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The Dodgers continued their unbeaten streak in Cactus League play Thursday, taking a narrow 7-6 win over the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch.

Tyler Glasnow made his first start of spring training , and struck out four batters while recording six straight outs. He came out for the first batter of the third inning and allowed a hit, which turned into an earned run after the runner scored following his exit from the contest.

The Dodgers took the lead in the first inning through a Freddie Freeman sacrifice fly, and extended their lead to two in the bottom of the second through a Miguel Rojas RBI single.

Their lead didn’t last long, though, as two-run homer in the top of the third from Tanner Murray leveled the score and a sacrifice fly fro, Lenyn Sosa gave the White Sox the lead. An Edgar Quero single extended their lead even further, putting the Dodgers at a two-run deficit by the end of the half inning.

L.A. didn’t just sit back, with Teoscar Hernandez plating Will Smith with a grounder to third in the bottom of the inning before hitting a solo homer to left center two innings later to even the scores once again.

The White Sox took the lead back in the top of the sixth through Curtis Mead’s solo homer off of Ben Casparius, but the Dodgers more than made up for it in the bottom of the sixth. Keston Hiura and Hyeseong Kim crushed back-to-back homers to give L.A. a one-run lead, then Josue De Paula hit an RBI single later in the inning to extend the Dodgers’ lead to two.

Chicago pulled one back in the top of the eighth for the White Sox with an RBI triple — his first hit of the spring — but Kyle Hurt and Jordan Weems managed to keep the White Sox quiet for the remainder of the game.

The win brings the Dodgers’ record to 6-0, and they stand as the only team in both the Cactus League and the Grapefruit League yet to lose a game.

The Dodgers jump straight back into action Friday, facing off against the San Francisco Giants on the road at 12:05 p.m. PT.

Earlier this week, Joan Laporta – who is running for re-election as Barcelona president – launched his new book, titled “Así salvamos al Barça” (This is how we save Barça). One of the sections was devoted to addressing the continued allegations aimed at the Catalan club regarding the Negreira case.

Laporta has regularly denied any allegations of wrongdoing in relation to Barcelona’s payments to Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees. As per Marca, he did so again in his book.

“There is no evidence to show that the payments made by FC Barcelona to companies linked to the former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees influenced the selection of referees or altered the results of matches. I invite all those who accuse us of refereeing corruption with such levity and frivolity to specify the match, the goal, the play or the suspicious act of favouritism that allegedly occurred as a result of this technical advice.”

Image via Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Laporta: Real Madrid have appointed referees for 70 years

Rather, Laporta took the opportunity to point the finger at Real Madrid. He believes the Bernabeu club have directly benefitted from a string of appointments at the CTA, dating as far back as 70 years ago.

“It is worth remembering that, for seven decades and almost uninterruptedly, the presidents of the referees’ committees, under their various names, were Real Madrid fans, former players or former managers and, in some cases, all three at the same time. That is to say, for seventy years, the members, former players or former directors of Real Madrid appointed the referees who had to dispense justice on the field of play in each and every one of the matches of La Liga and the Copa del Rey. That was, without a doubt, the biggest scandal in the history of Spanish football!”

Vincenzo Italiano feels Bologna ‘did enough over the two games’ to deserve their Europa League play-off success against SK Brann, as they prepare to face Roma or Freiburg.

The Rossoblu had the benefit of the first leg 1-0 victory in Norway, but were told as they warmed up that Fiorentina had managed to throw away a 3-0 advantage in the Conference League with Jagiellonia.

They still had a shaky start, requiring three big Lukasz Skorupski saves and a Remo Freuler goal-line clearance, but Jacob Sorensen’s red card damaged Brann.

Joao Mario eventually drilled in the winning goal after one of 13 corners, with Benjamin Dominguez hitting the woodwork in stoppages.

Italiano expected Bologna struggle

BOLOGNA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 26: Vincenzo Italiano, Head Coach of Bologna, speaks to his players during warm up prior to the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between Bologna FC 1909 and SK Brann at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on February 26, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

“The first 20 minutes were honestly what I expected, because Brann only had one result to go for, so they were forced to come out fighting,” Italiano told Sky Sport Italia.

“We made a few too many mistakes, we could’ve done more with Rowe and Bernardeschi in good positions. Once we had an extra man, we made the most of the situation, and I think between the two games, we did enough to deserve qualification.

“Our target was to stay in the Cup competitions in March, we did it in Europe and unfortunately not the Coppa Italia.”

Another reason why Brann were moving in a different gear is that their domestic league is on hiatus, so they’ve been able to focus only on the Europa League.

BOLOGNA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 26: Joao Mario of Bologna celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates Nikola Moro and Martin Vitik during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between Bologna FC 1909 and SK Brann at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on February 26, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

“It was very important to get the first leg result, because we knew Brann would be in good shape, especially as we have so many matches to contend with. We knew their tempo could be a problem for us, we played an intelligent game in Norway.

“They caused us issues this evening for the first 20 minutes, but we are managing to remain more solid and avoid dangerous counter-attacks, which we allowed too often in recent months.”

Bologna are through to the Europa League Round of 16, and will find out in tomorrow’s draw if they will be paired with SC Freiburg or their fellow Italians Roma.

BOLOGNA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 26: Federico Bernardeschi of Bologna is challenged by Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson of SK Brann during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between Bologna FC 1909 and SK Brann at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on February 26, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Jens Odgaard was a substitute this evening, but the coach hits back at suggestions he is no longer a first choice player for Bologna.

“I read someone this week say that Odgaard was pushed to the margins of the squad, that’s just unthinkable. We rested him with so many games, then changed strategy, but he showed when he came off the bench what he can do with that ability to keep the ball. He remains an important player for us, whether he starts or not,” insisted Italiano.

“Joao Mario is introverted, shy, and I think he needs to start smiling more. I was a little worried at first, to be honest, but he relaxed and is now showing why he played regularly for Porto and was signed by Juventus. He can play on the right or left, he did well defensively and scoring a goal today.”

They often say the NFL is a "copy cat" league, where each team is desperately seeking the "next" version of whatever has been working. Right now, the Seattle Seahawks are the talk of the town as Super Bowl LX champions... especially their quarterback, Sam Darnold.

Cast aside years ago, and perennially labeled a "bust" or constantly questioned, Darnold proved everyone wrong by helping guide the Seahawks to their second-ever Lombardi trophy. Darnold showed the league that young quarterbacks who flame out elsewhere can still reclaim their career, given the right opportunity. Now, this has teams questioning all sorts of previously held beliefs regarding certain players. The NFL is likely on the search for the next "Sam Darnold."

Football talk show host and analyst Rich Eisen recently spoke how he believes another quarterback under the tutelage of Kyle Shanahan might be the next to make this sort of leap: Mac Jones.

"Mac Jones, in my estimation, is the most likely candidate to be the next Sam Darnold of anybody else."

—@richeisen on Mac Jones' potential after being under the Kyle Shanahan system 👀

(via @RichEisenShow) pic.twitter.com/w4tW9GkaME

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 23, 2026

The comparison makes sense. Jones didn't fall out quite as hard as Darnold did, but his tenure in New England came to an unceremonious end with multiple benching's. Jones started seven games in Jacksonville last season, where he went 2-5, had eight touchdown passes against eight interceptions. However, he may have extended his career with strong play for the Niners this past season. In relief of the injured Brock Purdy, Jones went 5-3 as a starter in San Francisco, throwing for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and only six interceptions.

Jones is under contract with the Niners for another season, but that could make him incredibly attractive for an NFL team to take a chance on him. Trade for him, see what he can do, and if it's anything worthwhile, sign him to another short term deal.

Whatever the case may be, Sam Darnold's success with the Seahawks in 2025 is going to get plenty of other "cast-off" quarterbacks a second or even third look.

This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: NFL free agency: the NFL is on the hunt for the next "Sam Darnold"

Speculation around Jurgen Klopp's role with Red Bull is dismissed, Chelsea remain in pole position to land Murillo and Wolves' asking price for Mateus Mane is putting off Liverpool and Manchester United.

Reports that Jurgen Klopp will leave his role as head of global soccer at the Red Bull organisation are "complete nonsense and totally unfounded", says CEO Oliver Mintzlaff. (Sky Sports Germany - in German)

Liverpool are firmly in the frame for Nottingham Forest's 23-year-old Brazil defender Murillo, although Chelsea still lead the pursuit. (Teamtalk)

Serbia international Dusan Vlahovic favours a switch to Barcelona when his Juventus contract ends this summer, although Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea remain in the hunt to sign the 26-year-old forward. (Teamtalk)

Arsenal and Manchester City are considering bids of £30m for Atalanta left-back Honest Ahanor. Chelsea are also interested in the 18-year-old Nigerian. (Caught Offside)

Liverpool and Manchester United will not pay Wolves' £50m asking price for 18-year-old England youth international Mateus Mane this summer as they consider the midfielder too raw. (Football Insider)

Former Brentford striker Ivan Toney is targeting silverware in Saudi Arabia with current club Al-Ahli, but the Englishman, 29, is not ruling out a return to the Premier League. (Talksport)

Forward Nicolas Jackson is set to return to Chelsea. The 24-year-old Senegal international moved to Bayern Munich on loan last summer, but the Bundesliga champions are not keen on a permanent switch. (CFBayernInsider)

Newcastle United are looking at Brighton's Netherlands goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen and Manchester City's English stopper James Trafford, both 23, as they target finding a long-term successor for England international Nick Pope, 33. (The i Newspaper - subscription required)

Newcastle United are also watching Union Saint-Gilloise winger Anan Khalaili. The 21-year-old Israel international has scored three times in the Champions League this season. (Mail+ - subscription required)

Liverpool's 19-year-old winger Trent Kone-Doherty, from Northern Ireland, might soon leave to join Norwegian club Molde despite being offered a new contract at Anfield. (Football Insider)

Napoli inserted a clause in the deal of Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen's switch to Galatasaray which means the Turkish club will have to pay them up to £60m if they sell the 27-year-old to an Italian club. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian)

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It’s no secret that out of all 32 NCAA Division-I conferences, the Western Athletic Conference is one that has been hit the hardest by the conference realignment carousel. One thing is for sure: in the conference’s 64-year history, the WAC has certainly remained resilient throughout.

Losing their last charter members to the Mountain West in 1999, ceasing to sponsor FBS football in 2012, and its last-ditch attempt to create a formidable mid-major basketball conference that also happened to sponsor FCS football ultimately flamed out with a slow mass exodus of schools looking for more stable pastures and memberships in the coveted FBS level.

It was an uncertain way to kick off the 2020s, but looking back, change has been the name of the game in the WAC since its inception. Now, what’s left of the conference is giving it one last hurrah before being disbanded, realigned and rebranded come July.

For a longtime the WAC has been extremely top heavy. After the exodus of the FBS Football schools in 2013, only six different schools, out of a possible membership of eighteen different teams have brought a conference title home.

The championship spread is as follows:

New Mexico State: 6 Regular Season Championships, 6 Conference Tournament Titles

Grand Canyon: 2 Regular Season Championships, 4 Conference Tournament Titles

Utah Valley: 4 Regular Season Championships, 0 Conference Tournament Titles

Cal State Bakersfield: 1 Regular Season Championship, 1 Conference Tournament Title

Seattle: 1 Regular Season Championship, 0 Conference Tournament Titles

Stephen F. Austin: 1 Regular Season Championship, 0 Conference Tournament Titles

With Grand Canyon’s departure to the Mountain West this past summer, only one former championship program remained, Utah Valley.

The Preseason Poll appears to be holding true as we approach the end of February. Back in October the predicted order of finish was as follows:

The only real distinction may be Abilene Christian and Utah Tech swapping places in the standings. So, who are the contenders in the WAC’s final men’s basketball iteration? I’d say it’s currently a three-team title race, with one dark horse candidate in fourth, with enough games to still win it all.

Utah Valley Wolverines

Utah Valley has become a smaller carbon copy of the Utah State gig a few hours up the I-15. Coaches win in Orem; it may take a season or two, but Wolverine fans are becoming accustomed to hanging up banners inside the UCCU Center. Even as the University remains embroiled in a public legal battle against the WAC, its teams continue to challenge for championships.

Through non-conference play, the Wolverines went 10-3, with solid wins over Big West title contenders UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara. Todd Phillips logged his second straight 20-win season last week. Currently sitting atop the conference standings with a 20-7, 10-4 record.-

The Wolverines have been led by Jackson Holcombe, who boasts a Swiss army knife stat line of 15.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.7 APG, a league-leading 2.4 SPG, and 1.3 BPG in just 29.1 MPG. The 6-7, 215 guard returned to Utah Valley after being a primary option off the bench for Coach Phillips last season. He’s blossomed into one of the most impactful players in the conference.

Four other Wolverines average double-digits, including sniper Tyler Hendricks (45.8% from deep on 4.9 attempts a game) and floor general Trevan Leonhardt, who averages a league-leading 6.0 APG. Utah Valley is a program anchored in top-quality defense, currently a borderline top 50 team per KenPom.

And with a lineup featuring players with high major size, length and athleticism throughout. It’s easy to see why Utah Valley sits atop the conference yet again. The only team out of the four in contention to have earned WAC hardware since their arrival to the conference thirteen seasons ago. They have four games to go on their schedule, split in half between home and away games. Not the easiest route to their 5th and final WAC championship, but what a way to go out before the program departs for the Big West this summer.

Utah Tech Trailblazers

The Trailblazers may be one of the more pleasant surprises of the season so far. Longtime Head Coach Jon Judkins is enroute to posting Utah Tech’s first ever finish above .500 in their short Division I history.

Utah Tech stumbled its way through non-conference play with a 7-7 record to show for it. But with important experience, having played three high-majors on the road and losing three games by single digits. It may have taken them some time to gel together as a unit, but the patience has paid off. Currently sitting in second, behind only .5 games with a record of 17-12 and 10-5 in WAC play.

Coach Judkins managed to retain his top freshmen talent from last season and built a title contender around them. Adding three future starters in Ethan Potter (Utah Valley), Noah Bolanga (St. Bonaventure) and Jusaun Holt (Kennesaw State) via the Portal. Along with one via local Juco Snow College in Chance Trujillo.

The Trailblazers have already played 15 conference games and have only three left on their schedule. With two being comfortably at home inside Burns Arena. Where Utah Tech is 10-2 this season, building their fortress in St. George one game at a time.

California Baptist

Rick Croy’s group enjoyed a fruitful non-conference slate, with notable wins over UC Irvine, which itself is in a battle for the Big West’s title and Oregon State. They also took on three of the top teams in the Big 12, coming up short each time, but only by a margin of 7.0 PPG against the Buffaloes and Utes. While Top-25-ranked BYU was a different story entirely.

The Lancers started conference play with a three-game losing streak. Falling on the road to Utah Valley, UT Arlington and Tarleton State, all in a week’s time. Since they’ve enjoyed the spoils of an eight-game winning streak, mostly at home. They currently boast a 19-8, 9-5 record, good enough for third in the conference.

California Baptist hasn’t been immune to the injury bug, but has kept their stars relatively healthy (only one player has played in all twenty-seven games). This has helped fuel their run in WAC play thus far. Led by Preseason WAC Player of the Year Dominique Daniels Jr. and his league leading 22.0 PPG. The under six-foot scoring guard continues to be one of the toughest defensive assignments in the conference, supported in the scoring column by Martel Williams and his 13.3 PPG.

The Lancers also embrace a defense-first philosophy. Then they rely on their dynamic scoring duo to bridge the gap when necessary. Coach Croy’s group has three of its final four games to be played at home in the Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler Events Center. California Baptist is currently undefeated this season, with a 12-0 record at home. Do they have the easiest path to a regular-season title? It certainly isn’t the toughest.

UT Arlington Mavericks

The dark horse candidate still technically in the running for their first WAC title are KT Turner’s Mavericks. UT Arlington would have to win three straight to pull this off, and everyone currently in front of them in the standings would have to lose the rest of their games for them to earn a share of the title, but hey, anything’s possible, right?

Coach Turner’s group began WAC play with a hot hand, going 4-1 in their first five games. But have since struggled, including a five-game losing streak to kick off the month of February. Like others listed above, UT Arlington pride themselves on stellar defense (ranked 60th nationally per KenPom) but has struggled to put the ball in the basket.

Entering conference play, they were 8-4. Led by preseason all-conference selection Raysean Seamster and Northern Colorado transfer Marcell McCreary. The Mavericks welcomed an impressive recruiting class, but like others have fallen victim to the parity in the WAC this season. Coach Turner can certainly help get these guys to their first WAC title, but they head on the road to Stephenville and Abilene to end the regular season. Not the easiest way to finish the season.

The final standings could look different in a few weeks. But, the numbers favor Utah Valley as regular-season champions. Would fans love to see the Trailblazers, Lancers, or Mavericks earn their first-ever and last possible piece of WAC hardware? Of course, but remember, there’s always the last WAC Tournament title if the Wolverines happen to beat everyone to the finish line.

Larry Muniz is a Mountain West Basketball beat writer for Couch Potato Sports along with West Coast mid-major coverage at Mid-Major Madness.

On a happy night in Vigo, with Celta's qualification, we have learned about the four new teams that have qualified for the round of 16 in the UEFA Europa League.

The evening has been exciting, especially in Belgium with a Genk-Dinamo Zagreb match that found resolution in extra time with an unexpected 3-3. 

Bologna narrowly defeated Brann and will face either Roma or Freiburg. Forest, after eliminating a strong Fenerbahçe, will be up against Betis or Midtjylland. 

Olympique Lyon or Aston Villa await Celta in the round of 16.

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

He keeps going "endlessly."

Giroud made the difference for Lille to reach the Europa League Round of 16 by leaving his mark this Thursday (26).

He has now scored 11 goals in European tournaments since turning 35 years old.

Almost forty—he's 39—the French striker has joined a list full of stars. See below.

Lille was one of the eight teams to qualify for the Round of 16 after the second leg of the playoffs. 

Check out the highlights and possible matchups to be confirmed this Friday (27) below.

A list to respect, huh!

After losing at home 1-0, Lille needed to win at the Rajko Mitic, the Marakana.

And they opened the scoring in Serbia with Giroud, just four minutes in. 

He now figures on the list of players with 11 or more goals in major European competitions after turning 35.

It was the third goal of the 2018 World Cup champion with France in the current UEL edition.

Red Star improved in the second half, but the decision went to extra time.

And it was up to Ngoy to secure Lille's qualification at 99'.

Penalties and more excitement in the other games

After losing away 2-1, Hungarian side Ferencváros knocked out Bulgarian Ludogorets by winning 2-0.

Goals by Kanichowsky and Zachariassen still in the first half. 

There was another draw between Viktoria Plzeň and Panathinaikos.

After a 2-2 draw in the first leg, the 1-1 in Czechia took the decision to penalties.

And the Greek team won 4-3.

In the other game that kicked off at 2:45 p.m., Stuttgart managed the big advantage they built in Scotland.

They were defeated by Celtic (1-0), but had won 4-1 in the first leg. 

Bologna had already won away and confirmed their qualification by beating Norwegian side Brann again, 1-0. 

Sorensen made things harder for the visitors by being sent off at 37 minutes. And João Mário scored the game's only goal at 56'.

Celta also confirmed their favoritism with another win.

They had won 2-1 in Greece and this time beat PAOK 1-0.

Swedberg scored at 63'. 

Fenerbahce dreamed after conceding 3-0 at home. 

Akturkoglu opened the scoring at 22 after a mistake by Murillo.

And extended the lead after a penalty committed by Jair in the first attack of the second half.

Vitor Pereira had made four substitutions at once.

And Forest took control of the game.

And two of the players who came on made the difference. Play by Ola Aina and goal by Hudson-Odoi (68'). 

Fener didn’t give up. Forest had chances to tie and even turn it around, but both sides lacked precision. And the English team advanced 4-2 on aggregate. 

Only Galatasaray and Samsunspor (Conference) will represent Turkish football in the UEFA tournaments' Round of 16.

Belgian side Genk won 3-1 on Croatian soil, opening a good lead. 

And saw Dinamo Zagreb strike back in regulation time.

The visitors took the lead with Bakrar (47). Sor (51') equalized.

But Stojkovic (57' and 75') took the decision to extra time.

Extra time came, and with it, a Genk goal, with Perez Vinlof scoring an own goal (101') 

Hero in regulation, Stojkovic left the Belgian team with ten men two minutes later.

And Genk made it 3-3 thanks to Heymans (114'). Securing a 6-4 aggregate win.

Possible matchups

The UEL Round of 16 matchups will be decided this Friday (27) starting at 8 a.m. (Brasília time).

But there are already predictions, as UEFA determined the possible pairings since the playoff draw.

The teams that advanced directly to the Round of 16 and were just waiting will host the first leg matches. 

These are Lyon (1st), Aston Villa (2nd), Midtjylland (3rd), Betis (4th), Porto (5th), Braga (6th), Freiburg (7th), and Roma (8th).

See the possible matchups below: 

Ferencváros 🆚 Porto or Braga

Panathinaikos 🆚 Midtjylland or Betis

Genk 🆚 Freiburg or Roma

Celta 🆚 Lyon or Aston Villa

Stuttgart 🆚 Porto or Braga

Nottingham Forest 🆚 Midtjylland or Betis

Bologna 🆚 Freiburg or Roma

Lille 🆚 Lyon or Aston Villa

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

Northern Ireland's Josh Rock says it was a "special" feeling to hit his first Premier League nine-darter at Belfast's SSE Arena on Thursday.

The 24-year-old from Broughshane in County Antrim lost his quarter-final 6-2 to Gian van Veen of the Netherlands, but picked up a set of 18ct gold darts worth £30,000 for his perfect leg.

It was the 22nd nine-darter in the competition's history and Rock said achieving the feat more than made up for his exit on the night.

"Being from Northern Ireland and hitting a nine-darter in front of Belfast is phenomenal," Rock told BBC Sport NI's Thomas Kane.

"My consistency in the Premier League is good but tonight, the 6-2 (defeat) I don't even care. I've hit a nine-darter in front of my home crowd and enjoyed that even more.

