre Dame vs. UConn on today?

Notre Dame vs. UConn How to Watch
Date: Sunday, March 29
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Dickeys Arena- Fort Worth, Texas 
TV: ABC (Available on FuboTV)

More college basketball news:

• Hubert Davis buyout, contract details as UNC Tar Heels coach
• Seven championship worthy teams in 2026 NCAA men’s basketball bracket
• John Calipari says college athletics is broken — Here’s his plan to fix it
• Fact check: AJ Dybantsa was paid $7 million-plus at BYU
• Where Arkansas Darius Acuff Jr. ranks among John Calipari's best NBA guards

Minnesota Vikings fans are mourning the loss of a legendary member of the team this weekend.

On Saturday, we received word that linebacker Jeff Siemon had passed away at the age of 75.

Siemon was the Vikings’ first-round pick, selected tenth overall, in the 1972 NFL Draft after a very successful college career at Stanford. While with the Cardinal, he won two Rose Bowls and received the Dick Butkus Award in 1971, an award given to the top linebacker in the country. Those accomplishments got him inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

With the Vikings, Siemon was a four-time Pro Bowler as part of an outstanding group of linebackers that included Roy Winston, Wally Hilgenberg, and Matt Blair. He was a part of three of the Vikings’ Super Bowl teams during his career.

Siemon never played for any team but the Vikings, spending all eleven of his NFL seasons in purple and retiring following the strike-marred 1982 season. He and his family continued to live in the Twin Cities area after his retirement.

If you have any memories of Jeff Siemon to share from his time with the Vikings, please share them with us in the comments.

We at The Daily Norseman want to send our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Jeff Siemon on the occasion of his passing.

Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi (18) is yet to decide on the country he’ll represent at the highest international level. The 18-year-old has long been billed as a midfield prodigy following his breakout performances with formative club Lille OSC. Les Dogues are reportedly seeking a club-record sale for Bouaddi, which would surpass Nicolas Pépé’s €80m move to Arsenal.

Bouaddi is eligible to play for France and Morocco. The French FA is reportedly pushing to steer the midfielder towards Les Bleus. For this March international break, Bouaddi has been given the skipper’s armband for Gérard Baticle’s U21 team.

“For now, I haven’t made a decision“, Bouaddi said in a press conference transcribed by L’Equipe. “Of course, choosing a national team is a major decision in a career. I’m giving myself some time. I don’t want to rush things.” The Lille midfielder adds that he felt no pressure regarding the choice of his national team allegiance before the 2026 World Cup.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

One day after his team was eliminated from the NCAA Ice Hockey Tournament, Porter Martone has departed Michigan State and signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Martone was Philadelphia’s first-round pick (sixth overall) in the 2025 draft.

SIGNED 👏

2025 sixth overall pick Porter Martone is joining the @NHLFlyers!

Powered by @SAPpic.twitter.com/N2Rt1Htwet

— NHL (@NHL) March 29, 2026

Martone is one of just five freshmen in Michigan State history to put up 50 points in a season and is the first since 1991-92. He scored 25 goals and had 25 assists for the Spartans.

The Spartans lost a bid for the Frozen Four after surrendering a 3-1 third-period lead to Wisconsin and then giving up the winning goal just 19 seconds into overtime.

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan State's Porter Martone signs deal with Philadelphia Flyers

The Cincinnati Bengals don’t often get accused of overpaying players. 

That’s a combination of the team's national reputation and the fact that, generally speaking, the front office is pretty good at juggling their salary cap. They’re never one of those teams in trouble because of bad contracts. 

Still, Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon was tasked with naming each NFL team’s most overpaid player and the pick was wideout Tee Higgins: 

“For the third consecutive season, Cincinnati's "other" receiver is the clear-cut "winner" here. Higgins did score a career-high 11 touchdowns in 2025, but he fell short of 1,000 yards for the third year in a row. It's wild that he's one of the 12 highest-paid receivers in the league with a $28.8 million AAV. “

On a normal team, the honor might go to someone like Orlando Brown ($19.2 million cap number this year) or BJ Hill ($12.1 million). 

But when it comes to roster construction, the Bengals aren’t a normal team. There’s the Joe Burrow-Ja’Marr Chase-Tee Higgins trio to consider.

Yes, the Bengals would like Higgins to get past some of his nagging injury woes over the years. But he opens up the offense, has scored 21 times over the last two seasons and many teams would be paying him like a No. 1. 

Which is to say, the Bengals won’t really complain if Higgins pops up on a list like this. 

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals accused of overpaying a player most teams would

Former Seahawks star Richard Sherman gives his honest thoughts on Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s contract originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Former Seattle Seahawks star Richard Sherman is so refreshing to listen to, as he's one of the former players who has a lot of love for this current era. After Jaxon Smith-Njigba reset the wide receiver market, Sherman had a lot to say about it. Some question if Seattle made the right decision by giving him all that money, as every contract that big typically gets looked at under a different light. 

Instead of hating on him for getting more money than anybody during his time, he actually believes this is a great deal because they got it done at the perfect time. 

“The Seahawks did a great job getting this deal done early enough that it only looks like $32 million a year if you spread it over the lifetime of the deal, which is an absolute bargain for a receiver that just won Offensive Player of the Year,” Sherman said.

By locking Smith-Njigba in now, the Seahawks avoided the possibility of this becoming even more expensive when the time came. We also have to factor in that there's always a possibility of players leaving if they were to hit the open market. 

There's also the factor that says the Seahawks were incredible last season, by far the best team in the NFL, and should do a lot to ensure that they have their top players returning for as long as possible.

“He is only trending up, only going to continue to grow rapport and relationship with Sam Darnold, and continue to thrive,” Sherman added.

More NFL news:

• Browns predicted to get major haul for Myles Garrett that would set team up well for future
• Lions trade idea brings in top edge rusher in football after Browns’ Myles Garrett trade report was shut down
• Report indicates that Raiders’ Maxx Crosby trade will still happen eventually
• Dolphins trade proposal replaces Jaylen Waddle with young Packers receiver
• Ex-Dolphins QB returns to football and breaks silence on why after signing with Lions
• Broncos reportedly interested in quarterback despite having the position solved

According to official DFB figures, more than 3,000 amateur matches in Germany were abandoned last season due to incidents of violence and discrimination. The verbal or physical abuse is often directed at the referees. That was also the case in Brazil in 2015.

When the Amantes da Bola team went after referee Gabriel Murta, however, they had no idea who they were dealing with.

The referee in charge of the match between Amantes and hosts Brumadinho was, in his day job, a police officer — and he quickly used that to his advantage during the game. After several physical attacks, Murta tried to go after one of the players. His assistants, however, managed to calm him down and convince him to head to the dressing room with them.

Once in the tunnel area, though, Murta changed his mind. After reaching into his locker, he headed back out. What followed were unbelievable scenes.

The referee returned to the pitch with his service weapon in his hand. While some of the away players fled immediately, Murta had to be restrained by his assistants.

"I was punched in the face and kicked in the shin. Several players surrounded me, and I went to the dressing room to get my gun and arrest one of the players," the then-27-year-old later told Brazilian media.

Although, thankfully, no shots were fired, the football association of the state of Minas Gerais suspended him and ordered a psychological evaluation. Weeks later, a surprising statement followed.

"He acted in self-defense. Everyone knows how difficult amateur championships are. Referees have often found themselves in dangerous situations. There have already been several cases in which referees were attacked and even shot at," said the association’s chairman, Giuliano Bozzano.

Gabriel Murta was allowed to continue refereeing and even worked his way up to Brazil’s fourth tier, Série D. However, the now 37-year-old last officiated a match there in 2021. Fortunately, without any further incidents.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

So 44 days might not sound like a long time, but in the case of Igor Tudor and Spurs, it was 44 days too long.

The appointment was always inappropriate and unlikely to succeed. A strict disciplinarian who had never coached in the Premier League before, let alone with any connection to Tottenham Hotspur, was always going to struggle to galvanise a squad this severely lacking in confidence and so desperately depleted by injuries.

Indeed, Tudor never seemed comfortable with the players or committed to the significant task at hand.

His Antonio Conte-style news conferences served as early warnings as he appeared to distance himself from the challenge. His physical training sessions did little to boost morale or improve players' understanding of what was expected tactically.

His mishandling of our young goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky was a red flag that, ultimately, could not be ignored.

There was a moment of respite as we clawed a point off Liverpool and claimed a victory against Atletico Madrid, but even the most hopeful of fans sensed these were probably false dawns.

The fact that someone, somewhere in Lilywhite House thought it was the right move to appoint Tudor in the first place is what concerns me most.

The club wasted time waiting for things to click with Thomas Frank, who should have been sacked weeks, if not months, before he eventually was.

To then appoint someone like Tudor simply speaks to the astonishing incompetence playing out in the boardroom right now.

There is no room for error any more. There is no time left to waste. The next move has to be perfect.

We need a manager who is going to remind these players of their quality, connect with them, inspire them and lead the way to Premier League survival.

Ideally, it will be someone who knows and loves Spurs as much as we do.

Find more from Ali Speechly at Women Of The Lane and on Instagram

Roman Reigns is one of WWE's biggest stars and has been in the main event scene for many years. He's been WWE Champion four times and had a record-breaking reign as the Universal Champion, a title he held for 1,316 days. His rise to the top was bumpy and some fans really hated him.

The main event of WrestleMania 32 saw Reigns go head-to-head with Triple H. At the time, Reigns was being booed in places like Philadelphia. He was primed to be WWE's next big star, but due to the negative reaction that Reigns was receiving, WWE made the decision to have him defeat HHH at the biggest show of the year.

On his podcast, David Otunga shared his point of view. At the time, he was learning to become a broadcaster and was working under Michael Cole. He understood that WWE was trying to negate the negativity around Reigns, but he thinks they "overcorrected". He believes the reason behind the decision to have Reigns face Triple H was to elevate him. "I felt like HHH represents the office. This guy represents Vince...with Reigns going over, I felt like that was passing the torch."

Otunga says that HHH is one of the greatest of all time and further explained the importance of HHH being the one to pass the torch to Reigns. "He's a legend and all of this was adding to Roman's mystique and this was the main event of WrestleMania. Beating HHH? In the main event of WrestleMania? It doesn't get much bigger than that. So how could this not be the passing of the torch with all that they put Roman through for the past year? It was leading to this. He finally triumphed." Otunga doesn't know if the fans agreed, but it was the payoff of the story.

Reigns has main evented WrestleMania more than any other wrestler. He currently holds a record of 9-3 at "The Showcase of the Immortals". He is scheduled to main event WrestleMania again this year when he faces CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship on Night 2. 

Read more: Wrestlers Who Can't Stand Roman Reigns

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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.

Tiger Woods‘ colleagues on the PGA tour are seemingly running out of patience with him following his recent crash and arrest for allegedly driving under the influence.

Although the golf icon escaped unscathed from the accident, PGA stars have called for him to take “accountability” and face “punishment,” while others called for him to step away from golf and focus on his recovery.

President Donald Trump weighed in on the situation with his friend, saying he feels “so badly” for Tiger Woods as he’s going through “some difficulty.”

PGA Stars Call On Tiger Woods To Step Up And Do Better

Several PGA stars have called for Tiger Woods to take “accountability” and do some inner work after he was involved in a rollover crash on Friday.

The incident marked his second DUI arrest and fourth public vehicle wreck, but his colleagues have called time on his behavior, suggesting he fights his “demons” now or something worse could happen down the line.

“I don’t like sugar-coating things, and the way I look at it, there’s got to be some sort of punishment or withdrawal or some sort of suspension from the game,” former PGA golfer Mark Lye said Saturday on “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

He added, “I’m just wondering where the discipline that he’s learned to convey on the golf course is [going to] take hold in his personal life. Obviously, he’s got demons going on. We all feel bad for Tiger, but you know something, there’s got to be accountability, and it’s got to happen soon.”

Lye went ahead to implore the PGA to take action against Woods, warning he’ll only “escape” punishment if nothing happens.

The Golf Legend May Have Been Under The Influence Of A ‘Medication Or Drug’

Woods was reportedly driving his posh Land Rover a few miles away from his Jupiter Island home when he tried to overtake a truck pulling a small trailer on a narrow stretch of South Beach Road with a speed limit of 30mph.

He then clipped the back of the trailer as the truck driver attempted to pull over, causing his vehicle to flip onto the driver’s side and slide across the road.

Florida authorities said he was under “some type of medication or drug” when the incident happened, and took him into custody, where he spent roughly 8 hours before he was released.

PGA Tour Announcer Says ‘Stepping Away Might Be The Best Thing’ For Tiger Woods

PGA Tour announcer Doug Bell also shared that the 50-year-old needs to take some time away from the game and focus on recovery.

“It’s troublesome to see what happened yesterday. It is a pattern that has developed,” Bell told the news outlet. “He’s dealing with something that we don’t know what’s going on inside his head, the pain that he’s in from all the surgeries.”

Doug added, “Maybe stepping away might be the best thing, but it’s hard to keep a man this competitive away from something that he loves so, so much.”

The Golfer Has A Long History Of Car Accidents

Law enforcement revealed that Woods appeared “lethargic” and showed “signs of impairment” following the accident. He took a breathalyzer test and was found to have a 0.00% BAC, but refused to take a urinalysis test.

He was then arrested and charged with driving under the influence with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. Both charges are misdemeanors.

Woods’ long history of vehicular incidents involves a November 2009 crash when he rammed his SUV into a fire hydrant and a tree outside of his home near Orlando, Florida, per the NewYork Times. He was found to be guilty but didn’t face charges beyond a citation for careless driving.

Again, on May 29, 2017, he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence as police found him asleep in his car while the engine was still running. He pleaded guilty to reckless driving but explained that the incident was an “unexpected reaction” to multiple prescription drugs he’d consumed.

In February 2021, he survived a fatal crash on a busy road near Los Angeles that almost resulted in the amputation of his right leg. Authorities said that there were no signs of impairment in that crash, and the golf icon was wearing his seat belt.

Tiger Woods To Reportedly Miss Out On Masters Tournament

Over the years, Woods’ accident-prone nature has impacted his health and career, as he has had to take time away to recover from surgeries.

President Donald Trump said he felt bad for him and suggested that he’s going through a rough patch, although it remains unclear what exactly.

“I feel so badly. He’s got some difficulty. There was an accident, and that’s all I know. A very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person, an amazing man. But some difficulty,” Trump told reporters ahead of a speaking engagement in Miami.

Woods had managed to be steady since making a return to golf, but President Trump suggested that he would not make it for the 2026 Masters Tournament.

“I love Tiger, but he won’t be there. Well, he’ll be there, but he won’t be playing in it,” Trump said on Fox News’ “The Five.”

The Tiger Woods’ PGA Colleagues Call For Him To Face ‘Punishment’ After His Crash And DUI Bust: ‘He’s Got Demons Going on’ first appeared on The Blast

Thomas Tuchel has addressed the mixed reaction toward Ben White after the defender was booed by England fans during the 1-1 draw against Uruguay.

The moment stood out at Wembley, especially given the context surrounding White’s return to the national team.

And Tuchel did not shy away from responding.

Thomas Tuchel reacts to Ben White boos after Uruguay penalty incident

England head coach Thomas Tuchel spoke after the match when asked about the crowd’s reaction.

“I heard that he was booed. I didn’t hear it actually because I was involved in the changes and instructions. It cannot be the majority,” Tuchel said.

He added: “There were some boos and some mixed reception for him, which I’m disappointed about because of course, we protect our players.”

White’s reception was shaped by both his recent return to the England setup after a long absence and his role in the match.

The defender scored after coming on, but later conceded a stoppage-time penalty that allowed Uruguay to equalise, turning the mood in the stadium.

Thomas Tuchel backs Ben White despite fan reaction at Wembley

Despite the reaction, Tuchel made it clear that White retains full support from within the squad.

“He was excellent in camp and he deserved to come on. He deserved also to start. Got us almost a winner,” Tuchel continued.

He concluded, stating: “But I also understood that it happened to other players before here. So he needs to take it on the chin. We will always protect him.”

The comments underline a balance between backing the player and acknowledging the reality of playing in front of demanding home fans. It also reinforces that White’s standing within the team remains unchanged.

The incident ultimately reflects the pressure that comes with decisive moments on the international stage.

Read more:

A Masters 1000 title will be decided in Miami as Jiri Lehecka faces Jannik Sinner in a high-profile championship showdown.

MORE: ATP World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz splurges on lavish purchase

How to live stream Jannik Sinner vs Jiri Lehecka

• Date: Saturday, March 28, 2026
• Time: 3:00 PM ET
• TV Channel: Tennis Channel
• Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)

Sinner brings championship experience and a well-rounded hard-court game that blends pace, precision, and movement. He has consistently proven difficult to break down, often extending rallies until opponents crack under sustained pressure, making him a difficult matchup in any final-stage environment.

– Watch Jannik Sinner vs Jiri Lehecka on Fubo –

Lehecka arrives with momentum and an attacking style that thrives when he is able to step inside the baseline and dictate with his forehand. His serve will be a major weapon in this matchup, and if he can maintain a high first-serve percentage while avoiding extended baseline exchanges, he has the tools to keep the final competitive deep into the match.

Live stream Jannik Sinner vs Jiri Lehecka with Fubo: Start your free trial now!

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MARCH MADNESS: 2026 Sweet 16 TV schedule, game times & dates for NCAA Tournament

NFL: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks make NFL history with blockbuster deal

NBA: Warriors’ Moses Moody suffers serious knee injury on dunk attempt

SPORTS MEDIA: Select CBS, TNT Sports record highest-rated opening day in NCAA Tournament history

ENTERTAINMENT: WWE’s Liv Morgan chugs beer to fire up Boston crowd ahead of ‘Monday Night RAW’

VIRAL: Aryna Sabalenka devours $100 Miami Open ‘Golden Glizzy’ after QF berth

When Coco Gauff first burst onto the scene, the tennis world knew her as Cori Gauff, her legal name.

But that quickly changed, with the American superstar widely known now by one name and one name only.

Any traces of Cori have seemingly long been forgotten about by many inside and outside of the tennis world, including fans, her rivals and the media.

The WTA ace addressed the issue back at the 2024 US Open, when Gauff was just starting to attempt to successfully defend her title.

Coco Gauff explained her change from Cori Gauff back in 2024

After winning her opening match of the tournament in New York, the home hero revealed: “My aunt says she came up with calling me Coco.

“But then my dad [Corey Gauff] said when he was younger, people used to call [him] ‘Co.’ Then he was like, ‘I’ll call my daughter Coco.’

“I don’t know which story is actually true, but they both get pretty mad if I don’t say both of them.

“Every time I check into hotels or people at the airport… they look at my ID, and obviously [at] the airport you book under your real name, but the person sometimes will recognize me and they’ll be like, ‘Wait, are you Coco?’

“I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s just a nickname. I’m not somebody that looks like her.’ In the hotel, sometimes, like, ‘Well, we don’t have your room.’

“I’m like, ‘It’s probably under Coco, not Cori,’ and then they’ll do that.”

She added: “I guess they didn’t want me to get my dad and me confused when my mom is yelling at one of us in the house.

“I think it’s cool to be known kind of [on] a first-name basis, in the tennis world, at least.

“I think maybe just because Coco is just so easy and recognizable.

“People like it more than using my last name, which kind of just sounds like a sport.”

Coco Gauff enjoys superb run before Miami Open final heartache

Of course, her name has become synonymous with American tennis, with Gauff currently the highest-ranked player from the nation.

That is across both women’s and men’s tennis, with the 22-year-old set to rise one place to third in the updated WTA rankings.

She is joined in the top 10 by compatriots Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova, with Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton in the ATP top 10.

