Liverpool 3-0 Brighton: FA Cup Progress Sealed at Anfield

Liverpool marched into the FA Cup fifth round with authority, dispatching Brighton 3-0 at Anfield in a performance that blended control, craft and clinical finishing. Mohamed Salah’s influence proved decisive, scoring once and providing an assist as Arne Slot’s side underlined their intent to compete strongly in the competition.

After a testing run of fixtures, Liverpool produced a display full of energy and attacking cohesion, offering encouragement that momentum is building again as the season enters a crucial phase.

Jones Breaks Deadlock Before Interval

Brighton began brightly, moving the ball with confidence and probing Liverpool’s defensive shape. Fabian Hurzeler’s side, despite a difficult run of form, showed early ambition and forced Liverpool to settle quickly.

Slot’s men responded by gradually imposing themselves in midfield, with Curtis Jones adapting well to an unfamiliar right back role. Making his first start since 17 January, Jones delivered a composed and intelligent performance.

The breakthrough arrived in the 42nd minute. Milos Kerkez advanced down the flank and whipped in a teasing cross. Jones timed his run expertly, guiding his finish beyond Jason Steele to give Liverpool a deserved lead heading into the interval.

Brighton had chances to respond. Alisson produced a sharp save from Diego Gomez, while Lewis Dunk went close either side of half time, but Liverpool’s defensive organisation held firm.

Photo: IMAGO

Szoboszlai Finishes Flowing Move

Liverpool’s second goal encapsulated their growing fluency. In the 56th minute, a sweeping move carved Brighton open and demonstrated the cohesion Slot continues to build within his side.

Virgil van Dijk initiated the attack, finding Cody Gakpo, who switched play intelligently. Salah’s touch was exquisite, cushioning the ball into Dominik Szoboszlai’s path. The Hungarian midfielder did the rest, thumping home emphatically for his 10th goal of the campaign.

It was a goal born from rhythm, precision and confidence, traits Liverpool are rediscovering at a pivotal moment.

Salah Seals Comfortable Victory

Brighton attempted to respond with attacking changes, but Liverpool’s control rarely wavered. The contest was effectively settled ten minutes after Szoboszlai’s strike.

Salah, lively throughout, embarked on a dazzling run into the penalty area before being bundled over by Pascal Gross. The Egypt forward stepped up and rifled his penalty into the top corner, registering his seventh goal of the season and putting the tie beyond doubt.

His contribution, both creative and clinical, reinforced his enduring importance within Liverpool’s attacking structure.

Photo: IMAGO

There was still late drama. Youngster Rio Ngumoha thought he had added a fourth with a delightful curling finish after coming off the bench. Celebrations were cut short by an offside flag, with replays suggesting the decision was tight.

With no VAR in operation until the fifth round of the FA Cup, the 17 year old was left unfortunate not to mark his cameo with a goal.

Momentum Builds Under Slot

Liverpool’s response to recent setbacks has been impressive. Defeat to Manchester City last weekend was followed by victory at Sunderland in midweek, and this FA Cup triumph over Brighton continues that upward curve.

Slot resisted wholesale rotation, signalling the importance placed on cup progress. The balance between experience and emerging talent was evident, while Liverpool’s pressing and attacking transitions looked increasingly sharp.

For Brighton, the defeat compounds a difficult spell. Having won only two of their past 15 matches, Hurzeler faces the challenge of restoring belief and cutting edge in the final third.

Liverpool, meanwhile, advance with confidence. Anfield witnessed a performance that married professionalism with attacking verve, and as the FA Cup journey continues, belief will only strengthen.

Mohamed Salah patted the badge on his chest as the Kop chorused his song. If it felt like old times, it did in another respect. Salah was back on the scoresheet, able to celebrate with his public again.

His 252nd goal for Liverpool was only his second since his incendiary interview at Leeds. The process of reintegration began with a cameo against Brighton in December. It accelerated with a penalty against Albion in February.

He won it and scored it, tripped by Pascal Gross, rifling his shot into the roof of the net. He had only struck once in his previous 12 games for Liverpool, and that was against Qarabag. He had not found the net against a Premier League club since Aston Villa’s visit at the start of November. But a night when Salah, as he has done with remarkable frequency over his Liverpool career, both assisted and scored a goal, this felt like another step in the healing process.

Whatever the summer holds for him, Liverpool could enjoy the sight of Salah looking irrepressible. Perhaps, too, they could be grateful that what looked a crisis was defused. That may reflect well on Arne Slot and if the Dutchman has had too few games this season when every decision he has made has brought a rich reward, this victory came with sweet vindication.

As the Liverpool manager fielded his latest line-up without a specialist right-back, the assumption might have been that Dominik Szoboszlai was in the back four and Curtis Jones in midfield. Instead, it was the other way around.

Each was on the scoresheet, and in a way that reflected the role Slot had given him. Jones scored by materialising at the far post, for the rarity of a goal when full-backs combine. Szoboszlai used his running power to burst through the inside-right channel and unleash his second unstoppable shot in as many weeks at Anfield.

In the process, Slot may have learned a lesson from a game when his choices backfired. At the corresponding stage of the FA Cup a year ago, he selected too much of a weakened side and suffered the embarrassment of defeat to Plymouth. Twelve months on, he started with nine of his strongest available 11 and, while Hugo Ekitike and Ryan Gravenberch began on the bench, the Dutchman’s rest permitted Jones’ return and allowed Szoboszlai to play in midfield.

The context has changed from Slot’s first taste of the FA Cup, which ended so ignominiously in Devon. Now it is Liverpool’s most realistic chance of silverware this season, and they swept into the fifth round. Their league position remains unsatisfactory but they have only been beaten twice in 18 outings in all competitions and, after the frustration of last week’s loss to Manchester City, they have conjured a response by beating Sunderland and Brighton.

Their season has been a story of makeshift right-backs and, for all the issues injuries have posed, they have added some productivity. Szoboszlai has twin spectacular free kicks against Arsenal and City when deployed as a defender. Jones ended a lengthy drought when – in theory, anyway – stationed further from the Brighton goal.

The Liverpudlian had come agonisingly close with a left-footed shot from 20 yards. Then, meeting Milos Kerkez’s inviting cross on the half-volley, he crashed in a shot off the underside of the bar. The Hungarian ended up being overshadowed – not least by his compatriot – but he was terrific. He excelled as an attacking left-back for Bournemouth, but has not always had the same impact for Liverpool. But he married deft skill with dynamic runs. He had drawn a fine save from Jason Steele with a rising, rasping half-volley.

A different Hungarian gave Liverpool breathing space. Salah cushioned a pass into the path of the surging Szoboszlai and, without breaking stride, he drove a shot past Steele. It was a fourth assist for Salah since his return from the African Cup of Nations.

When the Egyptian then scored, it was cue for Slot to substitute him, to a rousing ovation. His replacement Rio Ngumoha had a goal ruled out for offside, as Cody Gakpo had in the first half.

Meanwhile, Brighton could rue stops either side of the interval. Alisson saved from Diego Gomez, coming to Jones’ rescue after he slipped. He clawed away Lewis Dunk’s header. After his error against City, it was a redemptive return to Anfield for Alisson, and justification for Slot in selecting him, when Giorgi Mamardashvili might have been expected to play.

But for Brighton, there was no seismic double against the giants. They had eliminated Manchester United at Old Trafford in the third round. Instead, defeat furthered Fabian Hurzeler’s problems. There was no dissent from the Albion faithful this time.

But if Slot has a cup run to deflect from underachievement in the Premier League, Hurzeler does not.

Villanova has been tested over the last week against the bottom half of the Big East.

The Wildcats traveled to Omaha on Saturday afternoon looking to get revenge from an early-season loss to the Blue Jays. While it was not a laugher, Villanova kept Creighton at arms’ length over the course of 40 minutes to win for the fifth consecutive game.

The Blue Jays were preparing to make one final run with 1:37 left before Malachi Palmer delivered the dagger. A Hudson Green missed free throw led to a runout for the Wildcats and Palmer pulled up from three-point range to put Villanova up double-digit late.

The Wildcats put the game away at the free throw line and secured an 80-69 win in Omaha.

Duke Brennan delivered yet another double-double with 21 points on 8-for-9 shooting and 12 rebounds. Tyler Perkins continued his hot streak with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Villanova (20-5, 11-3) went 14-for-19 from the free throw line. This is an area where the team has struggled this season, but especially over the last two games. The Wildcats used the free throw line to ice the game against Creighton in the final minutes.

It was a slow start for both teams offensively. Creighton (13-13, 7-8) missed seven of its first eight shots and the Wildcats attempted to take advantage.

Devin Askew knocked down back-to-back three’s to put Villanova ahead 25-10 with seven minutes left in the first half. Askew finished with 13 points but struggled from the field, shooting 4-for-17 and 3-for-11 from deep.

Villanova took a 14-point lead into the half before the Blue Jays attempted to throw a punch out of the locker room. Creighton scored 10 quick points to cut the lead in half but that is as close as it got. Villanova did not allow the lead to get below seven at any point in the second half.

Palmer was a major factor off the bench with 10 points on three shots in 21 minutes. Bryce Lindsay started but played just 13 minutes as his struggles continue from the field.

Villanova will hit the road once again on Tuesday for the first matchup of the year against Xavier. The Wildcats will then return home for UConn and Butler.

With six games remaining, Villanova continues to roll and show that is a legitimate tournament team in year one under Kevin Willard.

LIVIGNO, Italy – Nobody would confuse the resumes of United States skiers Lindsey Vonn and Rell Harwood.

Vonn, 41, has three Olympic medals and was one of Team USA’s most recognizable faces. Harwood, 24, was making her Olympic debut. But they did have one thing in common at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

They both competed with a torn ACL.

Vonn suffered her injury about a week before attempting to race at the Olympics, which ended in disaster – although not related to her ruptured ACL – when she crashed in the women’s downhill event Feb. 8.

More: Lindsey Vonn shares injury update on latest surgery, set for return to USA

Harwood tore her ACL in December and, despite qualifying for the Games in both slopestyle and big air, decided to save herself for Saturday night’s big air qualifying at Livigno Snow Park. She, along with three of her teammates, did not advance to the 12-person final.

The result didn’t diminish the positive feelings she held toward this past week.

“It’s been a lot of ups and downs,” Harwood said. “Like, ‘Will I even make it here?’ So to just go in and put down some of my hardest tricks feels really amazing.”

The Park City, Utah, native had plenty of family in town for the Games. Some friends, too. Her boyfriend Konnor Ralph is a member of the men’s free ski team on the slopestyle/big air team. She plans on watching him and his teammates during their qualifier Sunday and will eventually make her way down to Milan to participate in the closing ceremony.

Then it’s off to the operating table.

But not without first making more life-changing memories, like when she and her teammates fashioned a Ralph Lauren swag-bag piece – that was likely meant to be a blanket – into a skirt and wore it to dinner. She grew up with teammate Marin Hamill; they've known each other for 15 years. Making it to the Olympics together was special – same deal with being here alongside Ralph.

“Having so much family and friends around is amazing,” said Harwood, who added: “Maybe no more skirt, unless I’m feeling crazy.”

Hamill agreed that it was “super special” for both of them to make the Olympics together. She was happy Harwood could ski and land two of her jumps.

“Which is insane,” Hamill said. “I couldn’t do that.”

Even if Harwood had to wipe away tears after falling on her first jump, she still impressed herself over the past two months.

“It’s really hard. I think that as women, our bodies hold us back from doing the things we want to do,” Harwood said. “I didn’t make it to the last Olympics because of a knee injury. I wanted to prove that no matter what’s going on with me I’m still going to try and give it my all. I think that’s what Lindsey was doing too. All you can do is try and see what happens. That’s all I did.”

Muscle strength that Harwood has naturally built around the injured knee helps, she said, especially since she recently went through another knee rehab. Other people she knows have been able to ski with similar injuries.

“I think we’re just pushing it and discovering what humans can do,” Harwood said, “and maybe you don’t need an ACL.”

That doesn’t mean Harwood considers herself one of those people who can live without one.

“That’s why I’m going to get it fixed,” she said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Like Lindsey Vonn, Rell Harwood competed at Olympics with torn ACL

Standing pitchside in the aftermath of Scotland's bazooka proving too much for England's pop gun, Sione Tuipulotu, a captain stepping back from the abyss, spoke of the trauma that his players went through after the debacle in Rome a week ago. A week which now feels like a year.

Now, in a happier place, he could never remember hurting after a game like he hurt after Italy last weekend. He "internalised the pain" of that defeat. Then he let it loose on England.

Tuipulotu made his point like a man who had been through therapy. In the mind's eye you could imagine him stretched out on a couch with the sound of gently lapping water playing in his ears. Better that than listening to the torrents of stick about his team and the wounding chat about his head coach.

Gregor Townsend watched what he said, later on.

Maybe part of him wanted to vent at all the doubters, which was just about everybody outside his bubble. He didn't go there.

Maybe there was an urge to gloat after the 31-20 triumph, but he resisted.

Townsend was stony-faced. No smile, no jocularity, no sense that he had just won a major victory. If you didn't know better you'd swear he was the losing coach, not the renaissance man.

He didn't articulate it, but this has been a savagely bruising week for him. He now has redemption, for a week. He has all the evidence he needs that his team, on their best days, when their sense of outrage and vengeance is high, can be truly outstanding.

Getting themselves to fever pitch when there's cordite in the air is one thing. Getting there when all you can smell are roses is quite another.

Having used that terrible experience of Rome as fuel for Murrayfield, what will get them to the dark place - as the prop Pierre Schoeman might put it - before Wales in Cardiff on Saturday?

That's the next Test, the next must-win.

• Scotland delivered for Townsend - Tuipulotu
• Error-strewn England flunk oldest Test at Murrayfield
• Rejuvenated Scotland sweep England aside in stunning Calcutta Cup win

Scotland travel to Cardiff as hot favourites, but without three players from the Calcutta Cup. Victory has come at a cost.

Jack Dempsey, belligerence on legs, Jamie Ritchie, a warrior in his 40 minutes, and Jamie Dobie, class in every area after a rough experience in Rome, are not going to make it to Wales.

Dempsey and Ritchie might not be seen again in the championship.

Townsend could have done without those blows, but he's used to the carnage of Six Nations rugby. He also has decent deputies in store for the trip to the Principality Stadium.

One win must become two or else the significance of what happened at Murrayfield goes away like so many of the other victories over England. Unless it's properly built upon then it's a one-off and everybody connected with this team is fed up with one-offs.

All the self-doubt Scotland owned now transfers to England. It's a heavy burden. It's said, endlessly, that Scotland get up for England more than they get up for any other opposition. We can debate the accuracy of that until the cows come home.

The relevant question about this England team, and the ones that have come before them in a run of five defeats in six against the Scots is why don't they get up for Scotland?

The dawning of reality should be close at hand now for England players - 'maybe it's not you, Scotland, maybe it's us'.

Tuipulotu said on Friday his team were desperate and he wanted to see that desperation visited upon England. He got his wish.

We know Scotland had this kind of performance deep within them - there's been plenty, if fleeting, evidence of their class - but what we didn't know, what we could not take on trust, was their ability to deliver this kind of controlled fury for 80 minutes.

But they did. This was as dominant a Scotland performance as you'll get over England, a thing of thunder and beauty, class and heart, ruthlessness and intelligence. All those combined Calcutta Cup teams that people did pre-match - Scotland had an average of three or four players in a joint side - were ripped to shreds. A new version would have more tartan than a shortbread factory.

It was a game that threw up dozens of cameos to ponder, not just the creation and execution of the Scotland tries but the bare-knuckle stuff they delivered in defence. To a man, starting team and bench, they stood up.

Stood up for themselves, for their coach, for their supporters.

With each demonic play in defence during that second half you got a snapshot of how difficult this past week has been for them and how they were prepared to do anything - anything - to make it better.

There was a surreal moment on a storied day, not Matt Fagerson's charge-down of George Ford's late ill-fated drop goal nor the offload to Jones, nor the way Jones ate up road on the way to scoring his second of the day and his eight in eight Calcutta Cups.

It wasn't the fact Scotland had now secured a bonus point in a game they were supposed to lose or that they were 18 points clear of a heavily fancied England, as trippy as that was.

No. What was unusual was the lack of weakness out there in the middle and up there in the stands, the total absence of Scottish wobbles and Scottish fatalism, which can be a local speciality at times.

Watching this team lose, or threaten to lose, big leads in games in recent seasons breeds a certain worry. The mental implosions, the victories left behind them.

There was none of that this time. Even as England came piling forward, the old familiar fretfulness didn't exist. You knew, as much as you could possibly know, that Scotland were winning this. That feeling of near certainty - it was an odd feeling.

England had their moments when chasing, but Scotland met each and every one head on. It was raw and it was special. Ambitious rugby is in the DNA of this team. How could it not be when Finn Russell, utterly brilliant, is its creative heartbeat?

Against England, it was married with fire. Scotland haven't always got the balance right - too much rugby and not enough dog - but it was inch-perfect on Saturday. Riotously so.

The psychology of this team is something that would make Sigmund Freud swoon. Gloriously unpredictable and, at times, impossible to read, they are wildly entertaining - bewildering, bewitching, brilliant. This was their perfect day.

Liverpool 3 – 0 Brighton: FA Cup Man of the Match

There are moments in a season when a signing stops being the replacement and starts becoming the man in possession of the shirt. Against Brighton, Milos Kerkez delivered one of those performances.

Replacing Andy Robertson at Liverpool was never going to be straightforward. The £45m summer arrival from Bournemouth stepped into a role that demands relentless energy, tactical discipline and emotional authority. His opening months were steady rather than spectacular, but that inconsistency mirrored the team’s broader instability more than any individual shortcoming. Since the turn of the year, however, something has shifted.

Kerkez has become sharper, stronger and increasingly assertive. The tenacity that earned him a place in last season’s Premier League Team of the Year has begun to reappear with regularity — and in this FA Cup tie, it was on full display.

Brighton arrived wounded and defensively uncertain, and Kerkez sensed it early. From the opening whistle he drove forward with intent, stretching the pitch and forcing the Seagulls’ right side into retreat. His defensive duels were aggressive yet controlled; his distribution purposeful. It was the kind of modern fullback display that blends athleticism with intelligence.

A thunderous strike from distance, tipped over the bar, served as an early warning. Moments later came the breakthrough. Kerkez, reading the situation instantly, whipped a first-time cross into the heart of the penalty area. It was not hopeful — it was instinctive and precise. Curtis Jones, making a perfectly timed surge from deep, met it in stride to finish emphatically. The move was a study in timing, understanding and confidence.

For a 22-year-old still adapting to the expectations of Anfield, that assist felt symbolic.

The second half was less explosive but equally impressive. With Liverpool protecting their lead, Kerkez showed maturity in managing his flank. His concentration never dipped. He tracked runners, won second balls and continued to offer an outlet when required. It was controlled aggression rather than chaos — a sign of development.

Dominik Szoboszlai rightly earned plaudits for his venomous second-half strike after seeing a first-half free kick ruled out for offside. The Hungarian midfielder is increasingly Liverpool’s emotional barometer. Yet on this occasion, it was his compatriot on the left who defined the contest.

Curtis Jones also deserves strong mention. His hybrid role, drifting between midfield and defensive zones, highlighted both tactical flexibility and technical assurance. He was excellent. But Kerkez’s influence spanned both phases of play with greater authority.

This was not merely a good performance; it was a statement. A reminder that Liverpool’s evolution under Arne Slot is beginning to settle, and that the long-term succession plan at left-back may already be secure.

Steven Smith’s Pre-match Prediction:

Liverpool 3 – 1 Brighton

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Nate Bittle and Takai Simpkins each scored 22 points to help Oregon snap a 10-game losing streak with an 83-72 win over Penn State on Saturday.

The Ducks (9-16, 2-12 Big Ten) had been without a win since Jan. 2 over Maryland, their only previous Big Ten win of the season.

Bittle's 22 came on 6-of-9 shooting and 8 of 11 at the free-throw line with seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Simpkins made 4 of 5 from behind the arc, and all eight of his free throws. Dezdrick Lindsay added 16 points and five assists.

Simpkins scored 20 in the second half, after shooting 1 of 4 in the first half. He helped the Ducks turn a 38-32 halftime lead into as much as a 15-point second half advantage in which they went on 10-2 and 11-4 runs.

Kayden Mingo led the Nittany Lions (11-15, 2-13) with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting. Josh Reed added 13 points and Freddie Dilione V had 10 plus three steals.

Oregon's bench outscored Penn State 27-5, with most of those points coming from Lindsay.

Up next

Penn State will host Rutgers on Wednesday.

Oregon will host Minnesota on Tuesday.

___

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The New England Patriots have some work to do this offseason after coming up short in Super Bowl LX. Arguably, one of the biggest items on the team’s to-do list involves handing superstar cornerback Christian Gonzalez a new contract.

After earning a spot on the All-Pro Second Team in 2024, Gonzalez followed that up by earning the first Pro Bowl selection of his career. In 14 games, Gonzalez racked up 69 tackles and 10 pass deflections while further cementing himself as one of the top lockdown corners in the game.

Gonzalez upped his game in the postseason, as he finished with 19 tackles, one interception, seven pass deflections and one sack in four games of action. As a result of his strong play, the popular Madden video game series made Gonzalez the highest-rated cornerback in the game in the wake of the Super Bowl.

This is just another testament to Gonzalez’s skills, as he is now viewed as arguably the top cornerback in the league. And for the Patriots, it’s just another example as to why they need to hand him a new contract sooner rather than later.

Assuming New England exercises the fifth-year option in Gonzalez’s rookie contract, it will have two years to find a way to come to terms with him on a new deal. After seeing how he performed in the playoffs, though, the front office will likely be incentivized to get something done this offseason.

Ensuring that Gonzalez spends the foreseeable future with the Pats is one of the team’s biggest goals this offseason. It will likely cost the team quite a bit, but that’s what happens when you have the best cornerback in the league up for a new deal.

The 25th Winter Olympics will feature almost 3,000 athletes from 90 countries competing for 116 medals at Milan-Cortina.

Team GB have sent 53 athletes to the Games with plenty of medal potential.

Here is your guide to what is happening each day and who to look out for.

All times GMT.

• Why are Team GB so good at skeleton?
• How Team GB is leading the way in curling's arms race

Day nine: Sunday, 15 February

Medals: Nine

Medal events: Men's biathlon 12.5km pursuit (10:15-11:00); Men's dual moguls (09:30-11:05); Men's cross-country relay (11:00-13:00); Mixed team snowboard (10:00-14:05); Women's giant slalom (09:00-14:20); Women's biathlon 10km pursuit (13:45-15:00); Men's speed skating team pursuit (15:00-17:05); Mixed team skeleton (17:00-19:00); Women's ski jumping - large hill (17:45-20:05).

Daily highlights

Alpine skiing: Women's giant slalom (run one 09:00; run two 12:30)

After a 10th-place finish in Pyeongchang, Sweden's Sara Hector shocked many by taking giant slalom gold in Beijing.

She became the first Swedish woman to win the Olympic title in this event since Pernilla Wiberg at Albertville 1992 and was helped by Mikaela Shiffrin's inability to complete a run.

Freestyle skiing: Men's dual moguls (09:30-11:00)

Can moguls king Mikael Kingsbury become the first-ever men's Olympic dual moguls champion?

The Canadian is a five-time world champion in the discipline, and has won the last four, a run stretching back to 2019.

His biggest rival is likely to be the only other man to have won the dual moguls world title in the past decade: Japan's Ikuma Horishima.

Snowboard: Snowboard cross mixed team (12:45-14:00)

This event made its debut in 2022, with American Lindsey Jacobellis capping a memorable Games by clinching her second gold alongside fellow veteran Nick Baumgartner.

Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale finished sixth but went on to win the world title in 2023 and will be competing again today.

Skeleton: Mixed team (17:00-19:00)

The mixed team is a new event at these Winter Olympics. This is good news for Great Britain, presented with another medal chance in a sport that they have traditionally excelled in.

The make-up of their two pairs is yet to be confirmed but Tabby Stoecker and Matt Weston have won silver at the past two World Championships and Britain will be hoping at least two of their squad are standing on the podium today.

Ski jumping: Women's large hill (17:45)

A landmark evening for ski jumping, with women competing for the first time in the large hill event.

Slovenia's Nika Prevc, 20, may prove the woman to beat, having won gold on both the normal and large hill at last year's World Championships.

Good to know

The first day of competition in bobsleigh features the opening two women's monobob heats (09:00), in which British shot put champion Adele Nicoll will make her Olympic debut.

The preliminary round of the men's ice hockey concludes with four games, including the USA against Germany (20:10).

Only the three group winners plus the runner-up with the best record advance directly to the quarter-finals, with the other eight teams instead going into a play-off round.

It's a busy day for Britain in men's curling – they play Germany at 09:05 and then return to the Cortina Curling Stadium to meet Switzerland at 18:05.

At 13:05, the British women's team have a tricky fixture against Anna Hasselborg's Sweden.

The long-established Swedish rink were 2018 Olympic champions before losing out to Team GB's Eve Muirhead and co in the 2022 semi-finals.

Female figure skaters often hit their peak while teenagers but (sporting) life really did begin at 40 for Canadian pairs skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek, who along with Maxime Deschamps won her first world title at that age in 2024.

Now 42, she and 34-year-old Deschamps will be among the medal contenders in the figure skating pairs, which starts today with the short programme (18:45).

Anastasia Vaipan-Law and Luke Digby are Britain's first competitors in the Olympics pairs since 2014.

• All you need to know about the 2026 Winter Olympics

Day 10: Monday, 16 February

Medals: Six

Medal events: Women's short track 1000m (10:00-12:30); Men's slalom (09:00-14:20); Men's ski jumping super team (18:00-20:05); Women's freeski big air (18:30-20:05); Women's bobsleigh monobob (18:00-21:15); Pairs figure skating (19:00-22:10).

Daily highlights

Alpine skiing: Men's slalom (run one 09:00; run two 12:30)

Dave 'the Rocket' Ryding will compete in this event at his fifth and final Games. The 38-year-old slalom specialist became the first British alpine skier to win World Cup gold in 2022 and earlier this year he sealed the nation's best World Championship result by a male since 1934 by finishing sixth. However, he is not expected to reach the podium.

Clement Noel of France is the defending Olympic champion, Switzerland's Loic Meillard the 2025 world champion and Henrik Kristoffersen is the most successful slalom skier ever produced by Norway, although Olympic gold has so far eluded him.

Snowboard: Women's slopestyle qualifying (09:30-11:35)

Britain's Mia Brookes was too young to qualify for the last Winter Olympics but won the world title the following year, aged 16.

Now just turned 19, she finally has her chance to grab Olympic glory and the rider from Sandbach, Cheshire, will be aiming to book her spot in tomorrow's final.

Maisie Hill, who is back to her best after suffering a horrific training crash three years ago, will also represent Britain. Later today (13:00), the men's qualification takes place, with Txema Mazet-Brown Britain's only competitor.

Bobsleigh: Women's monobob heats three and four (18:00)

The first bobsleigh medal is up for grabs at the Cortina Sliding Centre.

Kaillie Humphries won the inaugural monobob title at the 2022 Games, claiming her third Olympic gold – and first since switching allegiance from Canada to the USA.

A fourth gold medal here would equal the record in Olympic bobsleigh.

Freestyle skiing: Women's big air final (18:30-19:50)

Kirsty Muir was the youngest member of Team GB in 2022, coming a brilliant fifth in the final, and the 21-year-old Scot will be hoping to be in the mix again.

But it looks like being a high-class field that will include defending champion Eileen Gu and Beijing 2022 silver medallist Tess Ledeux of France.

And all Italian eyes will be on Flora Tabanelli, who won the 2025 world title aged just 17 – the skier from Bologna is the reigning Youth Olympic champion in big air, and now has her eyes on the senior title.

Good to know

Women's ice hockey reaches the semi-final stage (15:40 and 20:10). Barring any surprises, Canada and the USA will be kept apart and will be red-hot favourites to advance to the final.

Six of the seven previous women's gold medal games have been contested by those two countries.

It's a busy Monday for Team GB in women's curling – Rebecca Morrison's rink play Denmark at 09:05 and Switzerland at 18:05.

In men's curling, Britain's quest for gold continues with Team Mouat meeting Norway at 13:05.

The figure skating pairs event reaches its conclusion (19:00), with reigning world champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara aiming to win Japan's first Olympic title in the discipline.

The pair finished seventh at the last Games but have since finished either first or second at the last four World Championships.

Anastasia Vaipan-Law and Luke Digby are competing for Great Britain.

• Get to know the Team GB Winter Olympics squad
• How Team GB Winter Olympians beat The Fear
• Vonn, Gu and Malinin - global stars to follow at Milan-Cortina 2026

Day 11: Tuesday, 17 February

Medals: Seven

Medal events: Men's Nordic combined (09:00-13:35); Women's snowboard slopestyle (12:00-13:50); Men's biathlon 4 x 7.5km relay (13:30-15:10); Men's and women's speed skating team pursuit (13:30-16:25); Men's two-man bobsleigh (18:00-21:10); Men's freeski big air (18:30-22:05).

Daily highlights

Snowboard: Women's slopestyle final (12:00-13:35)

British teenager Mia Brookes has already won the world title and is now aiming to become an Olympic champion on snow, something no Briton had achieved prior to these Games.

The 19-year-old will be putting her tricks up against some talented rivals, set to include the Japanese contingent and reigning Olympic and world champion Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand.

The riders have three runs to impress the judges, with their best score counting.

Bobsleigh: Two-man heats three and four (18:00)

Can anyone stop the Germans and in particular pilot Francesco Friedrich, who is vying for a record fifth bobsleigh gold?

The 35-year-old led a German 1-2-3 in this event in 2022 but this season Friedrich's long-time rival Johannes Lochner has had a decisive edge on the World Cup circuit.

The British sled, featuring Brad Hall and Taylor Lawrence, will be among those seeking to end Germany's stranglehold.

Freestyle skiing: Men's big air final (18:30-19:50)

New Zealand's Luca Harrington will be aiming to add the Olympic title to the world title and World Cup title he won last season.

But defending champion Birk Ruud of Norway is unlikely to give up his crown without a fight, while the home crowd will be behind Miro Tabanelli, a 21-year-old Italian who claimed X Games gold in 2025.

Good to know

Women's figure skating begins with the short programme (17:45).

It should be an intriguing competition with the likes of three-time former world champion Kaori Sakamoto up against the returning Alysa Liu, who dethroned the Japanese skater at last year's World Championships, and her American team-mate, the rejuvenated Amber Glenn.

Britain's Kristen Spours, who has overcome a serious back injury to make it to Milan, will also be competing.

Curling round robin matches continue. Britain's women have a rest day, with the men up against Canada (18:05), the only country to have won the men's Olympic title more than once. However, the last time they earned gold was 2014.

Day 12: Wednesday, 18 February

Medals: Eight

Medal events: Men's and women's cross-country team sprint (08:45-12:15); Women's aerials (10:30-12:05); Men's snowboard slopestyle (12:00-13:50); Women's slalom (09:00-14:20); Women's biathlon 4 x 6km relay (13:45-15:20); Men's 500m and women's 3000m short track (19:15-21:00).

Daily highlights

Alpine skiing: Women's slalom (run one 09:00; run two 12:30)

"I don't want Beijing to be the reason that I'm scared of the Olympics," said former double Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin. "For the past few years, it has been a little bit."

The 30-year-old endured a nightmare 2022, failing to finish the slalom, giant slalom and the slalom portion of the combined.

"It's not so much about unfinished business," continued the American. "It's more about making peace."

Her main rivals are likely to be Croatian 21-year-old and slalom World Cup winner Zrinka Ljutic and Camille Rast, who last year became the first Swiss racer since 1991 to win the slalom world title.

Snowboard: Men's slopestyle (11:30-13:10)

The last of the snowboard events at these Games should be a fascinating contest. Canadian veteran Mark McMorris, who has won slopestyle bronze at the last three Olympics, returns for a crack at an elusive gold, along with 2018 Olympic champion Red Gerard. Japan have a crop of exciting young stars.

Good to know

It's the quarter-finals in men's ice hockey, with the four winners from the previous day's play-off games taking on the four teams with the best record in the group stage.

In curling, Great Britain's women return after a rest day to face the USA at 09:05 and Japan at 18:05. Britain's men meet the USA at 13:05 in the last of their round-robin matches.

There'll be plenty of breathtaking acrobatics on display as the women's aerials final takes place (10:30). Can 35-year-old five-time Olympian Xu Mengtao of China retain her title?

Day 13: Thursday, 19 February

Medals: Seven

Medal events: Men's aerials (10:30-12:05); Men's and women's ski mountaineering sprints (08:50-13:45); Men's Nordic combined team sprint (09:00-14:00); Men's 1500m speed skating (15:30-17:10); Women's ice hockey (18:10-21:10); Women's figure skating (1800-2215).

Daily highlights

Ski mountaineering: Women's and men's sprint finals (12:55 and 13:15)

Bormio is synonymous with downhill skiing but some athletes will also be attempting to go uphill in the only new sport at these Winter Olympics – ski mountaineering, or skimo for short.

Skiers race up and down a steep course on skis, 'skins' (strips of fabric attached to the bottom of skis) and on foot, putting on or taking off their equipment in transition areas between sections.

Two of the three golds on offer will be decided today in the sprint races, which consist of several knockout contests.

France's Emily Harrop, whose parents are British but who was born and bred in the French Alps, is the women's favourite (heats start at 08:50), with the men's heats at 09:30.

Figure skating: Women's free skate (18:00-22:10)

The women's figure skating is always one of the highlights of any Winter Olympics, but in 2022 it was one of the most upsetting events. It concluded with 15-year-old Kamila Valieva leaving the ice distressed after an error-strewn performance that followed her positive drugs test.

The contest for gold in Milan-Cortina promises to be an intriguing battle – reigning world champion Alysa Liu and revitalised team-mate Amber Glenn are aiming to become the first USA winner of this title for 24 years, while Japan's three-time former world champion Kaori Sakamoto is hoping for a first Olympic gold in her farewell season.

But could the latest young Russian talent Adeliia Petrosian – who will be competing as a neutral athlete – emerge as a contender?

Ice hockey: Women's gold medal game (18:10)

Thursday's final will almost certainly be the latest chapter in the increasingly bitter rivalry between the two dominant teams in women's hockey, Canada and the USA.

The pair have contested six of the seven gold medal matches at the Olympic and met in 23 of 24 finals at World Championship level.

The Canadians usually have the edge when it matters most and claimed their fifth Olympic crown in 2022.

Freestyle skiing: Women's halfpipe run one and two (18:30-20:25)

Zoe Atkin, one of Britain's biggest medal hopes at these Games, begins her quest to emulate big sister Izzy and win an Olympic medal.

The 23-year-old Stanford University student is the reigning world champion and also the joint-winner of the overall World Cup title last season.

However, she will face a strong field, including China's defending champion Eileen Gu and Li Fanghui, who was the other major force in the 2024-25 campaign.

Good to know

It's the final day of the curling round robin stage, with the semi-final line-ups to be determined and – in the case of the men's competition – played on the same day.

Britain's women, led by Rebecca Morrison, face hosts Italy in their final round at 13:05 while Bruce Mouat and his GB men's team will be hoping to be involved in the men's semi-finals (18:05).

Prepare for some gravity-defying tricks and jumps in the men's aerials final (10:30).

Switzerland's Noe Roth has won the past two world titles but has not managed to land on the podium at either of the past two Olympics.

A medal in Milano-Cortina would emulate his mother Colette Brand, who won aerials bronze in Nagano in 1998. Qi Guangpu is the defending champion.

The men's speed skating 1500m (15:30) is regarded as one of speed skating's blue riband contests and is known by afficionados as the 'king's race'.

US star Jordan Stolz, 21, came into these Games targeting gold in the 500m, 1000m and 1500m, with this competition potentially giving him the chance of a famous hat-trick. He has won all five of this season's World Cup races over 1500m.

Day 14: Friday, 20 February

Medals: Six

Medal events: Women's ski cross (09:00-12:40); Men's biathlon 15km (13:15-14:20); Women's speed skating 1500m (15:30-17:10); Men's ski halfpipe (18:30-20:20); Women's short track 1500m and men's short track 5000m relay (19:15-21:40).

Daily highlights

Freestyle skiing: Women's ski cross (09:00-12:35)

The exciting sport of ski cross involves plenty of drama and the last Olympics was no exception, as Switzerland's Fanny Smith well knows.

She was demoted from bronze in the aftermath of her race, only for the decision to eventually be overturned – she received her medal more than a year later.

Now the reigning world champion, Smith again faces Sweden's Sandra Naeslund and Canada's Marielle Thompson, the gold and silver medallists from Beijing.

Ice hockey: Men's semi-finals (15:40 & 20:10)

The Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena is host to a semi-final double header, with the two winners advancing to Sunday's final and the losers playing off for bronze.

Canada are nine-time Olympic champions, while the USA last took the title in 1980.

Freestyle skiing: Men's halfpipe final (18:30-20:05)

Expect a thrilling contest for gold. With New Zealand's 2022 gold medallist Nico Porteous announcing last summer that he was stepping away from the sport, there is a gap to be filled – and the title could stay in Kiwi hands as 19-year-old Finley Melville Ives is the current world champion.

Alex Ferreira won silver in 2018 and bronze in 2022, and fellow American Nick Goepper has his sights set on winning a medal at a fourth consecutive Games, having made the slopestyle podium in 2014, 2018 and 2022.

Good to know

It's semi-finals day in the women's curling (13:05) and, as the defending champions, Team GB will be hoping to be involved.

However, Jen Dodds is the only returning member of the successful GB quintet in 2022, and Rebecca Morrison's 2026 rink will probably be hopeful rather than expectant of reaching this stage.

It's also the bronze-medal match in the men's curling (18:05).

