US President Donald Trump is set to meet with several senators on Thursday as negotiators race to get the CLARITY Act across the line before the Senate’s August recess.

The final men's golf major of 2026 has arrived.

The Open Championship begins Thursday at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England, where the winner will have his name etched on the prestigious Claret Jug as the Champion Golfer of the Year. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is back to defend his title against a field loaded with the biggest names in golf, including Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood, Bryson DeChambeau and Jordan Spieth, who won The Open last time Royal Birkdale hosted.

Follow along with Golfweek below for live leaderboard updates, highlights, breaking news and more from Thursday's first round of the 2026 Open Championship.

The Open 2026 live leaderboard

Keep tabs on every score posted at Royal Birkdale with The Open Championship 2026 live leaderboard.

The Open 2026 tee times

Click here to see every tee time for the first round of the 2026 Open Championship. The first group is set to go off at 1:35 a.m. ET. Here's a look at Thursday's featured groups (all times ET):

• 4:58 a.m. - Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, Tyrrell Hatton
• 5:09 a.m. - Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood
• 9:53 a.m. - Brooks Koepka, Shane Lowry, Aaron Rai
• 10:15 a.m. - Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick

The Open 2026 TV, streaming schedule

If you're on the West Coast, stay up late to catch the start of the tournament. Elsewhere, set your alarm clock. Here's a look at Thursday's TV and streaming schedule for The Open:

• NBC Sports Network/Peacock, 1:30-4 a.m. ET
• USA Network, 4 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. ET

Watch The Open on Peacock

Watch USA Network on Fubo

The Open 2026 odds

Here's a look at the pre-tournament betting favorites for the Open Championship. See the full list of odds at BetMGM.

• Scottie Scheffler (+750)
• Rory McIlroy (+900)
• Tommy Fleetwood (+1600)
• Matt Fitzpatrick (+1600)
• Jon Rahm (+2200)
• Viktor Hovland (+2500)
• Chris Gotterup (+2800)
• Xander Schauffele (+2800)

Odds accurate as of 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, July 15.

The Open 2026 expert picks

See who the Golfweek staff is picking to win the 2026 Open Championship and hoist the Claret Jug on Sunday.

The Open 2026 prize money, purse

The winner of the 2026 Open Championship will receive $3.2 million, or 18 percent of the total purse, which is $17.75 million. It's the largest prize fund in the history of The Open, but remains the smallest of the four men's majors. See the full payout breakdown.

The Open weather forecast

Thursday's forecast calls for clear skies with a high temperature in the low 80s and a northeast wind at 10-15 mph. It's expected to be warm and sunny all week at Royal Birkdale, which is quite rare for an Open Championship.

The Open 2026 field

The full field list has 156 golfers, with three coming in from the final Open qualifying series event (the Genesis Scottish Open) and the very last one getting in after winning Monday's Last-Chance Qualifier, the first-ever 12-for-1 knockout round of 18 holes. Of course, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, No. 2 Rory McIlroy and the rest of the game's top players are set to tee it up this week. There will also be 11 LIV golfers at Royal Birkdale.

The Open future sites

Unlike the USGA and the PGA of America, who have championship sites planned out for a few decades, the R&A has announced only the next two after this year:

• 2027 - St. Andrews, Old Course (Scotland)
• 2028 - Royal Lytham & St. Annes (England)

The Open past winners

Here are the last 10 winners of The Open, including Jordan Spieth in 2017, which is the last time the event was held at Royal Birkdale.

• Scottie Scheffler (2025)
• Xander Schauffele (2024)
• Brian Harman (2023)
• Cameron Smith (2022)
• Collin Morikawa (2021)
• Shane Lowry (2019)
• Francesco Molinari (2018)
• Jordan Spieth (2017)
• Henrik Stenson (2016)
• Zach Johnson (2015)

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: The Open 2026 leaderboard, Thursday tee times, live updates from Royal Birkdale

Conor McGregor's UFC 329 octagon return on July 11 went off the rails almost immediately. The former two-division champion headlined the fight card in a rematch with former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder Max Holloway.

At the sound of the bell to start the bout, McGregor rushed across the cage and leaped into the air with a jumping switch kick. He landed awkwardly on his right leg and fell to the canvas. He fell twice more, once while throwing a kick and later a punch. The referee stepped in once it was obvious McGregor had suffered an injury. It's unknown what specific injury the Irishman fell victim to or the severity of it. But that will change on Thursday.

McGregor expects the results from scans to come back tomorrow. He also thinks the bout should be rules a no contest and all wagers place on the bout returned.

"A few notes

"1. I will have the results of the scan on my leg tomorrow. 2. The fight should be a no contest and all bets returned," he wrote on Instagram.

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The Argentine national team is back in the eye of the storm after footage of their locker-room celebrations went viral. 

Although chants are common, one in particular sparked outrage among some fans, as the Scaloneta can be heard singing: "A minute of silence for England, who is dead." 

The controversy is growing, as it was the same chant heard inside Atlanta Stadium while the players carried the banner: "The Malvinas belong to Argentina"

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

What channel is the British Open on today? TV coverage, live streams for 2026 Open Championship Round 1 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The 154th Open Championship returns to the historic Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, which hosts golf's oldest major for the 11th time.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler headlines the elite 156-player field at the challenging 7,223-yard, par-70 links course following his victory last year at Royal Portrush.

Highlighting the early groupings, Scheffler will tee off alongside Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton, while 2017 Birkdale champion Jordan Spieth plays with local favorite Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm.

Two-time major winner Rory McIlroy also enters as a top contender, grouped with defending PGA champion Xander Schauffele and Matt Fitzpatrick. USA Network and NBCSN will handle early television coverage starting at 1:30 a.m. ET on Thursday and Friday, with NBC broadcasting the final weekend rounds.

Here's everything you need to know about watching the 2026 British Open, including the schedule, channels, live streams and more.

What channel is the British Open on today?

• Dates: Thursday, July 16-  Sunday, July 19
• TV channels: NBC | USA Network | NBCSN
• Live streams: DIRECTV | Peacock | NBCSports.com

Coverage of the 2026 British Open will air live on NBC, USA Network, and NBCSN, featuring comprehensive commentary and coverage throughout the tournament rounds. Mike Tirico will host with play-by-play broadcasters Dan Hicks, Terry Gannon and Steve Sands. Kevin Kisner, Brad Faxon, Paul McGinley and Curt Byrum serve as analysts, with Jim "Bones" Mackay, Smylie Kaufman and John Wood reporting from the course.

The USA Network and NBCSN will carry portions of the primary broadcast, while NBC will broadcast main network coverage during the weekend rounds.

The primary television broadcast sections will be available to stream live via DIRECTV, while certain early morning tournament slots for the opening rounds will also be available on Peacock. Fans can also stream digital coverage online at NBCSports.com and via the NBC Sports app.

With DIRECTV, you can enjoy a risk-free 5-day free trial to stream live sports, news, and entertainment. Catch NBC, USA Network, and over 200 channels of premium programming without long-term cable commitments. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)

British Open TV schedule 2026

The 2026 British Open will be held at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

Play begins on Thursday, July 16, and the tournament concludes on Sunday, July 19.

British Open tee times 2026

Below are the first two rounds of tee times for the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, listed in ET.

Round 1 — Thursday, July 16

Round 2 — Friday, July 17

List of British Open winners by year

Here's a look at the winners of the Open Championship in each of the previous ten tournaments.

Related Links

• Latest golf news and rumors
• Golf tournament leaderboard
• How to bet on golf

Kevin Durant and LeBron James have shared the NBA stage for the last 20 years, and now Durant is sharing where he wants to see the 41-year-old legend go next.

Durant and LeBron have had a somewhat fierce rivalry over their careers, spanning three NBA Finals matchups from 2011 to 2018. KD is entering his 20th season, while James will embark on a record-shattering 24th NBA season.

Durant will be on the Houston Rockets, but with James’ decision still unknown, Durant had some interesting thoughts on the matter.

Kevin Durant names two East contenders as likely LeBron James destinations

During an interview at an MLB game where Durant was appearing as a fan, the 38-year-old forward said he thinks James will be headed back to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with the Philadelphia 76ers also in the race with a ‘big chance.’

“That’s the million-dollar question, I wish I knew. In my heart of hearts, I think it’s Cleveland, but Philly got a big chance too… They say Golden State is in it, too; either way, it’s gonna be a movie. He’s gonna ball out.”

Durant considered the possibility of James heading to Golden State as well, with rumors ramping up that the Warriors are surging as a potential James destination.

James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists last season. He’d be an easy fit into the starting five of either the 76ers or the Cavaliers, with great on and off-court forces at play with each franchise in their recruiting attempts.

The Warriors need LeBron a lot more than he needs them, given the competitive options he already has at his disposal.

LeBron has shared no timeline on his announcement, but many expect he’ll announce his plans on Thursday or Friday while conducting a live podcast at the Fanatics Fest.

Durant suggesting Cleveland and Philly might be a way to guarantee that the pair are in opposite conferences once again after spending the last three seasons as rivals in the West.

Read more:

Brock Purdy is getting a vote of confidence from someone who knew him before the San Francisco 49ers did. Xavier Hutchinson, who played receiver alongside Purdy at Iowa State, says his former college teammate belongs in the top-10 quarterback conversation.

Asked directly whether he believes Purdy is a top-10 quarterback in the league, Hutchinson didn't hesitate.

"Yeah, I don't see why not," Hutchinson said on Good Morning Football. "You have to prove it every single season, and every single game. And I think that's exactly what he's done. I'm super excited for him because I don't even think this is the best that we've seen of him. And I know that he believes that himself, too. There's so many areas that he has to work on. And I'm excited to see him put it all together. I just wish him the best, man. That's my guy."

.@XBH__8 has nothing but love for former college teammate Brock Purdy 🤝@HawkeyeFootballpic.twitter.com/T2seDLDFhM

— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) July 15, 2026

Purdy's ranking in the NFL quarterback pantheon has been a question this offseason. ESPN's survey of coaches, executives and scouts had him on the outside of the top-10, while Pro Football Focus ranked him 10th.

The 26-year-old has thrown 84 career touchdown passes and 11,685 passing yards since taking over as the 49ers' starter as a rookie in 2022. His 2025 season was limited to nine starts because of toe and shoulder injuries, but he still threw for 2,167 yards, 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in that span, along with three rushing touchdowns.

Hutchinson's comments come as Purdy heads into a pivotal fourth full season as San Francisco's starter, one that carries heavy expectations after last year's injury-shortened campaign. The 49ers spent the offseason retooling around him, and for the first time in years, Purdy could open a season with a healthy offensive line in front of him.

Running back Christian McCaffrey returns as the offense's centerpiece, and San Francisco added veteran receiver Mike Evans in free agency to give Purdy a true No. 1 target on the outside. Tight end George Kittle, who is working back from a torn Achilles suffered in the postseason, remains a question mark for the start of the year, but his eventual return would give Purdy a full complement of weapons for the first time since 2023.

With the pieces in place, 2026 shapes up as a defining season for Purdy, one where health and continuity, not talent, may determine whether he validates the top-10 billing from those who know him best.

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Brock Purdy's ex-teammate believes he's a top-10 QB in the NFL

Florida State brought one of the most talented receivers in all of college football to the ACC Kickoff this week in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Duce Robinson took pro football’s evaluation seriously and came back to Tallahassee for the 2026 season to build a football legacy adorned with all that glitters is garnet and gold.

A highly-decorated pass catcher, both nationally and in the ACC, Robinson is a dynamic possession receiver who puts pressure on defenses. Last season, Robinson caught 56 passes for over 1,000 yards and six touchdowns, earning first-team All-ACC honors.

At 6-foot-6, 222 pounds, he averaged 19.3 yards per catch, which ranked him in the top ten nationally in that category.

“A couple of things that they had said, they would love to see me improve my game upon, they would love to see that I can play a couple more positions, play all over the field,” Robinson said. “Which is one of the great things about Coach Norvell and Coach Harris' offense, is they put their play-makers in positions to win, no matter where it might be.

“Then to go along with that, just being able to run a little bit more of the route tree.” said Robinson. “Last year I was running a lot of the same routes, so just being able to show that I can be a complete receiver in myself, be successful at the next level, that's one of the main reasons I came back.”

Robinson is known as the ultimate team player, who believes the game of football and the team is bigger than any one player. He is a coach’s dream and kind of guy you want in your locker room. 

Robinson was asked about how he has handled change throughout his college career, specifically the revolving door of quarterbacks the Seminoles have trotted out onto the field the last four seasons. His response was simply, “I think human life is about change, right?”

“We have to adjust. We have to adapt,” Robinson said. “This is going to be my fourth quarterback in four years. Ashton [Daniels] is among the best. Ashton has been absolutely fantastic with everything he's done since the very first day he's shown up.”

Make no mistake, this is not your daddy’s Florida State football program. But, if Robinson and Daniels can build chemistry that translates into big plays for big wins, that would be a gift from the football gods.

Add the Tom Herman factor into the equation, with his ability to develop quarterbacks, and that would be the catalyst that could change the Seminoles’ football lives for the better.

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Michael Owen criticized Thomas Tuchel for his tactics in England’s 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup semifinals last night, saying Tuchel shouldn’t have taken his foot off the gas pedal late in the match.

England went up 1-0 early in the second half after Anthony Gordon scored off Morgan Rogers’ sumptuous cross. However, just like in their comeback win against Egypt in the Round of 16, Argentina manufactured two late goals, courtesy of Lionel Messi, to snatch the victory.

“Watch Spain at 1-0 last night. That’s courage. That’s bravery. And then watch England at 1-0. What’s the difference? We are a better team than Argentina, I’ve no doubt in my mind. But we deserved to get beat in the end. In fact, it could have been 4-1,” Owen posted on X.

“Bringing on 3 defenders at 1-0 up. What message does that send? I wrote it in my Daily Mail column after the Mexico game. Until we understand that courage and bravery is controlling possession under pressure and not booting / heading it up the field 40 yards, then this will always be the end result,” he added.

MORE: Epic showdown set for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Harry Kane explains what went wrong for England against Argentina

During his post-match interview, Harry Kane acknowledged that England lost control after taking the lead near the hour mark. The Bayern Munich striker admitted that the Three Lions stopped pressing and surrendered possession, saying that protecting their narrow lead was instinctual at the time.

“We scored and deserved to be ahead. Then, for one reason or another, we struggled to keep the ball, struggled to press, and simply allowed them to build momentum and create more danger in our defensive third. It’s a normal mentality to try to hold on and protect a one-goal lead,” Kane stated.

“When you’re that close, just over 10 minutes away, and it slips away from you like that… of course it hurts. We’re devastated,” he added. “We know how much reaching the final meant to them. Another semifinal. We always talk about knocking on the door. We’re close. We just need to find that missing piece in the final stages of tournaments.”

England will have one more game before exiting the World Cup, as they’ll take on France in the battle for third place on Saturday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

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

Argentina did it again…

Now, it was England time to bottle it…Despite being 1-0, they went to deep and conceded many chances to Argentina. It looked like they didn’t watched Argentina previous game, in which Messi’s team managed to win despite adversities. As Brazilian, I don’t like saying it, but Argentina deserve to reach the final yesterday and England did not. It hurts even more to recognize that Argentina’s players really fight in the pitch, very far from what Brazilians did in the tournament.

Despite Argentina fight in the pitch, what’s odd in this World Cup is how Argentina looks to be favored by referee calls in different games.

If France reminds Real Madrid of last two seasons, Argentina with heroic comebacks almost every knockout stage in the World Cup, reminds Real Madrid 21/22 UCL campaign.

Hats off to Bellingham for an amazing World Cup:

• 6 games • 7 G/A • 6 goals • 1 assist • 4 MOTM

Former English players talked about the defeat

Joe Hart: Thomas Tuchel showed that he DIDN’T BELIEVE in his team after they went 1-0 up.

Wayne Rooney: “England was PANICKING! You can’t go 1-0 up and then SURRENDER. You want to be on the FRONT FOOT. It’s ARGENTINA who are under pressure.”

Are we seriously going for Olise?

Not only going for him…to break the record for him, despite the clear needs to strengthen the midfield. Don’t get me wrong, Olise is a very good player, but if they have so much money to spend on a player, why the club is not willing to spend it to reinforce the midfield (besides Bernardo Silva signing)?

The work continues

While the World Cup reaches the final, Real Madrid continues its preseason. We are about one month away for the start of La Liga.

Congratulations to the Buffalo Bills, Good Karma Brands, and ESPN New York. With the announcement that ESPN New York will now be a Buffalo Bills Radio Network affiliate, I couldn’t be happier as a former sports radio programmer. For the first time, another NFL team is entering another NFL team’s home market. The walls of exclusivity have finally been broken. More importantly, a radio company has recognized that the listener should be the priority.

It goes without question that sports media rights are the most valuable property in media today. They drive viewership and advertising revenue on television. For radio, they generate additional cume, strengthen branding, and create new advertising opportunities. Teams want to own as much real estate as they can, but controlling the conversation is even more important. They don’t just want to be heard on Sundays. They want fans talking about them throughout the week.

Now, there’s been a long-standing rule in the NFL when it comes to radio networks. According to Article X of the NFL bylaws, no NFL team was permitted to broadcast a game into the home territory of another team, specifically within a 75-mile radius of that team’s stadium. If you search the distance between Buffalo and New York City, though, the gap is more than 350 miles.

The two markets aren’t exactly next-door neighbors, but the teams, in essence, are.

It’s no secret that sports fandom is no longer as localized as it once was. For generations, people grew up, lived, and rarely left the markets they called home. Today, people are far more mobile, moving from one state to another for work, family, or new opportunities. With that comes greater demand for access to the teams fans still call their own. While people may leave their hometowns, their sports allegiances rarely leave them.

While television continues to make fans jump through more hoops to watch their favorite teams, radio has an opportunity to become more accessible than ever.

That’s why you see New York Yankees radio affiliates in New Mexico. You see the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network partnering with Compass Media Networks to place affiliates in several other NFL markets. Want to listen to Lakers games in Hawaii? There’s a local radio option for that.

People are more on the go than ever before, and the demand for access has never been greater. NFL football remains America’s most popular sport, with fan loyalty running deep and rarely changing.

That’s why the Buffalo Bills, Good Karma Brands, and ESPN New York becoming partners is a change that has been needed for a long time.

Adding Value To Radio

We talk all the time about how sports radio stations need to think outside the box. They need to find more ways to attract listeners to both the radio and their streaming platforms. Roughly nine million people live in New York City. Not all of them are Giants or Jets fans. They’re also not all part of Bills Mafia.

What this move does provide is access and choice, two things sports radio stations around the country should be striving to deliver. Sports radio is no longer confined to the radio dial. Consumers expect brands to be available online, on demand, through video, podcasts, apps, and social media.

What better way to provide access than by offering more choices? That adds value to your brand, invites more cume to the station, and offers something your competitors don’t.

The era of exclusivity has steadily eroded for years. Sports media personalities are a perfect example. How often do you see talent working for networks, hosting radio shows, while also owning media companies that distribute their content elsewhere? Success today isn’t about doing one thing. It’s about being everywhere people want to consume your content.

The Buffalo Bills are no different. They want a share of the audience in New York City because there are fans there. Of course, their NFL counterparts, the Giants and Jets, may not love it, but this is exactly how teams should rethink the value of their radio properties. There’s no good reason any franchise should be prevented from offering its product to sports radio brands willing to invest in carrying it.

The Listener First

Sports media spends a lot of time talking about serving the audience, but too often the industry’s business decisions make it harder for fans to access the teams they love. Television rights continue to splinter games across broadcast networks, cable channels, streaming services, and subscription platforms, asking consumers to pay more while receiving less convenience. Radio has an opportunity to move in the opposite direction. That’s what happened here.

That’s why Good Karma Brands, the Buffalo Bills, and ESPN New York deserve credit. Instead of protecting outdated territorial boundaries, they recognized a simple reality: the listener comes first.

Fans don’t stop supporting their favorite teams because they move 300 miles away, and they shouldn’t lose easy access because of rules written for a different era. If sports radio wants to remain relevant while other platforms become increasingly fragmented, the answer isn’t creating more barriers. It’s creating more opportunities for people to listen.

This deal does exactly that, and hopefully it’s the first of many that put the fan—not market exclusivity—at the center of the conversation.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

John Mamola

John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.

linktr.ee/johnmamola

The post The Buffalo Bills Have Changed NFL Rights on Sports Radio Forever, and for the Better appeared first on Barrett Media.

LAS VEGAS — Phoenix Suns center Khaman Maluach has made his presence known at this year’s NBA Summer League, delivering another standout performance Wednesday.

Apr 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Phoenix Suns center Khaman Maluach (10) screams after dunking against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Phoenix’s 100-88 win against the Detroit Pistons was highlighted by Maluach’s fourth consecutive double-double. He finished with 23 points, 15 rebounds, one assist and one steal as he continued one of the most impressive stretches by any player in Las Vegas.

His consistent production has, naturally, raised questions about whether Summer League is still challenging him. However, when asked by ClutchPoints’ Hayden Cilley whether he feels he may be too good to continue playing in Summer League, Maluach quickly dismissed the notion.

“I don’t think there’s such a thing as too good,” Maluach told Cilley. “Even great players like LeBron James, they still have more to learn, so I don’t think there’s such a thing like that. I just go out there and play my game. I just go out there and leave it all out on the floor.”

Maluach said his focus remains on effort rather than the numbers he puts up each game.

“I don’t think about no rebounds, I don’t think about no points because those are just numbers. I control what I control, and that’s my effort. That’s my energy and communication, and my leadership.”

Apr 8, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns center Khaman Maluach (10) blocks the shot of Dallas Mavericks forward Dwight Powell (7) in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Summer League statistics won’t always translate directly to NBA success, but Maluach’s success may be a preview of what he can produce in the Valley this upcoming season. His rim protection, rebounding instincts, finishing around the basket and willingness to run the floor have made him a standout.

Maluach’s comments about focusing more on growth than individual success reflect the type of player he wants to be — someone the team can rely on who won’t solely chase individual accolades.

Apr 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Phoenix Suns center Khaman Maluach (10) dunks against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

That mindset should give the organization confidence it has a young player who embraces coaching, maximizes opportunities and understands there’s always room to improve.

If his approach matches his production, Maluach could be a player whose ceiling extends well beyond Summer League.

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Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde

Audacy’s 105.7 The Fan in Baltimore has undergone significant change over the past two years. Joe LaCroix has been there for all ot them. The lone FM sports radio outlet in the market has experienced shifts in staff, talent, and leadership. Following the departure of Chuck Sapienza in November 2024, the station brought in Scott Jameson as its new brand manager just a few months later. However, a year later, Jameson announced he planned to step away from the position for personal reasons.

The station found itself searching for a new leader once again, marking its second search in just over a year. After months of interviewing candidates from around the country, the station decided to look internally. That’s when opportunity was presented and LaCroix was elevated the station’s third brand manager in less than two years.

“I was elated, but also was a little surreal,” says LaCroix about when he officially received the news. “I didn’t start getting into radio till about eleven years ago… But if you told me a decade ago when I started here I’d be in this position, I would have trouble believing you.”

The 34-year-old programmer, with a decade of experience producing and guiding high-profile talent, now takes on a different challenge. He’s shifting away from the soundboard and phone lines to a leadership role, where he’ll continue developing a broader and more unique skill set.