Gauff’s climb arrives after the conclusion of the Miami Open, where the two-time Grand Slam champion fell agonizingly short of further career success.

She made it all the way to the final on home soil, but was beaten by top seed and world number one Aryna Sabalenka.

It will be a tough loss for the youngster to deal with, but she can hold her head high after a hugely impressive run.

Making her venture even more impressive was the fact that she was forced to retire hurt from Indian Wells earlier in the month because of an arm injury.

Gauff now turns her focus to the 10-tournament clay-court swing following the conclusion of the Sunshine Double.

Read more:

Frances Tiafoe jokes about how his girlfriend gives him advice like she’s Serena Williams

Iga Swiatek given advice on who to appoint as her new coach following Wim Fissette departure

The odd pattern emerging among players who beat Carlos Alcaraz

Italy changed their schedule ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup play-off in Bosnia, but it seems as if Gennaro Gattuso is not inclined to change his starting XI.

It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday March 31 at 19.45 UK time.

The Azzurri laboured to a 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland in Thursday’s semi-final in Bergamo, with goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean.

Italy preparing for Bosnia trip

UDINE – OCTOBER 14: Gennaro Gattuso, Head Coach of Italy, interacts with Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy after the team’s victory in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Israel at Stadio Friuli on October 14, 2025 in Udine. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

They had been due to fly out on Monday morning, but UEFA asked them to delay that because the pitch in Zenica is so bad that they fear two teams training on it will only cause further damage.

The situation is made worse by the weather conditions, as there has been heavy rain and on Saturday even snow.

UDINE – OCTOBER 14: Federico Dimarco of Italy looks on during the warm up prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Israel at Stadio Friuli on October 14, 2025 in Udine. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Gattuso’s men therefore remained at the Coverciano camp today and the indications from Sky Sport Italia suggest there will be no changes to the starting XI.

It means Mateo Retegui should again be preferred to Inter striker Francesco Pio Esposito, and Matteo Politano chosen ahead of Marco Palestra.

Atalanta forward Gianluca Scamacca took part in training, having missed the semi-final with a muscular issue.

Alessandro Bastoni shook off that knock to his ankle that made him a doubt for the Northern Ireland match.

BERGAMO – MARCH 26: Manuel Locatelli of Italy looks on during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio di Bergamo on March 26, 2026 in Bergamo. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

The only other possible change mentioned in the media was Bryan Cristante for Manuel Locatelli, who Gattuso had criticised for sitting too deep, but here too it looks as if the same XI is being tested out.

Italy (3-5-2): Donnarumma; Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui

The Houston Astros (1-2) continue their opening 4 game series against the Los Angeles Angels (2-1) this afternoon at Daikin Park.

RHP Tatsuya Imai will make his first big league start for the Astros opposite RHP Jack Kochanowicz and the Angels.

TODAY’S ASTROS STARTER: RHP Tatsura Imai is making his major league debut in a game every Astros fan has been looking forward to for months. Imai comes in with an excellent pedigree from the Japanese Professional League where he was 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA in 163.2 INN. Imai struck out 178 hitters and walked only 45 batters in those innings.

Imai put up great numbers this Spring, making three starts and posting a 0.00 ERA (0ER/6.0 IP) while allowing a microscopic .111 opponent batting average with 7 strikeouts.

Jack Kochanowicz Kochanowicz has been with the Angels since 2024. He spent most of last season in the rotation and pitched a portion of 2024 in Los Angeles. His best season came in 2024 when he was 2-6 with a 3.99 ERA in 11 starts. Last season he was 3-11 with a 6.81 ERA.

This spring, Kochanowicz was 0-0 with five starts. He had a 1.62 ERA in 16.2 INN. He had 15 strikeouts and four walks.

VS. THE ANGELS: The Astros open this season with a divisional series against the Angels, who the Astros went 8-5 against in 13 games last season. The Astros are 139-84 all time against the Angels and have won the season series against them in every full season dating back to 2015.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Saturday, March 29, 1:10 p.m. CST

Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX

TV: Space City Sports

Streaming: Space City Sports

Radio: KBME 790 AM; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2

MAI TO DEBUT: RHP Tatsuya Imai is making his MLB debut today after a stellar Spring Training, in which he worked a combined 9.2 scoreless innings across four starts…in January, the Astros signed Imai to a three-year deal…in 2025, he was an All-Star for the Seibu Lions in the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (NPB), where he went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA (35ER/163.2IP) in 24 games.

TODAY’S AVAILABILITIES: The Astros clubhouse will be open to approved media at Daikin Park from 10:10-11 a.m. CT…Astros Manager Joe Espada will be made available in the Astros dugout at approx. 11 a.m.

Houston Astros Lineup

SS Jeremy Pena

LF Yordan Alvarez

2B Isaac Parades

DH Jose Altuve

3B Carlos Correa

CF Joey Loperfido

1B Christian Walker

RF Cam Smith

C Christian Vazquez

Los Angeles Angels Lineup

SS Zach Neto

DH Mike Trout

1B Nolan Schanuel

RF Jorge Soler

3B Yoan Moncada

CF Jo Adell

LF Josh Lowe

C Travis d’Arnaud

2B Adam Frazier

According to a report from Bild (as captured by @iMiaSanMia), Bayern Munich will see two players return from loans this summer — and it might not be super-easy to relocate them once again:

It is currently highly unlikely that Tottenham and Roma will exercise their buy-options for João Palhinha and Bryan Zaragoza respectively.

Regarding the Portuguese midfielder, Bayern were initially confident that Spurs would sign him permanently for the €30m that was agreed last summer. However, with Tottenham’s current uncertain situation, relegation threat and the coaching changes, it’s unlikely Palhinha will be signed.

As originally discussed in the Sunday edition of the Daily Schmankerl, Zaragoza’s loan at AS Roma has not amounted to anything significant:

In the case of Zaragoza, Bayern and Roma agreed on an option to buy of around €13 million, which becomes mandatory if the Spaniard plays at least 50% of all possible minutes and the Italian club qualifies for at least the Europa League via Serie A. Eberl and Freund agreed to the move in January because they believed the prospects of a permanent transfer seemed better at Roma than at Celta Vigo. With the team currently in sixth place in the league, one of these conditions would indeed be met. However, in terms of playing time, Zaragoza is nowhere near the 50% required to trigger the option (19% in the league, 37% in the Europa League).

As it stands, neither Zaragoza, nor Palhinha are in Vincent Kompany’s plans and would be dead weight — and a financial burden — on the team’s roster:

Unless there’s a quick turnaround, Zaragoza and Palhinha will return to Munich in the summer – and subsequently face an uncertain future. Vincent Kompany is not planning with them for next season. The club would have to find a new destination for both players.

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

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Mariners' Luke Raley leads MLB in key stat ahead of Aaron Judge, Mike Trout originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Luke Raley has started the season, by one measure, better than any other hitter in baseball.

The Seattle Mariners' powerful left-handed hitter leads even Aaron Judge and Mike Trout in a crucial stat: barrels.

Raley has four barrels through Saturday's action. That's more than anyone in MLB. Judge and Trout both have three.

Barrels are essentially hard contact hit at an ideal launch angle to do damage. Raley is doing damage.

Raley has three hits this season. They're all home runs.

He's 3-for-9, and that fourth barrel turned into an out in an unlucky moment for Raley.

MORE: Yankees break franchise record set by 1908 New York Highlanders

This is a 31-year old lefty with 51 career home runs in 1,080 MLB at bats. While known for being able to do some damage against right-handed pitching, he's never had a stretch like this, no matter how short it may be.

Last season for the Mariners, Raley hit just four homers in 73 games. He had hit 19 home runs for the Rays in 2023 and 22 for the Mariners in 2024, so 2025 was a bit of a setback.

Now, it seems Raley may have found himself again.

He's an awesome story -- he played college baseball at Division II Lake Erie College in Ohio before the Dodgers took him in the 2016 seventh round.

Now, he's started the new season, 10 years after being drafted, on fire. Seattle would love if he keeps this up.

More MLB news:

• Wrigley Field wind impacted potential HR by more than 100 feet
• Aaron Judge ties Dodgers legend on MLB all-time record list
• Roman Anthony joins feat of 9 Hall of Famers
• Reds make umpire CB Bucknor look bad with ABS challenges
• Paul Skenes trade rumors involving Yankees are back
• The Mets already have a Bo Bichette problem

BALTIMORE — Byron Buxton isn’t the biggest fan of public speaking, so his speech during a postgame clubhouse celebration to honor new manager Derek Shelton’s first win at the helm of the Twins wasn’t long.

But it was important to Buxton to do to recognize the moment, though he can’t exactly take credit for the idea.

“I was just going to say ‘Congrats.’ I ain’t even think about it,’” Buxton said. “(Luke) Keaschall came to me and he kept the ball. He was like ‘Do you want to give this to Shelty?’ I was like ‘Veteran move by you right there, bro.’”

And so Buxton got up in front of the group and acknowledged the accomplishment for Shelton, saying a few words before tossing the ball to the manager, who received both the ball and the lineup card from Saturday night’s 4-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

Shelton previously served as the bench coach for the Twins from 2018-19 before leaving to manage the Pittsburgh Pirates for parts of six seasons. That ended with a firing last May, at which point Shelton had months of uncertainty where he didn’t know what would come next in a coaching career that spanned decades.

“We just wanted to let him know how much we care,” Buxton said. “We know how much he cares.”

Shelton mentioned repeatedly this spring how much of a privilege it is to put a uniform back on. It’s something that resonates with him even more after last year, when he was back at home in Florida during the middle of the season, away from the game during the summer for the first time in years.

Upon catching the ball from Buxton, Shelton said a few words, his voice cracking as he spoke to the group.

“You go through a lot of things in your life and don’t realize how things will turn out and then you end up in a situation you’re really excited about and you’ve wanted for a long time, so there was a lot of emotion,” Shelton said. “The emotion took over and I wasn’t able to express in that room how much that meant me because the emotions got to me.”

Gray gets start

With a trio of lefties lined up to pitch against the Twins in Kansas City, Shelton said Sunday was a “predetermined start” for backup infielder Tristan Gray.

Gray is a left-hander himself, while starting shortstop Brooks Lee is a switch hitter, making Sunday’s game against a right-hander a better opportunity for him to get a start than in Kansas City. With Gray in the lineup on Sunday, only outfielder James Outman did not start a game during the Twins’ first series of the year.

“One of the things I’ve learned from managing is you come out of spring training and you want to get all your guys involved,” Shelton said.

Gray, who wrapped up a spot on the Opening Day roster in the final days of spring training, said he feels comfortable around the infield, though he enjoys playing shortstop the most. Heading into this season, Gray had 47 games of major league experience, appearing at first, second, third and shortstop.

“If I can get a certain amount of reps at one particular spot, that’s when I get more comfort,” he said. With having said that, that goes into me taking ground balls every single day at every position so that whenever I get out there, nothing is foreign or unfamiliar and it’s been a couple of days since I’ve gotten one from that angle.”

Briefly

Simeon Woods Richardson will start the first game of the Twins’ series in Kansas City. Beyond that, Shelton said the team is “just playing it day by day.” The Twins have some flexibility with their rotation due to off days within each of the season’s first two series.

Related Articles

• Saints beat Indianapolis, 9-7, improve to 2-0
• Royce Lewis, Taj Bradley, bullpen help lead Twins to first victory
• First two games show how new manager Derek Shelton views lineup construction
• Saints open with road victory in Indianapolis
• Challenge system is a challenge for Twins: ‘It was time to fire away’

NL Star Draws MVP Prediction Amid Strong Start Against Red Sox originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

One analyst believes the Boston Red Sox are opening the 2026 season against an MVP candidate.

The Red Sox split their first two games with the Cincinnati Reds before Sunday's rubber match at Great American Ball Park. Elly De La Cruz struck out twice in each contest, but the shortstop has also gone 2-for-8 with two walks and a home run.

Shohei Ohtani captured the National League MVP award in back-to-back years since leaving the Los Angeles Angels for the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the two-way phenom remains a favorite to threepeat, MLB Network host Brian Kenny thinks De La Cruz can take the crown.

"If there's somebody that can combine everything with the speed ... a guy who can have an eight-win season that might challenge Ohtani, I think it's Elly De La Cruz," Kenny said. "Look, he's got to bolster his numbers. But with his baserunning runs and his defense at shortstop, I think he has a really good case."

Kenny made the same prediction last season, but De La Cruz hit .264/.336/.440 with 22 home runs and 4.3 fWAR. He also played through a partially torn left quad suffered in the second half, and his OPS cratered to .666 after the All-Star break.

A healthy De La Cruz could fulfill his superstar ceiling in his fourth MLB season. To Kenny's point, the dynamic athlete stole 67 bases and recorded 14 outs above average at shortstop in 2024.

Ohtani leads the field as a resounding -140 favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook to win NL MVP. De La Cruz matches New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor at +2500 behind Juan Soto (+700), Ronald Acuna Jr. (+1000) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (+2000).

Connelly Early and the Red Sox will look to contain De La Cruz when playing the Reds on Sunday at 1:40 p.m. ET.

More MLB: How Red Sox Rookie Pitcher Reacted To 'Interesting' MLB Debut

Browns predicted to get major haul for Myles Garrett that would set team up well for future originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

If Myles Garrett actually becomes available, there's reason to believe that we could see one of the biggest trades in NFL history. To put things as simply as possible, Garrett is highly regarded at the highest level, as many consider him the best player in the NFL still. 

According to Max Dible of Heavy, there’s a possibility that Garrett could command a massive return, potentially as big as three first-round picks. That might sound crazy to some, but it isn't as crazy when we look back at some other deals around the league in recent years. 

Dible pointed to a recent blockbuster deal involving Micah Parsons, where the Green Bay Packers sent two first-round picks to the Dallas Cowboys. 

"The cost for Detroit in a trade will likely be in the neighborhood of three first-round picks. However, if Garrett is on the block, the Lions probably have a good chance of getting in the conversation with an offer of pick Nos. 17 and 50 in Rounds 1 and 2, respectively, of this year’s draft along with a first-rounder in 2027," he wrote.

If the Browns were to be offered three first-round picks for Garrett, it'd almost feel wrong not to take the deal at this point. That isn't to say that he's been a legend for the organization and has done a lot, but the Browns just aren't in a position right now to say no to three first-round picks for anybody on their roster.

The only time the Browns should say no to something like that is if they eventually find their quarterback of the future, and the conversations then would be a lot different from what they are now.

More NFL news:

• Lions trade idea brings in top edge rusher in football after Browns’ Myles Garrett trade report was shut down
• Report indicates that Raiders’ Maxx Crosby trade will still happen eventually
• Dolphins trade proposal replaces Jaylen Waddle with young Packers receiver
• Ex-Dolphins QB returns to football and breaks silence on why after signing with Lions
• Broncos reportedly interested in quarterback despite having the position solved
• Denver Broncos sent stern warning amid questions about whether they can repeat showing next year

It’s the rubber match of the opening series of the season. Connelly Early makes his first start of the season against Rhett Lowder, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2024. Both bullpens are spent after a long game yesterday, so getting to the bullpen early should favor the offense. Masataka Yoshida makes his first start of the season in left field, moving Duran to center, Roman Anthony to DH, and Ceddanne Rafaela to the bench.

How to Watch or Listen

1:40 PM ET on NESN and WEEI

Lineups

Shortly before the Chicago Blackhawks hit the ice for the morning skate in New Jersey, the team announced a somewhat surprising roster transaction. Kevin Korchinski, another one of GM Kyle Davidson’s former first-round draft picks, was recalled from the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL.

Korchinski, the seventh overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, was present for the team’s morning skate, which explains why he didn’t suit up for the IceHogs against the Iowa Wild on Saturday night. He and Rockford were both given the heads-up that the roster move was coming, and the reason behind it became clear when Artyom Levshunov didn’t join the rest of his teammates on Sunday.

According to head coach Jeff Blashill, Levshunov suffered a fracture in his left hand in Tuesday’s win over the New York Islanders and played through it for the last two games. However, he’s now undergoing further testing and imagining, meaning he’ll draw out of the lineup against the New Jersey Devils in the final game of the road trip. Levshunov’s timeline to return is still to be determined.

Korchinski will make his fifth NHL appearance of the 2025-26 campaign on Sunday, and he’s expected to skate on the third pairing alongside Ethan Del Mastro. The two have plenty of experience together with the IceHogs this season, and the Blackhawks hope they can hold up together against New Jersey.

The Hawks will also be without Matt Grzelcyk, the lone veteran left on the blue line, once again for Sunday’s matchup. All six defensemen in the lineup will be between 21 and 24 years of age.

For more Blackhawks news, visit Chicago Hockey Now and like our Facebook Page.

Follow us on X:

@chihockeynow, @JackBushman2

The post Blackhawks Recall Korchinski, Levshunov Out vs. Devils With Injury appeared first on Chicago Hockey Now.

Texas A&M is still searching for consistency in SEC play, but after a 14–6 win over Missouri on Saturday, the Aggies now sit at 4–4 in conference action with a chance on Sunday to climb above .500. A major reason for that opportunity is the continued rise of true freshman third baseman Nico Partida.

For Partida, this season has been a full “learn on the job” experience. Thrust into an everyday role in the infield from Opening Day, he’s taken his lumps, four errors and the occasional cold stretch at the plate, but the overall body of work is undeniable. At the midway point of the season, Partida is slashing .337/.431/.592 with 33 hits, four doubles, 23 RBI, and seven home runs, production that firmly places him in the conversation for Freshman All‑SEC honors.

After enduring a 0-for-11 stretch in mid‑March, Partida has settled back in and is currently riding a five‑game hitting streak, tallying eight hits and three home runs during that span. In Game 2 against Missouri, he delivered the first multi‑home‑run performance of his young career, a clear sign that his confidence and timing are trending upward.

The future looks extremely bright for the freshman. Head coach Michael Earley has repeatedly praised Partida’s development and admitted there was a collective sigh of relief inside the program when the highly regarded prospect made it to campus after the MLB Draft.

And the Aggies still haven’t tapped into everything he can do. Partida was also a highly rated pitching prospect, and with the bullpen battling inconsistency, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him log a few innings before the season is over.

National evaluators are taking notice as well. Baseball America already views Partida as one of the premier names to watch for the 2028 MLB Draft, a projection that reflects both his present production and his long‑term ceiling.

Nico Partida has his first multi-homer game of his career 👏

The @AggieBaseball freshman tallies his seventh long ball of the season.

He’s a name to know for 2028 👀

(🎥@AggieBaseball)
pic.twitter.com/tpTQCzClRH

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) March 29, 2026

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Nico Partida’s multi‑HR game highlights Aggies’ win over Missouri

It didn't take long for Tiger Woods' mugshot to make the rounds after being arrested Friday and charged with DUI.

DUI investigators were called to the scene to perform roadside tests on Woods after he was involved in a rollover accident, and police on scene determined Woods was impaired. He was placed under arrest and transported to the Martin County Jail, where he remained until late Friday night. Once at the jail, a breathalyzer test determined that alcohol was not involved, but Woods refused to take a urine test. He was booked into jail on charges of DUI, property damage and refusal to submit a lawful test.

And on Saturday, fans showed up to the Texas Children's Houston Open with Woods' mugshot on white t-shirts with "#FreeTiger" printed beneath the photo.

After his 2017 arrest for DUI, Woods' mugshot made the rounds and quickly found it way on t-shirts, signs and more at events he competed in. Fans did the same for Scottie Scheffler after his incident at the 2024 PGA Championship.

And for a group of fans at Memorial Park, they didn't waste time doing the same with Woods.

Woods has not made a statement since his arrest Friday, and his status for the 2026 Masters is even more up in the air now after all signs pointed to him aiming to pay at Augusta National next month. Earlier this week, he played TGL for the first time in more than a year after an Achilles injury last March and another back surgery in October. Earlier Friday, it was confirmed Woods registered for the 2026 U.S. Senior Open but was not in the field yet.