"When it [ninth dart] left my hand and the double 12 went in, I just thought 'I've hit a nine-darter in Belfast'. My body is still shaking; I had to shake my shoulders to calm myself down, but I'm buzzing.

"Nine-darters don't come around too often, but to hit one in the Premier League in Belfast - what a feeling."

Rock is without a win in his Premier League debut season, losing 6-2 in each of his four matches and admitted he was feeling the pressure in front of his home fans.

However, he is hopeful his nine-darter in Belfast can act as a catalyst for the rest of the season.

"I hope this gives me the belief to push on for the rest of the Premier League," he added.

"I know what I can do and tonight, I didn't feel the pressure, but when I stood on that stage I felt added pressure and just wanted to perform. When I hit the first 180 and second 180, I just thought 'please hit this for everybody', and I did.

"To be classed as one of the leading players in the PDC and the world is a great feeling. From a Northern Ireland perspective, there's not a lot of us in the world but to do that in front of the home crowd is massive."

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Nate Tice & Matt Harmon join forces LIVE in Indianapolis to reveal 9 big moves they’re rooting for this NFL offseason. The duo kick things off with thoughts on the Tennessee Titans trading for former New York Jets EDGE Jermaine Johnson. In other news, the Indianapolis Colts and Anthony Richardson are seeking a trade partner, and Matt thinks the Kansas City Chiefs could be an interesting fit for the reclamation project. The duo also discuss the New Orleans Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars and how they should approach upgrading their offense.

Next, Nate & Matt hit on one wide receiver the New England Patriots NEED to draft, one the Las Vegas Raiders need to sign and two who we could see traded this offseason.

Later, Nate diagnoses what the Chiefs offense needs to get back on track, plus a few of his favorite defensive free agents, while Matt has one skill player the Washington Commanders need to go after in the 2026 NFL Draft.

(1:45) - Titans trade for EDGE Jermaine Johnson

(6:30) - Moves we want to see: Anthony Richardson, Jaguars & Saints offensive upgrades

(22:50) - Moves we want to see: Patriots and Raiders offensive targets, A.J. Brown & DJ Moore trades

(38:40) - Moves we want to see: Chiefs offensive upgrades, Commanders draft target, Nate’s favorite defensive FAs

(Greg Fiume & Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out all episodes of Football 301 with Nate Tice and the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is upon us for the rest of the week, as the top draft prospects will test and interview for NFL teams in hopes of hearing their names called later this offseason.

But the combine isn’t only a time where teams meet with prospects. It’s also an opportunity for head coaches and executives of teams to talk with one another ahead of the new league year, where trade talk and other business can begin to happen.

Just last year, the 49ers agreed to trade wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick during the week of the Combine. Now, with San Francisco looking to bolster its roster this offseason, could they look to make another trade or two?

If so, those conversations could start up this week, as general manager John Lynch noted that there are only a few times when most general managers are around each other to strike up those conversations.

“Oh, I think that’s accurate for sure,” Lynch said this week in regards to whether a lot of trade talks start at the Combine. “I thought you were talking like evaluations of players long before, and that sometimes is the case too. But, absolutely.

“There’s a couple, three probably, inflection points. Usually down at Mobile (at the Senior Bowl), you get most GMs are down there, then at the Combine, and then at league meetings. So, usually at one of those places, a lot of those conversations. And this week it’s kind of, everybody’s in that mindset coming off the season, now you’re really looking forward. And yes, a lot of those conversations have commenced, and the inception of them was here, and some finish here.”

The 49ers could be players in free agency this offseason with some extra money to spend, but they may also look to the trade market to fill some of their needs. One of those may be at defensive line, where San Francisco could use additional help both on the edge and in the middle. While there are some edge candidates in free agency, such as Jaelen Phillips, Trey Hendrickson, Odafe Oweh, and Khalil Mack, the 49ers could opt for a player with a better contract and send out draft capital in return.

Similarly, without much of a defensive tackle class in free agency, San Francisco could target an upgrade there via trade, as they did with Maliek Collins two years ago.

There is also the possibility of sending a player out, with Renardo Green being a rumored option for trade recently. ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Ben Solak gave an 80 percent chance that Green would be traded this offseason, noting the fit and the inconsistencies over his first two years. So perhaps those conversations could also begin to take place this week.

We’ll see what the 49ers elect to do in the coming weeks. But the trade market could be their way to upgrading and offloading their roster this offseason.

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Could Antoine Griezmann really be headed to Orlando City SC — and if so, would he be the one player capable of challenging Lionel Messi for MLS supremacy? We kick things off by diving into the rumor, the fit, and what Griezmann’s personality and playing style would mean for the league. Is this realistic, or just classic MLS chaos?

Then NJ/NY Gotham FC defender Mandy Freeman joins the show. She reflects on Gotham’s improbable championship run, the weight of expectations heading into the new season, and what it’s like being a 10-year NWSL veteran who’s seen the league evolve from host families and modest crowds to sold-out stadiums. Mandy also opens up about her love of fashion and gives a thoughtful critique of the NWSL’s new High Impact Player rule — explaining why raising the ceiling doesn’t necessarily raise the floor for players across the league.

We wrap with Champions League drama: Weston McKennie continues to shine, but did Juventus FC let him down again? Is it time for him to seek a bigger move? Vinícius Júnior delivers another electric performance against SL Benfica, while FK Bodø/Glimt stun Inter Milan — raising serious questions about what’s happening with Italian teams in Europe this season.

Timestamps:

(7:30) – Griezmann to Orlando!? Can he dethrone Messi in MLS?

(18:00) - Gotham FC defender Mandy Freeman joins The Cooligans

(42:00) – Weston Mckennie continues to shine but Juve is failing him

(53:30) – Vini Jr. Shuts up Benfica with another amazing performance

(59:00) - Bodø/Glimt stun Inter Milan

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

Entering this week, it looked as though the USC women’s basketball team might have finally figured things out. While Sunday’s loss to Ohio State was disappointing, the Trojans had won six in a row prior to that, and put up a strong fight against a top ten opponent.

Hence, Wednesday’s matchup with Penn State, one of the worst teams in the Big Ten, was supposed to be an easy victory. The task at hand for the Women of Troy was simple: get in, win the game, get out without an my injuries, and get ready for Sunday’s massive rivalry matchup with No. 2 UCLA.

Well, mission failed. USC let the matchup become a trap game and somehow fell 85-82 to a Penn State team that entered the contest with just three Big Ten wins.

USC’s season is not over. The Trojans will still get their shot at UCLA on Sunday, followed by the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments. But how can we expect the Women of Troy to compete with some of the best teams in the country when they could not even beat one of the worst?

At this point in the season, time is not on USC’s side. Lindsay Gottlieb and company must go back to the drawing board and get things figured out quickly, or else the Trojans will not be playing very deep into March this year.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC women’s basketball falls 88-85 to Penn State

CBS Sports moved the Florida Gators to a No. 2 seed following Wednesday night's win over the Texas Longhorns,

Bracketology experts David Cobb and Jacob Fetner made the Orange and Blue the focus of their Thursday update, noting the Gators' strong finish against the Longhorns all but guaranteed the seeding change. Florida has trended upward over the last couple of weeks, and dominating the final eight minutes of Wednesday's game helped UF secure its spot with three regular-season games left to play.

"It appeared the Gators were headed for a fight to the finish. That would have been a rarity for a Florida team that has largely rolled through its SEC schedule," Cobb wrote. "But what happened next illustrated why the Gators are trending up to the No. 2 seed line in CBS Sports Bracketology and why they should be feared as a legitimate contender to repeat as national champions."

The Gators ended things on a 23-7 run, winning by double-digits. Florida kept scoring, and Texas's offense disappeared in the clutch.

"It was a stretch of nearly perfect basketball that should serve as a warning shot to the rest of college basketball," wrote Cobb. "The Gators are coming."

Cobb pointed to Florida's improved 3-point shooting as the key difference maker. Florida made 10 or more buckets from deep just twice in its first 23 games. The Gators have done it three times in the last five games, even with an 8-for-18 performance against the Longhorns. A 44.4% night from three was a distant dream at the beginning of the season, but Todd Golden's group has gotten there.

Florida has remained in the top 15 of the KenPom efficiency ratings all season long, but expected values don't always lead to the predicted outcome. Early-season losses to projected No. 1 seeds Arizona, Duke and UConn put Florida in catch-up mode. The Gators have finally caught up, reaching the No. 7 ranking in wins above bubble, a key metric when it comes to deciding seeding for the NCAA Tournament.

"Now the question is whether there's enough runway left for Florida to creep into the No. 1 seed conversation," Cobb said. "... The Gators finally have top-eight results-based metrics to pair with top-five predictive metrics. The push for a repeat is in full swing."

It won't be easy to overtake any of those three teams mentioned above for a No. 1 seed, and Michigan has looked like a national championship contender all year. Still, Florida is making a case.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.StoryBlock

This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida basketball: CBS Sports bracketology after win over Texas

The NFL recently sued the NFLPA to keep their report cards from being published to the public, but since the lawsuit, the NFLPA has stated that they will continue to run their report cards, distribute them among the union and not publish their findings on their website. That doesn’t prevent union members from leaking this information to the press, though.

On Thursday, Cheesehead TV’s Aaron Nagler was able to acquire some of the report card notes on the Green Bay Packers. Here’s what was shared:

The Green Bay Packers fell 14 spots, to 21st overall in this year’s Report Card – the steepest year-over-year decline of any team. The drop is driven largely by the decline in ratings for the training room and training staff, which now rank in the bottom third of the league. Players report a lack of space and outdated recovery equipment, along with a lack of communication and trust in the training room. These issues are a top priority players identify to be addressed.

Players report that the team does not provide gameday childcare, as most teams do, contributing to their bottom-third ranking for treatment of families. The team’s nutrition program similarly ranks near the bottom, with players wanting improved nutrition plans and more nutritious food options to better support these plans. Head coach Matt LaFleur dropped a full letter grade this season and ranks second to last in the league in respect for players.

As Nagler noted on Twitter, the Packers are currently redoing their training room, but it’s still not a great sign that the combined room and staff ranks near the bottom of the league. Green Bay fans have long complained about the team’s injury situation for years now, but there was hope that the hiring of strength and conditioning coordinator Aaron Hill in 2024 would change their fortunes. Hill came to Green Bay via the San Francisco 49ers, where he was a strength and conditioning assistant for five seasons. Over those five seasons, here’s how the 49ers ranked in terms of injury impact: 6th, 1st, 3rd, 9th and then 29th.

Since Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur’s good friend, took over the 49ers, San Francisco has been the most injured team in the NFL. After their one healthy season, Green Bay hired away a 49ers assistant to lead their strength and conditioning program.

Beyond the training room, it’s interesting to me that LaFleur “ranks second to last in the league in respect for players,” considering how many team leaders spoke up and stated that they wanted the club to retain LaFleur after the team’s playoff loss.

Either way, a historic drop in the NFLPA’s rankings is not a great look for the Packers, who generally rank high on the list. Here’s Green Bay’s history on the report card:

• 2023: 9th
• 2024: 3rd
• 2025: 7th
• 2026: 21st

—

Kalyn Kahler of ESPN has now reported the full rankings. Here’s a breakdown of them below. If grades are equal, teams are listed alphabetically.

Defensive Coordinator

1. LAC: A+
2. PHI: A+
3. SEA: A+
4. ATL: A
5. DEN: A
6. HOU: A
7. JAX: A
8. KC: A
9. LAR: A
10. MIA: A
11. NO: A
12. SF: A
13. CLE: A-
14. GB: A-
15. TB: A-
16. BAL: B+
17. CIN: B+
18. IND: B+
19. MIN: B+
20. NYJ: B+
21. BUF: B
22. CAR: B
23. DET: B
24. NE: B
25. TEN: B-
26. WAS: B-
27. ARZ: C+
28. CHI: C+
29. DAL: C
30. LV: C
31. PIT: C
32. NYG: D+

Food/Dining Area

1. DEN: A
2. HOU: A
3. LV: A
4. MIA: A
5. PHI: A
6. SF: A
7. ATL: A-
8. NO: A-
9. SEA: A-
10. WAS: A-
11. CAR: B+
12. GB: B+
13. JAX: B+
14. LAC: B+
15. NYG: B+
16. BAL: B
17. CHI: B
18. DAL: B
19. DET: B
20. IND: B
21. NYJ: B
22. TEN: B
23. BUF: B-
24. MIN: B-
25. PIT: B-
26. KC: C+
27. ARZ: C-
28. CLE: D+
29. NE: D+
30. TB: D+
31. LAR: D
32. CIN: F-

General Manager

1. CAR: A
2. DEN: A
3. IND: A
4. LAR: A
5. MIN: A
6. SEA: A
7. WAS: A
8. BAL: A-
9. BUF: A-
10. CHI: A-
11. DET: A-
12. HOU: A-
13. JAX: A-
14. LV: A-
15. MIA: A-
16. NYJ: A-
17. SF: A-
18. TB: A-
19. ATL: B+
20. GB: B+
21. KC: B+
22. LAC: B+
23. NE: B+
24. TEN: B+
25. ARZ: B
26. DAL: B
27. NO: B
28. PHI: B
29. PIT: C+
30. CIN: C
31. CLE: C
32. NYG: D+

Head Coach

1. LAR: A+
2. WAS: A+
3. CHI: A
4. DET: A
5. KC: A
6. MIN: A
7. NE: A
8. NYJ: A
9. PHI: A
10. PIT: A
11. SEA: A
12. BUF: A-
13. CAR: A-
14. CIN: A-
15. DAL: A-
16. HOU: A-
17. IND: A-
18. JAX: A-
19. NO: A-
20. SF: A-
21. ARZ: B+
22. ATL: B+
23. BAL: B
24. DEN: B
25. MIA: B
26. TB: B
27. GB: B-
28. TEN: B-
29. LAC: C+
30. LV: C+
31. NYG: C
32. CLE: C-

Arizona’s players actually liked Jonathan Gannon (B+) more than the head coach who hired him (Matt LaFleur, B-) this offseason.

Home Game Field

1. BAL: A
2. DEN: A
3. PHI: A
4. KC: A-
5. LV: A-
6. MIA: A-
7. SF: A-
8. JAX: B+
9. WAS: B+
10. ARZ: B
11. MIN: B
12. CLE: B-
13. DET: B-
14. GB: C+
15. HOU: C+
16. CHI: C
17. DAL: C
18. LAC: C
19. LAR: C
20. NO: C
21. ATL: C-
22. IND: D
23. NE: D
24. CIN: D-
25. BUF: F
26. CAR: F
27. SEA: F
28. NYG: F-
29. NYJ: F-
30. PIT: F-
31. TB: F-
32. TEN: F-

Locker Room

1. DET: A
2. GB: A
3. LV: A
4. MIN: A
5. CIN: A-
6. JAX: A-
7. LAC: A-
8. MIA: A-
9. NYJ: A-
10. CHI: B+
11. DAL: B+
12. HOU: B+
13. SEA: B+
14. ATL: B
15. BUF: B
16. NO: B
17. SF: B
18. WAS: B
19. BAL: B-
20. IND: C+
21. NE: C-
22. CAR: D+
23. TEN: D+
24. DEN: D
25. LAR: D
26. NYG: D
27. PHI: D
28. TB: D-
29. CLE: F
30. KC: F
31. ARZ: F-
32. PIT: F-

Green Bay recently built a new locker room, so it shouldn’t be surprising that they rank high here.

Nutritionist/Dietician

1. ATL: A
2. CHI: A
3. HOU: A
4. LV: A
5. NYJ: A
6. SEA: A
7. BAL: A-
8. CAR: A-
9. DET: A-
10. IND: A-
11. JAX: A-
12. KC: A-
13. LAC: A-
14. MIA: A-
15. NYG: A-
16. WAS: A-
17. DAL: B+
18. DEN: B+
19. MIN: B+
20. NO: B+
21. PHI: B+
22. SF: B+
23. ARZ: B
24. GB: B
25. LAR: B
26. NE: B
27. PIT: B
28. TEN: B
29. BUF: B-
30. TB: B-
31. CLE: C+
32. CIN: F

Offensive Coordinator

1. DAL: A
2. LAR: A
3. NE: A
4. SEA: A
5. BUF: A-
6. CAR: A-
7. CHI: A-
8. CIN: A-
9. DEN: A-
10. HOU: A-
11. MIA: A-
12. MIN: A-
13. SF: A-
14. JAX: B+
15. PIT: B+
16. WAS: B+
17. IND: B
18. TB: B
19. ARZ: B-
20. BAL: B-
21. NO: B-
22. NYJ: B-
23. KC: C+
24. NYG: C+
25. PHI: C+
26. GB: C
27. TEN: C
28. ATL: C-
29. DET: C-
30. CLE: D+
31. LAC: D-
32. LV: F

Every single team with a C+ grade or lower for offensive coordinator made a change this offseason, other than the Packers, for what that’s worth.

Position Coaches

1. BUF: A
2. LAR: A
3. CAR: A-
4. DET: A-
5. MIA: A-
6. PHI: A-
7. SEA: A-
8. SF: A-
9. ARZ: B+
10. ATL: B+
11. GB: B+
12. HOU: B+
13. MIN: B+
14. WAS: B+
15. BAL: B
16. DAL: B
17. DEN: B
18. IND: B
19. NYG: B
20. NYJ: B
21. PIT: B
22. TB: B
23. TEN: B
24. CHI: B-
25. CIN: B-
26. CLE: B-
27. NE: B-
28. NO: B-
29. KC: C+
30. LAC: C+
31. LV: C+
32. JAX: C

Special Teams Coordinator

1. JAX: A+
2. TEN: A+
3. DET: A
4. HOU: A
5. NYJ: A
6. PHI: A
7. SEA: A
8. CAR: A-
9. DEN: A-
10. LAC: A-
11. MIN: A-
12. NO: A-
13. PIT: A-
14. WAS: A-
15. ATL: B+
16. BAL: B+
17. BUF: B+
18. CIN: B+
19. DAL: B+
20. GB: B+
21. IND: B+
22. LAR: B+
23. NE: B+
24. NYG: B+
25. SF: B+
26. ARZ: B
27. KC: B
28. MIA: B
29. CHI: B-
30. TB: C+
31. LV: C-
32. CLE: D

Strength Coaches

1. MIA: A+
2. WAS: A+
3. ATL: A
4. BAL: A
5. BUF: A
6. CIN: A
7. DEN: A
8. DET: A
9. HOU: A
10. IND: A
11. JAX: A
12. LAR: A
13. LV: A
14. MIN: A
15. NO: A
16. NYJ: A
17. SEA: A
18. SF: A
19. TB: A
20. CAR: A-
21. CHI: A-
22. DAL: A-
23. NE: A-
24. PHI: A-
25. CLE: B+
26. KC: B+
27. NYG: B+
28. GB: B
29. LAC: B
30. TEN: B
31. ARZ: B-
32. PIT: B-

Team Ownership

1. BAL: A+
2. DEN: A+
3. MIN: A+
4. WAS: A+
5. ATL: A
6. DET: A
7. HOU: A
8. IND: A
9. JAX: A
10. LV: A
11. MIA: A
12. SEA: A
13. BUF: A-
14. CHI: A-
15. GB: A-
16. LAC: A-
17. NO: A-
18. SF: A-
19. DAL: B
20. LAR: B
21. NYG: B
22. NYJ: B
23. PHI: B
24. CAR: B-
25. NE: B-
26. KC: C+
27. CLE: C
28. TEN: C
29. CIN: D+
30. TB: D
31. PIT: D-
32. ARZ: F

Team Travel

1. MIA: A
2. DEN: A-
3. NO: A-
4. SEA: A-
5. ATL: B+
6. CHI: B+
7. JAX: B+
8. MIN: B+
9. NYJ: B+
10. DET: B
11. LAR: B
12. LV: B
13. BAL: B-
14. BUF: B-
15. GB: B-
16. HOU: B-
17. IND: B-
18. LAC: B-
19. WAS: B-
20. ARZ: C+
21. SF: C+
22. TEN: C+
23. DAL: C
24. NYG: C
25. CIN: C-
26. CAR: D
27. CLE: D-
28. KC: D-
29. NE: F
30. PHI: F
31. PIT: F
32. TB: F

Training Room

1. BAL: A
2. HOU: A
3. JAX: A
4. LV: A
5. MIA: A
6. NO: A
7. ATL: A-
8. CIN: A-
9. DEN: A-
10. DET: A-
11. LAC: A-
12. MIN: A-
13. SEA: A-
14. WAS: A-
15. BUF: B+
16. CAR: B
17. CHI: B
18. IND: B
19. LAR: B
20. NYJ: B
21. NYG: B-
22. PHI: B-
23. TEN: B-
24. CLE: C
25. GB: C
26. PIT: C
27. TB: C
28. KC: C-
29. NE: C-
30. SF: C-
31. ARZ: D+
32. DAL: D

Training Staff

1. ATL: A
2. DEN: A
3. HOU: A
4. LAR: A
5. LV: A
6. MIA: A
7. NO: A
8. PHI: A
9. SEA: A
10. WAS: A
11. CAR: A-
12. CIN: A-
13. JAX: A-
14. LAC: A-
15. MIN: A-
16. BUF: B+
17. DET: B+
18. IND: B+
19. NYG: B+
20. NYJ: B+
21. PIT: B+
22. TEN: B+
23. BAL: B
24. CHI: B
25. NE: B
26. ARZ: B-
27. CLE: C+
28. TB: C+
29. DAL: C
30. GB: C
31. KC: C
32. SF: C-

Treatment of Families

1. LV: A
2. MIN: A
3. ATL: B+
4. BAL: B+
5. DET: B+
6. JAX: B+
7. MIA: B+
8. NYJ: B+
9. SEA: B+
10. TEN: B+
11. WAS: B+
12. BUF: B
13. CAR: B
14. DAL: B
15. DEN: B
16. IND: B
17. NE: B
18. NO: B
19. SF: B
20. HOU: B-
21. NYG: B-
22. CHI: C+
23. GB: C+
24. LAC: C+
25. LAR: C+
26. PHI: C+
27. KC: C
28. ARZ: D+
29. TB: D
30. CLE: D-
31. PIT: F
32. CIN: F-

Weight Room

1. LV: A+
2. MIA: A+
3. ATL: A
4. BAL: A
5. BUF: A
6. CHI: A
7. DEN: A
8. DET: A
9. HOU: A
10. JAX: A
11. SF: A
12. WAS: A
13. CIN: A-
14. DAL: A-
15. GB: A-
16. LAC: A-
17. MIN: A-
18. NO: A-
19. PHI: A-
20. SEA: A-
21. TB: A-
22. CLE: B+
23. NYJ: B+
24. CAR: B
25. IND: B
26. KC: B
27. LAR: B
28. NYG: B
29. PIT: B
30. TEN: B
31. NE: C-
32. ARZ: D+

—

As a reminder, these surveys were open from November 2nd to December 11th last year, so the Packers were between 5-2-1 and 9-3-1 at the time. After the surveys closed, Green Bay lost five straight games to end the year.