Day 15: Saturday, 21 February

Medals: 10

Medal events: Men's team aerials (09:45-11:35); Men's ski cross (09:00-12:40); Men's cross-country 50km mass start (10:00-13:05); Mixed ski mountaineering relay (12:30-13:50); Women's biathlon 12.5km mass start (13:15-14:15); Men's and women's speed skating mass start (14:00-17:00); Women's ski halfpipe (18:30-20:20); Women's two-woman bobsleigh (18:00-21:10); Men's curling (1805-2135).

Daily highlights

Freestyle skiing: Men's ski cross final (09:00-12:35)

Beijing champion Ryan Regez suffered a torn ACL followed by a loss of form but his world title win last year shows he is now back to his best.

His biggest threat could be Canada's Reece Howden, who has won the World Cup title in both of the past two years.

Bobsleigh: Two-woman heats three and four (18:00 & 20:03)

Germany's Laura Nolte won this event in 2022 aged 23, becoming the youngest female pilot to take gold.

Since then, she and brakewoman Deborah Levi have been a model of consistency on the World Cup circuit.

The USA's Kaillie Humphries won this event in 2010 and 2014 and could run Nolte close.

Curling: Men's gold-medal game (18:05-21:20)

Britain's Team Mouat will be hoping to be involved as the men's curling reaches its conclusion.

The quartet who competed in the 2022 final are all back in Milan-Cortina and determined to upgrade the silver they took home last time to gold, which would be Britain's first in Olympic men's curling since 1924.

The bronze medal game in the women's curling starts at 13:05 GMT.

Freestyle skiing: Women's halfpipe final (18:30-20:05)

Can Britain's Zoe Atkin dethrone China's Eileen Gu as the Olympic champion?

The US-born 21-year-old is the reigning world champion but will be up against a stacked field, likely to also include Li Fanghui, her biggest rival last season and the skier with whom she shared the overall 2024-25 World Cup title.

Good to know

As well as the conclusion of the two-woman event, the opening two heats of the four-man bobsleigh take place (09:00 and 10:57).

Germany – particularly pilot Francesco Friedrich – have monopolised major titles in recent years but the British crew driven by Brad Hall also have podium aspirations.

The most gruelling event in the Winter Olympics is cross country skiing's 50km mass start (10:00).

The men's medals will be decided on Saturday and current world champion Johannes Hosflot Klaebo is the red hot favourite. Team GB's Andrew Musgrave is competing in his fifth Winter Olympics.

Day 16: Sunday, 22 February

Medals: Four

Medal events: Men's four-man bobsleigh (09:00-12:20); Women's cross-country 50km mass start (09:00-12:35); Women's curling (12:05-13:35); Men's ice hockey (12:40-15:40)

Daily highlights

Bobsleigh: Four-man heats three and four (09:00 & 11:12)

History beckons for German great Francesco Friedrich on the final day of the Games.

The 35-year-old arrived in Italy with four Olympic titles so, depending on how he fared in the earlier two-man event, he will be vying to become the first athlete to win five or even six bobsleigh golds.

His biggest rival may be Germany's second crew, headed by Johannes Lochner, but Team GB could also be in podium contention, with the sled piloted by Brad Hall having recorded encouraging results occasionally at the top level.

Curling: Women's gold medal game (10:05-13:20)

This event proved the highlight – and saving grace – of Britain's Winter Olympics four years ago, when Eve Muirhead and her team clinched GB's only gold of the Games on the final day in Beijing.

With only one member of that gold-winning quintet competing in Milan-Cortina, a repeat might be unlikely.

Ice hockey: Men's gold medal game (13:10)

Each of the last three men's ice hockey finals has produced a different winner – so could a new name be added to the roll of honour at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena?

Canada have claimed a record nine Olympic golds and the return of NHL players is a boost to their chances.

That also applies to the USA, who haven't won the title since 1980's 'Miracle on Ice', while Finland are the reigning champions.

Good to know

With all events completed, at 19:00 it's time for the Closing Ceremony of the XXV Winter Olympic Games, which will take place in the iconic Arena, a Roman amphitheatre in the historic city of Verona.

Milan Cortina will say arrivederci and perform the traditional handover to the team from the French Alps, where the 2030 Games will be held.

Team GB's women curlers kickstarted their campaign with a superb first victory of these Winter Olympics, beating medal contenders Canada 7-6.

After surrendering meekly in their opening two matches against China and South Korea, few fancied Rebecca Morrison's rink to right the wrongs against the world champions.

However, the British team raised their game significantly, with Morrison in particular making the shots that she was missing earlier in the competition, to overcome a Canadian side who looked fragile after their loss to the United States on Friday.

"It just feels absolutely amazing to go out there and get our first win," skip Sophie Jackson told BBC Sport.

"Becca played absolutely fantastically - we all did - but it's great to see Becca when she's like that and I'm sure she'll be on a roll now," Jackson added.

• Day-by-day guide to the Winter Olympics
• Full schedule including times of medal events
• Winter Olympics 2026 medal table

Britain's men also posted a victory on Saturday, responding immediately to their defeat against Italy by beating the Czech Republic 7-4.

It would have been more comprehensive for Bruce Mouat's rink had it not been for several outrageous shots from Czech skip Lukas Klima's box of tricks.

However, the world champions ultimately secured a victory that takes their record to three wins and one defeat and leaves them well-placed to reach the last four.

"We were in control but we couldn't really get away," Mouat told BBC Sport. "We just had to stick with it and we felt pretty comfortable."

Like in the women's round-robin, six wins from the nine matches should be enough to clinch a semi-final place.

The men will face Germany (08:05 GMT) and Switzerland (18:05) on Sunday, while the women will look to continue their unlikely revival against another fancied rink, Sweden (13:05).

GB trio finish in top 10 but miss out on skeleton medals

British trio Tabby Stoecker, Freya Tarbit and Amelia Coltman missed out on the medals on Saturday, but all finished inside the top 10 in a stacked field.

Having watched compatriot Matt Weston win a historic gold on Friday the three women were unable to replicate that success and a lack of consistency across the four heats proved costly.

Former trapeze artist Stoecker, who won World Cup bronze last season and was perhaps GB's strongest medal hope in the women's event, finished highest in fifth with 3:50.48.

Tarbit impressed in run three to finish seventh with 3:50.80 while Coltman put down her quickest run of the four in the final heat to boost herself up to ninth with 3:51.32.

All three were making their Games debut while it is the first time Team GB have qualified three women in the Olympic skeleton event.

It was a dominant showing from Austria's Janine Flock, who produced four slick runs to take gold while Germans Susanne Kreher and Jacqueline Pfeifer took silver and bronze.

Austria have never had a woman win an Olympic skeleton medal and 36-year-old Flock's gold comes after heartbreak in Sochi, Pyeongchang - where she missed out to Lizzy Yarnold - and Beijing.

Team GB still have the opportunity to pursue further silverware on Sunday as they take part in the mixed team event, new for Milan-Cortina 2026.

Treacy crashes out in short track final

In Saturday's late action, short track speed skater Niall Treacy reached his first Olympic final in the 1500m but was penalised for his part in a crash.

The 25-year-old won his semi-final to progress to the medal race, where a podium finish would have marked Great Britain's first in the sport since Nicky Gooch's 500m bronze in 1994.

Treacy, a European silver medallist over 1,000m, led in the early laps but was judged to have made an illegal move that resulted in both him and China's Sun Long crashing out of the race.

Treacy is the only short track speed skater in the British team for the Milan-Cortina Games and will return to the ice on Monday to compete in the 500m.

Jens van 't Wout of the Netherlands won gold, with South Korea's defending champion Hwang Dae-heon settling for silver and Latvia's Roberts Kruzbergs bronze.

Muir eases through to big air final

Just five days have passed since Kirsty Muir was left bereft after finishing just 0.41 points shy of a bronze medal in the slopestyle, but the freestyle skier looked to have brushed off any lingering disappointment with an assured performance in big air qualifying.

The 21-year-old progressed in fourth position with a combined score of 166.50 from her best two runs, knowing she has plenty still in her locker for Monday's final.

Canada's Megan Oldham, who pipped Muir to that bronze medal last Monday, qualified in top spot on 171.75 points, ahead of China's defending Olympic champion Eileen Gu - competing in big air for the first time since that 2022 triumph - and Switzerland's Mathilde Gremaud.

Muir, who has won big air World Cup and X Games medals, told BBC Sport: "I just wanted to get my runs down and I'm super stoked that I did."

Reflecting on her slopestyle performance, she said: "There has been a lot of love. Although it was a fourth and I wanted more, it is still fourth in the world on the Olympic stage."

Stuttgart recovered from last week’s shocking defeat away at St. Pauli with a hard-fought win over Köln. Sebastian Hoeneß spoke with the media after the win that kept his side in the top four.

“I really liked the first part of the first half. We got our reward for putting them under pressure right from the start,” said Hoeneß as he shared his delight about his team’s response.

“However, the game became more open after that. Köln are always tough to play against, and it was no different today. We didn’t have enough structure at the back when we conceded the equaliser. I can only congratulate my team for the way they fought back at the end. We’re happy to have bounced back from last week with a win today.”

Stuttgart will now turn their attention to the European front with the upcoming Europa League game at Celtic Park against Celtic on Thursday night.

Right before the 16 minute mark of the first half in Cincinnati, TNT Sports sideline reporter Jared Greenberg unleashed perhaps the most important sideline report in the history of Marquette men’s basketball.

For posterity’s sake:

Marquette is the last high major men’s basketball program to resist going into the transfer portal, and now those days appear to be coming to an end. While Marquette is excited about building around their young core, Shaka Smart told me last night he will absolutely continue to evolve and do what’s best to get back to winning, acknowledging the realities of college basketball in 2026. [Camera cuts to and a graphic identifies athletic director Mike Broeker] In speaking with multiple members of the athletic department, they all conveyed full support of this next step and of Shaka by providing the necessary resources to compete. It was also made clear that the Golden Eagles’ cultural values will never change as they remain committed to finding the right roster fit.

Short version: Marquette is going to make use of the transfer portal to fix the problems that are plaguing this roster right now and that would plague the roster if it continues as projected to next season.

I want to say this part to make sure we’re all on the same page: Jared Greenberg did not accidentally get Shaka Smart to say “we’re ending our avoidance of the transfer portal” so he could report that on national television, this is something that was put into Greenberg’s head and mouth by Shaka Smart on purpose. I’m not going to go back and double check, but I’m pretty sure this is the first time he’s called a Marquette game this season. I suspect this was a Greenberg said “hey, what do I know about your team, coach?” and Shaka told him nearly exactly what he wanted said on television. The follow up about speaking to multiple members of the athletic department and resources and supporting Shaka and the program while cutting to a shot of Mike Broeker with a graphic that had to be built to identify him indicates to you that everything about this was deliberate and on purpose.

Which means it’s time for the scholarship chart.

As you can see, the projection for next year is that Marquette will have just one open roster spot for the 2026-27 season. If we can reasonably conclude that Shaka Smart and Mike Broeker instructed TNT Sports to put that sideline report on the air, then we can reasonably conclude that Marquette will have more than one open roster spot as the transfer portal officially opens up after the season. You do not make a big deal about putting the word out if you’re not making significant changes.

I don’t have any inside information to relay about conversations that may or may not have happened at the McGuire Center, but again: If you’re putting that out to Greenberg to tell the country, I presume that there are multiple young men on this roster who have been told that their services are no longer needed after this season ends. I can’t tell you who that may or may not be, but I can read a stat sheet.

I can see that Tre Norman has played double digit minutes in Big East play three times and not played at all twice.

I can see that Caedin Hamilton has cracked double digit minutes just once while not starting since he was removed from the starting lineup for the first time this season.

I can see that Sean Jones is currently — there’s 12 minutes left in the Xavier game as I type this — missing his 12th straight game with a foot injury and Shaka Smart has said he’s not sure if the oft-injured guard will play again this year.

I can say roughly the same things about playing time for both Josh Clark and Michael Phillips as well, but both of those guys are freshmen who weren’t expected to contribute to this year’s team.

I can say that Ian Miletic, Sheek Pearson, and Nash Walker are in practice every single day and the coaching staff can tell if those redshirt freshmen are developing the way they need to in order to contribute minutes on the floor next season.

We’ll have to wait to see what happens, but the mystery and waiting to find out what Shaka Smart will do this offseason after Marquette is essentially guaranteed to end the year with a losing record is now over. He’s making the move that has seemingly been necessary for a while now, it was just a matter of finding out if he would actually do it. He is, and now it’s just a matter of time to evaluate exactly what decisions Smart makes.

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With a lot of spots still to fill on the 2027 roster, the Longhorns have been busy on the recruiting trail. One of their newest targets is defensive lineman Stive-Bentley Keumajou Yondui. The Longhorns offered the Miami native on February 12th and now hope to get Yondui to campus for a visit. Over the last few months, the Coral Gables High star has drawn interest from programs nationwide. He has also received offers from Florida, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisville, Nebraska, and Jacksonville State. That list could continue to grow the longer his recruitment stays open. 

Excited to say I’ve received an offer from The University of Texas via @CoachK_Baker

Big Thank you to @jerryrecruiting@coachdockm@coachlu102102@coachw@cgcavsfootball@CoachJeanSG@BrettGreenberg_pic.twitter.com/oyeCCdkS0c

— Stive-Bentley‘’Classy’’Keumajou Yondui🇨🇲 (@SBYK99) February 12, 2026

While the Longhorns target is not ranked, he has done enough to catch the eyes of scouts. In the right system his game should continue to improve as he looks to be an impact player at the next level. The Longhorns hope that will include a stop in Austin.

If Yondui were to commit to Texas, he would be part of a recruiting class that already has high expectations. That class includes four-star wide receiver Easton Royal, three-star edge Cameron Hall, three-star tight end JT Geraci, quarterback Ty Knutson, and three-star linebacker Cade Haug. They could be joined by Alvin Mosley and Tre Moore, who have official visits scheduled for the summer. 

Stive-Bentley Keumajou Yondui’s football journey has been eventful over the past year.

He came to the U.S. from England in June and received several P4 offers in January, including Florida.

He now has an official visit set with the Gators.

➡️: https://t.co/uRL8N9dYMX (VIP) pic.twitter.com/h0Ef2nXJWG

— Tyler Harden (@ttjharden8) February 5, 2026

The Longhorns' recruiting efforts don't stop there; they have made offers to some of the top players still on the board. They are  in the running for four-star prospects such as Nick Lennear, Brock Williams, Kennedy Brown, Caden Moss, Chance Gilbert, and Joshua Dobson. Adding any of those players who give an already top-ten-ranked class a boost.

As Yondui begins to weigh his otptions the Longhorns are hoping that he sees Austin as the best place for his college career to begin. 

This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas Football offers 2027 DL Stive-Bentley Keumajou Yondui

Real Madrid kept up their winning run in La Liga with an impressive 4-1 victory over in-form Real Sociedad at the Bernabeu, with goals from Gonzalo Garcia, Vinicius Junior (x2) and Fede Valverde.

Thibaut Courtois – 6

Could not guess right for Mikel Oyarzabal’s penalty, and made a couple of routines saves outside of that.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7

First start in a couple of months, and he slotted back in seamlessly. He delivered a fine assist for Gonzalo’s goal in the opening minutes which set the tone for a fine performance.

Antonio Rudiger – 6

Not overly convincing, and he looked off the pace on his own injury return.

Dean Huijsen – 5

His struggles continue. Gave away a penalty in the first half.

Alvaro Carreras – 7

Got the assist for Valverde’s goal, as he carried on his form from last weekend’s match-winning performance at Valencia.

Aurelien Tchouameni – 6.5

Standard performance from Tchouameni, who was solid but not spectacular.

Fede Valverde – 7.5

Very good performance from the Uruguayan, who was involved throughout. He got Real Madrid’s third goal with a fine strike from the edge of the box.

Image via Angel Martinez/Getty Images

Eduardo Camavinga – 6.5

He still does not entirely comfortable at left midfield, but he performed well enough.

Arda Guler – 6.5

A couple of nice moments, but he struggled to get involved for much of the match.

Gonzalo Garcia – 6.5

Got the opening goal after five minutes, and he should have scored more, but for poor finishing.

Vinicius Junior – 8

Two penalties won, two penalties scored. Vinicius has been a man reborn since Alvaro Arbeloa replaced Xabi Alonso, and on this occasion, he stepped up in the absence of Kylian Mbappe, who was not risked from the bench.

Substitutes

Dani Carvajal – 6

Only his third appearance since returning after knee surgery, and he looked shaky at times.

David Alaba – 6

Played the last half hour in place of Rudiger.

Dani Ceballos – 6

Struggled to help Real Madrid keep control at times in the final minutes.

Brahim Diaz – 6

Tried hard, but without much success.

Jorge Cestero – 6

Another appearance for the young midfielder, and he made an important tackle late on to deny La Real a second goal.

Real Madrid 4-1 Real Sociedad

Real Madrid have gone to the top of La Liga for the time being, having continued their winning run with a comprehensive victory over Real Sociedad at the Bernabeu.

The big team news for the match was Kylian Mbappe’s omission from the starting line-up, with Gonzalo Garcia and Vinicius Junior starting in attack instead. The former justified his inclusion already as he netted the opening goal inside five minutes, touching home an excellent cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold.

However, Real Madrid were not ahead for long, as La Real grabbed an equaliser that had been coming. Dean Huijsen took down Yangel Herrera inside the penalty area, and that allowed Mikel Oyarzabal to fire home from 12 yards. But as it turned out, the visitors would only be level for a few minutes, as Los Blancos also netted from the penalty spot courtesy of Vinicius Junior, who was fouled by Jon Aramburu in the lead-up to the goal.

Real Madrid made it 3-1 just beyond the half hour mark when Fede Valverde scored. After collecting a pass from Alvaro Carreras, the Uruguayan midfielder turned away from La Real challenges before finding the top corner with a curled effort.

Image via Angel Martinez/Getty Images

Three minutes into the second period, Real Madrid made the points safe. Vinicius Junior was once again fouled inside the penalty area by Aramburu, and that allowed him to score from 12 yards for the second time. He almost had a hat-trick late on, but he was denied by the offside flag after he shouldered the ball in from a cross.

Real Madrid continue perfect La Liga run under Arbeloa

It is now six La Liga wins out of six for Real Madrid in 2026, and the last five of those have come under Arbeloa. Los Blancos are now two points clear of Barcelona, who are not in action until Monday night against Catalan rivals Girona.

Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Round 22, 14/02/2026

On Valentine’s Day, the City of Love was true to its name for visiting RC Lens as they comfortably dispatched Paris FC 5-0. 

The Match

Paris Saint-Germain’s loss to Stade Rennais didn’t change the task for Lens, but it did change the outcome. Lens headed into this weekend knowing that they would need to defeat Paris FC, but a win would now allow them to go top of the Ligue 1 table. 

There were some early signs of nerves at the back for Lens when Ilan Kebbal found Marshall Munetsi unmarked in the box. However, the Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee couldn’t release the ball from underneath his feet. 

The early nerves would soon be brushed aside as Florian Thauvin found the back of the net, but it was ruled out as Wesley Saïd was offside in the build-up. Saïd would spend the rest of the half making amends as he registered a first-half brace. 

His first, scored in the 24th minute, was set up by Odsonne Édouard, when the striker laid off Matthieu Udol’s cross for Saïd to finish. His second in the 38th came in similar circumstances as Saud Abdulhamid’s cross found him alone in the box, where he could smack the ball home to score his 10th of the season. 

It was bad news for Lens, who are experiencing a growing injury crisis (with Jonathan Gradit, Kyllian Antonio, and Samson Baidoo all in the medical bay), when Mamadou Sangaré went down off the ball early in the second half. He was replaced by the teenager Andrija Bulatović. 

What followed was a fairly tepid affair. Lens had the two-goal lead and looked happy to sit back and let Paris move the ball without much purpose. A rare attacking foray by Lens was rewarded when Abdulhamid was brought down in the box by Otávio. Florian Thauvin stepped up to the spot and put Lens out of sight. 

Still, Lens almost made it four when Udol found Édouard unmarked. The striker couldn’t get a clean touch on the ball as he chested it wide off the posts, in what would be his final involvement in the game. Down the other end, Ilan Kebbal would test Robin Risser from outside the box, but it was all too comfortable for a goalkeeper who had the ball at his feet more than in his hands. 

There would be time for Lens to score their fourth and fifth as Rayan Fofana scored a brace off the bench. The teenager’s fellow substitute, Allan Saint-Maximin, would set up both of his 90th-minute goals, as their fresh legs tore apart a defense desperate to be rescued by the final whistle. 

Lens Player Ratings

Robin Risser, 6

Malang Sarr, 7

Ismaëlo Ganiou, 7

Nidal Čelik, 6

Matthieu Udol, 7

Adrien Thomasson, 7

Mamadou Sangaré, 7

Pierre Sage will be hoping that his injury isn’t serious. He’s such an important player for this Lens side as the bedrock of defensive stability that allows the rest of the team to fly forward. It’s no surprise that it took his teammates a while to warm up after his exit. 

Saud Abdulhamid, 8

The Saudi Arabian international likely wouldn’t have started tonight if not for Ruben Aguilar’s suspension. However, he filled in perfectly for the former AS Monaco man. He looked lively attacking down the right of the pitch, assisting the second, before he won the penalty for the third. 

Wesley Saïd, 8

What a season the former Stade Rennais man is having. He’s never been a prolific forward, but under Pierre Sage, he’s struck a rich goalscoring vein. He was instrumental in making this a comfortable evening for Les Sang et Or with his first-half double. 

Odsonne Édouard, 6

Florian Thauvin, 6

Paris FC Selected Player Ratings

Otavio, 2

Marshall Munetsi, 3

Ilan Kebbal, 4

Ciro Immobile, 3

GFFN | Nick Hartland

Liverpool 3 – 0 Brighton FA Cup Player Ratings

The FA Cup saw the Reds host Brighton, with both sides struggling for consistency. The famous cup competition at least gave Premier League respite with a run in the cup also giving their respective fan bases the dream of silverware.

The lineup and subsequent ratings are listed below.

Alisson Becker – 7.0

The giant Brazilian stopper was anonymous for the opening period as Liverpool dominated the territory.

After the restart, the Reds’ world-class keeper was able to produce a brilliant intervention as he stopped a superb cross from finding its target. More good handling was apparent.

Curtis Jones – 8.0

The England international was lively and effective on the ball as he was able to progress and even had a lovely long-range effort arc just wide of the far post. The opening goal was deserved as he timed his run to perfection.

In the second half the former academy skipper was again heavily involved and became a hybrid from fullback to midfield.

Subbed – 88 mins

Milos Kerkez – 8.0

The Hungarian international was tenacious and full of run I b as he tore up and down the line with intent. A powerful effort by as tipped over the bar. The opening goal was due to a brilliantly instinctive first-time cross.

After the break, the explosive full-back was steady and always willing to put in a superb shift to ensure a clean sheet.

Man of the match

Ibrahima Konate – 8.0

The French international was effortless and dominant as he covered his zone with distinction.

In the second half, the former RB Leipzig man was always in control and dispelled all dangers with superior form.

Virgil van Dijk – 8.0

The captain and leader of this team was vocal and authoritative as he marshalled his backline with excellence.

After the intermission, the former Celtic giant was able to glide through the half after a sticky spell early on in the half.

Alexis Mac Allister – 7.0

The Argentine international was able to pick and control the ball as he dovetailed well with his double pivot partner.

After the break, the former Brighton star was the central hub which controlled the tempo and rhythm of the game.

Dominik Szoboszlai – 8.0

The Hungarian international was always willing to work and produced a fearsome free kick for the disallowed goal.

When the match resumed, the former Bundesliga star was able to score a sensational goal to double the lead as he strode onto a perfectly weighted assist, before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the net.

Federico Chiesa – 6.0

The Italian striker was peripheral and lacking in real incisiveness as the pace of the game didn’t match his output. A decent half chance from the angle was easily blocked.

After the half-time break, the former Juve man was a willing runner and spearhead up top.

Subbed – 76 mins

Florian Wirtz – 7.0

The German attacker was unable to really stamp his quality into the game as the Reds worked mainly from wider positions.

In the second half, the world-class technician was able to show glimpses as he allowed others to grab the limelight, for once.

Subbed – 70 mins

Mohamed Salah – 8.0

The record-breaking attacker was probing and always available as he strived to make something happen.

After the break, the former Chelsea forward was able to deliver the most sublime assist for the Reds’ second goal as he showed great awareness to read the run. The penalty was explosive and the touch to get away before winning the spot kick was perfection.

Subbed – 76 mins

Cody Gakpo – 6.0

The Dutch attacker was unlucky not to open the scoring with a powerful close-range header, as he involved himself considerably from inside to out.

After the intermission, the former PSV attacker was working through the half.

Subbed – 88 mins

Substitutions;

Joe Gomez – 7.0 (on 70)

Came on to add defensive stability.

Hugo Ekitike – 6.0 (on 76)

Came on to stretch the pitch.

Rio Ngumoha – 7.0 (on 76)

Came on to see a brilliant goal harshly disallowed.

Calvin Ramsay – 6.0 (on 88)

Came on.

Trey Nyoni – 6.0 (on 88)

Came on.

The Manager;

Arne Slot – 9.0

Was keen to get a strong team onto the pitch with mild rotation, as he sought to progress and fight for the most likely source of silverware this season.

The substitutions were built around the game state and scoreline, which makes a nice change.

Steven Smith’s Pre-match Prediction;

Liverpool 3 – 1 Brighton

Anfield witnessed a statement of intent on Saturday as Liverpool brushed aside Brighton 3-0 to secure their place in the FA Cup fifth round with goals from Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Mo Salah.

Having been dumped out by Plymouth last season with a second-string side, Arne Slot left nothing to chance this time. His team selection, featuring the likes of Salah and Virgil van Dijk, underscored exactly how highly he values the competition this year.

The breakthrough came via an unlikely source in an unfamiliar role. Jones, playing at right-back, arrived late into the six-yard box to turn home a magnificent cross from Milos Kerkez.

The left-back was arguably the best player on the pitch, silenced early season critics with a performance defined by direct running and undefendable deliveries. While an earlier Cody Gakpo header was ruled out for offside, there was no denying the quality of Liverpool’s opener.

The second half belonged to Dominik Szoboszlai, who continues to justify his manager’s description of being “ridiculously good.” The move of the match saw Gakpo ping a cross-field ball to Salah, who cushioned a first-time touch into the path of the charging Hungarian.

Szoboszlai didn’t break stride, smashing an emphatic finish across Jason Steele for his 10th goal of the campaign. It was a goal of pure technical brilliance that effectively ended Brighton’s hopes of an upset.

Brighton’s frustrations boiled over when Salah went down under a challenge from Pascal Gross. Despite protests from the visitors that Salah had fouled Kadioglu in the build up, the referee remained unmoved.

Salah stepped up and dispatched the penalty with the clinical power of a man full of confidence, rifling it into the top-right corner.

For all the talk of their struggles earlier in the season, there is clearly plenty of life left in this squad. As the final whistle blew, Anfield celebrated a team that looks increasingly capable of a deep run in this competition as they progressed into the fifth round.

Liverpool 3-0 Brighton: FA Cup progress continues at Anfield

Liverpool moved smoothly into the FA Cup fifth round with a confident 3-0 victory over Brighton at Anfield, delivering a performance that blended control, patience and clinical finishing. Arne Slot’s side responded well after recent setbacks, showing clarity in possession and a sharper edge in key moments, qualities that continue to define Liverpool’s campaign across competitions.

Brighton arrived hoping to disrupt the rhythm early on and for a short spell they managed to make the contest uncomfortable. Yet once Liverpool settled, the outcome began to feel inevitable, with decisive contributions from Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah steering the FA Cup tie firmly in the hosts’ favour.

Fast start fades as Liverpool seize control

Brighton made the brighter opening, pressing high and forcing Liverpool into a cautious start. Fabian Hurzeler’s side created early pressure, but without turning promising moments into goals the momentum slowly drifted away. Liverpool, calm and structured, grew into the match and began to stretch the visitors through wide areas.

The breakthrough came in the 42nd minute when Curtis Jones finished smartly from Milos Kerkez’s delivery. The goal shifted the mood inside Anfield and allowed Liverpool to dictate the tempo going into half time. Brighton still carried threat, particularly through quick transitions, but Alisson’s composure ensured the Reds kept their advantage intact.

Szoboszlai and Salah settle FA Cup tie

If the first half required patience, the second half delivered efficiency. Liverpool doubled their lead in the 56th minute through Dominik Szoboszlai, who capped a sweeping team move after being teed up by Salah. The sequence highlighted Liverpool’s fluency, with precise passing opening Brighton’s defensive lines before the emphatic finish.

Salah’s influence continued to grow and ten minutes later he added Liverpool’s third from the penalty spot after a driving run forced a foul in the box. His strike into the top corner effectively ended Brighton’s hopes and underlined his importance since returning to the starting line up. Liverpool’s control from that point forward reflected a team comfortable with both the ball and the occasion.

Photo: IMAGO

Brighton struggles continue at Anfield

Brighton’s recent form has been uneven and this FA Cup defeat extended a difficult run. They threatened in phases, particularly either side of half time, but a lack of sharpness in front of goal proved costly. Liverpool’s defensive organisation limited clear openings, while moments of hesitation allowed the hosts to regain control whenever pressure built.

Hurzeler attempted to reshape the match with substitutions, yet Liverpool’s structure remained solid. A late disallowed effort from Rio Ngumoha added a hint of controversy, especially with no VAR in operation at this stage of the FA Cup, leaving the youngster unfortunate not to mark his appearance with a goal.

Momentum building for fifth round

For Liverpool, progression in the FA Cup adds another layer to a season already shaped by ambition and resilience. Slot’s side balanced squad continuity with tactical flexibility, a sign of confidence within the group as they navigate a busy schedule. Brighton, meanwhile, must rediscover consistency if they are to reverse their current trajectory.

As attention turns towards the fifth round draw, Liverpool supporters will view this result as another step towards silverware. The 3-0 scoreline reflected more than just finishing power, it showcased composure, organisation and a growing sense that this Liverpool team knows exactly how to manage big moments in knockout football.

After the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers were both fined six figures for "overt" tanking, NBA commissioner Adam Silver told reporters two days later during All-Star Weekend in Inglewood, California, that the league's observed tanking behavior this season that's worse than it's seen in recent memory.

That's what led to those hefty fines, Silver said at the podium on Saturday. 

Silver was later asked if more severe punishments, such as those that would take away draft picks, could be levied in response to purposeful losing.

"There is talk about every possible remedy now to stop this behavior," Silver emphasized.

For now, he believes the fines will send a message.

"We're going to be looking more closely at the totality of all the circumstances this season in terms of teams' behavior and very intentionally wanted teams to be on notice," he said. 

This story is being updated.

Lindsey Vonn announced via Instagram on Saturday that her latest surgery went well and she plans to return to the U.S. 

"Surgery went well today," Vonn said in her post. "Thankfully, I will be able to finally go back to the US 🇺🇸! Once I’m back I will give you more updates and info about my injury."

The 41-year-old American skier fractured her left leg 13 seconds into her downhill race Sunday. Vonn had previously trained on a torn ACL in the same left leg, an injury she sustained just days before the start of the Olympics. She had her fourth surgery Saturday and could need more procedures done once she returns to the U.S.

Despite how things ended, Vonn wrote that her ACL tear had nothing to do with her crash and that she did not want her fans to feel sad. 

"Please, don’t be sad," Vonn wrote. "Empathy, love and support I welcome with an open heart, but please not sadness or sympathy. I hope instead it gives you strength to keep fighting, because that is what I am doing and that is what I will continue to do. Always."

Vonn also said that after the crash knew there could be consequences but thought it was worth the risk. 

Nothing in life is guaranteed. That’s the gamble of chasing your dreams, you might fall but if you don’t try you’ll never know. 

So please, don’t feel sad. The ride was worth the fall. When I close my eyes at night I don’t have regrets and the love I have for skiing remains. I am still looking forward to the moment when I can stand on the top of the mountain once more. And I will.

(Photo Credit: Katie Nolan on YouTube)

Sports commentator Sarah Spain continued to bash Vice President JD Vance for making an appearance at the Winter Olympics on Saturday and accused him of “protecting” pedophiles; she also ripped his MAGA supporters who were angered by her recent criticism, with Spain saying she does not give “two sh*ts” about what they think.

Spain delivered her fiery message in a video posted to Instagram on Saturday.

“Just wanted to give you a heads up that if you see some weird comments on my Instagram that I haven’t had a chance to delete yet, it’s because I got called out for criticizing a pedophile-protecting-American-who-was-executed-by-ICE-slandering-person,” Spain said in her video.

She was presumably referring to dead sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein — a few weeks after the Justice Department released 3.5 million Epstein-related files — and the shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis.

The ex-ESPN star was wearing a red iHeartRadio beanie and getting ready to watch another event from the Italy games when she posted the video. Her Good Game podcast is hosted by iHeartRadio and she was named the company’s content director for its Women’s Sports Network last year.

Spain continued by saying some of Vance’s supporters are “so cotton-headed that they will defend literally anything done by this person are sliding into my mentions to call me fat, dumb, and they hope I die and get cancer.”

She added the haters in her comments are “currently in-favor of what our administration is doing in this country, and I couldn’t give two sh*ts about their opinion of me.”

Her video response comes after Spain said on her podcast that she was sickened by the fact that Vance sat about 20 feet away from her during a women’s hockey match last week. Spain compared Vance to the devil and said he gave off “demon energy” while at the game.

“My body felt like when you have been spooked and you have a little tingle that feels like, ‘Oh, something’s not right,’” she said, “or like when you get in a situation and you feel like, ‘Oh, some of the energy’s bad, something could go wrong here, maybe I should get out of here,’ or ‘something’s dangerous, this doesn’t feel right.’”

That apparently led to some blowback in her Instagram comments, and she responded on Saturday.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sarah Spain (@spain2323)

Watch her video above.

The post Sports Reporter Sarah Spain Fumes at ‘Pedophile-Protecting’ JD Vance — and His MAGA Fans — at Winter Olympics first appeared on Mediaite.

The Boston Red Sox are getting ready for the season, and Masataka Yoshida’s future is still up in the air.

Yoshida signed a five-year, $90 million deal with the Red Sox before the 2023 season, but he has not lived up to expectations. Now, with Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela and Jarren Duran on the team, there is seemingly no room for Yoshida in the outfield or at designated hitter.

Unless he shows drastic improvement, he is not a better option than the other four Red Sox outfielders. He has been the center of trade rumors all offseason, and he finally spoke on the rumors.

“That’s something I didn’t really experience back in Japan, trades don’t really happen that much, as often as they do here,” Yoshida said through a translator on Saturday, per The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey. “It’s something new, but if you trade somebody, both (teams) have to agree, so that’s going to be tough. It’s part of the business, but it’s something that’s new to me after I got here.”

Yoshida has a .282 batting average in the big leagues for the Red Sox, but just 29 home runs in 303 games. He had four 20-plus homer seasons in Japan, but the power has not translated. He will not be easy to trade thanks to his contract, but at this time, it does not look like he will have a consistent role.

If the Red Sox were to trade him, they would likely need to eat much of the remaining money in his deal. Keeping him, and forcing him into the lineup would take at-bats away from Anthony, Duran, Abreu and Rafaela.

Right now, there’s not much the Red Sox can do. They can hold on to him as insurance against an injury while they look for a trade. Yoshida can prove himself or increase his value with a strong spring and World Baseball Classic.

Munetaka Murakami has incredible reaction to White Sox putting bidets in clubhouse originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago White Sox might not be viewed as serious postseason contenders, but they have made a few very solid moves this offseason. Seranthony Dominguez is a nice addition, but the big one is Munetaka Murakami.

One of his first requests in coming to the White Sox had to do with the clubhouse, and not with his misspelled nameplate. Murakami asked for bidets to be installed, and the White Sox obliged.

After getting the bidets installed, Murakami was asked for his reaction to the commitment from the White Sox. As Jesse Rogers of ESPN shared, Murakami had an incredible reaction to the addition of bidets in the White Sox clubhouse. 

Munetaka Murakami has incredible reaction to bidets being installed in White Sox clubhouse

"It's good for the environment too," Murakami said of bidets. "Everyone uses too much toilet paper."

Murakami isn't just thankful that the White Sox listened to his request; he's also happy that he's making the environment better by using a bidet instead of toilet paper.

While bidets might be good for the environment, the White Sox slugger calling out people for using too much toilet paper is a funny quip in a vacuum. But his point is a valid one.

Multiple articles delve into the argument of toilet paper vs. a bidet, and Chris Baskind of treehugger.com highlighted a few key points, including saving water and saving trees.

More: Pirates to sign former Padres, White Sox 3.55 ERA veteran righty on one-year deal

Murakami isn't only bringing incredible power to the White Sox lineup, he's also trying to make a positive environmental impact as well.

The Japanese superstar free agent signed with the White Sox on a two-year deal worth $34 million. The 26-year-old could become a huge star in Chicago if he can bring his power from Japan to the Major Leagues.

He's hit 265 home runs in his career in Japan, which began in 2018. He's a great power hitter, and along with that power, Murakami is bringing sustainability to the White Sox.

More MLB news:

• Red Sox sign $6 million free agent formerly of Yankees, Blue Jays
• MLB Hot Stove tracker: Live updates on news, rumors, signings and trades for 2025 free agency
• Former Yankees, Reds, A's outfielder agrees to $4M deal with Padres
• Tigers' contract details for Framber Valdez make for absurd record-breaking deal
• MLB analyst makes the case for the Phillies to sign 2x All-Star arm
• Mets trade rumor on Brett Baty, Mark Vientos is unexpected update from Pirates
• Yankees to claim 23-year-old power-hitter off waivers from Rockies

The worst two teams in the conference, at least in terms of record, faced off on Saturday. Oregon’s 1-12 conference record only bested by Penn State’s 2-12 record, the game mirrored the futility of the teams playing. Missed shots, fumbled rebounds after free throws, dreadful three-point percentages, and missed shots from point blank range. Everything you expected to see from two teams looking up at everyone else in the conference.