Numerous figures from across the world reacted to Woods' arrest in the recent days, from President Donald Trump to fellow golfers and others.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Tiger Woods mugshot shows up on T‑shirts during Houston Open 2026

Lions trade idea brings in top edge rusher in football after Browns’ Myles Garrett trade report was shut down originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Detroit Lions have been linked to about every edge rusher in the NFL over the past few weeks, with Maxx Crosby obviously being the guy that many around the league would want. 

However, with Crosby seemingly not on the trade market anymore, many want them to look at Myles Garrett, and the latest update suggests there’s at least a path for a deal to happen in this offseason.

“Garrett wants out, seems like they are going to give it to him later in the offseason,” Jack Duffin wrote. “No real reason to do it otherwise.”

After Duffin's remarks, Max Dible of Heavy Sports pondered the idea of the Lions going after Garrett. 

"However, recent developments involving the Cleveland Browns, edge-rusher Myles Garrett and some strange adjustments to his contract language on Wednesday, March 25 spell good news for any contender interested in taking a Super Bowl swing on a trade for the two-time and defending Defensive Player of the Year," he wrote.

The Lions are firmly in win-now mode, as they’ve built one of the most complete rosters in the NFL. Adding a player like Garrett, even if it feels unlikely right now, would make them arguably the best team in the entire league. 

If there was any interest from the Lions in Crosby, it almost feels safe to say that if Garrett becomes available, they'll at least do their research on him.

More NFL news:

• Report indicates that Raiders’ Maxx Crosby trade will still happen eventually
• Dolphins trade proposal replaces Jaylen Waddle with young Packers receiver
• Ex-Dolphins QB returns to football and breaks silence on why after signing with Lions
• Broncos reportedly interested in quarterback despite having the position solved
• Denver Broncos sent stern warning amid questions about whether they can repeat showing next year
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba expected to be used in contract talks for Cowboys’ George Pickens

The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade buzz has been impossible to ignore. The New York Knicks have been linked to the two-time MVP for months. But now, a Knicks legend has stepped in with a cold dose of reality. John Starks, one of the most beloved figures in franchise history, spoke with Front Office Sports and did not hold back at all.

Starks was clear from the start. “Giannis is not coming. He’s not coming to New York,” he said.

He went further, expressing genuine respect for Antetokounmpo and his loyalty to the Milwaukee Bucks. Starks pointed out that Antetokounmpo had every chance to leave before the Bucks won the championship but chose to stay, fight, and deliver.

“He said, just give me some players put around me, and I’ll bring you a championship, and he delivered on his promise.”

Starks​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ highlighted his admiration for players who stick around and work hard even in tough situations instead of abandoning the team. In fact, this is exactly what Antetokounmpo did, and Starks thinks that loyalty is a very strong character trait.

Starks also mentioned that New York is a rough place to play in if you can’t get wins. He noted that the Knicks have become a desirable organization now because of the management, but winning still needs to come with it.

Related: NY Knicks Get The Injury News They Have Been Waiting Weeks For

Could Starks Actually Be Wrong?

But​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ here are some things to take note of. The situation in Milwaukee has changed drastically. Rumors say that the Bucks and Antetokounmpo are ready to ‘divorce’ this summer. Antetokounmpo’s injury issues have lowered his trade value, so a Knicks deal including Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby might be more realistic than ever.

Not long ago, Shams Charania reported that the Knicks were among four teams interested in a trade for Antetokounmpo. Under the leadership of Leon Rose, the Knicks front office has assembled one of the most attractive teams in the entire league.

Although Starks may admire Antetokounmpo for his dedication, loyalty does not always top a total breakdown of a franchise. However, the door has not been completely closed ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌yet.

Related: Mitchell Robinson Continues Public Frustrations With NY Knicks Recent Play

The Tennessee Volunteers were thrust into quarterback uncertainty last year when Nico Iamaleava transferred and the team replaced him with Joey Aguilar. Now that spring practices are underway in Knoxville, there’s new uncertainty and a new position battle.

According to Pete Nakos of On3.com, transfer quarterback Ryan Staub seems to effectively be out of the mix to be named the Volunteers starting quarterback. Tennessee likes what he’s shown in practices with the third-team offense, but he’s distinctly behind George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon.

Read More: Elite Eight Predictions, including Tennessee vs Michigan

Aguilar attempted to return to Tennessee for the 2026 season, but his preliminary injunction against the NCAA was denied. This resulted in head coach Josh Heupel moving forward with MacIntyre and Brandon as the two competitors to be his starting quarterback in Week 1.

MacIntyre, an On3 five-star recruit from the 2025 recruiting class, would still seem to be the favorite. He’s already spent a season learning Heupel’s system and he did receive a few snaps as a true freshman against East Tennessee State and New Mexico State.

A Tennessee native, the 6-foot-6 quarterback’s experience in the system has “flashed this spring.” He had his share of ups and downs during a scrimmage on Thursday, including multiple interceptions.

While experience matters, Brandon is also making a bit of a name for himself in Knoxville. A consensus five-star quarterback from the 2026 class, the 6-foot-4 passer reportedly “looks the part” and his raw talent is standing out.

Nakos notes that a decision from Heupel on who will be the Volunteers starting quarterback in 2026 likely won’t come until August. It’s also possible that Tennessee keeps the decision in-house until days before its season-opening matchup at Neyland Stadium against Furman.

Realistically, both Brandon and MacIntyre will likely see the field in Week 1 against Furman based on how heavily Tennessee is favored. It seems likely that MacIntyre’s familiarity makes him the favorite right now, but Brandon is firmly in the mix and will likely make at least one start this year.

Related Headlines

• Report: LSU Tigers Spend Staggering Sum to Hire Lane Kiffin, Will Wade
• Top Indiana Football Transfer Gets Aggressive Spring ‘Wake Up Call’ From Curt Cignetti
• CFB Rumors: Insider Updates Florida Gators Starting QB Battle

Giants' Tony Vitello warned of brutal awakening if Tennessee mindset sparks early-season panic originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The baseball world was shocked when the San Francisco Giants decided to hire Tony Vitello from the college ranks. Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey called the decision a perfect alignment.

“Throughout our search, Tony’s leadership, competitiveness, and commitment to developing players stood out. His ability to build strong, cohesive teams and his passion for the game align perfectly with the values of our organization. We look forward to the energy and direction he will bring, along with the memories to be made, as we focus on the future of Giants baseball,” Posey said.

Vitello’s first series against the New York Yankees did not go as planned. He even commented on the biggest adjustment from college to the professional level.

“I can’t talk down to guys anymore, they’re my age,” Vitello said. “Or it feels like they’re close to it. But in all honesty, I just think it’s just so many more people involved. There’s more people in the stands, there’s more people in the clubhouse. It truly is a manager position, not just a head coach position. But the thing I like to do more than recruiting or managing is coaching, so trying to fill in spots when I can and help these guys out.”

Throughout the weekend, Vitello showed glimpses of his college coaching habits—habits that may not translate well at the MLB level.

“The one thing you’re afforded in baseball is patience; two games into a 162-game season is not the time to panic. But Vitello’s lineup change suggests that he's still operating under a different mindset. Coaching in a 60-ish game season in college baseball, with big talent disparities, is vastly different than a league full of the best in the world. He’ll have to change his mindset if he wants to succeed with the Giants, because rejiggering your lineup after two games smacks of a man without either answers or confidence,” FanSided’s Wynston Wilcox wrote.

Vitello will need to learn patience, especially with 159 games still remaining for the Giants. In college baseball, a slow start can be costly, but in the majors, an 0-3 start is far from the end of the world.

There will be a learning curve for Vitello, and some growing pains are expected. However, in MLB, making quick decisions like early lineup changes does not always sit well with players in the clubhouse.

More MLB news:

• Braves predicted to sign $34M former Mets Cy Young-caliber arm to pair with Chris Sale

• Braves predicted to part ways with $1M former first-round fan favorite despite historic grand slam

• Braves' Dominic Smith makes MLB history with emotional, unforgettable walk-off grand slam

• Mets predicted to outbid Braves for sought-after $38M Cy Young-caliber arm, escalating rivalry

• Braves predicted to trade $42M All-Star, Silver Slugger to bolster depleted rotation amid injuries

• Braves' $7M 3-time All-Star fan favorite set to make franchise history on Opening Day

• Mets reportedly sign $2.25M veteran Gold Glove finalist as possible Carson Benge replacement

• Dodgers predicted to trade $12M speedster, versatile defender for coveted top-tier pitching

• Astros trade prediction ships prospect overhaul to Twins for $100M Gold Glover, Silver Slugger

• Braves reportedly outbid Dodgers, Mets for $16M Reliever of the Year with 253 career saves

• Yankees could part ways with $10M 2-time All-Star, Silver Slugger amid potential demands

• Braves' $30M high velocity arm raising nightmarish red flags after Spencer Strider's injury

Michigan fans aren’t happy with Texas women’s basketball, and the Elite Eight hasn’t even started yet.

Michigan caged Louisville in a 71-52 Sweet 16 win to make its second program Elite Eight. The Longhorns beat Kentucky in a dominant 76-54 performance Saturday to advance to the regional final.

During the post-win celebration in the Longhorn locker room, the tradition of moving the Texas placard further along the bracket was given to the five seniors, who made a small mistake. Ashton Judd, Rori Harmon, Sarah Graves, Kyla Oldacre and Teya Sidberry all collaborated with the paste of putting “Texas” as the “regional champion” — the team going to the Final Four.  

Fans of the Maize and Blue were not happy. 

Someone is a little too confident. Saving for this later

— Michigander (@Michigander1426) March 29, 2026

Man stuff like this can lead to karma biting you. Just saying.

— J Mac (@FoursUPGunsUP) March 29, 2026

i hope y’all see this & lock in on monday night. @SylaSwords@OliviaOlson2024@umichwbballhttps://t.co/hcFtjyzpQp

— westside gunn enthusiast (@wsgadIibs) March 29, 2026

They skipped a step @umichwbballhttps://t.co/cfhtmOy7I6

— K〽️🏈 (@KGoBlue10) March 29, 2026

hope Michigan talks abt this in the lockeroom this is some underdog fuel if I’ve ever seen it https://t.co/YDV63iIrTw

— mar (@marsjoy13) March 29, 2026

Harmon clarified Sunday morning it was an innocent mistake.

“Obviously no one recognized in the moment, and if we did, you would quickly change it,” she said. “We didn’t recognize it until we left. But of course, if you are another team, you are going to use anything for fire… so that’s valid enough.”

Graves also explained there could be a flaw in the Longhorns’ thought process to have multiple people put on the card.

“We were so focused on putting it on straight,” she said. 

Harmon added that the Longhorns were"just trying to make sure the sticker is not on or it falls off."

Texas and Michigan will play at 6 p.m. Monday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.

Tottenham Hotspur's hierarchy have finally addressed the mistake they made with the outlandish appointment of Igor Tudor as interim head coach – but the stakes are now so high they cannot afford another.

Tudor's departure after only 44 days concludes a bizarre and potentially hugely expensive episode that leaves fingers pointing firmly in the direction of chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange.

If Venkatesham and Lange get the next big decision wrong it could conceivably end with Spurs in the Championship, leaving a scar on their record that would be impossible to recover from.

If there is merit in the argument that it is better to correct a mistake as quickly as possible, the counter argument is that appointing Tudor was a mistake that should never have been made in the first place.

Time will tell, but Tudor's spell in charge may yet end up as the 44 days that sealed Spurs' Premier League fate.

Tottenham fans, who carefully note Venkatesham's links to Arsenal from his previous job, will be waiting to see what he can pull off now. The ominous spectre of relegation is even more of a possibility after Tudor's seven games in charge, which brought one pyrrhic victory, while exiting the Champions League against Atletico Madrid, and none in the Premier League.

Venkatesham and Lange will know the stakes as Spurs stand one point and one place above the relegation spots, the end coming for Tudor after the humiliating 3-0 home defeat by fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest.

They were behind the decision to bring in Tudor, the combustible Croatian with a chequered coaching career and no Premier League experience, to succeed the sacked Thomas Frank.

Having delayed dismissing Frank, seemingly hoping for a revival that was never coming and a change in the toxic mood among fans that was too far gone to be rescued, turning to Tudor was left-field at best.

• Tudor sacked: 'Another desperate act by Tottenham'
• Tudor leaves Spurs after just 44 days in charge

There seemed little logic in Tudor taking over, even for an interim period, and will certainly have brought Venkatesham and Lange into the crosshairs of the Lewis family, who own the club and have entrusted them with taking Spurs into a brighter future.

One source close to Spurs suggested Tudor was a leaving gift suggestion from former sporting director Fabio Paratici. If it was, it was one they must now regret accepting.

There must be a measure of sympathy for Tudor, who also had to deal with the death of his father after being parachuted into a role he was clearly unsuited for, while taking over a squad ravaged by injuries and a complete loss of confidence.

Sympathy will be in shorter supply for Venkatesham and Lange.

Tudor's arrival raised eyebrows all round, with his unique selling point supposedly his status as an impact coach with a capacity for getting quick results.

This was soon proved to be a myth as he lost his first four games, the low point - even considering the opening 4-1 defeat by Arsenal - coming in the 5-2 embarrassment away to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16 first leg.

Tudor dropped first-choice keeper Guglielmo Vicario for young Czech Antonin Kinsky, only to take him off after just 17 minutes following two mistakes that handed Atletico a 3-0 lead.

He was then criticised for ignoring Kinsky as he went off, comfort left to team-mates on the pitch, then Conor Gallagher and Dominic Solanke, who followed him down the tunnel.

It was an example of what appeared to be Tudor's 'tough love' approach, as opposed to Frank's warmer and more empathetic style, leaving the Spurs squad looking even more dispirited than when he arrived.

Tudor was considered fortunate in many eyes to survive that, although a deserved draw at Liverpool and that second leg win against Atletico offered hope until the capitulation against Forest.

As his departure is digested, it can be reasonably asked what Venkatesham and Lange detected in his previous track record, other than some fast starts, that made them believe he was the right man to navigate Spurs out of trouble.

Spurs was Tudor's 11th club as a coach after starting his career at Hajduk Split in Croatia in 2013.

Tudor's belief in a three-man defensive system looked an ill-fit for Tottenham, while constant changes in tactics and personnel suggested even he did not know how to get the best of the flatlining squad he had inherited.

For Spurs to now be searching for a third coach this season does not just smack of growing panic, it also reflects poorly on the decisions they have made at the top of the club that has put them in this situation.

The ideal solution would be to persuade Roberto de Zerbi, their main choice to take over on a permanent basis, to take the job now – but would it appeal to the highly-rated Italian with the knowledge if he cannot inspire an instant turnaround he could end up in charge of a Championship club?

Spurs expect to have Tudor's successor in charge for their next Premier League game, a visit to Sunderland on Sunday, 12 April. The list now features the usual suspects.

Sean Dyche has been touted after his 114-day spell at Nottingham Forest ended in the sack – but would he want to take on this brief salvage job knowing he would never be considered as a full-time contender?

Former Spurs players in Chris Hughton and Robbie Keane have been mentioned. Keane, hugely popular as a striker and captain, is now at Ferencvaros in Hungary. But the same question applies - why would he give up a full-time job for one that is likely to last only seven games?

Ryan Mason, who was sacked by West Bromwich Albion in January, has been a two-time caretaker at Spurs and is available.

Harry Redknapp, now 79 and sacked by Spurs in 2012, has made his willingness to step in clear, as has another former manager Glenn Hoddle. The 68-year-old lost his job in September 2003.

Whatever move they make next, Venkatesham and Lange have navigated Spurs into troubled waters and must now find a way out.

If they do not, then their fate could well be the same as Tudor's.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder will look to move one step closer to securing the top seed in the Western Conference as they host the New York Knicks tonight.

New York stayed close to OKC the last time these teams met, and I’m taking it to cover again on the road in my Knicks vs. Thunder predictions and NBA picks below.

Knicks vs Thunder prediction

Knicks vs Thunder best bet: Knicks +8.5 (-110)

The New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder both come into tonight’s game playing well, with New York having a seven-game winning streak before losing on Thursday, while OKC has won 13 of its last 14 contests. Both still have a lot to play for in the race for top seeds in their respective contests, and both teams are relatively healthy heading into tonight’s matchup.

That’s all to say that we’re going to get the best of both sides tonight. In the case of these teams, that means tough defense that makes every possession into a battle. The Thunder have arguably the best defense in the NBA, allowing 107.7 ppg with a league-best 104.6 defensive efficiency, but the Knicks aren’t far behind, giving up just 110.5 ppg themselves.

That showed in the first meeting between these teams, when OKC fought its way to a 103-100 victory in New York. And with two defenses playing this well, it will be hard for either team to put together big runs or pull away from the other.

As well as the Thunder have been playing, they haven’t been dominating the way their backers need lately. OKC has covered in only three of its last 14 games overall, with two of those covers coming against overmatched opponents in the 76ers and Nets.

Quality opponents like the Knicks have been able to stay in games against the Thunder, and that’s exactly what I’m expecting tonight. I’m taking New York to cover.

Knicks vs Thunder same-game parlay

This game features two of the best defensive teams in the NBA, and we’ve already seen them play once this year, resulting in a game total of 203 points.

I’m taking the Under for my SGP, and I think it’s a good straight bet as well. Let’s round out the SGP by backing Karl-Anthony Towns to pick up Over 17.5 points, a total he’s hit in four of his last five games overall.

Knicks vs Thunder SGP

• Knicks +8.5
• Under 223.5
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 17.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Double-double trouble

Both sides have serious double-double threats in this game, and I’m targeting one from each lineup for this parlay. First, KAT has been a consistent double-double machine for the Knicks, picking up five in his last six games.

Chet Holmgren isn’t far behind for the Thunder, with 23 double-doubles on the season. I’ll round things out by taking OG Anunoby to hit at least three shots from beyond the arc tonight, as he’s coming off back-to-back games where he made five threes in each.

Knicks vs Thunder SGP

• Knicks +8.5
• Karl-Anthony Towns to record a double-double
• Chet Holmgren to record a double-double
• OG Anunoby Over 2.5 threes

Knicks vs Thunder odds

• Spread: Knicks +8.5 | Thunder -8.5
• Moneyline: Knicks +280 | Thunder -360
• Over/Under: Over 223.5 | Under 223.5

Knicks vs Thunder betting trend to know

The Thunder have covered in just three of their last 14 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Thunder.

How to watch Knicks vs Thunder

Knicks vs Thunder latest injuries

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You don't always get NFL head coaches to attend a Pro Day to scout players. And even when you do, it's even rarer to see it end with that coach drilling with a potential draft target on the field. But Mike Vrabel isn't your average NFL coach.

Vrabel was in attendance earlier this week at Arizona State's Pro Day, and he was spotted on the field with offensive line prospect Max Iheanachor, who is projected as a 1st to 2nd Round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Vrabel got hands-on with the potential draft target for the Patriots, running through drills with the 6-foot-5 offensive tackle.

Vrabel's interaction with Iheanachor went viral online, as many fans were not expecting to see an acting head coach get physical with someone whom they might be coaching within the year. But Vrabel also brings a unique perspective to his job that not all coaches have, and his Pro Day activities make perfect sense when this is taken into consideration.

That's because Vrabel was an NFL linebacker for 14 years, earning All-Pro honors once, capturing three Super Bowl Championships, and finishing his career with 229 tackles and 58 sacks. That's a lot of experience going against – and often beating – offensive linemen on the gridiron. And that experience makes for a coach who knows better than just about anyone what to look for in a successful talent in the trenches.