If you average out the grades into letter grades, this is what the full league-wide rankings look like, unweighted (alphabetical if grades are tied):

1. DEN: A-
2. HOU: A-
3. JAX: A-
4. MIA: A-
5. MIN: A-
6. SEA: A-
7. WAS: A-
8. ATL: B+
9. BAL: B+
10. CHI: B+
11. DET: B+
12. LV: B+
13. NO: B+
14. NYJ: B+
15. SF: B+
16. BUF: B
17. CAR: B
18. DAL: B
19. GB: B
20. IND: B
21. LAC: B
22. LAR: B
23. PHI: B
24. KC: B-
25. NE: B-
26. TEN: B-
27. CIN: C+
28. NYG: C+
29. TB: C+
30. ARZ: C
31. CLE: C
32. PIT: C

Nelly Korda won the season opener but hasn't played on the LPGA since. But now we know the next two times Korda plans to see it up.

The LPGA is in midst of a three-tournament Asian swing, but Korda will be competing in the first two events when the tour returns stateside.

Korda has committed to the Fortinet Founders Cup at Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club, March 19-22, in Menlo Park, California, and the Ford Championship, March 26-29, at Whirlwind Golf Club, Cattail Course in Chandler, Arizona.

Korda won in Orlando on Feb. 1 to kick off 2026. It'll be about seven weeks in between competitive rounds for her. She didn't win in 2025 after earning seven victories in 2024, including four in a row that spring. Her win at the 2024 Ford was the second of those four straight (but at a different golf course).

World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul is also signed up to play both the Fortinet and the Ford. Korda and Thitikul won the first two events of the LPGA's 2026 season, the first time in the 20-year history the Rolex rankings the Nos. 1 and 2 players won the first two tournaments of a season.

Third-ranked Charley Hull is not on the list for the Fortinet but is set to play in Arizona at the Ford.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Nelly Korda commits to Fortinet Founders Cup, Ford Championship

Real Madrid are in the market for a new central defender, as they seek to cover off the expected departure of David Alaba, as well as the possible one of Antonio Rudiger. They have been linked with Ibrahima Konate and Nico Schlotterbeck in recent weeks, and now a new name has been added into the mix.

Previously, Real Madrid have shown a lot of interest in William Saliba, and while he signed a new Arsenal contract earlier in the season, there could be chances in the future for him to end up at the Bernabeu. For now, he is no longer being focused on, and rather, it is his centre-back partner that club bosses are considering.

According to TEAMtalk, Real Madrid recently made an enquiry into the availability of Gabriel Magalhaes. The Brazil international has been a standout performer for Arsenal over the last 18 months, which has led Los Blancos to view him as an ideal option to strengthen their defensive ranks.

Image via Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Arsenal stance on Gabriel exit

However, there is little chance of a deal being done. Real Madrid’s enquiry was quickly rebuffed, with Arsenal making it clear that a sale is not possible at any price. Given the 28-year-old signed a new long-term contract last summer, there is no pressure for the Premier League leaders to cave, which makes it very difficult for him to end up in the Spanish capital.

Real Madrid must now consider other options. It is imperative that a top-level performer arrives this summer, especially in the event that Rudiger is not offered a new contract. It would leave Eder Militao, Dean Huijsen and Raul Asencio as their frontline central defenders, and given that the former pair have had their fair share of injury problems this season, a quality alternative is essential.

Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic are arguably the biggest stars in men’s tennis right now, with each boasting a huge following on social media.

Alcaraz is undoubtedly the man of the moment, claiming two titles from his two tournaments in the 2026 season so far.

One of those titles arrived at the Australian Open, where he beat Djokovic in the final after the Serbian knocked out Sinner in the semifinals.

The trio fittingly occupy the top three spots in the ATP rankings, but how do their Instagram followings compare?

Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic Instagram followings

Considered by many as the greatest male player of all time, it is Djokovic who leads the way with 16.4 million followers on Instagram.

With 8.4 million, Alcaraz is second on the list, while third-placed Sinner has 5.1 million followers on the social media platform.

For comparison, other iconic players such as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have totals of 13.1 million and 21.2 million respectively.

Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner Grand Slam titles

While the three ATP icons care deeply about their fans, success on the court will be much more important to all three.

And given his age, it is unsurprisingly 38-year-old Djokovic who once again leads the younger duo in that regard, at least in terms of major glory.

He fell short of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, but remains top of the men’s all-time list.

His fellow legend Nadal is second with 22 and Federer is third with 20, while Pete Sampras is next in the list with 14.

Alcaraz is creeping up the all-time leaderboard after clinching his seventh major title in Melbourne, where he completed the career Grand Slam.

Sinner can do the same if he wins the French Open, with the Italian currently boasting four Grand Slam titles.

The Spaniard has a superb 7-1 record from his finals, three of which have arrived against Sinner, who has a 4-2 finals record.

Their rivalry is unquestionably the best in men’s tennis right now, with many fans uncertain over which player will end their career with more Grand Slam titles, and indeed what their overall totals will be.

READ MORE:Naomi Osaka says Novak Djokovic has completely changed the way tennis is played

The Yankees’ bullpen has a little bit of everything. It has All-Star fireballers, sinker specialists, a splitter maestro, a couple of guys who rely on finesse rather than pure stuff, a pitch-to-contact lefty, and a few flawed, but talented arms vying for a couple of spots. It’s not hard to see that a few guys, barring an unexpected turn of events, have a spot locked up already. This is the case of David Bednar, Camilo Doval, Fernando Cruz, and Tim Hill. One has to think that Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn will be in there, as well.

After that, there are as many as six or seven pitchers with at least an outside chance of making the roster, not to mention the fact that the team usually takes a long look at the post-spring training cuts to add names, as well. The likes of Jake Bird, Cade Winquest, Kervin Castro, Osvaldo Bido, Ángel Chivilli, Brent Headrick, and Yerry De Los Santos are actively competing to see who makes the roster, and most of them are looking good if we combine their offseason, their early-camp work, and the first few days of Grapefruit League games.

It’s still February, though, so it’s too early to even think about who makes the roster of this group and who gets left behind. What we are seeing, however, is that at least a couple of interesting names from that list could be on the outside looking.

Just because of the assets invested in them, one can conclude that Winquest, as a Rule 5 Draft pick, and Bird and Chivilli, as trade pieces that required the organization to give away prospects, could have a leg up in the competition. It’s important not to rule out a guy like Headrick, though, owner of a 3.13 ERA and 30 strikeouts in just 23 innings with the Bombers last year. His swing-and-miss stuff could definitely boost the Yankees’ bullpen and give it another lefty to complement Hill.

Yes, there is still the feeling that the Yankees are one or two quality relievers short of boasting a high-flying bullpen, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t talented hurlers in the organization with enough juice to win a spot and contribute.

Bird himself is a solid bounce-back candidate after last year’s disaster, and he has thrown 2.1 scoreless innings this spring with no walks and three strikeouts. Chivilli has big fastball velocity and two breaking balls, his changeup and slider, that had a whiff rate over 40 percent last year. Sometimes, it’s a matter of bringing in guys one or two adjustments away from unlocking the full extent of their potential, and Chivilli could be that guy.

And if the Grapefruit League ends and the Yankees are still not happy with their group of arms for the bullpen, they can always review other teams’ cuts and bring in a useful pitcher. That’s exactly how they got Yarbrough last year, and he went on to put up a 4.36 ERA in 64 frames in 2025 with long stints of dominance. On top of it all, the Yankees’ relief corps could also get some reinforcements in the form of starters, if and when Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt rejoin the rotation. The first two are expected back in April, while Schmidt is more of a second-half play.

Other unexpected names might join the bullpen mix eventually, such as Carlos Lagrange. Yes, pitching coach Matt Blake revealed on Wednesday that moving him to relief is a possibility later down the road.

There are multiple avenues for a great bullpen, and having several talented guys taking the ball in spring training and showing off the improvements they made in the postseason in a healthy competition is definitely one of them. The Yankees may not have a top-five bullpen this year, but internal competition is strong and that’s always a positive.

Our 2026 NFL Combine media recap series continues Thursday with defensive backs who will certainly clear the Detroit Lions’ football character tests. Cornerback may not be an immediate need in Detroit, but there are certainly questions beyond 2026. At safety, the injury situation could force Detroit to re-invest on the back end.

Here are five high-character standouts from the defensive back group.

Previously:

• Linebackers
• Defensive linemen
• Tight ends

Clemson CB Avieon Terrell

Size: 5-foot-11, 180 pounds
Quick bio: Brother of A.J. Terrell, Avieon could be a good fit with the Lions given his press-man coverage history and eagerness to get dirty in the run game. Produced a whopping five forced fumbles in 12 games last season, along with 4.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks.
Current draft projection: Round 1-2
Combine vibes:

I spent the first half of Terrell’s media session listening to projected top-10 pick D’Angelo Ponds, but I continued to overhear Terrell and was eventually just full drawn into his press conference (which I wanted to watch anyways).

Terrell’s size could be an issue for some teams, but I imagine the Lions will love his playing style enough to not care too much about size (think Amik Robertson).

“My favorite thing about football? Just being able to hit somebody for free,” Terrell said. “You wake up and can just go hit somebody. So I love that about football. That’s the best thing.”

Given Clemson’s down season last year (7-6), Terrell opted to take on a leadership role to help the young players navigate the adversity. When I asked him what makes good leadership, he mentioned doing all the little things as a role model.

“Watching extra film, extra work after the game, running to the line, not letting nobody walk off the field. Them little things are (for) leaders,” he said.

Arizona State CB Keith Abney

Size: 6-foot 190 pounds
Quick bio: A two-year starter at ASU, Abney is a bit undersized but known for his feistiness and ability to be a ball hawk. In his last two seasons, he produced 21 passes defended, five interceptions, and two forced fumbles. In 2025, he also produced an 85.3 PFF coverage grade, good for 15th-best in the country. Was a captain, as well.
Current draft projection: Round 2
Combine vibes:

Abney sometimes gets tabbed as a zone coverage cornerback, something he is clearly trying to deny. When asked about the underrated parts of his game, he listed two things that would certainly get the Lions’ attention.

“My tackling or my man coverage,” Abney said. “I think a lot of guys view me as a zone defender, but if you turn on the tape, I do a great job (in man).”

Abney’s biggest quirk is that he was involved in competitive speed roller skating. The hobby stemmed from his desire to both compete and connect with people.

“Just meeting people. It was something that I was good at, something that was opening doors. I got to travel a lot of places, and just competing, really. The competitiveness of it. It’s either you win or you lose,” Abney said.

Texas safety Michael Taaffe

Size: 5-foot-11, 193 pounds
Quick bio: Taaffe’s story reminds me of Dan Jackson: he stayed at Texas his entire career just waiting for his opportunity. For years, that meant focusing on special teams and situational defensive play. But in the past two seasons, he’s gotten his defensive opportunity and ran with it. Taaffe excels with effort and a tremendous character that earned him the Wuerffel Trophy (more on that in a minute).
Current draft projection: Day 3
Combine vibes:

Note: Taaffe said he met with the Lions at the Combine

Taaffe had the most polished press conference of the NFL Combine. He struck me as a very impressive human being, and it started with him talking about winning the Wuerffel Trophy—which recognizes outstanding character and community services among all of college football.

“I totally believe in trying to be significant over being successful. Successful is cool, being on a plaque is cool with 10 interceptions in one season. That’s really cool. That’s what we try to work for every single day. But to be significant, to change people’s lives, I think that goes way longer than anything that this game of football can provide. What this game of football has given me, it’s given me a platform to stand in front of you great men and great women and be able to talk about what really matters in life. So that’s what football has given me. This pigskin has given me an opportunity to have the closest relationships with friends, learn life skills that will carry me for the rest of my life. Just being significant and serving the community and being a disciple in the locker room.”

Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman

Size: 6-foot, 205 pounds
Quick bio: The third brother to play safety at Purdue before transferring to Oregon in 2025, Thieneman has the opportunity to be the first of his siblings to carve out a serious NFL career. A starter for two years at Purdue and one at Oregon, Thienamen tallied at least 90 tackles in each year. Thieneman has the size, speed combination to fit multiple schemes and fill multiple positions.
Current draft projection: Round 1-2
Combine vibes:

Thieneman will hear his name called early because of his physical traits, but he’s also got the intangibles to go along with it. I was impressed by daily routine, as inspired by the hard-working mentality of his parents, and his two brothers, who also played safety at Purdue.

“That hard work and discipline. My discipline showed up (in) what I needed to do everyday. At Oregon, I had my specific set schedule. Everyday, I’d wake up at about 5, get there about 5:30, and then go through my routine and just do that everyday,” Thieneman said.

I also like how mindful he was when he transferred to Oregon. Because it’s so common these days, there is a sense players do it haphazardly. But Thieneman walked through his very deliberate process in the tough decision to move from his roots at Purdue to Oregon.

“I was looking for three things in the portal,” Thieneman said. “A great culture. Second was a defensive scheme that would prepare you for the next level playing different coverages, different rotations. And then three was that competition side on offense and defense. I felt Oregon really excelled at all three of those.”

Arizona CB/S Treydan Stukes

Size: 6-foot-2, 200 pounds
Quick bio: Stukes spent his entire six-year college career at Arizona after walking on, and he eventually became the leader of the defense. He started nearly 40 games throughout his career, playing outside cornerback, nickel, and eventually safety. In the NFL, he projects either as a safety or a big nickel with good size and speed.
Current draft projection: Round 3
Combine vibes:

Enjoyed talking to Stukes, who overcame adversity by posting his best career season in 2025 after suffering a torn ACL that cost him most of his 2024 year. Stukes talked extensively about how he mentally focused during the rehab by reading seven mindfulness, wellness books—including one written by his dad.

“It taught me how to be resilient, how to be patient, and trusting the plan that been (put) on me,” Stukes said. “I learned a lot about myself during that process and I was diligent about putting in those daily deposits that help you reap the rewards you want to reap.”

One of Stukes’ biggest draws in the NFL will be his versatility. He played outside initially, moved to nickel in 2023, then played some safety this final year at Arizona.

Billy Horschel sounded off on a key change made to PGA National. Again.

At last year's Cognizant Classic, Jake Knapp opened with a 12-under 59, just the 15th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history. This came as a shock to many who grew up in an era when single-digits under par would win you the "Honda" Classic. Now, double-digits was leading after round one. 

Horschel, and eight-time PGA Tour winner, shot 66 that same day, but lamented the fact that prior to the 2024 edition of the tournament, PGA National overseeded the rough and the fairways with ryegrass. The entire property was once straight bermuda, making for a classic Florida golf challenge, especially when it was hot and windy. See: the 2015 Honda, which Padraig Harrington won at six under. 

RELATED: Ryan Gerard appears to hit bird (!) with a tee shot, still manages to hit the green

One year later, Austin Smotherman began the 2026 Cognizant Classic with a nine-under 62. Horschel shot a two-under 69. He continued to bang the Bermuda drum, while making sure to couch it with some reasonable thoughts, too. 

"I talked about it last year. This is a really good golf course. It's a very fair golf course," Horschel said Thursday. "When it blows hard, it's a challenge, and when it's sort of benign like it is today, it's gettable.

"A few years ago the rough was longer and then they started cutting it down and then they overseeded the golf course," he added. "Listen, I think the tour gets a bad rap, and it's not anything against the owners of PGA National. I understand where they would want to overseed. People want it to look pretty on TV, and if it looks pretty on TV, maybe people will want to come play it.

"But at the end of the day, as I've said for many years on the PGA Tour, I understand we are using a golf course that we don't own a lot of times, and sometimes we're at the discretion of what the owner wants to do. Obviously we give our opinion of what we think is best for the golf course and how they want to set it up and challenge it, but also, the owners have a say in it. But I think for me, as I said last year, born and raised in Florida, playing a Bermuda golf course, this far down south and playing overseed, it's going to be soft."

Horschel mentioned that PGA National is far from the only Florida golf course that has made a similar change, and it's not the only one that's done it on the tour schedule, either. TPC Sawgrass made a similar switch to rye overseed when the Players Championship moved to March, and that golf course still plays plenty difficult. 

As for PGA National, without wind, it's not the same test as it once was. And you can check the data, Horschel says. 

"I can pull it up on my phone, in '20, '21, '22, there were three times in a row where it was a top-10 hardest golf course," Horschel said. "I think it was like 4, 7, 6. Then it went to 12, and then the last two years it's been in the 30s.

"Some of it has to do with wind. There's no doubt about it. If this place doesn't blow, it's very gettable. As tour players have always talked about, it doesn't matter how long the golf course is; if it's no wind and it's soft, we're going to shoot a number."

Horschel remained adamant that the change had nothing to do with the PGA Tour, nor does he blame PGA National for doing it, a point he made on Twitter/X Wednesday evening before the tournament began. 

On Thursday, Horschel stated it was "just his take on it." 

"It's not a shot at anyone. It was just sort of commenting to someone who was taking a shot at the PGA Tour, and I sort of gave them a little more insight that it's not always in the PGA Tour's hands. If they want to try and do something, it's not always in their hands to set it up the way they want to."

RELATED: Why Bryson DeChambeau, LA Golf are parting ways

The concept of an all-star game is simple. It's a unique exhibition where a sports league brings together its best competitors to create a spectacle for fans and showcase the league to a wider audience. Stock car racing has seemingly lost that memo. NASCAR announced the format for the 2026 All-Star Race on Thursday, featuring the full Cup Series field taking the green flag for the 350-lap race. The field will eventually be reduced to 26 cars for the race's $1 million final stage.

NASCAR stated that it will have the full field compete in the two 75-lap sprint segments in lieu of its traditional All-Star Open preliminary race. After the first segment, the order of the top 26 drivers will be inverted, with the leader dropping to 26th. The ineligible drivers with the lowest combined finishing positions after the two segments will advance to the 200-lap final segment. I mention "ineligible" because the qualification criteria for the final stage are the same as those typically used for the entire event.

The race winners from both the 2025 and 2026 Cup Series seasons are locked into the final segment. This means that 17 drivers have already locked in their spots for the final stage. Former Cup Series champions are also locked in, but every active full-time champion has already won a race over the past year. Excluding the spot reserved for the Fan Vote winner, there are eight transfer spots up for grabs.

Read more: 5 Bad Driver Habits Guaranteed To Annoy Everyone Else On The Road

The NASCAR All-Star Race is lost in the wilderness

It's near-impossible to conceive a reason for NASCAR to force at least 17 drivers to puddle around for 125 laps. Drivers locked into the final segment have no reason to fight for position or risk damaging their equipment. The All-Star Open was special because it was a race without the big names. Drivers who typically didn't feature at the front of the field had the opportunity to be in the spotlight for a single afternoon and try to make a name for themselves. That opportunity still exists, it'll just be overshadowed by the all-stars loitering at the back.

While NASCAR has pushed to reinvent itself over the past few years, the All-Star Race has been lost in the wilderness since 2020. The organization made the bold decision to move the race away from Charlotte Motor Speedway, its traditional home, to Bristol in an effort to have fans in attendance during COVID-19 restrictions. The race then moved to Texas Motor Speedway, and then to the revived North Wilkesboro Speedway. With North Wilkesboro receiving a points-paying round, NASCAR shifted the All-Star Race to Dover International Speedway. The event has seemingly become a consolation prize for underperforming tracks.

Maybe NASCAR can find a recipe to bring the heat back to the All-Star Race. The season-opening Clash is seemingly doing well despite dropping its original gimmick as the pole winners' exhibition race. The event is a unique bullring affair at the infamous Bowman Gray Stadium, with a format similar to local short-track racing. The racing there is far from clean, but it's a fun exhibition to welcome everyone back for a new season.

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Read the original article on Jalopnik.

The Los Angeles Rams were aggressive in retaining key players in 2025, and they could do the same to kick off the 2026 offseason.

L.A. reportedly "hopes to extend the contract of tackle Warren McClendon Jr.," according to NFL reporter Tony Pauline. McClendon Jr., a 2023 fifth-round pick, had a breakout season in 2025 when he started 10 games for the injured Rob Havenstein. The 24-year-old had the lowest pressure rate allowed among right tackles this past season at just 2.94%.

McClendon Jr. should be in the driver's seat to keep the starting right tackle spot after Havenstein retired based on his 2025 performance. However, he only has one year left on his rookie deal and will be a free agent after the 2026 if the Rams don't re-sign him.

It's unclear what that deal would look like for McClendon Jr., considering he only started five games in his career before his breakout 2025 season. For reference, left tackle Alaric Jackson signed a three-year, $57 million deal with $35 million guaranteed before the 2025 season. Jackson, though, was the Rams full-time starter for two full seasons before he earned his new contract.

If the Rams re-sign McClendon Jr. or plan to extend him before the 2026 draft, it could alter their strategy for the first round. Many experts predict L.A. will draft a right tackle to either start or take over if McClendon Jr. leaves after 2026. But if McClendon Jr. signs a big extension, L.A. can look elsewhere in the first round.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Report: Rams looking to extend OT Warren McClendon Jr.