For Penn State, at least, you could chalk it up to the west coast trip. They did just play a lethargic game against Washington a few days ago. For Oregon, maybe you could blame injury, but no matter the reason, this game, at least in the first half, was a display of two teams really trying to hide their ineptitude.

Halfway into the first half, the Ducks started to heat up from beyond the arc. Back to back threes erased a five-point deficit to take a 16-15 lead. The Lions regained the lead fairly quickly though, as three shots later they were back up five, at 21-16. Oregon, to their credit, kept shooting. Two more threes put the Ducks back up one, and once again Penn State regained the lead on the next possession.

The Ducks finally had their run, turning the 1-point deficit into a 6-point lead of their own, and, at the U8, Penn State called a timeout to stem the tide.

That would be the last lead change of the half, as Oregon stretched the lead to 10 heading into halftime, and Penn State, well in the middle of one of their patented droughts, lost all momentum they had in the beginning of the game.

The second half looked a lot like the first, as Penn State fought for every point, only for Oregon to neutralize everything with their outside shooting. At the U16 media timeout, Oregon was 9-of-19 from three, while Penn State was 2-of-9. After trying their hardest to tie the game at 46, Oregon, like they had all game, made yet another three-pointer, then an old school three pointer, and Oregon was up six again.

You could see the Lions start to unravel in real time. Each time Oregon neutralized the Lions, the mistakes started to get more and more frequent. By the time we reached the final 10 minutes of the game, Oregon was up 11 and in full control. From there, well, we’ve seen this movie before.

Player of the Game

Kayden Mingo – 24 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 2 steals

Mingo was Penn State’s best player in this game. When the rest of the team was feeling the fatigue from the west coast trip, Mingo still played like someone who wanted to win the game. Unfortunately, he was the only one with energy left.

Random Observations

So strange – Usually, it’s Penn State playing in an empty arena, acoustics that show that one fan yelling at the top of their lungs. Well, apparently it happens at Oregon too!

Bittle – That was the difference. Penn State simply couldn’t handle him.

Would you believe it – Oregon was 32% from three prior to this game. Over 50% on this one.

Looking Ahead

Penn State returns home to face Rutgers on Wednesday, February 18. Game is at 6 PM on the Big Ten Network.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Clash winner Ryan Preece kept his Ford on the ground Saturday, and the manufacturer took the top five spots in the final Daytona 500 practice. Preece helped RFK Racing sweep the top three spots a day ahead of NASCAR's season-opening race.

Preece outlasted sleet, a wet track and a record number of cautions to win The Clash in near-freezing temperatures two weeks ago at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The exhibition was the first victory at the top Cup Series level for Preece, who drives a Ford for RFK Racing.

Preece handled the sunny sky at Daytona International Speedway just as well and hit 192.819 mph to pace the field.

Only 18 of the 41 cars practiced on Saturday, with many choosing not to risk damaging their car ahead of NASCAR’s version of the Super Bowl. Among those who didn’t practice Saturday were pole sitter Kyle Busch and second-place starter Chase Briscoe.

Preece was followed by fellow Ford drivers and RFK teammates Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski. Ford drivers Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano completed the top five. Keselowski had the best 10-consecutive lap average at 191.510 mph.

Two-time defending Daytona 500 champion William Bryon was 13th in the No. 24 Chevrolet. Chevrolet took the sixth through 13th positions. Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, who announced Saturday he planned to end his NASCAR Cup Series career at the 2027 Daytona 500, was the lone Toyota driver to go out.

“I think we have a real shot at winning the Daytona 500 and putting my name on here again,” said Johnson, a two-time race winner.

NASCAR moved the start time of Sunday’s Daytona 500 up one hour because of the threat of inclement weather. The green flag is now scheduled for 2:13 p.m. Eastern.

Preece had a smooth effort Saturday a year after he took another terrifying tumble at Daytona International Speedway in the Daytona 500.

Preece was involved in a more harrowing crash in the summer race at Daytona in 2023. His car flipped numerous times, and he was transported to a hospital and kept overnight. He showed up the week with two black eyes from the wreck. NASCAR and Daytona responded by replacing sections of infield grass with pavement.

He finished 32nd in the Daytona 500.

Preece, who has clawed his way through the ranks of NASCAR from a background racing modifieds in the Northeast, has been on NASCAR’s national scene since 2013 but is starting only his seventh full season of competition at the Cup level.

Preece ran only two races in 2022, then spent the next two seasons with Stewart-Haas Racing, but was out of a seat when that team folded after the 2024 season.

He was picked up by RFK Racing, the team co-owned by Keselowski, ahead of 2025 and was arguably the top performer for the organization.

In 223 starts since 2015, Preece has 30 top-10 finishes.

“Every win at this level is gonna feel like the first,” Preece said this week at Daytona. "I’ve worked too hard to get here for it not to. There’s been different wins in my career on different stages that have meant a lot to me and winning that first points series race is gonna be a big deal. I hope my kids are there. I hope my family is there when it happens, but that’s the goal for 2026 is win.”

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

PROVO, Utah (AP) — BYU guard Richie Saunders exited 45 seconds into the first half of Saturday’s game between the Cougars and Colorado with an apparent lower leg injury.

Saunders fell awkwardly after driving to the rim and kicking a pass back out Keba Keita on BYU’s first possession of the game. He clutched his right calf and stayed down for several minutes under the basket. Saunders was initially helped to his feet by BYU trainers but completed the walk back to the locker room on his own after passing halfcourt.

Saunders is BYU’s second leading scorer behind rookie sensation AJ Dybantsa. The 6-foot-5 senior entered Saturday’s contest averaging 18.8 points on 48.9% shooting, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in 32.6 minutes per game.

He has formed a big three offensively for the Cougars this season with Dybantsa and Rob Wright III, with the trio combining to average more than 60 points per game.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Michigan State baseball is continuing its unbelievable start to the 2026 season, earning another massive victory on Saturday afternoon. The Spartans defeated No. 8 Louisville for the second straight day, this time dominating the Cardinals, 13-4.

The team was led by Parker Picot, who went 2-for-3 in the game with two home runs and eight RBIs, including a massive grand slam. His efforts were aided by Randy Seymour, who hit a home run himself, adding three RBIs. Getting the win on the bump for the Spartans was Brady Chambers.

With their second win of the weekend, the Spartans have officially won the series over the Cardinals, marking the highest ranked series win in Jake Boss' tenure in East Lansing. Picot's eight RBI performance was also the first by a Spartan since 2000.

The two teams will conclude the season opening series at 1 p.m. on Sunday, with the Spartans looking for a sweep.

VICTORY FOR MSU!!!!

Michigan State 13, No. 8 Louisville 4

*Spartans win series for the highest-ranked series W under Coach Boss!!
*Parker Picot w/ 8⃣ RBI to be 1st Spartan w/ 8 RBI since Bob Malek on 4/19/2000!!

Spartans go for the sweep on Sunday at 1 pm!!#VictoryForMSUpic.twitter.com/D6eo6vReov

— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) February 14, 2026

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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Michigan State baseball demolishes No. 8 Louisville for series win

Inter: Sommer 6; Bisseck 6.5, Akanji 5.5, Bastoni 6 (46′ Carlos Augusto 5.5); Luis Henrique 6 (66′ Pio Esposito 7), Barella 5.5 (54′ Calhanoglu 6), Zielinski 7.5, Sucic 6 (66′ Diouf 6), Dimarco 7.5; Lautaro Martinez 6, M Thuram 5.5 (85′ Bonny N/A). Coach: Chivu 7.

Best Inter player: Dimarco and Zielinski 7.5 – Zielinski scored a late winner after another fantastic performance: 96% passing accuracy. Another assist for Dimarco, his 13th in Serie A this season. Outstanding to say the least. A constant threat down the left flank. The number of accurate passes in the opposition half was particularly impressive, 47 out of 52, 90%, as per Sofascore.

MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 14: FC Internazionale Milano players celebrate their team’s first goal which was an own goal scored by Andrea Cambiaso of Juventus (not pictured) during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Lowest Inter rating: Akanji 5.5 – Often out of position and only won one aerial duel from 7. Pretty solid with the ball at his feet, but should have done much more defensively.

Inter coach: Chivu 7 – Inter had not won any of the previous 14 meetings against Juve, Napoli or Milan in Serie A. The Nerazzurri boss was brave to introduce Pio Esposito in the second half, keeping Lautaro and Thuram on the pitch. It wasn’t a given despite the numerical advantage.

Juventus: Di Gregorio 6; Kalulu 5.5, Bremer 7, Kelly 6.5, Cambiaso 6 (77′ Openda N/A); McKennie 7.5, Locatelli 7, Miretti 5.5 (61′ Koopmeiners 6); Conceicao 5 (46′ Holm 5.5), David 5 (61′ Cabal 5.5), Yildiz 6 (75′ Boga 5.5). Coach: Spalletti 6.

Best Juventus player: McKennie 7.5 – Two assists in a tricky night for the Old Lady. McKennie played as a right winger, central midfielder, attacking midfielder and even striker. Once again, an ideal player for Spalletti, who once again played a key role tonight.

MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 14: Piotr Zielinski of FC Internazionale Milano is put under pressure by Jonathan David of Juventus during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Lowest Juventus ratings: Conceiçao and David 5 – They didn’t create much, even before the red card for Kalulu. David even lost possession in the build-up to Inter’s first goal with a misplaced header.

Juventus coach Spalletti 6 – Could Juventus do much more? Probably not. They did what they could, down to ten men for over 45 minutes. They even reacted to Pio Esposito’s goal, scoring a late goal with Locatelli, but it wasn’t enough. Juventus still have many issues, but at least they have an identity now.

Douglas Luiz has settled back into Villa Park incredibly fast. He returned to Aston Villa on loan from Juventus in January. Sport Witness points to reports from Calciomercato IT which is claiming that the Villans can buy him for €25m at the end of the season.

Douglas Luiz Loan Return & Swap Deal: Aston Villa Transfer News

Unai Emery didn’t wait at all to put the 27-year-old back to work. Luiz has started every Premier League game since he arrived. The team need him right away because they have a midfield shortage. Now, new reports suggest both sides are already working on a permanent fix. Juventus expect Andrea Cambiaso to leave this summer. They want Aston Villa’s Ian Maatsen as their top choice to take over that spot (according to Calciomercato).

A Logical Interchange

The situation is one of those rare moments where a swap just makes sense for everyone. Injuries to Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn, and Youri Tielemans have left Unai Emery’s midfield thin. So, Luiz hasn’t needed time to get used to the league again. He stepped right back into the role he held for five years. He has looked solid and provided the team with some much-needed cover.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 11: Ian Maatsen of Aston Villa is challenged by Diego Gomez of Brighton & Hove Albion during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion at Villa Park on February 11, 2026 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

On the other hand, Ian Maatsen’s spot isn’t as solid. The 23-year-old Dutchman has played over 960 minutes in the Premier League this season. Even so, reports indicate he isn’t happy with how he’s being used. Emery often starts Lucas Digne or swaps players around. This leaves Maatsen on the sidelines. Juventus might see the Dutch international as the perfect replacement for Cambiaso. If they do, Villa could use that interest to get what they want.

The prices match up almost perfectly. Villa can buy Luiz for €25m. Maatsen is worth about the same. Swapping an unhappy squad player for a proven starter in midfield fixes two issues at once. Maatsen gets a fresh start in Italy.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa get Luiz for a bargain. The price is much lower than the £43m they received when they sold him 18 months ago. Since the team are struggling with injuries and Luiz fits in so well, making this trade permanent is a no brainer move for the club.

Inter Milan defeated Juventus 3-2 at the San Siro this evening, dealing the Bianconeri another setback in their pursuit of a top-four finish. With the title race effectively beyond Juventus for now, securing a positive result in this fixture had become essential to maintaining their Champions League ambitions.

Inter have been the standout side in the league this term, and Juve were fully aware that only a performance of the highest standard would yield even a draw. Both teams began the contest with intensity, yet it was Inter who took the lead through an unfortunate Andrea Cambiaso own goal. The defender was unlucky, but Juventus were immediately forced onto the front foot in search of a response.

First Half Drama

Juve reacted positively, and Cambiaso redeemed himself by scoring the equaliser for the Old Lady. The goal restored parity and reignited hopes that the match might mirror the excitement of the first meeting between the sides. Inter, however, pressed to regain control, increasing the tempo and creating sustained pressure.

Their momentum was aided when Pierre Kalulu was controversially dismissed after receiving a second yellow card within a short period. Reduced to ten men, Juventus were compelled to adopt a more cautious approach but managed to reach half-time still level and firmly in contention.

Late Decisive Moments

After the interval, Inter continued to probe and eventually restored their advantage through Francesco Pio Esposito. Despite being a man down, Juventus refused to concede defeat and demonstrated resilience, equalising through Manuel Locatelli to set up a tense conclusion.

Just as it appeared that Juve had salvaged a valuable point, Piotr Zielinski struck a late winner to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory for Inter. The result strengthens Inter’s position while leaving Juventus with further ground to recover in the race for the top four.

LIVERPOOL 3 VS 1 BRIGHTON

Liverpool – Jones 42’, Szoboszlai 56’, Salah 68’ (pen)

Pre-Match

It’s a weekend FA Cup game to hopefully sweeten our Valentine’s Days. Liverpool take on Brighton and Hove Albion in a fourth round match at Anfield. Federico Chiesa and Curtis Jones both start while youngster Rio Ngumoha is on the bench. Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk both make the cut for this FA Cup match. Arne Slot has chosen a strong squad for this game.

First Half

This game started off strong, with Florian Wirtz nearly scoring in the opening few minutes. Salah floated a ball over top, but the wind and a Brighton defender did enough to get in the way. Despite that, Brighton also looks prepared to attack, and had a little too much freedom to pass it around in the midfield in the early stages of the game.

On the other end, about 12 minutes in, Brighton get the first shot on target of the match. Ferdi Kadioglu tries his luck, and thankfully it’s a little too on target, in that it went straight into Alisson’s arms.

Milos Kerkez scores, thanks to a great pass from van Dijk, but he’s judged offside, and so the goal is disallowed. It was nice work there from the Reds though — especially that pass from van Dijk.

Wirtz earns a free kick in a good position, but Salah’s delivery is off and the opportunity goes to waste. Moments later, they nearly capitalize on a Brighton mistake when they tried to play it out from the back, but it’s not quite successful.

For the second time, Liverpool have a goal disallowed for offside. This time it’s Cody Gakpo who believes he slotted home on a pass from Dominik Szoboszlai, but the flag goes up to dampen his celebration.

Since about the 20th minute, it has been all Liverpool here, after a good start from the visitors. It has yet to produce a goal, but the Reds look lively and like they came to play. Brighton have managed three bookings so far in this half, and might find themselves in trouble soon.

It’s Curtis Jones who breaks the deadlock near the end of normal time in the first half.

Kerkez crossed to Jones, who bangs it home for the first goal of the night. It feels like there’s a collective sigh of relief that they scored one before losing the momentum at halftime.

Brighton come very, very close to evening the score on a corner. The close range header goes over the bar. Then right after that, Jones gets wrongfooted and allows Diego Gomez to get shot off. Thankfully Alisson made the save. What a wild five minutes.

Second Half

Alisson starts the half off by making a big save to deny Brighton a tap-in goal.

No worries, though, because soon it’s Szoboszlai who scores the next goal. Gakpo sends in a ball to Salah, who slides it into Szoboszlai’s path. He slams it into the back of the net to make it 2-0 to the good guys. Salah tries to get in on the action a few minutes later, but his attempt is blocked by the goalkeeper.

At 65’, Salah is brought down in the box and awarded a penalty. Of course, the Egyptian takes it and makes no mistake. Liverpool lead 3-0.

Wirtz is the first Liverpool player to come off at about 70’ in, with the game well in hand. He’s replaced by Joe Gomez and gets a standing ovation from the Kop for his efforts.

Hugo Ekitike and Rio Ngumoha are on next for Chiesa and Salah.

The third and most insulting offside Liverpool goal of the night is called against Ngumoha. That should be illegal. I wish to start a petition.

Jones and Gakpo go off at 89’ to be replaced by Trey Nyoni and Calvin Ramsay.

Alisson makes another good save at the death, and the Liverpool deal with two consecutive corners from Brighton.

Final Thoughts

Off to the quarterfinals go Liverpool!

Jon Rahm shares the lead. And he’s in that position after a three-hop, final-hole hole-out.  

But, he said, it’s what went down immediately before all of that that impressed him most. And it perplexed Bryson DeChambeau. 

“Well, it was shocking, obviously,” he said. 

The sequence came Saturday during the third round of LIV Golf’s Adelaide event, after Rahm went left with his tee shot on the Grange Golf Club’s 18th hole, and onto the tee box on the adjacent 10th hole. He shouted. He covered his head. He shouted again. Rahm came to the hole two back of leader DeChambeau, who was also in his group, and he was in the 18th fairway for his second shot.   

A spot in which Rahm nearly ended up. 

Doing so required a rules break — and his memory. On Friday, Rahm also went left on 18 and around the 10th tee box, but the shot back to the green was blocked by fencing deemed a temporary immovable obstruction, which, thanks to the rules, granted him a drop free of it. That put him a few yards to the left of the fairway, and, from there, he pitched on and birdied. 

On Saturday, all of that happened again, only with additional theatrics. 

Rahm went to his ball, talked with a rules official, then picked up his ball and again went to a spot just left of the fairway. Several yards ahead of him, DeChambeau was shown by an FS1 camera mouthing a one-word question — “What?” — before rolling his eyes. Rahm had been about 40 yards left of DeChambeau, and now he was almost directly behind him. 

“I didn’t know that’s what could happen, so that was most of what the shock was,” DeChambeau said after the round. “It was like, what the heck, you can do that? I didn’t know that. But ultimately, I didn’t really know from my perspective that it was OK over there, so I was kind of shocked.

“That’s really all it was, ultimately. I didn’t think much of it other than that. … But no, I didn’t know that was there, and hopefully that can go in my favor at some point. I’ve had way worse shots, by the way, too. It was just a bit of a shock at the moment, and then I was like, you know what, I’ve done way worse than that, too.”

As mentioned in this report’s first paragraph, there was more. 

After his drop, Rahm holed out for an eagle two. And after a DeChambeau par, they’ll enter Sunday’s final round tied for the lead. 

“Well, I would say it might be the most impressive thing I’ve done all week,” Rahm said, “which is pull it that far left twice, hit the cart path twice, and end up on the 10th tee twice. The odds of that are pretty low.

“Then luckily we get the TIO relief, obviously, I knew from yesterday, so I wasn’t too concerned, and knowing where I was going to drop, pretty good angle to that pin, as well. It was actually the best spot to be pretty much for every single pin for that distance.

“It was a really good number, 62 meters into the wind, trying to land it about six, seven short. Obviously executed it pretty well, and the rest is what you all saw. I’m not really expecting to make it. I’m hoping to hit it close, but obviously ended up with the grand prize on that one.”

The post ‘You can do that?' LIV Golf rules break creates confusion, then a stunner appeared first on Golf.

The NBA’s newest attempt at “fixing” the All-Star Game now means you need to ponder a futures bet for Sunday night. 

Three teams playing a round-robin tournament before a title game creates a unique gambling perspective in my NBA All-Star Game predictions.

Find out more in our NBA picks for Sunday, February 15. 

NBA All-Star Game odds

Team
World	<<+165>>
USA Stripes	<<+165>>
USA Stars	<<+200>>

Who will win the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?

My best bet
World (+165 at bet365)

Of the top-six players in the regular-season MVP odds, four of them are international players.

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander not playing this weekend due to an abdominal injury, the “World” team has to lean on only Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Victor Wembanyama.

Their shared playmaking should be delightful, the kind of joy designed for an All-Star Game.

The U.S. “Stripes” team has similar top-end talent in Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Kawhi Leonard. However, which trio is more likely to push the pace out of pride, the trio of international stars or the NBA’s oldest guard?

NBA All-Star Game format

The NBA All-Star Game will kick off with the “World” facing the USA Stars; to keep things simple, view the Stars as the younger U.S. team and the Stripes as the more veteran squad.

Winners of that matchup move on to play the USA Stripes, while the first game’s loser also takes on the Stripes to complete the round-robin portion of the All-Star Game.

After the round-robin, the top two teams meet again in the title game, with point differential serving as the first tiebreaker if all three teams finish 1-1.

All four games will be just 12 minutes long.

NBA All-Star Game best bets

USA Stars vs World

My best bet
Luka Doncic 2+ threes (+145 at bet365)

Doncic is not one to throw down highlight-reel dunks. His All-Star Game joys will come from either absurd passes or threes taken from downtown Los Angeles. 

Note: The Intuit Dome is 11 miles from downtown Los Angeles.

Even in a 12-minute game, the exhibition that it is, Doncic may take four 3-pointers, likely all uncontested. In that case, betting on him to make multiple shots from beyond the arc should not be at plus-money.

USA Stars vs USA Stripes

My best bet
Stripes -2.5 (-105 at bet365)

Much of an All-Star Game comes down to motivation.

Some piece of LeBron and Durant refuses to relinquish their standing in the NBA hierarchy. Given the chance to beat Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards, and Tyrese Maxey, expect the old guard to do so.

There may be some variance worry in a 12-minute game, but that should also allow the veterans to play more aggressively without getting winded.

Frankly, the younger roster may have more worry about getting worn out; who is more likely to over-enjoy LA nightlife this weekend, the young players reaching their first All-Star Game, or players who have done this for more than a decade?

USA Stripes vs World

My best bet
Under 81.5 (-110 at bet365)

This may come as a shock, but game it out. The World is favored to beat the USA Stars, and if doing so, it would face the USA Stripes in the second game of the day.

A win would propel the World into the title game, while the Stripes would advance if they merely beat the Stars in the final game.

The Stripes may conserve their energy to then beat the young’uns, setting up a more earnest rematch between the World and the Stripes for the All-Star Game championship.

This matchup could become plodding, at least by All-Star Game standards.

NBA All-Star Game MVP odds 

Player	Odds
Victor Wembanyama	<<+450>>
Jaylen Brown	<<+1000>>
Tyrese Maxey	<<+1000>>
Cade Cunningham	<<+1100>>
Jalen Brunson	<<+1200>>
Luka Doncic	<<+1200>>
Kevin Durant	<<+1200>>
Devin Booker	<<+1400>>
LeBron James	<<+1500>>
Donovan Mitchell	<<+1600>>

Past NBA All-Star Game MVP Winners 

Year	Player
2025	Steph Curry
2024	Damian Lillard
2023	Jayson Tatum
2022	Steph Curry
2021	Giannis Antetokounmpo
2020	Kawhi Leonard
2019	Kevin Durant
2018	LeBron James
2017	Anthony Davis
2016	Russell Westbrook

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Poland midfielder Piotr Zielinski scored a 90th minute winner as Inter Milan edged Juventus 3-2 on Saturday to move eight points clear in Serie A.

Zielinski found the net after the 2024 champions had led twice thanks to a Andrea Cambiaso own goal and an effort from Pio Esposito.

Local rivals AC Milan are second in the table after Luka Modric's late strike claimed a 2-1 win at Pisa on Friday.

Cambiaso and skipper Manuel Locatelli had equalised for visitors Juve, who are 15 points behind Inter in the standings.

Inter coach Christian Chivu made just one change from Sunday's 5-0 hammering of Sassuolo as Italy's Nicolo Barella replaced Armenia's Henrikh Mkhitaryan in midfield.

France centre-back Pierre Kalulu started for Juve six days on from scoring a 96th minute equaliser against Lazio but was sent off shown two yellow cards by the 41-minute mark.

By then Italy midfielder Cambiaso had scored at both ends putting Inter ahead with an own goal and levelling for Juventus after 26 minutes.

With a quarter of an hour to play, Esposito edged Inter back into the lead with a header but Juve captain Locatelli equalised for the visitors with seven minutes left.

Inter responded to keep their cushion atop the table as 105-time Polish international Zielinski fired home from the edge of the box.

Earlier, Ederson and Nicola Zalewski scored as Atalanta beat Lazio 2-0 to strengthen their claim for a place in European football next season.

The Brazil midfielder and the Poland winger netted either side of the break in Rome as the Bergamo team moved a point clear of Como in the UEFA Conference League qualifying spot.

Maurizio Sarri's Lazio fell nine points off the pace in the race to feature in continental competition.

Como lost 2-1 at struggling Fiorentina earlier in the day.

In the Italian capital, Lazio were without Spain striker Pedro due to an ankle injury, after he scored in last Sunday's 2-2 draw at Juventus.

Raffaele Palladino made three changes to his Atalanta side from Monday's win over Cremonese with captain Mario Pasalic on the bench, as Ederson was joined in midfield by Marten de Roon.

Ederson, 26, stepped up from the spot to put his side 1-0 ahead after Danilo Cataldi handled the ball in his own box.

On the hour Palladino's outfit doubled their lead thanks to 24-year-old Zalewski who scored his first goal since September with an effort from the edge of the box.

Lazio's attempted fightback included three efforts from attacker Daniel Maldini but they were unable to stop a second league loss in five games.

The pick of Sunday's action is third-placed Napoli welcoming Roma with three points between the sides.

bur-iwd/nf/pb

It was less eventful than Friday's 15-run performance, but the LSU Tigers improved to 2-0 on Saturday as they beat the Milwaukee Panthers 5-3.

The big story of this game was the debut of the Tigers' new weekend starter, Cooper Moore. After the rocky end to Casan Evans' outing on Friday, it was encouraging to see an LSU pitcher come out and dominate.

Moore went six innings, allowed four hits, one run on a solo homer and struck out 11 batters without allowing a walk. He showcased a promising mid-90s two-seamer and had the Panthers' hitters' numbers on a changeup that picked up a couple of those strikeouts.

The lone run he gave up was on a nice piece of hitting by Milwaukee outfielder Bradyn Horn, turning on a fastball and sending it into left field. A pitch that Moore would want back, but nothing too concerning.

Moore also got a bit of a stress test after giving up a leadoff double and then working out of it unscathed in his final inning.

The former Kansas Jayhawks star showed everything he needed to in his first start as a Tiger. He entered with a career 3.98 ERA and 8.6 K/9, so a positive outing for sure.

Pitching ran this game overall. Panthers starter Aric Ehmke, who had an 8.70 ERA last year, kept LSU's bats quiet for the most part.

The Tigers made a whole lot of contact, but couldn't get much to fall. Ehmke went seven innings, allowing four hits, two runs, one earned, two walks and three strikeouts.

Had it not been for a third-inning Milwaukee error, LSU might not have scored off of him. Trent Caraway scored on a Derek Curiel sac fly and Chris Stanfield came in on a Jake Brown single, both of which were set up by that throwing error.

That was pretty much it in terms of offense for the Tigers until the Panthers' bullpen came in, and LSU was able to pick up a couple of insurance runs on Steven Milam and Cade Arrambide's doubles in the eighth.

The Tigers' bullpen had an up-and-down day. Maverick Rizy hit two batters but posted 1.2 scoreless and hitless innings. Ethan Plog gave up a hit to the lone batter he faced.

Angelo State Rams transfer Dax Dathe was a standout in his LSU debut. He came in with two runners in scoring position while the Tigers were leading by just one, and he picked up a huge strikeout.

Things got hairy in the top of the ninth as Dathe gave up a leadoff single. Then Zac Cowan gave up a double on a ball that could have been an out, but Jake Brown lost the ball.

Cowan ended with three hits allowed, one earned run and two strikeouts in 0.2 innings of work. Grant Fontenot came in with runners on the corners and two outs, picking up the save with a fly ball to center. Fontenot notably nearly hit 99 MPH on his fastball.

This series will wrap up on Sunday at 1 pm CT.

Vinicius Junior won and converted two penalties as Real Madrid thumped Real Sociedad 4-1 on Saturday to move provisionally top of La Liga.

An impressive performance from Trent Alexander-Arnold on his first start in two-and-a-half months also helped Los Blancos move two points clear of champions Barcelona, who visit Girona on Monday.

Madrid's convincing display inflicted a first defeat for visiting American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo, in his 10th match at the helm of Real Sociedad.

Young striker Gonzalo Garcia and Fede Valverde were also on target for Alvaro Arbeloa's Madrid, who face an important Champions League play-off match against Jose Mourinho's Benfica on Tuesday in Lisbon.

Fit to start his first game since early December after a thigh injury, it did not take Alexander-Arnold long to make an impact.

The England defender's cross was met with a delicate finish by Garcia, starting in place of French superstar Kylian Mbappe, who was feeling some knee discomfort.

Real Sociedad pulled level after 21 minutes when Yangel Herrera was clumsily felled by Dean Huijsen in Madrid's box.

Mikel Oyarzabal powered the spot-kick down the middle, but La Real's joy was short-lived.

Vinicius won a penalty of his own at the other end when Jon Aramburu tripped him in the area and the Brazilian sent Alex Remiro the wrong way.

Madrid were rampant and Valverde netted a fine third in the 31st minute, moving into space on the edge of the box and curling into the top corner.

- Livewire Vinicius -

Matarrazzo sent on Goncalo Guedes at half-time, hoping his team could mount a comeback but Aramburu conceded another penalty early in the second half.

It was Vinicius running at him once more which provoked it, with the winger nutmegging Aramburu and then eagerly hitting the deck as the right-back's slid in.

Vinicius went for the bottom left corner this time, switching directions, and Remiro could not reach his strike.

With Jude Bellingham out injured and Mbappe sitting on the bench, Vinicius seemed to have more freedom to roam and revelled in being the key attacking figure.

Garcia came close to a second but Real Sociedad defender Jon Martin, who performed well individually despite his team's heavy defeat, cleared his effort off the line.

Real Sociedad striker Orri Oskarsson slotted past Courtois in the final stages but was offside and his goal was disallowed, ending a disappointing night for the Basque visitors.

Vinicius was denied a hat-trick by the linesman's flag too as he used his shoulder to convert Arda Guler's crossed free-kick but had strayed just offside.

Earlier Villarreal fell to a 2-1 defeat at Getafe in a blow to their hopes of a top four finish.

The Yellow Submarine, currently sitting fourth, were far from their best and Mauro Arambarri sent the hosts ahead from the penalty spot shortly before the break.

Martin Satriano extended Getafe's lead early in the second half, with Georges Mikautadze pulling one back for Villarreal, but Marcelino Garcia Toral's team could not find an equaliser.

Real Betis, fifth, could move within four points of Villarreal if they beat Mallorca on Sunday.

rbs/nf/iwd

It's the 2026 NBA All-Star weekend. The weekend extravaganza highlights the league's best players and gives teams a chance to catch their breath before the final one-third of the regular season and beyond.

The Oklahoma City Thunder had a couple of players selected as NBA All-Stars. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren represent the reigning NBA champion — albeit with just the latter actually suiting up for Sunday's game.

Part of the NBA All-Star festivities is Saturday's Media Day. The NBA All-Star players get a chance to reflect on the special career accomplishment as well as adventure through the star-studded locker room and wear their uniforms for the first time.

Talking to media from across the globe, Holmgren was asked what one NBA rule change he'd add. The 23-year-old didn't go with anything on the court. Instead, he talked about an amenity that fans won't appreciate but could help players recharge during the grueling marathon of a regular season.

"I'm pushing for beds on the planes. We got back-to-backs. You gotta play 30-plus minutes one game and then you gotta fly two hours to another city the next night," Holmgren said. "Especially for tall guys like me, it's probably better for our backs and knees if we're able to lie down on those flights."

The outside-the-box answer actually makes a ton of sense. Whatever you can do to make sure NBA players are relatively fresh during their every-other-day game schedule should be implemented. Especially if it's something that enhances sleep — which goes a long way to recovery between games.

The NBA All-Star weekend is fun because you get a bevy of unique questions thrown at NBA players' way. Holmgren experienced that from the jump when asked about his ideal Valentine's Day date. At least the NBA rule change question garnered an interesting answer.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Chet Holmgren has 1 NBA rule change he'd like to see happen

Indiana State was no match for NC State on Saturday morning in Puerto Rico. The Wolfpack jumped out to 10-0 lead after five innings and cruised to a good-buddy, 10-4, victory. NC State now stands at 2-0 on the year while the Sycamores fall to 1-1.

The story around Jacob Dudan this offseason was how well he could adapt to a starting role, specifically whether he could make the adjustment from a fastball-slider strikeout-oriented pitcher to a multi-look contact-oriented approach to allow him to go deeper into games. At least for one game, Dudan responded with an emphatic yes, tossing five shutout innings of 2-hit ball in earning the win, walking none and striking out 2 while tossing just 68 pitches. That’s an efficient and effective outing, even if against a lineup that’s not ACC caliber.

A trio of NC State hurlers made their Wolfpack and collegiate debuts following Dudan on the mound. Freshman Sam Harris allowed a pair of runs on a pair of hits with one strikeout in the 6th inning. Freshman Aiden Kitchings looked the part of a future stud over 2.2 innings, striking out four, although he did have a “welcome to D1” moment in the 9th thanks to a 2-run bomb from Jorge Cartagena. Redshirt-freshman Truitt Manuel came on for the last out of the game.

At the dish, NC State used a mix of power and patience in the 2nd inning to jump out to a 5-0 lead. Dalton Bargo led off the frame with his second home run of the season, a no-doubter out to right.

Brayden Fraasman followed with a single and then the walk parade started. Andrew Wiggins, Wyatt Peifer, Drew Lanphere, and Ty Head each walked to drive in two more runs. Chris McHugh lofted a soft single into right-center to plate another run before Luke Nixon capped the scoring for the frame with a fielder’s choice.

The Pack would plate two more in the 3rd inning. Fraasman singled to start off the frame, stole second base, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and then came home to score on a Wiggins double. After failing to tag up on a deep Peifer flyout to center field, Wiggins would steal third base before scoring on a rather generously-ruled infield single from Lanphere.

Another pair of runs were plated in the 4th for State. McHugh led off with a double and advanced to third on an infield single from Nixon. Nixon then stole second base to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. A wild pitch plated McHugh, while Nixon scored on a Fraasman double.

The Pack would cap their scoring for the day in the 5th, plating their final run without a hit. Peifer reached on a fielding error to start the frame, advanced to second base on a Lanphere walk, moved up to third base on a Head flyout, and scored on a McHugh fielder’s choice.

Indiana State would score four runs from there but never actually threatened as the Wolfpack simply ran out the clock, so to say, in this one. Another run-rule shortened win would have been nice, but the showing through the first two games is still strong. There are worse places to be than a 2-0 record while outscoring your opponents 23-to-4.

The Wolfpack showed a nice blend of patience at the dish (7 walks) and aggressiveness on the bases (5 stolen bags), taking advantage of weaknesses from their opponent. As a team, NC State registered 12 hits, their second consecutive game with a double-digit hit total.

Three Pack hitters had multi-hit efforts in the win: Fraasman (3-for-5, 2B, 2 R, RBI, 2-2 SB), Bargo (2-for-5, HR, R, RBI), and McHugh (2-for-5, 2B, R, 2 RBI). Four more Pack batters reached base safely multiple times in the game: Wiggins (1-for-3, 2B, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB, 1-1 SB), Head (0-for-3, RBI, 2 BB), Lanphere (1-for-1, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB), Peifer (1-for-4, 2 R, BB).

Preston Bonn (0-for-1) made his Wolfpack debut in the game while Devin Mitchell came on as a late-game defensive substitution for the second straight day.

The Wolfpack will finish out their participation in the 2026 Puerto Rico Challenge with an 11:00am ET Sunday morning tilt with Seton Hall. The Pirates lost their opener to Boston College by a 4-6 final score and are set to take on Manhattan Saturday evening.

Gerald Meerschaert revealed Khamzat Chimaev got in his face with no cameras around just for "the love of the game" ahead of their UFC fight in 2020.

Chimaev was just two fights in to his UFC run at the time, and the hype train was full steam ahead. At a pre-fight press conference, Chimaev consistently cut off Meerschaert's responses to questions, which he admits was annoying. However, a backstage interaction took place that Meerschaert hasnt' revealed until now, which gave him an insight to Chimaev's true personality.

"Look, I got nothing against Khamzat. We fought; it's over. He's done great. That dude's the man. All respect," Meerschaert told The Casuals MMA. "But I do remember we met in the hall – this was during COVID. We see him in the hallway, it was me and Brendan Allen, and then him and his coaches. He walks up to me, and kind of gets in my face, and we start talking sh*t back and forth. It was like the dumbest sh*t talk, like you know when two guys see each other and we're trying to say, 'Oh yeah? Yeah? You wanna?' Like, we're both – I don't know exactly what he's saying, I probably said some dumb sh*t, but we're both just like – he got aggressive, and I was like, 'Who is this for?'"

Meerschaert thought that maybe Chimaev was provoked by a meme he posted in the lead-up to the fight, but couldn't be sure if that was the case. He was taken aback by the fact that Chimaev confronted him in the hallway with no one there to witness it aside from his teammate and Chimaev's coaches, who turned out to be very nice to him, which added another layer to the perplexing altercation.

"We got in each other's face, and there was like no one around," Meerschaert said. "In the back of my head, I'm like, 'There's nobody else here.' So like, he's just doing it for the love of the game, which like, mad respect. He's just doing his thing, no matter who's there or not, which is better than, 'Oh, I need cameras.' But he does this, he walks away, and his coaches, 'Oh, nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.' All the most polite like, 'Yeah, we know he's crazy.' But I was just confused, they were so nice. Why is he like this? We're gonna fight, and some guys are different, like they gotta get in that place before and after, but we're gonna punch each other. Well, actually, you are gonna punch me, in this case. I wanted to punch him, but it didn't work out that way."

Meerschaert only lasted 17 seconds in the octagon with Chimaev. He was knocked out with a right cross. Chimaev has gone on to win every fight since, and captured the middleweight title in his most recent fight at UFC 319 against Dricus Du Plessis.