So when you see Vrabel doing drills with his hand on offensive linemen at a Pro Day like this, you can rest assured he's likely getting a pretty good idea of whether a talent is the correct fit or not – he's not just reliving the glory days. And just what did he think of Iheanachor? Well, we'll have to wait until the Draft to find out.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Mike Vrabel shows off impressive scouting skills at ASU Pro Day

Barcelona President Joan Laporta has claimed that his decision to move Lionel Messi on five years ago has been vindicated by the results over his second tenure. Laporta, who was recently elected for a fourth mandate, ran his campaign in 2021 on the basis that he would guarantee Messi’s continuity, but come August of that year, told the Argentina legend that he had no contract for him.

Laporta has justified his decision in a number of ways, and recently former manager and teammate of Messi, Xavi Hernandez, claimed that he deliberately sabotaged his return two years later. Speaking in an interview with El Pais (via MD), Laporta explained that he felt he had been vindicated.

“I had to make a decision, and I think I made the right one; the results speak for themselves. We were able to turn the club’s finances around, we built a competitive team, and it was time for a generational change. Leo was nearing the end of his career, and we needed to build a new team. Would I have liked to build a new team with Leo helping out? Yes. We tried, but it wasn’t possible.”

Messi has stated a desire to return to Camp Nou at some point, but it seems unlikely that he will do so while Laporta is in charge.

“The future relationship will be whatever Leo wants and whatever Barca wants. At some point, their interests will converge again. Messi is a generational icon: Kubala, Cruyff, and Messi. He deserves a statue and a testimonial match. Barca is his home.”

Laporta on officiating and Negreira case

Another major talking point over the course of Laporta’s mandate has been officiating, with Real Madrid and Barcelona both claiming to be disadvantaged by the refereeing in Spain.

“I’ve always felt that we should be far superior, because the referees don’t favour us. Here it seems they always help Real Madrid. They have a Barcelona bias, it’s obvious.”

In Real Madrid’s case, they continue to reference the ongoing sporting corruption accusation that Barcelona are defending themselves against, the so-called ‘Negreira case’. Laporta has consistently asserted that it has no basis.

“It’s more of an institutional smear campaign that, fortunately, hasn’t been successful. It’s driven by interests originating in Madrid. Every time the case is about to be closed, they present inconclusive evidence. But the judge, to demonstrate that he has handled the proceedings properly, is forced to extend the investigation for another six months.”

The case centres on payments of €7-8m made to former Referee’s Committee Vice-President Jose Maria Enrique Negreira over the course of 17 years.

“They’re trying to fabricate a lie that the referees favour Barca over Real Madrid, and with that, they’re trying to discredit the most glorious period in the club’s history, which began with Rijkaard and continued with Guardiola. Now they’re criticising us for hiring someone who had been vice president, while they’ve had referee committee presidents linked to Real Madrid. They’re criticising us for hiring a company where the vice president’s son worked. It was a professional scouting and refereeing consultancy.”

Laporta denigrates Victor Font campaign

On the elections earlier this month, Laporta did not hold back on the campaign run by rival Victor Font.

“It was a thrashing, and they deserved it. They played dirty. They filed a complaint full of falsehoods and then made statements that sowed doubt, like saying they were going to sign Haaland.”

Laporta is referring to a complaint filed against him and a number of his fellow board members, accusing them of money laundering and fraud. The complaint was dismissed, but Font has denied any link to the plaintive.

Nike Football has revived The Opening after a six-year hiatus and regional events got underway in January.

Seven cities — Miami, Los Angeles, Indianapolis, Atlanta, New Orleans, New York and Dallas — will host regionals, where top skill position prospects will come and compete in activities like the 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle and other position-specific drills, as well as 1-on-1 and 7-on-7 matchups.

Out of all the athletes from these stops, 120 will proceed to The Opening Finals on June 24-26 at Nike’s Philip H. Knight Campus in Beaverton, Oregon.

Since its inception in 2011, Nike’s The Opening has helped 428 former high school football athletes reach the NFL, including 95 first-round selections. Some of the program’s prominent alumni include 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II, two-time All-Pro Ja’Marr Chase, reigning Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley, and two-time NFL rushing yards leader Derrick Henry.

Rivals is tracking who’s publicly announced an invite to the event thus far:

The Opening Finals Roster

Running Backs

Elijah Cromwell (2028)
School: Cherry Creek (Colo.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 87 NATL. (No. 9 RB)
Status: Uncommitted

Jaxsen Stokes
School: Sierra Canyon (Calif.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 615 NATL. (No. 47 RB)
Status: Committed to Oklahoma

Wide Receivers

Braylon Clark (2028)
School: Charlotte Country Day (N.C.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 15 NATL. (No. 4 WR)
Status: Uncommitted

Osani Gayles
School: IMG Academy (Fla.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 51 NATL. (No. 10 WR)
Status: Uncommitted

Ronnie Gomiller
School: East St. Louis (Ill.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 716 NATL. (No. 94 WR)
Status: Uncommitted

Quentin Hale
School: Centennial (Calif.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 57 NATL. (No. 11 WR)
Status: Committed to USC

Linebackers

Taven Epps
School: Tustin (Calif.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 88 NATL. (No. 5 LB)
Status: Committed to Oklahoma

Cornerbacks

Tyler Boyd (2028)
School: Carrollton (Ga.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: Not Ranked
Status: Uncommitted

Jaden Carey
School: St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 402 NATL. (No. 44 CB)
Status: Uncommitted

Monsanna Torbert
School: Princeton (Ohio)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 323 NATL. (No. 34 CB)
Status: Committed to Indiana

Donte Wright
School: Long Beach Poly (Calif.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 21 NATL. (No. 3 CB)
Status: Committed to Georgia 

Safeties

Jalen Flowers (2028)
School: Palos Verdes (Calif.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 119 NATL. (No. 7 S)
Status: Uncommitted

Brandon Nash (2028)
School: St. John Bosco (Calif.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 143 NATL. (No. 9 S)
Status: Uncommitted

Report indicates that Raiders’ Maxx Crosby trade will still happen eventually originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The situation surrounding Maxx Crosby continues to be one of the more confusing in the NFL, as the Las Vegas Raiders attempted to trade him, but failed to do so in a deal with the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens did what they had to do, suggesting that Crosby didn't pass his physical. There's been a lot of speculation around that, but it's what happened. 

Despite the Raiders now saying that Crosby remains part of their plans, there's still a lot of chatter about a potential deal happening sometime in the future. 

According to Kimberley Martin on Get Up, there’s growing belief across the league that it’s not a matter of if, but when.

“It’s a matter of – the big question is when it doesn’t seem like if he’ll get traded,” Martin said. “Because even though the Raiders said ‘Maxx is a Raider,’ guess what they did – they traded Maxx Crosby.

“And they also traded him and then made a bunch of moves, spent a lot of money to upgrade the roster with certain pieces thinking that Maxx Crosby was off the books,” Martin added.

Martin's comments are important here, as everything that was touched on happened. The Raiders attempted to trade Crosby, failed to do so, went out and signed a bunch of very good free agents, and did so without thinking of having him on the books. 

Just because a deal didn't happen or get finalized right now doesn't mean that it won't sometime in the next season or before then.

“We have a long offseason, it could go until the trade deadline, it could go until the draft,” Martin said. “But a lot of people expect him to not be a Raider for much longer.”

More NFL news:

• Dolphins trade proposal replaces Jaylen Waddle with young Packers receiver
• Ex-Dolphins QB returns to football and breaks silence on why after signing with Lions
• Broncos reportedly interested in quarterback despite having the position solved
• Denver Broncos sent stern warning amid questions about whether they can repeat showing next year
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba expected to be used in contract talks for Cowboys’ George Pickens
• Chicago Bears trade idea moves on from fan-favorite for two lackluster picks from San Francisco 49ers

For some of the highest-paid players in the NFL, a potential change to how the league's stars are paid might not sit well if it ends up coming to fruition.

The NFL is getting closer to starting talks on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, and there will certainly be goals the league hopes to achieve during the negotiations. Expanding both the regular-season slate and the international schedule is rumored to be a top priority. Still, one other potential change top NFL reporters are expecting could be put on the table: a cap on individual players' contracts.

While no details on how it would work have been reported, speculation suggests it would be similar to the NBA, where max contracts are based on predetermined formulas. And while most players would likely get on board with this type of setup, since it would make more money available to the majority of the league's players, there is room for it to end disastrously for the league.

That's because the group of players who tend to be the highest-paid in the league is quarterbacks. They also tend to be locker room leaders for their franchises. However, they don't tend to be strongly represented in the NFL Players Association, which the league will be negotiating with on the new Collective Bargaining Agreement – Bears third-string signal caller Case Keenum is the only quarterback on the executive committee, and Houston's second-stringer Davis Mills is the only lead player rep at the position.

So expect the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league, such as Dak Prescott, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow, to be a bit upset if the NFL starts coming for their money. But don't be surprised if the league pushes to do so anyway.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: NFL interested in dramatic overhaul of players' salary structure

Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Luka Doncic will not be on the court against the Washington Wizards on Monday. He is averaging 33.7 points per game as the Lakers have put him in serious minutes this whole season - this March, his average playing time is 37.3. Although tiredness is not the reason, he has been given some rest, nor is it because the team's ranking in the Western Conference at number three is a sweet time to rest.

The Lakers have met the Wizards since Feb 2024, with their last meeting on Jan 30, five times, and they have won all of them. They might not feel the pressure, but Lakers fans will miss the cinema of not seeing their star after the foul Doncic committed in the last game against the Brooklyn Nets.

In that last game, the physical contact was his 16th personal foul after pushing Ziaire Williams when he was crossing Doncic - that was a small push, but Williams took immediate action by swinging his left hand, which went very close to Doncic’s face in the third quarter.

In the post-game press conference, he brushed aside that foul in these words:

“It was in my face three times,” Doncic said. “I just wanted to get out of there. It's a double tech, of course. What can I say? I didn't even talk. I just wanted to get out of there. They say I push my push was exaggerated, which was obviously not.”

The NBA official release on Saturday reads:

“Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic has been suspended one game without pay for receiving his 16th technical foul of the 2025-26 season, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

“Doncic received his most recent technical foul with 5:12 remaining in the third quarter of the Lakers’ 116-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets on March 27 at Crypto.com Arena. Doncic will serve his suspension March 30 when the Lakers host the Washington Wizards.”

Who is coming to play? Is Bronny James going to play? Because in Saturday’s G League game, he finished with 26 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and a steal on 9-of-12 shooting - it was stunning. On the other hand, Marcus Smart is dealing with an ankle injury. If he can make a comeback, he can help his team in Doncic's absence:

“He’s making improvements. He’s still gonna be day-to-day,” said Redick on Smart. “I mean, that’s the hope. Again, he took two hits, one of which kind of banged his hip up. And the fall on his ankle, so he’s improving.”

But there’s not much to worry about, because after one game, Doncic will be back to gear up on Tuesday vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers, with his post-rest fresh legs.

The Lakers' standing in the Western Conference table: Thunder at the top with 58-16, Spurs next with 58-18, and Lakers 48-26 at third, while the Nuggets are behind at 48-26. With roughly two weeks left in the regular season, the race remains open.

Dolphins trade proposal replaces Jaylen Waddle with young Packers receiver originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Miami Dolphins' wide receiver room actually might be one of the worst in the NFL, if not the worst. After having Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle just a year ago, things have certainly changed in Miami.

With Malik Willis now under center, the Dolphins going out and finding a few decent wide receivers should be a priority, preferably cheap on the trade market or in the free agency pool. 

In a proposal from A to Z Sports’ Craig Smith, Miami would land Dontayvion Wicks from the Green Bay Packers. The Dolphins would receive Wicks and a third-round pick, while Green Bay gets a third-rounder and a fifth-round pick.

“The Miami Dolphins’ new front office has done a good job sweeping away the remnants of the prior era, and that’s meant doing away with two of their best offensive weapons in wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle,” Smith wrote.

“They’ve added veterans Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert in the offseason, and while the latter finally gets them someone with decent size and production in the wide receiver room, the ceiling isn’t high for either,” Smith added.

Wicks is just a fine player, but there's also reason to think that the Dolphins would be interested in him after adding multiple front office personnel and a head coach from the Packers. With Willis also coming from Green Bay, they should have some familiarity together. There will be far worse options out there.

More NFL news:

• Ex-Dolphins QB returns to football and breaks silence on why after signing with Lions
• Broncos reportedly interested in quarterback despite having the position solved
• Denver Broncos sent stern warning amid questions about whether they can repeat showing next year
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba expected to be used in contract talks for Cowboys’ George Pickens
• Chicago Bears trade idea moves on from fan-favorite for two lackluster picks from San Francisco 49ers
• Cleveland Browns trade idea ditches Shedeur Sanders to land recent first-round pick

Northwestern could not carry over its second-round momentum at The Goodwin in Palo Alton, finishing tied for 10th after a difficult closing stretch. The Wildcats were part of a loaded 30-team field that included 15 top-50 programs.

Northwestern opened the tournament with a 4-over team round. Rowan Sullivan was Northwestern’s lone under-par finisher, carding a 3-under 67 behind six birdies. The sophomore sat tied for ninth after the opening 18 holes. Daniel Svärd, Northwestern’s highest-ranked golfer at No. 59 in the country, also gave the ‘Cats a solid start, shooting 1-over 71 with three birdies. Still, the Wildcats had work to do and ended the first round tied for 14th.

NU responded in the second round with a 4-under team score. Ethan Tseng led the way with a 3-under round that included six birdies, one of his best performances of the season so far. Sullivan followed with another under-par round at 1-under, while Svärd and Monty Holcombe each shot 70. That surge moved the Wildcats into a tie for seventh heading into the final round.

The final day started with promise. Every Northwestern golfer birdied the first hole, and the team was 6-under through the front nine, keeping itself firmly in the mix. But the back nine turned costly. The Wildcats played their final nine holes at 12-over and finished the day 6-over, sliding back into a tie for 10th.

Stanford Golf Course proved challenging throughout the event. The par-70 layout played to a 72.27 average over three rounds, with each day yielding similar scoring conditions. The course’s three par-5s were the easiest holes on the property and three of the four holes that played under par for the tournament. The par-5 16th was the easiest at 4.69. Meanwhile, eight holes played at least two-tenths of a stroke over par, with the par-4 sixth standing as the toughest at 4.37.

Individually, Svärd led the way for Northwestern, finishing at 2-under and tied for 19th. He turned in rounds of 71, 70 and 67, carding at least three birdies in each round. His final-round 67 was one of the Wildcats’ best rounds of the tournament, and his 13 total birdies reflected a steady upward trend across all three days.

Sullivan, Tseng and Mark Gazi also put together strong performances for Northwestern. Sullivan finished tied for 29th at even-par. After opening with excellent rounds of 67 and 69, he closed with a 74, which kept him from climbing even higher on the leaderboard, but it was still an impressive tournament overall. Tseng finished tied for 44th at 2-over after rounds of 72, 67 and 73. His second round was especially notable, as he closed with three birdies over his final four holes to help spark Northwestern’s rise up the standings. Gazi posted rounds of 72, 69 and 72 to finish tied for 50th. He was consistent throughout the tournament and added seven birdies across the three rounds.

Holcombe and Jeremy Chen rounded out the lineup for the Wildcats. Holcombe’s best showing came in the second round, when he made five birdies and posted an even-par 70. He ultimately finished tied for 77th. Chen finished tied for 143rd after rounds of 75, 75 and 77. He made six birdies during the event and had flashes of strong play.

The Wildcats will return to action next week at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational on April 4 and 5. With the postseason approaching next month, the event will give Northwestern another important chance to sharpen its form and build momentum.

The FSU Seminoles just held their Legacy Weekend. Plenty of elite recruits were on campus, and one was four-star quarterback Champ Monds out of Vero Beach, Florida.

It was the second trip for Monds to see FSU this year after his Junior Day trip back in January. The Seminoles didn't disappoint as Monds took in spring practice.

“It was great to get back up here and see Coach Norvell and the whole coaching staff,” Monds said via Warchant. “Getting to see that scrimmage and see how they coach on the field, it was great to be able to do that today.”

Monds was first offered by Florida State back in June of 2024 when he attended a 7-7-on-7 camp. Although he hasn't taken a lot of trips to see them, FSU has been consistent not only in their communication with Monds, but making him feel important.

As things set currently, Monds thinks he's the top priority for the Seminoles in their quarterback search for the 2027 cycle.

“They definitely made me feel like a priority today, all day,” said Monds. “They made me feel like a priority, so I say that was the main thing, just letting me know that they want me. They want me to come to Florida State and [explaining] how I would fit in their offense. … If you feel like a priority, you feel like you are No. 1. So I definitely feel very appreciated by it.”

Monds plans on taking more spring visits to Miami, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. He hasn't planned any official visits at the moment, but he did mention that Florida State is one of the schools that he plans to take one to. His decision will likely come after his official visits are over.

Rivals industry rankings have Monds as the No. 203 overall prospect and the No. 18 quarterback. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder is also listed as the No. 20 recruit out of Florida.

Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Football: Florida State focused on QB Champ Monds

The Chicago Blackhawks have been outscored 11-2 over their last two games. Naturally, they earned two regulation losses over the stretch, which has lowered the vibes surrounding the team. It is an incredibly young group, one of the youngest in NHL history, but that isn’t an excuse for how lousy they’ve been lately.

On Sunday, the Blackhawks are going to take on the New Jersey Devils, who have had one of the most up-and-down seasons in recent NHL memory. Like most of the teams on the outside looking into the Eastern Conference playoff picture, New Jersey will have a winning season, but their playoff chances are in the tank because of a bad stretch in the middle.

Scouting New Jersey

The New Jersey Devils have been better since the end of the Olympic break. It hasn’t been perfect, and there are issues to work on in the offseason, but the Blackhawks will find themselves embarrassed if they treat this like a getaway game to end the road trip.

New Jersey's tailspin happened partially because of the injury sustained by Jack Hughes when they visited Chicago back in November. It was an off-ice injury where he cut his hand while out to dinner. He is one of the top-flight forwards in the NHL, and they proved unable to win at a high clip without him. 

Meier - Hischier - Mercer

Bratt - Hughes - Brown

Dadonov - Glass - Hameenaho

Cotter - Bjugstad - Tsyplakov

Siegenthaler - Hamilton

Hughes - Kovacevic

Dillon - Nemec

Allen

Down the middle, Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes are one of the top duos in the entire National Hockey League. Hischier is more of a two-way centerman who emphasizes both sides of the ice, while Hughes is focused on scoring goals and setting them up. 

Hughes, of course, scored the Golden Goal in overtime against Canada in Milano Cortina to win the United States their first Gold Medal in 46 years. Since then, he's been one of the hottest players in the NHL.

His younger brother Luke is one of their top puck-moving defensemen, and he will play in the middle of a solid defense in front of goaltender Jake Allen. New Jersey lost to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday with Jacob Markstrom in the net, so it will be Allen against the Blackhawks. 

In addition to Hughes and Hischier up front, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier round out their "big four", which has been a dangerous group in the second half of the season. For a Blackhawks team that has given up a lot of offense in recent weeks, this will be another huge test. 

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Blackhawks had to call up Kevin Korchinski on Sunday morning, because imaging revealed that Artyom Levshunov has a fracture in his left wrist. The belief is that he played through it for a couple of games, and now they know for sure he needs to be out. His timeline is TBD. 

Jeff Blashill also confirmed, without giving too many details, and it was hard to describe the lines during the morning skate, that Anton Frondell would move to center. This gives the Blackhawks time to see him play that position now rather than next year when they may be trying to win. 