Betfred Super League

Wigan (24) 54

Tries: Keighran, French, Field 2, Smith 2, Eckersley, Nsemba, Forber Goals: Keighran 9

Leigh (0) 0

Wigan Warriors ran in nine tries to hammer local rivals Leigh Leopards 54-0 and continue their impressive start to the 2026 Super League season.

Tries from Adam Keighran, Bevan French, Jai Field and Harry Smith put Wigan into a dominant 24-point lead at half-time for the second match in a row.

Further tries from Field and Smith plus one each from Zach Eckersley, Junior Nsemba and Tom Forber after the break - as well as nine goals from Keighran on a perfect night with the boot - ensured a third league win from three for Warriors.

Leigh failed to show up during a very one-sided 'Battle of the Borough' on a disappointing night for the visitors littered with handling errors and a lack of discipline.

Wigan went ahead after 10 minutes - French fired in a short pass for Keighran to cross over from close range on the last tackle after Leigh's Lachlan Lam conceded a set of six in his own half for a late shot.

Liam Marshall dotted down for Warriors soon after but the celebrations were cut short as referee Liam Moore spotted a forward pass from French in the build-up of a flowing team move.

French then found a small gap in the Leigh backline on the right edge to roll challenges from Lam and Tesi Niu to grab Wigan's second in a dominant opening 20 minutes from the hosts.

A well-measured kick from Smith was batted back one-handed by Nsemba to full-back Field who showed a dummy before darting over for the impressive Warriors' third try.

Field turned from scorer to provider moments later, finding room in midfield before setting up Smith to dot down underneath the sticks and, after Keighran dispatched a fourth successful kick, the game was effectively over as a contest by the half-hour mark.

Moments into the second period, Leigh's Matt Davis was forced off with a head injury having taken the full force of a kick to the corner by Smith.

And Warriors stretched their legs soon after when a beautiful line break from Patrick Mago allowed the prop to pass to Smith, who unselfishly found Field to finish another free-flowing move for his second of the night.

At this stage, Wigan were playing exhibition rugby league and a miss-out pass from French cut out three Leigh defenders and found Eckersley who strolled in for Wigan's sixth try.

Nsemba then got his name on the scoresheet, getting on the end of a delicate grubber kick from Smith, before Field raced away on a wonderful break and found the supporting Smith to dive over next to the sticks.

Hooker Forber got 50-up for Warriors, barging over for his side's ninth try between the sticks before Keighran added the extras once more to seal a perfect night for Wigan.

Leigh were dealt a further blow with just a minute remaining as full-back Bailey Hodgson had to be helped off the field with a serious looking knee injury.

Wigan: Field; Eckersley, Keighran, Farrell, Marshall; French, Smith; Havard, O'Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Walters, Ellis.

Replacements: Mago, Partington, Eseh, Forber.

Leigh: Hodgson; Senior, Niu, Brand, Charnley; Cook, Lam; Ofahengaue, Horne, Mulhern, Halton, Trout, Liu.

Replacements: Hughes, Davis, Alick-Wiencke, O'Brien.

Referee: Liam Moore.

Welcome to Atlanta, where the players play and the gentlemen's clubs have the best wings in town.

The Atlanta Hawks are leaning into the city's famed hip-hop culture and history, featuring what the team is calling an "iconic cultural institution" that's definitely NSFW in an upcoming promotional night.

The team announced Wednesday it will collaborate with prominent Atlanta strip club Magic City for a one-night only, in-game celebration of hip-hop called "Magic City Monday" against the Orlando Magic on March 16.

“From the food to the music and the exclusive merchandise, we are excited to team up with Magic City to create an authentic, True to Atlanta-inspired game experience,” Hawks Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Proctor said in a news release.

Magic City Kitchen will serve two versions of their "world famous" lemon pepper wings, Louwill Lemon Pepper BBQ, named after Atlanta-native and three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year-winner Lou Williams.

More NBA: Suns owner willing to pay millions to get best NBA players in dunk, 3-point contests

What else is planned for 'Magic City Monday'?

The Hawks' celebration of "Magic City Monday" doesn't stop at wings. Atlanta rapper and entrepreneur T.I. is expected to perform at halftime.

Being that Tip is back home in Atlanta, at the State Farm Arena, it'll be interesting to see if he'll perform any recent cuts including diss tracks toward rapper and entrepreneur Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson.

Keeping it so ATL, the organization tabbed native DJ Esco to provide the pregame tunes.

Before the game, ticketed fans will have a chance to view a recording of the Hawks AF Podcast featuring a conversation with Magic City founder Michael “Mr. Magic” Barney and T.I., hosted by comedian D.C. Young Fly, another Atlanta native.

“We doin’ this one for the city ... Magic City,” T.I. said in a news release.

Why is Magic City famous?

Magic City has become influential not only in Atlanta but as a tourist stop for those who visit the city. Ask NBA players who have a road game against the Hawks about the lore of Magic City wings.

Williams famously couldn't help but visit the spot for its wings in 2020 when he was excused from the NBA Bubble in Orlando to attend a funeral, while everyone was social distancing due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The moment went viral after a photo he snapped with rapper Jack Harlow during the visit that was posted to social media.

"We had our masks on, I thought we did it how we were supposed to do it," Williams said, explaining the incident during a June 2025 episode of Gil's Arena, a podcast hosted by former NBA player Gilbert Arenas with Nick Young, Kenyon Martin, Rashad McCants and Josiah Johnson.

He continued: "I want to put this to bed. I didn't sneak out the bubble to go to Magic City. They excused me from the bubble to go to a funeral. ...The funeral home was a block away from Magic [City]. I've been staying in a hotel [in the NBA bubble in Orlando] eating hotel room service food. Magic got good food, this is my hometown and if you know ATL, we eat in our strip clubs. That's where you can find the best food."

Williams received a 10-day quarantine for violating safety protocols but maintains that the league's focus was on him going to a strip club rather than his real reason for going – the food.

The incident did two things: birthed the nickname "Lemon Pepper Lou" and also cemented Magic City's kitchen's place as the stuff of NBA and Atlanta legend.

But long before Williams's visit, the site was a landmark for Atlanta and its visitors, which is the focus of the documentary "Magic City: An American Fantasy" that discusses the impact of the club on Atlanta music, sports and culture through interviews with Atlanta rappers Big Boi, Killer Mike and T.I., along with other celebrities and artists who they discuss its role in hip-hop and Black culture.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Atlanta Hawks to feature prominent strip club in upcoming promotion

He might not have been able to secure the win vs. the Denver Nuggets for the Boston Celtics by himself this past Wednesday (Feb. 25) night, but Celtics point guard Derrick White has been impressive for Boston this season, and even Nuggets coach David Adelman admitted as much ahead of the tilt his team would win 103-84.

"One thing he does is he plays the same way every night," said Adelman of White's consistency. "And there's a lot to be said for that. And I think, from the San Antonio (Spurs) days, it's incredible when he came in the league how much you just went under everything with him. He's going to drive the ball with his right hand – that's what he does."

"And he just turned himself into a confident 3-point shooter," he added. "That makes you have to make a decision nightly because if he does get downhill, he's so effective."

"I think he's over a block a game for a guard," continued the Denver coach. "Just a complete basketball player. That trade really worked out for them and he just compliments whoever he plays with so well."

"It's funny he used to be in our gym in the summers and he's back home playing pickup. And just to see where his career has gone, it's (made him) a very well-deserved, just a really good all-around basketball player."

Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:

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

iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47

YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3

This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Denver coach David Adelman lauds growth of Celtics guard Derrick White

Atalanta, Roma, Bologna and Fiorentina will discover their opponents in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League in Friday’s UEFA draws, as Italian football enters the Round of 16.

There are still four representatives of Serie A in the knockout phase of the UEFA tournaments.

Atalanta overturned a 2-0 first leg deficit to eliminate Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League play-off, and will learn on Friday if they are to face Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the Round of 16.

UEFA could give us an Italian derby

ROME, ITALY – JANUARY 22: Niccolo Pisilli #61 with his teammates of AS Roma celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 match between AS Roma and VfB Stuttgart at Stadio Olimpico on January 22, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

There is a good chance of an Italian derby in the Europa League Round of 16, because Roma already went through as one of the top eight in the league phase.

Bologna eliminated SK Brann 2-0 on aggregate and will be paired either with Roma or SC Freiburg in Friday’s draw.

Roma’s situation is a little more complicated, as they might also be drawn against Bologna, Genk or GNK Dinamo Zagreb.

FLORENCE, ITALY – FEBRUARY 26: Moise Kean of ACF Fiorentina celebrates after scoring a goal with Giovanni Fabbian of ACF Fiorentina during the UEFA Conference League 2025/26 Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between ACF Fiorentina and Jagiellonia Bialystok at Stadio Artemio Franchi on February 26, 2026 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Fiorentina are the sole Italian representatives in the Conference League, and squeezed past Jagiellonia in extra time, 5-4 on aggregate.

Their next test will be against either RC Strasbourg or Rakow in the last 16.

Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini spoke to BBC Sport recently. He gave a sharp, thoughtful take on why captain Granit Xhaka’s return is such a big deal for the Black Cats. Currently, Sunderland are navigating a rough patch of inconsistent form. Gabbiadini admitted the team aren’t just a one-man show. Even so, he made it clear that the 33-year-old Swiss international has a level of presence that almost no one else in the squad can match.

Gabbiadini Backs Xhaka Return To Steady Sunderland’s Wobbling Premier League Campaign

The ex-striker pointed out how important Xhaka is as an anchor in the middle of the pitch. Xhaka is the type of player who is happy to sit back, dictate the play, and keep everyone else calm. A young Sunderland side have clearly felt his absence while he was out with that ankle injury. Looking past Xhaka’s own game, Gabbiadini also touched on the constant lineup changes Régis Le Bris has dealt with lately.

He suggested that never having a settled team has only made things harder. On top of that, he noted that new signings always need a bit of time to find their feet. For a squad full of players still learning the ropes in the Premier League, a dip in results was always likely. Still, his overall outlook was positive. Gabbiadini saw this slump as a temporary hurdle rather than a total breakdown.

“They’re not a one-man team, but he is very important, of course, he is. He brings so much experience to a team that is still pretty green.

“You’ve got to be careful not to get too despondent or carried away. To get the captain back in the middle of the park, somebody who’s a little bit more anchored and happy to just sit and control the game will make a difference.

“There’s been quite a lot of change in the team. It hasn’t been a particularly consistent team selection over the past few weeks – maybe that has been an issue as well. And new faces, as it always takes time when new faces come into the dressing room.

“We’ve lost some people and brought some new people in. They’ve got to hit the ground running, and it’s not easy to do that.

“Most of the players have not had long Premier League careers or played that many games in the Premier League at all. Some of them haven’t played many games, full stop. If there’s a little bit of a lull, that’s to be expected.”

— Marco Gabbiadini, as quoted by BBC Sport

Does Xhaka’s Return Prove Sunderland’s Real Problem Was Mental, Not Tactical?

SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 22: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland reacts during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Fulham at Stadium of Light on February 22, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

The timing of this matters a lot. As of February 26, 2026, Sunderland are in a fantastic spot for a club just promoted to the top flight for the first time since 2017. Xhaka was back in the mix for the weekend game against Fulham.

What Gabbiadini is really getting at is that the team have a leadership gap, not just a tactical one. Sunderland’s other midfield options, Noah Sadiki, Enzo Le Fée, and Habib Diarra, have plenty of energy and skill. But none of them have the scar tissue and grit that Xhaka brings. He has earned over 120 caps for Switzerland, and you can’t buy that kind of know-how.

Le Bris himself has called Xhaka a leader that the rest of the group naturally follow. You just can’t expect a 22-year-old to provide that same sense of stability in the middle of a season. Gabbiadini also made a fair point about how much the summer overhaul affected the team. Sunderland brought in a lot of new faces, and that kind of chemistry takes months, not weeks, to build. In the end, what looks like a tactical breakdown on the pitch is often just a group of young players looking for a leader to steady the ship when things get chaotic. Now, they finally have that leader back.

Colorado Buffaloes defensive pass rush coordinator Warren Sapp will not return for the 2026 season, Brandon Krisztal reports. He coached with the Buffaloes for three seasons beginning in 2023 under head coach Deion Sanders.

Sapp had a decorated career in the NFL spanning 13 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders. He registered 578 tackles, 96.5 sacks and 91 tackles for loss from his defensive tackle position, earning him four first-team All-Pro selections. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013, the first player in Buccaneers history to do so.

Multiple reports suggest that Sapp didn't see a coaching career after playing, but was hired by Sanders in 2023 to lead the defensive line and pass rush unit.

During his tenure, the Buffaloes finished 63rd (2023), 16th (2024) and 129th (2025) in total sacks, with production making a clear downturn last season as Colorado struggled through a 3-9 campaign and a 15th place finish in the Big 12.

Sapp's departure comes just days after Colorado defensive coordinator Robert Livingston was hired away by the Denver Broncos and Chris Marve, who was formerly the linebackers coach, was promoted to replace Livingston.

Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads and Instagram.

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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Pass rush coordinator Warren Sapp won't return for 4th season

2026 Premier League Darts Night 4 Belfast live results, scores and schedule: Josh Rock nails epic 9-darter in front of home crowd originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Gian van Veen survives a match dart in a last-leg decider against Gerwyn Price, winning 6-5, and setting up a clash between himself and Stephen Bunting in the final.

Night 4 of the 2026 Premier League of Darts takes place in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with Josh Rock's reunion as the major storyline heading into the night.

For the quarterfinal round, Luke Littler and Jonny Clayton kick off the evening in what could be a high-scoring clash.

Next, Stephen Bunting will look to try and win his first PL match of 2026, as he faces 2025 PL champion Luke Humphries.

Michael van Gerwen will return after an absence on Night 3, taking on Gerwyn Price, who is fresh off a PC event title on Wednesday.

Lastly, Gian van Veen will return after a thrilling final run in Poland, which included a nine-darter, to play Josh Rock.

2026 Premier League Darts Night 4 results, scores and schedule

Here is the schedule and the results from Night 4 of the 2026 PL.

MORE: 2026 Premier League Darts Night 4 draw, match predictions and 3 storylines to watch in Belfast

Quarterfinals

MORE: 2026 Premier League Darts schedule, scores, results and updated table

Semifinals

MORE: Watch Beau Greaves become the first woman to hit 9-darter on PDC circuit

Final

More darts articles:

• Luke Littler contract details: Teenage phenom signs richest endorsement deal in darts history
• PDC announces darts schedule for 2026: World Championship, Premier League and more
• Ranking the best PDC Darts moments from 2025: 9-darters to shocking upsets
• 2026 Premier League Darts prize money explained
• 2026 Premier League of Darts: Get to know the 8 participants
• 2026 Poland Darts Open: Draw, schedule, prize money and format explained

Nick Caserio might be in the market for a quarterback one day soon, but could simply just take on over as QB1 for 2026?

One would argue that his accuracy is better than C.J. Stroud's with just a single throw.

Caserio appeared on ESPN's "Pat McAfee Show" live from the Lucas Oil Stadium at the NFL Scouting Combine and was tasked his throwing a ball through a hole for the charity of his choosing. The only caveat? It had to be a sprial.

Well Caserio, a former quarterback at John Carroll University, had to show the crew that not only does his team own McAfee's Indianapolis Colts twice a season, but he also still has enough left in the tank to drop jaws and look the part of competent signal-caller.

Here's a clip of Caserio drilling the target on live televison.

FOR A $100,000 DONATION 😂😂

NICK CASERIO WITH A STRIKE #PMSLivehttps://t.co/W8CU5O26GWpic.twitter.com/RZ8DydxlIu

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 26, 2026

No, the Texans aren't trading Stroud entering Year 4. No, there's no plan for Houston to find a new quarterback in the future.

But if the offensive line could be fixed and the run game is stable, could the GM get a few passes in a live game? It's not out of the question.

This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans GM Nick Caserio looks like QB1 after interview on Pat McAfee

Bears GM reveals why he's excited for Caleb Williams' future originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

For years, the Chicago Bears suffered in quarterback purgatory, but with Caleb Williams, the franchise finally feels like it might have their guy.

Year 1 wasn't too good, but under Ben Johnson in Year 2, yeah, the differences were noticeable. So much so that the Bears, as we look towards Caleb's third season, will be seen as a genuine playoff contender, if not more.

And with Williams in line to get a new contract in the next few seasons, the Bears will have a decision to make.

But for general manager Ryan Poles, if Williams shows consistency, it's an open-and-shut case.

"I want to be clear: Anyone that's watched the league long enough knows that for quarterback play, it's consistency," Poles said via the Chicago Sun-Times. "Can you stack years on top of each other? We still have steps to go. I don't want to make it like he's already [there]. He knows he's got work to do.

"But if all of that falls into place, we have to understand how that changes our formula as we move forward. That's a great thing to be on that path. I feel like we have a long-term quarterback solution. It makes me excited."

More:Mike Evans' agent drops huge update over Buccaneers future

Bears finally have their guy

The performance jump we saw from Williams in Year 2 was superb. He threw seven more TDs (27 total), to just seven interceptions, while having more passing yards, and 42 fewer sacks. 

Not to mention going from five wins to 11.

So, the path forward is clear, especially under Johnson, and as we enter Year 2 with Williams and Johnson as a quarterback/play-caller tandem, the expectation is that Williams will continue to ascend.

Of course, Poles wants consistency, and that is the next thing Williams has to get into his arsenal of weapons, but that is tough for everyone.

But if the gap between his worst game and his best game can shrink, then when it is Williams' turn at the negotiation table, he'll be set. And so too will the Bears.

More NFL news:

• Analyst offers horror 4-word prediction for Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs
• Analyst claims Ravens out of Super Bowl bubble, but rationale is wrong
• Bengals give stunning Trey Hendrickson future quote that fans will love
• Bills fans will love Joe Brady's latest quote as franchise hits reset
• Ravens make incredible contract offer to free agent star 
• Dolphins the biggest loser of scouting combine press conference
• Buccaneers make Mike Evans stance perfectly clear

Dustin Dopirak: Rick Carlisle: "Toppin will play tonight. He will be on a minutes restriction and it's safe to assume he'll be a minutes restriction the rest of the season."

Twitter

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Obi Toppin cleared for first game since October

Jamal Collier: CavsDonovan Mitchell is listed as OUT for tomorrow’s game against the Pistons with a strained right groin. James Harden (thumb) is once again listed as questionable. He had his thumb wrapped heavily as he exited the locker room Wednesday night in Milwaukee

Twitter

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Donovan Mitchell is listed as OUT for tomorrow’s game …

James Ham: Keegan Murray is officially listed as out with a left ankle sprain. Russell Westbrook is also out with a right thigh contusion. Malik Monk is questionable with right ankle soreness. Sabonis, Hunter, Cardwell and LaVine remain OUT.

Twitter

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Keegan Murray is officially listed as out with a left …

Bob Costas, Doug Collins and Mike Fratello never all called a game together when they were teammates at NBC a quarter-century ago. That'll change on Tuesday — in a throwback night for the network's NBA coverage. NBC has announced plans for Costas, Collins and Fratello to handle the courtside duties Tuesday when Victor Wembanyama — who wasn't even born when that trio was involved in NBC's NBA coverage in the early 2000s — and the San Antonio Spurs take on Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Houston Chronicle

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: NBC has announced plans for Costas, Collins and …

Jim Gray will be the sideline reporter for that game, and NBC said it plans to incorporate “reminiscent and familiar components” from how games aired in the 1995-96 season, including the graphics package.

Houston Chronicle

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Jim Gray will be the sideline reporter for that game, …

Also coming back from the past: the studio team. Hannah Storm, Isiah Thomas and P.J. Carlesimo will handle a throwback version of “NBA Showtime” starting at 7 p.m. Eastern, an hour before the game broadcast.

Houston Chronicle

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Hannah Storm, Isiah Thomas and P.J. Carlesimo will …

President Donald Trump is inviting multiple college sports figures to a roundtable at the White House next week, Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported. The group includes former Alabama coach Nick Saban, former Florida star Tim Tebow and Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell.

Trump has been vocal about his willingness to play a role in settling the college athletics landscape in the NIL and transfer portal era. Saban and Campbell were previously expected to spearhead a presidential commission on college sports, though those plans were later paused. The roundtable is expected to take place March 6, Dellenger reported.

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The list of invitees also includes former Florida and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, Notre Dame athletics director Pete Bevacqua and Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman. Bevacqua’s predecessor, Jack Swarbrick, was also invited, along with at least one athletics director from each Power Four conference. ADs from Wake Forest, Indiana, Iowa State and Oklahoma are part of the group.

Other prominent figures from outside college sports were also invited, according to Dellenger. Golf legend Tiger Woods, LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau, NBA commissioner Adam Silver and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also received invitations to the roundtable. Trump is expected to serve as chair alongside Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and New York Yankees president Randy Levine as vice chairs.

This story will be updated.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The latest season of “Drive to Survive” will also be available to U.S. viewers on Apple TV as part of a collaboration with Netflix.

The eighth season of the popular Formula 1 series launches Friday. “Drive to Survive” has been credited with helping to increase the popularity of the global motorsports series.

The show will recap the 2025 season, which included the firing of Christian Horner as Red Bull's team principal, Lewis Hamilton's first year at Ferrari and McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri vying for the championship. Norris won his first F1 title by two points over Max Verstappen.

Apple TV has a new five-year deal as F1's U.S. broadcast partner. The season begins with next week's Australian Grand Prix.

Netflix will also carry Apple TV's feed of the Canadian Grand Prix for U.S. viewers from May 22-24.

“I've known (Netflix co-CEO) Ted (Sarandos) for a long time. We've worked together before and we had this idea,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, said Thursday during a briefing about Apple's coverage plans. “Netflix has done an amazing job with ‘Drive to Survive’ and we thought it would be great if we could offer it to our customers and at the same time we’d like Netflix customers that have been watching ‘Drive to Survive’ to be able to see a race on Netflix, and that’s what we’re doing with the Canadian Grand Prix.”

___

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

The NBA has fined Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves $25,000 after he threw a ball into the stands during the team's 124-121 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.

Edwards played 38:20 and scored 34 points during the T'Wolves victory.

This story will be updated.