True to Meerschaert's story, there have been multiple instances over the years of Chimaev being aggressive backstage, such as when he shoved Ian Machado Garry in Qatar, or when the UFC 279 press conference was canceled due to what UFC CEO Dana White called a "big sh*t show" backstage involving Chimaev and other fighters.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Khamzat Chimaev's past UFC foe reveals intense backstage altercation

Liverpool beat Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 in the FA Cup fourth round at Anfield on Saturday evening.

Cody Gakpo thought he had put Liverpool in front in the 35th minute, heading home Dominic Szoboszlai free kick, but the goal was ruled offside.

A long ball over the top then found Mohamed Salah, who drove into the area, but could only fire a shot straight at Jason Steele.

Shortly after, the Brighton goalkeeper made a brilliant save, tipping Milos Kerkez’s powerful shot over the bar.

Kerkez then provided the assist for the opening goal, whipping a cross for the onrushing Curtis Jones to guide into the net, giving Liverpool the lead.

The Seagulls pushed to draw level before the break, with Jack Hinshelwood heading wide before Diego Gomez was smothered by Alisson in a one-on-one.

Early on in the second half, Alisson almost gifted Brighton the equaliser with a poor clearance, but the ball cannoned off Gomez for a goal kick.

Szoboszlai got the Reds’ second of the night in the 56th minute, thundering a shot into the net following Salah’s clever pass into the Hungarian.

Salah made it 3-0 in the 68th minute from the penalty spot, sending the spot kick he won himself into the top corner.

The Egyptian has now scored a goal, provided an assist and won a penalty in a game for the third time as a Liverpool player

Teenager Rio Ngumoha appeared to have added to Liverpool’s advantage when he picked out the top corner, but his effort was ruled offside.

The Dallas Cowboys have embarked on a comprehensive restructuring of their defensive coaching staff following a 2025 season where the unit surrendered the most points in franchise history. This overhaul began with the appointment of 34-year-old Christian Parker as the new defensive coordinator. Parker, previously the defensive passing-game coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, replaces Matt Eberflus and is expected to implement a scheme rooted in deception and disguise. The move signifies a shift toward a younger, more aggressive coaching philosophy to revitalize a unit that struggled significantly last season.

On Friday, the Cowboys continued their defensive renovation by hiring Scott Symons as the team’s new inside linebackers coach. Symons arrives in Frisco after serving as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at SMU for the past four seasons. Despite interest from several other NFL franchises during this coaching cycle, the Dallas native elected to stay in his home region and take his first professional coaching role under Parker. Symons was widely considered one of the premier defensive minds in the collegiate ranks.

What do the Cowboys have in Symons? Here are six things to remember about the team’s new linebacker coach:

Havoc-Wreakers – His squads are constant disruptors. Whether it’s sacks or turnovers, his guys are coming after you. Last year at SMU, his defensive unit finished fifth in total takeaways.

Rushing Defense Excellence – Under his guidance in 2024, the Mustangs finished seventh nationally in run defense, allowing just 100.2 yards per game. He turned the line of scrimmage into a brick wall.

Red Zone Dominance – One of his greatest strengths is tightening defenses when it counts the most. His units consistently ranked in the top 25 nationally in red zone defense, including finishing second in the FBS in 2024 and fifth in 2025.

Track Record of Success – He played a pivotal role in helping SMU reach its first college football playoff in program history during the 2024 campaign.

Disguise and Complexity – He is praised for his ability to simplify complex, multiple-front schemes for his players while disguising looks to confuse opposing quarterbacks. This has to be music to Parker’s ears.

Focus on Fundamentals – His coaching emphasizes relentless effort, physicality, and mental freshness. He advocates for high-speed practice standards, such as sprinting on and off the field to set a disciplined tone

Symons joins a Cowboys defensive staff tasked with transforming a group that ranked at the bottom of the league in several major categories last year. His expertise in disguising coverages and utilizing creative five-man pressure looks is expected to bring a new level of versatility to the Dallas linebacker room. By integrating his aggressive collegiate philosophy into Parker’s new system, Symons aims to ensure the Cowboys’ second level is as disciplined as it is disruptive. If he can successfully translate his knack for creating turnovers to the pro level, the Dallas defense might finally start being takers rather than the generous givers they were last season.

In a thrilling LaLiga encounter at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid showcased their class with a resounding 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad. The match, part of the 24th fixture in the LaLiga EA Sports 25/26 season, saw Real Madrid strengthen their position with a dominant display of football.

The scoring was opened early by Gonzalo García, who found the net in the 5th minute with a precise right-footed shot from the center of the penalty area, assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold. Real Sociedad quickly responded with Mikel Oyarzabal converting a penalty in the 21st minute, leveling the score at 1-1. However, the parity was short-lived as Vinícius Júnior restored Madrid's lead four minutes later with a penalty, driving the ball straight down the middle.

Real Madrid continued to press and extended their lead in the 31st minute through Federico Valverde, who scored with a right-footed shot from the center of the box, finding the top right corner with an assist from Álvaro Carreras. The first half ended with Madrid leading 3-1, a reflection of their superior play and tactical discipline.

The second half saw Vinícius Júnior again stepping up to take another penalty in the 48th minute, calmly placing his shot into the bottom left corner to round off the scoring at 4-1. Real Madrid's performance was not just about scoring goals; they also dominated possession (52%) and were more clinical in front of goal, with a higher expected goals (xG) metric of 2.75 compared to Sociedad's 1.69.

Incidents: The story of the match

1':

The match begins

4':

Missed opportunity! Mikel Oyarzabal from Real Sociedad attempted a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it went wide to the left. The assist came from Carlos Soler.

4':

Opportunity wasted. Mikel Oyarzabal of Real Sociedad attempted a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area but sent it wide to the left. The assist came from Carlos Soler.

Real Madrid takes the lead, 1-0 against Real Sociedad. Gonzalo García scores with a right-footed shot from the center of the penalty area, finding the bottom left corner. The assist comes from Trent Alexander-Arnold, who delivered a precise cross.Real Madrid takes the lead, 1-0 against Real Sociedad. Gonzalo García finds the back of the net with a right-footed shot from the center of the box, placing it perfectly into the left corner. The assist comes from Trent Alexander-Arnold, who delivered a precise cross.

5':

GOAL Real Madrid: Gonzalo García (Real Madrid) scores!

Gonzalo García scores goal number 4 in the competition (19 matches) Gonzalo García scores goal number 11 for his team (39 matches)

6':

Missed opportunity! Mikel Oyarzabal of Real Sociedad headed the ball from the center of the box, but it went wide to the left. The assist came from Aihen Muñoz, who delivered a cross.

6':

Missed opportunity! Mikel Oyarzabal of Real Sociedad attempted a header from the center of the box but sent it wide to the left. The cross was delivered by Aihen Muñoz.

16':

Opportunity wasted! Yangel Herrera of Real Sociedad attempted a header from the middle of the box, but it sailed high and to the left. The chance was set up by Carlos Soler, who delivered a cross following a corner kick.

16':

Opportunity wasted! Yangel Herrera of Real Sociedad attempted a header from the middle of the box, but it sailed high and to the left. The chance was set up by Carlos Soler, who delivered a cross following a corner kick.

It's now 1-1 between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad. Mikel Oyarzabal steps up for Real Sociedad and successfully converts the penalty, striking the ball with his left foot into the top center of the net.The score is now Real Madrid 1, Real Sociedad 1. Mikel Oyarzabal from Real Sociedad successfully scores the penalty, striking the ball with his left foot into the top center of the net.

21':

GOALReal Sociedad: Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad) scores penalty-kick!

Mikel Oyarzabal scores goal number 10 in the competition (21 matches)

Real Madrid takes the lead 2-1 against Real Sociedad. Vinícius Júnior steps up for the penalty and strikes it with his right foot straight down the middle of the goal.Real Madrid takes the lead 2-1 against Real Sociedad. Vinícius Júnior steps up and successfully scores the penalty, striking the ball with his right foot straight down the middle of the goal.

25':

GOALReal Madrid: Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) scores penalty-kick!

Vinícius Júnior scores goal number 7 in the competition (23 matches) Vinícius Júnior scores goal number 115 for his team (356 matches)

Real Madrid takes a 3-1 lead against Real Sociedad. Federico Valverde scores with a right-footed shot from the center of the box, finding the top right corner of the net. The assist comes from Álvaro Carreras.Real Madrid leads 3-1 against Real Sociedad. Federico Valverde scores with a right-footed shot from the center of the box, finding the top right corner of the net. The assist comes from Álvaro Carreras.

31':

GOAL Real Madrid: Fede Valverde (Real Madrid) scores!

Fede Valverde scores goal number 1 in the competition (23 matches)

45 +4':

Missed opportunity! Gonzalo García from Real Madrid took a left-footed shot from the center of the box, but it sailed over the goal and to the right. The assist came from Federico Valverde.

45 +4':

Missed opportunity! Gonzalo García from Real Madrid took a left-footed shot from the center of the box, but it sailed high and wide to the right. The assist came from Federico Valverde.

Real Madrid leads 4-1 against Real Sociedad. Vinícius Júnior steps up to take the penalty and expertly places his right-footed shot into the bottom left corner.Real Madrid leads 4-1 against Real Sociedad. Vinícius Júnior steps up to take the penalty and skillfully places his right-footed shot into the bottom left corner.

48':

GOALReal Madrid: Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) scores penalty-kick!

Vinícius Júnior scores goal number 8 in the competition (23 matches) Vinícius Júnior scores goal number 115 for his team (356 matches)

59':

Opportunity wasted. Antonio Rüdiger of Real Madrid attempted a header from the center of the box, but it sailed high and to the right. The assist came from Trent Alexander-Arnold, who delivered a cross following a corner kick.

59':

Opportunity wasted. Antonio Rüdiger of Real Madrid attempted a header from the center of the penalty area, but it sailed high and to the right. The assist came from Trent Alexander-Arnold, who delivered a cross following a corner kick.

63':

Missed opportunity! Carlos Soler from Real Sociedad took a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it sailed high and to the left of the goal.

Barcelona have been linked with a move for exciting youngster Jesse Bisiwu, with the Catalans believed to be keen to bring him in during the summer transfer window.

 Ghanaian scout Vinyl Tong has now shared some thoughts on Bisiwu and says that he reminds him at times of Lamine Yamal.

“Jesse is a young and promising winger trained at Club Brugge and who is currently gaining experience at Club NXT. His profile reflects that of a modern wide attacker, ideal for possession football,” he told Sport.

“He is a Belgian national with Ghanaian roots and stands out for his explosiveness, precise control and confidence in one-on-one, especially when he plays from the left wing and penetrates inside with his right foot, more powerful.

“He reminds me of Lamine in his time at La Masia. Technically safe and comfortable in tight spaces, he shows good positioning without the ball. Bisiwu is seen as more of a long-term promise than an immediate addition to the first team, but his technical base, tactical discipline and potential explain the interest of elite clubs.”

The highly-rated winger is known for his dribbling ability and would be an exciting addition to the ranks if Barcelona can get a deal done this summer.

Bryan Mbeumo and Antoine Semenyo were linked with moves to Arsenal after delivering impressive performances for Brentford and Bournemouth last season. Despite significant investment in the summer transfer window, the Gunners were unable to secure the services of either player.

Manchester United won the race to sign Mbeumo, while Semenyo remained at Bournemouth before completing a move to Manchester City last month. The Ghanaian has enjoyed a superb campaign, and his arrival has notably strengthened Pep Guardiola’s squad.

Missed Opportunities

Semenyo’s impact at Manchester City has added further quality to a side already competing strongly at the top of the Premier League. For Arsenal, this development is far from ideal. His presence could play a decisive role in helping City overtake the Gunners in the title race or influence the outcome of the Carabao Cup final between the two sides.

In recent weeks, City’s form has improved considerably, while Manchester United have also benefited from Mbeumo’s contributions. The forward has been outstanding, reinforcing the sense that Arsenal may have missed valuable additions to their attacking options.

Although Arsenal strengthened their squad, some new arrivals, including Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres, have yet to make a consistent impact. This contrast has prompted reflection among supporters and former players regarding what might have been achieved with alternative signings.

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Ian Wright’s View

Ian Wright has expressed his belief that both Semenyo and Mbeumo would have enhanced Arsenal’s current squad. Speaking via Metro Sports, he said:

‘When you see how he, Mbeumo, plays, absolutely he would have strengthened Arsenal.

‘It’s the same with Semenyo, you watch Semenyo and think, “I could see him at Arsenal”. I could see Mbeumo at Arsenal as well. Gutted.’

Wright’s comments reveal the perception that Arsenal may have overlooked two players who could have provided additional depth and dynamism. As the season progresses, their performances elsewhere may continue to fuel debate about the club’s recruitment decisions.

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The Syracuse Orange are back in the win column, picking up their third Quadrant 2 victory of the year after storming back to beat the SMU Mustangs 79-78 at home Saturday.

It took a couple of heroic performances, including the game-winning layup from Nate Kingz, to get to the finish line on top. That said, Syracuse overcame slow starts in both halves to walk away with the W.

Here are your takeaways from the weekend thriller:

Anthony helps spark the comeback

Early in the second half, it appeared the Mustangs would gallop its way to a comfortable win. SMU pushed its lead back up to double-digits, while Syracuse couldn’t muster enough consistency to inch closer.

Then, momentum starting to swing, and it started with a player who has been in the spotlight in recent weeks for the Orange.

Kiyan Anthony finished with 13 points on 5/10 shooting overall and 2/4 from three. It tied for the most points he has ever scored against an ACC opponent. It’s also the second time he has reached double figures in Syracuse’s last three games.

The key for Anthony: in the first half, he didn’t do much, but that totally changed coming out of the locker room. It began with a corner three that got the Orange back within single digits. A few baskets later, Anthony scored this impressive finish plus the foul to give Cuse its first lead since very early in the first half.

The lineup that spearheaded the comeback largely included Anthony and Naithan George in the backcourt, Kingz and Tyler Betsey on the wing and William Kyle. Syracuse got a couple of good looks from three that went down by Kingz and Betsey, but Anthony did really unlock that lineup.

Both sides turn to zone defense

For any basketball fans who are zone defense fanatics, this game was for you.

For Syracuse, it was back to the 2-3 for most of the contest.

The rationale made sense: don’t let Boopie Miller, SMU’s leading scorer and passer heading into the contest, beat the Orange one-on-one.

The results were certainly mixed: the good news is Miller finished with just 11 points on 3/10 shooting, although he still had seven assists. On the other hand, five other Mustangs finished in double-figures, led by a 19-point effort from backup big Jaden Toombs.

That said, you’d imagine Syracuse doesn’t win this game if Miller was attacking head on and finished with 20 points or something like that.

On the other side, SMU went with a 1-3-1 look. The key to attacking: move the ball, don’t cough it up and make threes off said ball movement. How did ‘Cuse do there? SMU only won the points off turnovers battle by two (10-8), ‘Cuse had eight turnovers compared to six for SMU and the Orange went 11/30 (36.7%) from three.

Slow starts, better finishes to halves

A smaller point, but it bears noting. Syracuse’s first 10 minutes in both halves compared to the last 10 were night and day.

SMU got out to an early lead and controlled the pace. It relentless took advantage of the Orange’s struggles on the boards. The final tally: SMU outscored Syracuse 27-6 in second-chance points.

But, Syracuse did fight back in both halves. During the first, Syracuse trimmed a double-digit deficit down to as low as two, before heading into halftime only trailing 37-33. After SMU went back up as much as 61-49 with 12 to go, the Orange again rallied.

Considering all the outside noise, proper credit should be given for at least not letting this contest get blown totally out of proportion. SMU led for over 90% of game time, but a combination of timely baskets, better defensive execution and more positive results on the glass gave Syracuse a chance to pull this one off.

Kingz has been a king for ‘Cuse

He’s not just the “hero” for making what was the game-leading score, but he’s quietly been Syracuse’s second- or third-best scorer while also providing effort consistently on defense.

Kingz has reached double-figures in Syracuse’s last three games and seven of its last nine. Considering his slow start to conference play (he never reached more than seven points against the Orange’s first four ACC opponents), Kingz is continuing to give the team much-needed two-way play.

And now, he’ll have a memorable shot to look back on forever.

The Kentucky Wildcats made it to the Round of 32 in Kenny Brooks’ first year at the helm.

Brooks brought over superstar—and eventual No. 6 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft—Georgia Amoore from Virginia Tech, where he, Amoore and Elizabeth Kitley had made the 2023 Final Four. Amoore dazzled in her one year in Lexington with 19.6 points (including 78 3s) and 6.9 assists per game, leading the ‘Cats to a No. 4 seed. It was a thrilling trip to the Big Dance for Kentucky, as they defeated Liberty by just a point in the first round before falling to Kansas State by just a point in overtime in the second round.

Brooks turned the Hokies into a perennial NCAA Tournament team, making four-straight Dances from 2021 to 2024. (In my estimation, it would have been five-straight, with the team going 21-9 overall and 11-7 in the ACC in 2020 when the tourney was canceled.) Before VT, Brooks led James Madison to six Dances in 13 years, including the second round in 2014.

He was a high-profile hire, replacing Kyra Elzy, a former Tennessee Lady Vol coached by Pat Summitt, who took the Wildcats to two tournaments with Rhyne Howard, but went 24-38 (6-26 SEC) without Howard. Before Elzy, Matthew Mitchell steered the most successful stretch in the program’s history with nine (should have been 10 with 2020) tournament appearances in 13 years, including five Sweet 16s and three Elite Eights. 

Brooks’ Final Four season with the Hokies was particularly impressive, as they got the better of bouts with ACC heavyweights en route to a second-place tie in the conference’s regular season and a victory in the tournament championship game. Virginia Tech earned a No. 1 seed in the Dance when their previous-best was a No. 4. They had never been past the Round of 32.

Because of all this, and because Amoore came with him, Brooks brought a lot of excitement to Lexington ahead of Year 1. Though the team didn’t begin the season very highly-ranked (No. 22), it was a bit disappointing that they missed the Sweet 16, especially with it happening at home on a missed Amoore floater at the buzzer. 

This year, the Wildcats (19-7, 6-6 SEC) were tied at No. 24 when the season began. They have since risen as high as No. 6, but inconsistency, impacted by a notable injury to senior forward Teonni Key, has led them to their current No. 18 status.

The high point of the season was a buzzer-beating win at national championship contender LSU (now No. 6) that had people believing Kentucky could be contenders themselves. Senior point guard Tonie Morgan went for 24 points and 12 assists, and nailed the game-winning, contested 3-pointer. On the season, Morgan, a Georgia Tech transfer, is second on the team with 14.5 points per game and second in the nation with 8.4 helpers. She has 219 total assists and counting, eclipsing the Kentucky single-season record (previously 213 by Amoore) in the Wildcats’ Thursday win over Texas A&M.

Junior center Clara Strack has been the other top player for Brooks’ squad; she, like Amoore, came over from Virginia Tech last year, averaging 15.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks. This season, she’s been even better with 16.1 points, 10.6 boards and 2.7 swats. Part of why Kentucky suffered their first loss of the season on Nov. 26 in the Puerto Rico Classic was because the opposing Maryland Terrapins kept Strack in check with stellar defense.

The early-season loss to the Terps didn’t sting too much, considering there was a long season ahead; plus, the Wildcats had recently satisfied their need for a ranked nonconference win by defeating then-No. 21 and now-No. 9 Louisville. The team’s first deflating loss came two games after the uplifting victory over Kim Mulkey’s Tigers: they fell 64-51 at then-unranked Alabama. However, The Crimson Tide are now ranked No. 23. The Wildcats still haven’t lost to a team currently outside the ESPN-projected NCAA Tournament field, which is why I say “deflating,” not “concerning.” 

Another reason it wasn’t too concerning was that Kentucky didn’t have Key available for that game. Nor did they have her available for their eventual losses to currently-unranked and not-receiving-votes Mississippi State, No. 22 Tennessee and receiving-votes Georgia, losses that came consecutively from Jan. 18 to Jan. 24. The Wildcats have only lost three games with Key in the lineup, and those were to the current No. 4 and No. 5 teams in the nation (Texas and Vanderbilt) and a Maryland team (now No. 20) that could very well still be No. 7 if not for the absence of Kaylene Smikle, who was available in Puerto Rico.

Key, a former UNC Tar Heel and the sister of Tennessee all-time career blocks and blocks per game leader Tamari Key, is third on the current Wildcats with 11.7 points, second with 7.1 rebounds and first with a field goal percentage of 52.9. She suffered a dislocated elbow on Jan. 4 and was out until Feb. 1.

In her second game back, she led Kentucky with 27 points on 11-for-15 shooting, adding 12 boards, as the Wildcats fell victim by just a point to national-leading-scorer Mikayla Blakes’ 37-point effort for the Commodores. In the team’s next game, this past Monday, they coughed up an uncharacteristic and season-high 23 turnovers and shot just 39.1 percent from the field against the Longhorns’ top-notch defense, forcing them into an 11-point defeat despite giving up just 64 points and holding 2025 First Team All-American Madison Booker to just eight points on 1-for-6.

We should give Kentucky a certain degree of grace for the losses they suffered without Key. And the way they battled against Vandy and Texas is promising. In order to rise back to an elite level though, they need to prove themselves when they host No. 14 Ole Miss on Sunday (2 p.m. ET, SEC Network). Defeating the Commodores and Longhorns are tall tasks, but Sunday’s game is winnable if Kentucky is who we think they are with Key.

More tall tasks await. The Wildcats will only be favored in one of their remaining regular-season games: against Auburn on Feb. 26. In addition to the Rebels, they face a rematch with Vandy (this time in Nashville) and a showdown with No. 3 South Carolina. An 8-8 conference record might be the best they can do before hopefully finding a way to the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight. Vandy and SC are simply Final Four-caliber teams.

Then again, maybe Kentucky thinks of themselves as Final Four-caliber. They’ll have the opportunity to prove it down the stretch.

On Thursday, they bounced back from the Vandy and Texas losses with a 27-5 first quarter vs. the Aggies en route to a 20-point win. A&M (9-11, 2-9 SEC) was coming off an upset win over Alabama, so the Wildcats knew not to sleep on them. However, it is a bit concerning that after that stellar opening frame, Kentucky lost the remainder of the game by two.

They will need a 40-minute effort to beat the Rebels, as they will be testing their No. 17 field goal percentage defense against the No. 47 team in efficiency from the floor, as well as their No. 24 rebound margin against No. 12 and their No. 39 scoring offense against the No. 30 scoring defense.

FIRST HALF ANALYSIS:

If you like offensive explosions, the first half was not for you. If you like Big Ten defensive slugfests, well this was your cup of tea. Northwestern started the game with 3 turnovers before attempting a field goal, but Nebraska was a meager 2-7 from the floor in the first 4 minutes. The turnover bug then decided to infect Nebraska, as they committed 7 turnovers in a 6 minute timespan.

Northwestern went on an 18-4 run in that timeframe, opening up an 8 point lead. The Huskers immediately countered with an 8-0 run, keyed by offensive rebounds and more Wildcat turnovers. For two teams who take care of the basketball, both are already above their season average in the first half. Jamarques Lawrence picked up his second foul late in the half, hopefully not causing issues with foul trouble.

FIRST HALF STATS:

Northwestern shot 12-27 for 44% from the floor. They went 2-8 for 25% from deep and 1-1 from the free-throw line. The Wildcats collected 12 rebounds, 3 of which were offensive. Northwestern had 8 turnovers to 7 assists. They had 14 points in the paint and 12 points off turnovers.

The Wildcats were led by Angelo Ciaravino, Jordan Clayton and Tre Singleton, who had 5 points each. Leading scorer Nick Martinelli only had 2. Ciaravino and Clayton had 3 rebounds each.

Nebraska shot 10-29 for 35% from the floor. They went 5-15 for 33% from deep and 3-5 for 60% from the free-throw line. The Huskers collected 23 rebounds, 11 of which were offensive. Nebraska had 10 turnovers to 6 assists. They had 10 points in the paint.

The Huskers were led by Pryce Sandfort, who had 11 points. Rienk Mast had 6 rebounds and 4 assists to lead the way in both categories. Sam Hoiberg had 8 points.

SECOND HALF ANALYSIS:

Nebraska continued to turn the ball over to start the second half, which kept the Wildcats right in this game. Pryce Sandfort kept Nebraska in this for a while, keeping Nebraska’s slim lead. Once the Huskers stopped turning the ball over and got some shot up, the door eventually blew open. Halfway through, Nebraska would go on a big run, giving themselves a double-digit lead, as Pryce Sandfort and Cale Jacobsen would lead the charge.

Jacobsen would hit back-to-back 3’s to give the Huskers a comfortable lead, and Northwestern went on a field goal drought of over 5 minutes. Sandfort and Jacobsen both finished one bucket shy of hitting career highs, but the Huskers shot almost 60% from the floor in the second half, including 6-10 from deep to give Nebraska a comfortable win.

FINAL STATS AND THOUGHTS:

Northwestern shot 20-50 for 40% from the floor. They went 3-15 for 20% from deep and 6-11 for 55% from the free-throw line. The Wildcats collected 24 rebounds, 6 of which were offensive. Northwestern had 16 turnovers and 13 assists. They had 26 points in the paint and 27 points off turnovers.

The Wildcats were led by Nick Martinelli, who had 11 points. 9 of those points were in the second half. No other Wildcat was in double figures. Angelo Ciaravino led the way with 4 rebounds. Jake West had 4 assists for Northwestern.

Nebraska shot 24-53 for 45% from the floor. They went 11-25 for 44% from deep and 9-12 for 75% from the free-throw line. The Huskers collected 40 rebounds, 13 of which were offensive. Nebraska had 18 turnovers to 16 assists. They had 26 points in the paint and 18 bench points.

The Huskers were led by Pryce Sandfort, who had 29 points. Rienk Mast led the way with 9 rebounds. Mast and Berke Buyuktuncel each had 4 assists. Sam Hoiberg, the all-around guy, had 14 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals.

Nebraska got off to another really horrendous first half, which has been a recurring problem as of late. This time, it wasn’t bad shooting, it was a multitude of turnovers. Nebraska only averages 9 turnovers a game, but they were already past that in the opening 20 minutes. Once the Huskers got settled down finally, they showed why they were the number 7 team in the country. Good shooting, tough defense and diving all over the floor made sure this game ended rather comfortably.

Nebraska has a much harder schedule on the road than at home from here on out, so getting off to slow starts will mean bad things coming up. It’s one thing to do it at home, but an entirely different beast when you are on the road. Nebraska plays Iowa on Tuesday night. Tip-off from Carver-Hawkeye Arena is scheduled for 8:00 pm and can be seen on Big Ten Network.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Milan Momcilovic scored 18 points and No. 5 Iowa State shook off a slow start to defeat No. 9 Kansas 74-56 on Saturday, snapping the Jayhawks’ eight-game winning streak.

The Cyclones (22-3, 9-3 Big 12), coming off Tuesday’s 62-55 loss at TCU, began a five-game stretch in which they play four ranked teams by taking control of this game in the first half despite struggling to make shots in the opening minutes.

Iowa State led 37-27 at halftime, then went on a 20-7 run in the opening 5 1/2 minutes of the second half, a stretch in which the Cyclones made six consecutive 3-pointers.

Their defense held Kansas (19-6, 9-3) to 31.6% shooting from the field in the second half, including 1 of 8 in 3-pointers. The Jayhawks shot 37.3% for the game while committing 13 turnovers, 10 in the first half.

Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson, Blake Buchanan and Jamarion Bateman each had 11 points for Iowa State.

Melvin Council Jr. led the Jayhawks with 15 points. Flory Bidunga had 11.

Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson started after missing Monday’s 82-78 win over top-ranked Arizona. He had 10 points in 24 minutes.

Kansas’ winning streak started with an 84-63 victory over Iowa State on Jan. 13 and included wins over BYU, Texas Tech and Arizona.

The Cyclones made just one of their first 10 shots to open the game but because of their defense were down only 6-2 in that stretch. Once the offense got going, Iowa State went on a 20-2 run over a span of five minutes later in the first half to take a 36-22 lead with 1:37 to play.

Saturday’s game was the seventh top-10 game in the series between the Cyclones and Jayhawks, with the teams splitting the previous six.

Up next

Kansas: Visits Oklahoma State on Wednesday.

Iowa State: Hosts No. 3 Houston on Monday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

The annual NBA Slam Dunk Contest brings together some of the most athletic players in the league for a slam dunk extravaganza.

Who won last year's edition of the Slam Dunk Contest?

Look no further than guard Mac McClung, who has won the contest for the last three years. McClung plays for the Chicago Bulls now, but he won last year's Slam Dunk Contest as a member of the Orlando Magic.

Who will win this year's Slam Dunk Contest? Well, it won't be McClung, who is not participating. We should get a great competition with the guys who are competing, however.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Who won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest last year?

Cristiano Ronaldo remains one of the most recognisable former Manchester United players in world football, despite spending the latter stages of his career away from the Premier League.

The Portugal captain is currently plying his trade with Al-Nassr, but his profile continues to extend far beyond what happens on the pitch.

Ronaldo has also built a sizeable commercial portfolio under the CR7 banner, spanning multiple ventures alongside his playing commitments.

A fresh update suggests the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is now taking steps linked to what life could look like once he stops playing.

According to the Manchester Evening News, this planning includes groundwork for bringing his CR7-branded hospitality concept to the United Kingdom after his career ends.

Trademark move hints at next chapter

The report says Ronaldo’s hospitality project is connected to his existing partnership with Portuguese group Pestana.

It claims a key element of the latest developments is pursuit of trademark protection in the UK, which would support any future rollout in this country.

MEN adds that the intended expansion would come after he retires, rather than during the closing phase of his current playing schedule.

The same piece references Ronaldo’s stance on timing, suggesting he does not view retirement as imminent and that soon could mean within one or two years.

While the story notes recent tension around Al-Nassr, it frames the wider picture as a long-term plan being put in place behind the scenes.

Why England still matters for Ronaldo

Ronaldo’s enduring connection to English football is obvious, given his two spells at Old Trafford and the impact he made in a United shirt.

Even from Saudi Arabia, he remains a constant talking point back in England, with MEN presenting the trademark step as another sign his brand is being actively managed.

For now, his immediate focus is still on Al-Nassr, but the report indicates that preparations for a post-playing chapter are already moving forward and that he is unsettled due to “a lack of transfer activity at the club, as well as the reduced influence of his allies, chief executive Jose Semedo and director of football Simão Coutinho.”

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The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

Newcastle United faced off against Aston Villa at Villa Park earlier this evening as they hoped to secure a good result on the road in the FA Cup. The Magpies made a slow start to the game and conceded the opener in the 14th minute when Tammy Abraham got his name on the scoresheet. Marco Bizot was given a red card in the final moments of the first half as the Tyneside club went into the half-time break 1-0 down on the scoreline.

Sandro Tonali equalised for Newcastle in the 63rd minute before going on to score again in the 76th minute. Nick Woltemade put the contest to bed in the 88th minute as the Magpies earned an impressive 3-1 away from home.

Let’s take a look at how each Newcastle United player fared during the clash against the Villans.

He made a few solid saves at the back and did enough to limit the opposition to just one goal.

RB: Kieran Trippier – 7/10

Trippier was a positive influence at both ends of the field.

CB: Malick Thiaw – 7/10

He dealt with the danger when he could and was good on the ball.

CB: Dan Burn – 7/10

Burn was a rock at the back and did well to secure an assist.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 14: Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with teammate Anthony Elanga during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Aston Villa and Newcastle United at Villa Park on February 14, 2026 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

LB: Lewis Hall – 7/10

He caught the eye at times on both halves.

CM: William Osula – 6/10

Osula made a key chance in the final third and was replaced after the hour mark.

CM: Sandro Tonali – 8.5/10

He scored a brace in the second half to help Newcastle get the win.

CM: Jacob Ramsey – 6/10

Ramsey struggled to get a foothold in the game and was replaced in the 79th minute.

RW: Jacob Murphy – 6/10

He failed to impress during his time on the field.

ST: Nick Woltemade – 8/10

Woltemade made a few strong runs with the ball and managed to get his name on the scoresheet late in the game.

LW: Harvey Barnes – 6.5/10

He caught the eye at times in the final third, but there was no goal for him.

Substitutes:

RW: Anthony Elanga – 6.5/10

He made one good chance in the opponent’s half.

LW: Anthony Gordon – 6.5/10

Gordon added some pace to Howe’s attack.

Every offseason in the DeMeco Ryans era, the Houston Texans have made a trade to better the roster. In 2023, that move was for offensive lineman Shaq Mason.

A year later, Houston netted the duo of Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon and All-Pro wideout Stefon Diggs.

Last season, the Minnesota Vikings shipped off offensive lineman Ed Ingram, while the Jacksonville Jaguars gave up wideout Christian Kirk for a late Day 3 selection.

So, where do the Texans turn this offseason for another expiring-contract name? General manager Nick Caserio might be able to look at these three options should they become available on the market.

Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine created a list of potential trade targets for all 32 NFL teams. When asked for the Texans' options, the usual positions but the names were a new bunch that often haven't come up in discussions.

Offensive tackle, interior offensive line and defensive tackle have been priority moves for the Texans to target. Ballentine listed New Orleans Saints guard Ceser Ruiz, Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins and Minnesota Vikings Javon Hargrave as the top names to watch.

Dawkins feels the least likely to happen, especially given the value of a franchise tackle on a current deal. Dawkins also could be asked to move over to right tackle with the development of rookie Aireontae Ersery, thus making the deal more so a pipeline deam.

"Dawkins is still playing at an elite level, but the Bills could save a ton of money by trading him. The new team would have a $16.8 million cap hit," Ballentine wrote. "He would immediately upgrade C.J. Stroud's protection and improve the run game."

Ruiz, a former first-round pick out of Michigan, has been one of the league's more rocky interior linemen, mostly due to injuries and a changing coaching staff. He has two years left on his four-year extension and the $9 million salary might be rich, but given Engram's likihood of testing free agency, it would be a cheap optin for a stable run blocker.

"Cesar Ruiz makes sense for a lot of the same reasons on a smaller scale," Ballentine wrote. "He's not nearly as valuable as a franchise left tackle, but his experience at guard could help bolster a Texans offensive line that has to be better in 2026."

The Texans must decide what to do with several defensive linemen, including Sheldon Rankins and Tim Settle Jr. Both are free agents coming off one-year deals, but the former played in nearly every game while Settle missed over the last two months with a season-ending foot injury. Houston could bring back one of the duo while letting perhaps going after Hargrave, another low-center gravity lineman with bull-rushing upside in the pass defense.

"DeMeco Ryans system needs the front four to get to the quarterback," Ballentine wrote. "Finding interior defensive linemen who can help with that should be an objective this offseason. Javon Hargrave might be in the twilight of his career, but he's played in similar systems."

The Texans are expected to make several moves that should strengthen their cap space situation entering the offseason. Right now, Houston owns nine picks in the upcoming NFL draft.

This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans: Bleacher Report names 3 players as trade offseason options

Albert Riera was naturally pleased after celebrating his first win as Eintracht Frankfurt coach on Saturday, guiding his team to a 3-0 Bundesliga victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach.

“Of course, after scoring three goals, I have a lot of positive and nice things to say,” Riera told DAZN after the match.

“But I also look at it from another perspective, because my main focus is not the result or the 3-0 scoreline, but the progress made during the 90 minutes. We did many things well, but there are also many things we need to improve.”

The early injury to striker Arnaud Kalimuendo forced Eintracht to adjust their game plan.

“We’ve been unlucky with injuries. It’s not the same to play almost the entire game without Kali, with a false nine. Without the ball, he is also the first defender,” Riera explained.

As a result, Eintracht had to give Gladbach more space.

“And I don’t usually like giving the opponent space. I want to control the game more,” the Spaniard said.

He explained that in the coming weeks, the focus will be on developing positional play and creating the automatic movements he wants from his team.

“My dream is that this team can win a game with their eyes closed."

It became quite apparent that after James Franklin departed Happy Valley that the next head coach would have to build the Penn State Nittany Lions back up through whatever way possible. That is why Matt Campbell, upon his being hired, immediately went to the transfer portal to rebuild the roster. All in all, by raiding his former school, Campbell brought in one of the nation's best portal classes. While it is filled with star studded talent, one of the unsung heroes of the class could be someone who was unheralded beforehand.

According to an article from AtoZSports' Ryan Roberts, Penn State's most critical addition through the portal was not an offensive star like Rocco Becht or James Peoples. Not even a stellar linebacker like Caleb Bacon or Kooper Ebel. That honor goes to former Iowa State DB Jeremiah Cooper. Whole Cooper started out his career as three star recruit, ranked 257th overall in his portal class, he rose his level as Iowa State recruits generally do to become one of the most versatile defensive backs in the college game today.

Before even becoming such a versatile whom Campbell came to covet, he was one of the worst prospects at the corner position in his recruiting. He was ranked 857th nationally and 68th amongst safeties. While he had some decent offers, such as Texas Tech, Colorado, and SMU, deciding to go to Iowa State could have been the best decision he ever made.

Matt Campbell is know for getting the most out of his players and Cooper turned out to be no different. Despite the fact that Campbell had him playing everywhere from nickel to slot corner went to show he wasn't afraid to utilize Cooper in many different ways outside of his comfort zone. It paid off big time.

Over four seasons in Ames, Cooper compiled some incredible stats. He had 134 total tackles, eight interceptions, 22 pass breakups, and 4.5 tackles for loss, proving his mettle. Now with the Nittany Lions and reunited with coach Campbell, Cooper could look to continue his under-the-radar style of play.

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Underrated portal addition could be Penn State's hidden gem

Cory Sandhagen is aiming for a fight against former champion Sean O'Malley, but also wonders why his name isn't mentioned with Petr Yan.

Sandhagen (18-6 MMA, 11-5 UFC) is currently ranked No. 5 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie bantamweight rankings. The names ahead of him, from No. 4 to No. 1, include Umar Nurmagomedov, O'Malley, Merab Dvalishvili, and the current UFC champion, Yan. O'Malley is the only one in the top 5 that Sandhagen has not faced yet, which seems like easy matchmaking for the promotion.