Greene - Bedard - Lardis 

Bertuzzi - Frondell - Nazar

Burakovsky - Donato - Mikheyev

Teravainen - Boisvert - Slaggert

Vlasic - Crevier

Kaiser - Rinzel 

Korchinski - Del Mastro

Knight

These are simply projections based on moving Frondell into a center role. The top six will see some changes as a result, but the bottom six may stay the same as in the last two games. The defense pairs, with Korchinski in there, are how they skated in the morning. 

Spencer Knight is going to start in goal for Chicago. Giving up five on Thursday was hardly all his fault based on the team's play in front of him, but he is looking to bounce back as well. With Jack Hughes and company playing the way they have recently, the Blackhawks need Knight to be extraordinary if they want to win. 

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found on CHSN locally. Nationally, it is available to stream on ESPN+ and NHL Network. The puck will drop shortly after 6:00 PM CT.

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

AnyDesk is a fast, lightweight remote desktop tool built for low-latency access from virtually anywhere. It stays responsive even on weaker connections and supports file transfers, session recording, and cross-platform use across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Another staff favorite, RustDesk, is also worth checking out.

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After securing their spot in the 2026 World Cup, Portugal scheduled a pair of friendly matches to maintain their form. However, they couldn’t rely on Cristiano Ronaldo, who is still dealing with physical issues. Consequently, they failed to defeat Mexico, prompting José Mourinho to deliver a strong critique of the national team’s performances, highlighting their dependence on the veteran striker.

“Take Cristiano Ronaldo out of the picture and Portugal look like any run-of-the-mill team… People keep asking us not to call him up. Well, he didn’t play today and you saw the result. No threat, no fear from the opposition. Just a team being put under pressure by Mexico… When Ronaldo is on the pitch, the opposition think twice. Without him, they don’t think at all,” José Mourinho said, as per TUDN Mexico.

Despite being 41 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo remains the essential piece of the national team, standing as the top scorer in the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers. However, his absence against Mexico national team exposed a harsh reality: They do not have a promising goalscorer to replace the veteran, as Gonçalo Ramos and Paulinho have yet to truly shine.

Far from being a criticism of Cristiano, José Mourinho has consistently defended the veteran against fans calling for him to be dropped following the strong result against Armenia. Gonçalo Ramos has yet to take off in his career, as he remains a regular substitute at Paris Saint-Germain and with Portugal, without making a real scoring impact, but coach Roberto Martínez continues to call him up as a backup.

Joao Félix could emerge as Portugal’s scoring solution

Despite the fact that Portugal do not have many promising center-forwards, coach Roberto Martínez could still have a solution to their scoring struggles when Cristiano Ronaldo is absent. Amid the poor form of Gonçalo Ramos and Paulinho, João Félix could emerge as a strong alternative, but within a specific setup that could even boost Francisco Conceição and Rafael Leão.

Switching to a ‘false 9’ formation could position João Félix as the solution, given his impressive scoring form and peak performance with Al Nassr. This change would allow coach Martínez to grant more freedom to Leão and Conceição, enabling them to leverage their dribbling skills and pace to make a difference. With Cristiano Ronaldo now 41 years old, these adjustments may soon become a need for Portugal.

Cristiano Ronaldo may not retire after 2026 World Cup

With a contract with Al Nassr running through 2027, Cristiano Ronaldo may not retire from professional soccer after the 2026 World Cup. With this, he could extend his time with Portugal for a few more matches, in which he will undoubtedly play a pivotal role. The veteran could be instrumental in the transition up front, helping Joao Félix or even Gonçalo Ramos lead the way into a new era.

Almanya Milli Takımı Teknik Direktörü Julian Nagelsmann, performansı eleştirilen Galatasaray'ın 30 yaşındaki Alman oyuncusu Leroy Sane hakkında açıklamalarda bulundu.

Galatasaray'ın Alman yıldızı Leroy Sane, son haftalarda yaşadığı form düşüklüğüyle hem kulüp hem de milli takım performansı üzerinden eleştirilerin odağı haline geldi.

Şampiyonlar Ligi'nde en son 5 Kasım'daki Ajax maçında asist yapan Sane, bu karşılaşmanın ardından Avrupa'da skor katkısı üretemedi. Süper Lig'de ise ilk 16 haftada 6 gol ve 3 asistlik performans sergileyen Alman futbolcu, sonraki süreçte yalnızca 1 asist yapabildi. Form grafiğindeki düşüş dikkat çeken Sane, Almanya Milli Takımı'nın İsviçre ile oynadığı maçta da beklentilerin altında kaldı.

ALMAN BASININDAN SERT ELEŞTİRİ

Almanya'nın 4-3 kazandığı ve toplam 7 golün atıldığı İsviçre karşılaşmasına ilk 11'de başlayan Leroy Sane, 63 dakika sahada kaldı. Ancak performansı Alman basınında sert eleştirilere neden oldu.

Welt, yıldız oyuncu için, "Sane, milli takımda bir kez daha fırsatı heba etti" ifadelerini kullanırken, T-Online ise, "Sane konusunda çok tanıdık bir his ortaya çıktı: Milli takımın sorunlu çocuğu geri döndü" yorumunda bulundu.

NAGELSMANN'DAN SANE'YE DESTEK

Almanya Milli Takımı Teknik Direktörü Julian Nagelsmann ise oyuncusuna sahip çıktı.

Nagelsmann, "Slovakya maçı gibi maçlar Sane için bir referans noktası. Her zaman o seviyeye ulaşması gerekiyor. İsviçre ile oynadığımız son maçta fena değildi, ne çok iyi ne de çok kötüydü. Sane kendisinden ne beklendiğini biliyor ve bunu göstermesi gerekiyor. Farklı oyun tarzlarıyla başa çıkabilmek için sahip olmamız gereken belirli profiller var. Sağ kanatta rakiplerle başa çıkabilecek çok fazla oyuncumuz yok" ifadelerini kullandı.

Milli motosikletçi Can Öncü, Dünya Supersport Şampiyonası'nın Portekiz etabındaki ikinci yarışı 8. sırada tamamladı.

Dünya Supersport Şampiyonası'nda sezonun ikinci ayağında hafta sonunun son yarışı, Portimao kentinde yer alan Algarve Pisti'nde gerçekleştirildi.

Ay-yıldızlı genç sporcu Can Öncü, Pata Yamaha Ten Kate takımı ile Portekiz'de 17 turluk ikinci ana yarışta damalı bayrağı 8'inci sırada geçti.

Portekiz'de son yarışı, ZXMOTO Factory Evan Bros takımından Fransız motosikletçi Valentin Debise birinci, Ducati'nin Orelac Verdnatura takımından İspanyol sürücü Jaume Masia Vargas ikinci sırada bitirdi. Dün koşulan ilk yarışta da Valentin Debise birinci, Jaume Masia ikinci sırada yer almıştı.

Yamaha'nın AS Blu Cru takımından İspanyol Albert Arenas da son yarışta üçüncü oldu.

Dünya Supersport Şampiyonası'nda bir sonraki etap, 17-19 Nisan tarihlerinde Hollanda'nın Assen şehrinde bulunan TT Assen Circuit Pisti'nde koşulacak.

Halkbank Kadınlar Basketbol Süper Ligi play-off final serisi ilk maçında Fenerbahçe Opet, sahasında Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring'i 85-70 mağlup etti.

Fenerbahçe Opet,Halkbank Kadınlar Basketbol Süper Ligi play-off final serisi ilk maçında sahasında Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring'i 85-70 mağlup etti.

Bu sonuçla sarı-lacivertli takım, seride 1-0 öne geçti. Play-off final serisinin ikinci maçı, 1 Nisan Çarşamba günü yine Fenerbahçe Metro Enerji Spor Salonu'nda oynanacak.

Karşılaşmanın başında iki takım da skor üretmekte zorlandı. Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring, Johannes ve Williams'ın kazandırdığı sayılarla 6. dakikada 7 sayılık fark yakaladı: 5-12. Mücadeleyi bırakmayan ve Allemand'ın skorer oyunuyla üstünlüğü ele geçiren Fenerbahçe Opet, ilk çeyreği 18-17 önde tamamladı.

İkinci periyodun ilk bölümü başa baş bir mücadeleye sahne oldu. 15. dakikadan itibaren Galatasaray'ın yaptığı hataları iyi değerlendirerek farkı açan Fenerbahçe, soyunma odasına 39-31 üstün gitti.

Fenerbahçe Opet, ikinci yarıya çok etkili başladı. Oyunun iki tarafında da pek varlık gösteremeyen Galatasaray karşısında topu iyi paylaşan ve kolay sayılar bularak farkı 24'e kadar çıkaran sarı-lacivertli takım, üçüncü çeyreği 71-48 önde bitirdi.

Dördüncü ve son periyotta rahat bir oyun sergileyen Fenerbahçe, derbiyi 85-70 kazanarak play-off final serisinde 1-0 öne geçti.

Salon: Fenerbahçe Metro Enerji

Hakemler: İbrahim Altıntaş, Ahmet Taner İbin, Ahmet Kemal Digilli

Fenerbahçe Opet: Allemand 12, Sevgi Uzun 17, Williams 9, Meesseman 13, McCovan, Alperi Onar 7, Rupert 19, Ayşe Yılmaz, Milic, Olcay Çakır Turgut 8

Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring: Derin Erdoğan 12, Gökşen Fitik 3, Johannes 22, Kuier 11, Williams 6, Smalls 6, Sude Yılmaz, Juhasz 4, Elif Bayram 6

1. Periyot: 18-17

Devre: 39-31

3. Periyot: 71-48

İngiltere Premier Lig ekibi Tottenham, teknik direktör Igor Tudor ile yollarını ayırdığını açıkladı.

Londra ekibinden yapılan açıklamada, Tudor'un sözleşmesinin karşılıklı anlaşmayla feshedildiği belirtilerek, "Kaleci antrenörü Tomislav Rogic ve fiziksel antrenör Riccardo Ragnacci de görevlerinden ayrıldılar." ifadeleri kullanıldı.

Tottenham'da şubat ayında göreve başlayan 47 yaşındaki Hırvat teknik adam, Türkiye'de Karabükspor ve Galatasaray'ı çalıştırmıştı.

Azərbaycan millisinin müdafiəçisi Qismət Alıyev “FIFA Series-2026” turnirində Syerra Leone ilə oyundan gözləntisini açıqlayıb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, sözügedən komandalar sabah Sumqayıtda üz-üzə gələcəklər.

Qismət Alıyev matçdan öncə təşkil edilmiş mətbuat konfransında bunları söyləyib:

“Sabah millimiz üçün daha bir önəmli matç olacaq. Bizim üçün belə oyunların olması UEFA Millətlər Liqası öncəsi çox vacibdir. Qələbəsizlik seriyası var idi. Son görüşdə inamlı oynayaraq, bu tilsimi qıra bildik. Sabahkı matçda da ən yaxşısını etməyə çalışacağıq ki, xalqımızı sevindirək.

“Zirə”də ən yaxşısını etməyə çalışıram ki, milliyə dəvət alım. Millinin seçimlərinə hörmət edirəm. Bu gün kimlər millidədirsə, demək ki, ona layiqdirlər”.

Xatırladaq ki, sabah Sumqayıtda keçiriləcək Azərbaycan – Syerra Leone oyununa saat 19:00-da start veriləcək.

Azərbaycan millisinin baş məşqçisi Ayxan Abbasov “FIFA Series-2026” turnirində Syerra Leone ilə oyundan gözləntisini açıqlayıb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, sözügedən komandalar sabah Sumqayıtda üz-üzə gələcəklər.

Ayxan Abbasov matçdan öncə təşkil edilmiş mətbuat konfransında bunları söyləyib:

“Turnirdə ikinci oyunumuza çıxırıq. Rəqib isə ilk matçını keçirəcək. Bu mənada üstünlükləri var. Buna baxmayaraq, evdə oynayırıq. Azarkeşlərimizin dəstəyi ilə qalib gəlmək istəyirik. Rəqib bu dəfə fərqlidir. İlk rəqiblə müqayisədə, reytinq baxımından bizdən öndədirlər. Son oyunlarını təhlil etmişik. Optimal heyət gəlib. Oyundan-oyuna bizdə yaxşı mənada fərq olmalıdır. Bir toplanışımız qalıb. İnanıram ki, birinci oyundakı ciddiyyət və istəkdən daha fərqli olacaq. Rəqib bunu tələb edir. Hazırıq.

Sent Lüsiya ilə oyunda hava və meydança ağır idi. Amma rəqib də eyni şəraitdə oynayırdı. Fiziki yüklənmə baxımından çətin oldu. Buna baxmayaraq, ilk hissədə Rəhman Daşdəmirovdan başqa bütün futbolçuları dəyişdik. İkinci hissədə meydana girənlər də tempi yüksək tutdular, çox fərq hiss olunmadı.

Səhv etmirəmsə, ilk dəfədir millimiz Afrika təmsiçisi ilə qarşılaşır. Tanımadığımız rəqiblərlə oynamaq yaxşıdır, futbolçular üçün dəyişiklik olar. Rəqib reytinqdə bizdən üstün ola bilər. Bu xalları elə-belə qazanmırlar. Fransa yüksək liqasında oynayan müdafiəçiləri var, topla yaxşı oynayırlar, texnikalıdırlar. Yaxşı oyun olacaq.

Heyətdə dəyişiklik olacaq. Buna ehtiyac var. Bəzi dəyişikliklər gözlənilir. Millidə 1-ci və 2-ci heyət aurasının olmamasını istəyirik. Çünki hamı hazır olmalıdır. Klubdan fərqli, ən yaxşılar buradadır. Rəqibə görə də nələrsə düşünəcəyik.

Bu turnirdə bərabərlik olandan sonra dərhal penaltilərə keçiləcək. Kimsə qalib gəlməlidir. Bu turniri təşkil edən FİFA-dır. Rəqibləri biz seçmirik. Hər bir rəqibə hörmət etməliyik. Bizdən də qat-qat güclü rəqiblərlə oynadıq. Onların bizə necə hörmət etdiyini gördük. Reytinqdə zəif olan komandalara da uduzmuşuq. Zəiflə də mübarizə aparmaq lazımdır. İlk görüşdə futbolçuların oyuna yanaşması düz idi”.

Ayxan Abbasov milli ilə müqaviləsinin müddətini açıqladı

Ayxan Abbasov həm “Şamaxı”, həm də milli komanda ilə müqaviləsinin müddətindən, eləcə də uğurlu nəticələri davam etdirmək imkanlarından da söhbət açıb:

“Klubla müqaviləmizin müddəti yayda bitir. Mili ilə də danışığımız olmuşdu ki, yay toplanışından sonra mövzuları müzkairə edəcəyik. İlin sonuna qədər müqaviləm var. Bu turnir önəmlidir. Oyunlarımıza, nəticələrimizə əsasən qərarlar veriləcək.

Millidə qalib gəlmək məşqçi üçün çox böyük sevincdir. Hər məşqçinin arzusudur ki, millidə qalib gəlsin. Ardıcıl ikinci qələbə futbolçular və məşqçilər üçün böyük motivasiya olar. İstəyirik ki, ilin sonuna qədər yaxşı statistika yaransın. Yoldaşlıq görüşləri və qrupdakı rəqiblər imkan verir ki, yaxşı mübarizə aparaq, yaxşı nəticələr qazanaq. 2026 ən yaxşı ilimiz ola bilər.

Biz ötən il ağır oyunlar keçmişik. Fransa ilə iki ağır oyun oynamaq elə iki illik stressə bəs edir. Kənardan asan gələ bilər. Futbolçular da çox əziyyət çəkdilər. Ukrayna və İslandiya görüşlərdə də həmçinin. Qarşıda isə San Marino və Malta ilə oyunlarımız olacaq. Zəif rəqiblər deyil. FİFA pəncərəsi açıq olanda yaxşı rəqiblər istəyirik. Bir çox rəqiblərlə danışırdıq. Amma rəqib də səni seçməlidir. Futbolçularımız avrokuboklarda, ÇL-də oynayacaqlar. Futbolçular boş dayanmırlar. Allah qoysa, problem olmaz”.

Bu gün Azərbaycan Basketbol Liqasında (ABL) müntəzəm mövsümün sonuncu – 20-ci turunun növbəti oyunu keçirilib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, ikinci oyun günündə bir qarşılaşma baş tutub.

A qrupunda yer alan komandaların dueli Şəki Olimpiya İdman Kompleksində təşkil edilib. “Şəki” doğma meydanda “Gəncə”yə 73:84 hesabı ilə uduzub.

A qrupunda 20-ci turun qalan oyunları martın 30-31-də baş tutacaq.

A qrupu: Sabah – 37. Abşeron Lions – 36. Gəncə – 29. Neftçi – 28. NTD – 22. Şəki – 22.

Xatırladaq ki, ABL oyunları dörd dövrədən və 20 turdan ibarət olacaq. Müntəzəm mövsümün oyunları A və B qruplarına bölünməklə keçirilir. Müntəzəm mövsümdə A qrupunu ilk 3 sırada tamamlamış klublarla yanaşı, B qrupunu lider bitirmiş komanda pley-offun 1/4 final mərhələsinə vəsiqə qazanacaq. A və B qruplarında digər yerləri tutmuş komandalar isə pley-offun 1/8 final mərhələsində üz-üzə gələcəklər. Bu mərhələdə ən tez iki qələbə qazanacaq klublar 1/4 finala yüksələcəklər. Həm 1/4 final, həm də yarımfinal seriyaları 2 qələbəyə qədər davam edəcək.

Final seriyasında isə ən tez 3 qələbə qazanacaq klub Azərbaycan Basketbol Liqasının çempionu olacaq.

“Qarabağ” Azərbaycan Kubokunun yarımfinal mərhələsinin ilk oyununda aprelin 3-də “Sabah”ı qəbul edəcək.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, “atlılar” oyuna gəlmək istəyən xanım fanatlar üçün jest edib. Belə ki, xanım azarkeşlər üçün giriş pulsuz olacaq.

Tofiq Bəhramov adına Respublika stadionunda baş tutacaq görüşə saat 20:00-da start veriləcək.

Azərbaycan milli komandası “FIFA Series-2026” yoldaşlıq turnirində sabah Syerra Leone millisi ilə qarşılaşacaq.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, millinin futbolçusu Qismət Alıyev matçdan əvvəl təşkil olunan mətbuat konfransında iştirak edib. O, əvvəlcə görüşlə bağlı fikirlərini bildirib:

– Milli üçün önəmli matç olacaq. Bizim üçün belə oyunların olması Millətlər Liqası görüşləri öncəsi daha vacibdir. Qələbəsizlik seriyası var idi. Son görüşdə inamlı oynayaraq, bu tilsimi qıra bildik. Sabahkı matçda da ən yaxşısını etməyə çalışacağıq ki, xalqımızı sevindirək.

– Milli komandada sizin mövqeyinizdə alternativ kimi yalnız Abdulla Rzayev var. Rəqabətin zəif olması durumunuza necə təsir edir?
– “Zirə”də ən yaxşısını etməyə çalışıram ki, milliyə dəvət alım. Millinin seçimlərinə hörmət edirəm. Bu gün kimlər millidədirsə, demək ki, ona layiqdir.

Şahin Cəfərov

Azərbaycan milli komandası “FIFA Series-2026” yoldaşlıq turnirində sabah Syerra Leone millisi ilə qarşılaşacaq.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, millinin baş məşqçisi Ayxan Abbasov matçdan əvvəl təşkil olunan mətbuat konfransında iştirak edib. O, əvvəlcə görüşlə bağlı fikirlərini bildirib:

– Turnirdə ikinci oyunumuza çıxırıq. Rəqibin isə birinci oyunudur. Bu baxımdan onların bir az üstünlükləri var. Amma oyun evimizdədir və azarkeşlərimizin dəstəyi ilə qələbə qazanmağa çalışacağıq. Syerra Leone yığması Sent Lüsiyadan daha güclüdür. Reytinqdə də bizdən üstündürlər. İnanıram ki, komandamız bu oyunda daha istəkli olacaq. Millətlər Liqasına qədər bir toplanışımız qalıb. Hazır olmağa çalışacağıq.