Listener To Leader

Growing up listening to the station, LaCroix said he was instantly attracted to the content and the personalities behind it. After graduating with a degree in history, teaching wasn’t the right fit for his immediate future. Instead, he pursued a role at the station he had admired as a young listener.

More than a decade later, he now oversees the same brand that inspired his passion for radio years ago.

“This position wasn’t something on my radar. If I was making my goals for 2026, it wouldn’t have been on there. But after a while, it became clear to me that I was doing a lot of the things that a brand manager would be doing anyway,” explained LaCroix. “I felt like it was something I was very capable of doing despite my relative lack of experience compared to others who applied.”

LaCroix credits his experience working with established producers and talent for helping him find his voice. He chose to remain behind the scenes because of the satisfaction he gets from setting others up for success.

Following Sapienza’s departure in 2024, LaCroix said he underwent a crash course in what it takes to run a station. He described the experience as a trial by fire. Managing staff, coaching talent, writing imaging, and reinforcing relationships with market partners. That experience fueled his interest in programming, an interest that resurfaced when news of Jameson’s upcoming departure created another opportunity.

“I was somewhat surprised, but not shocked by Scott’s [Jameson] decision to leave. His family is back home. He expressed to me that he wasn’t really doing well with the aspect of being away,” said LaCroix. “As soon as the opportunity arose, I took a week to talk it over with people I know. Is this something I feel I can accomplish. After those discussions, I decided to go for it.”

Navigating The Process, Embracing Change

LaCroix said he enjoyed the interview process because it gave him an opportunity to share his vision, his goals, and what he believes the next evolution of 105.7 The Fan could become. His confidence, however, told a different story. He said after every interview, he walked away convinced it had been his worst.

When he learned he had been selected to lead the station, he immediately got to work. The transition from producer to manager, however, came with its challenges.

“It’s been a little bit of hard transition for me to let go of that [producing The Big Bad Morning Show]. Even in the six weeks I’ve been on the job, it’s become clear you can’t be singular in your focus with the role,” notes LaCroix, who has produced The Big Bad Morning Show since 2021. “I also have a love for that morning show. But this is my opportunity to try and put my fingerprints around here at the station.”

While helping transition new morning show producer Ben Hill into his role, LaCroix has also focused heavily on expanding 105.7 The Fan’s digital presence. He noted the station has lacked a strong social media presence and video strategy throughout much of his tenure as a producer.

That focus reflects a fresh perspective. LaCroix understands that being available wherever audiences consume content is essential to succeeding in today’s media landscape.

“We’re entering another phase of the station. We have to focus more on just being a terrestrial radio product,” says LaCroix about what he hopes to bring in his immediate tenure. “From Scott and Chuck, what I really learned was how to treat and deal with people. What I think I could do different is some more technical things. Maybe getting more into digital spaces than they could.”

With artificial intelligence becoming more common at radio stations around the country, LaCroix is no stranger to the technology. He views AI as a support tool and considers himself part of the “backend of the AI age.” While he doesn’t rely heavily on it today, he believes it can help the industry become more efficient and continue to evolve.

“I’m cautiously optimistic that AI won’t be a bad thing for the industry,” explains LaCroix. “It has helped us a lot in some aspects with YouTube and social media. I always try to make sure whatever we use it for; you can still tell that there’s a human touch there.”

Immediate Goals

LaCroix takes a realistic approach to change. He understands that while he has plenty of ideas for the station, meaningful progress takes time. As he adjusts to longer hours and a heavier meeting schedule, he said several top priorities are already at the forefront.

One initiative already underway is re-establishing a third voice on the station’s afternoon show, Inside Access with Tim Barbalace and Ken Weinman. Following Jason La Canfora’s departure in February, LaCroix said the future of the afternoon show became part of the interview process for the brand manager position.

“We’ve been in the process over the last couple of months that hopefully we’ll have a resolution very soon,” says LaCroix. “A trio is where we want to go with that show. That Inside Access team was a great show. Ken, Tim, and Jason. They were three of the people that when I started to take a bigger role at the station, they were there every step of the way. That was super helpful for me, and still helpful to me in this new role.”

In addition to adding a third voice to afternoon drive, LaCroix hopes to strengthen relationships with Baltimore’s professional sports teams. In addition to reinforcing the station’s role as the flagship home for Maryland athletics. After spending years in morning drive, he understands the work required to build a successful show. Now, as brand manager, he hopes to apply that experience across every daypart and position the station for long-term success.

Every programmer inherits a station. Few inherit one during a period of as much transition as 105.7 The Fan has experienced over the past two years. LaCroix knows there won’t be overnight fixes, but his priorities are clear: strengthen the station’s talent, expand its digital footprint, deepen its local connections, and preserve the personality that made Baltimore listeners embrace the brand in the first place.

It’s an ambitious to-do list, especially for someone just 34 years old stepping into the challenges of leading a major-market sports radio station. But for someone who spent years helping others succeed behind the scenes, it’s also a challenge he’s earned.

If his vision comes together, 105.7 The Fan won’t simply adapt to change. It could help define what local sports radio in Baltimore looks like for years to come.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

John Mamola

John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.

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The post Joe LaCroix Details His Journey From Listener To Leader At Baltimore’s 105.7 The Fan appeared first on Barrett Media.

Conor McGregor took to social media Wednesday night to provide a small injury update and make a request of sorts.

In a post on Instagram, McGregor wrote that he would be receiving the results of his leg scan on Thursday.

McGregor was getting the scan due to the injury he apparently suffered that halted his comeback bout during UFC 329. His first fight in five years ended in just 69 seconds as his knee seemingly gave out, resulting in a stoppage and victory for Max Holloway.

But in his social media post, McGregor said "The fight should be a no contest and all bets returned."

🚨 Conor McGregor says his loss to Max Holloway should be overturned to a No Contest

"1. I will have the results of the scan on my leg tomorrow.

2. The fight should be a no contest and all bets returned." pic.twitter.com/hoOGBcSC7u

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 16, 2026

McGregor, 38, has lost his last three fights, his prior two due to injury stoppages. He has one more fight remaining on his UFC contract.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Conor McGregor provides injury update, says fight should be no contest

The NBA world remains in suspense as LeBron James continues to weigh his free-agency options. After James announced late last month that he would not return to the Los Angeles Lakers, multiple teams, including the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers, have emerged as reported frontrunners to land him.

On Wednesday, ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” might have leaked where the four-time MVP could take his talents next.

LeBron James’ Free Agency Takes New Twist After ESPN Broadcast Raises Eyebrows

In the latest episode of PTI, the producer gave the segment a noteworthy title, “Steph Curry Behind LeBron’s Stunning Warriors Decision? Kawhi is Back…?”

While the Kawhi Leonard part was addressed, the show did not mention a potential team-up between Stephen Curry and James, prompting speculation that something might be afoot.

”Did ESPN just leak LeBron to the Warriors? Today’s PTI episode has nothing to do with Steph and LeBron, but a producer labeled the podcast with this title????” an X user wrote.

The same observer added, “Podcast released 30 min ago and the headline isn’t anywhere else, and it’s legit not a discussion during the PTI episode. Very odd….”

However, the X user conceded that there must have been a mistake somewhere, writing, “I think they used tomorrow’s podcast/episode title on today’s episode.”

Whether there was a mistake or not, NBA observers will likely check PTI’s next episode, particularly if the James-Curry story gets the spotlight.

Golden State was seemingly ahead of every team in the race to land the 22-time All-Star early on. Once Draymond Green declined his $27.7 million player option, the Dubs created salary-cap space to add James to an aging but formidable roster.

However, complications have emerged in the Warriors’ reported pursuit of their longtime rival. Some NBA insiders claimed that for James to go to Golden State, the Dubs would need to trade for Anthony Davis, whom the Washington Wizards are unwilling to move.

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne also reported earlier this month that the Warriors needed a commitment from James before making other splashy moves.

MORE:‘A Lot of Pessimism’ — Previous Favorite for LeBron James Now Feeling Like ‘a Dark Horse’ in Free Agency

While there seems to be a staring contest between the two parties, the Heat, the Cavaliers, and the 76ers have surged as strong contenders to land the NBA’s all-time scoring leader.

Until James decides, which could reportedly happen this week, speculation about where he will play next will continue to captivate the NBA world.

One of the biggest surprises this offseason was the Buffalo Bills firing head coach Sean McDermott, despite the team achieving double-digit wins and reaching the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season. While the move was hinted at for several years, actually pulling the plug on the operation was still unexpected.

After all, the Bills’ goal is to win a Super Bowl, and coach McDermott had brought them to the doorstep (AFC Conference Championship) twice. Nevertheless, Buffalo decided to hit the reset button, yet they promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach.

Brady has never been an NFL head coach or even a head coach at any level before. Needless to say, the move was a big gamble. Now, the Bills’ organization is catching some flak.

Bills Criticized for Hiring Wrong Coach in Joe Brady

Boasting an NFL MVP in Josh Allen, one would have thought the Bills could pretty much get their pick of the litter among the best coaches available this offseason. We saw teams hire experienced Super Bowl winners like John Harbaugh and Mike McCarthy.

Another respected name, Mike Tomlin, stepped away from the Steelers this offseason and opted for a broadcasting role at NBC rather than a return to coaching.

Plus, there was always the chance to reach out to an old rival in Bill Belichick to see if he wanted to get revenge over the New England Patriots twice a year. Yet, the Bills went with the safe pick and promoted Brady instead.

Now, FS1’s Colin Cowherd is saying the Bills made a mistake in moving forward with Brady rather than someone else who he feels could actually lead the franchise to its first-ever Super Bowl victory.

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“I looked at all the candidates they interviewed for that job, and they had no interest hiring anybody but Joe Brady,” Cowherd said. “And so I don’t think the Buffalo Bills had good coaches, had great quarterbacks, had capable GMs, have good ownership. I don’t think it’s just bad luck.”

Cowherd went on to reference the more experienced (and proven) options that were on the market. Yet, it appears as though the Bills had their heart set on Brady all along.

BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM:PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator

“There was a Harbaugh on the market. Kevin Stefanski was a two-time coach of the year. He was on the market. There was the hottest coordinator on the market, Jesse Minter, Jeff Hafley. Everybody was talking about Hafley. McCarthy won a Super Bowl. Harbaugh won a Super Bowl. They were both on the market. And they hired Joe Brady. And when I looked at who they interviewed beyond Brady, it wasn’t great. Brady is going to be fascinating because he wasn’t the best coach on the market.”

Time will tell whether the Bills truly made a mistake, or the NFL’s next great genius hire.

After seeing how successful Brady had been with Allen, it does make sense to entrust him with more responsibility. Buffalo ran the risk of messing up their offensive chemistry by picking someone other than Brady.

It’s an interesting thought experiment, as the Cleveland Browns essentially did the opposite this offseason. Boasting a good defense, they could have promoted Jim Schwartz, but they made an outside hire and lost their prized defensive coordinator in the process. Buffalo didn’t seem to want to take the same risk, so they promoted Brady, and the rest is history.

Former England defender Micah Richards was informed of the death of his father shortly before going on air as a BBC pundit for the World Cup semi-final against Argentina.

Richards, who won 13 caps for England as a player, appeared alongside Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney as Thomas Tuchel’s side slipped to a late 2-1 defeat.

However, shortly after the broadcast, he revealed that he had been told of his dad Lincoln’s death shortly before the game in Atlanta.

Writing on Instagram, Richards said: “Not long before going on air today, I received the awful news that my father Lincoln had passed away. His death was unexpected, and he has left us all too soon.

“He was my greatest fan. He barely missed a game my entire life.

“He would take me wherever I needed to go when I was a kid and he was the proudest parent possible during my professional career. It was so rare for him to not be by my side.

“I know how much watching England World Cup games means to everyone at home, and how the experience bonds families together across the generations, like nothing else.

“I know, particularly as a proud old-school Yorkshireman, dad would’ve wanted the show to go on this evening. And so it did.

“Thinking of my siblings and all my wider family today as we remember my father Lincoln, my hero and inspiration.”

Tony Reali was a fixture at ESPN for more than a quarter century. Wherever he went, classic shows followed. For a decade, he was the statistician known as Stat Boy on the long-running and still-running Pardon the Interruption (PTI) with Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon. From there, he branched off to host ESPN’s version of a sports game show, Around the Horn. Reali brought a vibrant, fun and pleasantly wisecracking style to that program and launched the ESPN careers of many commentators. A native New Yorker, Reali brought a Big Apple sensibility to everything he did.

Around the Horn ended its 23-year run in May 2025 after nearly 5,000 episodes. This week, Reali boldly returned to the airwaves with Real Deal with Tony Reali, his own podcast on iHeartRadio Podcasts.

His approach has not changed. Reali brings the same verve and nerve that marked his ESPN work. He opened his first episode with an enthusiastic walking selfie through the halls of iHeartMedia and into his studio, stopping at the entrance to gleefully greet the receptionist, Nora.

Real Deal with Tony Reali reflects on some of the greatest sports events and athletes. Analyzing them in a way that recalls the emotion and feel of the moment. In fact, that’s what the show is all about — the moments and people who make sports so special.

You can actually sense and see Reali’s deep love of sports. This is not a show about current statistics or political stances. It is about one dude sharing his joy and passion for the games and those who play them.

Come Out Swimming

It is vintage Reali, jovial and personable with everyone he meets. During his walk to the studio, he sets up the show’s topic. His first episode looked back at the 4×100 freestyle relay team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. That team worked together to pull off a huge upset of the French squad. It was the springboard for Michael Phelps and his record eight gold medals in Beijing.

Leave it to Reali to be ballsy enough to open a new show with swimming instead of one of the more mainstream sports. Moreover, this is his program, and he is going to put his stamp on it. During his work on PTI and Around the Horn, Reali made other personalities look good, but Real Deal with Tony Reali is his time to shine.

I like the show’s studio setup. Behind him is a glass window overlooking the iHeart offices. You can see people working at their desks and walking through the area. It’s pretty cool.

In this opening episode, Reali called the Beijing 4×100 relay win one of the greatest team moments in sports history. He then counted down his top sports teammate moments ever, including the Reggie Bush Push in USC’s game against Notre Dame, the Titans’ Music City Miracle featuring the lateral from Frank Wycheck to Kevin Dyson, Chris Bosh’s offensive rebound and pass to Ray Allen for his incredible shot against the Spurs in the NBA Finals, the Red Sox’s Game 4 win against the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS featuring Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller, David Ortiz and Dave Roberts, and Grant Hill’s pass to Christian Laettner for the memorable game-winning shot against Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.

Reali’s number one moment was the Beijing relay team in the 2008 Olympics.

Fittingly, the first guest on Real Deal with Tony Reali was Rowdy Gaines, a U.S. swimming icon and the man who served as NBC’s color analyst for the 2008 Olympics. During the interview, Reali told Gaines that he loves sports announcers who bring their heart and spirit outside their bodies for viewers to see. In truth, this is a perfect description of Reali himself. Real Deal with Tony Reali is aptly named because Reali is as real as it gets.

Gaines brought similar emotion back in 2008 while calling that 4×100 freestyle Olympic relay race. It was where teammates Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones and Jason Lezak collaborated to beat the heavily favored French team with a world-record time of 3:08.24. Gaines explained that the 4×100 relay was going to be the toughest race for Phelps to complete his gold-medal sweep at those Olympics. Thanks to his teammates, he did just that.

Gaines backed up Reali’s assertions, saying the relay team consisted of four guys who came together and did not want to disappoint Phelps, each other, their fans or their country.

Reflecting On Moments Together

Podcasts like Real Deal with Tony Reali are host-driven. It is pretty much a one-shot of Reali followed by a two-shot of him and his guest. You need a special kind of host to make this work. Additionally, that’s why Reali is that guy.

I was impressed with how he handled the spotlight alone for the first time in his career as we know it. He asked Gaines some terrific questions, bringing out the same emotion he brings to the podcast. Although Gaines and Reali had never met before, by the end of the show it seemed like they had known each other for decades. It felt more like a conversation than a Q&A, and you could tell Gaines was amused by Reali’s personality.

I learned a lot from this show. Moreover, that gives me a really good feeling about Real Deal with Tony Reali. It is not going to be a run-of-the-mill podcast. To demonstrate the depth of its commitment to the subject, the production team displayed a graphic featuring the actual transcript of Gaines’ and play-by-play announcer Dan Hicks’ NBC call of that 2008 relay race. Reali recited part of the transcript with a gigantic smile and matching emotion.

Reali’s passion was contagious as Gaines sentimentally talked about how true amateur Olympic athletes capture the imagination of the American public and why we love rooting for a group of kids who reach amazing milestones and accomplish unforgettable feats. In addition, the host and guest truly bonded on the show. So much so that Reali stood up, turned to the office staff behind him and joyfully yelled that he had just made friends with Rowdy Gaines. How can you not love that?

Throughout this debut edition of Real Deal, Reali said the 2008 Olympic relay team and Gaines’ call of the victory brought about “instant tears.” I can paraphrase something similar about the first episode of Real Deal with Tony Reali. It made me an instant fan. Moreover, I am looking forward to watching the show grow and develop.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

John Molori

John Molori is a weekly columnist for Barrett Sports Media. He has previously contributed to ESPNW, Patriots Football Weekly, Golf Content Network, Methuen Life Magazine, and wrote a syndicated Media Blitz column in the New England region, which was published by numerous outlets including The Boston Metro, Providence Journal, Lowell Sun, and the Eagle-Tribune. His career also includes fourteen years in television as a News and Sports Reporter, Host, Producer working for Continental Cablevision, MediaOne, and AT&T. He can be reached on Twitter @MoloriMedia.

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The post Tony Reali Proves He’s the ‘Real Deal’ With iHeartMedia Podcast Debut appeared first on Barrett Media.

It’s the “break” part of the All-Star break now, as the festivities are complete and the team doesn’t return to action until Friday. There are still select minor league games, transactions, and draft pick signings left to track, however.

Braves News

Ivan took a look at the Braves’ performance in the first half of July.

Keep track of the franchise’s progress signing their 21 draft picks with our signing tracker here.

MLB News

The A’s are calling up former LSU star and second round pick, 3B Tommy White, despite him posting a 97 wRC+ across 346 PAs in the upper minors this season.

The Astros traded big-name pitcher Lance McCullers to the Brewers.

The A’s DFA’d veteran starter Aaron Civale.

Read the original on HuffPost

Report: Olise wants Real move (Foot Mercato’s Santi Aouna)

We all knew this was going to happen — the second that France was eliminated, we would get an onslaught of rumors linking Bayern Munich star Michael Olise to Real Madrid.

It was inevitable.

Now, the first big report has dropped from Foot Mercato journo Santi Aouna, who sure makes it sound like Olise has his mind made up and also that the Bavarians are not 100% against letting him go if it becomes apparent he does not want to be at Bayern Munich:

🚨EXCL: ⚪️🇫🇷 #Liga |

✍️ Michael Olise wants to join Real Madrid THIS SUMMER.

🏆 The French international believes it’s the perfect club to continue his progression.

💰 Real Madrid wants to pull off a record transfer.

❗️Bayern’s official stance: Olise is not for sale but the truth is more nuanced.

👀 The Bavarian club would like to extend his contract, but has also been in contact in parallel with players who could come in to replace him.

⏳ Olise will discuss with his leaders after the World Cup.

At this stage, it is still way too early for fans to react to anything. The report comes out of France, which could lend some semblance of credibility, but — again — it is far too early to tell.

Because Olise is a bit aloof and does not do many media appearances, he is a tough character to read and an easy one for opportunistic reporters to make assumptions about. That is not to say Aouna is doing that here, but some of his Spanish colleagues might see that as just the chance to take this info and run with it.

Olise is a few weeks from reporting to Bayern Munich for duty and likely will keep a low profile even if he wants to sign a contract extension with the Bavarians.

So…what should you take out of this report? It is too early to truly be concerned, but not too early to at least keep an eye on the news breaking around Olise to see what the patterns become. After weeks of hot transfer news, Bayern Munich then shut it all down.

Later…there was more silence before some of the most recent reports about a potential move to Real Madrid for Olise.

We shall see what’s next! Will the Bavarians respond again? Will they scoff at yet another one of these reports and ignore it? Or…is there some legitimacy to it?

We have about six weeks to find out.

Schlager heads to Forest (Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg)

Xaver Schlager is leaving RB Leipzig in favor of Nottingham Forest on a free transfer:

🚨💥 Xaver Schlager to Forest – DONE DEAL ✔️

Free transfer agreed. 28 y/o former RB Leipzig midfielder set to follow Oliver Glasner. Contract until 2028 + 1. #NFFC

Medical scheduled for this week, following @David_Ornstein @SkySportDE

At one point, Schlager was linked to Bayern Munich, but the Bavarians moved and now, so has Schlager.

Spain defender talks importance of clean sheet vs. France (Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano)

If there is one player in the World Cup who has elevated his stature tenfold, it is Spain center-back Pau Cubarsí, who has been excellent at center-back for the Spaniards. As you expect, Cubarsí is taking great pride in Spain’s defensive performance so far, especially against France:

Pau Cubarsí: “There was some talk about the defence and the goalkeeping on our side, but we have SHUT a lot of mouths. I think that one of the most important things in football now is to keep a clean sheet.”

Bayern will watch De Cat closely (Sport Bild’s Christian Falk)

Nathan De Cat inked a deal to play at Hoffenheim, but that does not mean Bayern Munich has lost interest in the young Belgian. In fact, this could actually help facilitate a move in the future:

Nathan De Cat is an interesting player. Bayern have watched him for months, but I always said there wouldn’t be any movement as the club is fully stocked with players in the Belgian’s position. This is why they now have the chance to see how the teenager will develop in the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim. One of the players who is considered a talent for the future, Tom Bischof, is from Hoffenheim.

FC Bayern had kept a watching brief on the footballer and were convinced they had to sign him. I’m absolutely sure that the 21-year-old will be a national player in Germany in the future. I’m sure there’s the same process going on at Bayern with De Cat. They know he has the skills they’re looking for, but at the moment, the midfield position is not a problem. So, it’s good they can keep an eye on the 17-year-old at Hoffenheim while he’s in the Bundesliga, instead of in the international market.

Bouaddi to City? (The Athletic’s David Ornstein)

Another one of the young stars of the World Cup has been Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who is garnering interest from Manchester City:

🚨 Man City pushing hard for Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille. High among 18yo’s suitors (#PSG not in contention) & while others favour season on loan at #LOSC, #MCFC would integrate now. Price ~€100m + Morocco int’l expected to make decision soon @TheAthleticFC

Stiller’s exit clause not triggered (Bild’s Julian Agardi)

The date (July 15th) for another club to trigger Angelo Stiller’s exit clause has come and gone. As of now, it looks like the midfielder will stay at VfB Stuttgart:

Angelo #Stiller’s exit clause at #VfB Stuttgart expires tomorrow (July 15) and will not be triggered even during the winter break. It only comes into effect again in the summer of 2027. #Manchester United observed him during the past season, but no offer was ever on the table. @BILD

Stiller did not make the kind of impact for the German national team that many expected. Could that have hurt his profile? Maybe. Stiller also got off to a slow start last season for Die Schwaben, which could have also put some doubt in the minds of his potential suitors.

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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Over the last few days, the rumors surrounding LeBron James heading to the Indiana Pacers have picked up steam. A Sports Illustrated article suggesting a pathway to making the move happen was the start of the drama.