"O'Malley is definitely the guy that there is to fight," Sandhagen said on an ONX Sports podcast. "Everyone's talking about that fight. There's really, I mean, there's no reason not to do it. I'm coming off of a really close fight with Merab, where it was a super competitive fight. Still lost, but it was a very competitive fight. He's coming off of getting finished by Merab – got finished once, but lost to him twice. That's the fight that everyone's calling for."

At UFC 320, Sandhagen lost a unanimous decision to then-champion Dvalishvili, who went on to lose the title in a rematch against Yan. Sandhagen faced Yan at UFC 267, losing a unanimous decision in the Fight of the Night. Since there is uncertainty about who Yan's next opponent could end up being, Sandhagen can't help but wonder why his name isn't being brought up, considering their first fight was an entertaining bout.

"I try not to be a hater and a jealous person or whatever, but I'm like, 'Yo, why are we not talking about me and Yan fighting again when me and Yan had a killer fight?'" Sandhagen said. "It was a Performance of the Night, it was five rounds. We had a killer fight. Sean got finished by Merab, and then after that, barely beat Song (Yadong), and I finished Song, you know what I mean? I broke his orbital and cut his eye. I put Song in surgery the next time, you know what I mean? It's like, give me a little bit of freaking credit, goddamnit – but I can't let that stuff enter into my head or else I'll just be a jaded, jealous mean person all the time."

The most likely outcome is that Sandhagen does end up fighting O'Malley next. If that comes to fruition, Sandhagen would love for it to take place on the White House card this summer, given the attention the event will generate.

"Hell yeah, and I think Sean would bite at that too," Sandhagen said. "Because who wouldn't want to fight? That fight is gonna get so many views. Like the last one at Paramount+ got like 7 million viewers or whatever. Imagine what the White House card is gonna get. People are gonna tune in from other sports just because it's a once-in-a-lifetime event. I bet you it'll be around 14, 15 million people watching."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Cory Sandhagen: Why are we not talking about Petr Yan rematch?

Y’all, this one isn’t going to be pretty.

Houston enters today’s game as the consensus #3 team in the nation and currently sits at 22-2 overall and 10-1 in Big 12 play. And yet, they are currently only 22.5-point favorites over the visiting TangCats, a team sitting at 10-14 overall, 1-10 in Big 12 play, and mired in a 5-game losing streak that might as well be 50. The Cougars are legit, the TangCats are awful. This should be a blowout.

Use this space to commiserate, offer lotto tips to help someone win enough money to pay for Tang’s buyout, and just try to find something positive in whatever we can at this point.

If you want to watch Houston beat this dead horse, we’ve got an expected 3:02pm CT tipoff from the Fertitta Center in Houston, and you can catch the action on NBC Sports Network/Peacock with James Westling (play-by-play) and Jordan Cornette (analyst) on the call.

If you don’t have NBC Sports Network, or can’t access the stream, the game can be heard across portions of the 28-station K-State Sports Network with Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play) and Stan Weber (analyst) calling the action. The game will also be available online at K-Statesports.com and via the Varsity Network app, as well as on satellite radio at Sirius/XM Ch. 380. Live stats are also available at k-statesports.com, and social media updates (@KStateMBB) will also be a part of the coverage.

Go Cats!

Since its creation in 2022, several different figures have taken on a prominent role in The Judgment Day, though the stable has not had an official leader since Edge was removed from the faction. Although a few different wrestlers have stepped forward to take charge in the group, Liv Morgan recently reiterated to TMZ that she isn't taking orders from anybody.

"There actually is no leader of The Judgment Day," Morgan said when asked if Dominik Mysterio led the group. "We are all equals, but 'Daddy' Dom is our double champion."

Though she's remained attached to Mysterio since her return from injury, as of late, Morgan has butted heads with another member of The Judgment Day: Finn Balor. The two seem to be on decent terms for now, but that could change if Balor loses his rematch against CM Punk at WWE Elimination Chamber.

As for potential new members of the faction, Morgan left the door open for possibilities while also making it clear that they aren't accepting auditions. Instead, Morgan described it as more of a "recruitment process," meaning The Judgment Day will contact you first.

"Finn recruited JD [McDonagh], I recruited Raquel [Rodriguez], Finn also recruited Roxanne [Perez]," Morgan stated. "So it's kind of just like – you see something special in someone, and we have a little pow wow to see if we bring them in or not, and then we decide."

Perez is the latest addition to The Judgment Day, having joined last summer around the time Morgan was injured. Despite Perez growing suspiciously close to Mysterio during Morgan's absence, Perez and Morgan formed a tag team upon her return and even won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship together. Morgan also won the 2026 WWE Women's Royal Rumble, earning a singles title match at WrestleMania.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit TMZ and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Read more: WWE Raw Stars: Meet Their Wives & Girlfriends

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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.

Tensions flared at the Orange Vélodrome on Saturday evening as Olympique de Marseille were held to a 2-2 draw by Strasbourg, prompting angry scenes involving supporters both during and after the match.

Get French Football News understands that around 20–30 supporters attempted to force entry into the presidential hospitality areas via the Jean-Bouin forecourt following the final whistle. Objects were reportedly thrown and security doors were locked as stewards and police moved quickly to prevent any breach. Access points were subsequently sealed off and CRS officers deployed, with calm eventually restored later in the evening.The unrest followed another damaging result for OM, who surrendered a 2-0 lead at home. Amine Gouiri had appeared to put the hosts in control with a superbly taken strike to make it 2-0, but Strasbourg mounted a comeback, scoring a late penalty to secure a draw.

The match had already begun in a febrile atmosphere. Sections of the home support staged a 15-minute strike at kick-off and unveiled a series of banners directed at both the players and the club’s hierarchy. Boos rang around the stadium at various points, and a smoke bomb was thrown onto the pitch.

Frustration has intensified in recent days following the departure of head coach Roberto De Zerbi, with Jacques Abardonado taking charge on an interim basis. The dropped points – two more in a season marked by chronic inconsistency – further deepened the sense of drift around the club.GFFN | George Boxall– Reporting from Stade Vélodrome, Marseille

In its tightest game of the season from start to finish, UConn women’s basketball used a big fourth quarter to pull past the Marquette Golden Eagles 71-56 on Saturday at the Al McGuire Center.

The Huskies trailed for the first five minutes and found themselves tied at 20-20 midway through the second quarter. UConn used a 16-2 run to take a 12-point lead into the half, but Marquette cut the deficit back to single-digits with less than three minutes remaining in the third quarter. Finally, the Huskies opened the final period with an 8-0 run that pushed the gap past 20 and put the game away.

Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong each dominated a half. Fudd put up 17 of UConn’s 36 points in the first half behind a 5-8 start from three while Strong shook off a 1-9 start from the field to drop 19 points in the second half.

Fudd finished with a game-high 25 points while Strong totaled 22 points. Beyond the pair, KK Arnold set a career-high with nine assists to go with 10 points and six rebounds in her home state of Wisconsin. UConn’s six other players managed a combined 14 points.

The Huskies saw two different streaks snapped. They recorded just 17 assists, the first time they failed to surpass the 20-assist mark since the season opener versus Louisville — 25 games ago. UConn had also won their previous 21 games by at least 25 points.

As a team, the Huskies’ 71 points are their lowest output of the season while the 15-point margin of victory is their narrowest in Big East play.

UConn got off to another slow start, failing to score in the first 4:21 of the contest while falling into a 5-0 hole. Fudd finally got the Huskies on the board with a 3-pointer, which sparked an 8-0 run. At the end of the first quarter, UConn held a narrow three-point lead.

The Huskies built the advantage up to eight, only for Marquette to pull even with 5:12 left in the half. UConn answered with a 16-2 run and went into the locker room up 36-24.

After the break, the two teams battled back and forth. The Huskies jumped ahead by as many as 15 before the hosts ripped off seven straight points to narrow the gap to eight. Strong was unstoppable, scoring 15 of UConn’s 21 points in the quarter.

Entering the final frame, the Huskies delivered the kill shot. They scored the first eight points, extending their lead past 20 for the first time. The defense sparked the run, forcing a turnover on three straight possessions at one point. While Marquette scored 12 of the final 16 points, it didn’t matter as UConn came out with a hard-fought 16-point victory.

With the win, the Huskies improve to 27-0 overall and 16-0 in Big East play. Next, they’ll travel to face second-place Villanova on Wednesday, where they can clinch a share of the Big East regular season crown.

St. John's vs. Providence turned chippy early in the second half of their men's basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 14,.

The two teams got into a scuffle after St. John's forward Bryce Hopkins — a former Providence standout — received a pass during a fast-break opportunity with 14:26 remaining in the second half. When he went to the rim, he was met with a hard foul by Providence's Duncan Powell, who rammed into Hopkins while attempting the transition block.

Hopkins quickly hopped off the floor and got in Powell's face before multiple players started a scuffle, delaying play.

REQUIRED READING: NCAA tournament bracketology: Latest projection a month away from Selection Sunday

Six players were ejected, including Powell, who was called for a Flagrant 2 foul and later threw a punch at Dillon Mitchell. Two Providence players — Powell and Jaylin Sellers — and four St. John's players — Mitchell, Kelvin Odih, Ruben Prey and Lefteris Liotopoulos — were removed from the game.

The game marked Hopkins' first game against the Friars since transferring away from the program after last season. Hopkins is averaging 13.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game this season and was the subject of multiple chants from Providence's student section.

WE'VE GOT A BRAWL IN PROVIDENCEpic.twitter.com/U8C8MjznMM

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 14, 2026

Powell is in his first season with Providence after transferring from Georgia Tech. He started his career at North Carolina A&T and also spent a season at Sacramento State.

St. John's (19-5, 12-1 Big East) hasn't lost in over a month, last losing a game to Providence on Jan. 3. The Red Storm have won 10 straight games and are looking for their 11th in a row — and revenge against the Friars.

Providence (11-14, 4-10) is essentially eliminated from NCAA Tournament contention, barring an unlikely bid-stealing run with a Big East Conference Championship. Losing Sellers certainly won't help the cause, though, as he's averaging a team-high 17.4 points per game this season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: St. John's, Providence basketball get into scuffle after hard foul

Free agency in the National Football League is rapidly approaching, and there are all sorts of rumors flying around concerning the Minnesota Vikings, specifically about their quarterback situation.

On the positive side, it sounds like there’s no shortage of potential signal-callers who want to come to Minnesota, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

My sense right now, from asking around, is that all the top quarterbacks that will be or could be available — Kyler Murray, Geno Smith comes to mind — [Minnesota] is the place they want to go…because of what you have with Justin Jefferson, Kevin O’Connell, a lot of pieces in place.

Well, there are some interesting names floating around, so let’s examine a couple of them, shall we?

Kyler Murray was specifically mentioned by Fowler in the above video. The former #1 overall pick has a $19.5 million bonus that comes due on 16 March, which is the fifth day of the new league year. The Cardinals will make a decision on him before then, and while they’re reportedly looking for a trade partner for him, it seems as though the odds of anyone wanting to take him on under his current contract are slim. If he does get released, he would immediately become a very attractive potential option for the Vikings.

Fowler also mentioned Geno Smith. Yeah. He certainly did.

Moving on.

It certainly sounds like the Miami Dolphins are going to be moving on from Tua Tagovailoa this offseason, as a combination of injuries and general ineffectiveness saw him get benched for the final three games of the Dolphins season in 2025. Usually, a former top 5 overall pick might be an attractive option for the Vikings, but given Tua’s history of concussion issues and the fact that, at times, he’s just looked a whole lot worse than a guy who’s been in the league as long as he has been should look, that should be a hard pass for the Vikings.

A name that’s surfaced recently has been former Raiders and Saints quarterback Derek Carr. Carr retired before the start of last season, and the Saints still control his rights if he decides he wants to put the pads back on. Still, now that the Saints have a quarterback they seem to believe in with Tyler Shough, they’d likely be willing to let Carr go for a fairly reasonable price. Is it something the Vikings should entertain?

We’ve already briefly touched on the idea of a Kirk Cousins reunion, and there’s also the possibility that we’ll get Aaron Rodgers rumors. . .legitimate or not. . .for however long it takes Rodgers to make a decision about coming back.

So, I’m going to open it up to the floor here. Who do you think is the best potential (realistic) option for the Vikings to bring in at quarterback this offseason?

Austrian Janine Flock finally wrapped up Olympic women's skeleton gold aged 36 on Saturday, eight years after throwing away victory and four years after struggling badly.

"I can’t believe it, it doesn’t feel real right now. It’s a dream to do this," she told reporters.

Rivals may have thought she was past her prime, but Flock has dominated on the Cortina ice track from the first of four runs where she set a track record.

She won by 0.30 seconds from Germany's Susanne Kreher having had a 0.21 second advantage heading into the final run. Another German Jacqueline Pfeifer took bronze ahead of 2022 champion and compatriot Hannah Neise.

German association president Thomas Schwab was happy with his team's showing and was particularly delighted for Kreher, 27, in her first Games.

"I think she still needs to process it all. Of course, I'm absolutely thrilled for her. The team performed brilliantly. But Janine Flock is a deserving winner, she was the best four times over."

Flock led after three runs in 2018 but was overhauled by Britain's
Lizzy Yarnold in the finale and she finished fourth.

At Beijing 2022, the four-times European champion could only place 10th, but four years later she is Olympic gold medallist - despite never winning a world championship title in her long career.

The potential was also there though as a three-times World Cup overall champion.

"I couldn’t tell what my time was," Flock said of her reaction immediately after crossing the line on Saturday.

"I just knew I put down four really consistent runs and hoped that it was enough."

Dutch slider Kimberley Bos, the world champion and Beijing bronze medallist, could only finish 13th.

In Friday's men's skeleton, Matt Weston secured Britain’s first medal at the 2026 Games as he scooped gold.

Skeleton is like luge but athletes face forwards lying on their front. The mixed team event on Sunday concludes the Olympic programme.

49ers urged to address pass-catcher question to help Brock Purdy originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The San Francisco 49ers have to compete with the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, the NFC runner-up, and the 2026 Super Bowl favorites, the Los Angeles Rams, in the NFC West.

It's a brutal division, and to compete with those top teams, the 49ers have a lot of work to do. While the defensive line could use some help, there isn't a more pressing question for the 49ers to answer than with the offense this offseason.

Specifically, as Bradley Locker of PFF.com points out, the 49ers pass-catcher question is a major one that needs resolving. Brock Purdy needs more help, and that's the biggest question the 49ers must answer this offseason.

49ers urged to resolve pass catcher question this offseason

"For as much as Kyle Shanahan relied on Christian McCaffrey as a receiver in 2025," Lcoker writes, "he'll assuredly seek new weapons for Brock Purdy in both free agency and the draft."

The 49ers cannot go through this offseason without making major moves with the team's pass catchers. There are a few returning players, but they aren't enough.

Ricky Pearsall has been dealing with injuries his entire career, and while he's a solid option, the 49ers need more help than just Pearsall in the WR room.

George Kittle is a great tight end, but he's coming off an Achilles injury and might not be ready to begin the season. Other than Kittle and Pearsall, no other noteworthy pass catcher is returning.

More: Broncos, Bucs, 49ers listed as top landing spots for $66 million former Pro Bowl tight end

Jauan Jennings is a free agent, and Brandon Aiyuk is all but off the roster at this point. The 49ers desperately need at least one new wide receiver, whether it's Jennings re-signing or a free agent.

Tight end is a bit trickier, but better depth couldn't hurt even if Kittle does return. Jake Tonges is fine, but someone like David Njoku to back up Kittle, and give Shanahan the ability to run multiple TE sets with two good options, is appealing.

While the top wide receiver, George Pickens, isn't likely to be available, the 49ers could still use an early draft pick on one, or sign a different free agent to a contract this offseason.

Regardless of how the 49ers address the pass-catching room this offseason, there is no doubt that John Lynch and the 49ers front office need to invest heavily in it this offseason.

More 49ers news:

• 49ers' list of 2026 NFL draft picks, free agents and cap space going into offseason
• San Francisco 49ers get massive trade update on Raiders DE Maxx Crosby
• 49ers adding another WR is a 'must' with Brandon Aiyuk all but cut this offseason
• 49ers predicted to draft Trent Williams replacement in Round 1 of ESPN mock draft
• The San Francisco 49ers have made a hire for defensive coordinator
• 49ers predicted to add 77-sack former $135 million Pro Bowl pass rusher to pair with Nick Bosa
• Former Seahawks and 49ers legend believes Niners should trade for top-tier receiver

Real Madrid have been the form team in La Liga in 2026, and they are already on their way to another victory after taking the lead against Real Sociedad in their clash at the Bernabeu.

The big team news for the match has been Kylian Mbappe’s omission from the starting line-up, with Gonzalo Garcia and Vinicius Junior starting in attack instead. The former has justified his inclusion already as he has netted the opening goal inside five minutes, as he touched home an excellent cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Trent has been a big miss for Real Madrid over the last 6-8 weeks, which he missed after a second hamstring injury of the season. Alvaro Arbeloa opted to start him over Dani Carvajal, whose future at the Bernabeu is uncertain, and already, that decision has been fully merited.

As things stand, Real Madrid will go top of La Liga, with Barcelona not in action until Monday night. However, there is still a long way to go, and La Real will not make it easy.

Everton intend to launch a fresh offensive for Fulham winger Harry Wilson during the upcoming summer transfer window. This follows a failed approach in January. Journalist Pete O’Rourke revealed on the Transfer Insider podcast that the Merseyside club submitted a formal enquiry last month, but Fulham immediately dismissed the overture.

Everton are pretty much interested in Harry Wilson

The Welsh international currently enters the final months of his contract at Craven Cottage, and this situation naturally puts several domestic and foreign teams on high alert. Because his deal expires in June, the Toffees see the situation as a great opportunity to secure a proven Premier League player without a massive transfer fee.

Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, he explained: “I think probably half the Premier League are looking at Harry Wilson.

“Everton made a cheeky enquiry in the January transfer window, which was quickly rebuffed by Fulham, but I’m sure they’ll be back at the table looking at him, and I’m sure there’ll be clubs from abroad looking at Wilson (too).

“He’s just been in red-hot form for Fulham in the last couple of months. It’s a wide-open race for Wilson right now.” 

Analysis of the Harry Wilson situation and whether Everton need him

The 28-year-old Wales mainstay remains a vital part of the Fulham squad. However, his future looks increasingly uncertain in West London. While the club value his contributions, Wilson has not committed to a contract extension, which creates a tough scenario for the Cottagers.

He provides a specific left-footed balance on the right flank. This allows him to cut inside and unleash signature long-range efforts or deliver accurate crosses. Wilson’s technical delivery and set-piece skills rank among the best in the league. However, critics sometimes point to a lack of elite recovery speed as a potential drawback in high-pressing systems.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 11: Harry Wilson of Fulham warms up prior to the Premier League match between Manchester City and Fulham at Etihad Stadium on February 11, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Everton definitely need a player of his profile to bring genuine creativity and goal threat from wide areas. The current squad often lacks a consistent outlet who can transition play with the precision that the former Liverpool man has.

Plus, his eight goals and four assists so far this season show a high level of productivity that would really help the Toffees in their push for higher league standings next season. Signing a player with his maturity and international experience would be a sensible move for a team seeking immediate impact.

Ultimately, the Goodison Park club should put this signing first because he fits the tactical requirements of a modern winger perfectly. His ability to operate between the lines and find pockets of space would complement the physical presence of their central strikers. If Everton can convince Wilson to ignore interest from abroad, they will get a seasoned professional at the peak of his career. And all that for free makes all the sense in the world.

For the second World Rally Championship event in a row, Hyundai has struggled for outright pace in its battle against Toyota.

admitted he was running out of set up options to try as Hyundai explored radical changes to find answers to its lack of grip and speed at Rally Sweden.

The Korean marque had hoped to take the fight to Toyota in Sweden after a difficult season opener on asphalt in Monte Carlo, difficulties the team had been anticipating last month. This is different.

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Now in Sweden, after 15 snowy stages, Toyota has again dominated with Elfyn Evans heading a 1-2-3-4 for the Japanese brand while Hyundai has struggled to extract pace out of its i20 N Rally1 car. All three of its drivers have reported a lack of traction on the snow and ice covered roads.

Heading into the final day, Esapekka Lappi is the best placed Hyundai in fourth, 1m09.5s from the lead with Adrien Fourmaux 8.2s further back, Thierry Neuville ended Saturday 2m10.0s shy, although the 2024 world champion lost a significant chunk of that deficit to a mistake in Friday’s stage three that required him to stop to clear his windscreen.

Radical setup changes

Esapekka Lappi, Enni Malkonen, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

In order to find answers to its lack of pace, drivers have rolled through a myriad of unusual set up changes through Saturday’s stages that resulted in improvements across its cars.

Neuville ended the day by winning stage 15 by 1.1s from Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta before opening up on the extent of Hyundai’s search to unlock speed from its cars.

“I have [gone radical with the changes],” said Neuville when asked if he had tried some radical set up changes. 

“I was driving this afternoon partially without the rear roll bar and we tried without the front [roll bar]. I tried a lot of rake, less rake and different preloads. I did a lot. It was always tight to get to the start of the stage [on time] each time.”

When asked if he was running out of changes to try, he added: “Yeah definitely. I had a bit of pressure today as I promised my wife to make one fastest time, as I forgot the flowers [for Valentine’s Day]. She told me I needed to set a fastest time, I was trying.

Adrien Fourmaux, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Likewise, team-mate Adrien Fourmaux tried an experimental damper set up change that made the ride pretty hard going for him and co-driver Alex Coria inside the car. The change did yield more grip that has left the Frenchman with hope ahead of Sunday’s final three stages.

“I found this morning that something was not working on the dampers, so I decided and the team decided to compensate it with the spring and really open up the dampers, and it seems it was working much better this afternoon,” said Fourmaux.

Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

“It is quite positive and encouraging for tomorrow, still it is going to be hard to fight against the Toyotas, but at least we are showing some pace with the three cars this afternoon,” said Fourmaux.

“It gave a lot more grip to the car but the car became more lazy. At the same time I lost some protection, but I just tightened my teeth and I went for it. It is a shame we have not found it earlier and we tried many things on the car like differential, springs and geometries and ride height and nothing was improving anything. It is the only big step that I found today. 

“I think we can sort it for the rest of the season. I hope tomorrow it will be ok and we can fight for it.”

WRC Sweden: Elfyn Evans heads Toyota 1-2-3-4 into final day

WRC Sweden: Takamoto Katsuta snatches lead from Elfyn Evans

Thierry Neuville labels WRC struggles the “hardest time of my career”

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — David Punch had 19 points, Xavier Edmonds posted a double-double and TCU never trailed but had to work overtime before beating Oklahoma State 95-92 on Saturday.

Punch and Micah Robinson both scored four, and Jayden Pierre hit a 3-pointer to help the Horned Frogs (16-9, 6-6 Big 12 Conference) prevail in the extra period after Parsa Fallah tipped in a missed 3-pointer by Jaylen Curry at the regulation buzzer for the Cowboys (16-9, 4-8) to tie it 84-all.

Punch added six rebounds and three steals before fouling out for TCU. Edmonds totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds. Pierre hit four 3-pointers and scored 16, adding six rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots. Harding hit three 3-pointers and scored 15 as the Horned Frogs sank 12 of 25 from distance. Robinson and reserve Tanner Toolson both scored 11.

Fallah made 10 of 13 shots and scored 27 to lead Oklahoma State in a third straight loss. Anthony Roy had 16 points and Kanye Clary totaled 13 points and nine assists before fouling out. Christian Coleman also scored 13 and Curry added 12 off the bench.

TCU came in averaging seven 3-pointers per game, but Pierre and Harding each sank two and the Horned Frogs hit seven in the first half to take a 39-34 lead at the break.

TCU, which has won three straight and was coming off a 62-55 victory over No. 5 Iowa State, led the whole second half until Fallah's tip-in tied it.

Pierre buried a 3-pointer following a layup by Robinson for a 91-86 lead and TCU held on.

Up next

TCU: At UCF on Tuesday.

Oklahoma State: Hosts No. 9 Kansas on Wednesday.

___

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The No. 12-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs face the Santa Clara Broncos in a showdown between the two best teams in the WCC tonight.

The Zags have been locked in since losing at Portland last week, and my Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara predictions expect them to pick up a big win on the road tonight.

Here are my best free college basketball picks for this marquee matchup on Saturday, February 14.

Gonzaga vs Santa Clara prediction

Gonzaga vs Santa Clara best bet: Gonzaga -4.5 (-110)

The Gonzaga Bulldogs made key second-half adjustments to beat the Santa Clara Broncos 89-77 in Spokane last month.

Although Santa Clara is at home this time, the Broncos are still not talented enough to hang with Gonzaga, which ranks 26th in adjusted offense and 12th in adjusted defense. 

The Broncos thrive when they can force turnovers and jump out in transition, but Gonzaga takes care of the ball.

While both teams shoot extremely well inside the arc, the Zags defend significantly better. They are 29th in the country in opponent 2PT% (46.8%) while the Broncos rank 188th (51.9%).

Gonzaga vs Santa Clara same-game parlay

Portland guard Joel Foxwell dropped 27 points against Gonzaga last week with Emmanuel Innocenti on the bench for long stretches. Mark Few has fixed that mistake, giving Innocenti 62 minutes over the last two games, and he'll get lots of burn tonight since he'll defend Christian Hammond. 

Innocenti is Gonzaga’s top defender, and while the offense can stagnate with him on the floor, his presence strengthens the case for the Under.

All-WCC forward Graham Ike (19.7 ppg, 8.5 rpg) has seen his production surge with Gonzaga’s second-best big, Braden Huff, sidelined. Ike has cleared 8.5 rebounds in eight of his last 12 games and Santa Clara struggles on the defensive glass.

Gonzaga vs Santa Clara SGP

• Gonzaga -4.5
• Under 158
• Graham Ike Over 8.5 rebounds

Our beyond the arc SGP: We Like Ike!

Ike had 34 points and 11 boards in the previous meeting and has dropped 24+ points in four of his last six games.

Gonzaga vs Santa Clara SGP

• Gonzaga -4.5
• Under 158
• Graham Ike Over 8.5 rebounds
• Graham Ike Over 23.5 points

Gonzaga vs Santa Clara odds

• Spread: Gonzaga -4.5 (-110) | Santa Clara +4.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Gonzaga -205 | Santa Clara +170
• Over/Under: Over 158 (-110) | Under 158 (-110)

Gonzaga vs Santa Clara betting trend to know

The Zags have cashed the Under in nine of their last 11 games (+6.80 Units / 56% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara.

How to watch Gonzaga vs Santa Clara

Gonzaga vs Santa Clara key injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Betfred Super League

Hull FC (18) 27

Tries: Batchelor, Barron, Litten, Cust Goals: Pryce 5 Drop-goal: Pryce

Bradford (10) 20

Tries: Blake, Wynne 2 Goals: Milnes 4

Bradford Bulls were denied a comeback victory on their return to Super League as Hull FC clinched a last gasp 27-20 victory in a thriller at the MKM Stadium.

Just 48 hours on from top-flight debutants York Knights stunning reigning Champions Hull KR by a one-point margin, the visitors ended up on the wrong side of a epic season-opening fixture.

It was to the Bulls' credit, on their first return to Super League after 11 years away, that victory for their hosts never looked locked in with the match all square with three minutes of regular time left on the clock.

It took a drop-goal from Hull FC full back Will Pryce to get the home side's noses in front before Cade Cust finally delivered the win by barrelling over on 79 minutes.

Bradford have been through much since their last try in Super League, Manese Manuokafoa scoring in a win over London Broncos in September 2014 with liquidation and reconstruction from the rubble.

But it was like they had never been away in the first exchanges, pushing back last year's Super League seventh placed side and scoring the first try through Waqa Blake, as the Fijian international burst through flimsy defence on six minutes.

The excellent Pryce produced a moment of magic to break through defensive lines and grubber kick as he was bring tackled for Joe Batchelor to level things up 10 minutes later but back came Bradford through ex-Hull FC back Connor Wynne.

Harvey Barron responded once again for the hosts who went 12-10 up with the help of Pryce's unerring boot before Davy Litten broke through some weak tackles on the left wing to make it 18-10 at half time.

If John Cartwright's side were hoping the Bulls would run out of steam in the second period they were swiftly disabused just six minutes into the second half, Rowan Milnes added the extras to give the visitors the lead.

Milnes added two converted penalty goals, the second of which came after a high tackle from Aidan Sezer on Joe Mellor on 61 minutes, which put Bradford into a slim 20-18 lead.

Eight minutes later, a penalty for Hull in front of the sticks was taken without hesitation, as Pryce levelled once again with 10 minutes to go.

Bradford had great field position from a goal-line dropout after a drop goal attempt from Milnes was charged down but a knock-on as they were rebuilding their attack took the wind from their sails.

Hull charged up the other end and, with three left on the clock, grabbed a point themselves; a pass back to Sezer shifted cleverly back again to Pryce and his kick sailed over from 30 metres out.

A lead of 21-20 with one minute to play looked fair but Cust added gloss to the scoreline in the final seconds.

Hull FC: Pryce; Barron, Hardaker, Litten, Martin; Kemp, Sezer; Knight, Bourouh, Hill, Batchelor, Romano, Aydin

Interchanges: Cust, Fash, Lisone, Sao

Bradford: Aekins; Okunbur, Marsters, Blake, Wynne; Keyes, Milnes; Sutton, Ackers, Lewis, Russell, Fulton, Mellor

Interchanges: Souter Scurr, Doro, Chamberlain

Referee: Marcus Griffiths.

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has been left underwhelmed by the performances put forth by a leading member of his defensive ranks across the season to date.

The player in question? Alejandro Balde.

Stopper Balde has of course continued to act as a key member of Barcelona’s first-choice XI thus far this term.

Despite competition from Gerard Martín and more recently João Cancelo, when it matters most, Hansi Flick has continued to depend on his young full-back.

And yet, despite the faith placed in his talents, Balde has for the most part struggled to rediscover his best form.

The Spaniard has come in for consistent criticism on the part of the Barcelona faithful, for his efforts in and out of possession alike.

And if the latest word stemming from the media is anything to go by, it would appear that such woes have recently begun to weigh on Barca’s headmaster, too.

As per a report from Fichajes:

‘The German coach believes that Alejandro Balde’s current performance does not meet the demands of the most challenging matches this season. Defensive lapses and a lack of attacking depth shown in the Copa del Rey semi-final against Atlético de Madrid have precipitated this decision.’

So alarming has the situation become, that Flick is said to have demanded the signing of a new left-back to compete with Balde for next season.

Conor Laird – GSFN

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Six players were ejected from Saturday’s game between No. 17 St. John’s and Providence after a fracas resulting from a hard foul by Friars forward Duncan Powell on Bryce Hopkins sent the Red Storm star crashing to the ground.

St. John’s coach Rick Pitino, who led Providence to the 1987 Final Four, was in the middle of it, trying to hold back his players. But several entered the fray as it drifted toward the Red Storm bench.

The game was delayed by nearly 20 minutes while the referees sorted out the punishments: Four St. John’s players were booted and two from Providence, and by the time the Friars got the ball back they had watched a one-point lead turn into a four-point deficit.

St. John’s led by as many 13 points in the first half, but the Friars rallied in the second to take a series of one-point leads and had a 40-39 edge with 14:25 left when Hopkins — who played three seasons in Providence — went up for a fast-break layup and was raked across the head and face by Powell’s arm, taking him to the ground.

Hopkins got up and moved toward Powell but was held back and guided away by his former teammate, Friars forward Oswin Erhunmwunse. Others in the game got involved and the players from the nearby St. John’s bench couldn’t be held back any longer.

The pushing and shoving continued while coaches, referees and security tried to break it up.

During the delay, players for both teams warmed up at their baskets. As the referees updated the coaches on their decision, the fans broke into a chant of “Duncan Powell!”

Providence guard Jaylin Sellers was led down the tunnel to cheers from the crowd; he was soon joined by Powell. St. John’s Dillon Mitchell, Ruben Prey, Sadiku Ibine Ayo and Kelvin Odih also were ejected.

Hopkins made two free throws, then St. John’s Oziyah Sellers made one of two and followed it with a layup for a five-point play that gave the Red Storm a 44-40 lead. After a Friars miss, St. John’s Dylan Darling hit a 3-pointer for a seven-point lead.

Tensions flared again with five minutes left after a hard foul by Erhunmwunse on St. John’s Zuby Ejiofor. That was ruled a common foul, but Providence fans under the basket got the Red Storm players riled up enough for the referees to step in.

___

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Riley Greene isn’t running from the numbers. He’s attacking them head-on.

After back-to-back All-Star seasons, the Detroit Tigers outfielder entered the 2026 offseason with one clear goal: cut down the strikeouts without losing what makes him dangerous. That meant changing how he trained, how he thought, and how honest he was willing to be with himself in the batter’s box.

“Stop trying to hit a home run on every pitch,” Greene said via the Detroit Free Press.

That simple sentence now defines his mindset heading into the new season.

In 2025, Greene launched a career-high 36 home runs, but it came with a cost. He also struck out a franchise-record 201 times. Rather than ignore it or chalk it up to the price of power, Greene decided to make his offseason work less comfortable on purpose.

“Not as many feel-good days, as we like to call them,” Greene said.

Those “feel-good days” were the batting practice sessions where pitches were grooved down the middle and confidence came easily.

“We hit a bunch of homers and feel good about ourselves,” Greene said.

But that comfort, he admitted, wasn’t helping him grow.

So Greene flipped the script. He asked his personal hitting coach to crank up the pitching machine and take away the easy swings. Instead of hunting damage, he focused on discipline — laying off tough pitches, seeing velocity, and forcing himself into uncomfortable counts.

“So I can take pitches and make it super-competitive,” Greene said.

The approach wasn’t just about mechanics. It was about awareness. Greene wants the game to slow down for him, especially in big moments.

“If you have two strikes with a runner on second, maybe try not to hit a homer 5,000 feet or so,” Greene said. “Taking a step back, letting the game slow down, recognizing the situations. Obviously, there are points where you can take your shot, and there’s points where, let’s maybe choke up and do some work in the box.”

It’s a mature shift for a player who already sits near the top of the league in offensive impact. Greene isn’t trying to become someone else, he’s trying to become a more complete version of himself.

And if his offseason work translates the way he expects, the Tigers could be getting a hitter who still punishes mistakes, but gives pitchers far fewer easy outs along the way.

The post Riley Greene Details Offseason Plan to Fix Strikeout Problem appeared first on Detroit Sports Nation.

By nearly any measure the Los Angeles Rams had one of the NFL’s top offenses in 2025:

• Yards per game: 1st at 395
• Passing yards per game: 1st at 268
• Points per game: 1st at 30.5
• Rushing yards per game: 7th at 127

On the surface it seems like a wild take to say that LA needs more offensive firepower. But they do.

The Rams can be too heavily reliant at times on star receiver Puka Nacua. Nacua is the engine of the offense and seems to make the play when his team needs it most. But the young pass catcher has been dealt his fair share of injury struggles and plays a very physical brand of football. Nacua doesn’t need replaced, although the Rams do need other options and insurance.

Then there is Davante Adams who led the NFL in receiving touchdowns with 14. Adams helped fix Los Angeles’ recent red zone woes and was nearly automatic with Matthew Stafford at the goal line. However, his work between the 20-yard lines left a lot to be desired.

Adams caught just 52% of the passes thrown his direction. The veteran ranked 21st in target volume but finished 34th in yards. This especially matters when considering that Adams receives high-volume targets in the red zone and on late downs. He’s no longer the ultra-efficient receiver we know and love. That doesn’t mean he no longer has value for the Rams, but he shouldn’t be a 100-target player or every-down staple on offense.

It’s no guarantee that the Rams elect to keep Adams.

The third receiver conversation requires more nuance.

Do the Rams need a bonafide third option if they continue their heavy deployment of 13 personnel? Is there a chance LA runs fewer three tight end sets in 2026 with Tyler Higbee’s contract set to void? These are fair questions and ones the Rams should be asking themselves as they retool the roster for next season.

We also know the team re-signed Tutu Atwell to a one-year, $10M contract last offseason to be the third option behind Nacua and Adams. Atwell fell by the wayside because of the personnel deployment change.

So how will things look moving forward?

Assuming LA retains Adams (which may require a pay cut), the Rams still need a new second receiver in my view. Adams is best-utilized as a role player in the red zone and on third down. Keeping him fresh for key plays in individual games and into the postseason will help the offense in multiple ways.

So where do the Rams find that second receiver? It will not be cheap. The team needs to get away from signing older receivers in free agency after recent disappointing investments in Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson, and Adams. Improving through the draft would require a first or second round pick in all likelihood.

The Georgia Bulldogs gained a few transfers over the 2026 transfer portal window, but one of them could make or break their season is Auburn Tigers edge rusher Amaris Williams.

Williams stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs 260 pounds. He was a five-star recruit from the class of 2024, and the Clinton, North Carolina product was ranked as the No. 5 edge rusher and No. 30 player in the nation when he committed to Auburn.

Through two years, Williams never completely broke through in Auburn's front seven. In his freshman year, he had just seven total tackles and half a sack. In 2025, He was a rotational edge rusher in 11 games, with 14 total tackles and two sacks.

However, his former prowess in high school gives Georgia fans hope he could have a monster season with the Bulldogs. He already has experience playing in SEC play, and he has the size to compete with SEC guards. It's part of the reason why he was a four-star transfer, ranked as the No. 4 edge rusher and No. 36 overall player in the transfer class.

A great comparison for him would be Gabe Harris Jr., who has a similar build to Williams (Harris Jr. weighs in at 260 pounds and stands at 6-foot-4). Harris might've been more effective in 2024 than 2025, with two sacks and a forced fumble in 2024 versus just a sack in 2025. However, he had more tackles in 2025 (26 vs. 14) and Georgia felt his absence due to turf toe in a big way in their loss to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.