– İlk oyunda yağışın yağması meydançaya təsir göstərib. Bu sizi narahat edir?
– Həmin oyunda hava və meydança ağır idi. Lakin rəqib də eyni şəraitdə oynayırdı. Fiziki yüklənmə baxımından çətin oldu. Buna baxmayaraq, ilk hissədə Rəhman Daşdəmirovdan başqa bütün futbolçuları dəyişdik. İkinci hissədə meydana girənlər də tempi yüksək tutdu, çox fərq hiss olunmadı.

– Canni De Byazinin belə bir uğur gətirən inancı (totemi) var idi: qələbələrdən sonra mətbuat konfransına Emin Mahmudovla gəlirdi. Siz niyə belə etmədiniz?
– Millidə olandan bu yana, istəyirəm ki, bütün futbolçular bu məsuliyyəti dərk etsinlər. Onların sizin qarşınıza çıxması və danışması vacibdir. Bizim xüsusi inancımız yoxdur; istəyirik ki, hər kəs mətbuat önünə çıxsın.

– Syerre-Leona millisi haqda çox şey bilmirik. Bu komanda hansı üslubda oynayır, kimdən çəkinmək lazımdır, bilmirik. Onları təhlil edə bilmisiniz?
– Səhv etmirəmsə, ilk dəfədir millimiz Afrika təmsiçisi ilə qarşılaşır. Tanımadığımız rəqiblərlə oynamaq yaxşıdır, futbolçular üçün dəyişiklik olar. Rəqib reytinqdə bizdən üstün ola bilər. Onlar da xalları elə-belə qazanmayıb. Fransa yüksək liqasında oynayan müdafiəçiləri var, topla oynayırlar, texnikalıdırlar.

– Sent Lüsiya ilə oyuna sonradan meydana daxil olanlardan kimlərə sabah əsas heyətdə şans verəcəksiniz? Rotasiyalar çox olacaq?
– Bəzi dəyişikliklər gözlənilir. Millidə 1-ci və 2-ci heyət aurasının olmamasını istəyirik. Çünki hamı hazır olmalıdır. Bura ən yaxşılar gəlir. Rəqiblərə görə seçimlər edəcəyik.

– Köməkçilərinizi Millətlər Liqasındakı rəqiblərdən Litva və ya Lixtenşteynin görüşlərinə göndərmisiniz?
– Yay toplanışında rəqiblərimizi yaxından izləmək planımız var. Köməkçilərimiz də orada ola bilər, özümüz də. İndiki yoldaşlıq görüşlərini yaxından izləyirik. Lixtenxşteyn Tanzaniyaya qalib gəldi. Litva Gürcüstanla oynayırdı. Yaxşı, mübariz komandadır. Bizim onlardan böyük üstünlüyümüz yoxdur. Futbolçuların milliyə yaxşı formada gəlməsi vacibdir.

– Sabah bərabərlik qeydə alınarsa, bunu uğurlu hesab etmək olar?
– Bu turnirdə bərabərlik olandan sonra dərhal penaltilərə keçəcəklər. Kimsə qalib gəlməlidir. Bu turniri təşkil edən FIFA-dır. Rəqibləri biz seçmirik. Hər rəqibə hörmət etməliyik. Bizdən də qat-qat güclü rəqiblərlə oynadıq. Onların bizə necə hörmət etdiyini gördük. Reytinqdə zəif olan komandalara da uduzmuşuq. Zəiflə də mübarizə aparmaq lazımdır. İlk oyunda istədiyimiz o idi ki, futbolçular oyuna düzgün yanaşsınlar.

– Qələbə sizin özünüz üçün nə qədər vacibdir?
– Millidə qalib gəlmək məşqçi üçün çox böyük sevincdir. Hər məşqçinin arzusudur ki, millidə qalib gəlsin. Ardıcıl ikinci qələbə futbolçular və məşqçilər üçün böyük motivasiya olar. İstəyirik ki, ilin sonuna qədər yaxşı statistika yaransın. Yoldaşlıq görüşləri və qrupdakı rəqiblər imkan verir ki, yaxşı mübarizə aparaq. Bu il imkan var ki, ən yaxşı ilimiz olsun.

– Bir dəfə demişdiniz ki, müqaviləniz U-21-də fəaliyyətinizə əsasən davam edir. AFFA bu haqda ətraflı açıqlama verməyib. Millətlər Liqasındakı nəticələr millidəki fəaliyyətinizə təsir göstərəcək? Həm də “Şamaxı”nın baş məşqçi axtarışına çıxdığı xəbərlər dolaşır…
– Klubla müqaviləm yaya kimidir. Mili ilə də danışığımız olmuşdu ki, yay toplanışından sonra mövzuları müzkairə edəcəyik. İlin sonuna qədər müqaviləm var. Bu turnir önəmlidir. Qərarlar veriləcək.

– Bir müddət millimiz daha çox güc etibarı özünə yaxın rəqiblərlə oynayacaq. Sonradan Avropa çempionatının seçmə mərhələsində daha güclü komandalarla oynamağa yadırğamayacaqsınız ki?
– Yox. Məncə, problem olmaz. Ağır oyunlar keçmişik. Fransa ilə iki ağır oyun oynamaq iki illik stressə bəs edir (gülür). Kənardan asan gələ bilər. Futbolçular da çox əziyyət çəkdilər. Ukrayna və İslandiya görüşlərdə də həmçinin. San-Marino və Malta ilə oyunlarımız olacaq. Zəif rəqiblər deyil. Seçim emək tək bizdən asılı deyil, rəqiblərin də razılığı olmalıdır.

Şahin Cəfərov

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Former Italy players Antonio Di Natale and Alberico Evani both encourage Gennaro Gattuso to start Francesco Pio Esposito in the World Cup play-off with Bosnia.

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday March 31 at 19.45 UK time.

Pio Esposito pushing for Italy start

There are likely to be changes from the side that beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final, the main one perhaps seeing Esposito preferred to Mateo Retegui.

“I would always put Pio Esposito in the starting XI,” former Udinese and Italy striker Di Natale told reporters at an event in Rome.

“The important thing is that Italy go back to the World Cup.”

The 20-year-old has flourished in the Inter senior squad this season with nine goals and six assists in 40 competitive games.

His Italy record is also impressive, finding the net three times in just six senior caps after being a stalwart for the Under-21 team.

“You can tell his potential and despite being very young, he is playing regularly for an important club like Inter without suffering from the pressure,” added Evani in Tuttosport and Tuttomercatoweb.

“He can become a player of the highest level.”

Italy faltered in the World Cup play-offs for 2018 and 2022, so Evani notes the biggest problem for coach Gattuso.

“The first opponent is time, because you just don’t have any. The players arrived on Sunday at the camp after club duty, so on Monday didn’t do any real training, and then had to play on Thursday.

“All you can do in that time is choose the players most suited to your ideas, but it’s not easy to unite results and entertainment. Talent makes the difference in those situations.”

Reports are growing that Milan and Paris Saint-Germain are interested in Marcus Rashford if Barcelona don’t buy him outright from Manchester United.

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The 28-year-old is under contract with Manchester United until June 2028, but is on loan at Barcelona until the end of the season with a purchase option worth €30m.

He has revitalised his career with 10 goals and 13 assists in 39 competitive appearances for the Blaugrana, but that does not necessarily mean the club will make it a permanent move.

Rashford at a career crossroads

There are other alternatives if that doesn’t happen, as Mundo Deportivo in Spain and Caught Offside in England both point towards Milan and PSG.

The Rossoneri already have quite a few England internationals in their squad, such as Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Fikayo Tomori.

They are also looking for a new striker, as Santiago Gimenez has disappointed, while Niclas Fullkrug probably won’t be purchased outright after his loan from West Ham United.

It is also not the first time that Rashford has been linked with a potential Serie A move to Milan.

There are concerns that Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo could be out for another month, as his injury is more serious than previously thought.

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The right-back has been out of action since suffering a knee injury on January 31 and was expected to return after the break for international duty.

Di Lorenzo missed by Napoli

However, Cronache di Napoli and Tuttomercatoweb both suggest that the recovery process is taking longer than previously believed.

He could be out of action until the end of April, forcing him to miss much of the remaining season with a Scudetto race in full swing.

Di Lorenzo has made 32 competitive appearances so far this term, contributing one goal and three assists for Antonio Conte’s side.

This isn’t the only concern for Napoli, who are also facing the rebellion of Romelu Lukaku, who is refusing to return from Belgium early after withdrawing from international duty.

Multiple reports suggest that if he is not back in Naples by Tuesday morning, the club will freeze him out as punishment.

Former Juventus coach Igor Tudor has officially left Tottenham Hotspur after just seven games in charge, meaning he has been dropped by two clubs in one season.

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The decision had been expected following one draw and four defeats in the Premier League, but was delayed by a week so that he could mourn the sudden death of his father.

Tottenham sack ex-Juventus boss Tudor

A formal statement on the Tottenham website confirms this was “mutually agreed” for him to leave, taking goalkeeping coach Tomislav Rogic and Physical Coach Riccardo Ragnacci with him.

He had only taken the job on February 14, overseeing one 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid, one draw and five losses in all competition.

Tudor had also been sacked by Juventus on October 27, the natural conclusion to a run of five draws and three consecutive defeats in all competition.

The Croatian spent most of his career in Italy, first as a player with Juventus and Siena from 1998 to 2007, then as a coach with experiences at Udinese, Verona, Lazio and Juve.

We can confirm that it has been mutually agreed for Head Coach Igor Tudor to leave the Club with immediate effect.

Tomislav Rogic and Riccardo Ragnacci have also left their respective roles of Goalkeeping Coach and Physical Coach.

We thank Igor, Tomislav and Riccardo for their… pic.twitter.com/I6HUdLdewL

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 29, 2026

The post Dogecoin Price Repeating Mini Cycles—Is Another Big Move on the Horizon? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

The Dogecoin price has been capped below a crucial resistance range since February, which has dropped by more than 6% in the past few days. The price is down by 3.43% to $0.0904, significantly underperforming a slightly weaker broader market, primarily driven by derivatives-led selling pressure. In the meantime, the on-chain activity begins to rise, despite the DOGE price action remaining muted. This suggests that a larger move could be building beneath the surface. 

The question now arises: will the Dogecoin price repeat the previous pattern and explode, or will there be yet another sideways consolidation?

Rising Active Addresses Signal Renewed Interest

Recent data shows that Dogecoin’s daily active users have climbed to around 53K, marking a noticeable recovery in network activity over the past few weeks. After a prolonged period of relatively flat engagement, the uptick in active addresses suggests renewed user participation, increased transaction activity and growing market attention. 

Historically, such rises in network activity have often aligned with early-stage accumulation phases, where interest begins to build before price expansion. However, this alone does not confirm a bullish breakout. While rising activity supports a constructive outlook, it needs to be backed by strong price action to validate any sustained upward trend.

Dogecoin Price Analysis: Mini Cycles Hint at Repetition

The Dogecoin price has been consolidating within a narrow range between $0.0902 and $0.0970 from the past few days, suggesting tight accumulation. From a technical perspective, the price appears to be following a repeating structure of accumulation, then markup, pullback and later consolidation. Previously, this trade set up have delivered nearly 190% gains in the first breakout and over 480% rally in the second phase. 

Currently, DOGE seems to be forming a potential third accumulation zone as the price continues to move sideways within a defined range. 

The above charts suggest the price remains within a range bound by lower highs. Momentum is still weak and indecisive with no confirmed breakout structure. This suggests that while the pattern resembles past cycles, the current phase lacks the strength seen before previous rallies. The structure is similar, but the confirmation is still missing. For now, the next direction depends on how the price reacts to these levels. 

A breakout above the $0.13–$0.15 zone could signal a shift in momentum and open the door for a move toward $0.25 and higher levels. On the other hand, a breakdown below $0.08 may weaken the structure and delay any bullish continuation. In simple terms, Dogecoin is not in a trend yet—it’s in a setup phase. While the pattern suggests the possibility of another rally, only a confirmed breakout will validate the move.

Final Verdict: Can Dogecoin Follow Its Historical Cycle and Reach $0.7?

From a broader perspective, Dogecoin’s chart still carries a long-term bullish possibility, mainly driven by its repeating accumulation cycles. If this cycle plays out, a confirmed breakout above the descending resistance and the $0.13–$0.15 zone could be the first signal of strength. 

Beyond that, sustained momentum could push DOGE toward the $0.45–$0.50 range, and in a more extended bullish scenario, the target could escalate to $0.7. However, this outlook remains conditional. The bullish trajectory depends entirely on whether Dogecoin can break out of its current range and maintain higher highs. Until then, the long-term scenario remains a possibility—not a certainty.

The post BTCL Price Prediction 2026: How Bitcoin Everlight Could Outperform XRP and Solana Gains appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

XRP delivered 400% in a single cycle. Solana turned early believers into millionaires. Now a new contender is quietly building inside the Bitcoin ecosystem, and the early numbers suggest it deserves serious attention before the next wave hits.

Bitcoin Everlight is not just another altcoin chasing hype. It is a lightweight transaction layer built on top of Bitcoin, designed to process payments faster and cheaper without touching Bitcoin’s core protocol. The native token, BTCL, is currently in presale at Phase 3 for $0.0012 per token, with over $2 million already raised from participants who spotted the opportunity early. With a fixed supply of 21 billion tokens and no inflation mechanism, the scarcity model directly mirrors Bitcoin’s own design philosophy.

Where the Price Upside Comes From

Price predictions are never guarantees, but they are grounded in fundamentals. BTCL starts at fractions of a cent. The presale runs across 20 stages, each one locking in a higher price than the last. Stage 1 opened at $0.0008, and the final stage reached $0.0110. Participants in Phase 3 today are still near the floor while the ceiling continues to rise. When you pair that price trajectory with real utility driving demand at mainnet, the conditions for significant gains begin to take shape.

The Shard System and Passive BTC Rewards

This is where Bitcoin Everlight separates itself from every other presale token in the market right now. The project has just released the Jade Shard, the newest and most accessible entry point in the tiered participation system. For just $100 worth of BTCL tokens, users activate the Jade Shard and begin earning 6% APY in BTCL during the presale phase. Once mainnet launches, that reward converts automatically to 6% real BTC paid from live network transaction routing fees. No hardware, no electricity costs, no technical setup required.

The full tier structure breaks down like this:

• Jade at $100 entry earns 6% APY, the newest and most accessible shard just released
• Azure at $500 earns 12% APY
• Violet at $1,500 earns 20% APY
• Radiant at $3,000 earns 28% or more APY during presale

Shards auto-upgrade as your contribution grows. They stay active as long as your BTCL balance holds above the required threshold. If it drops below, the shard downgrades until the balance is restored, which naturally encourages long-term holding. 

Comparing this to traditional Bitcoin mining makes the value clear: mining demands ASICs, massive energy bills, heat, and constant maintenance. With shards, the barrier is just a $100 commitment.

Presale Momentum and Investment Opportunity

Over $2 million raised across three phases tells a clear story. The tokenomics back it up further, with the design weighted heavily toward participants rather than insiders. Here is how the 21 billion total supply is allocated:

• 45% goes directly to presale participants
• 20% funds node and shard rewards
• 15% supports exchange liquidity
• 10% goes to the team on a long vesting schedule
• 10% covers ecosystem and treasury needs

The minimum entry for a Jade Shard sits at $100, with contributions accepted in BTC, ETH, SOL, USDT, and other major assets. That accessibility is intentional. High-yield BTC earning should not be reserved for whales and institutions. Independent crypto creators are already paying attention, with Crypto Volt and Crypto Royal both covering the project while it is still in its early stages.

Security You Can Verify

Trust in a presale project lives and dies on transparency, and Bitcoin Everlight leaves nothing unverified. The smart contracts have been fully audited by SpyWolf and SolidProof, two respected independent security firms. The entire core team has completed full identity verification through SpyWolf KYC and VitalBlock. On top of that, the project holds ISO/IEC 27001 certification and runs with multi-signature wallets and 24/7 on-chain monitoring. Every single claim is publicly verifiable by anyone.

The Window Is Still OpenXRP and Solana rewarded those who moved before the crowd caught on. Bitcoin Everlight is at that same early inflection point right now, with verified security, real infrastructure, and a reward model built directly on Bitcoin network activity. Phase 3 pricing will not last forever. Activate your shard today and lock in your position before the next price increase closes the door.

The post XRP Price Insights: While Crypto Becomes the Future and Here Is Why Pepeto Is Your Best Move appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Euro stablecoins now command over 80% of the non dollar stablecoin market with total supply hitting $1.2 billion, and Visa and Mastercard expanded settlement support, pushing monthly volumes to $10 billion. Crypto is not the future anymore. It is the present, and the governments building it into the financial system know it.

The XRP price prediction matters for holders watching XRP sit at $1.33 during the correction. But consider this. The US created Bitcoin’s framework after the 2008 financial crisis, launched crypto ETFs a few years later, and now builds stablecoins into global payments. 

They want crypto to absorb the $36 trillion national debt. Pepeto raised more than $8 million with a verified exchange, and investing now means positioning ahead of the wave that turns crypto from a market into the financial system itself.

XRP Price Prediction Gets Context as Euro Stablecoins Reach $1.2B With Visa and Mastercard Settlement

Euro stablecoins account for 85% of non USD stablecoin transfer volume with Circle’s EURC leading, and Visa and Mastercard expanded settlement support pushing monthly volumes to roughly $10 billion, according to CoinDesk. 

Despite sharp growth, euro stablecoins remain a small fraction of the $300 billion global stablecoin sector, according to The Block. 

The XRP price prediction benefits from stablecoin adoption because Ripple’s RLUSD operates in this space, but the exchange at presale pricing positioned to process volume when trillions flow onto blockchain is where the return lives before the listing.

The Last Chance Entry Before Crypto Becomes the Financial System

Pepeto

The financial market rewards those who have better information and act on it first. Pepeto closes that gap permanently because the verified exchange gives every holder the answers that institutions used to keep for themselves, and the tools are already running.

The verified tools track large wallet movements, spot shifts in direction, and catch dangerous contracts before your capital moves. The risk scorer flags hidden drain functions and risky permissions, PepetoSwap handles every trade at zero fees, and the cross chain bridge sends tokens at zero cost. To access every tool, you hold the token.

The XRP outlook shows XRP recovering over months, but the exchange token at presale pricing with a confirmed Binance listing is the entry that delivers what large caps cannot. More than $8 million raised at $0.000000186 during extreme fear with 191% APY staking compounding positions while stages fill. Every contract cleared SolidProof’s full review, and the creator who took the original Pepe coin to $11 billion on 420 trillion tokens shaped the exchange with a former Binance expert.

The presale ends when the listing opens. Analysts project 100x to 300x, and the wallets entering right now understand that crypto is becoming the financial system and the exchange token at presale pricing is how you position ahead of the biggest wealth transfer in history. Pepeto at this price will not exist once trading begins.

XRP Forecast: Where Does XRP Go From $1.33?

XRP trades at $1.33 on March 28 below its 200 day moving average of $2.15, according to CoinMarketCap. 

The XRP price prediction for 2026 targets $1.69 maximum, a 26% return. Ripple’s RLUSD is live across 60 markets, and Visa now settles EURC transactions. 

The ETF brought institutional access with Goldman Sachs at $153 million, but weekly inflows dropped below $2 million. The XRP forecast confirms XRP is positioned for the stablecoin era, but 26% over months is not the 100x the presale delivers from one listing.