Yorba Linda High head coach Jeff Bailey oversaw one of the winning programs in California high school football over the past three decades, so his decision to move on came as quite a shock. Especially when the new team he was taking over hadn’t logged a winning season in the past 15 years.

But at a Beverly Hills High School board meeting earlier this week, he was approved to become the next head football coach at Beverly Hills (Calif.).

“When a student puts on a jersey, its more than a uniform. It’s a responsibility. You’re not just representing yourself. You’re representing your teammates, your family, your school and most of all, your community,” Bailey said in a video presented at the board meeting. “I know how that feels like. I grew up loving the game. I earned a chance to play football at UCLA. Football taught me lessons that carried me far beyond the field. How to prepare. How to lead. How to respond when things get hard. Those lessons shaped the way I coach.”

On Thursday, more details came out about his decision to change programs, including the salary he’ll earn in one of California’s richest zip codes. According to SI High School’s Tarek Fattal, Bailey will earn over $205,000 and was listed as the strength and conditioning coach for the district.

A separate report from the Orange County Register says that Bailey cited the move as a “family decision” with financial benefits for his retirement.

His new salary puts Bailey in line with some of the highest-paid coaches not only in the Golden State, but in the country. A report last summer from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted that highly successful Southlake Carroll coach Riley Dodge was making $175,000.

Meanwhile in Georgia, Carrollton head coach Joey King earned more than $219,000 last season, according to Brooks Carter of NextRoundLive. He was the only coach to make more than $200K.

Bailey will have a big rebuild on his hands

The 56-year-old has been coaching for nearly 30 years, winning 179 games along the way with 18 postseason appearances and 11 CIF league titles. He developed Yorba Linda into a powerhouse during that time, finishing No. 40 in last year’s California High School Football Massey Rankings.

Meanwhile, the Beverly Hills program just completed its fifth winless season in the past 15 years, and the last time they finished above the .500 mark was in 2010 with a 6-5 record.

“It’s now a new challenge and I’m going to go 100 percent into it,” Bailey told the Register. “I take pride in anything I’m doing and I’m not ever going to be lazy.”

How to Follow California High School Football

For high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the Golden State, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across the country.

The official White House TikTok account posted a celebratory video on Sunday after U.S. men's hockey defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win its first Olympic gold medal since 1980.

As of Thursday afternoon, the video has 11.1 million views and more than 14,000 comments on the social media platform. It's also AI-doctored, and Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is annoyed by the way it portrays him belittling Canadians.

The video begins with a clip from a news conference at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February. Brady and his brother Matthew, a standout Florida Panthers left winger, are seated next to each other.

"Free Bird," U.S. hockey's goal song throughout the Milan Cortina Olympics, plays in the background of the video, as Brady Tkachuk is made to say, "They booed our national anthem, so I had to come out and teach those maple syrup-eating f***s a lesson."

Underneath the video's caption lies a disclaimer: "Contains AI-generated media."

"Well, it's clearly fake, because it's not my voice and not my lips moving," Tkachuk said Thursday.

"I'm not in control of any of those accounts. I know that those words would never come out of my mouth. So, I can't do anything about it."

When asked if he liked the video, Tkachuk pointed back to how it misrepresented him.

"Did I like it? It's not my voice. It's not what I was saying," he said. "I would never say that. That's not who I am, so I guess I don't like that video because that just would never come out of my mouth. Never a thought."

Tkachuk then shook his head at a question about if winning gold for the U.S. and the aftermath of the Olympics potentially affects his desire to play in Ottawa.

"That's not even something that has crossed my mind," he said. "I love playing for this team. I love the guys in this room, and I really believe in what we're all about."

Tkachuk was one of several U.S. men's hockey players who made the trip to D.C. in the wake of their dramatic win over Canada in this year's Games.

President Donald Trump invited the team to the White House and Tuesday's State of the Union, notably in a controversial moment during a viral postgame phone call.

Trump joked about having to also invite the women's team or else "I probably would be impeached."

Several players on the U.S. men's hockey team laughed after Trump's delivery, a reaction that's drawn criticism from many in the days since.

U.S. goalie Jeremy Swayman, who plays for the Boston Bruins, admitted Wednesday that he and his teammates "should've reacted differently."

In a Wednesday appearance on ESPN's "SportsCenter," U.S. women's hockey icon Hilary Knight described Trump's comment as a "distasteful joke" but characterized the players' response as a "quick lapse" that's overshadowing what she believes is a "genuine level" of support and respect the men's team has for the American women, who also beat Canada in overtime to win gold.

"They know that we supported them throughout the whole tournament," Tkachuk said Thursday. "When Megan Keller scored the OT winner, I think there was 15 of us in one of the lounges back at the [Olympic] Village, and we were all standing up, going nuts, clapping.

"They just achieved their dream, and that gave us so much motivation to go win the gold medal ourselves."

Another moment from the Trump call has been scrutinized this week, as some online have accused Tkachuk of being the person who shouted, "Close the northern border!"

"I've been seeing stuff that people think it's me," he said, "but if you watch the video, that's not my voice and something that I never say. I don't really know how that took a storm on its own when I play here and give everything I have here."

He added: "It's crazy when things go on social media, how fast they go. Of course, I would never say anything like that."

At the moment, Tkachuk is in the awkward position of starring for the NHL's Senators in Canada and serving as a key member of USA Hockey.

Throughout most of the first three quarters of the Boston Celtics 103-84 loss to the Denver Nuggets, the Celtics were able to keep the game close despite shooting just 28% from beyond the arc and 35% from the field overall. But the Nuggets broke the game open vs. a tired Boston squad to secure the victory on their own home court of Ball Arena this past Wednesday (Feb. 25) night.

After the loss, star Celtics forward Jaylen Brown weighed in on what went sideways for his team in the defeat, saying "I think we just had a tough time tonight converting. I thought we got a lot of great looks, some open catch issues, and we just didn't convert."

"So, move on to the next tough night shooting the ball," he added. "The physicality was pretty good tonight, but I thought we just didn't convert on the offensive end, that spilled over the defense a little bit."

"Every night is an opportunity to learn, so definitely some takeaways from tonight," said Brown, taking a positive tack from the loss. "They're a good team. I thought we put ourselves in a good position. We've just got to convert."

"I feel like offensively, I think we had like 84, 85 points, but I thought we had a bunch of open looks. And we've just got to stick them and trust our guys to shoot it confidently. And then also, I think we gave them a couple more extra chance points than we would have liked on the glass. But other than that, I thought we competed."

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Jaylen Brown points to cold shooting, defense in Celtics loss to Nugs

The Miami Dolphins have extended their streak of ranking first in player satisfaction from the NFL Players Association annual player survey reports. 

Players have been surveyed for the past four years and grade NFL teams are graded in several categories, including coaches and ownership, locker room condition, food and nutrition, weight room, training staff, treatment of families and travel accommodations. Grades range from A+ to F- each team is ranked from 1 to 32 in each category. 

"Players consistently describe the organization as 'the best in the NFL,'" the survey said of the Dolphins in the survey, results of which were procured by ESPN. 

Also repeating at the top of the rankings behind the Dolphins are the Minnesota Vikings at second. The Washington Commanders moved up from 11th in 2025 to third this year. Ranking last in this year's rankings are the Pittsburgh Steelers, dropping from 28th a year ago. Just above Pittsburgh among the bottom three are the Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns at 30 and 29, respectively. (The Cardinals were last in 2025.) 

"[Steelers owner] Art Rooney ranks last in the league for willingness to invest in facilities, a trend reflected in the Steelers' poor facility ratings across the board," according to the survey results. The Steelers' locker room received an F grade, complaining that "only five stalls are available for the entire team." 

The Steelers also graded last in "home field," a new category added to this year's survey. 

"Players cite inadequate maintenance and excessive wear from hosting local college and high school games," said the survey results. "Players across the league note the poor condition of the field and emphasize the need for investment to bring it up to standard."

Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium hosts University of Pittsburgh football games, in addition to local high school games. 

Additionally, the Steelers' training room and strength coaches ranked poorly. However, the team's training staff ranked first among NFL teams.

Unlike the previous three years of the survey, the NFLPA did not release team report cards publicly after the NFL won a grievance arguing that the surveys violated the collective bargaining agreement by "disparaging [league] clubs and individuals." 

Responding to the ruling by an arbitrator, the union said that the surveys were "not going away." An NFL spokesperson told ESPN that the league had no knowledge of the survey results this year. 

New York Jets team owner Woody Johnson was outspoken against the NFLPA report cards after his team ranked 29th in last year's survey. He argued that the surveys violated the agreement between teams and players and questioned whether the results were an accurate representation of player opinions. Those were the arguments that the NFL made in its grievance against the players' union. 

The Broncos are expected to prioritize upgrading their tight end room this offseason, and they showed plenty of interest in some of the top tight end prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. Based on reports, the Broncos met formally and informally with at least seven tight end prospects, including likely first-round pick, Oregon tight end, Keyon Sadiq.

Sadiq is likely the only tight end to receive first-round attention; however, the group has plenty of day two and three caliber of players who all may interest the Broncos in the draft. As I mentioned, they met formally and informally with at least seven of these tight ends at the Combine.

Five of these tight ends were formal interviews where the Broncos had 18 minutes to spend time with the prospect and ask them some questions, go over film, and get to know them. Here are the five tight ends the Broncos met formally with at the Combine, based on reports.

• Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq
• Ohio State TE Max Klare
• Georgia TE Oscar Delp
• TCU TE DJ Rogers
• Cincinnati TE Joe Royer

Two of the prospects, the Broncos, met informally, which means a representative of the Broncos (GM, Coach, or Scout) met with a prospect outside of the designated 45 formal interviews teams are allowed to have at the Combine. These meetings could be some simple questions and/or setting up a private workout/meeting in the coming weeks.

• Stanford TE Sam Roush
• Texas TE Jack Endries

Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq

Sadiq is a compact but well built muscled up athlete who profiles as a pass-catching threat at tight end in the NFL, with the willingness and ability to contribute as a blocker. He may not be a blocking specialist, but he won’t be a liability out there and won’t be a tell on what the offense is doing when he is out there.

He’s one of my favorite players in the draft for the Broncos and is expected to be a first-round pick, and likely will be off the board by the time they are on the clock.

Ohio State TE Max Klare

Klare has good size and is an athletic pass-catching tight end who has the ability to play in-line and contribute as a blocker. He is a pass-catching first tight end prospect, but like Sadiq, can line up in-line and contribute as a run blocker if needed.

He is projected to be a day 2 prospect and a likely second-round player who may interest the Broncos with their second-round selection if he is still on the board. He is the type of player the Broncos need in their tight end room, and I think he will be someone they will be interested in during this draft process.

Georgia TE Oscar Delp

Delp might be my favorite tight end not named Kenyon Sadiq. While his production as a pass catcher is not great, he has untapped potential in that regard. He is a top-notch athlete with soft hands, good size, and the ability to get open in the middle of the field.

He is also a willing and reliable run blocker who will put his hand in the dirt and play inline. Again, this is the type of player the Broncos need, and his untapped potential as a pass catcher makes him an intriguing prospect for teams.

TCU TE DJ Rogers

DJ Rogers may not be a top prospect like some of these other players mentioned, but has the potential to be a pass-catching threat at the tight end position. He’s a willing run blocker but needs to improve in that area, but profiles as an upside day 3 tight end who adds some depth to your room.

The Broncos’ depth at tight end was lacking last season to the point where they signed 41-year-old Marcedes Lewis off the couch. While Rogers may not be a starter, they need better depth in that room and he could provide that will giving the Broncos another pass-catching threat at the position.

Cincinnati TE Joe Royer

Joe Royer is a well-built tight end with good size and length, and he looks the part of an NFL tight end. He transferred from Ohio State to Cincinnati and had a standout season for them. He is not the most athletic tight end in this class, but he is a big pass-catching target who is physical at the catch point and in coverage. While blocking may not be his game, he is willing to contribute there and has the size to hold his own.

The Broncos lacked a pass-catching threat at tight end with his size and ability this past season, and would give them an intriguing TE2 or TE3 to develop moving forward.

Stanford TE Sam Roush

If you’re looking for an inline specialist, Sam Roush is your guy in this draft. He has excellent size and will be a plug-and-play inline blocker in the NFL. His pass-catching upside is not great, but you’re not drafting him for that.

With Adam Trautman a free agent, the Broncos lack a true inline threat at tight end. Roush would give them that and someone who can come in one two-tight end sets and contribute as a blocker in the run game while also being a sneaky underneath option in the pass game.

Texas TE Jack Endries

Jack Endries is another big tight end with pass-catching upside who has shown some willingness to block in-line. He’s at his best as a big target in the middle of the field and uses his size and length to box out defenders and has strong hands to haul in passes. He needs work as a blocker, but has flashed upside there and has the willingness to do it.

Endries would give the Broncos a much-needed big target in the middle of the field and in the red zone. He’s more of a TE2 or TE3 but would add some upside to the Broncos tight end room.

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The NFL Combine isn't the only thing happening in Indianapolis this week. Ross Dellenger has been there for the NCAA meetings that have also been going on and he reports some notable changes coming out of Indy. Ross shares the latest rule changes in college football. The first change is in regard to targeting. The NCAA is eliminating a targeting ejection being carried over into a player's subsequent game. The second rule change concerns the transfer portal. The plan is to impose heavy penalties on any school that signs an athlete outside of the transfer portal window. Ross and Andy Staples discuss these rule changes and their potential effect. They also discuss Cincinnati suing former quarterback Brendan Sorsby for his $1 million buyout that he has not yet paid. 

Then, Ross gets into some more news from the NCAA meetings. This news is regarding potential schedule changes to the college football calendar. Ross and Andy discuss the transfer portal window, a potential change to spring ball practices and teams being able to move their first game up to Week 0 in 2027. They also chat about what other changes could happen in the near future.

Later, Steven Godfrey joins the show. In a recent episode, Godfrey was tasked with making a minor league type model for college football. Godfrey ended up taking a page out of the European soccer book as he discusses the methods of sending players to various teams. He and Andy discuss this model and how, or if, it could work in college football.

All of this and more on today's College Football Enquirer. 

Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

0:00:00 - Rule changes in college football

1:46 - Changes to targeting

3:52 - New transfer rules and punishment

12:17 - Cincinnati sues former QB Brendan Sorsby

20:34 - Changes to the college football calendar

21:13 - Transfer portal dates

21:47 - Changes to Spring Ball

22:34 - 2027 schedule changes for Week 0

29:44 - Other changes the committee wants

37:18 - Creating a college football minor league

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Law Murray: Surprise, Kawhi Leonard and John Collins are both out tonight vs Timberwolves Both didn't finish last Friday at Los Angeles. Leonard played on questionable tag Sunday. Collins will wind up with eight days off prior to Sunday vs Pelicans.

bsky.app

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Kawhi Leonard and John Collins are both out tonight vs …

NBA Agent Bernie Lee: Every now and then you meet a person who will argue for an hour over a rule definition in a game of UNO, leave the table in disgust, and then talk about the perceived injustice for a week and how much it bothered them (see Jimmy Butler), and you realize, "Oh wait, there are levels to this." Those levels are where the special in all of this lies. I will give you a real-time example of this: the Boston Celtics. There isn't a person among us who didn't watch them lose earlier in the playoffs than expected last year see their best player go down to a catastrophic injury who didn't expect them to purposely take a step back.

HoopsHype

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: NBA Agent Bernie Lee: Every now and then you meet a …

Bernie Lee: When free agency began, they requested a meeting with a client I had at the time who had underperformed for years and was going to be on a vastly reduced contract, with the thought that if he could prove he was healthy, his value would return. I looked at it as a great opportunity for both sides, but I also had my eyes open and expected in the meeting to be told of a different directive than competing for a championship in 2025–2026. That was until our meeting began at 6:01 p.m. on July 1st. I have done this agent thing for over 20 years, and I have participated in countless free-agent meetings for players of all levels, and I can honestly tell you I have never in my entire career been more impressed with a coach than I was with Joe Mazzulla.

HoopsHype

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: I have done this agent thing for over 20 years, and I …

Bernie Lee: 1. The amount of alignment and respect from Brad Stevens to his coaches was unparalleled; and 2. If anyone asked Joe to do anything other than compete like the world was about to end, they would probably only get the chance to ask him once. Fast-forward 58 games, and not shocking to me, Joe was right. If I am lucky enough to do this another 20-plus years, I highly doubt I will ever see another midstream pivot with this amount of success, and most importantly, a group that was built through adversity versus giving in to it. And that, to me, is the principle that all of this has to be built on. Period. End of sentence.

HoopsHype

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Bernie Lee: 1. The amount of alignment and respect …

At the same time Texas Rangers pitching prospect Caden Scarborough was poppingup on spring training Top 100 lists, the 20-year-old right-hander was undergoing a fairly serious health battle away from the spotlight.

MORE:Blue Jays sign future Hall of Fame pitcher to $3 million contract: reports

Scarborough was diagnosed with melanoma, a form of skin cancer, after going in for a routine offseason scan according to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com.

While spring training camps opened in February, Scarborough underwent surgery to remove the melanoma and was cleared to rejoin his Rangers teammates in camp.

According to Landry, Scarborough just reported to the team facility in Surprise, Arizona, and will “have a regular build up” as the regular season approaches.

It’s a remarkable turnaround for a pitcher who many project as a potential building block for the 2023 World Series champions.

Scarborough ranked 65th on Baseball America’s preseason Top 100 list after striking out 21 batters in 16 innings at advanced Class-A last year. FanGraphs ranked Scarborough 71st on its preseason Top 100 list.

The Florida native was the Rangers’ sixth-round pick in the July 2023 MLB draft out of Harmony High School.

Scarborough is 4-6 with a 2.93 ERA in 28 minor league games since, with 127 strikeouts in 98.1 innings.

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Aston Villa will lock horns with Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux Stadium this Friday night as they look to secure a win in the West Midlands derby. The Villans were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw against Leeds United recently, so they would be eager to put in a good performance versus Wolves later this week.

Unai Emery will set his team up in a 4-2-3-1 formation and is expected to keep changes to a minimum for this game. Hence, Ollie Watkins will once again lead the charge for Aston Villa up top.

4-2-3-1 Aston Villa Predicted Lineup To Face Wolves

Defence

Emiliano Martinez will operate in between the sticks for the Villans after he conceded one goal in his last outing. Ezri Konsa will function alongside Tyrone Mings at the centre of the Aston Villa backline as they focus on keeping things solid at the back during the game.

Matty Cash will play as the right-back, while Ian Maatsen fills in on the other side as the left-back. Both of them will have to pick and choose their moments to join in on the attack.

Victor Lindelof and Pau Torres will offer cover for the defensive positions on the bench.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 21: Douglas Luiz of Villa in action during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Leeds United at Villa Park on February 21, 2026 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Midfield

Douglas Luiz and Amadou Onana will anchor the midfield for the home side as they look to establish their dominance over the opposition at the centre of the park.

The gifted trio of Emi Buendia, Morgan Rogers and Leon Bailey will operate just ahead of them as part of the Aston Villa attack. All three of them will have to combine well if they the Villans are to come out on top this weekend.

Ross Barkley and Jadon Sancho will have to be content with a spot on the bench and might come on to influence the game in the second 45 minutes if required.

Attack

Ollie Watkins will spearhead Emery’s attack up top. He has to find a way to be a constant menace on the offensive end of the field.

Tammy Abraham will be available for selection on the bench as he waits for his chance to make an impact in the latter stages of the game if Aston Villa are in need of a goal by then.

Former Celtic non-executive director Lord Willie Haughey plans to set up a new fans' trust, and has promised to pay for £2m worth of shares for every 10,000 fans that sign up.

The Glasgow businessman has long been a diehard Celtic fan and plans to launch the "Season Ticket Alliance" to help mend the relationship between supporters and the club's board.

"Over the last few months I've been looking at what's going on," he told Go Radio in an interview. "If you've not got harmony in a business, you've got no chance.

"Some of the stuff has been a distraction over the past few months. After last week and the fantastic atmosphere at the stadium to be killed in two minutes, we need to come up with a better solution for how the fans can get a voice."

Fan protests have become the norm at Celtic Park this season, with supporters disgruntled at a perceived lack of spending in recent transfer windows, plus the failed appointment of Wilfried Nancy as manager.

"I'm going to look at setting something up. I believe that the 54,000 season tickets holders are the core, they're the heartbeat of Celtic.

"I'm going to set up a thing called the 'Season Ticket Alliance'. I'm going to pay for it, I'm not looking for money from anybody.

"What I'm offering is, for every 10,000 fans that join us, I'll put £2m in to buy shares for this trust.

"If we take all the shares of the people who join through the trust, if everyone joins, that's £10m. They will be gifted to the trust. It won't be owned by me.

"I think we have to get something that all the fans can get behind. Let's get harmony, let's get the Green Brigade back in the stadium. Let's get everyone singing from the same hymn sheet."

Lord Haughey also revealed that he plans to get an ex-player involved, and aims to have a fan on the board if his plan is successful.

"I'm going to get a Celtic legend to front it, I've got that done," he said. "Hopefully in the next few weeks there'll be more details.

"The long-term play is to get enough people behind us that we can go to the club and this should be the vehicle as to how the fans can get their viewpoint over to the club.

"Maybe even potentially in years to come, we can get someone from the fanbase onto the board."

Wisconsin basketball (19-9, 11-6 Big Ten) suffered its sixth conference loss of the 2025-26 campaign on Wednesday night against the Oregon Ducks, who entered the bout with a 10-17 mark.

After securing a Quad 1 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes (NCAA NET No. 26) on Feb. 22, the Badgers added a Quad 2 loss to the Ducks, who sit at No. 15 in an 18-team Big Ten conference. Entering the game on Wednesday in Eugene, Oregon, UW sat one game out of position for a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament.

The defeat essentially eliminated Greg Gard's group from contention. Considering Michigan, Nebraska, Illinois, Michigan State, and Purdue's conference records, Wisconsin would require an unlikely set of circumstances to climb back into the top-tier cohort.