Georgia's pass rush wasn't the same this past year versus 2024, when they had blue-chip players such as Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker. Amaris Williams could be an effective pass rusher in Georgia, and he will be another talented tool for Kirby Smart and Glenn Schumann to have in their toolbox. His high school tape shows the potential of being an effective pass rusher.

Last year at Auburn, Williams showed his twitch as a pass rusher and had a strong get-off. He has experience as an edge and interior pass rusher.

Watch Amaris Williams's high school highlights

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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Auburn edge rusher transfer Amaris Williams highlights

Canada's women's hockey team is using a wooden loon as its mascot, and it has a great name originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Canadian women's ice hockey team is embracing the fun of its journey at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

One way they're trying to do so: Their mascot.

One of their players, Emma Maltais, was gifted a wooden loon. That has taken on the role of representing the team.

They've named it Wolf Bird.

It even got a role in a post-match interview on Saturday:

her holding it up to mic is killing me https://t.co/d980BciAiqpic.twitter.com/vkR7HvDfzH

— TK🍉 (@CrazySadAzn) February 14, 2026

MORE: Chloe Kim's silver medal has some controversy

Canada played its women's hockey quarterfinal on Saturday, handling Germany comfortably, 5-1.

The Canadians are on to the semifinals, with the United States on the opposite side of the bracket.

It's been expected all along that Team USA and Canada would meet in the gold medal match. They're each one win away from that.

MORE: Controversy and cursing with Canada curling

The United States won 5-0 when they played in the preliminary round, although Marie-Philip Poulin wasn't available for Canada in that one. 

And besides, the Canadian squad has Wolf Bird on their side now. That's gotta help.

More Olympics news:

• This U.S. luge star was parodied on SNL
• Amber Glenn gets into music dispute during Olympic figure skating program
• Breezy Johnson's wild Olympics end in engagement
• U.S. Olympians get paid shockingly less than other countries for gold medals
• USA curling's Danny Casper doesn't let GBS health issue slow him down
• 5 U.S. women's hockey stars attended the same high school

PHOENIX – When the 2026 MLB season kicks off, the Arizona Diamondbacks will be handing the ball to Merrill Kelly on Opening Day, as Kelly has been named the starting pitcher per MLB writer Steve Gilbert.

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly during spring training workouts at Salt River Fields on Feb. 13, 2026, Scottsdale. © Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Merrill Kelly gets the Opening Day nod for the D-backs:

With Corbin Burnes sidelined following Tommy John surgery and unable to be available before Opening Day, Arizona needed certainty. While Zac Gallen remains talented, 2024 revealed struggles and stretches where his command wavered at the worst moments. Kelly, meanwhile, was surgical. Kelly was traded midseason to the Texas Rangers, and in 2025, he carried a 3.52 ERA with a 12-9 record. His splitter generated strikeouts against some of the best hitters in the league. This wasn’t smoke and mirrors. It was a repeatable command layered over veteran sequencing.

Sep 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen (23) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Fans in Phoenix wanted both arms back. They got them. But the Opening Day nod tells you what the organization sees right now: Kelly’s stuff is sharper. His floor is higher. His emotional steadiness sets the tone in a division that punishes hesitation. There’s psychological gravity to this decision. Gallen now pitches from a prove-it posture on a one-year deal. Burnes, when healthy, adds October-level upside. But Kelly will be the No. 1 pitcher in the rotation when the season begins.

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Corbin Burnes (back) and pitching coach Brian Kaplan watch pitcher Merrill Kelly (29) throw during spring training workouts on Feb. 10, 2026, at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale. © Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For a club balancing long-term payroll planning with immediate NL West contention, this is the right risk allocation. Kelly gives Arizona competitive oxygen while others recalibrate. Opening Day isn’t about just reputation; it’s about reliability, and Kelly gives the Diamondbacks both.

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Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen

There are seven active running backs in the top 90 in career touches. At 28, Josh Jacobs is the youngest in the group. He could conceivably end his career in the top 25 -- that is, if he can remain a healthy bell cow for at least a couple more seasons. It's doable on a team that still needs him as a three-down bell cow.

Jacobs was last year's fantasy RB13 across 15 contests. On a per-game basis, he was the RB10. A key to his success was 16 carries inside the opposing five-yard line, which tied for fifth-most in the league. The year before, he was #1 in carries (22 total) inside the five.

This usage helped him reach the end zone 20 times over the past two seasons, including 28 on the ground. Jacobs' outsized TD total helped make him a weekly fantasy starter. Yes, the volume helped a lot. But that's not what endeared him to fantasy managers.

For context, compared to Jacobs, Breece Hall had more rushing attempts, more rushing yards, the same number of catches, and more receiving yards. Hall also averages nearly half a yard more per carry. But Hall wasn't a weekly starter because he had only five TDs.

Jacobs' scoring prowess shouldn't be held against him. Until we see otherwise, he'll remain highly engaged near the end zone. At the same time, it's often easier to bet on volume than scoring. Jacobs' high floor is secure. His ceiling hinges on sustained scoring opportunities.

We might expect an ADP around RB8 to RB10. That would price him about right -- with the understanding that he'll probably need double-digit touchdowns to exceed or even meet expectations.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Josh Jacobs: Early 2026 ADP and scoring projections for Packers RB

The common sense and dollars and cents agree with ownership on the 2025-26 Knicks: This year is the year for the best team constructed in the franchise’s recent history.

It’s been at least 25 years — dating back to the Knicks’ failed 1999 NBA Finals run — since Madison Square Garden has housed as stacked, as complete, of a basketball team as the one tasked with an NBA Finals or bust mandate from above.

Because it’s hard to find a star with as many weapons at his disposal as Jalen Brunson, the all-world guard whose boom-or-bust task is striking the right balance between scoring and distributing.

The Knicks have given Brunson a six-time All-Star co-captain in Karl-Anthony Towns. They’ve given him his friends from Villanova, including one who cost five draft picks plus a $150 million extension. They’ve given him two of the most impactful two-way wings in the sport, a Defensive Player of the Year candidate off the bench, plus a second unit — with trade deadline acquisitions — stretching 10 to 11 real rotation players deep.

Leon Rose and his front office did that.

They identified a less rigid, more collaborative and modern head coach (albeit a backup option). They maximized limited roster-building resources. They drafted Mohamed Diawara, re-signed Landry Shamet, and swapped Guerschon Yabusele out for Jose Alvarado and Jeremy Sochan.

The Knicks have gotten tougher. They’ve gotten deeper. They’re more talented at all five positions than possibly any team in the Eastern Conference.

Which means they are out of excuses. This team has to win — and win big — or else the front office will return to the questions they had as the Knicks spiraled out of control, losing nine of an 11-game stretch before finally getting their act together ahead of the trade deadline.

Or, as James Dolan said in a Jan. 5 interview on WFAN: “I’d say we want to get to the Finals and we should win the Finals. This is sports, anything can happen. Getting to the Finals, we absolutely have to do. Winning the Finals, we should do.”

If the Knicks don’t. If they don’t at least make it to the Finals, you can bet they will return to the Giannis Antetokounmpo discourse. To the discourse that deems the roster as currently constructed unworthy of ownership’s championship mandate.

Yet it’ll be hard to break these Knicks up if they run the table in the East and make the Finals for the first time in more than a quarter century.

“Look how far we got with our group last year and look at who was playing and who wasn’t,” Dolan continued. “We’re going into the second half of the season, Josh [Hart] is still out and Landry [Shamet] is coming back. We got depth.

“We stay healthy, we’ll go into the playoffs in much better condition than last year.”

The Knicks have $201 million in guaranteed player salaries for the 2026-27 NBA season. The second apron is only expected to increase by 7% to $223 million, which will leave the Knicks just $22 million in space before encroaching over into restricted territory.

That $201 million payroll for 2026-27 does not include Jose Alvarado, who — as someone with career earnings of less than $12 million — can decline his $4.5 million player option for next season to sign a more lucrative deal elsewhere (or in New York). It doesn’t include Mitchell Robinson, who will be an unrestricted free agent seeking a pay raise, potentially north of $20 million annually alone. It doesn’t include Shamet, Jordan Clarkson or Jeremy Sochan, all in New York on one-year deals. Nor does it include Mohamed Diawara, Ariel Hukporti or Kevin McCullar Jr., each of whom will enter restricted free agency this summer.

The payroll for next season includes only Brunson, Towns, Bridges, Hart and OG Anunoby plus Miles McBride, who will be eligible for a contract extension, Pacome Dadiet and Tyler Kolek. The Knicks will need to go into the second apron to build a complete roster, let alone re-sign Robinson. They will be under even more pressure to trade a piece of their core in hopes of improving their roster elsewhere.

Or they can double down. They can bite the bullet associated with the second apron because the taste of victory could far outweigh the bitter tax bill at the end of a season.

This Knicks team has the goods. They’ve got stars on both ends of the floor, proper spacing, a deep bench and a coach prioritizing a free-flowing style of basketball.

It’s time to turn the goods into hardware. Into results. Into this franchise’s most successful season of the century. This team is constructed to run the wide-open Eastern Conference.

If it doesn’t, the second apron will force the front office to answer questions the roster couldn’t.

NEED TO KNOW

• Charlie McAvoy met his wife, Kiley McAvoy, when they were students at Boston University
• Charlie and Kiley married in August 2023 and welcomed their son in January 2025
• Kiley's dad, Mike Sullivan, is Charlie's coach at the 2026 Winter Olympics

Charlie McAvoy and his wife, Kiley McAvoy (née Sullivan), bonded over their love of hockey while in college.

After meeting through mutual friends at Boston University in 2015, they started dating that December, connecting over the ice sport.

At the time, Charlie played for the school's team before he was drafted by the NHL and joined the Boston Bruins in his sophomore year. Meanwhile, Kiley is the daughter of former Bruins player, current New York Rangers coach and Team USA hockey coach Mike Sullivan at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The couple married in August 2023 at the chapel on the Boston University campus, and welcomed their first child, son Rhys, in January 2025. In the following months, Charlie and Kiley faced different health struggles, including Charlie suffering injuries in the ice rink.

In turn, Charlie has credited Kiley with helping the family through tough times.

“[Injuries] take a toll, they really do ... But it’s my family that always gets me out of it. Kiley, my wife, she’s always there, picking up the pieces when they fall apart,” he told ESPN in January 2026. “She’s everything for us, she’s everything for our family.”

So who is Charlie McAvoy’s wife? Here’s everything to know about Kiley McAvoy and her relationship with the Boston Bruins defenseman.

She and Charlie met at Boston University

Charlie and Kiley met during their freshman year of college at Boston University in 2015.

They were introduced through mutual friends that fall semester and grew close over their shared interest in hockey, Kiley told Boston magazine in January 2024.

Their first date was at a Halloween party, at which Charlie dressed up as Average Joe from the movie Dodgeball and Kiley as a mermaid.

The two officially began dating on Dec. 15, 2015. Shortly after, Charlie posted a photo of them on his Instagram with the caption, “What a year Ki, thanks for letting me share it with you ☺️.”

She has two nursing degrees

Though Charlie left college during his sophomore year when he was drafted by the Bruins, Kiley earned two bachelor’s degrees.

Kiley graduated from Boston University in 2019 with a B.S. in health science with a minor in communications, per her LinkedIn. To mark her accomplishment, Charlie shared a photo on Instagram of them celebrating.

She later attended the MGH Institute of Health Professions, where she earned a second bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2022. Afterward, Kiley gave Charlie a shout-out on social media, writing, “I truly couldn’t have done it without you."

She and Charlie got engaged in Italy

Around the time Kiley graduated with her second bachelor's degree, Charlie proposed while they were on vacation in Italy in the summer of 2022.

The pair had originally traveled to the country to attend the Lake Como wedding of Charlie’s former Bruins teammate Tuukka Rask. Charlie and Kiley arrived a few days early and were on a boat ride under the Faraglioni Rocks off the Capri coast when he popped the question with a cushion-cut diamond.

The idea to propose under the rocks came from Charlie’s teammate Brad Marchand, Kiley told Boston magazine in January 2024. “Legend is that if you kiss under the rocks, you will be in love forever,” she told the outlet.

They later shared photos of their engagement on Instagram. “The kind of love you dream about 🤍 I can’t believe I get to be your wife @cmcavoy25 💍,” Kiley wrote in her caption.

“The most amazing day — can’t wait to marry my best friend ❤️🇮🇹,” he penned on his account.

They married at Boston University in August 2023

Charlie and Kiley exchanged their wedding vows at Boston University — where they first met — on Aug. 5, 2023.

The special event was officiated by Kiley's uncle at the Marsh Chapel on the Boston University campus. Afterward, the couple held a reception at the nearby Boston Public Library, which featured a variety of personal details and was attended by more than 260 family and friends, per Boston magazine.

Charlie and Kiley only included one reference to hockey: a seating chart and escort cards made from hockey pucks with the phrase, “Score a seat.” The pucks were decorated with photos of the library’s iconic green lamps and the hockey phrase “Light the lamp,” the publication reported.

The pair later shared snaps of their celebration on Instagram.

“Mine forever @kileymcavoy ❤️💍 Yesterday was the best day of my life. So blessed to share this entire weekend with our incredible family and friends,” Charlie captioned a photo of him and Kiley walking out of the church.

They welcomed a son in January 2025

Charlie and Kiley welcomed their first child, son Rhys Michael McAvoy, on Jan. 26, 2025.

They revealed the pregnancy on Instagram in October 2024 with professional photos of the couple and Kiley’s baby bump, as well as a sex reveal cake. “Preparing to fall in love for a lifetime... Our boy is coming soon,” she wrote in the joint post.

Charlie and Kiley announced the birth of Rhys with another post on Instagram of him in a bassinet next to a pillow embroidered with his name. “The greatest love we will ever know 💙 Rhys Michael McAvoy is here,” she captioned it.

Shortly after, Charlie told NHL.com about what the first few days of parenthood were like, and he also took the opportunity to voice his love and support for Kiley.

“You think you might know what to expect, but you don’t. Just the amount of pride and the absolute, utmost respect and love for the moms and what they do. Because it truly is incredible,” he said. “I’ve seen that just on a three-day scale, how much they put their bodies through and what they go through. She’s doing an incredible job.”

Since then, the pair have shared glimpses of their family online, from Rhys spending time on the ice with his dad to beach trips and celebrating birthdays.

The family also has a French bulldog, Otto, who they adopted in July 2025.

Kiley's dad has professionally coached Charlie

With Charlie’s professional NHL career and Kiley’s father’s own experience in the league, hockey is an important part of their lives.

Charlie has a close relationship with Kiley’s father, Mike Sullivan — who served as his coach during the 2025 Four Nations Face-Off and again at the ongoing 2026 Winter Olympics.

“Really it's something that none of us ever could have dreamed of," Charlie told NHL.com about the experience.

He continued, "It’s just amazing and I know the pride that I've seen in my wife and just how proud she is of her dad and of me and it's just extremely special.”

She and Charlie enjoy celebrating Halloween

Since their first date on Halloween in 2015, Charlie and Kiley have gone all-out with their Halloween costumes nearly every year.

In 2018, the two dressed up as the main characters from Blades of Glory — Charlie as Will Ferrell’s Chazz Michael Michaels and Kiley as Jon Heder’s Jimmy MacElroy.

In 2019, they were the Joker and Catwoman and in 2021, they were characters from Happy Gilmore — with Charlie as Happy, dressed in a Bruins jersey, and Kiley as Happy’s caddie Otto, complete with a drinking helmet.

More recently, in 2022, they were Hagrid and Bellatrix Lestrange from Harry Potter, alongside other friends who dressed up as Dumbledore, Harry and Dobby.

Read the original article on People

The 2026 offseason has featured great change for the Minnesota Vikings. Most notably, there has been the decision to fire GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah alongside the change that is yet to occur: the needed reinforcements at quarterback.

Swirling around these prominent stories — the GM and QB uncertainty — has been the various moves for the team’s coaching staff. Brian Flores was retained to be the DC, but his side of the ball got hollowed out by various coaches being stolen away from promotions. Likewise, the offense lost some talent while assistant head coach Mike Pettine retired. At the end of the week, Minnesota officially announced the two most recent adds.

Vikings Make Coaching Adds Official

The team’s official social media passing along the word means that the ink has been put down on paper.

So, consider the news that got passed along: “The #Vikings have promoted Ryan Cordell to Tight Ends/Game Management Coordinator and hired Derek Warehime as Assistant Offensive Line coach.”

Already, the news about shoring up the coaching help at tight end was out there in the world.

In Derek Warehime, the Vikings add another coach to help out along the front. He’ll partner with Keith Carter to lead the large lads who are tasked with winning in the trenches.

On a 53-man roster, a team commonly carries somewhere between eight and ten players for the offensive line (with more on the practice squad), so that could be roughly 20% of the roster all at one position. Having a pair to coach the spot therefore makes sense.

Rolling into the ’26 season, the Vikings are facing ample pressure.

Coach O’Connell, in particular, is going to be sitting on a seat that’s getting warmer. He was retained while Adofo-Mensah wasn’t, breaking up the twosome that got added in 2022. In fact, Adofo-Mensah was hired before O’Connell, but the coach has survived longer than the executive.

O’Connell’s task involves responding to Minnesota’s underwhelming, injury-filled 2025 that resulted outside of the playoffs due to a 9-8 record. A major part of the problem was what took place at quarterback, with the injuries depleting Minnesota’s quarterback depth.

Something that would make a major difference is revitalizing the run game. Or, at least, feigning interest in committing to the run game.

Daniel House commented on the new add to help along the o-line, making a connection to running the ball: “Coastal Carolina ran a mix of zone and pulling gap schemes. QB run game elements too. They also had a solid screen game, which is an area he may be able to help as well. It’s clear that KOC has made a strong commitment to bringing in more run game perspectives.”

Lately, the Vikings have more been known for wide-zone running — picture the gliding, elusive Dalvin Cook going horizontal before putting hit foot in the dirt to explode through an open crease (Jordan Mason can do this, too) — but layering in some “pulling gap” would be a nice change up built on rugged physicality and power. At times, Donovan Jackson showed off an ability to pull, and Will Fries was signed largely due to being pretty mean.

Minnesota, like all teams, will do different things but will need to ensure that balance exists between run and pass. At worst, running allows the offensive linemen to fire off the ball rather than needing to constantly be on their heels to withstand the pass rush. At best, running allows a team to chew up clock by grinding out first downs, helping to set up explosive passes while making life easier for the defense, too.

The Vikings’ coaching staff may yet get another add or two. Unlike the roster, the coaching staff doesn’t have a salary cap, so money shouldn’t be an issue.

With snow covering half of the bleachers and a midday start on Valentine’s Day, No. 6 Maryland women’s lacrosse’s matchup with No. 12 Virginia was anything but alluring for fans. But the rivalry clash proved to be one that many fans will regret missing. 

Kori Edmonson and Jordyn Lipkin led the offensive charge, and combined with strong efforts from transfer attackers Keely Block and Kristen Shanahan, the Terps cruised past the Cavaliers, 17-9, in a lopsided Saturday matinee.

The Terps drew first blood within just 47 seconds as Lexi Dupcak finished a chance following an opening draw control from Kayla Gilmore.

Virginia started stagnant on offense. Loading three attackers behind the goal line on each possession spread their midfielders to thin in the passing lanes, resulting in three turnovers in the first eight minutes. 

The moment the positioning changed, the results did, too. The Cavaliers introduced a more spread-out concept with six minutes left in the quarter, allowing Addi Foster to crash on net and tie the game.

After being shut out last game, Maryland’s midfield captains finally broke through. Edmondson and Lipkin notched their first scores of the season within minutes of each other, both on powerful blasts from distance.

Shanahan then added on to her three-assist opening quarter with a free position score of her own to make it three goals on the season.

Virginia claimed possession for most of the first two minutes of the second quarter, resulting in a no-angle netter from Madison Alaimo cutting the lead to two.

Lauren LaPointe grabbed her sixth goal of the year four minutes into the second frame, but twin missiles from Livy LaVerghetta and Jenna DiNardo minutes later closed the gap to one.

Maryland’s defense didn’t close gaps effectively all quarter, allowing much better looks for Virginia than it did in the season opener. The Terps only caused three turnovers before halftime. 

As the quarter came to a close, the teams traded blow after blow. Dupcak found the net on a backhanded snipe, but another goal from DiNardo cut Maryland’s lead back down to a single goal.

Edmondson and Lipkin then added on scores with two minutes left before Alaimo and Block traded netters in the final thirty seconds. 

Just when the half seemed sealed, Edmondson secured her hat trick with three seconds left, bringing the score to a chaotic 10-6 at the half.

Shanahan silently made herself the hero of the half, dishing out six assists — that’s more than the Terps had in the entirety of their last game. Meanwhile, Maryland was uncharacteristically dominant in the draw circle, snagging 12 of 15 draw controls in the half.

The Terps continued to pile on. Ava Meyn and Lipkin found nylon in the first five minutes of the half — Meyn twice — to push the lead to seven goals. 

“She’s really good at finishing the ball from low,” said Block on Meyn’s ability. “She doesn’t play like a freshman.”

Virginia typically starts Mel Josephson in goal before pulling her at the half for Elyse Finnelle. But Finnelle got the start Saturday and played the whole game, but was clearly not the answer the Cavaliers needed.

Despite letting up a score from Foster with seven minutes left, Maryland wouldn’t find itself in any trouble. Block notched her second of the game just two minutes later. Edmondson then added on yet another goal, this time from a free position, for Maryland’s 15th score.

Where Maryland’s success came on quick possessions, Virginia’s failures came from drawn-out set plays where aggressive drives were hard to come by.

A score from Gilmore outside the arc followed by DiNardo’s hat trick-sealer kept the lead at eight goals entering the final 10 minutes of play. Another free position dart from Alaimo two minutes later secured her first hat trick of 2026.

Block weaved her way through Virginia’s backline and fired a rocket for a hat trick of her own with less than three minutes left. As the jumbotron flashed zeros, the Cavaliers couldn’t get out of the Shell fast enough. 

“We have a lot of room to grow, a lot of areas to get better,” said head coach Cathy Reese. “But I like where we are right now.

Three things to know

1. Complete 180 in the circle. Against Syracuse, the Terps looked shaky controlling the draw, but they completely turned it around Saturday. Maryland secured 18 of 26 draw controls, which led to the high offensive volume in Saturday’s rout.

2. Guess who’s back. After failing to score in the season opener, Edmondson and Lipkin were everywhere against the Cavaliers. The pair combined for seven goals, and Edmondson controlled five draws that provided a huge spark on offense.

3. Transfer twins. Block and Shanahan have proven to be crucial additions for an already-loaded Maryland roster. Block scored her first hat trick as a Terp, while Shanahan shuttled six pinpoint assists on her way to a seven-point outing.

“It’s easy to be an assister…so I love giving everybody the ball,” Shanahan said. “And watching Keely on her first goal too, assisting that I think is awesome.”

In a Valentine’s Day "White Out" at the Crisler Center, the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines (24-1, 14-1 Big Ten) gave their fans a performance to love, dismantling the UCLA Bruins 86-56. It wasn't just a win; it was a statement of dominance and a measure of personal vindication for Aday Mara, the former Bruin who helped anchor a relentless Michigan effort on both ends of the floor.

A Fast Start and a First-Half Surge

The energy in Ann Arbor was electric from the jump. Decked out in white, the Michigan faithful saw their team come out with the clinical efficiency that has defined the Dusty May era. Michigan’s ball movement was sublime, consistently finding the open man and forcing UCLA’s defense into a frantic scramble.

The first half saw Michigan build a comfortable cushion, though UCLA—fighting for its NCAA Tournament life—showed flashes of resistance. Bruins’ guard Donovan Dent tried to keep his team afloat, but Michigan’s defensive rotations were too crisp. The Wolverines’ "Big Three" of Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr., and Aday Mara imposed their will early, controlling the glass and protecting the rim with an intensity that UCLA simply couldn't match.

While UCLA went on a brief run to close the first half, cutting into what had been a larger lead, the momentum never truly shifted. Michigan headed into the locker room with the lead and the confidence that they were the deeper, more athletic squad.

The Aday Mara Revenge Game

The second half was where the rout truly began. For Aday Mara, this game carried extra weight. After a freshman season at UCLA where minutes were scarce under Mick Cronin, Mara has flourished in Ann Arbor. Today, he played like a man possessed. His rim protection (anchoring a defense that held UCLA to 38% shooting) and his ability to facilitate from the high post left the Bruins without answers.

Whenever UCLA tried to pack the paint, Elliot Cadeau and Tre Donaldson made them pay from the perimeter. Michigan shot a staggering 62% from the field, an absurd number that reflects the high-quality looks generated by Dusty May’s offensive system.

Closing the Door

The final ten minutes were a victory lap. Michigan’s depth was on full display as the lead ballooned to 30 points. Will Tschetter provided his signature spark off the bench, including a late driving layup that sent the "White Out" crowd into a final frenzy.

The defensive stats were perhaps the most telling:

• FG% Defense: Michigan held UCLA to just 38%.

• Assists: Michigan recorded 18 assists on their way to 86 points, showcasing the unselfishness of this roster.

• Turnovers: The Wolverines remained disciplined, limiting mistakes while forcing UCLA into 13 turnovers.

Looking Ahead

With this victory, Michigan moves to 24-1, continuing the best start in program history. They have now swept the season series against the Bruins (following their 94-75 win in Los Angeles last season) and remain firmly in the driver’s seat for the Big Ten regular-season title.

The road doesn't get easier, as a trip to Mackey Arena to face Purdue looms on Tuesday. But if the Wolverines play with this level of cohesion and defensive bite, they look like a team destined for a #1 seed in March.

According to New York Post national baseball writer Jon Heyman, the San Diego Padres and Nick Castellanos have agreed on a one-year deal. The move comes after the Philadelphia Phillies released the outfielder a few days ago. 

Castellanos was owed $20 million for the 2026 season. The Padres will pay the veteran’s minimum of $780K, and the Phillies will pick up the remainder of the salary. 

The right-handed slugger has played primarily as an outfielder in his 13-year major league career, but Castellanos has been seen working out at first base this winter, and the Friars are expected to play him at the position once he arrives in Peoria, Ariz.

He is coming to San Diego with some baggage, as his time in Philadelphia ended with controversy. The dispute stems from Phillies manager Rob Thomson’s decision to bench Castellanos following a dugout confrontation last season. The skipper removed the veteran for a defensive replacement late in a game against the Miami Marlins. 

Castellanos proceeded to confront Thomson about his decision in the dugout.

The 33-year-old posted a social media comment earlier this week to provide further clarification on the incident. Castellanos admitted to bringing a beer into the dugout after being taken out of the game. His teammates took the can away before he could open it.

Also, Castellanos confirmed that he apologized to the organization for his dugout actions in a postgame meeting with Thomson and Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski. 

The veteran outfielder batted .250 with 17 HR and 72 RBI in 147 games.

After trade negotiations failed to gain traction this offseason, the Phillies released Castellanos before the start of full-squad workouts.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Pryce Sandfort scored 29 points, Sam Hoiberg added 14 and No. 7 Nebraska shook off a slow start to beat Northwestern 68-49 Saturday.

The Cornhuskers (22-3, 11-3 Big Ten) overcame a season high-tying 18 turnovers and poor shooting in the first half to sweep the season series with the Wildcats (10-16, 2-13).

Nebraska was celebrating alumni weekend with more than 75 players on hand and came into the game off losses in three of their last four.

This one was a slog until the middle of the second half. Reserve guard Cale Jacobsen scored eight of his 10 points and blocked a shot during a 14-4 spurt that turned the Huskers’ 39-38 deficit into a 52-43 lead. The Wildcats managed just three field goals over the final 13 minutes.

Sandfort, who shot 6 of 11 on 3-pointers, had 25-plus points and six 3s in a game for the fourth time.

Northwestern, which led second-ranked Michigan by 16 points at home before losing 87-75 on Wednesday, was up eight on the Huskers in the first half.

The Wildcats were looking for their highest-ranked win on the road in nine years and were down 28-27 at half before bogging down. They shot 35%, made 1 of 7 3s and turned over the ball eight times in the final 20 minutes.

Big Ten scoring leader Nick Martinelli, averaging 22.5 points per game, missed his first six shots before he muscled in his only basket of the first half and finished with a team-leading 11.

Up next

Northwestern: Hosts Maryland on Wednesday.

Nebraska: Visits Iowa on Tuesday.

___

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Head coach Dan Lanning and his staff received exciting news on Saturday, as four-star running back Cadarius McMiller has committed to the Oregon Ducks, per On3's Hayes Fawcett. McMiller is the No. 19 running back and No. 249 player nationally, per 247 Sports.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound back competes for Tyler High School in Tyler, TX, where he's the 36th-ranked player in the state.

McMiller had a bevy of offers, but recently narrowed his list down to Texas, SMU, Texas A&M and Oregon. In the end, he decided to depart from Texas and commit to the Ducks.

According to 247 Sports, McMiller appeared in 11 games during the 2025 season as a junior and recorded 939 yards and 17 touchdowns on 8.7 yards per carry. He also added 11 catches for 186 yards and three touchdowns in the receiving game.

BREAKING: Four-Star RB Cadarius McMiller has Committed to Oregon, he tells me for @Rivals

The 6’2 200 RB from Tyler, TX chose the Ducks over Texas, SMU, and Texas A&M

“Calling home from Beast Texas”https://t.co/LcRMrEdtB8pic.twitter.com/VJt1R8qLnY

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 14, 2026

The Ducks have had massive amounts of success in recent years at the running back position, making it no surprise that McMiller would want to come to Eugene. Just in 2025, both true freshman Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. carved out consistant roles in the backfield and flourished in the Oregon offense.

McMiller is the fifth commit for the Ducks in the 2027 class, joining three-star offensive tackles Avery Michael and Drew Fielder, three-star linebacker Sam Ngata and four-star edge rusher Cam Pritchett.

Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: 2027 4-star RB Cadarius McMiller commits to Oregon Ducks

The Cincinnati Bengals are something of a question mark this offseason. 

Duke Tobin and pretty much anyone from the organization who has been in front of a camera this offseason has made it clear that they weren’t happy with the roster last year. That’s led to theories about big spending in free agency on outside players. 

But the how of the spending is up for debate.

While some Bengals fans might daydream about doing something wild like using cap space to trade for a Maxx Crosby or pay a free agent like Devin Lloyd, the reality is probably going to be a little more grounded. 

Case in point, while talking about the offseason for Cincinnati recently, NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe recently said the Bengals are “going to look for a lot more volume pickups on defense to get better with the group that just wasn’t good enough to compete in 2025.”

RELATED: 6 Bengals veterans who won’t be on Zac Taylor’s roster next year

Translation: Expect a scattershot of signings that equals big total dollar amounts, but not one big signing or massive name. 

This would certainly align with how the Berngals have done things in the past. The last major Super Bowl window opened, in part, because they rolled the dice on names like Trey Hendrickson and DJ Reader. They also found smaller names like Mike Hilton, Vonn Bell and others. 

The problem areas are obvious. The Bengals need help in the middle of the defense on the line, starting safeties and a third corner who can play inside, to name a few. 

Like those past successes with this strategy, though, the Bengals will need to carefully mine the free-agent class for guys who fit the system. 

RELATED: Bengals' key offseason dates for NFL free agency, draft and more

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals’ strategy in free agency gets a big hint from NFL insider

Dolphins facing $50 million release question that doesn't involve Tua Tagovailoa originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Miami Dolphins will have a lot of eyes on them this offseason, with a majority of that attention on what they do with Tua Tagovailoa.

While the $214 million quarterback is owed more than $50 million in 2026, the Dolphins are seriously contemplating cutting him or trading him this offseason.

Bradley Locker of PFF.com poses that a $50-plus million question is the biggest one facing the Dolphins this offseason. But it's not about Tagovailoa. Instead, it's about the other $50 million cut question on offense, in wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

Dolphins face $50M Tyreek Hill question

"Turning 32 in March and owed a whopping $51 million against the cap next year, Hill would be a very expensive veteran to keep on the roster," Locker writes.

With such an expensive contract and the brutal injury he's coming off of during the 2025 season, the Dolphins trading or cutting Hill this offseason will be very much in play.

The Dolphins could elect to keep Hill if they want to retain him for one more season, but with such a massive cap hit and the huge issue of Tagovailoa's future, moving on from Hill might be the best path forward.

If the Dolphins do end up cutting him, since most teams wouldn't want to spend capital and money to acquire Hill, the Dolphins would incur a $28 million dead cap charge if he's released before June 1st.

More: Dolphins GM reveals exciting quarterback plan for upcoming NFL Drafts

However, if the Dolphins do cut him with a post-June 1st designation, they will only take on $15 million in dead cap space in 2026, with $35 million in savings.

They would have more dead cap in 2027, but it would spread the damage over a few years and be a much more feasible way of moving on from Hill this offseason.

Such a decision is very much in the cards for the Dolphins. While the massive $99 million decision with Tagovailoa is the biggest one for the Dolphins. What they do with Hill might be the more pressing question they're facing this offseason.

Hill still has some value, even if he's not 100%. But, with such a huge cap charge of $51 million for 2026, the Dolphins might be forced to release Hill to help facilitate the Tagovailoa dead cap hit this offseason.

More Dolphins news:

• Dolphins urged to solve QB dilemma with Tua Tagovailoa's future in Miami
• Dolphins sign Joe Burrow's former LSU WR teammate to free agent contract
• Dolphins predicted to pick top WR of Fernando Mendoza in 2026 NFL Draft
• Miami Dolphins predicted to land All-Pro pass-catcher in free agency
• Dolphins predicted to draft a Minkah Fitzpatrick clone in 2026 NFL Draft
• Patriots Super Bowl bid brings up brutal stat that will have Dolphins fans sick

Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gives hilarious advice on how to have aura originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The word 'aura' has become increasingly popular amongst the youth recently.

Its meaning has slightly been altered by Gen Z, as it's used as a slang word now to describe someone who comes across as cool and confident.

At All-Star Weekend, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was asked by a young fan what they could do to improve their aura, and SGA had a hilarious response.

What is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's advice on how to have more aura?

SGA goes viral on and off the court, with clips of his viral on-court abilities as well as photos of the way he dresses on gameday.

MORE: Internet catches NBA insider Shams Charania checking phone during All-Star Celebrity Game

He won the MVP during the regular season last year and also won the NBA Finals.

He's at the top of the list of players you'd ask this question to, and as expected, he has a hilarious answer.

"Do your homework, eat your vegetables...and work hard," Gilgeous-Alexander said.

As funny as the answer is, he might have a point, but I don't think anyone expected to hear an answer consisting of those three pieces of advice.

More NBA news:

• Hornets trade for guard who once had 17 assists in a single game
• Grizzlies offseason plans for Ja Morant revealed, less than a day after trade deadline
• Victor Wembanyama just put Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game on notice with monster 1st quarter
• Timberwolves to sign guard less than 48 hours after trading him
• The Bucks only listened to trade offers on Giannis Antetokounmpo for this clever reason
• Kawhi Leonard-Raptors reunion 'is a scenario we could see play out', NBA insider says

How the Trinidad Chambliss ruling affects the 2026 NFL Draft class originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Trinidad Chambliss case seemed to have three different rooting parties. People who wanted to see him return to Ole Miss, some who wanted him to go pro and those concerned with the precedent it would set.

In the end, the 'back to Ole Miss' people won and the 'go pro' people most certainly lost. The jury will be out for a while on what precedent it set. What this ruling means for Ole Miss is a topic for another day.

While everything Draft related is subject to change from now until Draft Day, one thing seems obvious. Chambliss not being draft eligible creates a significant gap between projected starters and developmental or dedicated backups.

Chambliss as a prospect was not going to challenge Fernando Mendoza for the top spot, nor was he necessarily going to ascend above Ty Simpson. Chambliss in the draft would have created an interesting dynamic for teams looking to swing for a potential future starter, without spending a top 20 pick to do so.

Examining the draftable quarterback landscape

Fernando Mendoza is as close to a No. 1 pick lock as any drafted top quarterback in recent memory. Barring something catastrophic or completely unexpected, that status is not likely to change.

Simpson is the only other quarterback at this stage, even considered as a first-round option and that is even beginning to look like it's on shaky ground. The one season as a starter factor will come up. Even if Chambliss was in this Draft, he would have needed to do an incredible job during the Draft process to crack the first round.

Even within media outlets that cover the Draft and were brave enough to include Chambliss during his case against the NCAA, no one had Chambliss in the first round. With most outlets willing to give a projection, settling somewhere between the second and fourth rounds.

Until proven otherwise throughout the process, there are only six quarterback prospects that project today as even potential starters at the next level. Simpson, Fernando Mendoza, Garrett Nussmeier, Carson Beck, Drew Allar and Cade Klubnik. Of those seven, only Mendoza is considered to have immediate starting potential.

One could make the argument for Mendoza and Simpson. Had Chambliss been eligible, he would have been the third of that group, but one round later. Creating a value benefit. The Raiders should take Mendoza at No. 1. Simpson should go somewhere between 15 and 25.

Making Chambliss perhaps the only quarterback worth considering in the second round. Before the Combine, the interviews, the pro days and the individual workouts, Nussmeier, Beck, Allar, and Klubnik all project somewhere between the third and fifth rounds.

How does the Chambliss decision change Draft strategy

This Chambliss decision changes how teams will look at QB outside the top 20 picks. Chambliss would have been the bridge between round one and round three. If Simpson is not taken ahead of the twenties, teams could look to trade back into the first round for a crack at landing Simpson. As opposed to waiting for Nussmeier, Beck, Allar, or Klubnik later.

From an NFL Draft perspective, Chambliss was a very interesting prospect. If his measurables are accurate, 6’0 and 200 pounds is at the lower end of the ‘suitable’ range. If he measured at 6’1 and even 5-10 pounds heavier, he might rise a tad. If he ran sub 4.5 considering his dual threat ability, he could’ve also rose.