XRP Price Prediction Confirms This Is the Second Chance to Be Early, and No Project Is Better

Last cycle made millionaires out of the wallets that moved first, and this is the same moment with a confirmed Binance listing approaching. Visa and Mastercard settling euro stablecoins proves crypto is becoming the financial system, not replacing it. 

No other project in 2026 combines the Pepe cofounder track record, verified exchange tools, and meme coin energy at presale pricing. The Pepeto official website is where this second chance is still open, and entering before the listing is how you ride the wave and make actual returns this year instead of watching the XRP price prediction play out slowly from the sidelines.

Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale

FAQs:

Should you follow the XRP price prediction or enter the Pepeto presale?

The XRP price prediction targets 26% growth over the months. Pepeto targets 100x from the Binance listing, making it the stronger entry for life-changing returns.

How does crypto becoming the financial system affect the XRP price prediction?

Stablecoins reaching $300 billion and Visa settling on chain proves crypto is the future. The Pepeto official website is where the exchange at presale pricing positions you ahead of that wave.

Does the XRP price prediction matter for 2026?

The XRP outlook sets realistic expectations at 26% annual return, but the presale delivers the kind of return that XRP cannot match from $1.33..

The post Trump Family Made $1.2B From Crypto and Here Is Why They Know About Pepeto DOGE and AVAX appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

The Trump family pulled $1.2 billion in cash from World Liberty Financial in just 16 months, according to the Wall Street Journal. Eric Trump, Donald Jr, and Barron Trump run the venture while $580 million in oil futures traded 15 minutes before the President posted about Iran peace talks. These are not coincidences. These are people who move money before the crowd knows what is happening.

The crypto news is telling you exactly how the game works. The same wallets that move before announcements are the ones entering verified entries during fear. Pepeto raised more than $8 million with exchange tools running and the Binance listing days away. Crypto rewards action, not intelligence, without courage. The people who see the opportunity and do not enter are worse off than the people who never saw it at all.

Crypto News Shows Trump Family Profits $1.2B From WLF While $580M Trades Before Iran Post

The Trump family earned at least $1.2 billion in cash from World Liberty Financial over 16 months, with 75% of all token sales going directly to the family, according to CoinDesk.

 Meanwhile $580 million in oil futures traded 15 minutes before Trump’s Iran peace post, and Senator Murphy called it “mindblowing corruption,” according to Axios. 

The crypto news proves the people closest to power move money before announcements, and the exchange filling with committed capital during this fear is where following that signal leads before the listing.

The Truth About Who Makes Money in Crypto and How to Join Them

Pepeto

The insider money pattern is not news to the wallets filling this presale. Pepeto is where that capital flows because the exchange catches the threats that cost regular investors everything, and the wallets entering during fear already know the game works this way.

The verified tools check every contract before your capital moves. The risk scorer catches hidden drain functions and risky permissions that are designed to be invisible. PepetoSwap handles every trade at zero fees, and the cross chain bridge sends tokens at zero cost. These tools give you the edge that was only available to large firms until now.

The market confirms that the bull run comes once every four years, and repeating the same mistake of seeing the opportunity and not entering means missing the cycle again. More than $8 million raised at $0.000000186 during extreme fear with 191% APY staking compounding positions while stages fill. SolidProof verified every contract in the codebase, and the same person who created the original Pepe coin to $11 billion on 420 trillion tokens built the exchange with a former Binance expert on the development team.

The crypto news about Trump’s family shows they move before the crowd. You can do the same thing right now. Pepeto at presale pricing with a confirmed Binance listing is the entry that disappears permanently when trading opens, and the wallets entering during fear are the ones who understand this.

Dogecoin

DOGE trades at $0.093 after falling 2.98% on the week as the broader market sold off according to CoinMarketCap. The 21Shares DOGE ETF on Nasdaq brings institutional access, but the bullish $0.25 target is a 2.8x over a full cycle. 

The market shows insiders move into high return entries during fear, not into large caps that deliver 2.8x over months.

Avalanche

AVAX dropped to $8.79 after a 7.41% weekly decline as DeFi slowed. The token needs $16 to avoid $12, and recovery without a catalyst is unlikely when fear controls every chart.

Crypto News Confirms One Position Right Now Can Change How Your Entire Cycle Ends

Pepe exploded from its presale price to $11 billion, and the people who acted early made the biggest returns of their lives. The same pattern is forming right now, and the question is, why would more than $8 million keep flowing into Pepeto during extreme fear without a reason? 

The crypto news proves that insiders always move first, and following where their capital flows is how you end up on the winning side. 

All points lead to Pepeto as the best opportunity of this year. Why would a whale wallet enter a presale? They always know more than the rest of us, but this time, we can follow their movements, and following their moves is the easiest way to build wealth.

Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale

FAQs:

What does the crypto news show about Trump family profits?

The Trump family earned $1.2 billion from World Liberty Financial in 16 months while $580 million traded before the Iran post. The crypto news proves insiders move money first.

How To Make Money Out Of Crypto?

Every wallet that built wealth in crypto made one choice: they acted while the entry was open. The Pepeto official website is where that entry is still available before the listing.

How do insiders profit based in Crypto?

They enter verified entries during fear before the crowd arrives. Pepeto raised $8 million during extreme fear with the Binance listing confirmed, following the same pattern the pattern reveals.

The post $12B Shorts vs $3B Longs—Is Bitcoin Price Set for a Short Squeeze Rally? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Bitcoin price continues to trade within a tight range near $66,700, showing limited momentum despite a slight 0.57% gain over the past 24 hours. While the broader crypto market remains relatively flat, BTC is holding key support levels, hinting at underlying demand. Beneath this muted price action, however, a high-stakes setup is quietly building. Recent liquidation data points to a significant imbalance in the market, suggesting that the next move may be driven less by sentiment and more by liquidity positioning.

As a result, Bitcoin’s next directional move is likely to depend on where the largest clusters of leveraged positions are concentrated—making this a classic liquidity-driven setup rather than a momentum-led breakout.

Bitcoin Liquidation Map: Where the Real Pressure Lies

The latest liquidation data reveals a significant imbalance in the derivatives market. Over $12 billion worth of short positions are stacked above Bitcoin’s current price, while only around $3 billion in long liquidations sit below. This uneven distribution highlights a key dynamic: liquidity is heavily concentrated on the upside as more pressure is building above the current price range. 

The BTC price appears more likely to move higher in the short term, targeting these short positions, which may further trigger a short squeeze. Although this does not confirm a sustained bullish trend, these liquidity-driven moves are temporary, followed by sharp reversals once the positions are cleared. This suggests that the price may follow a strong upside, but the traders need to remain cautious about a potential pullback after the liquidity is absorbed. 

Bitcoin Price Analysis: BTC Struggles Below Key Resistance

Bitcoin is currently trading around the $66,600 level, continuing to move within a tight range after facing repeated rejections near the $70,000–$72,000 zone. The 4-hour chart reflects a lack of strong directional momentum, with price action leaning slightly bearish in the short term. A closer look at the Bollinger Bands shows that BTC is trading below the mid-band, indicating that buyers are struggling to regain control.

Although the price recently bounced from the lower Bollinger Band near $65,000, the recovery remains weak, suggesting that the move may be a temporary relief rather than a confirmed reversal. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is hovering near the 40 level, reflecting neutral-to-bearish momentum. This indicates that while the market is not oversold, it also lacks the strength required for a sustained upside move.

 Key Levels to Watch

• Immediate Resistance: $68,000
• Major Resistance: $70,000–$72,000
• Immediate Support: $65,600
• Strong Support: $63,900

Wrapping it Up: Liquidity Signals Strength, But Bitcoin Price Needs Confirmation

Bitcoin is currently caught between bullish liquidity signals and weak price structure, creating a high-risk, high-opportunity setup. In the near term, Bitcoin could see a short squeeze toward the $68,000–$70,000 range, driven by liquidity. However, unless BTC manages to sustain above these levels, the move may turn into a bull trap, followed by renewed downside pressure. On the flip side, a breakdown below $65,600 could expose the next key support at $63,900, where buyers are expected to step in.

According to multiple reports, Adam Wharton will be looking to move on from Crystal Palace this summer, and a number of clubs are said to be watching the situation closely. Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool are the three mentioned most frequently in that aspect, but the Premier League trio of giants now faces the […]

The post Real Madrid to enter Adam Wharton race? appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Real Madrid to enter Adam Wharton race? appeared first on Soccer News.

According to multiple reports, Adam Wharton will be looking to move on from Crystal Palace this summer, and a number of clubs are said to be watching the situation closely. Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool are the three mentioned most frequently in that aspect, but the Premier League trio of giants now faces the […]

The post Real Madrid to enter Adam Wharton race? appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Real Madrid to enter Adam Wharton race? appeared first on Soccer News.

There are farewells in football that feel inevitable, and then there are those that feel seismic. Mohamed Salah’s announcement that he will leave Liverpool at the end of the 2025–26 season belongs firmly in the latter category. After nine years at Anfield, Salah is not just departing a football club; he is closing a chapter […]

The post The End of the Egyptian King Era: Why Liverpool Must Learn to Move On From Mohamed Salah appeared first on Soccer News.

The post The End of the Egyptian King Era: Why Liverpool Must Learn to Move On From Mohamed Salah appeared first on Soccer News.

According to multiple reports, Adam Wharton will be looking to move on from Crystal Palace this summer, and a number of clubs are said to be watching the situation closely. Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool are the three mentioned most frequently in that aspect, but the Premier League trio of giants now faces the […]

The post Real Madrid to enter Adam Wharton race? appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Real Madrid to enter Adam Wharton race? appeared first on Soccer News.

The main event of WWE Survivor Series 1994 pitted The Undertaker against Yokozuna in a Casket Match, with multiple interferences expected in the midst of the action. To combat that, WWE recruited MMA and acting icon Chuck Norris as the special guest enforcer.

In this role, Norris notably blocked the involvement of Bam Bam Bigelow, King Kong Bundy, and Jeff Jarrett, the latter of whom ate a superkick for his offense. Nevertheless, Jarrett looks back on that moment fondly as he considers Norris, who died earlier this month at the age of 86, a one-of-a-kind figure.

"Casket Match, and just how it all laid out, Chuck Norris was a special enforcer, so of course, a heel got to roll down there and show his chops," Jarrett said on the "My World" podcast. "I'll never forget having the quick conversation. I'm thinking okay, we're probably going to go over this, and then we just had that conversation. Very briefly he said, 'Well, what do you think?' And I said, 'Well, I'm better off stepping into you, not you coming into me, but we'll meet each other.' He just kind of nodded his head. He said, 'Okay.' That's kind of what I posted on my tweet, just a very brief [interaction]. But boy oh boy, he's a pros pro. 'Was it stiff, Jeff?' Let's just say it was in there, but he was a pro. He knew what he was doing."

Despite the multiple attempted interferences and the successful one from Irwin R. Schyster, The Undertaker ultimately won the match, courtesy of a big boot and a dramatic close of the casket. Satisfied with the outcome, Norris then looked on at ringside with a smirk.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "My World" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Read more: What These Famous 70s Wrestlers Are Doing Today

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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.

Olympic bronze medallist Zoe Atkin finished her halfpipe season on a high with victory in the final event of the campaign to secure her first outright overall World Cup title.

The 23-year-old British freestyle skier had shared last season's crown with China's Li Fanghui but this time she made it her own with her second win of the season at the Park and Pipe finals in Switzerland.

She scored 86.75 in Silvaplana, beating New Zealand's Mischa Thomas, who scored 80.75 a,nd neutral athlete Aleksandra Glazkova, with 80.00.

The win meant Atkin finished on 360 points for the discipline, 70 clear of Australia's Indra Brown, who was sixth in Sunday's final.

Her victory came a day after Kirsty Muir became the first British woman to win World Cup titles in both freeski slopestyle and overall park and pipe.

It was also the day after Winter Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Bankes clinched the third World Cup title of her career in the snowboard cross.

A woman from south London has been crowned Gladiators Champion 2026,

The high-energy sports entertainment show has seen contenders being pursued around the arena inside massive metal spheres and enduring some heavy hits in Powerball, over the last 11 weeks.

And following the Grand Final on Saturday, Emily Bell, 23, from Croydon beat Naomi Church to pick up the trophy. They were the youngest and oldest contenders in the tournament.

She said after winning the women's competition: "What on earth has just happened? I don't think I will fully comprehend for a long time what I've accomplished and what I've overcome both physically and mentally to hold this - heavy - trophy in my hands."

Emily, a Cambridge graduate who works in marketing and plays rugby for the London Broncos, said one of the things she had learnt during the competition was to "back herself".

"I often get told by family and friends that I need to 'back myself' more. It's much easier said than done," she said.

"But this whole experience, even just getting here - let alone winning the whole thing - is a lifelong and constant reminder to myself about what I can accomplish, even when terrified!

"Note to self: Back yourself, Emily."

• Watch Gladiators on BBC iPlayer and add to your Watchlist

She had previously told BBC London that: "It's just been so fun to rep the flag of south London, of Croydon."

For Emily, being from Croydon and having the area's support has been an important part of the journey.

"I just love the community," she says.

"Community is important, sometimes it does lack, especially in big cities, so it's been really nice now to bring community together."

Emily says her mother has been fairly instrumental in making sure all of Croydon knows that she's on Gladiators.

"My mum will tell a rando in the supermarket, and then they're invested, and they'll tell someone else, and they'll tell someone else and that little chain of supporters and community grows, and oh, I just love it."

Josh McDonald won the men's competition.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk

More from Gladiators

• Gladiators finalist: 'It's been fun to rep the flag of south London'
• Gladiators was 'life-changing', firefighter says
• 'Gladiators gave me a platform to inspire others'
• 'Gladiators Travelator was as hard as childbirth'

Bernardo Silva Exit Signals End of Era at Manchester City

Few players have embodied Manchester City’s modern dominance quite like Bernardo Silva. Tireless, technically gifted, and relentlessly intelligent, he has been a cornerstone of Pep Guardiola’s system. Now, as reported by Caught Offside, that chapter appears to be drawing to a close.

The Portuguese international has made a decision that could reshape City’s midfield and signal the beginning of a new cycle at the Etihad Stadium.

Silva Decision Brings Clarity

For months, uncertainty has surrounded Silva’s future. Now, that ambiguity has lifted. According to Caught Offside, the midfielder has already informed the club of his intention to move on.

The message is direct and significant. “Silva has loved his time at City but is now looking for a new challenge, with a number of avenues being explored by his agents ahead of the summer.”

This is not a player being pushed out, nor one fading from relevance. It is a footballer seeking renewal, a fresh environment after years at the summit of English and European football.

At 31, Silva remains at a level where he can dictate matches. His departure, therefore, is less about decline and more about timing.

Photo IMAGO

European Giants and Global Options in Frame

Silva’s next destination remains uncertain, but the list of interested clubs reflects his enduring quality. Interest from MLS and the Saudi Pro League highlights the financial appeal surrounding his profile, while Europe continues to offer competitive pathways.

Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, and Napoli are all monitoring his situation. Each represents a distinct footballing identity, yet all would benefit from Silva’s intelligence and versatility.

Caught Offside note that there is no clear frontrunner, with Silva expected to assess his options carefully. His desire for a competitive project suggests Europe may still hold strong appeal, particularly if he seeks to remain at the highest level of the game.

There is also a financial dimension. High salary demands will shape negotiations, narrowing the field to clubs capable of matching both ambition and remuneration.

Guardiola Influence and Dressing Room Impact

Internally, the mood at Manchester City is one of concern rather than surprise. Silva has long been regarded as integral to Guardiola’s system, both tactically and culturally.

Sources describe him as “Pep Guardiola’s right-hand man on the pitch”, a phrase that captures his importance beyond statistics. Silva’s understanding of space, tempo, and pressing triggers has made him indispensable in key moments.

His leadership has also been vital. Alongside figures such as Rodri, he has provided stability and experience in a squad built on excellence.

The potential simultaneous departure of Silva and Rodri would represent a profound shift. Combined with ongoing questions about Guardiola’s own future, City face the prospect of a summer defined by transition.

Photo IMAGO

Midfield Rebuild on Horizon

Manchester City are rarely caught unprepared. Reports suggest that work is already underway to identify replacements, with two high profile midfield targets under consideration.

Yet replacing Silva is not straightforward. His skill set is unique, blending creativity with relentless work rate and tactical discipline.

City’s recruitment team must now balance continuity with evolution. The next phase of Guardiola’s project, or indeed his successor’s, will depend heavily on how effectively that transition is managed.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

For Man City supporters, this feels like the end of a golden thread that has run through some of the club’s greatest achievements. Bernardo Silva has been more than a midfielder, he has been a symbol of the team’s identity under Guardiola.

There is admiration for his decision. After years of success, seeking a new challenge is understandable. Yet there is also concern about what comes next.

Silva’s intelligence and work rate are difficult to replicate. While City have the resources to sign elite players, replacing his influence within the system is another matter entirely.

Fans will also be wary of the broader context. If Rodri were to leave, and with uncertainty around Guardiola, this could mark a significant turning point.

At the same time, there is trust in the club’s structure. City have navigated transitions before and emerged stronger.

The hope will be that this is not the end of an era, but the beginning of another carefully constructed chapter.

Moses Itauma wasted no time calling out boxing’s biggest name after another destructive win.

The 21-year-old heavyweight stopped Jermaine Franklin Jr. in Manchester on Saturday, continuing his rapid rise through the division.

Itauma, now 14-0 with 12 knockouts, has built a reputation for finishing fights early with explosive power.

His victory over Franklin reinforced his status as one of boxing’s most feared young prospects.

It also pushed him closer to elite-level opposition.

Moses Itauma calls out Flip Hrgovic and Oleksandr Usyk after KO win

Itauma made his ambitions clear immediately after the fight.

When asked about who he wants to fight next, he told DAZN: “I mean, I wanted a [Flip] Hrgovic fight, but obviously he’s doing his thing. Man, I’d want [Oleksandr] Usyk as well. I wouldn’t turn that fight down.”

His confidence reflects a rise fuelled by brutal knockout performances and growing belief he is ready for the division’s elite.

The Franklin win was viewed as a key test, but Itauma passed it emphatically.

Moses Itauma’s targets are not available immediately

Despite his callouts, both targets already have commitments in place.

Hrgovic is scheduled to face Dave Allen on May 16 as he rebuilds towards title contention.

Usyk, meanwhile, is set for a high-profile crossover bout against Rico Verhoeven on May 23.

Those timelines delay any immediate showdown.

However, Itauma’s trajectory suggests those fights may only be a matter of time.

Read more:

When golfer Tiger Woods was arrested for suspicion of DUI after a rollover car crash in Jupiter Island, Florida, on Friday, March 27, one Baseball Hall of Famer took notice.

MORE: Yankees pitcher sounds off on fans’ ‘brutal’ TV nightmare: ‘sounds terrible’

Wade Boggs, whose 18-year career in MLB resulted in a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame, had an admonishing message for Woods: “My Mom got killed by a drunk driver,” Boggs wrote on his X account March 27. “I hope you wake up Mr Woods.”

Sue Nell Graham was 61 when she died in 1986, at the peak of her son’s career with the Boston Red Sox. She was a pilot in the Army, and later a flight instructor.

Of all the sports celebrities with a take on Woods’ latest automobile accident (his SUV rolled over after a single-car crash in 2021), Boggs’ might hit the closest to home.

Neither Woods, nor the other driver involved in his latest crash, were injured in the accident.

“According to a source at Martin County Fire Rescue, it was a two-car crash, [and] one vehicle was a rollover,” WPEC CBS12 News’ Skyler Shepard reported. “One person is stable, while another refused to go to the hospital. MCFR said there are no injuries to anyone.”