Wisconsin does, however, boast wins over the then-No. 2-ranked Wolverines, No. 8 Fighting Illini and No. 10 Spartans. Those carry weight in UW's Quad 1 resume, which serves as an important ingredient for NCAA Tournament seeding over the next few weeks.

Wisconsin basketball's updated NCAA NET ranking after Oregon loss

• Ranking: No. 34 overall (down two)
  • Resume: 19-9 overall, 5-7 vs. Quad 1, 6-2 vs. Quad 2, 2-0 vs. Quad 3, 6-0 vs. Quad 4

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion

This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball NCAA NET Rankings update Oregon loss

The results are in. Rueben Bain Jr.'s arms measured in at 30 7/8 inches at the 2026 NFL combine, tied as the third-shortest among edge rushers since 1999, according to MockDraftable's database.

However, according to Bain, this hasn't been a concern of teams he's talked to. "I will just talk the talk and walk the walk … Nobody is really asking me about it," the Miami Hurricanes star said at the combine.

A projected early first-round pick, Bain's 20.5 sacks and 33.5 tackles for loss over 38 career games at the U might be why teams don't seem to be putting much stock into his arm length. At least not yet. Of course, that hasn't stopped social media from getting these memes off. Not all are bad, but the short-arm jokes are everywhere.

Rueben Bain's measurements at the Combine:

6'2
263 pounds
30 7/8 inch arm length

The 3rd shortest arms of any DE to ever participate in the Combine pic.twitter.com/oqKK9OPbom

— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) February 26, 2026

Rueben Bain has T-rex arms.

But he is literally a T-rex.

— Jacob Morley (@JacobMorley) January 20, 2026

Should NFL teams be worried about Rueben Bain's arm size?

When you put it like this... maybe they shouldn't 😂🦖

(h/t @Tennessean) pic.twitter.com/Siug9fIijQ

— DraftKings Network (@DKNetwork) February 26, 2026

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Rueben Bain Jr.'s short arm measurements at combine became a meme

Eleven years ago, a young Harry Westlake went viral.

After winning a competition to be an England mascot, he spent the days running up to England's meeting with Italy learning the words to the national anthem.

Standing in front of then England captain Chris Robshaw, the six-year-old certainly took his chance.

Fist clenched over his heart, Westlake belted out God Save the Queen with such gusto, that images were shared widely across the internet, spawning a hashtag #DoItLikeHarry.

A couple of days later, a little more tired and quiet, Harry was interviewed on BBC Breakfast. Midway through the chat, presenter Naga Munchetty asked him: "One day will we see you on the pitch singing as one of the players?"

This April, we just might.

Now 17, Westlake has been included in an England training camp in preparation for April's U18 Six Nations Festival in Vichy, France.

"England Rugby was always a massive thing for me growing up," says Westlake, looking back.

"I just loved England and I'm very patriotic.

"I remember getting into the tunnel and asking Chris Robshaw if he was ready.

"Then we cracked on, went out and I think I thought I was going to play!

"You see me walking out and almost staring everyone down.

"Before it, my mum had said to me, 'Make sure you sing it loud and sing it proud'.

"So I just thought, 'All right, I'll do that'."

Westlake was playing for Devonport Services under-7s at the time, but already had his eyes on the big stage, with plans to become England fly-half or centre.

That part probably won't come to pass.

Westlake, who plays in Exeter's academy, is now a hard-running back row, channelling the energy and drive of Ben Earl and Henry Pollock, even if he does cite childhood hero Owen Farrell as the embodiment of the mentality he aspires to.

Westlake has already had to show resilience to keep pursuing his dream.

"Rugby has always been the focus, even if the ride hasn't necessarily been as smooth as it could have been," he says.

Westlake has Crohn's disease, a chronic gut inflammation.

"I'm on medication which I take every eight weeks, which sort of ticks me over and gets me through," he explains.

"There was a two, three, four-year period where it was pretty tough, but we're getting through it now.

"It affects energy levels so for two or three days before my medication is due, I'll struggle and then a day after I'll struggle as well."

Harry's anthem moment was not his even his first experience meeting the England squad.

After using an image of Harry on father Kevin's shoulders at a match the previous year in publicity material, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) had brought both into the team hotel to meet the players and coach Stuart Lancaster.

After his viral rendition of the anthem, Harry, decked out in a black suit, even hosted his own online mini chat show with England internationals Dylan Hartley, Luther Burrell and Kieran Brookes as guests.

Are any of his new age-grade team-mates aware of his brief childhood burst of rugby fame?

"The core group of friends I have now, I've been friends with since I was about six, seven, eight anyway," says Westlake. "So they all know and share the clips - it gets around.

"But no, I don't think any of the England Under-18s know about it yet."

If they haven't seen the recorded version, Westlake is determined they get to hear him sing live.

"I'd love to be playing in a [senior] England shirt in five years' time," he says.

"I think that's everyone's goal who's in this camp at the minute to progress through the pathway and become an England player eventually.

"I've already thought about the anthem. If I get the chance, then definitely I'll give it some - 100%."

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Sounds like the “old fart” is starting to stink up the joint.

Former UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, has been campaigning for the next 170-pound title shot. “The Nigerian Nightmare” had a little help from current division champion, Islam Makhachev, since both fighters are managed by Ali Abdelaziz. Heck, even the folks at Paramount were teasing a potential showdown.

So what’s the hold up?

“I really don’t know,” Usman said on his Pound 4 Pound podcast. “The Islam fight was obviously what I wanted and what I felt would have been great not just for me, not just for Islam, but would have been great for the company, would have been great for the world to see that. For some reason, we’ve had conversations, but Hunter Campbell feels differently and Hunter Campbell is like, ‘Maybe not,’ he wants to go a different way. We don’t know yet. They haven’t come out and said Islam is going to get this guy or Islam’s going with me, but it’s been a tumultuous back and forth with getting that done.”

Choosing Usman would mean overlooking other deserving contenders (like this undefeated phenom).

“Other things were presented to me, like potentially ‘DDP’ was presented to me or other guys,” Usman said. “Listen, there’s one thing about me, when they call and they say this guy or that guy or this guy, I don’t go, ‘Uh, maybe, maybe, maybe,’ no, I say yes. This is the thing with me is it has to be meaningful. At this point, it has to be meaningful. I’m not just here just to fight to fight. It has to be meaningful. If it gets me to the title that I want, that’s what I want.”

Hopefully UFC can pull the trigger on Islam’s next fight in time for this landmark event.

Pre-match

Paolo Vanoli went with another odd lineup in the cup, including Dodô at right wing. Adrian Siemieniec picked his strongest XI, including Taras Romanczuk and Afimico Pululu, who were both suspended for the first leg. It was very clearly an opposing set of ideas, with the hosts hoping to hang onto the lead even if they conceded a goal or two and the visitors really planning to go for it despite being down 3 goals on aggregate.

First half

Fiorentina seemed desperate to concede the early goal that would’ve made the tie too exciting. Pietro Comuzzo missed a high ball and let Pululu in, only for the striker to biff his finish straight into Luca Lezzerini’s arms, and then got booked for hauling the Angolan down. The Viola came close by hoisting balls into the box—Roberto Piccoli had a header saved and then Cher Ndour’s overhead kick went well over—and pressing high—Piccoli got a gift from Sławomir Abramowicz but couldn’t finish—but the plan was clearly to make the Poles break them down. Unfortunately, the Poles obliged. Pululu held off Comuzzo and played in Bartosz Mazurek. Lezzerini made the initial save but his parry bounced perfectly for the midfielder to tuck into the empty net.

Suffused with a bit more belief now, Jaga maintained its intensity and even got a Pululu header on goal, although their own struggles to pass out the back were a constant issue. Fiorentina also struggled at the back, mostly due to Comuzzo’s inability to cope with Pululu. The Viola couldn’t even hang on for the break as Pululu again held off Comuzzo and played in Romanczuk. Comuzzo poked it loose but the ball broke to Mazurek again and his shot took a looping deflection off Comuzzo (of course) right over Lezzerini and nestled into the net.

Just like that, Fiorentina had erased two-thirds of its work in the reverse fixture. 0-2 might have been a bit harsh as a scoreline—again, the hosts had their chances—but it was wholly unsurprising. Perhaps rumors of that Viola mentality rebirth were slightly overstated. It was quite, quite bad.

Second half

Lezzerini suffered an “injury” so Vanoli brought on David de Gea. He also subbed Jack Harrison on for Niccolò Fortini, who’ll be needed for 90 minutes against Udinese. All those things your Sunday league captain says to you in a circumstance like this? “Alright, let’s keep it tight for the first 10 minutes, no silly mistakes, dig in, et cetera?” So much for that. Sure, Piccoli probably got fouled in the buildup, but the defending was as rotten as ever. A quick break down the Viola left, a low cross that Pululu once again shielded Comuzzo from, and a completely unmarked Mazurek at the back post to complete his hat trick. Jesus wept.

Vanoli responded by bringing on the big guns in Jack Harrison, Nicolò Fagioli, Manor Solomon, and Moise Kean, but to no avail. It did seem like Jaga began running out of gas over the final 20ish minutes of regulation, sinking deeper and deeper, but Fiorentina could only fire in pot shots until the death, when Kean missed a gilt-edged opportunity to win it. That meant, of course, that we tripped merrily along into extra time.

Extra time

Fiorentina seemed to be mostly in control as Jagiellonia battled exhaustion more than anything the hosts did. Kean had a couple of decent looks. Solomon was forced off with an injury, allowing Albert Guðmundsson to make his first appearance in 3 weeks. Finally, though, the breakthrough came as Abramowicz weakly punched a cross straight to Fagioli’s feet. Nicky took his time and placed it right back over the keeper’s head.

If you’re a Viola fan, though, you know that a late lead is never safe with this team. That’s why a rather chaotic second felt so important. Fagioli’s corner bounced around before Kean hooked the ball on goal and it ended up in the net. Moise griddied away but it was eventually ruled to have come off Romanczuk last, making it a crucial own goal.

And guess what? It proved critical because these bozos will always find a way to be bozos. In this case, it was David de Gea allowing a relatively tame Jesús Imaz effort to skip off his gloves and into the net, setting up a frantic finish.

And frantic it was. Bernardo Vital received 2 yellow cards in 10 minutes and was sent off as Jaga threw everything, everything forward, but when the end finally arrived, Fiorentina had limped, straggled, and gasped its way over the finish line in about as unimpressive a fashion as you could imagine.

Full time

Goals: Fagioli 107’, Romanczuk OG 115’; Mazurek 23’ (ass. Pululu) 45’+3 49’ (ass. Pululu), Imaz 118’ (ass. Pelmard)

Cards: Comuzzo 7’, Pongračić 77’, Dodô 101’, Vanoli 112’; Jóźwiak 18’, Baždar 75’, Pozo 94’, Romanczuk 105’, Vital 110’ 120’

What we learned

-This is a team peopled by idiots and will do everything in its power to hurt you with its negligence.

-Something’s going on with Comuzzo. I don’t think it’s a long-term issue because these sorts of hiccups are part of the usual growth trajectory. Credit to Vanoli for leaving him out there, too, demonstrating his trust in a young player to figure it out. Of course, had Pululu kept beating him up, we might have felt very differently, but it worked out for the Ginger Prince.

-Jagiellonia was very brave in always trying to build short from defense but the players clearly don’t have the technical ability to do so and turned the ball over in their own third about a dozen times. It speaks very poorly of Fiorentina’s attacking cohesion that none of the forwards could do anything with those opportunities.

-Something isn’t working between Dodô and Harrison. I counted 7 passes between them that didn’t work because they weren’t on the same page. They’ve played together now for a couple months and started a handful games with each other. Wish I knew how to fix it because they’re a major weakness.

-When Giovanni Fabbian plays, Fiorentina looks less 4-3-3 and more 4-4-2 with the Bologna loanee joining the striker high up both with and without the ball. I don’t think it’s a bad system but it means he’s often very invisible as he roams around. He made some clever moves into the channels but he needs to spend a little more time dropping in to help keep the ball in deeper areas.

What’s next

The 3-game win streak is over but Fiorentina advances to take on either fashionable French outfit Strasbourg (better known these days as one of Chelsea’s finishing schools) or Raków Częstochowa, another Polish side (nnnnoooooooo). They finished first and second in the league phase so neither is a particularly appetizing prospect. We’ll find out which it’ll be at tomorrow’s draw. The games will be played on 12 and 19 March, so mark your calendars for further hell.

More immediately, Fiorentina takes the journey north to Udinese for a second straight Monday matchup and a chance to make it 3 straight wins in Serie A. I’m interested to see how the players react to technically not being in the relegation zone (even on 24 points with Lecce and Cremonese but leading the latter on head-to-head based on the 1-0 win last month).

This part of the schedule—at Udinese, vs Parma, at Cremonese, vs Inter Milan, at Hellas Verona—could very easily produce 10 points, which would almost certainly be enough to secure salvation. Mess it up, though, and it gets very bad, with every remaining match coming against a top-half side except for Lecce and Genoa, and the Grifoni have been surging for the past couple months. In short, the season hinges on this month.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — It is impossible, when strolling around Red Sox spring training, to avoid David Ortiz or Pedro Martinez.

Ortiz? You hear him before you see him. His bellowing laugh stretches around hallway corners, echoes off ceilings. The Hall of Fame DH strolled into Boston’s clubhouse on Thursday morning wearing baseball pants and a navy team hoodie. A wooden fungo bat dangled from one of his oversized paws. He looked like a coach and knew it.

“I look like a coach, this s*** will make you old quick,” he hollered to nobody in particular, before making a quip about how Boston manager Alex Cora had hair when he first took the job in 2018.

Martinez is a less overtly convivial presence, but still an omnipresent one. On Thursday, the 54-year-old jogged around the Fort Myers backfields in a shimmering silver weight loss shirt made of PVC. He looked like a strip of tin foil floating in the gentle Florida morning breeze. Eventually he sauntered back toward the batting cages to pet a dog, chat with media and take pictures with eager, starstruck minor leaguers.

The duo is everywhere, in both actuality and render. A gigantic muraled windscreen directly outside the Red Sox clubhouse features a host of franchise greats, including Ortiz and Martinez, under the word “LEGENDARY.” Oversized statues of their retired numbers sit outside jetBlue Park. They are omnipresent, grander than their shadows. A reminder of what this organization, at its very best, can be: an icon maker, a creator of memories, an institution.

The 2025 Red Sox were a good baseball team. Skilled enough to make the postseason, flawed enough to begin vacation on Oct. 2. The 2026 team might be better. It might also be worse. Nobody is really sure. 

[Get more Red Sox news: Boston team feed]

At the very least, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow spent his winter transacting up a storm. He added Ranger Suárez, Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo to back up Garrett Crochet in the rotation. Willson Contreras (first base) and Caleb Durbin (assorted infield responsibilities) are the lineup upgrades. Alex Bregman, famously, is no longer in town.

Boston’s pitching staff, helmed by Cy Young runner up Crochet, should be a real strength. Suárez and Gray are bona fide, trustworthy playoff starters. Their arrivals mean Brayan Bello doesn’t need to be a frontline guy. Top prospects Connelly Early and Payton Tolle should show up and contribute at some point midseason. Aroldis Chapman, somehow, was the sport’s best closer last year at age 37. Garrett Whitlock, leaving camp soon to pitch for Team USA in the WBC, is better than you think. It’s a good group.

The offense is less settled, with a host of questions raised by Bregman’s departure. Quite a bit is being placed on Roman Anthony’s broad shoulders. The 21-year-old shined in a 71-game debut stint last season, making good on his status as the game’s top prospect. Boston needs him to be a true difference-maker, a legitimate MVP candidate. He’ll leave camp soon, joining Whitlock on Team USA.

Boston’s lineup could be good, which might be enough. Barring a Jarren Duran bounceback or a Marcelo Mayer breakout, it’s difficult to envision another Red Sox hitter joining Anthony at the All-Star Game. Maybe that doesn’t matter and the pitching is sensational enough to carry the day. Teams with hazier outlooks have won it all. Teams with sexier rosters have crashed and burned. It’s Feb. 26.

The only certainties right now are the expectations. Four titles in 15 years from 2004 to 2018 made this once-despondent fan base understandably greedy. Winning will do that. But in the seven seasons since their 2018 championship, Boston has won just one postseason series. Over that span, they have the 16th-best winning percentage in MLB, right below the Minnesota Twins.

That all makes 2026 a crucial year at Fenway. Breslow, who took over in October of 2023, has had ample time to craft the roster. The Red Sox have an ace in Crochet, a starlet in Anthony, an experienced skipper in Cora and yet, a whole lot to prove. Meanwhile, Ortiz and Martinez float around spring training, comfortable in their legacies, enjoying the carte blanche of their accomplishments.

Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox via Getty Images

A rare outing for Garrett Crochet

Crochet made his spring training debut Thursday, tossing two scoreless innings against a less-than-full-strength Rays lineup. Notably, the two-time All Star didn’t strike out a batter, though nothing was amiss with his velocity or pitch data. Crochet joked afterward to reporters that he couldn’t remember the last time he didn’t punch anybody out.

The behemoth southpaw is coming off a banner year; 205 1/3 innings with a 2.59 and 255 strikeouts. He made a brilliant start in Boston’s Game 1 wild-card win in the Bronx before the season went belly up in Games 2 and 3. There aren’t many pitchers on the planet better than Crochet, but he knows exactly who they are: last year’s Cy Youngs, Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal.

“Last year, I kind of put myself in that conversation,” he said after his outing, his cheeks still red from the Florida heat. “On the two guys that I feel like are ahead of me, you know, it’s not like I’m looking to dethrone those guys because at the end of the day it’s a team game.”

Crochet tested a new pitch Thursday, a splitter/circle change hybrid that he learned over the winter. It might become a regular part of his arsenal, he said, depending on how hitters react to it. The four-seamer and cutter will remain his bread and butter. 

Maybe next outing he’ll even strike somebody out.

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On a packed episode of The Kevin O’Connor Show, Kevin O’Connor is joined by Tom Haberstroh to break down the latest NBA headlines, including James Harden’s broken thumb and Lauri Markkanen’s injuries.

KOC and Tom go back and forth on their Western Conference power rankings.

From there, KOC is joined by Jason Gallagher to tackle questions about what’s going on with Luka Dončić and why fandom has changed so much.

All that and more on this episode of The Kevin O’Connor Show.

Harden Injury (1:06)
Markkanen Injury (4:00)
Zion's Shooting Fear (26:30)
Western Conference Power Rankings (33:40)
Jason Gallagher on Luka Dončić (1:04:20)

Katelyn Mulcahy

🖥️ Watch this full episode on the Yahoo Sports NBA YouTube channel

Check out all episodes of The Kevin O’Connor Show and the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

This Thursday night (26th) promises to be tense at Vila Belmiro.

Going through complicated times, Santos and Vasco face off starting at 7pm (Brasília time).

The match is valid for the fourth round of the 2026 Brasileirão. 

It brings together the two bottom teams in the table. 

SporTV and Premiere will broadcast the match. 

Santos 🐳

Peixe comes from being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Paulistão.

And, just like their upcoming rival, is one of the teams that has yet to win in the Brasileirão.

There have been only three victories in 12 games this season. This moment leaves Vojvoda under pressure in his role.

President Marcelo Teixeira is another one facing pressure from the fans. 

Neymar will play his second match as a starter.

But Gabigol starts on the bench. 

Lautaro Díaz is back in the squad. But Robinho Jr. was left out again. 

Vasco 💢

The defeat in the first leg of the Carioca semifinals resulted in the dismissal of Fernando Diniz.

Cruz-Maltino has also won only three matches this season – in 11 games.

And its president Pedrinho faces strong pressure from part of the fans. 

Interim coach Bruno Lazaroni made some changes.

Thiago Mendes has recovered. Lucas Piton is back at left back. 

Cuiabano is an option.

There was an expectation that Marino Hinestroza would start, but that didn’t happen.

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

NFL Insider Provides Major Update On Maxx Crosby Trade Rumors originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New England Patriots, fresh off a surprise run to Super Bowl LX, are expected to be busy this offseason. With the team announcing itself to the world as one of the top contenders in the league last season, the front office is likely going to be looking to find a way to build off the success the Pats enjoyed in 2025.

One guy who has been linked to the Patriots early on this offseason is Las Vegas Raiders' star pass rusher Maxx Crosby. With Crosby reportedly being unhappy with Las Vegas, New England has emerged as one of his top landing spots. Other teams are expected to be in on Crosby, too, and according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, it sounds like Crosby could be on the move before the new league year arrives on Mar. 11.

"I'm not aware of the Raiders calling anyone," Pelissero said on "The Rich Eisen Show." "I do believe that they are getting calls, and I do believe there is a possibility of Maxx Crosby being traded sometime between now and the start of the league year."

Crosby would undoubtedly cost the Patriots quite a bit, but he'd be worth every penny. In 15 games last season, Crosby racked up 73 tackles (28 of which went for a loss), 10 sacks, one interception, six pass deflections and two forced fumbles. Simply put, he's one of the most relentless defensive players in the league.

Rumors have suggested that Crosby would love to play for Pats' head coach Mike Vrabel, which would only provide the team with more of a reason to make a move for him. The price is going to be high, but players like Crosby are tough to find, which is why N.E. should be in the running for his services at the very least.

More NFL: How Eagles General Manager Responded To A.J. Brown Trade Rumors

NBA legend Michael Jordan famously said “Republicans buy sneakers, too” when addressing his decision to stay out of political discourse during his career because he never wanted to risk alienating anybody who might be a fan of his.

When it comes to the UFC, the combat sports giant has definitely blurred that line thanks to an ever-expanding relationship with President Donald Trump, which was largely built on a 20-plus year friendship between him and UFC CEO Dana White. When Trump was running for office in 2016, White spoke for him at the Republican National Convention and he’s continued to show his support — including a brief speaking opportunity at the celebration after Trump won re-election in 2024.

The UFC is currently embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime live event at the White House, which is planned for June 14, with fighters actually expected to walk to the octagon from the Oval Office. Trump has championed the idea and that’s led to heavy investment from the UFC with the promotion expected to spend at least $60 million to stage the event on the south lawn of the White House.