Tyrese Haliburton decided to troll NBA fans with a post he made on Wednesday, July 15 as well.

"Tomorrow it's time @KingJames," Haliburton posted on X.

While speculation immediately began circulating about James taking his talents to Indiana, Haliburton's post had an entirely different meaning. He will be co-hosting a live podcast with James on Thursday, filling in for legendary point guard Steve Nash.

No, James is not coming to the Pacers.

According to a report from NBA insider Scoop B, an Indiana source has made it clear that James is not being pursued by the Pacers.

“Would it be great if we had LeBron? Yeah it would,” one Pacers source told Robinson. “But we don’t need LeBron James. We don’t need him with the youth we have on the roster. We are trying to make a name for ourselves.”

It's always good to dream. The idea of LeBron heading to Indiana actually does make sense from a basketball fit perspective. However, him playing for the Pacers doesn't.

James seems to be down to just a few teams. The Cleveland Cavaliers remain the clear front-runners for another reunion with LeBron. After the Cavaliers, the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers also seem to be in the running.

Another team to watch could be the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have been very open about their desire to sign James.

Only time will tell what James decides to do and where he chooses to take his talents. He could still shock the world and pick Indiana, but that doesn't seem close to reality at this point in time.

Expect to hear more about James' decision in the coming hours and days. A decision is likely coming near, but Pacers fans should not get their hopes up.

To put it lightly, James has a 99.9 percent chance of picking a different team when all is said and done.

Conor McGregor reflects on UFC 329 loss

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A post shared by Conor McGregor Official (@thenotoriousmma)

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Let’s start the night off by taking a look back over the three biggest stories of Wednesday, July 15, 2026.

1. Former UFC champs want Conor McGregor to ‘shut the f—k up’ about ‘God’s Plan’ and just be ‘Notorious’: Seriously, does anyone believe McGregor’s born again routine? It feels like a half-hearted con to me, but perhaps I’m just too jaded.
2. UFC champ Alex Pereira uses roster cut to resurrect Herb Dean smear campaign — ‘Sport keeps being tarnished’: I have sympathy for Michel Pereira’s release given the Herb Dean of it all, but I don’t think “Poatan” should be the man representing his case — it’s tired.
3. Cody Garbrandt makes statement following UFC 329 TKO loss: ‘Let your struggles be your fuel’: It’s been a decade since Garbrandt’s incredible upset win over Dominick Cruz. How many fights does “No Love” have left?

Insomnia

After the Sandhagen victory, Sean O’Malley vs. Mario Bautista is the obvious fight to make if not for the team mate angle. Run it?

… A man’s gotta have a code?

I cannot wait to see the first takedown attempt play out at UFC Oklahoma City.

UNSUBSTANTIATED RUMOR ALERT:

UFC’s quest to keep Michael Page from building any kind of momentum in either division continues.

I laughed quite a bit during UFC 329 and the associated fallout, but this was the funniest Tweet I saw.

Brandon Royval learning the hard way that online fight fans are a bunch of savages.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Young Jose Aldo is the last guy on planet Earth you want soccer kicking you.

Beleniuk is a little old to be a prospect at 35, but it’s not every day an Olympic gold medalist steps into the cage.

Typical sparring for the J-Kick boys.

Random Land

Are murderous drones preferable to mosquitos? I’m willing to find out.

Get involved with Mania community in The Feed!

Midnight Music: Pop, 1962

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.

The Florida State men's basketball team will compete in the Ballin at Boutwell basketball tournament against Auburn in Birmingham, AL, on Oct. 14. 

This will be the second consecutive season that Seminoles head coach Luke Loucks will take his team to Birmingham. Last year, the Seminoles competed in the tournament and lost their first game to the Alabama Crimson Tide 109-105.

The Seminoles are coming off a disappointing season, finishing the year 18-15, including a second-round loss to the eventual No.1 overall seed Duke, 80-79 in the ACC Tournament. 

When it was announced that the Seminoles would play in this year's tournament, Loucks said, “It's a tremendous event with a great atmosphere, and it's exactly the kind of preseason challenge we're looking for. We want to compete against the best teams possible because those games prepare us for what's ahead. Opportunities like this help us evaluate where we are, expose areas we need to improve, and get our team ready for the start of the season."

“We want to compete against the best teams possible because those games prepare us for what’s ahead.”#NoleFamily | #Connected 🍢 pic.twitter.com/ftG1MsePxs

— Florida State Men’s Basketball (@FSUHoops) July 15, 2026

What's Different This Year

The Seminoles lost 11 players to the transfer portal and have added five players so far as part of Loucks' attempt to rebuild his roster. The five players who are coming into the program are: Cooper Schwieger from Wake Forest, 6-foot-11 Sebastian Rancik from Colorado, Anthony Robinson II from Missouri, Kameron Taylor from UNC Asheville, and Shon Abaev from Cincinnati.

Last season, the Seminoles did not have their NIL together and lost out on key recruits. This season, the Seminoles are much better equipped due to legislation that allows for revenue sharing, and Loucks already secured a star player in Marcis Ponder, a four-star center who stands 7 feet tall.

The Seminoles were also able to sign four-star point guard Collin Paul and four-star shooting guard Brandon Bass Jr., who stands at 6-foot-5. Ponder, Paul, and Bass Jr. are all top-100 players, showing the immediate impact of the Seminoles' new NIL/revenue-sharing process.

The 2026 recruiting class is now ranked within the top ten according to most publications.

Next Season

Loucks is losing six seniors from a team that won 10 of their last 12 games, including going to the wire with the No. 1 team in the land in the ACC tournament. This shows the team got better toward the end of the season, and that Loucks might have the Seminoles headed in the right direction.

With eight new freshmen and five transfers, there are still many questions regarding what this collection of talent will yield.

The Ballin in Boutwell Tournament will be our first opportunity to see what Loucks has with his 13 new players. Loucks went 10-8 in ACC games in 2025, which was a school record for a first-year coach with as many conference wins. 

Auburn is considered a preseason top 10-15 team by most reports. This will serve as a tough first step for Loucks as his unproven Seminoles will face a national power in Auburn. The other teams that are scheduled to compete are Samford, Alabama A&M, and Alabama.

Tip-off is at 8 pm at Boutwell Auditorium. 

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LOVES PARK, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — Put this one in the win column for the Rockford Rivets, and put an exclamation point next to it. Second baseman Jackson Forbes slugged a three-run homer in the bottom of the 9th inning to break up a 5-5 tie and give the Rivets an 8-5 walk-off win against the Traverse City Pit Spitters Wednesday night.

Forbes also had another hit. Center fielder Connor Kave had three hits. Third Baseman Beau Bloxdorf had two hits.

The Rivets now head out on the road for a single game in Kenosha Thursday night. The Rivets will then head home for three games over the weekend.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO WQRF News, Weather and Sports.

Steve Kerr has given Golden State Warriors fans around the world hope after his comments on LeBron James’ ongoing free agency.

The Warriors are among the finalists that James is said to be considering for his next stop in the NBA for a historic 24th season in the league.

Out of all interested parties, the Warriors actually need LeBron the most, and head coach Steve Kerr’s thoughts on LeBron’s decision have their fans excited.

Steve Kerr says LeBron James will join the Warriors

Kerr spoke to some fans from his car who told him they wanted LeBron to join the franchise, with Kerr responding by telling them that they’ve got him.

“Oh, we got him. Don’t put that on Twitter,”

Kerr seemed to be joking, but his flat delivery has some Warriors fans excited and many other fans outraged.

The reality of LeBron joining his biggest rivals over his career is pretty jarring, but if James values playing for a veteran organization with championship DNA seeping out of them, Golden State is the best choice.

However, every other team might be a better choice because a title with them boosts LeBron to five rings while Curry remains at four.

The Warriors might be the worst choice for LeBron James

Joining Golden State anyway doesn’t seem to be a winning move, given how far off their roster is from being competitive in the West.

The Warriors missed the Playoffs last season and haven’t made any impactful changes to their roster despite being without Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody for a majority of next season.

If James joins Golden State, it’s for a last hurrah surrounded by close personal friends while staying near his family in Los Angeles. It’s simply not a competitive move given what the others can offer.

The Cavaliers, Timberwolves, and 76ers present a clear plug-and-play opportunity for James in their starting five while already being much better than the Warriors roster without James even joining.

But if happiness is the goal, joining Golden State is a real possibility. Hopefully, Kerr was just joking around, or we might actually see the LeBron-Steph Curry duo over an NBA season.

Read more:

(All quotes are taken directly from a transcript of the LA28 press conference I attended July 14, 2026, in Los Angeles, California.)

Exactly 731 days before the Opening Ceremony of the 2028 Olympic Games, LA28 officially opened applications Tuesday for what organizers describe as one of the largest volunteer programs in Olympic history—a call for 60,000 volunteers who will ultimately become the first faces millions of athletes, spectators and visitors encounter when the world arrives in Los Angeles. The announcement, made at Griffith Park on July 14, marked another significant milestone in LA28's countdown to the Summer Games. While venue announcements, transportation plans and competition schedules often fill Olympic headlines, LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover argued that volunteers will ultimately define the experience of the Games more than any stadium or sporting venue.

"We have an opportunity here to show the world on July 14, 2028—just 731 days from today—that we can bring together more than 200 countries not in conflict but in competition," Hoover said.

The volunteer portal officially opened Tuesday after already attracting more than 300,000 expressions of interest from prospective volunteers over the past several years.

"Today is the day that we're launching our volunteer portal," Hoover said. "Across the LA region we've done 30 events, but today really is the big day. We want everybody to go to our LA28 website and sign up to be a volunteer."

Volunteers Become The Olympic Experience

Every Olympic Games is remembered for unforgettable athletic performances. Less visible—but equally essential—are the volunteers. From directing visitors through subway stations to helping athletes navigate venues, welcoming international guests and supporting competitions behind the scenes, Olympic volunteers often create the first and last impressions visitors take home from a host city. Hoover said watching volunteers at both the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics reinforced just how central they are to a successful Games.

"When I was in Paris and when I was in Milano Cortina, I saw firsthand the power of the volunteers," Hoover said. They're the crew behind the scenes. They're the crew behind the show. They're the crew who make it all happen. They were on every street corner. They were in every Metro stop. They were at every venue. They were always happy."

That, Hoover believes, is the spirit Los Angeles hopes to replicate in 2028.

"Our volunteer program is going to reflect that same Olympic spirit."

Delta Sees Volunteer Program As A Lasting Legacy

Presenting sponsor Delta Air Lines views the volunteer initiative as one of the Games' most enduring legacies. Dana Debel, representing Delta, noted that Tuesday's announcement carried special symbolism. When Delta first announced its Olympic partnership with LA28 in March 2020, the event took place just up the hill at Griffith Observatory. Six years later, the airline returned to Griffith Park to launch what Debel called one of the partnership's most meaningful initiatives.

"When you talk about a legacy, it's what are you leaving behind? The ability to leave an incredible volunteer program—an incredible volunteer footprint—is something that we believe very strongly in at Delta."

She connected the Olympic movement with sports' unique ability to unite people across borders.

"At Delta we like to say nobody better connects the world," she said. "And nothing better connects the world than sports."

Carl Lewis: Volunteers Are The People Athletes Actually Remember

Perhaps no one on stage carried greater Olympic credibility than nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis, whose four-gold-medal performance at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics became one of the defining moments in Olympic history. Yet Lewis surprised many by saying athletes rarely remember Olympic officials.

They remember volunteers.

"When you go to the Olympics, you see the volunteers all the time," Lewis said. “You're not interacting with the officials very much. You're interacting with the volunteers."

For Lewis, volunteering also represents something deeply personal. He reflected on growing up watching his parents devote their lives to youth sports. Both public-school teachers, they founded a track club to provide opportunities for girls and eventually coached hundreds of children every summer.

"I realized I was watching my parents serve," Lewis said.

"All I saw was service, service, service."

That lesson shaped his understanding of the Olympic movement.

"It takes me back to 1984," Lewis said. “I never thought later in life I'd have another Olympics."

Creating 60,000 Olympic Stories

Lewis believes every volunteer will leave the Games with a story they'll tell for the rest of their lives.

"There are going to be tens of thousands of volunteers that are going to have tens of thousands of stories to tell their families, their children and people for years and years to come," he said.

Many athletes, Lewis noted, compete in only one Olympic Games. For many, a single race or competition represents a lifetime of preparation.

"Maybe they will have one shot at it," Lewis said. They'll see your faces—all the volunteers' faces—because that's who they're seeing every day."

In Lewis' view, volunteers become part of an athlete's Olympic memory.

Olympic Sports Depend On More Than TV Ratings

Lewis also used the occasion to reflect on broader challenges facing amateur athletics. As collegiate sports continue evolving through NIL compensation and conference realignment, Lewis argued that the Olympic movement survives because of people willing to serve rather than profit.

"What's going to save Olympic sports is events like this," Lewis said. “What's going to save Olympic sports is the volunteers that believe it's more than what coaches get paid, what athletes get paid or what the television ratings are."

Instead, he said, Olympic values are built through everyday acts of service.

A Volunteer From 1984 Returns At Age 90

If anyone most embodies the spirit of Olympic volunteering, it may be Paul Madwin. Madwin volunteered during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, serving as a section chief inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum during the Opening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony and track and field competition. Now approaching 90 years old, he announced he plans to volunteer once again in 2028.

"I volunteered in 1984 with people who had volunteered in 1932," Madwin said.

"I'll be volunteering in 2028 at age 90."

His message to prospective volunteers was simple.

"You can't experience it until you do it."

Madwin called volunteering one of the greatest experiences of his life.

"You will never, never forget it no matter how long you live."

Olympic volunteers receive no paycheck. Instead, they gain something far less tangible—but often far more lasting. The opportunity to stand inside one of the world's largest sporting events. To welcome visitors from more than 200 nations. To help athletes chasing lifelong dreams. And to become ambassadors for Los Angeles, California and the United States. Madwin warned that passing up the opportunity could become a lifelong regret.

"If you don't do it," he said, "you will remember not doing it for the rest of your life."

His closing challenge captured the spirit organizers hope will inspire thousands to apply over the coming months.

"Don't be a 'woulda, coulda, shoulda,'" Madwin said.

"Be an 'I did it, I loved it, and I'd do it again!'"

Two years before the Olympic cauldron is lit in Los Angeles, LA28 has begun recruiting the volunteers who may ultimately shape how the world remembers the Games—not from a medal podium, but from an event venue entrance, a transit station, an athlete village or a city street.

These are, in fact, the places where the Olympic spirit will most come to life.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

The most iconic image ahead of Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final wasn’t taken this week.

It was taken nearly 19 years ago.

Long before Lamine Yamal became Spain’s teenage sensation and long before Lionel Messi cemented his place among football’s immortals, the two unknowingly shared a moment that has since become one of the sport’s most remarkable photographs.

The now-viral image of a 20-year-old Messi gently bathing a 5-month-old Yamal during a Barcelona charity photo shoot has resurfaced ahead of Argentina’s World Cup final against Spain at MetLife Stadium, giving football one of its most poetic storylines in recent memory.

What once appeared to be an ordinary charity calendar shoot has transformed into a snapshot of two generations colliding on the sport’s biggest stage.

A Charity Photoshoot Nobody Could Have Predicted

The story dates back to December 2007.

Barcelona’s foundation and Spanish newspaper Diario Sport organized a charity calendar benefiting UNICEF and other Catalan charities, pairing first-team players with local children selected through a raffle.

Yamal’s family, who lived about 25 miles northeast of Barcelona in Mataró, was among the lucky winners.

Their assigned player happened to be Messi.

Photographer Joan Monfort, who captured the now-famous images, recalled how awkward the session initially felt.

“Lionel Messi is still shy now. He was much more shy when he was starting out, and he finds himself there with a tiny baby in a plastic bath full of water,” Monfort told The Athletic. “At the start, there was not much interaction.”

Messi had only recently begun establishing himself in Barcelona’s senior squad alongside stars such as Ronaldinho, Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry.

Neither he nor anyone else could have imagined the baby in the bathtub would someday inherit Barcelona’s famous No. 10 shirt.

“It’s something incredible,” Monfort said. “Back then, nobody could imagine that this baby would be who he is now — and you could not have known that Messi would become who he became, either.”

From Viral Photo to World Cup Final

The photographs remained largely forgotten for more than 16 years.

That changed during Euro 2024 when Yamal’s father, Mounir Nasraoui, shared one of the images on social media alongside the caption:

“The beginning of two legends.”

The internet quickly embraced the photo.

Additional images from the shoot surfaced, including Messi cradling baby Yamal in a towel while Yamal’s mother, Sheila Ebana, assisted during the charity session.

When shown the famous photograph after Spain reached Sunday’s World Cup final, Yamal smiled.

“I hope to face him in a final,” he said.

He got his wish.

Destiny Brings Them Together Again

Messi arrives in Sunday’s final after once again rescuing Argentina on football’s biggest stage.

The 39-year-old produced the decisive assist in Argentina’s dramatic 2-1 semifinal comeback over England, tying Pelé and Antoine Griezmann for the most World Cup knockout-stage assists over the past 60 years.

Yamal, meanwhile, has completed one of football’s fastest rises, following his starring role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph by emerging as the face of La Roja’s next generation while already becoming Barcelona’s centerpiece.

Monfort believes fate played an extraordinary role.

“It’s a one-in-a-million chance that this could happen,” he told The Athletic. “It’s such good fortune.”

He called it “the most famous photo I’ve taken in my life.”

On Sunday, nearly two decades after one unknowingly held the other in a plastic bathtub, Messi and Yamal will finally stand across from each other—not for a charity calendar, but for the FIFA World Cup.

Football has produced countless unforgettable images.

Few have aged quite like this one.

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This article was originally published on HEAVY

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The Los Angeles Lakers have already had one of the busiest offseasons in the NBA. LeBron James’ exit was the official signal to Luka Doncic as the face of the franchise, and general manager Rob Pelinka immediately got to work. 

After James informed the franchise he wasn’t going to return for the 2026-27 season, the Lakers acquired Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz. L.A. subsequently added Colin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and most recently Ziaire Williams. The team now remains heavily involved in the Jonathan Kuminga sweepstakes. 

Apparently, Pelinka isn’t finished just yet.

One proposed three-team trade would give the Lakers win-now piece to pair alongside Doncic (Because if you’re building around Luka, why stop at one splash?)

Lakers Pair Luka Doncic With Five-Time All-Star

GettyMIAMI, FLORIDA – MARCH 19: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after scoring a three-pointer against the Miami Heat during the third quarter at Kaseya Center on March 19, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)

In a hypothetical scenario, the Lakers would acquire five-time All-Star Klay Thompson, the Minnesota Timberwolves receive Jarred Vanderbilt and the Mavericks land Donte DiVincenzo.

Thompson might be what a lot of younger fans like to label “washed,” but he remains one of the NBA’s best shooters. After losing Rui Hachimura, who shot nearly 60% from 3 in the 2026 playoffs, the Lakers could use a Thompson-level shooter next to Doncic. The move would also continue the Lakers’ offseason philosophy of surrounding Doncic with veterans who figure to be worthy fits. 

Funny enough, Thompson, according to reports, was considering joining the Lakers in the 2024 offseason. But he ultimately chose to play with Doncic in Dallas. If this trade were to happen, Thompson would get Los Angeles as well as playing with Doncic again … and maybe this time Doncic won’t get traded before the midseason deadline.

Klay Won’t Make L.A. The Favorite, But He’s Worth it at the Right Price

GettyATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 10: Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts following the Atlanta Hawks 124-112 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at State Farm Arena on March 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

According to NBA insiders Jake Fischer and Marc Stein, the Mavs are showing interest in trading Thompson. It is unclear what kind of return Dallas is seeking for the 36-year-old former All-Star, but one would figure it wouldn’t be a king’s ransom.

Last season, Thompson registered a shade under 12 points per game along with a 38.3% 3-point percentage. Those numbers rival what Hachimura — who signed with the cross-town rival Clippers earlier this offseason — produced for the Lakers last season.

Thompson isn’t the same player who helped the Golden State Warriors win four NBA championships. (That guy was scoring 60 points on more deflections than dribbles!) Injuries and age have taken their toll, and expecting him to consistently resemble the player from his prime would be unrealistic. The Lakers wouldn’t need him to be.

With Doncic orchestrating the offense and the rest of the supporting cast handling complementary roles, Thompson could find an impactful role off the bench as a knockdown shooter and someone Doncic can use as leverage to hunt 1-on-1 opportunities. 

So would the Wolves and Mavs agree to this proposed trade? 

Minnesota would reunite with Vanderbilt, someone who rose as a fan-favorite in his time with the franchise before arriving in L.A. via trade. Dallas, meanwhile, might be content with replacing Thompson with a younger sharpshooter in DiVincenzo, though he’ll likely miss the 2026-27 season because of a torn Achilles tendon. 

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The post Lakers Trade Proposal Pairs Luka With 5-Time All-Star in 3-Team Blockbuster appeared first on HEAVY.

Baker Mayfield is facing tough criticism from a Philadelphia Eagles legend who’s not buying into the hype about his trash talk. The quarterback has been known to throw some testy jabs at his opponent, and his fairly respectable winning record lets him get away with it. However, LeSean McCoy thought otherwise.

“See, the problem is when dudes are regular or above average, we want to hype them up and y’all rather support and give love to dudes like Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold, but disrespect guys like Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson,” LeSean McCoy said during Wednesday’s segment of the Speakeasy podcast. “So now these dudes are not on the same level; they hear y’all talking about them, and they think and feel like they can come up and say something to Quinyon Mitchell, like, ‘Who are you?’

“One dude is an All-Pro, the other guy has never been that.”

The latest season of Quarterback on Netflix gave viewers an exclusive glimpse into the lives of NFL quarterbacks. One episode featured Baker Mayfield getting into an altercation with Philadelphia Eagles’ Quinyon Mitchell during an NFC matchup in Week 4 of the last season. Mayfield can be seen saying, “Who the f*** are you, anyway?”

Things became so heated that Buccaneers linemen had to hold Mitchell down.

“I do think I play better when I trash-talk,” Mayfield says in the docu-series. “Gives me an edge. Gets me going. I’ve learned you’ve gotta have some things ready to roll. You’ve got to keep a couple in the holster. A couple in the chamber.”

But Mitchell had the last laugh. He walked away from that game with five pass deflections and five tackles, earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors, and later locked up first-team All-Pro status along with his first Pro Bowl nod. The Eagles took the win 31-25, and Mayfield’s chirping did nothing to stop it.

Bold move for a guy who threw an interception and got sacked twice that same night.

Mayfield also went after defensive tackle Jalen Carter, needling him about the spitting incident that got him tossed from the Week 1 game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Otherwise, the quarterback is the definition of defying odds. He became the first overall pick in his draft class after beginning his collegiate career as a walk-on. Mayfield has suited up for multiple teams in the NFL, and remains the last quarterback to win a playoff game for the Cleveland Browns. Signing with the Buccaneers meant stepping into a franchise still searching for answers at quarterback after Tom Brady’s retirement. But in the years since, Mayfield and the Bucs dominated the NFC South.

Maybe that does give him some bragging rights. But perhaps a line has to be drawn when it comes to players who were never at his level to begin with.