With this decision going final, NFL teams are now going to have to adjust their strategy as there is no second-round worthy player to take and turn into a starter. This is the Drew Brees factor as it relates to draft position. Brees was incredible for Purdue but not viewed as a first-round talent. Yet in the right system, he thrived. A couple decades later, Brees is a Hall of Famer.

More: Demond Williams bombshell could've resulted in Lane Kiffin being fired at LSU

Now those teams that wanted to prioritize pass rushers, offensive lineman or receivers but still intended on getting a QB they can turn into a starter, no longer can lean on that strategy. Some of those teams are going to need to abandon getting the quarterback second. Forcing at least a few teams to consider reaching for Simpson so they don’t have to decide between four other guys that has significant question marks. 

Ultimately for his future NFL career, coming out in 2026 would have been better for his Draft position. Going into the 2025 season, there were believed to be as many as 8-10 quarterbacks analysts believed could be franchise quarterbacks. All of them do not look that way today.

More:Trinidad Chambliss wins case amid NCAA lawyers ghosting the judge

Projecting the 2027 Draft class, Chambliss will have some competition to be a top 50 pick when a top 50 pick in 2026 was all but assured. Arch Manning, Dante Moore, Julian Sayin, Darian Mensah, LaNorris Sellers, DJ Lagway, Sam Leavitt, CJ Carr, Jayden Maiava, Brendan Sorsby, and Dylan Raiola could all potentially enter the 2027 NFL Draft.

Chambliss has about a month to acclimate himself back into the Ole Miss program and internally promoted new head coach Pete Golding, which should not be difficult. Before starting the Ole Miss Spring Ball program.

More college football news: 

• Oregon's Dan Lanning rips College Football Playoff, calls for major changes
• Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach
• Top 2026 NFL Draft prospect suffers broken rib in CFP quarterfinal loss
• Dabo Swinney fires Clemson coaches immediately after loss to Penn State
• Ohio State's Ryan Day faces backlash after Cotton Bowl

All games will be played on Monday, Feb. 16

5A Div. I

Aledo (24-7) vs Colleyville Heritage (15-16)

5:30 p.m. at Eagle Mountain High School

A season to remember for the Aledo Ladycats after an undefeated record in District 5-5A, their first district title in seven years and only the second district championship since moving up to 5A in 2014.

The Ladycats dominated their district opponents, averaging a 33.5-point margin of victory in those 12 games. Led by senior guard Elizabeth Griffin and senior forward Tiara Butler, the Ladycats open the postseason with a favorable matchup against the Colleyville Heritage Lady Panthers.

Colleyville Heritage was a .500 team all season and earned the fourth seed out of District 6-5A by one game.

This is the first meeting between the two schools since the 2022 area round, where the Lady Panthers won 68-49.

4A Div. II

Brock (27-5) vs Levelland (24-10)

5:30 p.m. at Baird High School

The Brock Lady Eagles were the Cinderella story of the 2024-25 postseason for the area, when two buzzer beaters and a decisive regional semifinal win over Pampa took them to the regional final against district rival, Glen Rose.

The Lady Tigers had Brock's number last season, winning both regular-season games and the third meeting in the playoffs. It's a much different story this year, as the Lady Eagles have put down Glen Rose twice on their way to an undefeated District 6-4A title and are considered one of the top-ranked 4A teams in the state.

As a sophomore, guard Laney Hudson has taken over as Brock's primary option and she'll look to continue her impressive season against Levelland.

The Lady Lobos are a great test for the Lady Eagles early in the first round. Levelland is one of three teams in District 5-4A who won 24 or more games, along with Liberty and Frenship Memorial.

3A Div. II

Peaster (20-13) vs Jacksboro (27-7)

6 p.m. at Springtown High School

The Peaster Lady Greyhounds are back in the postseason for the first time since 2022 and head coach Michael Hall earned his first trip to the dance after the team topped Eastland in Friday's play-in.

The Lady Hounds draw what is possibly the hardest first-round matchup against Jacksboro. A Lady Tigers team on its best season in recent memory is known for its high-scoring ability.

In Friday's win, Peaster struggled to put points on the board and missed many free throws. Plus, senior forward Makada Davis' status is unknown for Monday's contest after suffering a knee injury against the Lady Mavs.

1A Div. II

Gordon (30-0) vs Highland (13-11)

8 p.m. at Clyde High School

It's the second year in a row that the two meet in the bi-district round, with Gordon winning by five last season. A year later, the Lady Longhorns look much different and are heavily favored in this game.

30-0. From going viral after beating a 6A team early in the season to claiming a district title for the first time since 2005.

Highland squeezed into the playoffs after only winning one district game. The only way the Lady Longhorns don't move on is if they beat themselves, which they haven't done all season.

2A Div. II

Santo (20-12) vs Crawford (21-5)

5:30 p.m. at Stephenville High School

At 20-12, this is the best season for the Santo Lady Wildcats since 2015. They finished second in District 11-2A with a 10-2 record, behind Lipan.

The Ladycats look for their first playoff win since 2020 against a Crawford team riding a hot streak. The Lady Pirates are 19-2 since Dec. 6 and three of their five losses came to 3A teams.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead No. 2 Michigan to an 86-65 victory over UCLA on Saturday that puts the program in position to be ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2013.

No. 1 Arizona lost its first game Monday night on the road against No. 9 Kansas, giving the Wolverines (24-1, 14-1 Big Ten) a path to the top spot in the poll with their 10th straight win.

The Bruins (17-8, 9-5) had won five of six games.

Michigan made nine straight shots — including Lendeborg's two 3-pointers — early in the second half to turn what was a closely contested game into a rout.

Just two years after losing a school-record 24 games in Juwan Howard's final season, coach Dusty May took advantage of the transfer portal to build a deep and talented roster that has won 24 of 25 games for the first time in school history.

The Wolverines are aiming to be No. 1 for the first time since Jan. 28, 2013, a season that ended with AP national player of the year Trey Burke and coach John Beilein losing to Rick Pitino-led Louisville in the national championship game.

In their latest lopsided win, Morez Johnson finished with 15 points, LJ Cason scored 13, Nimari Burnett added 12 and Aday Mara had nine points, eight rebounds and three blocks against his former team.

UCLA’s Trent Perry scored 11 of his 14 points in the first half and Tyler Bilodeau had 10 of his points in the opening 20 minutes, when the visitors trailed by just two points.

Up next

UCLA: At No. 10 Michigan State on Tuesday.

Michigan: At No. 13 Purdue on Tuesday.

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Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

The 2026 Olympic men’s hockey tournament is nearing the end of the preliminary rounds. Group B kicked off the tournament on the 11th and was the first to wrap up their round-robin games. 

Two members of the Anaheim Ducks organization went head-to-head on Saturday, as Mikael Granlund’s Finland were looking to earn the top seed with a big win against Ducks prospect goaltender Damian Clara’s Italy.

Ducks at the Winter Olympics: Gudas Defeats France with Czechia, Granlund Assists in Finland Win Against Rival Sweden

Ducks at the Winter Olympics: Dostal, Gudas Fall to Canada, LaCombe Scratched

Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe served as a healthy scratch for the United States’ first tournament game against Latvia and would do so again for Saturday’s game against Denmark.

Mikael Granlund (Finland vs. Italy)

Finland: 11, Italy: 0

Finland’s listed third-line center, Anton Lundell, was forced to miss this game due to an illness, which caused Finland to alter their forward lines. Eeli Tolvanan slotted into captain Mikael Granlund’s spot on the top line next to Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen. Granlund filled in for Lundell on the third line between Eetu Luostarinen and Kaapo Kakko. 

Finland dominated this game from the opening puck drop. They generated non-stop, relentless offensive zone possession time, and with their active defenseman and reliable F3s, they were able to keep pucks in the zone and keep cycles alive. Italy simply was unable to advance pucks beyond their defensive blueline. 

With Luostarinen’s defensive prowess and without his linemates’ demand for the puck on the top line, Granlund was freer to transport pucks through the middle third of the ice and drive cycles deep in the Italy zone. He continued to make little plays to create space for his linemates and find them streaking with speed, utilizing his elite vision. As the game wore on, he began to toy with Italy’s defense, breaking down on-puck defenders with creative dangles and attempting spin-o-rama seam passes from circle to circle.

He operated lower, toward the bottom of the left circle on the power play, which allowed him to see the entire offensive zone when he had the puck and feed the net front, bumper, and Rantanen on the far side alike. 

Granlund finished with two goals on seven shots in 17:15 TOI.

Damian Clara (Italy vs. Finland)

Italy: 0, Finland: 11

Much like in Italy’s opening game against Sweden, Clara was given a tall order for this game against medal hopeful Finland. He was forced from the game against Sweden early in the third due to an injury, but avoided anything serious, as he was able to return to the crease three days later for Saturday’s game. 

Clara only lasted 40 minutes in this one, as he was pulled after the second period when Finland got out to a 6-0 lead. He let in six goals, but due to Finland’s never-ending pressure and Italy’s lack of NHL-caliber defensive structure, one would be hard-pressed to lay blame on him for any of those tallies. 

The only nitpick would have come on Finland’s third goal, Kakko’s first, where Kakko’s momentum was carrying him away from the net while at the right dot and beat Clara on the far side. However, that came off a defensive breakdown that led to Kakko having ample time and space to get his release off from a dangerous location. The other five goals allowed by Clara developed from a 2v1 out of the corner, an own-goal while penalty killing, a screened and tipped point shot, a dot-to-dot seam pass, and a 3v2 backdoor tic-tac-toe play. 

Clara was visibly calmer to start this game than he was on Wednesday, confident on his angles when facing shots from distance, and less noisy when Finland drove pucks to his crease. Finland ran a lot of plays out from the goal line to the faceoff dots, and Clara was excellent on those pushes to cut down any potential net for shooters to aim for. When Finland attempted to carry pucks out from behind the net, his reverse VH rendered him massive, and he covered the entirety of the net when shots were taken in tight and at the bottom of the circles. 

Clara stopped 32 of the 38 shots he faced through the first two periods in this game before he was pulled in favor of Davide Fadani. 

Ducks at the Olympics: Granlund and Finland Lose to Sweden, Clara Shines for Italy against Sweden, Leaves with Injury

Anaheim Ducks 2026 Olympic Preview

Alex Killorn’s Value Shows On and Off the Ice

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Well, best not as it’s actually a nippy day in mid-February, but still, I love you Jack Marriott.

Valentine’s Day is when we celebrate the ones we hold in our hearts, and Marriott is most certainly our special someone. Time and time again he steps up (it’s frankly ridiculous just how consistent he is in front of goal), and today was the purest example yet, a love-in of sublime finishing.

The first, a moment of pure poacher’s instinct to see an opportunity where no-one else did. The second, sheer determination in bursting in on goal before an excellent finish. The third? Good Lord, that outside-of-the-boot strike to find the far side of the goal was one of the best bits of technique we’ve seen from a centre-forward in recent years.

If you haven’t seen the goals, watch them. Now. On repeat. It’s worth it, I promise.

Even just one of those moments was proof enough that Reading have one hell of a striker on their books. Put all three together and you have a truly special performance, a tour de force. So I say again: Jack Marriott, I love you.

Sadly I very much do not have similar sentiments for Reading’s overall performance. Marriott was the exception (a game-changing one, thankfully) on an afternoon when the Royals were second best to a dangerous Wycombe Wanderers side.

Headline stats don’t always give a fair representation of a game, but this time they do. The Royals had much less of the ball (34%), shots (7-23) and shots on target (4-10). In fact, according to WhoScored, a whopping 45% of the game was played in our third – and just 20% of it in Wycombe’s.

And going by the eye test, Reading lacked control of the game, didn’t manage the contest as convincingly as they should have, struggled to build up sustained periods of attacking threat and looked too open defensively. Collectively, we simply were not at the races.

That’s certainly not to say it was all bad. On the contrary, big performances at the back – from Joel Pereira and Benn Ward in particular – went a long way to fighting off the Wanderers danger, so credit to both of them. And the bottom line is, of course, that Reading as a unit did enough to get over the line and seal the points. That’s certainly not to be sniffed at.

But it is to say we’re still well off being at a level where we can look like serious candidates for the playoffs, despite the results we’ve recently managed. Reading have done really well to grind out wins in spite of performances, but that disparity has to be rectified. As much as we love him, we can’t keep relying on Marriott.

Leam Richardson made two changes to Tuesday’s side, resting Haydon Roberts and Ryan Nyambe while bringing in Kadan Young and Andy Yiadom. I’ve no complaints with either decision, given the new defenders’ lack of game time before joining in January. They’ve needed a break and will likely start on Tuesday anyway.

Reading (4-2-3-1): Pereira; Yiadom, O’Connor, Ward, Dorsett; Wing, Fraser; Lane, Doyle, Young; Marriott

Subs: Stevens, Nyambe, Burns, Roberts, Savage, Ritchie, Ehibhatiomhan

Wycombe started the afternoon the stronger of the two sides (a theme that would be consistent throughout the game), but it was Reading who got their noses in front. With eight minutes on the clock, the ball bounced loose in behind and Marriott was the only one to spot the danger, darting in behind and slotting home for 1-0.

The Royals failed to build on that lead, managing just two more shots before the break (one of which we’ll return to) and barely managing to get into the visitors’ third with any real threat.

Instead it was Wycombe who were on top for possession, territory and intent in the first half, and they had two great chances in that period, but Junior Quitirna fired the first wide and the second over. Joel Pereira also had to be alert to deny Niall Huggins from close range when a cross was lofted to the back post.

That second Reading shot though: sublime. A couple of minutes before half-time, Marriott seized on a loose ball in midfield, blazed forwards into open space and blasted home with his left foot for 2-0.

Half time: 2-0

Despite the scoreline, it was clear from the first half just how much Reading seemingly needed to improve – defensively and in terms of game management – if they were to see out the win. However, the second half was overall worse, if anything. Let’s go back to the stats: Wycombe managed 16 shots after the break to Reading’s three.

Wanderers had one back just five minutes into the half. Andy Yiadom had given away a cheap free-kick on the right, which was swung in and nodded home by Dan Casey for 2-1 – a scrappy goal, but one that should have been cut off at source.

The next 20 minutes or so were varying speeds of one-way traffic, Wycombe getting forwards confidently but not quite doing enough to find an equaliser. Richardson oddly opted to hold fire on making changes, keeping things exactly the same until after the 70th minute. Yiadom in particular was struggling and should have come off for Nyambe, while the attacking midfield three needed freshening up.

In fact, Wycombe struck back to make it 2-2 before subs could be introduced. Neither Kamari Doyle nor Young were alert enough to the dangerous run of Anders Hagelskjær, who slammed home from a tight angle, beating Pereira with sheer power.

Charlie Savage and Roberts were then brought on, for Lane and Young out wide, and the former made an immediate impact. The ball dropped loose from a long ball in Wycombe’s half and Savage quickly played a cute pass through for Marriott, who guided the ball home with an outstanding finish off the outside of his right boot. 3-2, what a game!

Reading had one chance to give themselves some breathing room again, as Doyle found space on the edge of the area, only to blast the ball over the bar. Otherwise it was pretty much all Wycombe in the closing stages and they did look a threat, but Reading managed to tighten up enough to get over the line. That was helped by a couple of changes in the 87th minute (Marriott off for Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan, Yiadom for Nyambe) and another in injury time (Ward off for Finley Burns).

Full time: 3-2

All in all, a real smash-and-grab game that really mustn’t draw Reading into a false sense of security. For the most part this wasn’t good enough – the Royals were effectively bailed out by one particularly sublime showing up top from Marriott.

And yet, it keeps Reading’s points tally ticking up. We’re now up to seventh, just three points off sixth-placed Huddersfield Town and with a game in hand on them. If the Royals can translate recent wins (today, 2-1 at Wigan Athletic and 2-0 at Northampton Town) into more convincing all-round performances in the weeks and months to come, this season could well have a happy ending – but improvement does have to come.

Men's Six Nations

Scotland (24) 31

Tries: Jones 2, Ritchie, White Cons: Russell 4 Pen: Russell

England (10) 20

Tries: Arundell, Earl Con: Ford Pens: Ford 2

Rampant Scotland bounced back from Six Nations defeat by Italy a week ago to blow England away in a bonus-point win in a pulsating Calcutta Cup at a riotous Murrayfield.

Orchestrated by the brilliant Finn Russell and playing with a ruthlessness that a shell-shocked England could not contain, the Scots were a team reborn.

Pelted with flak in the build-up to facing an England team looking for a 13th straight win and and a first in Edinburgh since 2020, Gregor Townsend's previously beleaguered boys motored into a stunning 17-0 lead inside the opening quarter.

A penalty from Russell and tries from Huw Jones, Jamie Ritchie and Ben White were answered only by a converted Henry Arundell try and a George Ford penalty.

For Arundell, it was a hair-raising experience. England played 30-minutes with only 14 men due to the two yellow cards given to the wing in the first half. Scotland scored 14 points on the back of his first yellow.

Scotland led 24-10 at the break. Ford narrowed the gap with the boot early in the new half, but Jones added a second soon after when a George Ford drop goal attempt was charged down by Matt Fagerson and the centre ran 60 metres unopposed.

Scotland have an unfortunate history of going to sleep when ahead in games, but not this time. England had some moments of pressure but they were met with Scottish thunder on both sides of the ball.

Ben Earl scored late on to bring the gap down to 11. Not that it bothered Murrayfield all that much.

England, for all the improvements they have made, were sent rocketing back to the drawing board.

Russell Scotland's architect once again

Scotland promised a big performance and they delivered an intensity, an accuracy and a ruthlessness that was totally absent in Rome.

They were utterly lethal in the opening minutes, Russell sending them on their way with an early penalty that was borne out of hard and direct rugby that England could not live with.

Another Scottish blast inside 10 minutes saw the first yellow for Arundell and it proved so damaging for England. While the wing was away, Scotland didn't half play and Russell in full genius mode was at the heart of it.

After stretching the England defence to breaking, Russell then finished them, beating the blitz - Tom Roebuck sold himself in the midst of it - with a gorgeous one-handed flick on to Jones who sprinted around Maro Itoje to score.

They fly-half made it 10-0 and the promised Scottish reaction to Rome was being visited upon England. And there was more. Part of their woes in Rome was their lack of ruthlessness. Here, they fixed the problem.

In their next visit to England's 22 they nailed their chance again, getting outside the defence with a speed and a skill-set of the highest class. Sione Tuipulotu flung a long pass out to Ritchie, standing free on the left wing, and the blindside scored with aplomb.

Russell made it 17-0 with just 14 minutes on the clock. Breathless and brilliant. England, heavy favourites, were getting blown away. That Arundel yellow cost them 14 points.

They got some joy at last. Their scrum, completely dominant, was key and their big runners took them deep into Scotland's 22. The resistance held, but only for so long. Ford's lovely delayed pass sent Arundell in. Quite a half for the wing.

Ford narrowed the gap to seven points soon after as England threatened to build up a head of steam. Their respite was dismantled in quick order when Scotland struck for their third score.

It was wonderful Russell invention once again that sparked it, the fly-half scampering down the short side, skipping past Guy Pepper and Sam Underhill and getting a kick while in the process of falling over.

Ellis Genge was in the back field and seemingly in control of the situation only to slide and let the ball fall loose. White was on to him like a shot and touched down for a smash-and-grab that sickened England. Russell added the extras - a 14-point game now.

Arundell's calamity came just before the end of a pulsating half when he took Steyn out in the air. Second yellow and now a 20-minute red. England were in deep trouble.

Their scrum superiority brought them three more points early in a second half that began without Ritchie on one side and Sam Underhill. Both injured. On came Fagerson and Tom Curry and away we went.

England's one area of joy was the scrum and their muscle in the set-piece saw Ford narrow the gap early in the second half. These were moments when Scotland had to dig deep.

England were getting on the front foot, but the Scottish defence held. More than that, they frustrated England. Going nowhere in the hosts' 22. Ford opted to take an easy three with a drop goal in front of the posts.

It backfired. Fagerson was out like a bullet from a gun and charged down the kick, then scooped up the loose ball and fed Jones who galloped away with Scottish delirium ringing in his ears all the way.

Russell banged over the conversion and, incredibly, the underdogs were ahead by 18 points with a bonus point in the bank.

England emptied their bench, brought on any amount of heavy hitters, but could only manage a late, late try for Earl, converted by Ford. Scotland's lead was 11 - and to the utter ecstasy of the home fans, it stayed that way.

Line-ups

Scotland: Jordan, Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu (capt), Dobie, Russell, White; McBeth, Turner, Z Fagerson, Brown, Cummings, Ritchie, Darge, Dempsey.

Replacements:Cherry, Schoeman, Millar-Mills, Williamson, M Fagerson, Horne, Hastings, Graham.

England: Steward; Roebuck, Freeman, Dingwall, Arundell; Ford, Mitchell; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Heyes, Chessum, Itoje, Pepper, Underhill, Earl.

Replacements: George, Rodd, Davison, Coles, Pollock, T Curry, Spencer, F Smith.

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)

If nothing else, the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl triumph should close the book on the Russell Wilson trade. The first three seasons of post-Russ results indicated that while Seattle got a nice haul out of the blockbuster deal, they were still treading water as a non-contender. After the 2025 offseason masterclass, the Wilson trade was indeed instrumental in Seattle’s newest championship window. Devon Witherspoon or Derick Hall winning Super Bowl MVP would’ve been the perfect encapsulation.

But we’re not here to talk about the Wilson trade, of which Witherspoon and Derick Hall made outsized impacts . There were some other deals Schneider made with the Broncos that had a season-long impact on Seattle’s success, as well as an outsized success in the Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots.

A.J. Barner

It is distinctly possible that Barner could end his rookie contract as the Seahawks’ all-time leading receiver at the tight end position. He wasn’t even the top tight end at Michigan—Colston Loveland looks like he is the real deal with the Chicago Bears—but he’s shown himself to be a well-rounded traditional tight end. Barner may not have the gaudy stats like Trey McBride or prime Travis Kelce or George Kittle, but he blocks well, has excellent hands, and he’s shown himself to be the warmest of security blankets for Sam Darnold.

In the Super Bowl, Barner had four catches for 54 yards and Seattle’s only offensive touchdown. It was a fitting performance after quietly finishing second on the team in receptions and touchdowns and third in receiving yards.

How he was acquired: The Seahawks were slated to pick at No. 102 overall early in Round 4 of the 2024 draft. John Schneider traded down to No. 121, gaining another pick in the process. Denver took Oregon receiver Troy Frankling, while the Seahawks selected Barner at No. 121.

Michael Dickson

Michael Dickson was pressed into action a little more than hoped for, but the Aussie was his usual phenomenal self. Facing a dangerous returner in Marcus Jones, he downed the Patriots inside the 10 three times out of seven punts, and Jones’ two returns went a grand total of four yards. He also saved a Jason Myers field goal attempt by corralling a low snap from long snapper Chris Stoll in time to hold and spin the laces out for Myers to boot his kick through the uprights.

This was one of those games where field position mattered quite a bit, and Dickson flipped the field repeatedly against a Patriots offense that could do next to nothing for the entire Super Bowl.

Dickson was second-team All-Pro in 2025 and tied for his career low in touchbacks with three.

How he was acquired: Trading up for a PUNTER?! This is what the Seahawks did in 2018 after giving up picks 156 and 226 to the Broncos to select Dickson at 149. Dickson remains the only All-Pro at any position selected in the fifth round from that draft class.

Denver drafted Troy Fumagalli (out of the league in two years) and running back David Williams (never played for Denver) with its picks from Seattle.

Another way to look at this is Witherspoon, Hall, Dickson, and Barner were among the top performing Seahawks in Super Bowl 60 and all of them were directly acquired from traded Denver draft picks.

Regardless of who’s in the front office for the Broncos, they might as well hang up the phone when Schneider comes calling.

NBCUniversal dubbed this month Legendary February, since the 2026 Winter Olympics, the Super Bowl LX game, and the launch of NBC’s Sunday Night Basketball were all aligning. But the much-hyped sports events have made February legendary for the company, too.

In a press release on Thursday, NBCUniversal announced that viewers have streamed 6.3 billion minutes of Milan Cortina Olympics coverage on Peacock and other streaming platforms through Wednesday, with more than week of Olympics action remaining. That viewership beats the full viewership of the last two winter games combined: Viewers streamed 6.1 billion minutes of the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang and the 2022 games in Beijing.

The 2026 Winter Olympics had already set the record for the most-streamed Winter Games with Tuesday’s total of with 5.3 billion minutes, up 36 percent from the entire 2022 Olympics (3.9 billion) and more than double the entire 2018 Olympics (2.2 billion).

Sarah Stier/Getty Images

NBCUniversal also noted on Thursday that these Winter Games were averaging 25.7 million viewers on NBC, Peacock, NBCUniversal’s digital platforms, and spinoff media company Versant’s CNBC and USA Network through Wednesday, the best performance for a Winter Games since the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

Related

Olympics Opening Ceremony Scores Record Audience for NBCUniversal

And Super Bowl LX — in which the Seattle Seahawks trounced the New England Patriots on Sunday, February 8 — also delivered a huge audience to NBC. As NBC Sports President Rick Cordella noted in a media conference call, the game averaged 125 million viewers to become the second most-watched broadcast in U.S. television history. It also scored the largest peak audience in U.S. TV history with 137.8 million viewers watching in the second quarter.

“This level of audience accumulation over just an 11-day period is exceptional in today’s media environment,” Cordella said in Thursday’s press release. “We look forward to continued momentum, with Team USA in contention for many medals in upcoming Olympic competition, and the return of NBA All-Star Weekend to NBC for the first time in more than two decades.”

Read the latest entertainment news on TV Insider.

Leverkusen reversed.

This Saturday, OM suffered yet another terrible disappointment against Strasbourg. For their first match after the thrashing by PSG and the departure of Roberto De Zerbi, the Marseillais threw it all away against Strasbourg.

Despite leading by two goals in the 74th minute, the Olympians once again conceded a dramatic draw with Joaquin Panichelli’s equalizer in the 90+7th minute.

Crucified once again at the end of the match, OM is on the verge of breaking an absolutely dreadful record in Ligue 1.

According to Opta, the Marseillais have conceded seven goals in stoppage time of the second half in the league this season. Over the last 20 seasons, only Metz has done worse, conceding nine goals after the 90th minute.

This record can even be extended to the last 10 minutes of regulation time across all competitions this season.

Furthermore, according to StatsduFoot, without stoppage time, OM would be co-leader of Ligue 1 with PSG.

In your opinion, how can OM fix this problem?

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

West Brom manager Eric Ramsay said there were positives to take from his side's FA Cup exit at Norwich City.

The Baggies head coach told BBC Radio WM: "I'm really disappointed to lose the game, particularly given how the second half went, and how we felt that we grew into the game and played with some real authority for a large portion of that second half.

"I felt strongly before the game that, irrespective of the outcome, we had to come out feeling positive across a number of other elements and there were strong performances from the young players Ollie [Bostock], Harry [Whitwell] and from Hindo [Mustapha] and we had to feel that we were nudging players towards 90 minutes fit.

"The guys that haven't been able to hit 90 minutes all that regularly so far this season. The fact we've done that across the board is pleasing.

"We weren't happy with the first-half performance. There wasn't the level of aggression and competitiveness that we would have expected and we lacked control on the ball. That was entirely different in the second half."

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LOS ANGELES -- One of football's greatest icons: legendary Brazilian defender and two-time FIFA World Cup champion Cafu (Marcos Evangelista de Morais) sat down for an exclusive conversation with The Sporting Tribune on Friday. As the only player in history to feature in three consecutive World Cup finals (1994, 1998, and 2002), and Brazil's all-time most-capped player with over 140 appearances for the Seleção, Cafu's legacy transcends trophies. It stands as a testament to leadership, unwavering passion, and the enduring spirit of the beautiful game.

Bruno De Witt Zanotto - The Sporting Tribune

Former Brazilian National Team captain Marcos Evangelista de Morais "Cafu" during an interview about the World Cup at Saturday Football in Los Angeles, California

Cafu captained Brazil to their fifth World Cup title in 2002, famously lifting the trophy in Yokohama after a dominant performance. His career highlights include starring roles at São Paulo, Roma, and AC Milan, where his tireless overlapping runs from right-back earned him the moniker "Il Pendolino" (The Express Train). Decades later, he remains a revered figure, often sharing insights on Brazil's prospects and the global stage.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup now just months away—co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and marking the first 48-team edition—the tournament's return to American soil holds special meaning for Cafu. Los Angeles, via SoFi Stadium (also known as Los Angeles Stadium), will host several matches, though Brazil's group stage opener is scheduled elsewhere (e.g., Philadelphia). The city evokes powerful memories for Cafu: it was the site of his World Cup debut in 1994, when Brazil triumphed over Italy in the final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, ending a 24-year drought for the Seleção.

Bruno De Witt Zanotto - The Sporting Tribune

Frame of a photograph of The 1994 World Cup Final at the Rose Bowl " during an interview about the World Cup at Saturday Football in Los Angeles, California.

We asked him: "As someone who lifted the World Cup, how exciting is it for you to see the tournament coming to Los Angeles and inspiring a new generation of fans?"

Cafu responded with deep emotion: "Wow, first to lift a World Cup trophy is fascinating, grateful, and very proud—especially when we're talking about the Brazil National Team. Having the opportunity in Los Angeles after 32 years, Brazil returning here once again, the World Cup returning to the United States, specifically Los Angeles—it's a memory that will stay with you for the rest of your life. For me, for being my first World Cup, and for being my World Cup Final here in the United States."

Bruno De Witt Zanotto - The Sporting Tribune

Brazil National Team 1994 game Jersey worn by Marcos Evangelista de Morais "Cafu" at Saturday Football in Los Angeles, California

The conversation naturally turned to Brazil's current stars and their hopes for 2026. Bruno also inquired about Neymar Jr., whose fitness and form have been topics of intense discussion amid injuries and club transitions.

We asked: "If Neymar is healthy, how important is he to the Brazilian National team?"

Cafu replied confidently: "Neymar is important to any club, especially the Brazilian National team. Neymar knows how important he is to us. Him being focused 100% without a doubt Brazil has a strong chance of conquering the World Cup with him."

The Sporting Tribune

Former Brazilian National Team captain Marcos Evangelista de Morais "Cafu" and Bruno De Witt Zanotto during an interview about the World Cup at Saturday Football in Los Angeles, California

Cafu's endorsement highlights Neymar's unique talent and influence—often described by the legend himself in past comments as one of Brazil's greatest assets when fully fit and committed. With Brazil aiming to reclaim global supremacy after a 24-year wait since 2002, Cafu's belief underscores the potential impact of a healthy, focused Neymar alongside emerging talents.

As the countdown to June 2026 continues, Cafu's reflections bridge past glories with future possibilities. The World Cup's return to Los Angeles isn't just a sporting event—it's a full-circle moment for legends like Cafu, inspiring the next generation to chase dreams on the biggest stage. Brazil's pursuit of a sixth title promises drama, passion, and perhaps another iconic lift under the California lights.

Bruno De Witt Zanotto - The Sporting Tribune

Sao Paolo Football Club Jersey worn by Marcos Evangelista de Morais "Cafu" at Saturday Football in Los Angeles, California

Salford City arrived at Etihad Stadium with a certain amount of trepidation, the scars of last season's 8-0 FA Cup defeat still fresh in the mind.

This time the League Two club left Manchester City's home with their heads held high after going toe-to-toe with the club still hoping to pull off an unprecedented quadruple this season.

"It was demoralising last season, our confidence dipped," Salford captain Luke Garbutt told BBC Sport after pushing their opponents all the way before losing 2-0.

"Today is a totally different feel.

"On another day we would've got a goal. To come away with 2-0 when it was 8-0 last season shows the club is on the rise."

Salford, the club co-owned by Manchester United stars Gary Neville and David Beckham, were playing in the fourth round for the first time in their history.

And they were in the tie right up to the moment substitute Marc Guehi doubled the lead with his first Manchester City goal since a £20m move from Crystal Palace in the 81st minute.

"They defended so well," said Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. "They had more chances near the end, they were really good."

• Guehi scores first Man City goal in win over Salford

'We'll use this to move forward'

Salford's players stayed on the pitch a good five minutes after the full-time whistle to show their appreciation to their travelling fans.

"Why did you bring that up?" manager Karl Robinson joked in his post-match press conference, when a reporter mentioned last season's eight-goal drubbing.

He must have feared his side were facing another hammering when Alfie Dorrington scored an own goal in the sixth minute.

The visitors, however, regrouped.

Not only did they prevent their opponents from registering an attempt on target before half-time, they twice went close to scoring themselves through Ben Woodburn and Brandon Cooper.

It was still only 1-0 when James Trafford denied Kelly N'Mai, before Guardiola sent on Antoine Semenyo, Nico O'Reilly, Rodri and Guehi, the latter eventually easing home nerves nine minutes from the end.

"It's about us using this as a benchmark to move forward," added Robinson, whose side sit sixth in the fourth tier of English football.

"We couldn't do that last season. We have to get out of League Two.

"It was a fantastic defensive performance against one of the best teams in Europe.

"They had to bring on four of their best players in the last 20 minutes. We dust ourselves off and get ready for Tuesday [Newport County at home]."

Former Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown, who was at Etihad Stadium for BBC Sport, said Salford will learn from Saturday's experience.

"For Salford to get to this stage they have done well," he added.

"The test was there with this draw, but Robinson will have learned a lot about his players."

Garbutt added: "They are a world-class team and they are going to create chances and score good goals but we kept that to a minimum."

'Good news is we go through'

Guardiola mentioned in his pre-match news conference how he "enjoys" playing FA Cup ties away from home against League One and League Two clubs.

"When you arrive at the stadium on the coach and all the fans sing 'Who are ya?! Who are ya?!" added Guardiola.

On Saturday, Salford's 3,900 fans inside Etihad Stadium made themselves heard as the visitors took the game to their Premier League opponents.

Afterwards, Guardiola labelled his side's 41st game of the season "boring".

"It has been tough but not just this two weeks, since November it's been every three days and that's a lot," he added.

"The good news is we go through.

"We have to move the ball quick to the opposite side and we didn't do it. That's why it was boring."

City might not have been at their best but it's now 17 FA Cup wins in a row at Etihad Stadium since a 2-0 defeat by Middlesbrough back in 2015.

Breaking Gerd Müller’s record for goals in a single Bundesliga season-40 in 34 games- seemed utterly impossible. The Bayern Munich legend is one of the greatest goal scorers in the history of the sport. Surely, he could not be caught. Then a new Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski arrived on the scene and broke it, plundering an incredible 41 goals in 29 games with a goal in the dying embers of the final matchday.

Now it is Harry Kane’s turn to try to break the record. He came fairly close in the first season and fell further behind in his second season. Now in his third, he has 26 goals with 12 games remaining. Could he break the record this season?

Asked about this possibility after a Kane brace led Bayern to a 3-0 win in the Bundesliga against Werder Bremen, head coach Vincent Kompany deflected the question: “I assume that the league title is much more important for him than the record,” he said, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. “But maybe I’m wrong because I was a defender not a striker [laughs]. He’s Harry Kane, he has and will always score goals.”

Lewandowski missed 5 games the season he broke the record. Kane has yet to miss a match and will likely need to carry this through the season to have any hope of reaching 42 goals.

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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One of the things that has captivated social media around the Tennessee Titans so far this offseason has been the rumor that the team will change its uniforms in 2026. This rumor is nothing new. Last offseason, Hall of Famer Warren Moon hinted at a redesign during Cam Ward’s introductory press conference, but no specifics on the look were given. 

Unlike last offseason, when word broke on this possibility in January, it created a frenzy, with fans doing jersey and uniform mock-ups and flooding social media with design ideas. Now, after a few weeks of speculation, Fanatics may have leaked the updated logo on one of their plus football items. 

Did Fanatics leak the new Titans logo? 👀

(h/t to ryangarrettxo on Reddit) pic.twitter.com/fFQtYDL6DS

— 2nd & Victory (@2ndandVictory) February 14, 2026

Similar to the current Titans design, minus the flames and featuring “Titans Blue” instead of a dark blue, this design aligns with comments from last offseason, when members of the team's administration discussed embracing their history and using their color scheme moving forward

What do you think? Do you like this new look, or would you like to see something different? Sound off and let us know what you think. 

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Did Fanatics just leak the new Tennessee Titans logo? Take a look

Elfyn Evans headed into the final day of Rally Sweden with a slender 13.3s lead despite a late push from Takamoto Katsuta, as Toyota’s domination continued.

Evans started Saturday facing a 2.8s deficit to Katsuta, but this was turned on its head after the morning loop. A perplexed Katsuta struggled for grip, which left him 16.1s adrift.

The deficit grew to 18s early in the afternoon as Evans maintained his strong pace, headlined by a fastest time in stage 13. But Katsuta managed to arrest his slide backwards and issued a response as the afternoon progressed. The Japanese driver took time out of Evans across the final two stages to reduce the gap to 13.3s.

"This morning was pretty good but this afternoon was a bit more mixed. Looking after the tyres was a bit more difficult, and not my specialty, but it has still been a clean afternoon,” said Evans, who defeated Katsuta to win Rally Sweden last year.

Katsuta has not given up on an opportunity to beat Evans and snatch a maiden WRC win on Sunday.  “One more day to go. Not really happy today and we will find out what went wrong. I will definitely try my best tomorrow,” said Katsuta. 

Katsuta also came under pressure from Toyota team-mate Sami Pajari, who set an impressive pace across the afternoon. The Finn, sitting in third, picked up fastest times in stages 12 and 14 to close within 11.4s of Katsuta, before ending the day 12.1s behind his team-mate.

Toyota’s domination of the event was outlined by Oliver Solberg leaping ahead of Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux and Esapekka Lappi to claim fourth in the morning. The Monte Carlo winner’s charge was halted in the afternoon.    