Early in the morning of Nov. 27, 2009, Woods crashed his SUV into a fire hydrant and a tree outside of his home near Orlando. Woods was found to be at fault, but did not face charges beyond a traffic citation for careless driving, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

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Igor Tudor’s time at Tottenham Hotspur has come to an end.

Tottenham on Sunday announced they and Igor Tudor have agreed to mutually part ways after 44 days in charge and one point above the drop zone.

The Croatian won one point in his five Premier League games in charge, with Spurs’ 0-3 home defeat appearing to be the result that sealed his fate.

Tudor went on bereavement leave immediately following the game, which Spurs acknowledged in their statement:

“We also acknowledge the bereavement that Igor has recently suffered and send our support to him and his family at this difficult time,” the club said.

Tottenham also announced Tomislav Rogic and Riccardo Ragnacci have also left their roles with the club.

The club did not announce a replacement.

Fitzie’s note: This is just a short post to get you all started in your commenting desires. Menno or Sebastian will take over proper writing duties when they’re back.

Fitzie’s track of the day – sorry force of habit

Train Hard, Fight Easy

"I can fight as soon as possible so, let's see what they got for me."

Yousri Belgaroui sends a statement to the middleweight division after finishing Mansur Abdul-Malik in the third round at #UFCSeattle.

Results, highlights & interviews ➡️ https://t.co/t0IByiyRBNpic.twitter.com/hH9ivnkbWh— UFC News (@UFCNews) March 29, 2026

ZURICH (AP) — The International Ice Hockey Federation is expected to have a new president later this year after Luc Tardif announced Sunday that he is not seeking re-election.

Tardif has been in the role since succeeding longtime leader Rene Fasel in 2021. It was not immediately clear who might be in line to follow Tardif, who revealed that he is stepping down on his 73rd birthday.

His term runs until October.

“With the IIHF in a strong and stable position, I feel it is the right time to pass the puck to a younger leader,” Tardif wrote in a letter. “I am committed to ensuring a smooth and effective transition for the benefit of the global ice hockey community.”

Tardif succeeded in bringing NHL players back to the Olympics by helping reach a deal involving the league, union, IIHF and International Olympic Committee. The Canada-born French executive hinted at having a role in preparations for the 2030 Games in the south of France.

“These past five years as president have been among the most challenging, yet also the most meaningful, of my career,” Tardif said, mentioning the navigation of the COVID-19 pandemic among other factors. “I am incredibly proud to have been a guardian of our sport, our events, our organization and our values, safeguarding them during these critical and uncertain times.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots could meet for at least one joint training camp practice this summer.

Nick Sirianni and Mike Vrabel have had “preliminary discussions about the possibility of having the teams practice together in the preseason — likely in Foxborough,” according to a report from ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

The Eagles and Patriots previously held a single joint training camp practice session in August 2024, days ahead of their preseason game at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts.

The Eagles typically don’t like to play their starters in preseason games, instead preferring to rely on joint training camp practices to prepare their key players for the regular season.

Whereas most Eagles training camp practices (save for the sole public appearance at Lincoln Financial Field each year) as closed to fans, this session might be available to those willing to make the trip to Foxborough.

There’s a good chance A.J. Brown will be participating in this practice. The question is: will he be wearing an Eagles uniform or a Patriots jersey?

Assuming the Eagles and Pats do end up playing each other in the preseason, that’ll make up one of the Eagles’ two road preseason games. They’ll have just a single home preseason game this year.

Red Sox Set Starting Pitcher For Season's Home Opener originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Red Sox return to Fenway Park on Friday for their first home game of the 2026 season.

Boston hosts the San Diego Padres for a three-game series, all of which start in the afternoon. The Red Sox first play the Houston Astros after concluding their series with the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

Per MassLive's Chris Cotillo, the Red Sox locked down their rotation for those next four games. Ranger Suarez, Brayan Bello and Garrett Crochet will face the Astros at Daikin Park on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Sonny Gray will start the season's home opener in just his second outing with the Red Sox.

Gray's team debut didn't go too smoothly. The 36-year-old allowed six hits, a walk and four runs (three earned) in four innings during Saturday's 6-5 loss at Cincinnati.

The right-hander relinquished two runs in the first inning and couldn't get back on track. Reds second baseman Matt McLain hit an RBI double in the second, and first baseman Sal Stewart crushed a solo home run in the third.

Gray reflected on the rough outing against his former team, via Boston.com's Kaley Brown.

"Overall, I just don’t feel like I put us in a good position to win the game, if I’m being honest," Gray said after the game. "I just put us in a pretty big hole early, and we did our best to climb out of it. But we just came up a little short. I don’t feel like I gave us a really good chance to win that game."

Gray will get a chance to rebound at Fenway when the Red Sox play the Padres on Friday at 2:10 p.m. ET.

More MLB: Red Sox Tweak Lineup For Opening Series Rubber Match Vs. Reds

Barcelona star Ronald Araujo has spoken out about his tackle on Phil Foden that saw him come in for criticism during Uruguay’s friendly with England.

Araujo left England boss Thomas Tuchel fuming after going in hard on the Manchester City star, with commentators saying the defender was lucky to escape a red card.

Araujo says he spoke to Foden after the game and all is well between the two players.

“It was a hard tackle, but obviously I went for the ball without any intention. After the game, I sent him a message, he said he was fine and that it’s just part of football. Things are often blown out of proportion, because it’s clear I was going for the ball. Everyone knows me and knows I’m not malicious,” he said, via Marca.

“I saw the replay afterward. It’s true that if you pause the camera it’s very strong , but I went in with the intention of going for the ball, and the referee and VAR were on the field. The important thing is that I spoke with him, he told me it was nothing and that these things happen in football. I’m taking that away from it.”

Uruguay and Araujo play again on Tuesday against Algeria in another friendly.

Israel Adesanya suffered his fourth consecutive loss to Joe Pyfer last night (March 28, 2026) in UFC Seattle’s 185-pound main event (watch highlights).

Like almost all of the fights that preceded it, Adesanya vs. Pyfer was a lot of fun. Adesanya started the fight really well. He shucked off Pyfer’s takedown attempts, largely denied him the boxing range, and went to work chewing up the lead calf. Not only were his kicks landing heavily, but Adesanya also mixed it up and went on the offensive more often with combinations. There were also flashes of the frame-work and tie-ups he used so well in his kickboxing career many years ago.

Pyfer was game, swinging big and scoring an important takedown towards the end of the first. However, he was largely outgunned in the opening seven minutes. Adesanya was outright flowing early in round two, ripping power kicks from both stances and generally putting the hurt on his younger opponent.

Then, it all fell apart.

Adesanya moved away from his kicks. He started standing in the pocket and trading combinations with the vaunted knockout artist. Some aggression was necessary, but Adesanya’s best punches have always landed when they’re hidden by layers of feints and lots of heavy kicking attacks. As soon as Pyfer had a stationary target in front of him, he was able to hurt the former champion and turn the tide.

Just a couple minutes after Adesanya was looking so sharp, he was rocked and stuck on bottom.

Prior to UFC Seattle, there was a lot of speculation that another loss would end the UFC career of Adesanya. Four straight losses are a tough pill for any combat sports athlete to swallow, let alone such a decorated champion who began his career with a 20-0 run.

In the cage, however, Adesanya was defiant and promised that “I’m not f—king leaving!”

Sadly, that strongly feels like the wrong call after the Pyfer loss.

Adesanya’s last three fights have demonstrated a disappointing trend. “Stylebender” shows up, looks sharp early on, and then something goes catastrophically wrong. The Pyfer loss is particularly damning because it felt so avoidable. Pyfer’s lead leg was cooked six minutes into the fight — there was no need to slug it out. Adesanya could have jabbed, low kicked and circled for four more rounds much more easily.

Instead, he threw himself into the fire and didn’t seem particularly pressed when it quickly backfired. Even when Pyfer started landing, Adesanya did not take any chance to clinch up, circle away, or otherwise regroup. He allowed the fight to move in Pyfer’s direction without any real resistance. In truth, he looked like a fighter who didn’t mind losing, and his jovial post-fight interviews and excessive graciousness after the fact didn’t disavow that idea.

It was a far cry from the coldly efficient ring general who first rose to greatness by pissing all over his competition. A lack of motivation to win and general lack of survival instinct are both very bad signs for an aging combat sports athlete. The mentality that saw Adesanya capture and defend UFC gold has disappeared, which is as important as any physical decline. Even if Adesanya is still very skilled, his mindset is no longer in the correct place to take on elite opposition.

Adesanya was lucky that Pyfer brawl didn’t end up worse. If he’s not going to the cage with his mind right, he could end up hurt badly. “Stylebender” ultimately has a choice to make: walk away or reignite the competitive fire. Failing to do the latter but continuing to compete would be irresponsible and unseemly.

Nobody wants to watch a formerly great champion with the mentality of a journeyman.

For complete UFC Seattle results and play-by-play, click here.

Magazines have been somewhat collectible for a while, but we've never seen anything in the non-sports space like we are seeing with "George" Magazine.

Boosted by FX's anthology series, "Love Story," based on the romance of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, 70 copies of JFK Jr.'s defunct and unsuccessful play into publishing sold on eBay on Thursday alone.

And since the show began on Feb. 12, more than 115 copies of the inaugural issue from Sept. 2005 with Cindy Crawford dressed as George Washington on the cover, have sold in the $200 to $400 range. One copy, that closed on March 27, had an astounding 71 bids.

The magazine, hoping to tell stories on politics in a different style, lasted six years and folded in 2001 after losing $10 million. JFK Jr. battled with his co-publisher early on and the two split a year and a half in. In July 1999, JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette died in a plane crash and the magazine eventually sputtered.

So will issues be collectible? Time will tell, but it's not like the publication was rare. It's circulation of 400,000 issues made it the largest political publication in the country. Then again, "Sports Illustrated" printed millions upon millions of copies and the best of the best sell for north of $100,000.

Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectibles market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania coach Mircea Lucescu was hospitalized Sunday before a scheduled training session for the national team.

The Romanian soccer federation said the 80-year-old Lucescu was undergoing heart arrhythmia tests and was in stable condition when he arrived at the hospital.

The coach fell ill before the team's last training session ahead of its trip to play a friendly at Slovakia on Tuesday.

Romania won’t be at the World Cup after losing to Turkey on Thursday.

Team doctors first attended to Lucescu until paramedics arrived. The federation said training was canceled and that it had also unsuccessfully tried to cancel the match against Slovakia.

The team will be led by assistant coach and former international Ionel Gane, the federation said.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Joe Pyfer showed up to the post-fight press conference in Seattle limping and wearing a brace on his right hand.

Saturday’s main event was Adesanya’s first fight since his loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 earlier this year. The former middleweight champion was hoping to get back into title contention with a win, but things didn’t go according to plan.

Adesanya started quickly and looked sharp early on, showing flashes of the form that made him champion. But as the fight went on, it was Pyfer who began to take control.

In the second round, Pyfer landed some heavy shots and then took Adesanya down before finishing the fight with strikes.

Joe Pyfer arrives at the press conference wearing a hand brace

After the fight, Pyfer spoke to reporters about his health and any injuries he might have picked up during the bout.

He took quite a few heavy calf kicks from Adesanya, which clearly affected him, as he was seen limping into the press room. Speaking about how he felt compared to his opponent, Pyfer said: “I think Izzy is walking away a lot less hurt than I am,”

Along with the calf issue, Pyfer also had a brace on his right hand. It’s something worth keeping an eye on in terms of recovery time. Throughout his time in the UFC, Pyfer has often chosen not to wrap his hands before fights – a decision that isn’t common but isn’t against any rules either.

While hand wraps are recommended for protection, fighters aren’t required to use them. On the topic of his hand injury, Pyfer added:

“As far as the hand, I don’t know (what I’ve done), I’m gonna go and get it checked out. I know I hit him in his dome piece and it hurt but it only takes one.”

Pyfer is interested in headlining the August UFC card in Philadelphia

There’s been some buzz that the UFC might be heading back to Philadelphia this August.

And with that, Pyfer has made it clear he’d like his next fight to take place at that event, even saying he’d love to headline the card.

“I will say this, I know there is a Philadelphia card in August, we’ve got a lot of homies up on the East Coast ready to rock for that… Yeah, maybe August. I would really, really like to headline that card.”

With his win over Adesanya, Pyfer will likely move into the top five of the division and could soon be in title contention with another victory.

Read more:

Dustin May’s Cardinals debut brings intrigue and a different kind of bet originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The St. Louis Cardinals do not usually operate like this.

For years, their rotations were built on reliability and control. Pitchers who could take the ball every fifth day and keep games steady. That approach kept them competitive, but it rarely gave them a true difference maker.

That is why Dustin May stands out.

His debut on Sunday is not just another start. It is a look at a shift in how the Cardinals want to build their pitching staff. And it comes with something on the line right away, with St. Louis trying to complete a sweep of the Rays.

The talent has always been there, the timing has not

The appeal with May is easy to see.

When he first broke in with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he looked like one of the most electric young arms in baseball. He throws in the upper 90s, his movement is hard to square up, and his sweeper has been one of the toughest pitches in the game to hit.

The problem has never been talent. It has been staying on the field.

Injuries have interrupted his career multiple times. He missed all of 2024 and has had stretches where he simply could not build momentum. Even last season, when he split time with the Boston Red Sox and Dodgers, the results were mixed. A 4.96 ERA shows how inconsistent things were, even if the stuff still flashed.

The pitch that could change everything

That is where the Cardinals saw an opening.

Their pitch to May was different. They did not just talk about what he already does well. They talked about what he could become. A big part of that was bringing back his curveball, a pitch he has not really used since 2019. It is something other teams moved away from, but St. Louis wanted to lean into it.

They also made it clear that keeping him healthy was a priority. That mattered to a pitcher who has spent as much time rehabbing as he has competing over the last few years.

More: Shea Langeliers off to scorching start despite A’s 0-2 record

Why this version of May might finally stick

Now 28, May feels like he is somewhere in between. He is no longer a young prospect, but he is not a finished product either. His velocity is back near where it used to be, and he looks stronger after dealing with serious health issues, including surgery in 2024.

If the curveball becomes a real weapon again and his changeup continues to develop, his arsenal suddenly looks much deeper. That is how you turn flashes into consistency.

For the Cardinals, that upside is worth the risk.

A debut with something real on the line

This is a one-year deal, but it does not feel like a small move. It feels like a statement. St. Louis is willing to chase impact instead of just stability.

Sunday is the first real look at how that bet might play out.

And with a sweep on the table against the Rays, it is not a quiet debut. It matters right away.

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There was plenty to talk about after the United States men’s national team suffered a brutal 5-2 loss to Belgium on Saturday. But underlying the USMNT’s harsh reality check was another issue: the surprising similarity between the two team’s jerseys.

The USMNT was debuting one of its new kits for the 2026 World Cup: a white jersey with red stripes that emulate the American flag. But Belgium wore their away kit, which was also white with pink and light blue accents.

Up close, the two jerseys look nothing alike, but from a distance, the red accents and pink accents on the white jersey look far more similar. The result was a game where the main distinguishing factor was in the shorts: Belgium’s shorts were white, while the U.S.’s were dark blue.

Postgame, USMNT midfielder Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie both said that the jersey issue wasn’t “an excuse” for their poor performance, but both noted that it made the game a bit more “difficult.”

“That just can’t happen. It was a bit strange. It was very difficult. I didn’t know until we took off the pre-match shirts and then saw it and everyone was a bit shocked,” Pulisic said postgame. “When you a lot of times you get the ball, you look up like and you can’t really like lock in on someone. You only can base it off the color of the shirt. That’s how it works. And when it’s very similar, it’s difficult.”

“Whenever you do a quick glance to tell which was which, it was almost like a fifty-fifty thing,” McKennie added. “So you definitely had to maybe take a little bit more time on the ball before you made a decision or play one-touch to a player.”

Belgium, despite getting the dominant win, reportedly also agreed: Midfielder Amadou Onana told The Athletic that the jersey clash was “awful,” and Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens told the outlet that he brought up the issue to Belgium’s equipment staff at halftime.

However, per The Athletic, though both teams considered changing jerseys, neither team’s alternate jerseys were available. The Athletic reports that the USMNT considered going to get their other jerseys from the team hotel during the first half, but they would not have been able to bring them back in time.

A U.S. Soccer spokesperson told ESPN that the jerseys were approved by both teams and the referees multiple times ahead of the game, and that the referees did not find issue in the jersey matchup.

The USMNT’s other jersey, dark blue with stars, would have certainly served as better contrast to Belgium’s away kit. Natalie McKeough, a color designer with Nike who worked on the jersey, wrote on social media that the U.S.’s stripes jersey was approved as “the light kit” by FIFA.

“Whoever approved this matchup messed up fr,” she wrote.

The USMNT will play on Tuesday in another World Cup tune-up against Portugal. But breathe a sigh of relief: The U.S. will probably wear that dark blue kit for that game, leaving a similar clash with either of Portugal’s kits unlikely.

The Men's NCAA Tournament is filled with challenges for the 68 teams that make it each year.

That includes the difficulty — and often years of drought — of making the Final Four. It's something that, after a near trip to the Final Four in 2024, No. 3 seed Illinois finally experienced inside the Toyota Center in Houston on Saturday, March 28. The Fighting Illini defeated Big Ten foe, No. 9 Iowa, in the Elite Eight to become the first team to advance to the Final Four.

REQUIRED READING: From overlooked to overjoyed, Keaton Wagler leads Illinois to Final Four

Keaton Wagler won the point guard battle against Iowa's Bennett Stirtz, as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year finished with 25 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal. That line was good enough for Wagler to be named the South Region’s Most Outstanding Player after he averaged 19.0 points in two games in Houston.

It's also a win that lets head coach Brad Underwood live out a dream.

"It's better than I dreamt it would ever be," he said in postgame following his team's win vs. Iowa. "Thirty-nine years in the business and that's all I'm going to say about my side of this."

REQUIRED READING: David Mirkovic celebrates Illinois' Final Four berth with Texas accessory

But with the Illini now sitting two wins away from a national championship, curiosity has risen about when the last time Illinois — which had seen four first-round exits in the last five years entering this year's Men's NCAA Tournament — last made the Final Four.

Here's what to know.

When was the last time Illinois made Final Four?

The Illini's win over the Hawkeyes on Saturday sent them past the Elite Eight and into the Final Four for the first time since 2005. It's Illinois' sixth trip to the Final Four, where it is 1-5 in the national semifinal game.

"It feels great. From the moment we stepped on campus, we kind of got a sense of how talented we were, but it feels surreal actually being in this moment. I wouldn't want it any other way with these guys right next to me," Illinois guard Andrej Stojakovic said after the Elite Eight win.

"Don't get it wrong, it's not just us three. We got guys 1 through 15 and a roomful of coaching staff, administration, guys that help us every day, managers that don't get the credit, and it took all of us to get here and it took all of us to give 100% percent of what we got to achieve this.

"Last thing I'll say is I don't want anybody to think that this is it. We didn't get to the Final Four just to get there. We're coming to win two more games, and we'll take it one game at a time."

“It’s been 21 years for the Illini, but finally, the road will take them to Indianapolis. Illinois is going to the Final Four!” pic.twitter.com/FZb8Xj2NQJ

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 29, 2026

Illinois basketball Final Four history

This is the Illini's sixth trip to the Final Four and first since 2005.

• 1949: lost semifinal to Kentucky, 76-47
• 1951: lost semifinal to Kentucky, 76-74
• 1952: lost semifinal to St. John's, 61-59
• 1989: lost semifinal to Michigan, 83-81
• 2005: won semifinal vs. Louisville, 72-57; lost in final to North Carolina, 75-70

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Illinois basketball Final Four history, record as Illini punch ticket