But White denies that his political ideology — or anybody’s opinions on politics — should determine if fans do or don’t watch the UFC.

“How about you be authentic and just be yourself?” White told CBS Sunday Morning when asked about politics potentially dividing UFC fans. “How about that? Just be authentic.

“You don’t have to agree with me. You don’t have to like it and I don’t have to agree with you but we can all still just get along. That’s how this is supposed to work.”

White has repeatedly stated that his view on politics or support for Trump shouldn’t color how anybody feels about the UFC. It can’t be denied that Trump’s continued fandom for the UFC has brought a lot of attention to the company, especially after he’s attended several events in the past.

With the upcoming UFC White House card, that discourse will likely take center stage with the promotion putting on what should be one of the biggest and most publicized events in the history of the sport.

Most people see Arsenal as the strongest team in the Champions League and Premier League this season, and why should they not?

The Gunners finished the league phase of the UCL as the top side and have been leading the Premier League table for much of this season. As the season draws to a close, they remain firm and consistent in every competition, including the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. Their fans expect them to win all these tournaments, and the UCL would soon return at the round of 16 stage.

Arsenal’s Dominance Across Competitions

After the draw is made this week, Arsenal will be looking to ensure that they continue their fine form in the tournament, while Manchester City is also considered one of the favourites. However, when compared to the current class of Arsenal stars, it seems the Citizens are inferior, particularly outside England. The Gunners’ squad has impressed consistently, demonstrating tactical flexibility, depth, and resilience in high-pressure matches.

The consistency and cohesion of Arsenal’s team have not gone unnoticed by former players and managers. They are recognised as a side capable of competing at the very highest level, both domestically and in Europe, and their current performances suggest they have a realistic chance of securing multiple trophies this season.

Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola (Getty Images)

Expert Insight on the Champions League

As someone who has worked in the Premier League, Roberto Martinez said via Mirror Football, “It’s interesting because if you ask any other Champions League team, outside the UK, everybody would tell you Arsenal look stronger than Manchester City. But when you understand the Premier League and you know the way Pep Guardiola works, Manchester City should be the favourites to finish the season the strongest.”

Arsenal supporters will be hopeful that the team can sustain this form, capitalising on their current momentum to succeed in all competitions. While Manchester City remains a formidable opponent, the ongoing performances of Arsenal’s squad indicate that they could be the dominant force in Europe and England for the remainder of the season.

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Florida basketball (22-6, 13-2) reached a new season high of No. 6 on the NET rankings after defeating the Texas Longhorns on Wednesday night.

Florida started at No. 33 in the initial NET rankings at the end of November and slowly climbed into the top 10 by early February. Now the Gators are eyeing a top-five berth with three regular-season games left on the schedule. Two of Florida's six losses have come against top-three programs, and three have come against top-nine programs.

During the current eight-game win streak, Florida has won all but one contest (vs. Kentucky) by double digits, averaging a 20.5-point margin of victory. Five of those wins have come against Quadrant 1 opponents, leading to Florida's steady climb up the rankings.

The Gators are the only SEC team ranked inside the top 15, with Vanderbilt being the next closest at No. 17. Arkansas, Alabama and Tennessee control the Nos. 18-20 spots in the latest update.

Two of Florida's three remaining regular-season games are against Quadrant 1 teams, including Saturday's home contest against Arkansas. The Gators close out the schedule with a Q3 matchup against Mississippi State at home and the season finale at Kentucky.

Breaking down Florida’s wins by Quadrant

Before going into Florida’s resume, it’s important to understand how the quadrants are divided. Where a game is played has as much to do with the quadrant as the quality of the opponent. As the rankings change, so does the quality of the wins.

• Quadrant 1: Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75
• Quadrant 2: Home 31-75, Neutral 51-100, Away 76-135
• Quadrant 3: Home 76-160, Neutral 101-200, Away 135-240
• Quadrant 4: Home 161-353, Neutral 201-353, Away 241-353

Quadrant 1 Games

Florida is 9-5 in Quadrant 1 games. The Auburn Tigers are the only team with more Quadrant 1 games played (15), but they are 5-11 in such games. Five teams are tied with Florida's 14 Quadrant 1 games, but Arizona is the only one with a better record at 12-2. Duke and Michigan each have 11 Q1 wins this season.

Non-conference losses came against No. 1 Duke, No. 3 Arizona and No. 9 UConn. All three are considered very good losses. Florida also lost to No. 46 TCU. The Gators' lone non-conference Q1 win came against No. 32 Miami at a neutral site (Jacksonville). The Hurricanes are firmly in Quadrant 1, while the Horned Frogs recently moved back within the top-50 threshold.

Several of Florida's SEC games have come against Q1 opponents. The Missouri (No. 58) loss on the road remains in Quadrant 1, which is good for the Gators, but Auburn is just outside of the top 3, dropping out of Q1 territory for games played at home.

The Q1 conference wins came against No. 17 Vanderbilt (road), No. 19 Alabama (home), No. 20 Tennessee (home), No. 29 Kentucky, No. 33 Georgia (road), No. 40 Texas, No. 42 Texas A&M (road) and No. 67 Oklahoma (road).

Quadrant 2 Games

In Quadrant 2 games, Florida is 6-1, with wins over No. 33 Georgia, No. 65 LSU — both at home — during conference play. The Gators also beat No. 93 Ole Miss and No. 108 South Carolina during conference play.

The other two Q2 wins came during the non-conference schedule against No. 77 Providence and No. 84 George Washington, both at a neutral site.

Florida's lone Quadrant 2 loss came against No. 35 Auburn at home.

Quadrant 3 and 4 games

Florida is 2-0 in Quadrant 3 games, with wins over No. 82 Florida State and No. 108 South Carolina, both at home. The Seminoles were briefly in Qudrant 2 territory earlier this week and could finish at No. 75 or better by the end of the season to return there.

Florida went 5-0 against Q4 teams, beating No. 180 Merrimack, No. 225 Colgate, No. 242 Dartmouth, No. 335 North Florida and No. 352 Saint Francis by an average of 33.6 points. Merrimack is the only one near the Quadrant 3 threshold of No. 160.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida basketball NET rankings update after win over Texas

It’s a new year with new possibilities.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will look to build off their promising 13-win season in Year 1 of a new regime led by head coach Liam Coen, general manager Tony Boselli, and executive VP of football operations/Hall of Fame offensive tackle Tony Boselli.

“The desired result obviously wasn’t there, but there’s a lot of pride in the process,” Gladstone said to recap the team’s 2025-26 season. “As I think about what myself, Liam, Tony were able to do with a vision, being able to execute that, raising the floor of the football team, knowing that when you think back to 2024 there was plenty of talent to keep, close games, but we needed to raise the floor and inject intangibles into the football team so that we could close games. To be able to see that come to fruition is something that we can certainly take some pride in.”

“Knowing that our whole message and really what was so great is Liam’s message was absorbed by our players. It was believed by our players, but it was going 1-0. To be able to say, hey, looking right here we need to pour in simply into our process, not worry so much about the results and find fulfillment there knowing that regardless of if we win a Super Bowl or if we don’t, that ball is rolling back down to the bottom of the hill and we got to start all the way over.”

Be sure to bookmark this page to stay as up to date as possible during the Jaguars’ 2026 offseason.

2025 In Review

• Jaguars fans are all in after Liam Coen’s first season
• Jaguars 2025 fan-voted award winners
• BCC staff roundtable to recap 2025 & preview 2026
• The truth about Jacksonville’s 2025 injury luck
• Where Jaguars fans rank 2025 among the franchise’s best teams

2026 News

• Jaguars keep both coordinators on its coaching staff
• Jaguars brass comments on contract-eligible players
• Jaguars assigning ‘three better, three best’ offseason goals for players
• Important dates for the Jaguars’ 2026 offseason
• Travis Hunter is Still a ‘Math Changer,’ Just Not the Way You Think

2026 Analysis

• Why the Jaguars’ 2026 season won’t be like 2018
• Jacksonville’s biggest needs on offense entering the 2026 offseason
• Jacksonville’s biggest needs on defense entering the 2026 offseason

2026 Free Agency

• Jaguars sign 15 players to reserve/future contracts
• Jaguars impending free agents: Who should be re-signed?
• Restructure or reload? Jaguars biggest salary cap decisions of 2026
• The Jacksonville Jaguars are at the crossroads of Devin and Lloyd

2026 NFL Draft

• 2026 NFL Draft order: Why Jacksonville has no 1st-round pick
• Jaguars end-of-season three-round mock draft
• Jaguars mock draft roundup: NFL Draft starts in Round 2
• Draft prospects who could blow up at the NFL Combine
• Jaguars 2026 NFL Draft Targets: Defensive Tackles

2026 Schedule

• Jaguars 2026 opponents: Home, away matchups confirmed
• Jaguars to play back-to-back home games in London in 2026

2026 Discussions

• Where in the world are our Big Cat Country readers?
• How did you become a Jaguars fan?
• Have you ever met a Jags player or coach in real life?
• Where would Liam Coen rank in this year’s crop of head coach hires?
• Should the Jaguars invest in a developmental quarterback?

See you in the comments!

The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is taking place, which is generating all types of football rumors, including those involving the Chicago Bears. General managers are in close contact with each other, giving them easy access to discussing the offseason ahead, including which players may be available via trade.

So far, Bears general manager Ryan Poles has been busy, receiving trade interest in several players on the roster. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, teams have been calling the Bears about trading for backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, wide receiver DJ Moore, and defensive tackle Gervon Dexter.

Each of the three have been valued contributors for the Bears. While Bagent doesn’t get to play often, the Bears feel like Bagent has the potential to be a future starter, thus they value him as a capable fill-in, if something should happen to Caleb Williams.

Meanwhile, Moore led the team in receiving yards in 2023 and 2024, but he saw his role diminish last season, Ben Johnson’s first on the job. Though, now that Moore has a guaranteed salary of $26 million for 2026, he’s viewed as expendable in Chicago.

As for Dexter, he’s headed into the final season of his rookie contract. Yet, he’s recorded a respectable 13.5 sacks across three seasons, and he’s still just 24.

With teams already expressing interest in each of the players mentioned above, the Bears should be able to add to their draft capital this offseason. They currently have seven selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, including three in the first 90 picks.

Related: Chicago Bears Trying to Trade 2x Pro Bowl Player

Related Headlines

• Minnesota Vikings Share ‘Mutual Interest’ with Former First-Round QB
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• New York Giants Could Be Shopping Former Top Draft Pick

Why Alex Cora Isn't Concerned About Red Sox's Offense In 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Alex Cora is confident his Boston Red Sox lineup will produce in 2026.

The Red Sox scored MLB's seventh-most runs despite ranking 15th in home runs last year. They may need to take a similar path without conventional sluggers gracing their batting order.

ZiPS doesn't project a single Red Sox batter to hit 20 home runs, penciling Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu and Trevor Story in for 18 each. Cora, however, told WEEI that he has higher hopes for his offense.

"No," Cora said when asked if he's concerned about how the Red Sox will score. "I think the progression of the hitters is going to continue."

Cora anticipates 25 home runs from Abreu, who recorded 22 in 417 plate appearances this year. He also sees Anthony taking a big step forward in his first full season and likes how Jarren Duran has swung the bat to start spring training.

The skipper also expects some pop from new first baseman Willson Contreras and gap power from recently acquired infielder Caleb Durbin.

"I think Wily is going to keep improving offensively," Cora said. "Roman looks tremendous, obviously ... Jarren looks tremendous. Willson will hit; he'll hit homers. And I think Caleb at Fenway, he's going to take advantage of the Green Monster."

Even if the lineup isn't predicated on fence-clearing power, Cora expects Red Sox hitters to exceed the modest projections.

"We might not have two guys hitting 40 (home runs), but there's a lot of guys that are gonna hit 20," Cora predicted. "I know the projections are the projections. I do believe we have guys that are gonna hit 20 home runs, and we're gonna be in a good spot."

More MLB: Red Sox Ace 'Won't Sleep Well' After Spring Training Outing

Analyst offers horror 4-word prediction for Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The first Patrick Mahomes era for the Kansas City Chiefs is over, and it was rather lucrative, with multiple Super Bowls.

But now the franchise is pivoting into a different era for Mahomes and Co., in a similar way to Tom Brady and the Patriots after their first power run, which also yielded multiple Super Bowls.

However, Brady kept winning Super Bowls despite the ever-changing nature of the franchise and roster. Could Mahomes and the Chiefs follow suit?

It is a new day in Kansas City, but FS1's Colin Cowherd doesn't think there will be a second-coming for the Chiefs under Mahomes and Reid. At least for now.

"This Kansas City roster does not feel close, too many holes," Cowherd said. "This Kansas City coach is aging at 68, he does not have 7-8 years left. This Kansas City team is now in a brutal division."

More:Chiefs named as landing spot for star RB

Are the Chiefs really in dire straits?

One thing we know about the NFL is that things can change in an instant, and Cowherd has stated this before free agency and the draft.

Who knows how the Chiefs will approach it? All it would take is a couple of key free agent signings and a good draft, and suddenly, people are talking about Kansas City as champs again.

The division aspect is true, with the Chiefs now in a brutal AFC West thanks to the emergence of the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers, and who knows what the Las Vegas Raiders will be with Klint Kubiak.

But the Chiefs are still the Chiefs, right? Does one poor season mean this thing is about to fall apart?

Apparently so.

More NFL news:

• Patriots not shutting door on potential superstar WR trade
• Buccaneers' 4-word Mike Evans quote will make fans nervous
• Analysts' bold prediction has Steelers landing $90 million QB
• Bills fans will love Joe Brady's latest quote as franchise hits reset
• Ravens make incredible contract offer to free agent star 
• Dolphins the biggest loser of scouting combine press conference
• Buccaneers make Mike Evans stance perfectly clear

Not everyday you see an assistant head coach for a high school football team have to address rumors regarding his situation via social media.

On Wednesday, Centennial (Calif.) assistant head coach Anthony Catalanotook to X, formerly known as Twitter, to touch on the speculations surrounding his status with the Huskies.

“Regardless of the speculation around me and the HSFB coaching carousel, I plan on applying to be the HC at Centennial when the position becomes available,” Catalano said in his social media post. “Our administration and district understand what this program does for our community and the students in it.”

Being apart of one of the best programs in the country as an understudy to Matt Logan has done wonders for me as a teacher, mentor, and coach. I will continue giving it my all to be prepared for when the opportunity presents itself.”

Catalano’s younger brother, Dominick, graduates this spring as the team transitions to a new quarterback heading into the 2026 campaign. Though Centennial loses some key pieces from last year’s 12-2 team, the Huskies don’t look like they’ll be slowing down anytime soon under longtime head coach Matt Logan.

The Huskies look like they’ll have a bevy of talent back, including 2027 four-star safety Jaden Walk-Green and three-star defensive lineman Miles Schirmer.

Centennial is coming off competing for the CIF Southern Section championship under Logan and finished the 2025 season as the No. 2 ranked team, according to the California 2025 High School Football Massey Rankings.

More about Centennial High School

Centennial High School, located in Corona, California, is a distinguished public high school known for its academic excellence, strong athletics, and diverse extracurricular programs. Offering numerous AP and honors courses, the school prepares students for college and careers. Centennial’s athletic teams are competitive at the state level, fostering school spirit and community pride. Emphasizing leadership, innovation, and community service, Centennial High cultivates well-rounded, future-ready students.

How to Follow California High School Football

For California high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the Golden State, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the California high school football excitement across the state.

The main offseason talking point concerning the Yankees has concerned the phrase “running it back.” Is it a good thing? Is it the greatest misstep in franchise history? Well, a nearly Opening Day-vintage Yankee lineup looked more than ready to do damage this afternoon, as they plated five runs in the first inning en route to a 7-3 victory over the Braves. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Paul Goldschmidt, and Spencer Jones hit home runs, while Elmer Rodríguez provided three more quality innings on the mound.

If you blinked, you may have missed Rodríguez’s first inning. He got Brett Wisely to pop to left on his first pitch of the afternoon, induced a grounder to first from Nacho Alvarez Jr. two pitches later, then got Triple-A Scranton alum Dom Smith on a check-swing tapper in front of the mound. The whole affair took seven pitches.

Unlike his first start, the Bombers gave Rodríguez substantial run support in the home first. Chisholm faced old friend Carlos Carrasco with two men out and Aaron Judge on first, and sent a sky-high drive out to right field. In right field, long-ago Baby Bomber Ben Gamel had a shot to make the catch, but it bounced off the top of the wall and into the stands for a two-run homer.

Goldschmidt and Austin Wells kept the inning alive with consecutive base hits, giving Ryan McMahon a run-producing opportunity. Carrasco kept getting to the precipice of leaving the inning, but strike three was elusive. From 0-2 down, McMahon worked the count full, then slashed an opposite-field double down the line to plate both runners and double the Yankee lead.

McMahon also made third on an errant throw to the cutoff man. That only made the trot home easier when José Caballero spanked an offering from alliterative new pitcher Shay Schanaman in a similar spot for a double of his own. All run-producing hits came with two strikes and two outs. Ninth-place hitter Seth Brown finally popped out to conclude the frame.

After such a quick top half and lengthy bottom half, it could have been easy for Rodríguez to lose his command a bit in the second inning. Not so for the steady righty, who struck out the leadoff hitter Gamel. After a nice pick from McMahon at third, Rodríguez got DaShawn Keirsey Jr. to swing through a low fastball to retire the side.

Carrasco went right back out in the second thanks to the myriad delights of spring training. Go figure, he retired the top of the Yankee order on eight pitches. That included a backwards-K on Judge, who unsuccessfully challenged the third strike pitch. Much hay has been made about low strikes on Judge, but he certainly had no case there.

Rodríguez got into a jam in the third, allowing runners on the corners with one out. Back-to-back brilliant changeups struck out Wisely, then faced Alvarez with a chance to wiggle out unscathed. But a 1-2 sinker caught too much plate, and Alvarez roped it to right for a double to score both baserunners and end Rodríguez’s scoreless spring. He rebounded quickly to retire Smith and preserve a 5-2 lead.

Thankfully for Rodríguez, the Yankees offense came to play today. Paul Goldschmidt got one of those runs right back by taking Elieser Hernández deep to left for his second home run of the spring.

Camilo Doval got some work in the fourth inning replacing Rodríguez, whose line closed at three innings, two earned runs on two hits, four strikeouts, and a walk. Doval was greeted rudely by Gamel, who connected for a home run to right field to restore the three-run margin. Doval pitched around a pesky Keirsey, who stole second and took third on a wild pitch.

Rule 5 draftee Cade Winquest was called upon to pitch the fifth, as this hodgepodge Braves lineup tried to find its footing. They started well, picking up consecutive singles against Winquest, but the righty forced a key double play before setting Smith aside for a scoreless frame. He grabbed two more outs in the sixth without incident before being relieved. It looks like the Yankees would love to use him in a multi-inning role; that flexibility would be useful, especially considering that some of the Yankees’ rotational arms aren’t famous for pitching deep into ballgames.

No February party at Steinbrenner Field without a nuke off the bat of Spencer Jones. However you feel about his chances to stick in the majors, his power remains tantalizing. And with his new Shohei Ohtani-style toe tap, he looks the part. This particular blast traveled 401 feet out to right field and into the parking lot, giving the Yankees a 7-3 lead in the seventh.

That would be our final score from Steinbrenner Field, as Michael Arias retired the Braves in order in the ninth to seal the Yankees’ fifth win of the Grapefruit League schedule.

Tomorrow, Luis Gil will leapfrog Carlos Lagrange and make his second start of the spring as the Yankees hit the road to face the Twins. Cole Sands will be his opponent, with first pitch set for the usual 1:05 pm ET timeslot on the Gotham Sports App.

Box Score

The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is underway and the buzz around the Cincinnati Bengals is at a higher volume than other years. The team is not only trying to capture a championship in a time wherein they best seem poised, but they hold atop-10 pick in this year’s class.

A number of local Ohio State Buckeye players are slated to go in the first round this year. While Caleb Downs is a hot name, might the Bengals look at a versatile linebacker (with whom they met in Indy) be in play with the pick?

We talk about that, the recent comments from the members of Bengals leadership at the Combine and profile veteran and rookie additions who could excite.

Join John and Anthony on Thursday evening at 4:30 p.m. ET for the live show, or else catch it on your favorite audio platform afterward!

Our show is brought to you by America’s No. 1 Sportsbook, FanDuel! Go check out their offerings and please gamble responsibly. FanDuel’s services are available only in states where legal sports betting is available.

We’re also brought to you by FOCO, the Fans Only Company. They have exclusive lines of Bengals merchandise for fans to check out!

Follow our Twitter page and ‘like’ our Facebook page for more Cincinnati Bengals stuff. And, check out our BLEAV in Cincy podcast channel. Who Dey!?

Dolphins consistently called 'best in the NFL' in 2026 NFLPA report card originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Miami Dolphins are heading into a major rebuild this offseason. Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel are out, and Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley are in.

While change is coming, hopefully for the players, the organization largely remains the same, even if the head coach and GM change. The reason is clear: the players love it in Miami. Last year's NFLPA report card proved as such, as the Dolphins were ranked 1st.

According to ESPN's Kalyn Kahler, the 2026 NFLPA report cards came out to some degree, with the Dolphins, once again, graded as the best organization in the league. They're viewed so highly that they've consistently been called the "best in the NFL."

Dolphins called 'best in the NFL' in NFLPA report card

"Regarding the Dolphins, the NFLPA survey wrote: 'Players consistently describe the organization as 'the best in the NFL.'"

The Dolphins were ranked first in the NFLPA report card for 2026, which featured a few key insights into the organization from this past season.

"Miami ranked fourth overall in home field because of the natural grass at Hard Rock Stadium," Kahler writes.

While there's a lot to like about the report card, there is one issue that players noted from this past season. According to Kahler, "Former Miami head coach Mike McDaniel's grade dropped from an A+ to a B."

More: Tyreek Hill shares emotional message after Dolphins release, 'The Cheetah will be back'

That's a significant drop-off. According to the NFLPA survey, "Players identify scheduling, communication, and leadership as key areas for head coaching improvement..."