Trending Articles

The post “Who Are You?”: Baker Mayfield Slammed by Eagles Legend for Trash Talking Philadelphia Star appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

CHARLOTTE, NC (WFXR) – WFXR sports director Jermaine Ferrell caught up with head football coach Tony Elliott and the University of Virginia football team at the 2026 ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte to discuss the team building off of last season’s success.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.

When the All-Star Game arrives, A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young will both be placed in a strange situation: against one another.

The All-Star Game rosters have officially dropped, placing Wilson on Team Spoon for general manager Teresa Weatherspoon, while Young joins Team Coop for general manager Cynthia Cooper.

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon was also tabbed to represent Team Coop, opposite Team Spoon and Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve.

Wilson was the second pick of Team Spoon behind second-leading vote-getter Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever, while Young was the second-to-last selection for Team Coop, which features leading vote-getter Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings.

The All-Star Game this season is designed to commemorate 30 years of the WNBA, paying homage to the past while showcasing the stars of the present and future.

Wilson and Young will be set to square off when the game tips off on July 25 at United Center in Chicago.

BROOKINGS, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota State football team has something to prove for the first time in years, and the Jackrabbits believe last year’s disappointment could be what pushes them back into national title contention.

The Jackrabbits have won two national titles in the last five years. Those expectations haven’t changed, even with last season’s second round exit.

“There’s only so many programs that can say that they have a realistic opportunity to win a national title every year and that is a fun motivator and it’s really a reason why we all do it,” Head Coach Dan Jackson said.

Jackson believes last year wasn’t the beginning of a decline, but instead a reminder of what built the program in the first place. Years of adversity, growth and a blue collar culture that made winning championships possible.

“Last year’s roster hadn’t experienced any adversity. Now they understand what that feels like and they don’t ever want to feel that again,” Jackson said.

This lesson resonated with graduate quarterback Chase Mason, who after working his way back from injury, says the setbacks became an opportunity to grow physically and mentally.

“I think that really brought my football IQ level and my game to a whole ‘nother level. When I came back I felt more comfortable and I think I really took a step forward instead of taking a step back,” Mason said.

Mason enters this year as a captain once again, saying his role has evolved from leading with his play to leading with his voice.

“I’ve been been more of a lead by example type person but the more I’ve grown the last couple years I’ve been able to get more vocal with guys,” Mason said.

Senior defensive lineman Logan Green says the growth wasn’t limited to one player. He believes the team’s leadership group learned what it takes to keep the championship standard in tact.

“When it kind of hit the fan of like, well we’re not winning these games what’s going on? Then you really have to, you know, evaluate what you’re doing as a leader because it starts up front with you as the team leader, and we got to make sure that everyone’s better,” Green said.

The Jacks open the 2026 season on August 29th at home against Stetson.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.

LENNOX, S.D. (KELO) – Runs were hard to come by in Lennox on Wednesday as Post 911 shut out Post 174, 3-0.

Post 911 struck first in the top half of the second inning on a passed ball, a lead they would not let go of behind starting pitcher Landyn Johnson. Post 174 had a chance to even the game up in the fourth inning, but a diving grab in center field robbed Mason Reischl of an RBI single.

Two more passed balls in the bottom of the sixth extended Post 911’s lead to three, and they would go on to win 3-0. It’s the first time Post 174 has lost back-to-back games since June 14 and 19. The Legion B Playoffs will begin next week.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.

COLTON, S.D. (KELO) — Post 206 extended its win streak to three games with a 10-4 win over Dell Rapids on Wednesday night.

A six-run third inning was the catalyst for Colton’s big win with three singles, two errors, and a steal of home plate to put Dells on its heels. Tristen Bunde earned the win for Post 206, giving up five hits and four runs across four and two-thirds innings with four strikeouts and six walks.

Colton will face Vermillion on Friday at 7 p.m. to close out its regular season while Dell Rapids awaits postseason play.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.

Yankees urged to move on from Anthony Volpe after Derek Jeter remarks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Yankees continue to give Anthony Volpe starts despite the shortstop's shortcomings at both sides of the plate. Despite the criticism all around, Volpe seems to have the team's support and that could be an issue for the organization in the long run.

Recently, Yankees legend Derek Jeter appeared on Adam Schein's "The Schein Time" and shared Volpe's image within the organization.

"The Yankees are very high on Anthony," Jeter said. "I don't personally know him that well. We've had a couple of conversations. I don't know him well, but yeah, I think they're banking on a big upside and hopefully he can put it together here. They can put it together soon."

Before Schein could get on with his full-blown rant, he made it clear that Jeter shares no personal relationship with Volpe other than having conversations with the fellow shortstop a few times. The analyst believes that Jeter doesn't believe Volpe should be in the majors.

"A guy like that should not be in the major leagues. That's the interpretation of what Derek Jeter is telling me," Schein said.

The analyst claims Volpe is no good in any of the departments, including hitting, fielding, baserunning and other fundamentals. The Yankees' shortstop's stats support the argument. Over the last four years, he has been able to hit only .224 with an OPS of .662. It's below league-average production for an everyday player.

Schein also thinks that the only reason Volpe has the confidence of the team is that GM Brian Cashman picked him in the first round of the 2019 MLB draft. To rationalize his decision, Cashman & Co. are putting Volpe on a high pedestal.

"Brian Cashman is trying to save face and rationalize taking Volpe as high as he did in the draft and saying dumb things in the past like, 'We'll let it play out on the field, and I believe in this guy,'" Schein added. "No. Volpe is everything wrong with the New York Yankees, and that's a problem. So I think it's incumbent upon the Yankees to get rid of him so they can move on."

“He has no relationship with him? Hey Anthony, you wanna pick up the phone and call Derek Jeter? He’d return the call. He'd text you back. That's one red flag.”@adamschein has many an issue with Anthony Volpe remaining the starting shortstop for the New York Yankees. One of… pic.twitter.com/OwGZjj3Tw9

— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) July 15, 2026

MORE:Why Yankees 'don't fully believe' in Anthony Volpe amid George Lombard Jr. news

Braves emerge as trade deadline destination for Yankees' Anthony Volpe

The trade rumors between the Atlanta Braves and the Yankees have been going on for some time now. The NL East team wants a starting pitcher and a shortstop. 

This could be a way for the Yankees to get rid of Anthony Volpe. TJ French of Heavy floated a proposal in which the Yankees would send the shortstop to the Braves in exchange for INF Jim Jarvis and RHP Garrett Baumann.

With Jose Caballero proving to be an upgrade over Volpe at shortstop, the Yankees may go ahead with the trade by trying to bargain for more draft/prospects capital.

Volpe has done little favor to himself at the plate. Aside from his defensive struggles, he has not been able to generate any momentum at the plate, only hitting  .246 with one home run, six doubles, and an OPS+ of 89 over 138 at-bats this season. 

More MLB news:

• Why Astros included Colton Gordon in surprising Lance McCullers Jr. trade
• After 9 years in the minor leagues, a magical moment for Tigers catcher
• How Rays turned Tim Beckham bust draft pick into Junior Caminero
• Barry Bonds' nephew has a chance to be key pick in 2026 MLB Draft

The Pleasant Valley Baseball team battled Bettendorf in their Sub-state final, in the end it was the Spartans that came up with a thrilling 1-0 win in 10 innings.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.

Kongklai Sor Sommai and Adam “El Capitano” Benwarwar are ready for chaos when they step through the ropes at ONE Friday Fights 162.

They collide in a bantamweight Muay Thai bout, which headlines the Asia primetime spectacle from Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, July 17. The card follows immediately after The Inner Circle 22, which streams exclusively to members at live.onefc.com. 

A win rebuilds Kongklai’s momentum after a recent setback, while a statement victory for Benwarwar would silence a veteran with serious finishing pedigree. For either man, the outcome could also mean a significant step closer to a coveted US$100,000 main roster contract.

Here is what both knockout artists had to say ahead of their main event showdown at Lumpinee this week.

Kongklai Determined To Bounce Back In Style

Kongklai Sor Sommai returns to the weekly series unshaken despite a recent setback.

The Sor Sommai and PK Saenchai Muaythaigym representative saw his three-fight winning streak in the organization come to an end against Julio Lobo in the main event of ONE Friday Fights 152. It was a decision loss he views as nothing more than a minor setback, however.

The Thai shared:

“I messed up [in that fight against Lobo]. Once I got [handed] the eight-count, the fight was actually really close and fun. But it was already late in the third round too, so I couldn’t win.

“But it didn’t affect my confidence because I know I did my best. Confidence-wise, I’m not at a disadvantage because I’ve been fighting Muay Thai my whole life.”

Across a career that has produced an 83-23 record, wins and losses have both come and gone. One thing has remained a constant throughout: his ability to put opponents to sleep.

Inside the ring, Kongklai has finished Paedsanlek PK Saenchai with knees to the head. Deniz “Bad Boy” Demirkapu and Ferrari Fairtex, meanwhile, were knocked out cold courtesy of his missile-like left hand. In fact, all but one of his promotional triumphs arrived inside the distance.

The 27-year-old is not going to be chasing one this time around, however. He is simply focused on doing his job and letting the finish come naturally.

He said:

“Lately, I haven’t been able to finish fights or get a bonus. So, I don’t want to hope for that anymore. I figured it’s better not to expect it.

“It’s better to just do my job to the fullest. If I’m meant to get it, it will come on its own. But if my opponent comes to trade punches, it’s going to be absolute fire. I guarantee it’ll be a war just like the last fight.”

Above all, Kongklai is not walking into this matchup taking Benwarwar lightly.

The Thai has extensively studied his dance partner and has broken down exactly where he believes they stack up against one another. He did not hold back when sharing his findings.

Kongklai said:

“Adam is big, and he hits hard. He’s fast with his punches. However, [his Muay Thai] is pretty much the same as anyone else. He has great hand speed and heavy shots, but when opponents hit him back, he backs off too.

“His other weapons aren’t on my level. [But] we have a complete set of other Muay Thai weapons.”

Benwarwar Aims To Prove A Point

Kongklai Sor Sommai may believe the gap in weaponry between the two men is significant, but Adam “El Capitano” Benwarwar’s most recent performance made a strong case against that theory.

The 23-year-old bounced back from a unanimous decision defeat in his promotional debut by scoring a 52-second knockout of Kendu Irving this past May, securing his 24th career win in the process.

Notably, Irving remains the only fighter to have taken Kongklai the distance across his ONE Championship victories, a detail that has not been lost on Benwarwar heading into fight night.

The Moroccan dynamo said:

“This is an important fight for me. I’ve also heard that Kongklai said that I have nothing except size and speed. So I want to prove that I have more than size.

“I want to show all the Muay Thai elements [from my arsenal] to everyone who watches this fight. I’m very, very prepared and ready for this fight.”

Every ounce of that message has been backed up by his preparation at Petchsaman Gym in Pattaya, Thailand.

Alongside sharpening his own tools, “El Capitano” has also studied his opponent closely, and the Thai veteran’s knockout reputation has done little to shake his confidence.

Benwarwar said:

“After watching some of his fights, I think his rhythms [of attacks] are very slow. Sometimes, he spends too much time trying to figure out what to do.

“As for his strengths, I don’t see many dangerous weapons from Kongklai other than his work in the clinch. He’s good there, but I’m prepared for his calf kicks, his punches, and hard hooks.”

Should everything go to plan, Benwarwar is eager to make it back-to-back highlight-reel triumphs in the weekly series, with a US$100,000 main roster contract potentially awaiting whoever comes out on top. 

For the Moroccan, a finish would not just settle the argument over who owns the sharper tools, it would also make the loudest possible case for why that life-changing deal belongs to him.

He concluded: 

“I’m going to find a way to knock him out. It could probably be in the first, second, or third round. It doesn’t matter.

“I’m very confident with my right hook, though. If I connect with my right hand, there is probably like a 90 percent chance that it will be a knockdown.”

Source

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — USD football made an appearance at the second annual MVFC media day on Tuesday, including first year head coach Matt Vitzthum.

Vitzthum was named as the Coyotes head coach back in February following two seasons on staff as wide recievers coach and then as Co-Offensive Coordinator. Vitzthum, like any other head coach on the brink of a season, is confident and excited for how the Coyotes are looking leading up to August.

“Probably just like every coach and player in here today, I’m super optimistic and excited about the season,” Vitzthum said. “I feel like we have a really good team, really good coaching staff. Obviously, there’s some question marks just like every program has but excited to kind of answer those calls and excited to get going here in a couple of weeks.”

The Coyotes host Central Connecticut State on August 29 for the season opener.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.

NEED TO KNOW

• Jarron Collins accepted the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage on behalf of his late twin brother, Jason Collins, at the 2026 ESPYs
• Jason was the first openly gay NBA player and passed away in May at age 47 from glioblastoma
• Jarron pledged to continue sharing Jason’s story and legacy, calling him a trailblazer and an inspiration to many

Jarron Collins paid tribute to his late twin brother, Jason Collins, while accepting the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage on his behalf at the 2026 ESPYs.

Jason, the first openly gay NBA player, died in May from glioblastoma at the age of 47. Jarron accepted the posthumous award with an emotional speech on Wednesday, July 15 inside the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City.

“I miss my brother,” Jarron, 47, began. “I wish he was here standing to accept this award. But I find myself honored to be here to accept this award on his behalf.”

He added that if Jason was alive, “He would want to thank some people for their love and support throughout his life,” including his husband, film producer Brunson Green, who appeared emotional in the audience. Jarron thanked Jason’s teammates, coaches, and friends in the NBA, and “everyone else who uplifted him in his journey after coming out and his battle with glioblastoma.”

Jarron noted his brother’s admiration for tennis legend Arthur Ashe, the award’s namesake, who he called “a pioneer in this world.”

“These past few months I told my brother repeatedly, he was the bravest and strongest man I’ve ever known,” Jarron said. “He lived his life with authenticity, with grace, and strength and joy. The courage he showed and the way he moved in this world truly made him a trailblazer, an inspiration to so many others, and his impact will be remembered.”

“I’m grateful every time people I don’t even know come up to me and say how much of a powerful impact my brother’s decision to come out impacted their life in a powerful way,” Jarron said of his brother, who came out in a 2013 Sports Illustratedessay.

“When Jason was diagnosed with glioblastoma, he was willing to share his experience, his treatments and his plan with the hope that if not for him, then for others,” he added of Jason’s cancer treatment journey before his death. “I pledge to make sure that tonight is not the end of my brother’s legacy.”

“It’s just the beginning,” he continued the speech. “There are so many more people who could benefit from hearing his story and it’s our responsibility to keep telling it and carry on what he started.

Jarron shared that he and his late twin were frequently mistaken for one another growing up.

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“Now, that scenario has a whole different significance to me,” he added. “I’ve never been more proud of Jason than in this moment right now. What a true accomplishment. Thank you for recognizing my brother, thank you all.”

Jason, who was from Northridge, Calif., began his NBA career in 2001 when he was drafted by the Houston Rockets. He made his NBA debut with the New Jersey Nets, playing in the NBA Finals at the end of his first season. Jason later played with the Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards.

Jarron previously played for the Utah Jazz, the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Portland Trail Blazers. Following his retirement from the court, he began coaching, most recently serving as the assistant coach of the New Orleans Pelicans from 2021 until April.

Read the original article on People

With every team’s opening-night matchup for the 2026-27 season now official, it’s a good time to look back at the Colorado Avalanche’s history in season openers.

Dating back to the Quebec Nordiques, the franchise owns a 27-12-1 record on opening night, along with six ties in 46 games. Its .663 points percentage ranks third in NHL history, trailing only the Vegas Golden Knights (.833 in nine games) and Tampa Bay Lightning (.667 in 33 games).

Strong starts have become the norm for Colorado. Last season, the Avalanche opened with a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, marking their eighth opening-night win in the past 10 seasons. The only defeats during that span came in 2024-25, an 8-5 loss to Vegas, and the shortened 2020-21 campaign, when they fell 4-1 to the St. Louis Blues.

This year’s opener marks the third time the Avalanche will begin a season against Los Angeles, tied for the fourth-most frequent opening-night opponent since the franchise relocated to Denver in 1995. Only the Minnesota Wild (five), Dallas Stars (four), and Chicago Blackhawks (four) have faced Colorado more often to begin a season.

The post Avalanche’s Opening-Night Record Stands Among NHL’s Best appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Throughout the course of an MLB season, every organization is going to use a lot of pitchers/players to get through a 162-game campaign.

So, it’s always important to revisit familiar faces on their MLB journey and see what they are up to now. Well, one pitcher who recently pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays has been released by his current MLB team during the All-Star break.

Sitting at 45-51, the Blue Jays will open up their second half of the MLB season against the Chicago White Sox on Friday.

More MLB on Heavy: Texas Rangers Release 8-Year MLB Player Before Braves Series

Former Blue Jays Pitcher Released by Texas Rangers

GettyBALTIMORE, MD – MAY 29: Austin Voth #58 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches in the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 29, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Per multiple reports, former Blue Jays pitcher Austin Voth has been released by another MLB organization, this time by the Texas Rangers.

Voth, 34, has spent a brief period of time with the Blue Jays before being released by the Rangers.

He has pitched a total of 10 MLB innings this season (with Toronto and the Minnesota Twins). He was recently signed by the Texas Rangers.

NBCSports.com wrote (on July 15): “Voth was just signed to a minor league deal a couple of weeks ago and apparently requested the move, so we’re going to assume he’s on his way back to Asia. The 34-year-old pitched for Chiba Lotte in Japan last season, posting a 3.96 ERA in 125 innings. He’d given up 11 earned runs in 10 innings for the Blue Jays and Twins this season.”

Across just six innings pitched with the Blue Jays this season, Voth surrendered six earned runs and struck out just one batter.

Over the 10 total innings he’s pitched this season, Austin Voth has given up 11 earned runs, while allowing three home runs and striking out just three batters.

More MLB on Heavy: Toronto Blue Jays Reporter Reveals Date Team Must ‘Lock In’ MLB Trade Deadline Plans

More on Austin Voth’s MLB Career

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JUNE 13: Austin Voth #30 of the Seattle Mariners looks on before the game against the Chicago White Sox at T-Mobile Park on June 13, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Austin Voth has played in parts of eight MLB seasons.

He debuted with the Washington Nationals in 2018 and has also pitched for the Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, and Minnesota Twins.

Voth has a career pitching record of 17-20 with a lifetime ERA of 4.84 and 346 strikeouts in 370.1 total innings pitched.

In his last full body of MLB work (2024), Voth posted an ERA of 3.69 with the Mariners across 68 appearances.

He’s now eligible to sign with any MLB team, and it will be interesting to see if another team takes a flyer on him with a minors deal.

More MLB on Heavy: New York Yankees Receive Bold Aaron Judge Prediction During All-Star Break

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Formerly popular Los Angeles Lakers star Rui Hachimura made a bold move picking the rival Los Angeles Clippers over them in free agency. The Lakers opted to prioritize other free agents, and it became apparent that Hachimura would not be on the team for next season. However, no one expected him to pick the rival team in the same city until rumors started circulating about the Clippers’ interest.

Hachimura revealed one thing that he feels the Clippers do better than the Lakers when explaining his excitement for the upcoming season:

“I’ve spoken with the Clippers coaching staff, and they want me to shoot my three-pointers, of course. But also do more cutting. In my final year with the Lakers, I couldn’t really do those cuts due to our team situation.

So, they told me they want me to do more of that, which makes me really happy. I also want to focus on rebounding, grabbing the board, and pushing the pace. Like I used to back in the day. I think I can contribute in a lot of different ways.”

Hachimura referenced in the game scenarios and coaching philosophies that he believes will help his career. The Lakers used him in a limited role due to the other stars on their roster, but the Clippers have more room to see Hachimura contribute to a bigger NBA role.

Was Rui Hachimura Throwing Shade At JJ Redick?

The overall point made by Hachimura could be skewed as criticism towards Lakers head coach JJ Redick. An offense led by superstars Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James meant that Hachimura and other role players would have limitations in their roles.

Hachimura essentially turned into a three-point shooter on offense known for his ability to hit open shots led by the other stars setting him up. Previous situations with the Washington Wizards and his college career saw Hachimura scoring through more diverse manners than just the outside shot.

Clippers head coach Ty Lue has already empowered Hachimura to believe he will have a more versatile role in the offense. Redick can’t be blamed too much due to the Lakers having a much different roster than the Clippers and finding success from Hachimura for the team results this past season.

Could Rui Hachimura Be Better For Clippers?

The Lakers had to pick and choose which players were more important to their future this offseason. Reaves getting a big contract extension and trading for center Walker Kessler were the two biggest moves that saw Hachimura losing his chance of a return at a fair contract price.

The Clippers should see Hachimura doing more things on offense and it should see him contributing in a new manner. Cuts will see All-Star guard Darius Garland looking for Hachimura to score easier baskets within the flow of the offense rather than standing in the corner.

The Lakers could come off looking bad if the rival team in their city gets more out of Hachimura than they did. Winning remains the most important thing for both teams so Rui must prove his worth there to make a difference.

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After snagging his second MVP title, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to ignite passionate debate following a highly competitive postseason. During a recent guest appearance on the Underground Lounge podcast, former NBA players Lou Williams and Rashad McCants clashed dramatically over whether the back-to-back MVP got “exposed” during the playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs.

McCants, who’s often critical of the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar, questioned SGA’s reliance on foul-drawing mechanics rather than raw field-goal execution.

“I don’t think that SGA does it the way he [Lou Williams] does it,” McCants argued. “I think that SGA looks more for the foul based on, ‘if I don’t foul you, can you still make the shot? If I don’t foul you, are you going to just fall out of bounds?”

Lou Williams’ elite foul-drawing skills made him a 3x Sixth Man of the Year. But he’s also fiercely protective of SGA. He countered that after the 2025-26 season, “I think this is the summer that he proved y’all got him f—-d up.”

When McCants claimed, “I don’t know. I think he got exposed, bro… In the finals. That’s because he didn’t have nothing else to go to,” co-host Spank Horton reminded him that the Thunder guard was playing through an injury and their next best scorer, Jalen Williams was also injured.

Irrespective of Rashad’s argument, Lou shut down the notion that his former teammate has reached his ceiling.

“No, I understand his point, but if my rook is who I think he is, he responds,” Williams asserted, fiercely defending the Thunder cornerstone.

“He evolves. He changes some pieces of his game, and y’all going to have to deal with him. And I’m saying that from a place of I’ve never seen a like in our game. You want your young star to be coachable. You want him to be a worker. You want him to be one of the guys. You want him to be the toughest. You want him to be the smartest. SGA is all of those things.”

Williams’ unwavering defense comes with deep personal context. He mentored Shai since his rookie season with the Los Angeles Clippers before the franchise executed the blockbuster trade for Paul George. Back then, most wouldn’t have seen the Clippers’ lack of foresight becoming OKC’s gain.

But Williams knew the young guard’s potential. Williams shared a locker room story of a young Shai lacing his shoes right back up for extra shooting despite seeing Williams resting with ice on his knees in a foot bath, proving he truly “wants something for himself.”

He recalled asking front office executive Lawrence Frank immediately if Shai was included in the trade package and was left “heartbroken” that SGA was traded.

Williams, who SGA publicly credits for teaching him the art of foul-drawing, is proud that his rookie won consecutive MVPs and a championship. But it’s done little to silence critics after a debatable playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs.

Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs eliminated the 2025 champions in a grueling seven-game Western Conference Finals classic, despite Gilgeous-Alexander dropping a game-high 35 points in the Game 7 loss.

While critics like McCants feel that the Spurs revealed that SGA has offensive limitations, McCants still conceded that the back-to-back MVP remains undeniably “cold” as a pure shot-maker.

McCants compared the criticism to the daily scrutiny Kobe Bryant endured from 2003 to 2010 before capturing back-to-back titles. Even the most hard-headed critic finally relented that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will ultimately use the criticism and the Spurs series to sharpen his elite repertoire for subsequent title runs.

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The 2025-26 Ashes was frenetic, dramatic and sometimes truly indescribable.

Now, with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and Indian Premier League in the rear-vision mirror, Test cricket is set to return for Australia with an intense period of 14 matches in just seven months.

The Sporting News outlines everything you need to know about Australia’s upcoming Test schedule.

When does Australia play its next Test match? 

Australia’s red ball squad is about to reassemble for a two-Test winter series against Bangladesh to be held in northern Australian venues in August 2026. 

The matches will be played in Darwin and Mackay, with Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay set to become Australia’s 12th Test venue.

When is Australia’s next away Test tour?

Following the Bangladesh series, Australia will tour South Africa and play three Test matches against the reigning ICC World Test Champions in October 2026 as well as three ODI matches.

It will be the first time Australia has toured South Africa for a Test series since the infamous ‘sandpaper gate’ match of 2018.

Who does Australia play next summer 2026-27?

Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand will tour Australia next summer playing four Tests in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney between November 2026 and January 2027.

All four Tests against the Kiwis will be played as day matches and there will be no Test held in Brisbane.

Australia Men’s Test Match Schedule for 2026

Following the New Zealand home series, Australia will travel to India for a five-Test away series in January and February 2027 competing for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. 

They will then return to Australia for the one-off 150th Anniversary Test Match against England at the MCG from 11-15 March 2027.

Kevin Love remains available more than two weeks into NBA free agency, leaving open the possibility that the former Cleveland Cavaliers champion could eventually follow LeBron James to his next team.

That possibility has become more relevant as Cleveland’s chances of landing James have strengthened. Prediction-market traders have consistently made the Cavaliers the leading destination for James, while recent reporting has placed Cleveland among the primary teams under consideration.

Love, meanwhile, is an unrestricted free agent after spending the 2025-26 season with the Utah Jazz. The 37-year-old averaged 6.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 16.6 minutes over 37 appearances, shooting 37.3% from 3-point range.

His continued availability does not establish that the Cavaliers are pursuing him. But it preserves an intriguing scenario: Cleveland could potentially bring back two foundational members of the franchise’s only championship team during the same offseason.

Kevin Love Has Been Linked to LeBron James’ Decision

ESPN analyst Marc Spears reported in June that Love could potentially join James’ next team. At the time, the Los Angeles Lakers appeared to be a logical destination because James was still expected by some around the league to remain in Los Angeles.

The circumstances have since changed.

James informed the Lakers that he would not return for the 2026-27 season, beginning an open-market process that has increasingly centered on Cleveland, Miami and Philadelphia. ESPN’s Shams Charania recently identified the Cavaliers, Heat and 76ers as the leading contenders, according to a report recapping Philadelphia’s recruitment of James.

Love’s patience could therefore be connected to a larger decision that has stalled the veteran market.

A Cavaliers Return Would Be About Depth, Not Nostalgia Alone

Love would return to a significantly different basketball situation than the one he left in February 2023.

Cleveland is now built around Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, with Mitchell recently committing to another long-term extension. The Cavaliers would not need Love to function as a featured scorer or starting power forward. They would need him to supply occasional shooting, defensive rebounding, outlet passing and experienced frontcourt depth.

His 37.3% shooting from beyond the arc last season suggests he can still space the floor in limited minutes. His rebounding also remains useful on a per-minute basis. But Love played only 37 games for Utah, and his role has declined considerably from his five-time All-Star peak.

That distinction matters. A reunion would have to make basketball and financial sense after the emotional appeal wears off.

Cleveland already has two high-level starting big men in Mobley and Allen. Love would likely compete for situational minutes rather than hold a guaranteed nightly role. Any agreement would presumably need to reflect that reality, especially for a team balancing an expensive core and championship expectations.

James would represent an entirely different level of addition. Even at 41, he could address Cleveland’s need for another large playmaker and postseason shot creator. Love would be the complementary move: a familiar veteran capable of helping in selected matchups and reinforcing the locker room.

Cleveland Could Offer Love a Fitting Final Chapter

Love spent parts of nine seasons with the Cavaliers after arriving in the 2014 trade that sent Andrew Wiggins to Minnesota. He reached four consecutive NBA Finals with James and helped Cleveland overcome a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors in 2016.

His final Cavaliers season ended with a contract buyout after his rotation role disappeared. Love subsequently joined Miami and helped the Heat reach the 2023 NBA Finals.

Returning now would not erase that awkward ending, nor would it automatically improve Cleveland’s championship chances. But if James chooses the Cavaliers, Love would become one of the most logical veteran-minimum candidates to monitor.

Until James makes his decision, Love’s unsigned status is more than a routine late-summer transaction note. It leaves open the possibility that Cleveland’s next attempt at a championship could include two prominent links to its first one.

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Meet SurfMind, an instant AI assistant on your browser. Connect to over 100 top AI models, local LLMs, or custom endpoints. Get instant, in-page AI chat and writing assistance, automate web tasks and repetitive browser actions, and enhance your chat with PDFs, images, and web citations. You can use your own API key or our credits.

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NYC Block Score evaluates any NYC block across five dimensions using live data from NYC Open Data: noise, green space, restaurants and bars, safety, and construction. Enter an address to get a 1 to 10 score with clear labels so you understand what you're seeing, not just a number. This is a beta launch with real data and live scoring. Some tree coverage data in outer boroughs may be incomplete. The goal is to provide honest information rather than wait for perfection. Try your block and share it with your landlord or friends.

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After more than a month of competition, the 2026 World Cup final was set with Spain and Argentina reaching the tournament’s biggest stage. Moments after Argentina defeated England, Iker Casillas shared a message about the upcoming final.

Casillas posted: “There won’t be a fourth ⭐️, Argentina! We’re going for our second!! Come on, Spain! This Sunday it’s the Finalissima… and the World Cup! Get both trophies ready, @FIFAWorldCup! You won’t be stitching the fourth ⭐️.”

The legendary goalkeeper was present at several matches alongside fellow members of the team that made history in 2010, including Xavi, Sergio Ramos and Carles Puyol.

Casillas on England’s match

Spain’s semifinal was far less dramatic, as they controlled France throughout the match. The other semifinal was very different, with England taking the lead before Argentina completed a late comeback.

What drew criticism was the approach after Anthony Gordon’s goal, as they focused almost entirely on defending their advantage by sitting deep. That was the main point highlighted by Casillas.

Casillas posted: “England scored and immediately sat back. A cowardly approach. They barely left their own box and allowed Argentina to keep coming forward. The logical outcome followed. England lost the match entirely because of their game plan. They let Argentina dictate play for the final 30 minutes.”

Casillas gives his verdict on the match

The former goalkeeper believed England’s tactical approach was the main reason Argentina were able to complete the comeback. Casillas posted: “That simply can’t happen. Final: Spain vs Argentina. It’s going to be incredible! England committed footballing suicide.”

Google started rolling out Android 17 QPR1 Beta 7 to Pixel phones. The changelog mentions three improvements for the Quick Settings panel. It also brings the latest July 2026 security patches to eligible Pixel devices.

Android 17 QPR1 Beta 7 focuses on polishing the Quick Settings experience by fixing several annoying bugs. Google resolved an issue where Battery Share failed to start charging or repeatedly played the charging animation instead of working properly.

The update also fixes a visual glitch that left an empty space between the battery and mobile data icons in the Quick Settings status bar after Wi-Fi was turned off.

Additionally, Google addressed a crash affecting the Quick Settings font size controller, which previously prevented users from changing their text size directly from the quick access panel.

The latest Beta update is available for Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, Pixel Fold, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8a, Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 9a, Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and Pixel 10a.

Android 17 QPR1 Beta 7 release notes

• Battery Share from Quick Settings failed to start charging or repeatedly displayed the charging animation.
• Turning off Wi-Fi created an empty gap between the battery and mobile data icons in the Quick Settings status bar.
• A crash in the Quick Settings font size controller that prevented users from adjusting their text size from the quick access panel.

Together, these fixes make Quick Settings more reliable and consistent in day-to-day use.

The post Android 17 QPR1 Beta 7 brings three improvements to Quick Settings appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Samsung is reportedly reserving its latest display technology for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 phones. The company yesterday introduced Flex Titanium foldable display tech, but a new report suggests the Galaxy Z Flip 8 might be missing it.

According to NewsPim, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 doesn’t feature Flex Titanium display. The new solution appears to be limited to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, a massive letdown for the clamshell foldable fans.

Samsung’s Flex Titanium display technology

Flex Titanium uses a dual-layer structure that places a titanium alloy film beneath the OLED panel while also incorporating titanium into the supporting display plate.

Samsung claims the titanium alloy offers around 20 times the rigidity of conventional polymer materials. The result is a display that is more resistant to deformation while also becoming thinner.

The upgraded panel structure of the screen, combined with new organic display materials, is also expected to deliver better image quality and improved power efficiency.

The Fold and Flip use very different hinge mechanisms and display assemblies, so Samsung may have chosen to validate the technology on one product family before expanding it further.

Or, this might be the reason:

• From Galaxy Note to Galaxy Z Flip: Samsung may retire another iconic series next year

Industry sources also indicate that Samsung’s privacy display feature will not make its way to either foldable this year. Meanwhile, the company is reportedly planning to bring it to all models of the Galaxy S27 series next year.

Its absence is especially interesting on the Galaxy Z Fold 8. The larger unfolded display naturally exposes more on-screen content in public places, making privacy protection an obvious use case.

The post Samsung reportedly isn’t giving the Galaxy Z Flip 8 its Flex Titanium display tech appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Argentina millisinin kapitanı Lionel Messi futbol üzrə dünya çempionatları tarixində məhsuldar ötürmələrin sayına görə öz rekordunu yaxşılaşdırıb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, 39 yaşlı hücumçu DÇ-2026-nın İngiltərə ilə yarımfinal görüşündə iki məhsuldar ötürmə müəllifi olub.

Bununla da Messinin dünya çempionatlarındakı məhsuldar ötürmələrinin sayı 12-yə yüksəlib.

Bu göstəricidə ikinci pillədə Argentinanın digər əfsanəsi Dieqo Maradona qərarlaşıb. Onun hesabında 8 məhsuldar ötürmə var.

2023-cü ildən ABŞ-ın “İnter Mayami” klubunda çıxış edən Messi daha əvvəl “Barselona” və PSJ formalarını geyinib. O, Argentina millisi ilə 2022-ci il dünya çempionu, 2014-cü il dünya çempionatının gümüş mükafatçısı, 2008-ci il Olimpiya çempionu, həmçinin 2021 və 2024-cü illərdə Amerika Kubokunun qalibi olub. Hücumçu eyni zamanda 8 “Qızıl top” mükafatı ilə də rekordçudur.

Qeyd edək ki, ABŞ, Kanada və Meksikanın birgə təşkil etdiyi DÇ-2026 iyulun 19-da başa çatacaq.

Changan Nevo Q06 debuts: featuring dual-motor rear-wheel drive and 6C fast charging.

The post Changan Nevo Q06 debuts with dual-motor RWD and 6C ultra-fast charging appeared first on CarNewsChina.com.

A smaller-scale battery maker enters China's hyper-competitive EV market.

The post As if the China EV market weren’t crowded enough: a smaller battery maker enters the race appeared first on CarNewsChina.com.

Notre Dame kind of hit the jackpot with Charlie Partridge as the new defensive line coach. He has made a strong name for himself during his time with the Pitt Panthers and in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts. As Notre Dame’s defensive staff started move around this past offseason, there was an opening for the defensive line coach — and Charlie was their man.

Since his arrival, Notre Dame nailed the transfer portal with additions of Francis Brewu, Tionne Gray, and Keon Keeley; and they have been tearing it up on the recruiting trail with blue-chip commitments from Aidan O’Neil, David Folorunsho, Jackson Vaughn, and Abraham Sesay.

Charlie Partridge is a DOG… but he also owns a dog (at least from what I can tell from a photo) and honestly, a bulldog named Meatball for a defensive line coach is right out of central casting.

So… me not knowing what dog (if any) the other Irish coaches own, I’m going to take a stab at guessing what the pairing are for coach and man’s best friend.

Marcus Freeman

St. Bernard named Brutus

Chris Ash

Basset Hound named Tray

Mike Denbrock

A pair of Yorkies named Led and Zeppelin

Marty Biagi

Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdog named Lucrezia

Mike Brown

Doberman named Mike Jones

Brian Jean-Mary

Three dachshunds named Lucky, Bud, and Oscar

Gino Guidugli

French poodle named Sally

Aaron Henry

Corgi named Lizzy

Joe Rudolph

Neapolitan Mastiff named Cesare

Ja’Juan Seider

Greyhound named Jeremiyah

Jevaughn Codlin

A cat named Cleo

I did no research for the compilation of pets and their names… but I’m pretty sure I’m right.

New Los Angeles Lakers starting center Walker Kessler is known as a prolific shot-blocker and an outstanding rebounder. But he isn't known as an offensive threat.

He can convert lob passes into layups and dunks, and he can run the floor for easy transition baskets. But other than that, he hasn't developed his offensive game in his four NBA seasons — with one slight exception.

This past season, in the five games he played before shoulder surgery sidelined him for the rest of the campaign, Kessler made six of eight 3-point attempts. That's a very small sample space, but it could've been a sign of things to come.

During his first media availability as a member of the Lakers, Kessler said that coach JJ Redick encouraged him to continue to develop his 3-point shooting.

“Coach JJ is obviously hyper-intelligent and obviously being a shooter himself we’ve talked about it and he wants me to be able to do that,” Kessler said during his recent media availability. “Because I think, for a big to be able to stretch the floor like that, or even have the threat of it, I think it makes other team’s scout really difficult. Because whether I can do that on pop, or catch on the pop, go second-side or be able to roll. Both of those things are gonna be really important.”

Teams can never have too much 3-point shooting in the NBA, and it's a skill set needed when a team is built around a wonderful passer such as Luka Doncic. The Lakers were 14th in 3-point shooting and 24th in 3-point attempts last season, and they're set to improve in both categories because they will have more outside shooting threats this coming season.

For his career so far, Kessler has averaged 9.5 points on 68.1% shooting, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 25.3 minutes a game. It seems some are underselling or even casting doubt on the impact he will have on Los Angeles, but make no mistake — he's the type of center the team has badly needed for some time.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Walker Kessler on JJ Redick talking to him about 3-point shooting

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have long lived and died on the hill that their linebackers have built over the years. When their defense has been dominant, the play of their linebackers has led the charge. However, as we saw in 2025, when they do not have the depth or high-level play, they are at the mercy of opposing offenses.

Now, going into 2026, the team has revamped its group after the retirement of Lavonte David. They brought in Alex Anzalone in free agency and drafted Josiah Trotter. Both of them should bring new energy to the position, but it leaves SirVocea Dennis out in the cold.

That is where a trade now makes sense for the young linebacker.

Bleacher Report's Moe Moton recently wrote up one trade every NFL team should consider making and he mentioned the Bucs need to move on from Dennis. He writes, "Tampa Bay revamped its linebacker unit with the addition of Alex Anzalone, Christian Rozeboom and rookie second-rounder Josiah Trotter.  Although Dennis started in 16 games, logging 101 tackles (10 for loss), three sacks and an interception with the club in the previous season, he may be expendable because of the new acquisitions. It's also worth noting the three-year pro allowed a 122 passer rating last year. Dennis' limitations on passing downs could cost him a roster spot."

Dennis has a role somewhere in 2026, it just shouldn't be with the Bucs based on their depth chart.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs suggested to try and trade away an underperforming linebacker

History repeated itself in the Queens Classic, as Gotham FC battled against the Washington Spirit in New York's Citi Field — come rain, come shine, come smoke.

In a rematch of the 2025 NWSL Championship, the two east coast rivals faced off in a star-studded matchup. And just like last fall's final, it was a lone goal from Rose Lavelle that ended up being the difference in a 1-0 win.

The match was able to kick off as scheduled, despite being threatened by smoke, heat and rain — the bad weather trifecta. Temperatures in the high 80s and plenty of humidity, and the rain storm that moved through the area a few hours before kickoff offered some early threats. But in the end, it was the smoke that was particularly concerning, as smoke from wildfires in Ontario made its way to New York City.

Under NWSL rules, an air quality index (AQI) between 150 and 180 means that the game must have two hydration breaks per half; an AQI of over 150 is considered "unhealthy" for all groups, per the EPA. According to the EPA's AirNow site, the AQI in Flushing was over 170 when the match kicked off.

Despite this, the stands were pretty full in Citi Field. The stadium reported a sold-out crowd of 42,175, though that likely represented tickets sold rather than fans in attendance. Still, it's the second-largest NWSL crowd in the league's history, and breaks a New York City record for the largest crowd at a women's professional sporting event.

(The number did fall short of the national record of 63,004, which was set by the Denver Summit at Mile High Stadium in March.)

Dustin Satloff via Getty Images

Perhaps reflective of the weather and the smoke, the first half was a bit sluggish, with several stoppages both for hydration and for a handful of injuries. Rookie forward Jordynn Dudley exited the game early with a potential head injury, heading to the locker room in the 32nd minute; defender Jess Carter came on shortly afterwards as a concussion substitution.

Rose Lavelle then broke through in the 37th minute with a stellar goal, weaving through the Washington back line and burying a tricky shot. (Citi Field's infamous home run apple also popped up to celebrate the goal.)

The crowd was also there to see Australian forward Sam Kerr, who signed with Gotham last month but who had yet to play. In the second half of Wednesday’s game, Kerr made her return to the NWSL stage, replacing Sarah Schupansky in the 64th minute. The veteran striker made her presence known immediately, taking a shot on goal less than a minute after subbing in.

Washington had multiple chances in the final minutes, with players like Trinity Rodman and Leicy Santos getting shots on target, but the Gotham defense and keeper Ann-Katrin Berger held strong for the 1-0 win.

The game didn't quite live up to the NWSL's billing, though there were plenty of exciting points. The weather added a bit of unnecessary danger, and the modified baseball field was at times distracting, but in the end, Gotham got 42,000 fans to buy tickets for an ultimately entertaining win.

The matchup in Queens also offered a sneak preview for Gotham fans: In 2028, the team is set to join into New York City FC in Etihad Stadium, which is currently under construction.

Clatsop County Special Olympic athletes added to their growing medal collection last weekend in Corvallis at the Oregon Summer Games. The July 10 – 12 competition was the final stop on the 2026 Special Olympics summer schedule.

“Overall the athletes had a great time down in Corvallis,” Special Olympics Coordinator David McAloney said. “Our athletes competed really hard and seeing them come home with awards is a great thrill for the coaches and volunteers.”

The track and field team took home seven gold medals, nine silver medals and one bronze. The bocce team brought home a gold, a silver, two bronze medals and a sportsmanship award. In addition, some of the athletes also placed in fourth and sixth places, all getting a winner’s spot on the podium.

The performances capped off a winning summer season for local Special Olympic athletes.

2011 Astoria High School graduate Brittney Clarke and 2018 Astoria graduate Jacob McCarr recently competed in the 2026 USA Games, which took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota from June 20 to June 27. The USA Games are the National Championships of Special Olympics and they feature athletes from all 50 states. In total, the event featured 3,000 athletes. Clarke won gold in the 400 meter walk, and medaled in both the 4 x 100 meter relay and mini javelin. McCarr was also a member of the silver medal winning 4 x 100 relay team.

In Corvallis, Clatsop County’s representation was a big presence. The county sent 12 athletes to compete in the track and field portion and eight competed in bocce ball. McAloney highlighted the strength of his bocce team.

“We sent four partner teams of two and ended up getting a medal of each color,” he said. “We had one team get gold, one get silver and also received a sportsmanship award. This was big for us because one of our athletes struggles when she doesn’t get an award. We also had two teams take home bronze medals.”

The bocce team of Jesse Banks and Jerry Allen won gold, Jackie Bleech and Nikki Fletcher won silver plus the sportsmanship award. The teams of Ben Johnson/David Killion and Brandi Higgins/Angelica Lizarraga won bronze medals.

Though there were a lot of outstanding individual performances, said McAloney. But he said he was most proud of the growth shown by his athletes, and not only on the competition fields. This past weekend was the first time some of them had ever been on a bus or stayed in a dorm. Seeing athletes in his group handle that so well illustrated personal growth, he said.

“We asked a few of the athletes to get out of their comfort zone and try new things this year,” he said. “Seeing them ride the bus and stay in the dorms with us is great progress in their lives.”

In addition, there were more participants because of the addition of bocce ball to the games. McAloney said it brought out many more athletes who had never participated until this year.

“Half of the athletes on our bocce team went to the summer games for the first time,” he said. “Bocce had a 50% increase in athletes and we were able to bring half of those to the summer games,” he said. “We had 17 players at regionals — and took half of them to Corvallis.”

Track and field team stands out

The Clatsop County Special Olympics track and field team joined the bocce participants in the medal circle with a colorful performance.

Led by Mathias Costello, the track and field team took home a total of seven gold medals. Costello won gold in all three of his events. He took gold in the 100-meter manual wheelchair dash, in the 30-meter slalom and the wheelchair shot put. Other gold medalists included Nicholas Bailey in the 100-meter dash, Alex Cary in the 50-meter dash, Brittney Clarke in the 400-meter walk and Marie Kujala in the 800-meter walk.

Second place finishers included Cary in the softball throw; Blake Chick in both the 200-meter dash and 4 x 100-meter relay; Clarke in the 800-meter walk; and Jack Kain in the 400-meter walk and 4 x 100-meter relay. Other silver medalists included: Jonathan Lempea in the 4 x 100-meter relay; Beau Roth in both the mini javelin and 4 x 100-meter relay; and Megan Wilson in the 400-meter walk. Bailey wrapped things up with a bronze medal in the softball throw.

Other notable finishers were Joey Bailey who placed fourth in the softball throw and Cheyenne Valenzuela who was fourth in the shot put and also came in sixth place in the 200-meter dash.

Athletes get a break

After this weekend of competition the athletes will have about a month break until they resume competition. Next up will be the fall sports season which consists of soccer, bowling and swimming. The beginning of fall competition will coincide with the beginning of the high school sports season.

“Fall sports season will go from September to about mid-November,” McAloney said.”Then we will have about a month off before winter.”

What a special experience it was talking with the former Gonzaga Bulldogs walk-on and 1999-2000 West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Mike Nilson.

Mike talked about his son, 6-5 wing Carter Nilson from Gonzaga Prep, walking on with the upcoming team in the Lilac City, the 1999 Elite Eight run as a No. 10 seed that started it all, coach Mark Few’s Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction, and taking care of your body as an athlete.

Nelson spent 20 years as the Director of Performance and Nutrition for the Gonzaga Athletic Department and a leadership coach for the women’s basketball program. He now works as a financial advisor with TEN Capital, as well as hosts “The Compound Commitment” podcast.

Make sure to check the interview out below.

Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho

Conor McGregor is hoping for good news soon, but he also has a couple of wild ideas about how his UFC 329 rematch against Max Holloway should be handled.

McGregor injured himself by awkwardly landing on his right knee in the first action of the fight against Holloway and was unable to fight on, despite trying. The Irishman has already had his knee examined and is expecting scan results, which can be assumed to be an MRI, on Thursday, which will reveal the extent of the damage to his knee.

Wednesday evening, McGregor shared the latest update on Instagram, while also suggesting that the fight result against Holloway be overturned to a no contest, while also taking care of bettors who gambled and lost on the fight.

"A few notes," a text image from McGregor on Instagram read. "1. I will have the results of the scan on my leg tomorrow. 2. The fight should be a no contest and all bets returned."

Both suggestions from McGregor have a near-zero chance of happening, as an injury TKO can occur at any point during a fight, whether in the first or final minute. There was also no mishandling of the result by officials, so an appeal would almost certainly fall flat.

As far as the bettors go, some daily fantasy apps offer early injury protection for sports games and can be lenient in handling customers when unfortunate outcomes occur. A fight is a different story, because the injury directly leads to a definitive result. Sportsbooks raked in loads of cash due to McGregor's loss, as an overwhelming majority of bets were placed on him to defeat Holloway. If McGregor is somehow able to convince betting establishments to refund their customers, that would be unprecedented.

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Hundreds of England fans were silenced at The Greatest Bar Thursday night after a devastating 2-1 loss late to Lionel Messi and Argentina in the World Cup Semifinal.

Two late goals by Argentina sealed the comeback victory to punch their second ticket in a row to the World Cup Finals this Sunday. They’ll face off against Spain Sunday at 3 pm in New Jersey.

“Gutted,” said one England fan. “Absolutely gutted... It’s heartbreaking. We waited 60 years for this.”

Another added, “I’m still in shock. I’m still trying to comprehend everything... I don’t even know what to say really.”

He continued, “You go so far again. You believe, as we talked in the beginning, we thought it was coming home.”

While England fans mourned the loss on the first floor of The Greatest Bar, Argentina fans rushed downstairs from the top floors to celebrate in the streets outside.

“It’s coming home,” one Argentina fan yelled.

Another said, “I just wanted to say I never doubted it for one minute and look where we are now.”

Most England fans at The Greatest Bar Thursday told Boston 25 they’ll be rooting for Spain in the finals Sunday.

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Karl-Anthony Towns takes a jab at Kenny Atkinson's analytics comment from the Playoffs originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

During the 2026 Playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers struggled through their first two series. However, they made it work, and they reached the Eastern Conference Finals after getting dumped out the previous season in the second round.

Unfortunately, the Cavaliers did not win a single game in the ECF against the New York Knicks. Amid the defeats, Atkinson made a comment about how they were ahead based on the analytics despite losing the games, which went viral for the wrong reasons.

Karl-Anthony makes funny jab at Kenny Atkinson's analytics comments

The Knicks completely dominated the Cavaliers in the Conference Finals, as they showed that they were ready to win the championship. They did end up winning the title with Karl-Anthony Towns playing a massive role.

During that run, the Knicks kept quiet, as they wanted to focus on their goals. However, it seems they are taking their victory lap all summer because Towns made sure to reference the Atkinson analytics comments.

MORE: Kenny Atkinson's analytics argument during the Eastern Conference Finals vs the Knicks

Towns and the Knicks conducted themselves well, but they made sure to keep receipts. Atkinson's comments were among those, as Towns referenced them in a recent interview at the ESPY Awards.

"This city hasn't seen this in 53 years, hasn't seen the Finals in 27 years. A team that wasn't picked to be favorites, underdog in every series we played... 49 days we didn't lose, that's my pitch for Best Team. You can pick up all the analytics and statistics, analytically, we should win this one," Towns said as he was asked about his argument to be seen as the best team in sports this year.

Towns is having fun reveling in the victory he and the Knicks earned. He is not the first one to make this reference, either, as Josh Hart also made analytics jokes. It is all in good fun, but it is a reminder that these players do keep receipts all the time.

More NBA news:

• Maleek Thomas might be one of the biggest steals of the 2026 NBA Draft
• James Harden could have an impact on the Cavaliers' pursuit of LeBron James
• The Cavaliers are ready to welcome back both LeBron James and Bronny James
• Stephen A. Smith calls out Kenny Atkinson for the Cavs' performance against the Knicks
• Kenny Atkinson speaks about how the Cavaliers got carried by Donovan Mitchell

Hugo Gonzalez Finally has Special Summer League Performance for Celtics originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Hugo Gonzalez was supposed to be a dominant force for the Boston Celtics at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Instead, the 2025 first-round pick had been inefficient and had some struggles through three games.

If a player doesn't control proceedings in their second year of Summer League, it's often a bad sign, and it was looking like Gonzalez may simply be a player with less upside than Boston would've hoped.

Then on Wednesday night, he showed up in full force.

Gonzalez finished an 82-76 win over the Kings with these stats:

• 24 points
• 10 rebounds
• 5 assists
• 1 steal
• 3 turnovers
• 8-18 FG
• 3-9 3FG
• 3-3 FT

MORE: Viral video of Joe Mazzulla doing MMA shows off insane muscles

Still not a perfect night, but it's markedly better than the way he had played before this.

Gonzalez managed to lead the Celtics in points, rebounds and assists to display his well-rounded game.

When players are too good for Summer League, they start making shots like this one:

Hugo González gets the fadeaway jumper to fall 🔥

He has a game-high 12 PTS in the 1H as the Celtics have the lead on ESPN2. pic.twitter.com/22rc5xcoim

— NBA (@NBA) July 16, 2026

This doesn't guarantee anything for Gonzalez in the season ahead with Boston.

But this is the kind of outing he needed for his own confidence. Gonzalez belongs with a role in the NBA. He's still trying to grow into the best player he can be along the way.

More Celtics

• Latest Celtics news
• TD Garden fan guide: What to know before you go
• Complete history of Celtics championships

The Oklahoma Sooners have made yet another addition to their support staff this offseason. OU has hired Abigail O'Connor, who has spent the last eight years with the Michigan Wolverines, as Associate AD, Performance Nutrition for the program.

O'Connor was in a similar role in Ann Arbor, as she rose to Director of Football Performance Nutrition at UM. According to Doug Samuels of FootballScoop.com, O'Connor will "oversee performance nutrition across all sports, with a stated emphasis on continuity of care for student-athletes."

While with the Wolverines for nearly a decade, O'Connor was part of the Michigan teams that made three straight trips to the College Football Playoff, concluding with a national championship in 2023. She has also worked at Minnesota and Houston.

O'Connor is a Registered Dietitian, a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach.

The Sooners will face O'Connor's old team on the road in Week 2 on September 12th. Oklahoma won in 24-13 last season in Norman.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.

This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma Sooners make support staff addition

ATLANTA — Chelsea has been forced to delete a post featuring Enzo Fernandez, who scored a vital goal for Argentina in Wednesday's World Cup semifinal win over England.

The Blues posted a picture of Fernandez celebrating his late equalizer at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The caption was simply the midfielder's name along with an explosion emoji.

But the post, which was shared across several social media channels, inspired a torrent of abuse from Chelsea fans who were unhappy to see the club celebrate a player who's made no secret of his desire to leave Stamford Bridge.

It also didn't help Chelsea's cause that Fernandez's goal came against England.

Fernandez scored an 85th-minute equalizer from long range to level the match. Just seven minutes later, Lautaro Martinez headed home a Lionel Messi cross to give Argentina a 2-1 win, sending them to the final against Spain on Sunday.

Disgraceful from @ChelseaFCpic.twitter.com/ziNTQZNr8k

— THE CHELSEA FORUM (@TheChelseaForum) July 15, 2026

Chelsea suspended Fernandez for two matches in April after his comments about a potential move to Real Madrid.

The 25-year-old hinted he would like to live in Spain, particularly Madrid. This came after he expressed doubts about his future at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea's elimination from the Champions League against PSG.

Earlier this month, Real Madrid released an official statement denying any interest in a transfer move for Fernandez.

"The club wishes to state that it has not made any efforts, either directly or indirectly, aimed at signing the aforementioned player and, furthermore, has no intention of pursuing such an operation," Madrid said of Fernandez.

When asked if he wanted to keep the Argentine at the club, new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso gave a one-word answer earlier this week: "Yes."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chelsea deletes social media post celebrating Enzo Fernandez goal vs England

After resting during a Monday night Summer League showdown with the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics guard Hugo Gonzalez returned to action on Wednesday evening in a big way. He helped the Green Team hold off the Sacramento Kings 82-76 in Vegas with a game-high 24 points.

The soon-to-be second-year Celtic rested for just 6 minutes all game and added 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal to his impressive statline. Fellow second-year Celtic John Tonje also had a strong showing against the Kings, tallying 18 points (on 60 percent shooting) in 27 minutes. Rookie Milos Uzan — who just signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Celtics — finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds and sealed the narrow win with a tough driving layup with 29 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

As for the Kings, rookie forward (and Massachusetts native) Alex Karaban led the team with 21 points on roughly 47 percent shooting from the field. Sacramento trailed by as many as 16 points and managed a meager 4 points in the first quarter before making things close down the stretch.

The Kings still fell, though, dropping to 1-3 in Summer League play while the Celtics improved to 3-1 under head coach Amile Jefferson. Boston will have to wait to see who it'll face next, as the scoring differential of other teams with the same record will impact its upcoming matchup.

Whether it's in the playoffs or the consolation bracket, the Summer C's will play again in Sin City in the near future.

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Hugo Gonzalez powers Summer Celtics past Kings in 82-76 win

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani won the ESPY Award for Best Single-Game Performance.

Boxing legend Mike Tyson, boxer/influencer Jake Paul and music producer DJ Khaled announced Ohtani as the winner during the show. Ohtani was not in attendance.

Ohtani received the award for a performance against the Milwaukee Brewers, where he hit three home runs and pitched six scoreless innings, striking out 10 batters, in Game 4 of the 2025 National League Championship Series.

Ohtani has played a key role in leading the Dodgers to back-to-back World Series championships.

He was the league's leading vote-getter but withdrew from the MLB All-Star Game this week due to inflammation and irritation in his left knee. The discomfort in the knee impacted his pitching mechanics, and he was recently pulled from a scheduled start for the Dodgers.

This season, he has 98 hits, 65 runs, 22 home runs and 58 RBIs in 88 games played. On the mound, he's produced an 8-2 record in 14 starts, allowing 55 hits, 21 runs (17 earned runs) and four home runs. He has struck out 95 and walked 26.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani wins ESPY Award for Best Single-Game Performance

The road that leads to the Travers Stakes and then the Breeders’ Cup is running through New Jersey. The Haskell Stakes will be run at Monmouth Park in Oceanport with a cast of seven three-year-old colts competing for their share of $1 million. The winner is guaranteed a spot in the starting gates at the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Classic as this race is part of the “win and you are in” series for the year-end World Championships. Also, this mile and an eighth drive over the East coast dirt normally delivers runners to the Travers Stakes at Saratoga in late August. As is the norm, this event that was first run in 1968 offers a highly competitive group. Let’s take a look at the entrants and provide a thought on each. The horses will be listed by post position with trainer, jockey, and morning line. The Haskell will be contested on July 18 and is carded as race 12 with an expected post time of 5:45 pm eastern.

1 Star Sweeper

Trainer: Louis Linder

Jockey: Luis Rivera

Odds: 30-1

This son of Rock Your World is winless in 2026, but has made his last two starts at Monmouth including a fifth-place finish in the Pegasus Stakes in his last start on June 13. Inside post means his only hope is to break well and go for the lead. Has not faced this class of horses before and it is not likely he Sweeps his way to the winner’s circle.

2 Further Ado

Trainer: Brad Cox

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Odds: 2-1

Coming in off an impressive score over a solid field in the Matt Winn Stakes on June 7. Powerful win in the Bluegrass Stakes in April made him the top selection of many in the Kentucky Derby, but he finished a non-threatening 11^th. This son of Gun Runner is our top selection as his ability to stalk and pounce are made for Monmouth.

3 Baby Vino

Trainer: Lindsay Schultz

Jockey: Jorge Vargas

Odds: 15-1

A winner of two in a row including the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth means this son of Vino Rosso might get some play at the windows. Has a stalking style, but will be seeing a higher class of opposition for sure. Water is awfully deep for first foray into graded stakes company. Do not think he is the Baby here.

4 The Puma

Trainer: Gustavo Delgado

Jockey: Luis Saez

Odds: 7-2

Hard knocker that had to scratch from Kentucky Derby because of a minor health issue has been in top three in all four career starts. Has not raced since finishing second by a nose in Florida Derby on March 28. Jockey knows how to win big races but the question is how this son of Essential Quality comes back off the layoff. Put him in your trifecta and superfecta for sure.

5 Iron Honor

Trainer: Chad Brown

Jockey: Flavien Prat

Odds: 3-1

Skipped the Kentucky Derby after finishing seventh in the Wood Memorial as the favorite. Ran second in the Preakness as he lacked that closing kick in the stretch. Won first two races of his career and gets one of the best riders in the game. Could be there at the end but we don’t think he wins.

6 Napoleon Solo

Trainer: Chad Summers

Jockey: Paco Lopez

Odds: 5-2

Which Napoleon shows up? The Preakness winner who stalked and motored home and also won his two races as a two-year old by a combined 11 ¾ lengths…or the runner that was a dull fifth in his first two starts as a three-year-old? Recent works indicate he is ready to roll and don’t be surprised if he tries to break to the lead early and attempt to conquer in gate-to-wire fashion. One for all your multi-race and exotic tickets.

7 Ocelli

Trainer: D Whitworth Beckman

Jockey: Tyler Gafflione

Odds: 6-1

Winless in nine career starts, but has earned $829,800 on the track. Finished a respectable 3^rd in the Wood Memorial, 3^rdin the Kentucky Derby, 4^th in the Preakness, and 2^nd in the Ohio Derby. When will this son of Connect quit his door-knocking and decide to go on in? Not likely it happens here, but he is battle-tested for sure.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

Sophie Cunningham often grabs headlines for her pregame outfits. Whether she wears dresses or rocks simpler looks, her fashion draws a lot of attention online. The Indiana Fever guard’s attire on Wednesday ahead of the WNBA regular-season game against the Golden State Valkyries received a lot of praise.

She wore a laid-back, sporty outfit consisting of a fitted, short-sleeved cropped T-shirt in brown shade. Cunningham paired it with relaxed, wide-leg, mid-wash blue denim jeans and cream-colored closed-toe sneakers.

MORE: Sophie Cunningham shares reaction to serving as UFC 329 guest ring girl

The Fever posted her photo on Instagram and fans reacted to it in the comments section.

“Super abs!” a fan said.

“Sophie looking great,” one comment read.

“Sophie 🔥,” a user wrote.

“All very unique and cute ☺️ but the 4th one is the cutest 🤗,” posted another.

“Ayeeeee Sophieeeeee I see youuuu gurllll!!” one fan commented.

“Sophie 😎,” a reaction read.

Sophie Cunningham vs. the Valkyries

Cunningham came off the bench and played 27 minutes on Wednesday. She produced 10 points, including two 3-pointers, along with two rebounds. Her production backed Kelsey Mitchell’s game-high 20 points, and Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark’s 15 and 13, respectively. However, Indiana failed to extend their winning streak to three games, losing 88-75. Six Golden State players scored in double figures, led by Gabby Williams’ 16 and Kaitlyn Chen’s 14.

The Fever will return to action on Friday for the first night of a back-to-back set. Clark could sit either game, giving Cunningham the opportunity to potentially start in her place and make a bigger impact.

Boxer Mike Tyson presented the ESPY award for best single-game performance to Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani on July 15. Just don’t ask him who Shohei Ohtani plays for, what sport he plays, or even apparently what gender Shohei Ohtani is.

After (somewhat) correctly pronouncing Ohtani’s name, Tyson turned to co-presented Logan Paul to make sure he got it right.

MORE: Dodgers send message about White House visit

“Shohei could not be here tonight,” Tyson said. “He sends his gratitude and appreciation to ESPN and everyone who voted for him,” Paul said.

“Shohei’s a guy?” Tyson said, turning to Paul.

Tyson, 60, certainly would be forgiven for not following MLB on a regular basis. He sparred with Ted Barrett before Barrett became a major league umpire. Other than that, the Tyson/MLB concentric circles are separate.

MORE: Former Dodgers All-Star, who coached Mets in his 80s, dies at 89

It’s at least somewhat surprising that Ohtani’s name never reached Tyson’s ears. Ohtani is at least the game’s best player today, if not ever. His single-game performance against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the 2025 National League Championship Series was one for the ages.

Ohtani threw six shutout innings against the Brewers as the Dodgers’ starting pitcher, and went 3 for 3 with three home runs at the plate. Tyson said it himself: it was an award-winning performance.

The game basically clinched the NLCS MVP Award for Ohtani. Now it’s been honored across multiple sports.

MORE: Dodgers send message to Venezuelan rookie who debuted amid family tragedy

Ohtani was also nominated for the ESPY award for best male athlete, an honor which might convince Tyson of Ohtani’s gender once and for all.

Baseball players rarely attend the ESPYs ceremony to receive their awards in person. The ceremony is traditionally held during MLB’s All-Star break, giving ESPN the night’s major live sports programming all to itself, but making it hard for the top MLB stars to attend.

Ohtani at least had no obvious prior obligations. He did not attend All-Star festivities in Philadelphia because of a irritation in his left knee. Perhaps he and Tyson can schedule a gentleman’s handshake down the road.

Byron Murphy is a force for the Vikings' secondary at cornerback. Isaiah Rodgers had a very good season, and bringing in James Pierre from Pittsburgh, coming off a career-best season, seems like enough for Brian Flores and the Vikings defense, right? Well, not so fast, says Moe Moton of Bleacher Report. 

Coverage is such an important part of Flores' scheme and magic that he can create for his defense. Flores has such an ability to change coverage looks post-snap while sending pressure from different places to speed up the process. God forbid you turn your back to the defense. What you see will be far different than what you saw pre-snap. 

Moton believes the Vikings need more reliable talent at cornerback in 2026 and has a trade idea for Minnesota. 

Minnesota Vikings: Trade a late 2027 pick for Kansas City Chiefs CB Kristian Fulton

"Aside from Byron Murphy Jr., the Vikings' cornerback group is highly questionable with Isaiah Rodgers and James Pierre in line for big roles. Rodgers had a decent 2025 campaign, allowing an 88.2 passer rating in coverage. Pierre only has 13 career starts. 

Minnesota should add veteran insurance to cover the boundary when Murphy lines up in the slot. Fulton could be serviceable in that role. Last year, he only appeared in eight games but allowed a solid 81.7 passer rating in coverage. The 27-year-old may be behind L'Jarius Sneed and Nohl Williams on the Chiefs' depth chart.

With 53 career starts, Fulton could take on a prominent role on the perimeter in nickel packages or provide quality depth."

Depth at any position is welcomed, provided it is reasonable. Being proactive and not reactive is a big part of a front office's job. Push comes to shove, and you'll be looking for a player in a pinch, rather than having depth and not needing it. With how important coverage is for Flores, this trade should be explored, as should any other available options at cornerback. 

Still, Murphy, Jr., Rodgers, and Pierre should be enough, especially with the breakouts of Rodgers and Pierre in 2025. The Vikings have a good trio, but depth is never a problem to add.

PTI's new podcast episode title makes it seem like LeBron James is joining Steph Curry with Warriors originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Everyone is looking for clues of what LeBron James is going to do in free agency.

Golden State Warriors fans found one that feels important on Wednesday night.

The newest episode of the PTI (Pardon The Interruption) podcast was released on all platforms on Wednesday, and it has a curious title.

The first clause is this: "Steph Curry behind LeBron's stunning Warriors decision?"

As of 10:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday night, that's still what the title was. If it was a mistake, it had been up like that for at least two hours.

And obviously, it at least starts to raise some questions.

For starters: Would someone with PTI know what was happening before everyone else in the sports world?

MORE: Caleb Wilson fires a subtle shot at AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson

And if they did, would they just name a podcast subtly and not do anything more about it?

But on the flip side: Why would this be the title unless someone meant it to be that way? It's a bizarre mistake otherwise.

The most likely scenario is that it's somehow a mistake, or the words simply misrepresent what the podcast actually talks about.

But it's fun to think about some larger conspiracy theory, like the idea that some people know exactly what LeBron is going to do and just don't tell anyone.

The Warriors would sure love to land James, so they'll take some truth to this one way or another.

LeBron and Steph together would be fun to watch, at least for those who haven't already built up a dislike for them through the years as an opposing fan. It'd be a special final chapter for two all-time greats.

More NBA news:

In this latest edition of The Detroit News' Gritiron Gang podcast, Nolan Bianchi and Richard Silva are joined by Jackson native and Grand Valley State graduate Eli Ong of WGN-TV in Chicago.

Previous Gritiron Gang episodes

▶How do the Packers stack up in NFC North?

▶Arnold released after court appearance. Now what?

▶Ranking NFC North position groups

▶What we learned from Lions minicamp

▶Highlights from Lions OTAs

▶Lions OTAs recap, Myles Garrett trade

▶NFC North spotlight on Minnesota Vikings

▶ Four Lions who need bounce-back seasons

▶ Lions have easiest 2026 NFL schedule

▶ Projecting roles for Lions' 2026 draft picks

▶ Wrapping up the Lions' 2026 NFL Draft

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Can Bears repeat as NFC North champs?: Gritiron Gang podcast

Heading into the second half of the season, the Athletics, at 41-55, have dug themselves a hole. They are eight games back in the AL West, and 6.5 back for the final AL Wild Card spot, making any climb towards the postseason a difficult one.

To begin that climb, the A's have made some roster moves. The biggest one is that the club has designated Aaron Civale for assignment, a move we floated yesterday as a possibility in our trade candidates piece. The club has also optioned right-hander Mason Barnett, catcher Brian Serven, and first baseman Joey Meneses. 

The A's have only announced three corresponding roster moves, to go with those four departures. The fourth player will be No. 7 prospect Tommy White. 

The three that are definitely headed to Sacramento are left-hander Brady Basso, right-hander Yunior Tur, and infielder Donovan Walton, whom they claimed off waivers a couple of days ago. 

This is a similar move to the one the team made in May of last season, when they optioned JJ Bleday, called up Denzel Clarke and Willie MacIver, and DFA'd Seth Brown, among other moves. 

So how does the new roster fit together?

Changing Roster Means Changing Roles

One piece we were planning to write (and still may) during the break is that Jacob Lopez needs to be added back into the starting rotation. He was called up on July 7 and immediately threw 63 pitches against the Detroit Tigers in the game J.T. Ginn left early due to illness. 

Just three days later, Lopez was back on the mound to serve as the opener ahead of Civale, and he went 1 ⅔ innings without giving up a hit. A's manager Mark Kotsay was impressed with that performance, really emphasizing that he thought Lopez's outing was "great." 

The fact that Lopez and Civale both pitched in the same game means they're lined up for the same schedule at this point, so replacing Civale with Lopez would be the easiest route to fill that spot in the rotation.

When Barnett came up and carved out a bullpen role for himself in Las Vegas back in June, he was firing on all cylinders, posting a 1.35 ERA across 13 ⅓ innings that month. The league has figured him out a bit more recently, as the righty has posted a 13.50 ERA across six July innings with a 2.33 WHIP. 