Takamoto Katsuta, Aaron Johnston, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

"It has been a tricky afternoon that is for sure,” said Solberg, who ended the day in fourth, 33s behind Pajari and 11.2s ahead of Lappi. “Not good. It was so slippery and there was a lot of loose snow and it was difficult to find the rhythm and the confidence. That is it really. It is not where I want to be.”

Hyundai’s crews conducted multiple set-up changes across its trio of i20 N Rally1 cars in a bid to find answers to its lack of pace. To some degree the changes worked as Lappi began to feel more at home behind the wheel to remain in the fight for fourth overall.

Fourmaux tried a radical damper change which wasn’t comfortable for the crew inside the car, but it did deliver some encouraging results. The Frenchman held onto fifth, 8.2s behind Lappi. Thierry Neuville ended the day by winning the final Umea Sprint stage by 1.1s from Katsuta, but the 2024 world champion remained mired in seventh, 2m10s adrift of the lead.           

"We had a good day in the car honestly,” said Neuville. “Strong pace for the speed we have at the moment. I enjoyed it a bit more. The conditions were more stable than yesterday, so it made it a bit easier. The car is following the line a bit better. That is all we have at the moment, but at least we had a bit of fun.”

M-Sport Ford’s Jon Armstrong delivered head turning pace in the afternoon stages after making a roll bar tweak to his Puma's set-up at the midday service. The Irishman was comfortably quicker than his team-mates, ending the day in eighth overall, ahead of Josh McErlean, who was hampered by an intermittent light pod failure that he described as “quite scary”.

Martins Sesks completed the day’s seven stages on his return to action after three punctures on Friday forced him into retirement. The Latvian claimed the fastest time on stage 10, but was hampered by being first on the road in the afternoon. Sesks ended the final stage with a water pressure alarm being triggered on his Puma. 

The top 10 was completed by WRC2 leader Roope Korhonen. Three stages await the crews on Sunday to conclude the second round of the season.

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

Inter bring Nicolò Barella back with Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram, but Juventus are forced to change with Kenan Yildiz, Francisco Conceicao and Jonathan David.

It kicks off at San Siro at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s three Serie A games on the Liveblog.

MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 14: General view inside the stadium prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

This is the Derby d’Italia, a notorious grudge match, not to mention a battle between two of the top five.

The last few editions have been thrilling, including a 4-4 draw at San Siro last season, and a 4-3 Juventus victory in Turin back in September.

Both Thuram brothers were on target that day, but this time around Khephren is out with a bruised leg and not even on the bench.

He joins Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik on the treatment table, so Fabio Miretti and Weston McKennie into a deeper midfield role than usual.

Conceicao shrugs off a knee issue to start with Yildiz and David upfront in what appears to be a 4-3-3 formation.

TURIN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 16: Francisco Conceicao of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Juventus and FC Internazionale at Allianz Stadium on February 16, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Inter have big news, as Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu returned to training on Tuesday after several weeks out, leaving just Denzel Dumfries on the absentee list.

Only the Italian is thrown straight into the starting XI with Piotr Zielinski and Petar Sucic, while Marcus Thuram partners Capocannoniere Lautaro Martinez.

They are running away at the top of the Serie A table, winning 11 of the last 12 games.

TURIN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 13: Pierre Kalulu of Juventus competes for a header with Lautaro Martinez of Internazionale during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and FC Internazionale at on September 13, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Inter vs. Juventus line-ups

Inter: Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Luis Henrique, Barella, Zielinski, Sucic, Dimarco; Lautaro Martinez, M Thuram

Juventus: Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; McKennie, Locatelli, Miretti; Conceicao, David, Yildiz

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Serie A Week 25 Liveblog Inter vs. Juventus, Lazio vs. Atalanta, Como vs. Fiorentina

One of the players FC Barcelona have been following and monitoring is Ruud Nijstad. The 18-year-old Dutch centre-back is regarded as one of the outstanding prospects of his generation in the Netherlands.

Despite his age, the centre-back has already played nine matches for FC Twente in the Eredivisie. Standing at 1.93 metres tall, he is a powerful defender with presence and great potential.

As such, Barça have been working on a deal for Nijstad since January and, at one point, it seemed like a move was close.

Barcelona withdraw from Nijstad pursuit

However, according to SPORT, Barcelona have decided to walk away from their pursuit of Nijstad as they consider the price requested by Twente for their young prospect to be too high.

The Dutch outfit are pushing to renew his contract and secure his immediate future, while several top European clubs are pressing to sign him.

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A post shared by Ruud Nijstad (@ruudnijstad)

Twente are demanding a fee close to €10 million, a figure that is entirely outside the Blaugrana club’s roadmap.

As such, the decision has been made not to enter the bidding for the defender, even though the player would be interested in wearing the Blaugrana shirt.

At no point has an official approach been made by the La Liga champions, neither to Twente nor to the player’s representatives. The transfer fee is considered entirely excessive.

Barcelona have focused on signing young, left-footed centre-backs with future potential – having added Juwensley Onstein and Patricio Pacifico during the winter window. Nijstad was also seen as a viable option with an eye on the future, but the move is now off.

Inter Milan coach Cristian Chivu has decided to start Nicolo Barella following his return from injury, while captain Lautaro Martinez will partner Marcus Thuram in attack against Juventus and Hakan Calhanoglu will return to the bench.

If ever there was a defining moment in the Serie A campaign, this is one.

Inter host Juventus in a Derby d’Italia loaded with title implications and enormous pressure on both sides.

However, Lautaro Martinez and his teammates have repeatedly shown they can deliver in decisive fixtures.

Meanwhile, Juventus arrive with momentum of their own and renewed attacking options, setting the stage for a high-intensity encounter.

Despite the stakes, Inter still have one notable absence.

Indeed, Cristian Chivu remains without Denzel Dumfries, although the Dutch wing-back has returned to partial training and is nearing his comeback.

Therefore, the Romanian tactician has made key midfield decisions following the return of two injured stars.

Inter Milan Vs Juventus – Barella Returns, Calhanoglu Starts On Bench

MILAN, ITALY – DECEMBER 06: Hakan Calhanoglu of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Como 1907 at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on December 06, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Nicolo Barella returns directly to the starting lineup after recovering from injury, restoring energy and intensity to Inter’s midfield.

Hakan Calhanoglu is also back available, but the Turkish international begins on the bench.

Piotr Zielinski keeps his place and will operate in a central role alongside Petar Sucic, who was a surprising late addition after it was expected that Mkhitaryan would be on the bench..

On the flanks, in-form Federico Dimarco and Luis Henrique provide width and attacking thrust.

Inter Strength In Attack As Thuram & Lautaro Lead The Line

MILAN, ITALY – AUGUST 25: Marcus Thuram of FC Internazionale celebrates with his team-mate Lautaro Martinez after scoring their team’s forth goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Torino FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on August 25, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Marcus Thuram starts alongside captain Lautaro Martinez.

Indeed confirming Inter’s first-choice attacking partnership for the season’s most important fixtures.

Their chemistry and movement remain central to Inter’s attacking identity.

Especially against a Juventus defence built on physicality and structure.

Behind them, the midfield trio will look to control tempo and supply forward momentum.

Juventus Rely On McKennie & Yildiz Support Behind David

PARMA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 01: Weston McKennie of Juventus in action during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio 1913 and Juventus FC at Stadio Ennio Tardini on February 01, 2026 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti faced uncertainty surrounding Khephren Thuram, who misses out due to a bone edema issue.

Teun Koopmeiners is ready to step in if needed.

Francisco Conceição returns to the starting lineup and joins Weston McKennie and Kenan Yildiz in support of striker Jonathan David.

The Bianconeri remain without long-term absentees Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik.

Inter Milan Vs Juventus – Official Starting Lineups

GENOA, ITALY – DECEMBER 14: Cristian Chivu, head coach of Inter, reacts during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and FC Internazionale at Luigi Ferraris Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)

INTER (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Luis Henrique, Barella, Zielinski, Sucic, Dimarco; Thuram, Lautaro Martinez.Bench: Martinez, Di Gennaro, Acerbi, De Vrij, Darmian, Carlos Augusto, Cocchi, Kamate, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Frattesi, Diouf, Bonny, Esposito.Coach: Chivu.Unavailable: Dumfries.

JUVENTUS (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Miretti; Conceição, McKennie, Yildiz; David.Bench: Perin, Pinsoglio, Gatti, Cabal, Holm, Kostic, Thuram, Adzic, Zhegrova, Boga, Openda.Coach: Spalletti.Unavailable: Milik, Vlahovic.

As the Tennessee Titans officially enter the offseason, they face some significant questions that will shape the organization's future. 

With new head coach Robert Saleh and an experienced staff in place, one would think that the quality of their roster and improving depth through free agency and the draft would be their biggest issues. However, Turron Davenport of ESPN’s NFL Nation believes the Titans have a different question that must be answered. 

Tennessee Titans

Can quarterback Cam Ward take the next step under Brian Daboll?

Ward closed the season on a high note before suffering a shoulder sprain to his throwing arm. Perhaps that injury hasn't impacted his offseason training since he's been working mostly on footwork? But his rehab, paired with learning a new offense led by new-to-Tennessee coordinator Daboll, will likely be a challenge for Ward. Daboll most notably helped Bills QB Josh Allen go from a raw rookie to an All-Pro passer. The Titans are banking on a similar jump for Ward that would help turn the franchise around. 

Davenport is spot on; no matter what the team does in free agency and the draft, it means very little if Ward can’t take the next step in his development. 

Known as a diligent worker who strives to be great, Ward has shown flashes of what to expect if the team can add some playmakers and consistency around him. It should come as no surprise that the improvement he demonstrated down the stretch coincided with improved line play and a focus on the running game that was invisible early in the season. 

With Daboll in the fold, the fact that he has experience both asa a coordinator and play caller is a significant improvement over what the Titans have had for the past two seasons, and hopefully, will pay off once the season opens. 

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: ESPN analyst believes Cam Ward's growth is Titans' key to offseason

The Tennessee Titans have been rumored to be one of the NFL teams looking to unveil new uniforms and a new logo ahead of the 2026 season, with the buzz beginning back in October.

Now, it looks like the secret may have been spoiled by none other than Fanatics.

Late Friday night, an item popped up in the shop that appeared to show a new Titans logo. The item was a “Pegasus Player Pal Plush Ball,” which was added as current Titans jerseys are being marked down on sale.

MORE: Troy Aikman explains why Drake Maye was so overmatched in the Super Bowl

The new logo was noticeably different, appearing to include a light blue color scheme reminiscent of the beloved Oilers days. The item has since been removed from the shop.

If it is the new logo, it falls in line with the buzz on the rumor mill that the Titans could be returning to the old Oilers throwback color scheme, which would be music to the Titans faithful’s ears.

In late January, FanDuel’s Zach Cohen shared what he was hearing, and it was backed up by the apparent Fanatics leak.

MORE: NFL’s latest win over NFLPA might silence transparency around the league

In a video shared to social media, Cohen said he was “told to expect them ditching the flames for a new logo soon.” Cohen also shared a mock-up of the new logo based on what he was hearing. Again, it is eerily similar to what we saw in the brief Fanatics leak.

It will be interesting to see if the Titans’ new logo is what is now making the rounds on social media, but more exciting is the idea of what a new uniform could look like.

If it’s a blast from the past with a modern twist, the new look will be welcomed with open arms.

— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

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The post Tennessee Titans’ new logo leaked in Fanatics mishap? appeared first on The Big Lead.

Now 41 years old, but still not satisfied. Cristiano Ronaldo scored again for Al Nassr right after his comeback following the strike. This brings the Portuguese star to 18 goals in 19 matches.

The fuss surrounding him and the dispute with the state fund PIF seem to have no impact on his performance. Ronaldo now has a total of 962 goals in his career. 

CR7 is reportedly dissatisfied with the transfer policy of the state fund PIF, which oversees four clubs in the Saudi league. From his perspective, Al-Nassr is being treated worse compared to other clubs.

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

Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen believes his side are playing in the "right direction" despite losing at home to promotion chasers Millwall 1-2 on Saturday.

Although Millwall dominated the majority of the game, Jamal Lowe tapped in for the Owls after Charlie McNeill's long-range effort was spilled to give the league's bottom side a surprise advantage on the hour mark.

However, an own goal from Cole McGhee and Lions substitute Macaulay Langstaff's close-range finish from Femi Azeez's low cross completed a swift turnaround for the visitors who succumbed Wednesday to their 23rd league loss of the season.

"I think it was a fantastic game for the boys," said Pedersen to BBC Radio Sheffield. We played against a strong Millwall team, a top team in the Championship, and we knew they are maybe the most physical team in the league for set-pieces, long balls, second balls and duels.

"How we managed this game today, big respect to our guys. For the defensive stuff, we were really well organised and we managed all the long balls, and we also managed to win a lot of the second balls.

"Today, compared to some of the other games, we also had some power when we won the ball to play forward, to run forward, to get high up on the pitch and to create something so it's a big step in the right direction."

• Latest Sheffield Wednesday news, analysis and fan views
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Karachi, Pakistan – As rain and thunder threatened to disrupt their team’s T20 World Cup match against India on Sunday, Pakistan’s cricket fans are bracing for a different storm – the now-customary loss against their archrivals at global events.

Pakistan have not beaten India in the tournament since 2021 when they recorded a solitary win in eight T20 World Cup encounters against their formidable opponents.

Despondent fans have now shifted from anticipating a thrilling, unpredictable game to praying for a miracle as Salman Ali Agha’s team step on the field at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Pakistan’s latest “win” came in the form of a move to boycott the match on political grounds. Despite the eventual reversal of the decision after weeklong negotiations with the International Cricket Council (ICC), the initial decision to not take the field against India was seen as a triumph by cricket fans in Pakistan.

Despondent or optimistic, fans still eager for match

Escalating political tensions between the South Asian neighbours have seen a decades-old sporting rivalry turn into an ugly debacle both on and off the pitch with customary handshakes avoided and light jibes replaced by controversial hand gestures invoking their most recent armed conflict in May.

Politics and sport blur boundaries on both sides of the border, making these fixtures an exhibition of nationalistic pride that can sometimes turn distasteful.

The pre-match jingoism in Pakistan, though, was short-lived. It has been replaced by bitterly disappointed fans airing their thoughts in the form of self-deprecating memes or reels depicting the “foolishness” of a section of fans expecting a win.

“We’ll have heartbreak on February 14 and 15,” read the captions of several social media posts set to melancholic songs on Valentine’s Day, the eve of the match.

Supporters – both hardcore and casual – will religiously watch the three-plus-hour encounters. Come 6:30pm (13:30 GMT) on Sunday, the public will be glued to screens across the country to watch the high-stakes match.

Roadside tea stalls will be thronged by male spectators filling up wooden benches, plastic chairs or squatting on their haunches in front of small TV screens.

Food delivery riders busy with an overflow of match-day meal orders will occasionally halt their journeys to catch a glimpse of the action on their phones or through restaurant windows.

Upscale eateries will bring in large screens and host groups of young fans and families.

Domestic responsibilities will be wrapped up before the start of the match, and extended families will gather around a living room TV with drinks, snacks and feasts of biryani.

The weekend – now the standard time that all India-Pakistan matches are played for economic and logistical reasons – will offer some respite from an otherwise hectic schedule of school and office routines that throw the heaving metropolis of Karachi into transport turbulence.

India favourites, but Usman Tariq could spin a win

Despite the days of anticipation and hours spent preparing for the showpiece, fans remain realistic in their expectations.

On a balmy late Friday afternoon in Karachi as life gradually returned to its normal pace after an hour-long pause for midday prayers at mosques across the city, a group of young law students picked up their kits for a local league match.

“It’s looking 70-30 in India’s favour,” Talha Bandayal, a law student, told Al Jazeera as he watched his teammates play a cricket match in their local lawyers league at the historic Karachi Parsi Institute on Friday.

Bandayal and his friends plan to watch the match at a restaurant in one of Karachi’s posh localities.

“It’s a Pakistan-India match. We’re excited regardless of the result!”

Syed Ahmed Shah, who officiated the league match as a third umpire, was more sceptical of the team’s chances and more in tune with the country’s overall opinion of Pakistan’s expected performance.

“Sport is just like politics in our country,” a bespectacled Shah opined dryly to everyone’s amusement, drawing comparisons between the nation’s two most favoured topics.

“India is far superior to us, not just in cricket but everything,” Shah told Al Jazeera.

Cricket analysts have appeared on national talk shows throughout the week, dissecting the team’s shortcomings, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s organisational failures and the squad’s weak mental fortitude for a match of this proportion.

Local cricketers like Bandayal have been analysing Pakistani players’ strengths and weaknesses. Usman Tariq’s unreadable spin action and variations are being seen as Pakistan’s secret weapon.

When life comes to a standstill

When it comes to off-field behaviour, though, India’s trend of avoiding handshakes with Pakistani teams has been frowned upon.

“Politics should strictly be kept separate from sports,” a local cricket coach who requested anonymity said of Suryakumar Yadav and his team’s controversial actions from the Asia Cup last year.

“But if India takes that stance, Pakistan also needs to have some self-respect and respond accordingly,” the 46-year-old coach said.

Admittedly, the handshake row has taken centre stage in a fixture that has historically been remembered for scintillating bowling performances, swashbuckling innings or nail-biting finishes.

When Pakistan awakes on Sunday morning, most cricket fans will begin their day by playing their own cricket games – whether in narrow neighbourhood streets or vast, dusty fields hosting multiple matches simultaneously. As the evening draws closer, the clothes will be dusted off and equipment packed away for the showdown in Colombo.

Just as the hustle and bustle of life gave way for prayers two days earlier, the India-Pakistan match will do the same.

After all, it’s only cricket and Friday prayers that can bring life to a standstill in Pakistan.

At San Siro, the Derby d'Italia is being played: a crucial match in the race for the Scudetto and the Champions League spots. Inter, after 5 consecutive winsin the league, needs to respond to Milan's success, now 5 points behind and with a game in hand against Como.

Juventus under Spalletti wants to return to winning ways after the defeat in the Coppa Italia against Atalanta and the draw with Lazio, aiming to reach the level shown in the 3-0 win against Napoli. A victory would put pressure on Roma, who are level on points and facing Napoli tomorrow night.

🔴 Article constantly updated. Click the match card above for live text coverage.

✅ The OFFICIAL line-ups

INTER (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Luis Henrique, Barella, Zielinski, Sucic, Dimarco; Thuram, Lautaro.

JUVENTUS (4-3-3): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; McKennie, Locatelli, Miretti; Conceiçao, David, Yildiz.

We remind you that Kephren Thuram was not called up due to a bone edema, Calhanoglu and Mkhitaryan start from the bench.

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

Northern Iowa tight end Parker Sutherland has tragically died, UNI announced Saturday. Sutherland, an 18-year-old Iowa City native, was entering his sophomore season with the Panthers.

Details surrounding Sutherland's death are sparse as of publication. A cause of death has yet to be announced. However, Cedar Falls public safety, fire and emergency medical services rushed to the football complex Thursday afternoon under the reasoning of "unconscious/fainting/non trauma," according to The Athletic.

Sutherland appeared in four games as a UNI freshman after an impressive high school career. At Iowa City High, he earned All-District and All-Conference honors twice and landed second-team All-State as a senior. According to his UNI bio, he had a sister, Georgia, and enjoyed video games, movies, pickleball and Legos.

In a statement shared with Iowa news personality Keith Murphy, UNI coach Todd Stepsis said Sutherland represents everything he looks for in a recruit. Stepsis explained that "Parker hits every quality and characteristic out of the park" with regards to talent, character, attitude and toughness.

"Parker embodied everything we look for in a UNI Football Panther," Stepsis said in a UNI athletics statement. "His talent and potential excited us on a daily basis, but it failed to compare to the type of person and teammate he was.  His character, humility, toughness and genuine love of others are what champions are made of. While I'm saddened that our time together was short, we will celebrate the bright light that he brought to our football team for the rest of our lives."

"It is a heartbreaking day for our Panther Athletics family with the passing of our Parker Sutherland. He embraced the opportunity to play Panther football and represent the University through sport," UNI athletic director Megan Franklin added. "We are devastated - just devastated. The blessing is that we have a Panther family who will hold the Sutherland family, our football team, and our athletics staff close as we grieve."

Sutherland will be missed.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Parker Sutherland cause of death: What we know about Northern Iowa TE

Captain Michele Lamaro eloquently summed up how the perception around Italy has changed after they fell short in their bid for back-to-back Six Nations wins in Saturday's absorbing contest against Ireland.

After beating Scotland in Rome, Italy arrived in Dublin with confidence and were the better team for large periods against the Irish, who withstood intense pressure from the Azzurri in the closing stages to win 20-13.

And after Italy boss Gonzalo Quesada spoke of his pride in his team's performance, Lamaro was asked about their growing belief.

"This is my fifth year as a captain in the Six Nations and I remember my first year, the main question was, 'what do you think about Italy leaving the Six Nations?'," said the Benetton back row.

"I've never believed that in a couple of years you can change things up too much. I always have a humble mindset because I know how much it takes to get to that level to be able to come here and perform and compete against an unbelievable team like Ireland.

"The perception means a lot. The belief we've created, I didn't have that growing up.

"I grew up with us being last in the table and that's the thing I'm most proud of, me coming through with a bunch of guys who might be able to win the championship one day."

• Ireland survive Italy scare to claim first win
• Ireland 'able to back ourselves' in win - Farrell

Lamaro, who was named Italy captain by Quesada's predecessor Kieran Crowley in 2021, added that the squad wants to "inspire people".

"Inspiring people around us, inspiring the kids coming through, giving them the chances we didn't have," added the 27-year-old.

"That's what we want to create. Sometimes it's tough because you find yourself in a tough situation but trusting the process is what you can do to have long-term ambition and legacy you can create.

"That makes us really proud and thank you for that [saying that Italy have improved] because it makes us proud to see how much the perception of the team has changed."

Lamaro's unprompted praise for ref Davidson

When Quesada and Lamaro last led Italy into a match in Dublin, they lost 36-0.

However, on Saturday, the Azzurri faced an Irish side lacking confidence after a bruising defeat by France in Paris last week.

"Obviously we wanted to take advantage of that. We knew if we put them under scoreboard pressure, it would have been very difficult for them.

"I've been in that situation before around mindsets. You have to perform and beat the team in front of you but if you're down after 20, 30 minutes, it can become a real pain in...I don't say where.

"They have some unbelievable players and they showed how much they care for this group and country. You always expect Ireland to be a world-class team.

"Ups and downs happen to every team in the world. At the moment, they haven't been what they want to be but I'm pretty sure they have all the abilities to get back."

Lamaro also ended Italy's post-match news conference with an unprompted tribute to Hollie Davidson after the Scottish official became the first woman to referee a men's Six Nations game.

"I just want to congratulate her," he said.

"She has been doing so much for world rugby and our game and I think it's an important thing to say.

"I appreciated the work we did together today on the pitch.

"Whatever the decision was, I was backing her and making sure everything was going the right way so I just want to congratulate her and thank her for the effort on the field."

Canada women's curling schedule: Times, TV channels, live streams to watch every game at 2026 Winter Olympics originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Canadian women's curling team has high expectations heading into the Winter Olympics.

Led by Rachel Homan, Team Canada is the heavy favorite to capture the gold medal at the Milan Cortina Games. The Canadians know that winning on the Olympic stage is not an easy task, though, as they haven't reached the podium since 2014.

MORE:Latest Olympic news and updates

The action will start with a battle between Canada and Denmark on Feb. 12. The bronze medal game will be played on Feb. 21, and the gold medal game will be held on Feb. 22.

Here is everything you need to know about Team Canada's schedule at the 2026 Winter Olympics, including TV and streaming options for women's curling games.

Where to watch Canada women's curling at Winter Olympics: TV channels, live streams

• TV channels: CBC
• Live streams:CBC Gem

CBC is the exclusive broadcast rights holder for the Winter Olympics, offering daily coverage of curling at the Milan Cortina Games. Curling will also be available to watch on CBC Gem, the CBC's digital streaming service.

The full schedule for CBC and CBC Gem is available on the official CBC website.

Canada women's curling schedule at Winter Olympics

Thursday, Feb. 12

Friday, Feb. 13

Saturday, Feb. 14

Monday, Feb. 16

Tuesday, Feb. 17

Wednesday, Feb. 18

Thursday, Feb. 19

Friday, Feb. 20

Saturday, Feb. 21

Sunday, Feb. 22

Canada women's curling roster at Winter Olympics

Team Homan

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Travis Kelce is currently at a crossroads. Long considered the best tight end in the NFL, the now-36-year-old Kelce is now at the center of retirement chatter. Additionally, football analysts haven’t held back on criticizing Kelce’s ability to still play at an elite level, especially at his age. Regardless of what those outside of Kelce's camp think, the future hall of famer himself has yet to announce a decision one way or the other. Now, his mother, Donna Kelce, is weighing in on his upcoming decision.

Donna Kelce has been quite supportive of her children in anticipation of difficult decisions. Two years ago, her oldest son, Jason, was in a position similar to Travis', when he retired from playing center on the Philadelphia Eagles. So how is the matriarch of the famous family feeling now that her younger child has to make up his mind? Here's what she tells TMZ:

By “the people in his life,” Donna Kelce may be referring to Chiefs Coach Andy Reid, who likely will be a sounding board in his decision-making process as the Kansas City team looks towards making a roster for next season. Another person Donna may be referencing is pop superstar Taylor Swift, who Kelce has been in a relationship with since 2023. They got engaged back in August, and Swift has seemingly been incredibly supportive of her fiance. Over the last few years, Swift has attended Kelce’s games and held his hand through major wins and losses.

Some sources have alleged that wedding planning has slowed down, as Travis Kelce approaches his tough retirement decision. With that, it's alleged that Swift has focused on being there for her man, rather than overwhelming him with stress. Deciding may be hard for Kelce, who has been profuse in expressing his love for the game. The three-time Super Bowl winner said one of the biggest things he’s considered in making his decision is how much he loves playing and how he believes he can still play at an elite level.

The good thing is that if Kelce does decide to retire from football, he has another chapter of his life waiting for him on the other side. He's already soft launched an acting career, as he's starred in Ryan Murphy’s Grosesquerie and played a small role in Happy Gilmore 2. Additionally, he hosted the TV game show Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? I also wouldn't be surprised if he picks up a sports commentary gig post-retirement. And, of course, Swifties like myself would also just love to see him relax and enjoy married life with Taylor Swift.

In the meantime, the public at large will just have to wait and see when Travis Kelce makes his big decision. Based on Donna's comments, it seems she'll be behind her son regardless of what he chooses. In the meantime, you can get a glimpse into Travis Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift by checking out the singer’s End of an Era concert documentary series, which is currently streaming with a Disney+ subscription.

USA men's curling schedule: Times, TV channels, live streams to watch every game at 2026 Winter Olympics originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The U.S. men's curling team will look to reach the podium at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Team USA will start things off with a matchup against Czechia on Feb. 11. The bronze medal game will be played on Feb. 20, and the gold medal game will be held on Feb. 21.

Can the Americans win their first gold medal in men's curling since 2018?

Here's the full day-by-day broadcast and streaming schedule for USA men's curling at the Winter Olympics.

Where to watch USA men's curling at Winter Olympics: TV channels, live streams

• TV channels: CNBC, USA Network
• Live streams:Peacock

Live broadcasts of men's curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics will be extremely limited with only two matchups available to watch on CNBC (gold medal game) and USA Network (USA vs. Canada).

All U.S. men's games can be streamed on Peacock, which will carry every event of the 2026 Milan Cortina Games live.

The NBC-owned streaming service's sports programming features live coverage of NFL Sunday Night Football, the NBA, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Premier League soccer, Big Ten football and basketball, Notre Dame football, Big East and Big 12 basketball, PGA Tour golf and more.

USA men's curling schedule at Winter Olympics

Wednesday, Feb. 11

Thursday, Feb. 12

Friday, Feb. 13

Saturday, Feb. 14

Sunday, Feb. 15

Tuesday, Feb. 17

Wednesday, Feb. 18

Thursday, Feb. 19

Friday, Feb. 20

Saturday, Feb. 21

Related Links

• Latest Olympics news and updates
• 2026 Winter Olympics medal tracker
• 2026 Winter Olympics viewer's guide
• Day-by-day TV, streaming schedule for 2026 Winter Olympics

Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac has offered up his thoughts on Serhou Guirassy’s return to form. After several prominent form dips this season, the Guinean international is at least back to scoring goals. Guirassy has actually scored five goals in his last three Bundesliga starts, though the 29-year-old continues to experience his fair share of problems. 

Niko Kovac back to supporting Serhou Guirassy

Kovac’s relationship with his lead striker over the course of the season has featured plenty of rocky patches. The Bundesliga veteran has been benched on multiple occasions. Most recently, Kovac reacted to Guirassy’s seven Bundesliga fixtures without a goal by benching him in two consecutive league matches after the turn of the calendar year. Matters were not looking good at all for the former Köln and Stuttgart man. 

Guirassy took a seat in favor of Fabio Silva against Werder Bremen and FC St. Pauli in the second and third league fixtures of 2026. Guirassy did manage to score off the bench in the former match. Since his reinstatement, he’s managed to get his name on the scoresheet in four consecutive league games. Guirassy has reclaimed his status as BVB’s leading goalscorer, knocking back Maximilian Beier with his recent tallies.

“It’s important to prove a striker with adequate support,” Kovac remarked at the post match press conference after last night’s convincing Bundesliga victory over Mainz. “Fabio Silva was doing really well. His [Guirassy’s] reaction has been sensational. The team helps him and he helps the team. We need his goals. When he scores, we increase our chances of winning games.“

Guirassy’s continued problems

Though he did technically record a brace last night, much of the credit belonged to BVB “assist meister” Julian Ryerson. Guirassy also bagged a brace in a league win over Heidenheim two weeks ago, but failed to convert from the penalty spot in the match. Generally speaking, one still detects a great deal of tentativeness in the striker’s body language. A certain confidence is still lacking. 

The five goals in the last three Bundesliga fixtures still give Guirassy a season total of 11 goals and three assists in 21 league appearances. This is good enough for third place in the Bundesliga scorer race behind the prolific Bayern Munich duo of Harry Kane and Luis Diaz. Across all competitions, Guirassy has scored an impressive 15 goals and added six assists. 

Guirassy has still missed from the penalty spot thrice this season, twice in the Bundesliga and once in the Champions League. It simply hasn’t been a good year for the 26-times-capped West African international. Guirassy scored 35 goals across all competitions for Dortmund last year. During his epic 2023/24 campaign with Stuttgart, he found the back of the net 28 times in the league. 

Such numbers won’t be produced this year. 

GGFN | Peter Weis

There’s a new offensive-minded regime in the Pittsburgh Steelers, and head coach Mike McCarthy will no doubt be looking to acquire additional playmakers this offseason.

With DK Metcalf and Roman Wilson serving as Pittsburgh's top two wideouts, it's safe to say the Steelers will add a high-profile name via free agency or the 2026 NFL Draft. And look no further than Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk, who's set to become a free agent in March.

Stats

• 2018 (12 games): 43 receptions, 590 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns
• 2019 (13 games): 68 receptions, 709 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns
• 2020 (14 games): 48 receptions, 621 receiving yards, 6 touchdowns
• 2021 (17 games): 77 receptions, 982 receiving yards, 5 touchdowns
• 2022 (17 games): 84 receptions, 1,108 receiving yards, 8 touchdowns
• 2023 (12 games): 57 receptions, 787 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns
• 2024 (8 games): 27 receptions, 379 receiving yards, 1 touchdown
• 2025 (13 games): 28 receptions, 239 receiving yards, 1 touchdown

Fit with Steelers offense

Kirk proved at the Steelers' expense in the Wild Card round of the playoffs that he's still one of the best slot receivers in the league, catching eight passes for 144 yards and one touchdown in the Texans' blowout victory.

Pittsburgh was also reportedly close to acquiring Kirk from the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024 before he broke his collarbone just days before the trade deadline. The Steelers now have the opportunity to finally bring him in to form a terrifying wide receiver duo with Metcalf.

Contract prediction

Considering that his last 1,000-yard season dates back to 2022, it's safe to say Kirk won't command top dollar in free agency. We at Steelers Wire predict Kirk will sign a two-year, $15 million contract.

For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including any offseason moves, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers 2026 free agency scouting report: Texans WR Christian Kirk

Vincent Kompany has maintained consistency in his communication during his time at Bayern Munich. He has always been clear of what he expects of his players and has communicated so to the media- mantras such as “work hard and I will be happy” or “when there’s hype please don’t believe it, you’re not that good. And when you lose a game or you have a bad performance, don’t believe that you’re bad, you’re not that bad” come to mind immediately. This consistency is also the case with 17-year-old Lennart Karl, who Kompany has always insisted should be able to enjoy matches while other players take on the responsibility.

This remained true as Karl was breaking records in the fall and it remains true as Karl has hit something of a rough patch to start 2026. Speaking after the match, Kompany confirmed just as much:

“As I’ve always said there’s zero pressure on him. Nobody is given gifts, but as a 17-year old, he’s not under pressure to carry a team to success,” Kompany emphasized, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. “He worked well offensively and defensively today.”

Karl’s 18th birthday might be just around the corner on the 22nd of February, but it is important to remember that he is still so young. Despite some incredible performances, he will have down periods and that is fine. For now, he just needs to enjoy his football and the rest will come with time.

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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Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins says his side's 1-1 draw with Carrick Rangers "isn't a disaster".

Will Patching broke the deadlock for Coleraine, who made a bright start to the game, before Mikey Place cancelled out his effort.

Despite closing the gap to the top of the Irish Premiership to five points, league leaders Larne's defeat by Portadown means that the Bannsiders missed an opportunity to further catch up.

"The disappointing thing for us was in that period of dominating part of the game, we didn't get ourselves further in front and we have given up one chance in the first half and they have scored from it," Higgins told BBC Sport NI.

"We huffed and puffed second half on a really poor pitch, by no fault of their own. It didn't make for a game we wanted to play.

"Listen, the players have put in so much over the last few weeks and have come up against a team who have won five league games on the spin. We wanted three [points] obviously, but it is not a disaster."

The result means that Coleraine are now unbeaten in their last five games as they try to further close the gap to Larne. However, they have played an extra game compared to the Inver Reds.

Third in the table Glentoran's victory against Ballymena United means that they are now seven points behind the Bannsiders with three games in hand.

"No, not at all," Higgins replied when asked would he be thinking about Larne's loss and Glentoran's victory.

"As I have said from the very start of the season, we can only look after our own house and we will continue to do that.

"There is plenty of football still to play and there are 27 points still to play for and let's see how many of the 27 we can get. We are in good form ourselves, so we just need to keep going."

Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter added that he thought a point apiece was a "fair result", as his side extend their unbeaten league run to seven games.

"We created those two moments in the second half to put the game away," Baxter told BBC Sport NI.

"Coleraine hit the crossbar on two occasions and these things can go either way.

"I think a point was probably a fair result."

The door just opened for either the Cleveland Guardians or Cincinnati Reds to add a high upside former star prospect for an affordable rate before Opening Day.

While the Guardians and Reds are not favorites to reach the World Series in the fall, there is excitement about both teams heading into the 2026 season. Cleveland again proved that, despite their financial limitations, they are one of the best-run organizations in MLB by winning the division title last season. While Cincy took another key step forward in their development by making the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

However, if there is one area the Ohio baseball teams would like to improve before the start of the season, it’s one of the corner outfield spots. Yet, despite the moves they made (or didn’t make) in the offseason, improving the outfield wasn’t part of it.

But an intriguing option should soon be available on the trade market. This week, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was asked about former top prospect Jasson Dominguez and his potential to make the roster without a clear path for him heading into spring training.

“I would concede it’s in his best interest to be getting everyday reps,” he said at the team’s Florida facility. “We’ll just have to wait and see how the spring shakes out, who’s standing, and then we’ll make the appropriate decisions when we have our meetings close to the end of camp.”

Should Guardians or Reds pursue Jasson Dominguez trade?

The NY Yankees are locked into a pricey outfield of MVP Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Trent Grisham. And Giancarlo Stanton is again expected to be the team’s starting DH. It puts the club in a position where they can just let the player who was ranked No. 1 in their system two years ago sit in the minors (again) or trade him.

Trading him would be the smart move. However, they won’t have much leverage in trade talks because they won’t use Dominguez in the majors, and his stock has declined after not living up to expectations during his opportunities so far in the big leagues.

A trade offers the Guardians or Reds the chance to get an intriguing option for the outfield, but not have to give up premium prospects in a deal. With the NY Yankees farm system weak at the moment, they would be open to taking lower-level youngsters in the hopes they can add depth and develop them into something more.

While Dominguez has not lived up to his projections as a star prospect, he still has a lot of potential. The Dominican is only 23 years old, has legitimate power from either side of the plate, underrated base-stealing skills (23 last season), and a rock-solid arm in the outfield. In a less pressurized situation in Cleveland or Cincinnati, it is very possible he flourishes in 2026 and can make an impact for either team and at a low cost.

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Millwall manager Alex Neil believes his side made their 2-1 win at Championship bottom side Sheffield Wednesday more difficult than it needed to be.

Jamal Lowe tapped in for the Owls after Charlie McNeill's long-range effort was spilled just after the hour mark to give the hosts a surprise lead.

An own goal from Cole McGhee levelled things up at Hillsborough while Millwall substitute Macaulay Langstaff converted Femi Azeez's low cross just two minutes later to complete a quickfire turnaround.

"I think I would sum it up as job done," said Neil to BBC Radio London after the game.

"I thought Sheffield Wednesday made it difficult for us. I thought we made it difficult for ourselves at times.

"Coming here there's a lot of expectation that you're just going to turn up. The simple fact is, apart from the last game when they played a back four, a lot of the games have been really tight.

"It's not been plain sailing or easy for any team coming here and I didn't expect it to be any different for us, and it was exactly what I expected."

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