Hafley has a few areas he knows he needs to improve upon for the Dolphins in 2026. But, even with the head coaching issues from last year, the Dolphins still were the top-ranked team in the NFL.

Being called the "best in the NFL" is a great sign, especially when the other AFC East teams were in the bottom-10 in last-year's ranking.

More Dolphins news:

• Chiefs' Andy Reid gives Tyreek Hill free agent update after Dolphins release
• ESPN analyst thinks Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa decision has already been made
• NFL insider reveals trade update on Dolphins' $73 million safety
• Dolphins' Jaylen Waddle responds to trade rumors after Tyreek Hill release
• When can Tyreek Hill sign with a new team? Explaining timeline for ex-Dolphins WR
• Dolphins are best fit for Packers free agent QB to replace Tua Tagovailoa

Real Madrid has initiated proceedings to ban a fan who was caught on camera making a Nazi salute prior to Wednesday's Champions League game against Benfica.

The club said the fan was caught by television cameras ahead of the Champions League playoff second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, which Madrid won 2-1 to reach the round of 16.

According to Real Madrid, the fan was immediately expelled from the stadium.

"Real Madrid C. F. announces that it has urgently requested the club's Disciplinary Committee to initiate an immediate expulsion procedure for the member who was caught on television cameras performing the Nazi salute in the area where the Animation Stand is located, moments before the start of the match between Real Madrid and Benfica," a club statement read.

"This member was identified by the club's security staff moments after appearing on the broadcast and was immediately expelled from the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

"Real Madrid condemns this type of gesture and expression that incites violence and hatred in sports and society."

Real Madrid fans unveiled a large “no to racism” banner prior to the game, a nod to the events of the previous week.

Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni was banned for the second leg after accusations that he directed a racial insult toward Real Madrid star Vinícius Jr during the first leg.

Prestianni has denied using a racial slur, saying that Vinícius "misinterpreted what he thought he heard."

Vinícius would go on to score in both legs, with his 80th-minute goal on Wednesday giving Madrid breathing room as it advanced via a 3-1 scoreline.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Real Madrid expels fan for Nazi salute at Champions League match

Maxx Crosby trade rumor gives Seahawks, Lions and Bears the Raiders' asking price originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Las Vegas Raiders are reportedly open to trading star edge rusher Maxx Crosby and we now know what the team's asking price is.

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, there is indeed a price that would get Crosby out of Las Vegas and it's what the Dallas Cowboys got for Micah Parsons: a pair of first-round picks and a player.

Florio goes on to speculate that the player would likely be a starting-caliber one, much like the Cowboys got from the Green Bay Packers in Kenny Clark.

"Will the Raiders trade defensive end Maxx Crosby? Yes, if they get what they want for him," Florio reported. "Per a league source, the Raiders are looking for two first-round picks and a player for the 28-year-old edge rusher."

The quality of player the Raiders want wasn’t specified. Presumably, it’s a starting-caliber contributor," Florio added.

Before you scoff at such a return, bear in mind that a ton of teams are going to be competing for Crosby's services, so it's not outlandish to think Las Vegas will get what they're looking for, or something close to it.

We would suspect that the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears are all taking note of this, as all three teams could be suitors for Crosby.

The Seahawks could lose valuable depth with Boye Mafe being a pending free agent, and Seattle really doesn't have that top-notch edge rusher to anchor their pass-rush.

Detroit might need a running mate for Aidan Hutchinson if Al-Quadin Muhammad leaves in free agency, which is quite possible given he is likely to cost more after a career year in 2025.

Chicago has multiple question marks at edge rusher and no sure solution opposite Montez Sweat. Dayo Odeyingbo was disappointing last season before suffering an Achilles injury, and Austin Booker is a good depth piece but not a quality starter.

More NFL News

• Shedeur Sanders bought Todd Monken an odd gift for his birthday
• Giants trade rumor may result in deal with Packers, Lions, Raiders or Pats
• New York Jets' draft plan is clear after Johnson-Sweat trade with Titans
• Tyler Linderbaum updates are good, bad news for Lions, Giants, Seahawks
• Bears rumor could lead to trade with Cowboys, Broncos, Bengals or Colts
• Cowboys, Eagles, Bills get Raiders asking price for Maxx Crosby

Cameroon: Scandal at the Champions Trophy

Cameroon: Scandal at the Champions Trophy as Colombe Sportive players walk off the pitch in protest of a penalty

A scandal has rocked Cameroonian football. The players of Colombe Sportive walked off the pitch at the Ngoa-Ekelle Omnisports Stadium this Thursday, February 26, 2026, during the Champions Trophy match. The reigning champions of Cameroon protested a penalty awarded to Panthère Nde, their opponents.

The Champions Trophy failed to reach its conclusion. The players of Colombe Sportive du Sud left the field with the score at 1-1, disputing a penalty given to Panthère du Ndé in the 69th minute.

This decision was immediately challenged by the Colombe players, who deemed the call unfair. The penalty was converted, allowing Panthère to equalize (1-1). But controversy quickly overshadowed the action on the pitch.

Richard Towa and his squad decided to stop playing in protest, then simply walked off the field with about twenty minutes left in regulation time. Faced with this unprecedented situation, the referee ultimately blew the final whistle at the 90th minute, with the match never resuming.

This premature interruption now puts the matter in the hands of the authorities. The homologation committee will have to decide the outcome of this Champions Trophy match, Cameroon’s equivalent of the Super Cup. Colombe Sportive du Sud could forfeit the match and face suspension.

Liverpool Leave It Late at Nottingham Forest as Jan Molby Questions Direction

Liverpool’s 1 0 win away to Nottingham Forest may have delivered three points, but on Anfield Index, the mood was anything but celebratory. Speaking to Trev Downey, Jan Molby offered a candid assessment of a performance that he felt lacked spark, clarity and identity.

Downey set the tone early, describing the first half as “an embarrassment”, adding that “technique across the board was appalling. Touch, control, passing accuracy.” He pointed to Liverpool being “very reliant on Alli and Virgil and Ibou being solid” and admitted that overall “it was a hard watch.”

Molby, who had not seen the first half live, relayed the reaction of supporters. “The guy on the door that gives me accreditation, he said Joseph Evian… his brother’s a massive Liverpool fan, he’s watching the game at home… and the brother’s going mad… he said it’s the worst I’ve ever seen.” That sentiment, he suggested, was widespread.

On the team selection, Molby explained that alarm bells rang when he heard the manager reference “starters”. “The moment he went starters, I thought, well, okay, he’s going to get as many starters in the starting 11 as he can, which means Szoboszlai will play right back.” Of Curtis Jones, he added, “he played like somebody who weren’t ready and somebody who were disappointed.”

Performance Concerns Despite Nottingham Forest Result

For Molby, the broader issue goes beyond one afternoon at Nottingham Forest. He questioned Liverpool’s inability to impose themselves early in matches. “Can we just try and do something else from the kickoff to make sure we’re in the game?” he asked. “Let’s try and get some motivation and some energy and intensity into our play.”

He admitted he was “a little bit baffled” at how often Liverpool struggle to cope with what opponents bring. Even with a strong record, he challenged the substance behind it. “What’s the record now? Lost two of the last 18 or the last 19. It’s quite incredible, isn’t it?” Yet Downey countered that there have only been “three maybe” genuinely good performances in that run.

Molby’s most damning verdict was unequivocal. “There has not been a single game this season that gives you the feeling that the show’s back on the road. Not a single performance.” He continued, “Not once this season have I done that,” referring to the sense that Liverpool had turned a corner.

Boring Football and Search for Swagger

Perhaps the most striking theme from the Anfield Index podcast was the accusation that Liverpool have become predictable and dull. Downey asked whether, for supporters, “when they’re watching Liverpool, the Champions, it’s boring.”

Molby agreed. “It is because it’s boring, isn’t it?” He shared a conversation with a lifelong fan. “He said, I spoke to his team now. They bore me. He said it is boring. He said, I never thought I’d say that about somebody that he loves as much as he loves his family almost.”

Photo: IMAGO

While results have kept hopes alive, Molby warned that “we’re on the stage now where we need a lift. We need something to lift us, to lift our spirit.” He yearned for a return to identity. “We’ve always done things generally with a swagger… I think that’s what we want to get back to, isn’t we?”

Rio’s Impact and Arne Slot’s Management

Amid the frustration, there was measured praise for young Rio. Molby urged perspective. “Football fans generally struggle to live in the present. It’s either past or future.” He defined the youngster’s current role clearly. “His role is exactly what we saw on Sunday. That is his role here. He’s 17 years of age. He comes on for 15, 20 minutes against teams that are getting a little bit tired.”

He cautioned against overexposure. “He cannot be expected to start Premier League games… especially not now with only so few games to go and we have to win as many as we can.” 

Liverpool left Nottingham Forest with three points thanks to a dramatic late winner, but as Jan Molby made clear to Trev Downey on Anfield Index, deeper questions remain about direction, entertainment and belief. For now, results keep the conversation alive. Performances, however, continue to fuel it.

DELAND — As both teams played terrific defense Thursday during the Class 4A girls state soccer semifinals, the goal chances were few and far between. American Heritage made a free kick count and it proved to be the difference in a 1-0 victory over Bishop Moore at Spec Martin Stadium.

Bishop Moore coach Amy Geltz said the free kick, which was credited to Heritage’s Emma Torres, was actually an own-goal that caromed off the back of one of the Bishop Moore players.

“It is what it is. It’s unfortunate because I know they fought and played really hard,” Geltz said. “It’s tough, especially for the seniors. It’s their last game. But they gave it their all, so they need to hold their heads up high.”

Definitely a difficult way for Bishop Moore senior goalkeeper Elle Hage to end her high school career. She witnessed two state championships in her first two seasons at Bishop Moore, but the Hornets failed to get rings in her final two seasons.

“It’s pretty disappointing but I made more good memories to be able to get over this one. It’s a good group of girls, very young. They have a good future,” said Hage, who is still weighing her college options. “It was more hard mentally than physically. We put the work in at practice and it’s been a great season for us. The girls were great. … That’s just how it goes.”

The official scoring had three shots on goal apiece for both teams, but there were never any legitimate threats in the second half.

Lake Mary girls soccer makes it a repeat, wins 7A state championship

American Heritage attacked often in the first half, but Hage was up for the task, stepping in several times. American Heritage did not have a direct shot on goal in the opening 40 minutes with the exception of the free kick.

Bishop Moore had several opportunities in the first half, but failed to capitalize. In the early minutes of the match, a ball got loose in front of the Heritage goal but a shot by Bishop Moore’s Kennedy Boudreaux sailed high.

The fleet feet of Nikki Meletidis created an opportunity in the 38th minute. She split two Heritage defenders near midfield and then beat the another down the field, but her shot from the left side of the penalty arc was stopped by a fantastic diving save by Heritage goalie Marlee Mills.

Bishop Moore missed some other chances early in the first half when teammates failed to recognize a wide-open opposite side of the field that left Emma Booker by herself.

“They just need to get their heads up more, and it is youth,” Geltz said. “So they will. It come with more playing with each other and they’ll get used to it.”

Youth prevailed this season for Bishop Moore, which played an extremely tough schedule and ended the season 8-7-5. Despite the sub-par record, by Bishop Moore standards, the Hornets were still the No. 1-seed in their region.

Two freshmen, Johnie Hanley and Elina Martino led the team in scoring, and Bishop Moore returns six of its top seven goal scorers.

“There was a lot of great games that we played this year. There were a lot of new faces for us, a lot of young ones,” Geltz said. “I just tried to instill in them that it’s OK. Don’t look at the record. Just try to play your best and learn from your mistakes.”

Chris Hays can be found on X.com@OS_ChrisHays.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow is the latest star to make his 2026 Cactus League debut Thursday, and had a solid showing in his first game of the new season.

Glasnow lasted two full innings and faced a batter in the third, allowing a single hit while striking out four.

The big right-hander struck out the side in the first inning, forcing whiffs from Austin Hays and Lenyn Sosa and catching Kyle Teel looking.

He looked just as good in the second inning, retiring the side in order with a groundout, a lineup and his fourth strikeout of the outing.

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He gave up his first hit in the third inning to Braden Montgomery before recording an out, and promptly left the game. Montgomery later crossed the plate on a two-run home run from Tanner Murray, charging Glasnow with an earned run on his otherwise spotless outing.

Will Tyler Glasnow be in the Opening Day Rotation?

While some spots in the rotation are definitely up for grabs, Tyler Glasnow’s spot as a starter isn’t up for debate. He has been one of the Dodgers’ best performers over the last two seasons — even making his first All-Star appearance in 2024 — and will certainly maintain his role heading into the new season.

Glasnow struggled with injury in 2025, making just 18 starts, but looked great when he was healthy. He had a 3.19 ERA through 90.1 innings pitched and struck out 106 batters in that time. The right-hander continued to play well heading into the postseason, posting a 1.69 ERA while splitting time between the bullpen and rotation.

He recorded the first save of his MLB career during the 2025 postseason, closing out an all-important win against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6 of the World Series.

Alongside Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are all likely to start for the Dodgers in the regular season, and Roki Sasaki, Gavin Stone, River Ryan and Emmet Sheehan are all competing for the remaining starter spots.

The Dodgers are spoiled for choice as far as their starters go, and will look to utilize their strength to continue to dominate MLB in the coming season.

Did Tyler Glasnow impress you in his 2026 Cactus League debut?

League executives have spent the past month meeting with dozens of potential investors in franchises in Europe, including wealthy individuals and private equity funds. Non-binding bids for those teams are due in late March. I’m told the NBA wants franchise fees of about $1 billion, though some investor groups have balked at that number and have pushed for fees closer to $500 million. It’s possible the NBA Board of Governors could greenlight the sale of franchises in some cities, and thus the formation of the league, during its upcoming March meeting. The NBA has targeted October 2027 for the league’s debut. The NBA has held conversations with several media companies with global aspirations to broadcast the games, including Amazon and YouTube, according to sources familiar with the matter. Amazon and YouTube spokespeople declined to comment. No decision on a broadcast partner or partners has been made yet, according to an NBA spokesperson.

CNBC

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Amazon, YouTube among companies in talks to broadcast NBA Europe games

While a fledgling league without hard audience data will likely be limited in the media rights money it initially commands, the NBA hopes that anchoring permanent teams in Europe’s biggest media markets – many of which don’t have permanent teams in the EuroLeague, the continent’s top basketball league – will make the league interesting to big partners. Currently, some of Europe’s best basketball teams (including Turkey’s Fenerbahçe Beko and Greece’s Olympiacos Piraeus) aren’t connected to its largest media markets, dampening ubiquitous continental interest in the sport and lowering its television value.

CNBC

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: While a fledgling league without hard audience data …

NBA senior leadership has expressed hope the EuroLeague and NBA Europe can become partners, including the possibility of EuroLeague taking a stake in NBA Europe, an equity exchange between the two leagues, or perhaps even a merger, according to sources familiar with the matter.

CNBC

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: NBA senior leadership has expressed hope the …

Washington Wizards: Update: Tristan Vukcevic has been upgraded to available for tonight's matchup. Kyshawn George (left knee contusion) is now out.

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Tristan Vukcevic has been upgraded to available for …

The Brooklyn Nets are still in the midst of the 2025-26 NBA season and at the moment, they're trying to turn their season around before April comes around. Despite the fact that Brooklyn remains focused on finishing this season in a strong fashion, it's important to note that matters after the season, like free-agency, are still being considered at this moment.

As of this writing, the Nets are projected to have at least $46 million in cap space to use in the offseason, not accounting for the fact that they would also have access to the Room Mid-level Exception (RMLE). When considering the RMLE, Brooklyn could have as much as $56 million in cap space to work with this summer, third only to the Los Angeles Lakers ($89 million) and the Chicago Bulls ($75 million).

What is important to reference is that the Nets do not have their own pick for the 2027 NBA Draft as that pick went to the Houston Rockets after Brooklyn traded draft picks with the Rockets two summers ago. That means that the Nets do not have as much of an incentive to be as committed to the rebuild heading into the 2027 Draft since Houston would ultimately be the beneficiary.

All that is to say that the Nets could be using this upcoming summer to upgrade the team as much as possible around the young players on the team, including the five rookies taken in the 2025 Draft. Forward Michael Porter Jr. ($40.8 million due to him in 2026-27) and center Nic Claxton ($23.1 million) will be the only players on the roster making more than $15 million next season.

While the recent Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) have changed how impactful free-agency is, there's still a possibility that the Nets could look to the market for immediate improvements. With that being said, here are five players that Brooklyn has to make contract decisions on following the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign:

Ochai Agbaji

Agbaji has not played much for the Nets since being acquired from the Toronto Raptors via trade prior to the trade deadline, but the rest of the season will be seeing how he fits within this system. Agbaji will be a restricted free-agent after this season, but given how he has played at various points in his career, he could be an interesting player to monitor.

Ziaire Williams

Williams has had his bright spots for Brooklyn this season as he has shown more ability in his dribble-drive game while displaying the defensive tenacity that he was known for since his days with the Memphis Grizzlies. Williams has a team option for the 2026-27 season that is worth $6.25 million, but his spot in the rotation as of this writing seems to be situational.

Day'Ron Sharpe

Like he has done for the past couple of seasons, Sharpe has displayed his penchant for being ultra-productive in limited minutes while also showing his ability to be an effective starting center when Nic Claxton is out of the lineup. Sharpe, like Williams, has a $6.25 million team option for next season and given his play this season, the Nets will likely exercise that option.

Josh Minott

Similar to Agbaji, Minott will be a restricted free-agent after this season, but he has not played one second for the Nets since being acquired from the Boston Celtics prior to the deadline. Minott is available for Thursday's game against the San Antonio Spurs and with the team needing to see how he fits on this roster, he could be getting some playing time down the stretch of this campaign.

Jalen Wilson

Wilson has been lauded by head coach Jordi Fernandez for his professionalism when it comes to his role as primarily coming off the bench whenever a few rotational players are injured or when games have gotten out of hand. While acknowledging the fact that Wilson is always ready to play, he will be a restricted free-agent after this season so it'll be interesting to see how much playing time he gets towards the end of the year.

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Who do the Nets have to make contract decisions on after this season?

With the month of February wrapping up, the focus is shifting to March as teams get set for runs. For the North Carolina Tar Heels, they have three games left in the Atlantic Coast Conference and don't have to worry about being on the bubble this season.

For the Tar Heels, they won't leave the state of North Carolina until the NCAA Tournament as they host Virginia Tech and Clemson before taking on Duke. They then go to Charlotte for the ACC Tournament. So, a big opportunity to improve their tournament resume is ahead. And they could be getting some more good news regarding injuries.

North Carolina has been without star freshman Caleb Wilson for a few weeks after he suffered a left wrist injury in the loss to Miami. Wilson has been wearing a brace since then and was targeting the season finale at Duke on March 7th for a return.

The next step for Wilson is imaging, which could come any day now per TarHeel 247:

As for Wilson, the timetable remains unclear. It has been over two weeks since he injured his left hand against Miami. The fracture in the hand was discovered on an X-ray two weeks ago Thursday. He is progressing, but his return largely depends on what further imaging reveals, which could take place any day.

"He would play tonight if I would let him," coach Hubert Davis said Wednesday night on his weekly radio show. "He just wants to be out on the court badly. He just really does. He's getting better every day. We have another doctor's visit later this week (and will) reevaluate the timetable. If everything stays like we think it will, hopefully he'll be back soon."

Henri Veessar says he's 100%

With Wilson out, UNC was also missing starting center Henri Veesaar with an illness and lower-body injury. He has since returned, coming back for the win over Syracuse last Saturday and has played in two games.

While Veesaar has returned, the questions are out there as to how he is able to handle the workload. But Veesaar has good news as he told The Field of 68 podcast that he's "100% healthy".

"I'm definitely 100 percent, I'm able to practice, I'm able to play in games, and playing without any pain," he said. 

That's about as good of news as you could ask for in terms of your two best players down the stretch.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Latest injury news on Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai threw a 10-pitch scoreless inning and was struck by a comebacker in his his spring training debut for the Houston Astros on Thursday against the New York Mets.

Imai allowed a leadoff single to Marcus Semien, whose sharp hit ricocheted off the pitcher's lower right leg and went into foul territory. Imai was checked by an athletic trainer and stayed in the game. He finished the inning with a infield popout by Mike Tauchman and a double-play grounder by Bo Bichette.

The 27-year Imai was a three-time All-Star in Japan before agreeing in January to a $54 million, three-year contract with the Astros. Houston lost Framber Valedez when he left as a free agent and signed with Detroit.

Eight of Imai's 10 pitches were strikes, and he threw only sinkers and changeups. All three balls put into play, none out of the infield, came on changeups.

Imai had 0-2 counts on Semien and Tauchman. Bichette's inning-ending grounder to third base came on the first pitch, an 87 mph changeup.

Imai was 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA last season for the Pacific League’s Seibu Lions, striking out 178 in 163 2/3 innings. He was 58-45 with a 3.15 ERA in eight seasons with Seibu.

His contract with the Astros included a $2 million signing bonus and salaries of $16 million this year and $18 million in each of the next two seasons. Based on his 2026 performance, his 2027 salary would escalate by $2 million each for 80, 90 and 100 innings, and his 2028 salary by $1 million for each level. He can opt out after the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

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

The Miami Dolphins are working out their plans for the 2026 offseason, adjusting the roster to fit new head coach Jeff Hafley’s vision for the club. Included in those plans are decisions about what the team should do with the 35 players slotted to hit free agency when the new league year begins on March 13. We have been working our way through the list of players, bringing you a closer look at each player, as well as a chance for you to weigh in with what you think Miami should do this offseason.

This is part four in this year’s series, following looks at cornerback Kader Kohou, linebacker Quinton Bell, and tight end Darren Waller. Today, we stay on offense with another pass catcher, moving out to wide receiver for a review of Dee Eskridge.

I have included an embed from X, giving you a chance to vote on what you think the Dolphins should do. Feel free to also head into the comments to discuss Miami’s options with Eskridge.