In three of his four outings this month, Barnett has allowed multiple runs. In that same span, he's given up nine hits — four home runs — and walked five while striking out just two. This option will serve as a refresh for Barnett. 

Yunior Tur will be making his MLB debut when he takes the mound for the A's. The 26-year-old holds a 4.41 ERA across 51 innings (27 appearances, five starts) with a 1.31 WHIP. He's also allowed just four home runs. 

Tommy White's Debut

The A's offense has been struggling just as badly as the pitching staff of late, and with both Nick Kurtz and Zack Gelof on the IL, along with DH Brent Rooker out for the season, bringing up White is the quickest way to infuse some energy into this group. 

Nicknamed "Tommy Tanks," White was rumored to be the other piece coming up, though it hadn't been confirmed until Jeff Passan reported the news.

With the other A's moves, in particular optioning Serven and Meneses, the White move was expected. 

Serven had been in the big leagues to serve as the club's third catcher, with Shea Langeliers and Jonah Heim finding themselves in the same lineup a bit due to the injuries to Rooker and Kurtz. 

White can also serve as the club's DH while providing a glove at both first and third base. 

This season he has hit .303 with a .353 OBP and an .818 OPS between both Double-A Midland and Triple-A Las Vegas. He's added 10 home runs between the two stops, with nine of those coming in Vegas.

Even with those stats, he has been a roughly league average bat in the minors this season, holding a combined 104 wRC+ (100 is league average) that included a 94 wRC+ with Vegas. This is actually what led us to suggest, just last week, that perhaps he wasn't quite ready. 

We'll get our first look at him in the big leagues on Friday night in Sacramento, when the A's take on the Washington Nationals — their season hanging in the balance. 

The NFL's annual Top 100 Players ranking isn't perfect, but more often than not, it has rewarded consistency. We may disagree with the order in which players are often stacked (see Lamar Jackson's finish this year), but most thought the Baltimore Ravens would be well represented.

That's exactly why Roquan Smith's latest appearance matters. Don't look now, but one of the Ravens' defensive captains cracks the list again. He lands at 65. It's another reminder that one of football's most dependable defenders continues earning the respect of those who compete against him every Sunday.

No. 65 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026…@Ravens LB Roquan Smith! @NFLFilmspic.twitter.com/tw3kHERzWU

— NFL (@NFL) July 15, 2026

Roquan Smith continues building a remarkable resume

Every summer, new stars emerge while others disappear from the list entirely. Injuries, production, and team success all influence where players ultimately land, making longevity one of the most impressive accomplishments the ranking can recognize.

Smith's NFL journey has been defined by excellence from the very beginning. Selected eighth overall by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, he immediately established himself as one of the league's premier young linebackers, earning PFWA All-Rookie Team honors during his first professional season. Since then, the accolades have continued piling up.

Smith has been named a first-team All-Pro three consecutive seasons from 2022 through 2024 after earning second-team All-Pro recognition in both 2020 and 2021. He's also appeared in four straight Pro Bowls while capturing the professional Butkus Award twice, cementing his reputation as one of the NFL's premier off-ball linebackers.

That success has continued in Baltimore, where Smith has become far more than an elite tackler.

Baltimore's defensive identity starts with No. 0

The Ravens feature stars at every level of their defense. Kyle Hamilton remains one of football's most versatile defensive backs. Marlon Humphrey continues leading the secondary, while Trey Hendrickson strengthens an already dangerous pass rush. Even with all that talent, Smith remains the defense's heartbeat.

His leadership, communication, and instincts consistently place teammates in a position to succeed before the football is ever snapped. Those qualities rarely appear on a stat sheet, but they remain essential to Baltimore's defensive identity. Landing at No. 65 won't generate the same headlines as some of the league's offensive stars, and that's perfectly fitting. Smith has never built his career around attention. He's built it around consistency. Year after year, season after season, he continues proving why teammates, opponents, and fellow NFL players still view him as one of football's premier defensive leaders.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens star Roquan Smith earns another NFL Top 100 honor

Perception is not always reality. Often, we draw assumptions on players that are simply not based in fact. Casual onlookers do that with Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.

Some consider Herbert a soft quarterback. That said, if you actually watched the Chargers' on the field leader last season, you saw a player firing up his team, correcting errant play and consistently getting up after taking several hits in the pocket.

Now, the narrative involving Herbert seems to revolve around his maturity. An NFL coach said as much when asked his honest opinion of the gifted quarterback.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler interviewed NFL coaches, scouts and executives and asked them to rank and assess quarterbacks within the league. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert took the No. 7 ranking on their list.

Here's what Fowler recorded on where Herbert needs to grow to enter the league's Top 5 quarterbacks.

"Herbert's previous coordinator was Greg Roman, who is known more for his running game prowess. Over two seasons with Roman, Herbert had a very effective 2024 season but threw 13 interceptions last year, albeit while the Chargers dealt with a battered offensive line for much of the season. The offense looked disjointed in a playoff loss to New England, too. Through six NFL seasons, Herbert has zero playoff wins to show for his promise.

'He plays young,' an NFL coordinator said. 'He's incredibly talented and has made progress, but he doesn't have the maturity level of the other guys as far as how he runs the overall operation and mastery of the position.'

Regardless, his playmaking is still prolific. Herbert's 10 passing touchdowns from outside the pocket led the NFL last season."

With hype and expectation comes criticism. Herbert has had his fair share of all of those since breaking out early in his NFL career. This year, it appears he will have the help he needs to achieve what he wants to achieve.

The Chargers' key additions of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and tight end David Njoku cannot be overstated. The moves shore up two lacking elements of the Los Angeles offensive attack. McDaniel brings creativity. Njoku brings reliability. Between the two, the Bolts should be able to avoid many more 16-3 defeats in the postseason.

More than that, the health of both starting tackles in Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater provide a path to the top of the AFC in 2026.

Herbert will look to make the most of his improved situation with an improved campaign this season.

Read the original on HuffPost

The three-match ODI series between England and India resumes at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Thursday, with the tourists holding a 1-0 lead.

Having ended a miserable run of results with a commanding six-wicket win at Edgbaston, Shubman Gill's side can seal the series with a game to spare, while England must win to force a decider at Lord's on Sunday.

The picturesque Welsh venue, home to Glamorgan, has staged international cricket since 1999 and hosted marquee events including the 1999 World Cup, the 2013 and 2017 Champions Trophy, and the 2019 World Cup.

As both sides prepare for a pivotal contest, the record books at Sophia Gardens make for fascinating reading.

The Sporting News brings you the pitch report, key ODI records, and everything you need to know about the venue in the 50-over format.

Add The Sporting News as a preferred news source

Sophia Gardens pitch report: Is it a batting or bowling wicket in Cardiff?

The pitch at Sophia Gardens offers a fair contest between bat and ball. Fast bowlers can extract swing and bounce early, especially under cloudy skies, before the surface slows and spinners come into play as the innings progresses.

The record slightly favors the chasing side. India themselves illustrated the point in the venue's most recent India fixture, and both sides will factor the toss carefully into their thinking on Thursday.

What is the average ODI score at Sophia Gardens?

Sophia Gardens has generally been a ground for competitive rather than colossal totals, with a score around 280 to 300 considered par. The venue has, however, produced several 300-plus totals in high-profile fixtures.

The most recent ODI here underlined its scoring potential. In June 2025, the West Indies posted 308 before England chased it down, reaching 312 for 7 to complete one of the higher successful pursuits seen at the ground.

MORE: Visit Cricket News for all the latest cricket coverage and opinion

Highest score by a team at Sophia Gardens in ODIs

The highest team total at the venue is England's 386 for 6, posted against Bangladesh during the 2019 World Cup. England won that contest by 106 runs, and the total remains comfortably clear of their own 342 for 8 against Australia in 2018.

Lowest score by a team at Sophia Gardens in ODIs

The lowest completed team total is Afghanistan's 125 all out against South Africa during the 2019 World Cup. Sri Lanka features next on the list, having twice been dismissed cheaply here, for 136 and 138, both against New Zealand.

Highest individual score at Sophia Gardens in ODIs

The individual batting record belongs to England's Joe Root, whose unbeaten 166 against West Indies in June 2025 powered a memorable chase. Jason Roy's 153 against Bangladesh in 2019 and Shaun Marsh's 131 for Australia in 2018 sit next on the list.

Most runs at Sophia Gardens in ODIs

Root also leads the run-scoring charts at the ground, having amassed 469 runs in 11 matches at an average of 46.90. Jos Buttler is close behind with 443 runs from 10 games, while Jason Roy is third with 407 runs across just five appearances.

Most wickets at Sophia Gardens in ODIs

England's Adil Rashid holds the record for the most wickets at the venue, claiming 14 in seven matches between 2016 and 2025 at an economy of 6.19. Liam Plunkett is second with 12 wickets, with Pakistan's Hasan Ali third on 10.

Best bowling figures at Sophia Gardens in ODIs

India's Ravindra Jadeja produced the finest match figures at the ground, taking 4 for 28 against England in August 2014. South Africa's Imran Tahir matched the four-wicket haul with 4 for 29 against Afghanistan during the 2019 World Cup.

India's record at Sophia Gardens

India boasts a flawless ODI record at the venue, winning both their matches here. They beat South Africa by 26 runs in the 2013 Champions Trophy and defeated England by 133 runs in 2014, a strong omen as Gill's side chase a series-sealing victory.

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Rohit Sharma before and after Champions Trophy: India star's declining ODI form since CT 2025 listed originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Rohit Sharma's powerplay strike rate has fallen from 122.57 to 86.13 since October 2025.
• His powerplay boundary percentage has dropped from 20.9 to 15.5 in that span.
• The slump has intensified scrutiny over his place ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

Rohit Sharma before and after Champions Trophy and his declining ODI form since CT 2025 listed

Rohit Sharma's laboured 11 from 21 balls at Edgbaston reignited a debate that has followed India's veteran opener for months. As fans called for his retirement and for Yashasvi Jaiswal to take his place, the numbers behind his recent decline came sharply into focus.

A graphic shared by Cricbuzz laid the shift out in stark terms. It contrasted Rohit's powerplay output across two periods, from January 2023 up to the 2025 Champions Trophy and everything since October 2025, and the drop-off is impossible to ignore.

The most striking change is in his intent. Rohit built his modern ODI reputation on tearing into the new ball, yet the aggressive powerplay opener who defined India's approach appears to have vanished, replaced by a far more cautious version of himself.

MORE: Super 7 in ODI World Cup 2027: Explaining new seven-team format

The numbers behind Rohit Sharma's decline

Between January 2023 and the Champions Trophy, Rohit was among the most destructive openers in world cricket.

Across 36 innings, he plundered 1,146 runs from 935 balls at an average of 67.41, striking at a blistering 122.57 with a powerplay boundary percentage of 20.9.

Like Rohit's new approach in ODIs? 👀 pic.twitter.com/82BAG6OT1g

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) July 15, 2026

The picture since October 2025 is dramatically different. In 13 innings, Rohit has scored 267 runs from 310 balls, a return that reflects both reduced output and a sharply slower tempo at the top of the order for India.

His strike rate has collapsed from 122.57 to just 86.13, a fall of more than 36 runs per hundred balls. The powerplay boundary percentage has similarly dipped from 20.9 to 15.5, evidence that the early aggression which powered India's starts has all but evaporated.

The one number offering mitigation is his average, which has held at a respectable 44.50. Rohit is still occupying the crease and contributing runs, but the manner in which he is scoring them has changed beyond recognition since the Champions Trophy.

MORE: 'Milk India vs Pakistan twice': ICC's decision to reformat ODI and T20 WCs faces fans' backlash

A decline that raises real questions

The context makes the slump difficult to dismiss. Rohit turns 39 this year, plays only ODI cricket for India, and is building towards a 2027 World Cup in conditions where a quick start against the new ball carries enormous value for the side.

His defenders will point to that steady average and to a stellar career record, including a fifty in his final ODI against Afghanistan. One quiet series does not erase two decades of excellence, and India's think tank has shown no inclination to move him on.

Yet the trend is the concern rather than any single innings. An opener whose entire value was built on fearless powerplay batting is now among the slowest in that phase, and with Jaiswal scoring heavily and waiting, the pressure on Rohit will only intensify from here.

For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.

Football is still not coming home.

After a triumphant run to the semifinals with Thomas Tuchel at the helm and led by 90% of their goals being scored by Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, England lost 2-1 to Argentina and missed out on a date to face Spain in the World Cup final in New Jersey.

After Anthony Gordon scored early on in the second half from a lovely cross in from Morgan Rogers, Tuchel made defensive changes, bringing in all of Dan Burn, Ezri Konsa, and Nico O’Reilly, waiting until the 95th minute to introduce Ivan Toney and Marcus Rashford.

From that point on Argentina were the fierce aggressors and on the front foot — and cue the Lionel Messi show. The Inter Miami man provided an assist for an Enzo Fernández belter and a then for a Lautaro Martínez header to send Argentina to their second straight World Cup final, leaving England to rue the chance to maintain control of the match after they had gone 1-0 up and falling short once again in the latter stages of an international tournament.

After the match, Tuchel admitted that his side was far too passive after Gordon’s goal, conceding far too many chances to Argentina late on and ultimately inviting them right back into proceedings. “We’re disappointed. We were so close, but we got too passive after we scored and conceded a lot of chances and could not turn the ball possession (only 12% after Gordon’s goal for England) around — and then, just conceded so many crosses, chances, and shots. We were close, but couldn’t keep the level up after we scored,” he told BBC Sport.

On the matter of the defensive changes he made in the second half holding on to the 1-0 lead, the former Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and Mainz manager tried to rationalize the decisions he made in the match, trying to close gaps that Argentina were already attacking. “I did also offensive substitutions in the last games. We just tried to help the player. We conceded straight away. We decided to go a back five because the gaps were far too open. They won every header, the kept crossing and crossing. So, we went to a back five to close the gaps inside and be strong in the air because straight after our goal, there was no substitution. We just conceded way too many, way too many crosses and way too many chances, so we tried to help, but of course the responsibility is on the coach and if it doesn’t go wrong, it’s easy to say that, if it doesn’t go well it’s easy to say it was wrong.”

He was also asked if there was a thought amongst the coaching staff on trying to go for a second goal, alluding to the attacking options that were on the bench at the time that Argentina had equalized, but Tuchel felt his England side was struggling to maintain possession in their own third of the pitch. “It doesn’t help if we don’t have the ball, if we couldn’t get out (of their own half). Of course we wanted to go for the second goal, but I had not the feeling that the offensive substitutions would help. We stayed in our 4-4-2 but became passive. We couldn’t win any balls, couldn’t keep the ball. So, I think it was not a structural problem. We changed nothing after the goal, but the match changed completely. Again, it’s no problem. I can understand why these discussions are out there, and of course, millions of coaches after the game that know it better.”

He also added by saying there were “no regrets” for the effort England put forth and the decisions that were made on and off the pitch as the Three Lions came so close yet again but fell victim to an inspired Argentine finish led by Messi.

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On her latest Making Mosters, Taylor Doll was joined by former Chicago Bears Pro Bowler, Jerry Azumah, who previews the upcoming Bears’ season. Azumah played cornerback for seven years in Chicago, so you know he had some thoughts on the Bears’ secondary.

“I really like that group,” Azumah said about Chicago’s defensive backs. “I think the group is very athletic. Obviously, they have some veteran leadership that’s there, and they have some all-star presence that’s there as well.”

Right now, it appears the starters will be Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson at corner, Kyler Gordon at the nickel, and Coby Bryant and rookie Dillon Thieneman at safety.

“I think Thieneman is going to be a hell of an addition to the secondary, along with the Super Bowl-winning safety as well, with Coby. So I think that they’re going to be a nice one-two punch, but it’s all about gelling. It’s all brand new, but they have all the talent in the world to go out there and be successful and be dominant.”

They talk plenty more about Dennis Allen’s defense, but they also dive into Caleb Williams and the offense, and you know they hit on the third phase as well.

Make sure you check out her show in either of the embeds below for her full discussion with Zoom!

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Each year since 1993, sports programming channel ESPN has hosted an annual event honoring the top athletes and sports performances of the year in an event called the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards, or ESPY Awards.

The ESPYs highlight and recognize the best male and female athletes, most influential athletes and those who have spent countless hours giving back to communities. As part of the ESPYs are the Sports Humanitarian Awards.

The Sports Humanitarian Awards recognize those who have shown an industry-wide commitment to philanthropy and public service across six major honors: Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award, Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award, Sports Philanthropist of the Year Award, Corporate Community Impact Award, the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award and Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year.

The Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry was named a recipient of the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award in recognition of his community impact through the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Curry and his wife, Ayesha, in 2019.

"When we launched Eat. Learn. Play. in 2019, we saw the tremendous need that existed in our adopted hometown of Oakland and set out to use our platform and resources to work to unlock the full potential of the kids in our community," Curry said in a statement on their website.

Curry accepted the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award from the Muhammad Ali Center president and CEO, Lonnie Ali.

"Oakland gave us so much love, support and energy, and this is how we are able to continue to get back to the community that has wrapped its arms around us from the very beginning back in 2009," Curry said. "We’re just excited to meet kids where they already are every single day, because if you invest in a child, you’re investing in everything that’s possible for their future.” 

Other award recipients include Philadelphia Eagles’ owner Jeffrey Lurie with the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award, co-owner of the New York Giants and Gotham FC Laurie Tisch received the Sports Philanthropist of the Year Award.

Additionally, there were three recipients of the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award — Julia Howe, Kelis Armstrong, and Sam Phillips. The Baltimore Ravens were recognized as the Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year, which was accepted by team president Sashi Brown.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Warriors' Stephen Curry receives Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award

Nico Collins has spent the past few seasons proving he belongs among the NFL's elite wide receivers, and the latest league-wide opinion only reinforces that belief. In Jeremy Fowler of ESPN's recent poll of anonymous NFL executives, scouts, and front office members Collins was voted the eighth-best wide receiver in football, another sign that his reputation has grown well beyond the Houston Texans.

Collins has developed into the centerpiece of the Texans' passing attack since breaking out in 2023. After years of inconsistency at quarterback early in his career, the former third-round pick found his stride alongside C.J. Stroud and has continued to establish himself as one of the league's most complete receivers. His combination of size, athleticism, and physicality has made him one of the toughest matchups for opposing defenses, and those around the league have clearly taken notice.

One anonymous NFL executive summed up Collins' game by saying, "Combination of size, strength and speed, route running, hands and ball skills. Can make plays when contested and is physical after the catch."

That description captures exactly what has made Collins such a valuable weapon for Houston. At 6-foot-4, he has the frame to win contested catches, but he is far more than a jump-ball specialist. Collins consistently creates separation with polished route running, tracks the football exceptionally well down the field, and has the strength to break tackles once the ball is in his hands. His ability to turn routine completions into explosive gains gives the Texans an element that few offenses possess.

Despite dealing with injuries during portions of his career, Collins has remained remarkably productive whenever he has been on the field. Defenses know he is Houston's top receiving threat, yet slowing him down has proven to be a difficult task. Whether the Texans need a critical third-down conversion or a game-changing deep play, Collins has repeatedly delivered.

His ranking also reflects how much respect Houston's offense has earned entering the 2026 season. With Stroud entering another year under offensive coordinator Nick Caley, the Texans are expecting their passing attack to take another step forward. Collins figures to remain the focal point of that effort while younger receivers such as Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel continue to develop around him.

Being voted the eighth-best receiver by the people who evaluate NFL talent for a living is another significant milestone for Collins. It validates what Texans fans have watched over the last three seasons: one of the league's premier playmakers continuing to elevate his game. If Houston's offense reaches the level many expect in 2026, Collins could climb even higher on next year's list.

While the Colorado Rockies have put together a steady diet of hitters in the lineup, the team really needs to look at getting some starting pitchers.

Colorado is currently three games behind the San Francisco Giants for fourth place in the National League West Division. The Rockies also are 20 games under .500. Some games that didn't go Colorado's way could have been in the win column with solid starters taking the mound.

There has been better work coming out of the bullpen, keeping the team in position to come back after being a run or two behind. Yet, there's only so much that relievers can do if they're always having to enter games in the fourth or fifth innings.

Rockies relievers are getting overtaxed

Trusting relievers with that much work puts a lot of stress on their arms. When starting pitchers have ERAs in the 4's or 5's range, that doen't look good.

In report on what all MLB teams need to focus on leading up to the MLB Trade Deadline on August 3, MLB.com broke down what Colorado should look into doing before or at that date.

"During the winter, the Rockies collected veteran starters (Michael Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano and Jose Quintana to add to lefty Kyle Freeland), but the need for established starters endures," the report indicated.

"The Rockies have righties Tanner Gordon and No. 16 prospect Gabriel Hughes in the current rotation, and No. 11 prospect Sean Sullivan has bounced between the big-league rotation and Triple-A, but they could add Major League-ready starting arms.

"Also, to have a truly consistent offense, they need to add hitters who fit in the top and heart of the order -- established players or prospects who are close," the report stated.  

Sugano has been one of Colorado's best starters this season, while Lorenzen hasn't been too effective. 

Schaeffer might be getting frustrated over starters

Watching his starting pitchers go out and not give him much depth must frustrate Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer to no end. Schaeffer has been imparting wisdom to his players, wisdom that forces his own ideas on how a baseball team should play every single game.

Seeing his starting pitchers not go beyond the third, fourth, or fifth innings simply means that Schaeffer has to turn to the bullpen earlier than he might want to do either at Coors Field or in road games.

Should Colorado want to get a couple of veteran starters in trades, they'll probably have to give up a prospect or two. One name that probably is not in trade talks is rookie sensation Cole Carrigg. In his limited time being up at the MLB level, Carrigg has shown hustle, grit, and a bit of attitude.

Those elements are needed to push the Rockies further ahead.

Better starting pitchers will need to come and help Colorado make some type of push to get out of last place.

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Caitlin Clark loses her mind during Fever loss to Valkyries, but somehow doesn't get a technical foul from patient ref originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Caitlin Clark thought she was fouled, but the call wasn't made, and Clark was hurt, at least temporarily.

So when the whistle blew at the end of the next possession, the Indiana Fever star lost it.

She rushed straight toward the official who could've called the foul and screamed right in her face.

On a national broadcast, in front of a packed Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana, Clark did everything in her power to get her point across.

It was a moment that seemed destined for a technical foul.

Instead, the official showed off immense patience and restraint. She simply let Clark get it all out:

Caitlin Clark was FURIOUS

Screaming in the referee’s face. 😳 pic.twitter.com/fqVhtlMmaJ

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 16, 2026

It was certainly a frustrating night for Clark all around. She never found a rhythm as another rough shooting night for her contributed to the Fever's loss to the Golden State Valkyries.

Clark is known for her reactions to calls and non-calls. She doesn't exactly hide her emotions.

She also is a fan of complaining, to be sure -- even her biggest fans would admit that.

Some players end up having more of a leash with refs than others. Their star power matters for that. So too does the frequency of their behavior -- the predictability of Clark's outburst here might've actually saved her a tech.

Either way, it was pretty astounding to see happen over the TV broadcast as it happened. Clark went ballistic, and the ref just stood and took it.

MORE: How Veronica Burton reached WNBA stardom

NEED TO KNOW

• Tim Ream praised the fan engagement and atmosphere during the U.S. team’s home World Cup matches in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE
• The U.S. team was eliminated after a loss to Belgium on July 6
• Ream hopes to build on the momentum of soccer’s popularity in the U.S. following the 2026 World Cup amid the return of MLS

U.S. Men’s National Team captain Tim Ream is sharing “the coolest thing” about playing in a home World Cup.

“It was an incredible experience, you know, I think that the guys really embraced what it is to play in a home World Cup,” Ream, 38, tells PEOPLE exclusively at the ESPY Awards at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on Wednesday, July 15, in New York City.

“I think it’s such a unique opportunity,” Ream shares. “And one that we really enjoyed. Obviously the tournament is still going on, a lot of excitement around it, but I think the coolest thing was seeing how engaged and how amazing the fan experience was over the course of the last couple of weeks.”

Belgium defeated the U.S.on July 6 in a4-1 match held in Seattle. Belgium took the lead early, scoring the first goal just nine minutes into the game.

The defeat came after FIFA reinstated U.S. striker Folarin Balogun, who previously received a red card suspension after the U.S. clinched a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1.

Balogun, 25, was initially ejected after becoming entangled with Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic, after he appeared to inadvertently step on his ankle.

Balogun was sent off and handed a one-game suspension. On July 5, FIFA overturned the initial ruling, clearing the way for Balogun to rejoin the team for what would become the U.S.’s final 2026 World Cup match.

When asked about the return of Major League Soccer (MLS) following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup, Ream, who plays center-back for Charlotte FC, says he hopes to “capitalize” on the community of soccer fans formed this summer.

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“[With] how much soccer has been played here in the country, and the eyes of the world and the sport have been here, [we are] obviously looking to piggyback off of that,” Ream says.

He adds, “We’ve got the All-Star Game coming up in two weeks’ time, and it’s a great experience, and one that’s unique and one we’re going to be looking to build on.”

Read the original article on People

The Minnesota Vikings roster underwent a bit of an overhaul this offseason, leaving quite a few holes to be filled. While some will likely be filled with some of their free agent signings, Minnesota will need its rookies to step up in a big way in 2026. With opportunities to be had, are there any rookies who have a shot at starting this upcoming season?

Kevin Seifert of ESPN looked at all the rookies on the Vikings roster and went over their chances of starting this season. While starting multiple rookies could be dangerous, Seifert believes that both rookie defensive tackles, Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange, have real chances to be on the field in week one. Jake Golday and Jakobe Thomas could also see early work for Minnesota, with Thomas potentially being in the mix to replace Harrison Smith.

Minnesota made a concerted effort to get a little younger this offseason, and it worked. Now, it is time to see if the youth movement will pay off, especially on defense. This Brian Flores scheme is not one easily learned, but if the young pups can pick it up fast, Minnesota should find themself in a similar spot in the team defense rankings from a year ago.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Analyst sheds light on which Vikings' rookies could start in 2026

On the sports calendar, July is marked as the beginning of “talking season.”

Various football conferences across the country gather for their annual media scrums sessions with beat writers and media personalities covering their respective teams.

Florida State coach Mike Norvell arrived in Charlotte, North Carolina on Wednesday for the ACC Kickoff, with a contingent of his players in tow: quarterback Ashton Daniels, receiver Duce Robinson and defensive back Ja’bril Rawls.

Norvell was the second coach to step to the podium on Day 1, after Miami coach Mario Cristobal. Norvell praised the core of talent that returned to the team for the upcoming season.

“Coming off disappointing results from a year ago, but excited about the core of this football team, the guys that have returned, some of the young players that have continued to emerge, decisions from guys to return that had other opportunities,” Norvell said.

The Seminoles have talent all over the field. On offense, the skill players at running back and receiver are exceptional. Ousmane Kromah and Quintrevion Wisner can hit the holes and gain big yardage. Kromah has slimmed down and has lost close to ten pounds, which will help with his game speed going forward. Wisner is a transfer from Texas and led the Longhorns in rushing with 597 yards. Samuel Singleton averaged seven yards per carry last season.  

Robinson is widely considered as one of the top receivers in college football, and resisted the urge to jump to the NFL, wanting instead to leave a lasting legacy at Florida State. Micahi Danzy brings his track speed to the gridiron and creates problems for opposing defenses. Jayvan Boggs brings his big body (6-foot-1, 211 pounds) to challenge contested catches and create matchup problems.

On defense, Norvell secured the services of linebacker Chris Jones via the transfer portal. Jones racked up 135 total tackles at Southern Miss last season, and could easily be on any early Butkus Award watch lists. Both Jones and Rawls are preseason second-team All-ACC selections, according to Phil Steele.

“We understand the expectation,” Norvell said. “There's no person or place that has higher expectations than we have being part of this program, making sure we're doing things the right way, the Florida State way, competing for championships, in all things that we do.”

Under Norvell’s watch, the Seminoles have won just seven games the last two seasons, and just three ACC games. They did win the 2023 ACC championship after going undefeated in the regular season.

However, the College Football Playoff Committee surprisingly left the Seminoles out of the playoff field that season. The Seminoles have posted four losing seasons under Norvell, who has a 38-34 record entering his seventh season in Tallahassee.

“I think Ashton is a guy that can really do it all,” Norvell said. “As we talk about experiences, Ashton has a great deal of experience throughout his college career. He's been put in a lot of different situations that he's had to work through. You see somebody that's just continued to grow.”

Daniels has been named the starter for the 2026 season by Norvell since the end of spring practice. Florida State will be Daniels third team in as many years, having transferred from Auburn, and played at Stanford before that.

The concern in Daniels’s passing game is ball security, or the lack thereof. During his collegiate career, Daniels has thrown 22 interceptions to go with his 27 touchdown passes.

“We found a role and opportunity that I think he can make a great impact in helping support this staff,” Norvell said. “Being able to add a new perspective to things that he's done, to be able to help assist the guys within our football team just to go and achieve at a very high level.”

Herman won 54 games over six seasons as head coach at both Houston and Texas. In addition, he has coached some dynamic and talented quarterbacks, like Greg Ward Jr. with the Cougars and Sam Ehlinger with the Longhorns. That bodes well for Daniels and his continued growth as a starting quarterback in the ACC.

At the end of a long day of questioning, Norvell gave the coaches-speak answers that are common at these events, about improvement and winning championships.

The lone 2023 conference championship notwithstanding, there has been little to no improvement on the field. Certainly, not to the expectations and traditions of Florida State football.

Will 2026 be any different? Or is Norvell a lame duck in coach’s clothing? Inquiring minds of football fans and media types want to know, and will find out when toe meets leather on August 29 against New Mexico State.

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Another of the night’s moments was led by the Argentina players, who during the celebrations discovered Pickford’s weapon in case the match went to penalties. 

Messi and company held the cylinder in which the English team’s goalkeeper had clues on each player to be effective in goal and secure victory for England with a couple of saves. 

Among the details shown in the image are the height of the shot, when to wait, when to fake, and above all, which way to dive. 

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

In the wake of disappointment, England manager Thomas Tuchel says he doesn't have regrets. The German manager, in his first World Cup, guided England through to the World Cup semifinals, but couldn't bring them back to that long-awaited final.

In Wednesday's match against Argentina, England tried to hold on after taking the lead in the 55th minute, but Argentina ended up getting the win, thanks to a miraculous comeback spearheaded by two Lionel Messi assists. Postgame, it was easy to point to Tuchel, who opted to take a timid tactical approach to preserve the lead rather than try and build on it.

When speaking to reporters after the game, Tuchel said that he was "disappointed" by the loss, admitting that the team "got too passive" prior to conceding two late goals in a seven-minute span. But despite repeating that the team got "so close," Tuchel said that he wouldn't change how he approached the game.

"In the moment, no regrets. The team gave everything and we were very, very close," he said, via BBC. "We deserved to be up one-nil, played one of our better matches, maybe the best match in the circumstances. Team was top, we couldn't bring it over the line."

Tuchel, though, pushed back on a question about whether the team fell short of their expectations. Even though they needed to "digest" the loss, he said, there was a lot to be proud of — given England's tough road to the semifinals, which included a stop in Mexico City and an extra time win in the blazing Miami heat.

"We played in altitude, we played with 10 men, we played the hottest game of the tournament. We gave everything, and it wasn't enough today," Tuchel said, via Fox Sports.

Tuchel had been pretty critical of his team after England's narrow quarterfinal win over Norway, though players like Jude Bellingham brushed off the criticism at the time.

But on Wednesday, it was Tuchel's turn to express his frustration with criticism, though he said he took responsibility for his mistakes.

"That's just the nature of the game. As soon as you lose, you get criticized," Tuchel said in the postgame press conference. "No one knows what would have happened if we'd made different decisions. So it makes no sense to engage in that and lose my head. I'm responsible for them, I took them, so I take the criticism, that's just the way it is."

Despite the loss, England still has one more match to play, facing France for third place on Saturday.

"We're not looking so much forward to, but there is still a match to play," Tuchel said of the matchup in his press conference.

Tuchel, who was hired by England in 2025, signed an extension through 2028 in February, and the coach said Wednesday that he planned to see it through.

"We keep on going for contract until the home Euros, and then I'm looking forward to that," Tuchel said, before adding: "Even like now, it's difficult to look that far ahead."

As of now, Tuchel still has the full support of the English FA despite the loss, per multiple reports.

England's years of hurt will now stretch beyond 60, but the late collapse to a World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina may just be the most painful wound of all.

The clock inside the magnificent Atlanta Stadium showed England were five minutes of normal time away from ending the wait for a men's World Cup final that stretches back to 1966, when they lifted the Jules Rimet trophy at Wembley.

England's players and head coach Thomas Tuchel had immortality in their hands as they led through Anthony Gordon's 55th-minute goal.

Their grasp, however, was being loosened by catastrophic decision making from Tuchel that instigated wave after wave of Argentina attacks orchestrated by Lionel Messi.

One goal seemed inevitable - and it came from Enzo Fernandez in the 85th minute.

Then, with England on the ropes, they were floored by Lautaro Martinez's injury-time header.

England could not come back, so a stunned football nation wakes up to another desperate near-miss from this nearly team.

Tuchel fails in England mission

Tuchel's unique selling point when he succeeded Sir Gareth Southgate was the idea he would win matches his predecessor could not.

That he would not be gripped by the caution Southgate was criticised for when losing the last two Euros finals to Italy and Spain, as well as the 2018 World Cup semi-final to Croatia.

The thinking was that Tuchel would drive England over the line, whereas Southgate supposedly retreated from it.

And yet, when it counted and the pressure was at its height, Tuchel produced the sort of tactical retreat - and loss - that would have seen Southgate pilloried.

Instead, it will now be Tuchel getting the criticism for that decision - and rightly so.

The Football Association went for a quick-fix appointment to succeed Southgate after Euro 2024, bringing in a proven winner whose sole mission was to win the 2026 World Cup, or put "a second star on the shirt" as Tuchel called it.

A semi-final can only rank as par, and, in the harshest light, a failure, because he was brought in to make sure England did not have any more hard-luck stories or disappointments.

And, as with Southgate, Tuchel has still not guided England to victory against a side there were not high expectations they would beat.

There will be recriminations about how Tuchel engineered England's defeat mainly by his own hand, effectively repeating everything that brought Southgate so much criticism.

Once Gordon put England ahead in this latest stormy episode of an old and bitter rivalry, Tuchel decided on a rearguard action.

That had worked for England in their knockout wins over Mexico and Norway - but it would not against a Messi-inspired Argentina.

Tuchel replaced goalscorer Gordon with defender Ezri Konsa with 18 minutes left and switched to a back five. He then brought Nico O'Reilly and Dan Burn on for Declan Rice and Reece James.

It was clear almost instantly that Tuchel had called it badly. It did nothing but invite Argentine pressure and those late goals. This one was almost all on Tuchel.

If there was one statistic that brutally condemned his approach, it was that England only had 12% possession between taking the lead and Martinez's winning goal nearly 40 minutes later.

Such was England's sudden attacking need in the closing moments that Tuchel threw on Ivan Toney after 96 minutes - his first appearance of the tournament.

Toney's "blink and you'll miss it" cap also brought some of Tuchel's selections under scrutiny. Was Toney simply picked for a penalty shootout that never came?

And the debate around Tuchel's defensive picks, especially at right-back, will continue to rage.

Tuchel gambled on the injury-prone Reece James staying fit - but when the Chelsea defender was sidelined with a hamstring issue, right-back suddenly became a problem position.

The position turned into musical chairs between Jarell Quansah - injured against Panama then sent off against Mexico - Djed Spence and Ezri Konsa before James was back for the semi-final.

All this while Trent Alexander-Arnold watched from afar, his natural gifts ignored by Tuchel on the basis of defensive frailty.

And as the ashes are raked over, Tuchel's decision to ignore the creativity of Cole Palmer and Phil Foden - easy to say with hindsight given both had poor seasons with Chelsea and Manchester City - and Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White will be revisited.

Jordan Henderson, whose tournament ended in bizarre circumstances when he broke an arm amid the celebrations after the win against Mexico, was taken for his influence around the squad but was never going to be a serious on-field performer.

If Tuchel valued his professionalism and personality so much in this area, why not take Henderson on his backroom staff and open up a place for a younger, more creative player?

This was a desperate day for England - and Tuchel and his tactical approach.

A day when it could easily have been said, as the song goes: "Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss."

• 'Passive' and 'crumbled' - did Tuchel's defensive tactics cost England?
• Defeat will 'haunt' England as history repeats itself
• 'That's why he's the king' - Messi sets up third World Cup final

Was this England's most painful loss?

England have suffered plenty of pain over the years, but as an observer covering a seventh World Cup, as well as those Euro final defeats, this felt like the worst.

This was not because it was against the old adversary Argentina, with all the history and iconic imagery that evokes, who created such obvious despair among England's players and supporters.

It was because this will be forever a World Cup semi-final of "what ifs" against an Argentina side that has looked beatable all tournament, but who simply refuse to lose.

This was the World Cup semi-final, the latest big chance to challenge for the sport's greatest prize in New Jersey on Sunday.

England were within minutes of crossing the barrier that has proved insurmountable for six decades, only to stumble again.

Gordon's goal looked to have finally given England a measure of control in an occasionally brutal game - and even after they ceded control and possession, the finishing line was in sight until they finally crumbled.

Given the stage, this is a defeat that will be pored over more - and leave more regret - than any other.

What can England take away from World Cup?

England will always have that momentous, spine-tingling night at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, when they dug deep to beat co-hosts Mexico 3-2 in the last 16.

It was one of their great World Cup wins, when Jude Bellingham proved his world-class credentials and Tuchel's changes and gameplan suggested he just might be the strategist to take England all the way.

Bellingham is joined in that elite class by captain Harry Kane, but the Bayern Munich striker will feel the pain of this exit more acutely than most because he will be 36 by the time the next World Cup comes around.

England have shown reserves of character to come from behind against DR Congo in the last 32 then Norway in the quarter-final, but the times when they truly flowed have been few and far between.

The manner of this crushing loss to Argentina will have England and their fans wondering if the major tournament curse will ever end.

The recovery will need to be quick with a Nations League fixture at home to World Cup finalists Spain - who beat the Three Lions in the Euro 2024 final - in September.

What next for Tuchel?

The FA and Tuchel's relationship was initially just to the end of this World Cup, but in February he was handed an extension to take him through to Euro 2028.

It was a surprise and a heavy financial commitment by the FA, especially as they did not know how the World Cup would work out.

Tuchel's tournament cannot be judged as a total success, but he has the FA's backing to lead the team into the next Euros.

England will have to undergo an element of rebuilding, with the outstanding John Stones surely at the end of his international career. And will Tuchel keep faith with Marcus Rashford?

Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is 32 so should continue, but potential successors need to be found.

Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson can be the midfield bedrock for years, while a fully-fit Bukayo Saka will be another huge asset.

Tuchel still has the talents of Foden, Palmer and Gibbs-White to consider, as well as Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton, while Liverpool's 17-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha showed what a glittering future he has in the World Cup warm-up games in Miami.

There is also the prodigious talent of Arsenal 16-year-old winger Max Dowman, another example of how England's future can be bright.

For now, however, the pain of the loss to Argentina, and the manner of it, will take some getting over for England and Tuchel.

• Argentina shatter England's World Cup dreams in semi-final
• Tuchel retains FA backing despite England defeat
• 'The change didn't work' - England player ratings

The Philadelphia Flyers re-signed RFA Trevor Zegras to a four-year contract on Wednesday.

The deal is worth $9.125 million annually and keeps Zegras signed through 2029-30.

One week after the Anaheim Ducks matched the Flyers' offer sheet for Zegras' former teammate, center Leo Carlsson, Philadelphia has taken care of one of its current RFAs who was scheduled for arbitration.

Zegras avoided arbitration on July 22, according to PuckPedia.

"We're thrilled to have Trevor committed to our organization for the next four years," Flyers GM Daniel Briere said in a statement. "The growth he showed this past season, proving that he is the skilled player he entered the league as, reinforced our belief that he will be an impact player for the Flyers for the years to come. He's the type of player who can help take our team to the next level, and we're excited to continue building alongside him."

The 25-year-old had a bounce-back campaign with the Flyers after they acquired him from the Ducks in June 2025. Zegras had a career-high 26 goals and 41 assists for a career-best 67 points in 81 games, up from 32 points in 57 games the season prior.

In 349 career NHL games, Zegras has 93 goals and 160 assists for 253 points. He added two goals and six points in his first 10 career playoff games this past spring with Philadelphia.

While Zegras played much of last season as a left winger on a line with Christian Dvorak and Travis Konecny, he has plenty of experience as a center.

Flyers coach Rick Tocchet could try to stick with that line this upcoming season, or he could move Zegras back to center in the hope he is the No. 1 pivot the team tried to acquire when it tendered an offer sheet to Carlsson for $18 million annually for five years on July 2.

Philadelphia Flyers Face Playoff Doubts After Leo Carlsson GambleThe Philadelphia Flyers swung and missed on Leo Carlsson with their offer sheet. They have limited desirable options to upgrade their No. 1 center now. Will they make the playoffs now?

With Zegras signed, Philadelphia still has about $20.44 million in cap space and three RFAs remaining.

Defenseman Jamie Drysdale, 24, is scheduled for arbitration on Monday, July 20. He had 32 points in 78 games this past season.

Right winger Nikita Grebenkin, 23, had four goals and 14 points in 55 games in 2025-26. He's not eligible for arbitration or an offer sheet.

Defenseman Hunter McDonald, 24, spent most of this past campaign with the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He had six assists in 65 games.

See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. 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.

Samsung released a new teaser tied to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 (wide) phone along with a short film featuring BTS J-Hope. The new teasers follow the release of the Spider-Man trailer that exposed all three upcoming foldable phones.

Samsung gives Galaxy Z Fold 8 a retro twist in new teaser

Samsung has a new Reel on its Instagram account. The video shows off the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 with retro-inspired gadget transformations. The motive is to reveal that the phone’s shape is familiar to the popular retro gear.

Starting with a handheld camera, the video displays a calculator, gaming console, and a cassette player. The footage ends with a tease of the device in hand, highlighting the advertising tag: “New shape. New joy.”

Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 8 comes with a new shape that is more practical. The physical status of the device matches a passport. It’s easy to handle and more useful in everyday use, whether it is folded or unfolded.

J-Hope hyping the Galaxy Z Fold 8

The Korean tech giant is collaborating with J-Hope of BTS for Unpacked 2026. The company yesterday dropped a picture, teasing the device with the BTS member. The “New Hope Unfolds” clip has arrived, featuring J-Hope with a new foldable.

Samsung is set to unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 8 along with the Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra next week. The event is set to kickstart on July 22 in London, but you can also watch it online through a YouTube livestream.

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8: Complete phone specifications
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide): Complete phone specifications
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Complete phone specifications

The post Samsung teases Galaxy Z Fold 8 in 4 incredible ways, along with BTS J-Hope ad appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Futbol üzrə İngiltərə milli komandasının mərkəz hücumçusu Harri Keyn yığma tarixində ən çox oyun keçirmiş meydan oyunçusuna çevrilib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, 32 yaşlı forvard DÇ-2026-nın Argentina ilə yarımfinal matçına start heyətində çıxmaqla milli komandadakı oyunlarının sayını 121-ə çatdırıb.

Bununla da o, İngiltərə millisinin sabiq hücumçusu Ueyn Runiyə məxsus 120 oyunluq rekordu geridə qoyub.

Milli komandanın ümumi rekordçusu isə hələ də sabiq qapıçı Piter Şiltondur. O, İngiltərə yığmasının heyətində 125 görüş keçirib.

2023-cü ilin avqustundan Almaniyanın “Bayern” klubunda çıxış edən Hari Keyn daha əvvəl İngiltərənin “Tottenhem” komandasında forma geyinib. O, 86 qolla İngiltərə millisinin tarixində ən məhsuldar futbolçu hesab olunur. Hücumçu 2018-ci il dünya çempionatında vurduğu 6 qolla turnirin bombardiri adını qazanmışdı.

ABŞ, Kanada və Meksikanın birgə ev sahibliyi etdiyi DÇ-2026 iyulun 19-da başa çatacaq.

Base creator Jesse Pollak is stepping back from leadership of the Base App after admitting he was “definitively wrong” to bet on social experiences driving crypto adoption.

For the second time in eight years, England's men led a World Cup semi-final.

But for Croatia in 2018, read Argentina in 2026.

England went ahead in the 55th minute of Wednesday's game in Atlanta, when Anthony Gordon finished from Morgan Rogers' cross.

But late goals from Enzo Fernandez and - in the second minute of injury time - Lautaro Martinez meant the Three Lions missed out on their first men's World Cup final appearance since 1966.

And Dan Burn, who was roared on to the field as a second-half substitute with the score 1-0, summed up the feelings of the England players.

"Gutted," said the Newcastle defender. "Absolutely gutted.

"We nailed the gameplan pretty well. To go 1-0 up... then we got too passive, conceded too many crosses and too many chances.

"When you're playing a team of that quality, it is going to cost you. This will haunt me for a long time, I think."

England had produced resolute displays in the previous two rounds - beating Mexico 3-2 in the last 16 despite playing most of the second half with 10 men, then hanging on to defeat Norway 2-1 in the quarter-finals.

Asked why they had been unable to continue that run against the holders, Burn said: "I don't know.

"It is human nature [to be nervous] when you're that close to doing something you haven't done since '66 and be in a final.

"Argentina have done that and got that confidence. The last few games we have been able to defend the box so well. We thought we could do that again, but we weren't as tight in the box as we would have liked."

England must now prepare for Saturday's third-place play-off against France (22:00 BST), which will be live on the BBC.

"I am still very proud of what we have done at this World Cup," said Burn.

"I don't think anyone really gave us a chance. We have done a lot of good, and honestly I thought we were going to do it."

A similar story for devastated England

England have now lost in the semi-finals in two of the past three men's World Cups, and were beaten in the European Championship finals in 2021 and 2024.

"There's not much to say - everyone is gutted," said England captain Harry Kane.

"When you're so close, 10 minutes away, and it slips out of your hands like that, obviously the lads are devastated.

"We did so well for 60 minutes. We scored and deserved to be ahead then we struggled to keep the ball, struggled to put pressure on the ball and it allowed them to create more momentum and chances in the final third.